She was either setting the case up to be dismissed outright but wanted to make it look like Trump was being given a chance to more fully express his position, or, she thought the lawsuit had enough merit to proceed and a supplemental filing providing more detail on obvious issues would get it started right away. Trump’s lawyers filed the requested supplementation on 26 August–
The next day — Saturday, 27 August 2022 — Judge Cannon certainly surprised everybody with the second order, written as a separate document–
The Justice Department did file on 30 August the two items under seal and filed the public response that the order requested–
After crying that the heavens would fall if any of the affidavit supporting the search warrant was revealed, the Justice Department blithely included as an exhibit to its response the attachment ‘F’, which showed documents strewn on the floor, some titled with “Top Secret//SCI”, knowing that the media would take the bait.
Then today, Wednesday, 31 August 2022, here came the news media, fresh from their partially successful appearance in the magistrate’s court to have some of the search warrant affidavit unsealed. In a jointly prepared request, they want to intervene in this lawsuit about the appointment of a special master, and to have the two items unsealed that the government filed yesterday pursuant to the court’s Saturday order–
As the saying goes, you know you are over the target if you’re taking flak, and Trump’s lawsuit must be over the target as some of the usual suspects showed up today wanting to file a brief in the case as a “friend of the court” (amicus curiae)–
In her order of last weekend, Judge Cannon set a hearing for Thursday, 1 September 2022, at 1:00 p.m. eastern time.
This is quite a bit of material to look over, and Trump’s lawyers filed a reply late today (31 August) to the government’s response. The pace is picking up, and the more activity in a case like this, the better, in order to move to the result that should take place, which is the appointment of an outside special master to review the items seized.
I read news item that Trump’s attorney in their filing agreed with DOJ that a Master would need a Top Secret Clearance.
Was that correct?
If so, kinda defeats Trump’s insistence he declassified the docs.
Al
To examine the possibly still classified docs the level of clearance of the Master would have to match the security markings on the docs. From the cover sheets on the floor, this may be way higher than Top Secret collateral
pl,
I notice the Trump legal team never makes the claim that Trump declassified any of these documents. I would think that’s a reasonable claim to make yet Trump’s legal documents are silent on the matter. Reminds me of Guliani’s public claim of having reams of evidence of election fraud until he’s asked to produce some of that evidence in a court of law.
TTG
I have heard his attorneys say it several times. IMO they assume the courts will know his absolute right to do it.
For what my opinions on the photographic evidence of the documents shown all over the Interwebz are worth …
The
raid“search” team initially insisted to us all … “the materials were in 15 boxes.” (Al informs us later the number of boxes was 12.) But my first point is, the purported [variously classified] documents were alleged to be “in boxes.”However, *the photographic evidence “suggests” the documents were strewn across [the carpet?] haphazardly (willy nilly for those of us more accustomed to ‘hillbillianese’ and other such dialects).
The ‘marking, stamping/ribbons’ – as it appears to this simple hillbilly correspondent – “Looks to be” some mix of TS, TS/SCI, and more ominously SAP (I note Colonel Lang’s comment of September 1, 2022 at 11:06 am and his stating “From the cover sheets on the floor, this may be way higher than Top Secret collateral”).
To that observation I absolutely concur. ‘Totally agree with’ in other words.
My issue with the photographic exhibit released – for worldwide distribution apparently – seems somehow off it appears to me.
(At this point I suppose my explaining why I use the words “somehow off” may deserve some further explanation. In a nutshell it looks to this simple hillbilly that photo was staged. And for the maximum effect it very obviously got for the benefit of any of “those people” who are, however removed and dimly, aware of such things.
Of course ol’ JK certainly is not[!] such a people because as he’s repeatedly repeated he’s just “a simple ignurn’t hillbilly.”)
At any rate – I’d think even Melania’s panty drawer would be more organized than what I’ve been privileged to see of the [1] exhibit.
“So what!” I keep asking myself about the docs I’ve seen willy nilly on the [bedroom?] carpet, “Could it actually be that former President Trump’s and former First Lady Trump’s most enjoyable activity was reviewing [possibly] old classified documents”!
Documents that the US Archivist-In-Chief would seem to be so pruriently interested in properly cataloging for the future Trump Library?
