#Lesko Help Member

[mariacallous]

The man who became a figurehead of the January 6 Capitol riot is planning to run for Congress in Arizona, and he may not even be the most extreme candidate on the ballot.

Jacob Chansley, a January 6 rioter known as the QAnon Shaman who wore face paint and horns to breach the Capitol, pleaded guilty to taking part in the riot. Last week, Chansley filed a statement of interest to run for a seat in Arizona’s 8th congressional district. Chansley, who has lived in the district for 30 years, tells WIRED that he is running his campaign single-handedly and does not plan to accept PAC money. Though he’s not eligible to vote under Arizona law because he is still serving part of his sentence, Chansley is able to run for Congress.

“When I heard that the seat was available, I prayed on it for a while, and the message I got from God was, ‘Do it,’” says Chansley.

In Arizona, Chansley’s decision to run for office is almost standard. Though Chansley may be viewed as a fringe candidate by many, he is not an outlier in a district and state where election deniers and conspiracists are already front and center in the 2024 election races.

Ever since former US president Donald Trump lost Arizona in 2020, the state has become the epicenter of election denial conspiracies and efforts to undermine democracy. The state was home to the Cyber Ninjas–run GOP recount that cost taxpayers millions, and its voters are represented by multiple far-right extremist GOP lawmakers, including state senator Wendy Rogers and US representative Paul Gosar, who have boosted wild conspiracy theories related to vote rigging. Former TV presenter Kari Lake, who has been touted as a possible vice presidential pick by Trump in 2024, continues to claim that the Arizona secretary of state race she lost by 17,000 votes in 2022 was stolen. Lake has also boosted racist “birther” conspiracies about former president Barack Obama and has pushed for journalists and political rivals to be jailed for unspecified crimes.

In Chansley’s home district, a slate of candidates reflecting Arizona’s embrace of extremist ideologies have already declared interest in running for the seat left open by the retirement of US representative Debbie Lesko, a member of the far-right Republican Freedom Caucus in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results.

Blake Masters, who ran for a US Senate seat in 2022 and lost, announced he would run for a seat in Arizona’s 8th district last month. During his Senate race, Masters was backed by money from techno-libertarian Peter Thiel, his former boss, as well as an endorsement from Trump, who told him to lean into claims of election fraud if he wanted to win the election. (Masters very much touted 2020 election denial conspiracies, but they apparently didn’t help him win.)

Masters, who published videos of him shooting guns as part of his 2022 campaign, will face a challenge for the GOP nomination from Abe Hamadeh. Hamadeh, a 2022 Republican candidate for Arizona attorney general, also lost his race in 2022 despite having Trump’s endorsement. Hamadeh was one of the loudest voices in Arizona falsely claiming that Trump had won the 2020 election, and he is still trying to have his own loss to attorney general Kris Mayes overturned.

Former US representative Trent Franks, Lesko’s predecessor, is also running again. Franks was forced to resign in 2017 after he offered female staffers millions of dollars to serve as surrogate mothers for him and his wife—and at least one aide was unsure whether Franks was requesting to impregnate her through sexual intercourse or in vitro fertilization.

Anthony Kern, an Arizona state senator who was also in Washington, DC, on January 6, and who has been accused of using campaign finances to fund his trip to the capital, has announced his candidacy for the congressional seat as well. Kern was captured on video entering a restricted area outside the Capitol, though there is no evidence he was violent or entered the Capitol itself, and he has not been charged for any crimes related to the riot.

Kern is, however, currently under investigation by the Arizona attorney general as one of 11 fake electors who signed documents in 2020 to claim that Trump had beaten President Joe Biden in Arizona, even though Biden actually won the state. Kern also took part in the sham hand-recount of ballots in Maricopa County in 2021.

Before becoming a lawmaker, Kern was fired from his position with the El Mirage Police Department for lying to his supervisor about repaying the cost of a tablet computer he had lost. He was placed on a list of Maricopa County law enforcement officials with a history of dishonesty or misconduct.

“The race in general is gonna be wild,” one independent researcher who tracks the far-right in Arizona under the moniker Arizona Right Watch tells WIRED. But, they add, they would still “take Chansley over Kern, who is totally corrupt and batshit.”

And even though the other candidates are possibly more connected politically, Chansley still thinks he has closer ties to voters in his home district.

“Several of the candidates running here in District 8 don’t even live in District 8. I’ve lived in District 8 for over 30 years,” he tells WIRED. “I’m largely doing it on my own. It’s just me and God, man.”

He’s currently working on a campaign website, and plans to begin knocking on doors to meet voters in the next couple of weeks. Chansley is also eager to take part in debates with other candidates. “That's where I think I'll shine,” Chansley says. “I'm ready to debate anyone and everyone that wants to try.”

When asked whether he would be attending a candidate forum being organized by a local community organization on Wednesday night, Chalsey says, “quite possibly.”

Chansley added that he doesn’t want any campaign donations, but says that if people want to support him, they can do so by buying merchandise on his website which includes T-shirts, mugs, and yoga leggings that feature him dressed in the notorious QAnon Shaman garb.

Despite having no experience, no money, no support, and no endorsements, Chansley is still optimistic about winning in 2024.

“I think my chances of winning are good, otherwise God wouldn't have asked me to run,” Chansley says.