*Something seems exceedingly screwy with what, so far, I’m “given” to believe.
JK/AR,
Of course it’s a staged photo. It’s just like all those photos taken at drug raids with masses of drugs, wads of money and weapons laid on top of both. There’s probably a whole series of photos from that raid.
Replying to TTG:
“It’s just like all those photos taken at drug raids
with masses of drugs, wads of money
and weapons laid on top of both.”
Yes, that’s exactly the problem.
These Trump-hating psychos in the FBI and DOJ can’t tell the difference between
a former President of the United States (whose guts they evidently hate)
and a drug lord.
That sure tells us a lot about THEM.
Keith Harbaugh,
If Trump wasn’t hoarding classified documents and refusing to give them back when subpoenaed, he wouldn’t look like a drug lord.
Yeah I so realize TTG.
There’s stuff of course we’ll never put on a blog thread so too but for the … uhm … cohort[?] that’s so recently grown accustomed to like Breaking Bad episodic stuff this whole storyline of repeating Legacy Media ‘Bombshell Reports’ on the continuing “Orange Man Bad” saga – it appears to me – to be designed for maximum impact.
And it’s, TTG, the possibility that it is actually, by design, that troubles me – in these my supposedly Golden Years (having had a front-row seat observing the, Social Media Indoctrinated Cohort) that gives me some serious doubts as to what, we used to just simply accept – duck & cover for instance, Tonkin Gulf, “some” might include the convenient timing of the pandemic foofaraw … the “convenience” of lowering gas prices by emptying the SOR, &c that – The Fix Is [Baked] In.
Then again TTG, it’s maybe possible I’ve got – as Al so recently [perhaps inadvertently] worded, gotten so “obviously unconcerned” that I’m simply not seeing the bigger picture that the powers that be actually do have all us plebes best interests to heart.
Crank it up and don’t give a hoot !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R95f7VwXqIw
TTG,
If Trump gets to run again and if nominated by the GOP and gets re-elected, and if he gets his loyalists in and weaponizes the DOJ/FBI and executes witch hunts on his political opponents, it will be interesting to get your reaction then?
I’m pretty certain what its gonna be. But you don’t have to worry about that based on his ineptitude the last go around 😊
Sam,
Yeah, yeah. More threats of one way helicopter rides. I’m shivering in my boots, Jock.
Lol!
I recall when the Russia Russia investigation of Trump was going on, the many comments you made on how Trump was compromised. It turned out to be actually a witch hunt as there was no evidentiary basis to investigate him as Rosenstein testified in Congress after the false affidavits were released. Yeah, Orange Man Bad!
Partisanship like yours where the rule of law is weaponized against political enemies reflecting more a banana republic is exactly why we are where we are. Witch hunts won’t be one way streets. It may not happen in our lifetime as it is the establishment team in power but it will become the norm soon enough.
Can anyone give a plausible reason why Trump would keep these classified documents. I can’t.
He declassified them. As I recall Clinton had emails from Obama in her private server cache and they were given top classification status, simply because they were communications with the POTUS.
One can therefore assume, Trump’s own communications while POTUS would also have received that high classification status at the time. But his own communications no longer needed to retain that status should he under his statutory authority “declassify” them.
Since none of us know the contents of any of these documents, it is only an indoor parlor game to continue this speculation . I particularly like the file designated “A-17” speculation that it holds the Epstein-Maxwell files, after Ghiseline cryptically referred to her imaginary cell mate as “A-17”.
Leverage with other goverments for financial means in future biz opportunities. Maybe as a “consultant” with other nations in intelligence matters. He would have a lot to sell!
If people don’t realize that Trump has been a fully operating immoral con man by now they likely never will.
If there is a “Deep State”, Trump played into the net easily.
Good thing truth is still a complete defense to slander per se charges – accusing one of a criminal offense – that is, the intended future blackmail using Deep State intelligence findings.
Funny how frequently this exact same ” retention for future blackmail” speculation suddenly showed up on conservative blogs. One might actually think it was a partisan echo chamber and not just random internet ponderings.
Trump did not have a presidential-level staff to man the bureacracy. When loyalty is the sole coin of the realm any moron can get a job by displaying fealty. I suspect Trump may not have known about the documents but when this became an issue he sought to use it for political purposes by digging in his heels. Has it backfired? Maybe, we’ll see.
Trump had 4 Chief of Staff. The guy that runs the WH staff.
Reince Priebus, John Kelly, Mick Mulvaney & Mark Meadows. It appears all GOPe. Ok. Maybe not Kelly.
Sam–
People at that level have to walk a fine line between allowing themselves to be managed and directing events.
Trump failed at the former and could not focus on anything other than his image regarding the latter.
SEW,
To prove who was behind crossfire hurricane and all the rest.
SRW,
Trump has claimed them to be his personal property and the box next to them seems to contain framed wall photos. Gotta hunch it was a last-minute packing job (he did not expect to have to leave until very close to Jan 20) and they simply packed everything that was in his office(s) and WH residence into boxes.
Mark Logan,
That was my first inclination as to what happened. No one paid attention to what was going on in those last days of the Trump presidency. He was still in a snit over the lost election and the failed insurrection. Mistakes happen. When we moved to Germany, we discovered the movers packed our garbage. Luckily it was dry garbage.
But if this was just a sloppy mistake, why resist returning the classified documents and presidential records?
TTG,
The answer will probably be in the contents of what Trump seems to have deliberately retained from the first tranche of returned docs, whether it’s miscellaneous in nature or all items that could be used for extortion and/or blackmail by Trump Inc. Misc indicates mere sloppiness, for which Trump is famous.
The damage assessment should tell the tale.
Is President Bids-In going to repair floor today after parachuting into the dais in our noble former Capit Till and city of brotherly love this afternoon or mourning? Thor’s Day first of September. Hammer away, android executive of children’s locks fragrance appreciation you. You who are POTUS because your opponent was the most fiendish nitwit billionaire since Lyndoom of Texas. Or will he trip Mesmerizingly stepwise up the red carpeted staircase?
Hmmm …
“The judicial records identified herein are central to the public’s further understanding of what occurred at Mar-a-Lago on August 8, 2022, and this unusual civil proceeding, and will also shine greater light on actions of government in executing the search.”
[Page 3 of 16 : First full paragraph, first sentence – (*See Al how easy that is?)]
https://turcopolier.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/trump_media_motion_to_intervene_20220822_case.pdf
More to digest of course but just perusing the names of the media entities party to the motion looks to me each is [a department of?] legacy media.
So … Yup. Looks to me “they’re” gonna be beavering away over the next few days cooperating on getting their *common terms straight, for the new and improved Narrative.
Standby for incoming!
Ominous music followed by the trotted out news-readers blaring “Bombshell! Highly placed but anonymous sources because privacy to speak on sensitive [stuff] say, ‘Yadda, yadda yadda!”
“Bombshell! The walls of Mar-a-Lago sources say ‘Are closing in on Trump!”
“Bombshell! ‘End of the line for Trump!”
“Bombshell! ‘Yadda yadda yadda!” “Bombshell! Yadda yadda ya …” “Bombshell! Bombshell! Bombshell!”
“Wait what?!”
“Bombshell! The Biden administration brings Fauci out of retirement to announce the emergence of a really really bad this time, a deadlier by far, new pandemic that demands people stay in their homes for the entire month of November and vote by phone.”
“And now a word from our sponsor.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/01/trump-lawyers-doj-court-00054521
This is getting curiouser! I’m not following this too closely except to see the outcomes and how Trump, the DOJ/FBI and the political/media/corporate establishment play this. This is all ultimately political. As someone else said trillions of dollars are at stake. With Biden going ape on MAGA voters and McConnell determined to deep six MAGA candidates in the midterms and DeSantis being coalesced as the GOPe candidate for the 2024 primary we’ll be in for an interesting political season to say the least. Entertaining for sure. IMO, we’re too far gone to get back to the Jeffersonian vision. So we’ll have to see what the new future holds. If one were a betting person I’d take the over on increased authoritarianism in the short term. Plenty of new emergencies in our future. 9/11 and Covidianism has shown how easy it is to manipulate the American people.
I am putting my money more on John Adams; not so much Thomas Jefferson – I go with limited government with little to no centralized government federal power base.
Which only proves we have always been a divided nation and rarely have we ever “all gotten along”. At least, not for very long.
I cringe every time I hear any politician claim he/she/xi will bring us together. Code for think like me or else. That is all I hear. But at least Adams and Jefferson were able to remain cordial and breach their idiological divides, because Mother America was their favored parent. In fact America is supposed to swing between opposite points of view and create the process to absorb this without national rupture.
Long and dense, but Conservative Treehouse has a good track record on political commentary.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/31/why-is-washington-dc-so-intensely-focused-on-targeting-donald-trump-and-labeling-his-supporters-as-threats-to-democracy/
The author takes pains to outline the history and scope of this new unelected fourth branch of government that evolved from the intelligence failures of 9-11 – the deep administrative state, but confines his comments to only its existence within the vast government intelligence agencies now operating as fully autonomous sub-agents within our elected representative form of self-governance.
Plenty of room for thoughtful consideration about the direction our government has taken over the past few decades. We the people still need to decide if this is where we want to go, or whether this in fact has become a devouring and highly politicized monster within.
Elections still matter, but we do need a fuller understanding of what is at stake, not just talk about the superficial personalities grabbing our attention at the top of the ticket.
Deap
The WH spox, presumably stating the Biden admin’s official position, says tens of millions of citizens are “an extreme threat to our democracy, to our freedom, to our rights”. That statement is prima facie evidence that the Party* does not use “our” in the traditional sense as relating to all Americans. It is now an exclusive, not inclusive term. It is not your democracy/freedom/rights/country and whether you or anyone else not on board with the Bolsheviks’ agenda think elections matter or not is just not relevant to them.
*When the incumbent regime makes it abundantly clear that voting the wrong way is unacceptable (see Brecht) I think this label is justified and shall be using the term from now on – presuming this does not offend our host.
Deap,
“good track record on political commentary.”
Sundance makes political commentary like Jackson Pollack made paintings. Throw a lot of stuff at the wall and see what sticks and then amplify. Most of what he puts out is doggerel.
Waiting 18 months and change to go retrieve it danger close to the midterms checkpoint is a good election strategy. So in not raiding Hillary’s basement for illegal servers with classified info.
NARA was looking for missing presidential records. It doesn’t look like they realized Trump also had classified material until they looked through the 15 boxes of records returned in January 2022. The FBI wasn’t sure Trump had more classified documents until his lawyers handed over more classified documents in June in response to a subpoena. I don’t know what occurred after that to cause them to suspect there were more classified documents at Mar a Lago. That part of the affidavit was all blacked out.
TTG, What led FBI on? “Witnesses”?
Al,
Perhaps. The DOJ alluded to having to protect witnesses (plural). I doubt we’ll know unless there’s a real indictment.
Al, didn’t the impeccable media with their impeccable anonymous insider sources already conclude the reporting “witness” was Ivana Trump, Mary Trump, Melania Trump and/or Jared Kushner? Or was that a craven attempt to simply gaslight the former POTUS.
The term of art in this FBI caper is documents “marked classified”; not classified documents. What protocol applies to unmarking documents that had been previously declassified by the President of the United States? Do they bleach-bit them to remove the former markings or destroy the former markings or simply cut the markings away with a pair of children’s paper scissors.
What are the excuses for the sloppy handling by these now alleged superseding authorities, who now claim they always retained ownership and classification priorities superior to the POTUS over these documents.
They just let them slip through their fingers unaware?
Deap,
All Trump had to do was line through the classification and initial each document. Normally a reason for declassification is annotated. That’s how classified documents are declassified. In this case, I would think Trump’s initials would have sufficed. If Trump’s people did a real search and returned all marked documents back in June, there would still be a lot of tut-tutting, but the whole matter would have ended there.
All presidential records are under the care of the serving president. As he leaves office, it is his responsibility to ensure all presidential records are turned over to NARA. The documents didn’t slip through NARA’s fingers. They were never turned over to NARA by Trump as required by the PRA.
ttg
“line through the classification and initial each document.” absolutely correct.
TTG,
He didn’t line through and initial it, personally? My goodness, national security ! Did he need to use blue ink too? Did the archivist need a clearance to know what documents to look for? How about the people who boxed all that up? How about the completely unstaged photograph added to a document that would be public record, did the photographer need a clearance too? Isn’t releasing that a violation of the same espionage act the FBI listed in their request for the search warrant?
LOL shouting NARA NARA NARA sounds a whole lot like children taunting each other and nothing like legal analysis. This is not a passing contest between the archivist and Trump over what are personal records and what are “presidential ” records that will wind up in a library. It is a continuation of the political action to keep Trump out of office, discredit those around him, and influence midterm elections.
Fred,
Trump’s the one who had declassification authority. He should be the one who declassifies the documents. He could have used that black market he loves so much and added his signature. I would think that’s something he’s like doing.
The special agents conducting the search needed additional clearances during the search. The photographer probably did as well. The released photo didn’t show any classified information, just cover sheets and whited out documents. The PRA applied to every president since Nixon. Do you think the conspiracy to discredit Trump started back then?
“All Trump had to do was line through the classification and initial each document.”
Each document or each page?
(Pages are normally individually marked or stamped.)
Keith Harbaugh,
The reason for declassification is usually on the first page. As I said, initialing that first page would suffice. All the classification markings would also be lined out including the paragraph markings if applicable. Trump could have had a minion do that. Entire field manuals have been declassified this way. Haven’t you seen a declassified document on the internet?
“Haven’t you seen a declassified document on the internet?”
Yes. I recalled that markings were crossed out, but did not recall how much was initialed.
In any case, thanks for reviewing the procedure!
Easy to remedy. Give the documents back to Trump so he can now line out the classification status.
And of course this simple recommendation is on record from prior NANA document confiscation and security visits.
Trump is such a bad, bad boy. Naughty corner for him until he lines out every declassified document marking.
Deap,
He’s no longer President. He no longer has security clearance or declassification authority. He lost all that on 20 January 2020. It’s now up to Biden and the originating classification authorities to classify/declassify.
TTG,
I can see AG Garland in court now:
“Members of the jury, yes “Trump’s the one who had declassification authority. ” but he didn’t line through the markings on each page, date and initial them, therefrore even though we agree he did had authority, and even though he repeatedly said he had declassified them, he’s still guilty.”
Good luck with that one.
” The released photo didn’t show any classified information, just cover sheets and whited out documents.”
And Trump isn’t accused of showing them around either.
“”Under the statutory scheme established by the PRA, the decision to segregate personal materials from Presidential records is made by the President, during the President’s term and in his sole discretion,” Jackson wrote in her March 2012 decision, which was never appealed.”
Lookie lookie, an actual court case saying the president decides what is personal and what is Presidential. Looks like this new FBI case is evaporating faster than the Russian offensive.
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/old-case-over-audio-tapes-bill-clintons-sock-drawer-could-impact
https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2012/03/judge-wont-seize-bill-clinton-taylor-branch-audiotapes-116074
The PRA came about after the FBI helped discredit Nixon and drive the guy who won by a landslide out of office.
Fred,
Trump has yet to declare in court that he declassified any of those documents. He’s has ample opportunity in several filings to do so. Until Trump declares he declassified them, there’s no reason for Garland to address that issue.
TTG,
Trump has to declare this in court now? What law is that, or just more political posturing from the Biden administration? I would say LOL but I just listened to Biden’s hate speech, so I suggest you turn me in now.
Fred,
He never has to claim it in court at all. If he doesn’t, DOJ never has to address it.
TTG,
A president does not need to swear in court to declassify anything.
Trump is no longer president and he can no longer declassify anything. If he’s indicted, he better swear that he declassified the documents in his possession while he was president or come up with some other defense.
TTG,
Yes, because all the times he publicly stated exactly that WHILE PRESIDENT don’t count for this administration or its true believers. As for me, thanks to Joe I’m definitely Anti-MAGA.
TTG,
My oh my what difficulties I’m experiencing since I [voluntarily & very willingly I hasten to add] gave up my “access.”
(And State seems to’ve “re-arranged” its filing system for G-d knows why.)
Used to be if one wanted to check the provenance of what I’m now having to depend on *Media/News sources all one needed then to do was hit State’s FOIA archived material from 6/16/2011 and type in – without the quotes – “file name C05787519.pdf” to view the actual FBI captured email chain but alas – for whatever reason, we are no longer *allowed that.
(You don’t suppose do you TTG, the FBI super sleuths are figuring Trump’s lawyers are maybe examining these here our comments do ya?)
Anyway:
“In an email marked June 17, 2011, that was released by the State Department on Friday, Clinton informs aide Jake Sullivan that she has not yet received a set of talking points.”
“They say they’ve had issues sending secure fax,” Sullivan says. “They’re working on it.”
“If they can’t, turn into nonpaper w no identifying heading and send nonsecure, Clinton responds.”
(Does that TTG read like I think it reads, something like she’s saying, ‘Strip the headers’? Oh forfend oh forfend I surely hope she’d just missed that hour of ‘handling classified materials class’!)
https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/265210-email-clinton-asked-adviser-to-send-secure-fax-by-email/
But then TTG there too is this:
“As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton routinely asked her maid [Marina Santos – Citizenship : Philippines – jk] to print out sensitive government emails and documents — including ones containing classified information — from her house in Washington, DC, emails and FBI memos show. But the housekeeper lacked the security clearance to handle such material.”
“Santos also had access to a highly secure room called an SCIF that diplomatic security agents set up at Whitehaven, according to FBI notes from an interview with [Hillary Clinton top aide Huma : jk] (then wife of Anthony Weiner) Abedin.”
“From within the SCIF, Santos — who had no clearance — “collected documents from the secure facsimile machine for Clinton,” the FBI notes revealed.”
https://nypost.com/2016/11/06/clinton-directed-her-maid-to-print-out-classified-materials/
…
Looks to me TTG that ‘sauce for the goose and the gander being good for both’ has taken a severe hit from none other than our own FBI doncha think?
(I’ll continue looking for a screen-shot of that damning email chain but truly I think – so long as Hillary doesn’t divorce Bill, bump off Melania, then grab Donald and keep him drugged up until after a Vegas Quickie, there’ll surely be a record of that email chain somewhere.)
JK/AR,
Clinton’s handling of classified information was atrocious due to both technical ignorance and pure laziness. The entire DOS has a pretty lousy reputation for handling classified info. I also know that in my time in the cyber field, DOS systems were routinely hacked by anyone with a little tech savvy and willing to try. That trick you mentioned of stripping the classification markings off a document is what was referred to as “field declassification.” It was absolutely wrong, but it was done once in a great while.
Clinton’s handling of classified info was certainly deserving of some kind of repercussion even if it was a loss of security clearance. She could have been charged with mishandling defense information even if it was close to the election. Even if she was indicted and even if she was convicted, she could still run for president and, if elected, she could have served and had access to classified information by reason of her office. Trump’s in the same situation. He could be indicted and even convicted, but it doesn’t matter. He could still run for president in 2024, maybe even get elected and again have access to classified info. That’s how our Constitution works.
Agree TTG on your read of Article II (US Constitution).
And yes I’m familiar with Comey’s “Simply careless” characterization of her [in black and white] alleged abuses. But still, why not the howls – emanating from the same folks who’re howling now National Security! National Security!
Does that refrain “Believe all women!” actually go so far back as the pre-Kavenaugh hearings era?
Na bother. Statute of limitations likely applies to her. Does have me wondering though, will any limitations ever be respected re Trump?
JK/AR,
If Trump and his lawyers turned over all classified documents back in June, the “simply careless” characterization could easily apply to Trump. However, a thorough search for such documents was either not made or was made to further the efforts to conceal and obstruct the return of those documents. IMO, neither Clinton nor Trump should ever be allowed to have access to classified information ever again.
Heh TTG …
Pretty doggone clever trap [set up?] you’ve managed to lay for me.
My experience[s] tell me, “Well of course TTG is correct. Everything I’ve ever known since taking that Oath binds me still unto this day and any tomorrows that I breathe.”
But then there is that – in both our cases looks like – that pesky Article II language.
That we both incidentally, swore to protect and defend.
JK/AR
“that Oath binds me still unto this day and any tomorrows that I breathe.” That is not true. The oath is contractual and not sacramental.
With Respect Sir,
Where matters of Faith and ‘In Spirit’ and in the matters beyond our available understanding of the Ultimate purview goes – Yes Sir. To that I agree. Totally.
But in this smaller realm in which I’m fortunate to find myself my thinking goes, I’m freely bound to that.
Contractually?
“We the People of the United States” I, personally, and again freely contracted lent whatever Honor remained to me to be bound to these, Earthly-penned terms.
Though Honor in the realm of Man be ephemeral beyond here Everlasting.
John 15 : 13 for instance
(Though I do, personally, have some doubts whether the country in which I was borned in is the same country I live in now.)
I shall not be arguing merits with you Colonel Lang, nor semantics, though I bow to no man I say I defer to you Sir. Your blog after all.
The ol’ Hillary dodge! lol
Has nothing to do with the growing criminal charges pressing more and more against Trump.
Then usual dodge of those not wanting to see clearly what is before them. “But, but, but look over there instead!”
Still looking for the growing criminal *evidence*, not just “growing criminal charges” in this highly politicized operation.
Past six years have been a long time to wait for this final OrangemanBad gotcha moment. But of course the *evidence* is redacted and the investigation remains ongoing.
Al,
you are right that claiming “the cops didn’t go after that crook over yonder” is hardly a defense. Neither is a charge a conviction, and nobody has charged Trump with any crime.
https://twitter.com/tuckercarlson/status/1565413602965725184?s=21
I disagree with Tucker. Biden is fine with GOPe. Who bothers him and the rest of DC are the 73 million who voted for Trump. They are enemies of the “state” and Biden’s got no problem carpet bombing them with F-15s much to the delight of the DC class.
I am facing my 79th birthday and have now been declared an enemy of the state twice in just the past year: (1) refusing Fauci’s Ouchie shots in toto; (2)having voted both Trump and GOP.
Prior 78 years have been pretty uneventful, and all owed taxes fully paid. Only real prior brush with the law was when I learned my travel sandals had some sort of metal rod embedded the soles, so I could not pass TSA muster without taking them off. But I am an old lady, I protested. The return glare from this outpost of government authority meekly scared me straight.
Only to learn now I teeter over a potentially lethal and final third strike to be declared a permanent Gulag-ready Biden enemy of the state. I shall vote against any Democrat I see anywhere on the upcoming November ballot. Let alone actually voting for any lone GOP candidate who still has the courage to put their name in contention in this very rabidly blue mean machine state of California.
Maybe with luck I can get sent to the same Club Fed where Ghisiline gets her discount botox treatments from participants in penitentiary’s cosmotology program.
Deap,
Have you gotten written notification that you’ve been declared an enemy of the state? What do those look like? Is it a form letter?
I did get the dreaded SSSS notation on a boarding pass once, which I did associate with my steady 8 year online harangue against Barack Obama. But they said it was just random – pulled aside for enhanced terrorism scrutiny. Perhaps they needed my Scandinavian ethnicity to round out their PC profile data.
Poor Deap, so old. Well I celebrated my 76th one month ago. Like you I’ve had a pretty uneventful life. Married my grade school sweet heart, paid my way through college, worked 3 jobs at a time, did my 3 years with Uncle, paid the tax man, broke no laws, a labor force member from 12 to 67 and recently I learned I was n/g! Gov Cuomo, who has lived life on a string… told me a was not a good NYer and should get out of HIS state. Yesterday his replacement, Hockum, said the same. California huh Deap? You can’t break away from L.A. and San Fran and I cant break away from NYC. So easy for people to say if you don’t like it MOVE, when your family and life is tied up in your state.
They used to say influenza was the old man’s friend. Now I think it is diminishing mental competency, so one does not fully understand what is happening in this country, or to their retirement savings.
When did the Marines become props for a campaign speech attacking at least a third of the country’s voting citizens as terrorists?
https://twitter.com/cernovich/status/1565497000958652416?s=21
The Marine Band is the President’s own. It’s like when the 25th Infantry Division commander said at one of my RECONDO school graduations. “Where ever I brings my band, that place is important.”
So they were really branching assault trombones, and not AK-47s? It was hard to tell in that sinister red glow.
lol!
Dunno if it was the president’s own marine band or stage props to add to the drama of the lighting & effects? Maybe they should have been blowing bugles to Heil the Chief to announce the onstage entrance of POTUS?
The republicans started this “TERRORISM/Patriot Act/Mass paranoia surveillance state” stuff post 9/11 and it has come back full circle 20 years later to destroy them
Serge,
Yes. I would say the neocons across both parties led by Bush/Cheney. Remember that the Patriot Act was supported by 99 senators with only Democrat Russ Feingold voting against it.
You are correct that the national security surveillance state that was created has made the national security apparatus an unaccountable 4th branch of government who have been weaponized against anyone with the temerity to dissent. There’s no going back.
Trump had the chance to at least fire the lot but when push came to shove he folded and hired the same cast of characters.
Serge,
IMO, what we have is a UniParty for all intents and purposes. The two sides of the same coin who always push divisive social issues to divide and rile up, so that there’s no room to focus on how this UniParty is destroying every aspect of what really matters from the perspective of a constitutional republic.
You’re correct that the Republican led using the terrorism boogeyman to enshrine a secret surveillance state but fully supported by the Democrats. The Democrats led on financialization of the economy and dismantling the US industrial base and shipping it to communist China fully supported by the Republicans. Bill Clinton had Big Money financiers like Bob Rubin running that play along with Republicans like Phil Gramm and Alan Greenspan.
https://twitter.com/matthewstoller/status/1565716511733547011?s=21
Many Americans recognize that the Swamp has taken over and they’re falling way behind while the Swamp continues to gain more power and wealth. Trump won in 2016 because of his rhetoric of Draining the Swamp. However he too staffed his Administration with the Swamp. And acted hapless when they decided to take him out extra-constitutionally just because. The only reason I can come up with why the Swamp is so feverish about Trump is that his rhetoric of how we’re being fucked hits home and that they don’t want under any circumstance, since someone really capable may come along. The Swamp want it precisely the way it is to provide the people an illusion of choice with divisive social issues.
Ben Carson said it for all as he departed at the end of his Trump cabinet position: he had no idea how very deep the swamp was.
I can’t blame Trump for not being able to take on the entire swamp at first brush too – but he started making a difference reducing both the size of the swamp and the over-reach of their controlling self-imposed regulations.
Two things put the Swamp into beast mode to get rid of Trump once and for all:
(1) denying McCabe his pension (albeit only temporarily) and
(2) expanding Schedule F – allowing more GS government bureaucrat at will terminations.
Serge,
Obama? Who is he? He won promising to end the war in Iraq and spying on Americans? Naw, how could a politician get elected on that platform after two terms of W.
Phew, saved in the early morning light. Biden did not really mean all Trump voters, when he condemned all MAGA Republicans.
Government will issue guidelines, so we can tell the difference. Biden just meant the gun-tottin’, beer-belly, pick-up truck drivin’, toothless, inbred, tobacco chewin’, billy bob MAGA Republicans.
Just like we saw in Easy Rider, 60 years ago. That film stuck in Biden’s long term memory bank.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11174455/Bill-Barr-insists-Trump-did-NOT-declassify-documents-seized-FBI.html
Is this settled then? Are we on to the indictment and discovery?
Oh, Bill! Say it ain’t so! You’re defending the FBI/DOJ in what you call a justified search?
Wow! Barr with have the Tin Hats sparking with more “Deep State”
conspiracies.
…will have*
Perhaps…President Trump…And Others…
Wanted This Material To Be Discovered and Read in Such a Public Way..!
Now The Media is Involved..The Courts Involved,,Congress Involved..
And They Know What HE Knows…About Thier Collusion ..And Beyond..
He does Have..A Photographic Memory…And Contacts..
Jim,
They ‘discovered’ a bunch of empty folders and staged a photo-bomb in a court filing as CYA. Don’t think about the economy, DANGER national security, espionage! Anything but the economy.
Fred, Good employment report out this past month. You must of ignored that!
Al,
I did see that. Yet a good employment report does not mean:
Lower gas prices
Lower food prices
Lower electricity costs (see the great green state of California)
Lower clothing costs
Lower, well did any costs go down because 350,000 people found employement at an unknown wage rate? Maybe our politicians got cheaper?
Since you’ve been looking at employment reports, which direction did the revisions to the 2 previous months go? Which direction do you think the next revision to this number will go?