[lewismorgancbz]

Lesko Help California State: Matthew Lesko Is The Best Advisor To Help You In Your Financial Assistant, Business Report, Job Education Training, Health Dental Per Care, Research Help, Real State And Housing, Legal Problems In California State America. California State Reports

[seymour-butz-stuff]

Steve King, the Iowa congressman who finally stepped aside in the election, used to play the role. Nowadays, Paul Gosar of Arizona seems to have become the go-to guy.

Last Friday, Gosar was the keynote speaker in Orlando, Florida, at the America First Political Action Committee (AFPAC) conference organized by white nationalist troll Nicholas Fuentes, leader of the alt-right “Groyper Army.” He followed that up Monday by tweeting out a meme featuring the group’s motto, “America First is Inevitable.” And just as they largely did right up until King wondered aloud what was wrong with the phrase “white supremacist,” Republicans pretended as if nothing had happened.

Fuentes’ gathering was organized to run simultaneously with the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference also in Orlando last week since Fuentes and his “Groypers” were banned from that gathering. Fuentes and some of his cohorts nonetheless made a stunt out of invading the conference, and some managed to get selfies with far-right celebrities like Congressman Matt Gaetz before being escorted out by security.

Gosar’s AFPAC appearance was highly touted by organizers, and his keynote speech did not disappoint them. “I suggest that senators and members of Congress that fail to put America first should be held accountable at the ballot box,” Gosar told the audience. “This is the era of America first, not some reincarnation of neocon control.”

Fuentes followed Gosar on stage and delivered a speech neck-deep in white nationalist cant, saying that if the U.S. "loses its white demographic core, then this is not America anymore." He warned that “white people are done being bullied” by groups like Black Lives Matter. Such groups, he claimed, want to create “a new racial caste system in this country, with whites at the bottom.”

Fuentes played a key role in the protests leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, notably helping lead a “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 12.  He was also present at the insurrection but claims he did not go inside the U.S. Capitol building; however, a number of followers—including the woman believed to have stolen a laptop from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office—did so. The ADL found that among the 212 people charged as of Feb. 17, 10 of them were white nationalist “Groypers. ”

He boasted about the Capitol siege in his AFPAC speech and was particularly proud that the mob managed to delay the certification of election results.

“While I was there in D.C., outside of the building, and I saw hundreds of thousands of patriots surrounding the U.S. Capitol building and I saw the police retreating ... I said to myself: ‘This is awesome,’” Fuentes said. The audience roared.

Gosar, who had skipped out on floor votes in Congress to make his AFPAC speech, made an onstage appearance at CPAC the next day as a panelist and mumbled an anodyne disavowal of white supremacists: "I denounce, when we talk about white racism, that’s not appropriate," Gosar said during a panel discussion. "I believe in a strong immigration system, but a legal immigration system."

Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts noted that none of Gosar’s Arizona colleagues—including Republican congresspeople Andy Biggs, Debbie Lesko, and David Schweikert, Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelli Ward, and Gov. Doug Ducey—offered any condemnation or even commentary on his open embrace of white nationalists.

Likewise, HuffPost’s Christopher Mathias notes that no rebuke has been forthcoming from national Republican leaders: “HuffPost this week reached out to the offices of seven prominent Republican politicians—including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy—to see whether they would condemn Gosar for attending an explicitly white nationalist conference. None responded.”

The GOP entity to respond to his queries was the Republican National Committee, whose spokesman, Tommy Piggot, replied with boilerplate text: “There is no place for anti-Semitism or racism in the Republican Party. We condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

Gosar has built a substantial far-right voting record in Congress and has a history of embracing far-right conspiracy theories and making racist remarks. His own siblings publicly denounced him in 2017 after he claimed that George Soros was responsible for funding the neo-Nazi movement in the U.S.

A fanatical Donald Trump supporter, Gosar was notably outspoken after Trump lost the election in November, posting an endless stream of conspiracy theories on Twitter—especially in the days leading up to Jan. 6. “Patriots: The time is now. HOLD THE LINE. Join me in DC January 6th,” he posted on Jan. 2.

The same day, he tweeted: “Notice how present day fascists who support a technology coup project. Sedition and treason for stealing votes is appropriate; gaslighting like this guy is transparently idiotic.”

The organizers of the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” event credited Gosar as one of their key supporters. Afterward, Gosar and Biggs pleaded with Trump for a preemptive pardon for their roles in the insurrection. Trump, predictably, threw them under the bus.

[msfangirlgonewild]

Michael Moore posted on Facebook:

Immediately Remove The Republicans Who Voted In Favor of the Terrorists’ Demands

It’s not just Trump who has to go. The Constitution is clear. Any member of Congress who participates in an “insurrection or rebellion” is in violation of the oath they took to defend and uphold the Constitution — and thus they may no longer serve in Congress. Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, written initially to exclude Confederate Civil War traitors, says that "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress … who … having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same[.]"

There are 147 Republican members of the Senate and the House who late last Wednesday night (and into the early hours of Thursday morning) — just hours after a domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol which they and Trump helped to incite — voted to overturn (throw out) the legal and already-certified votes of millions of Americans in the states of Pennsylvania and Arizona. It was an act of sedition and a flagrant violation of their oath of office. Legal experts and other members of Congress have called it an act of treason. THIS MUST BE DEALT WITH. They must be, as the Constitution requires, removed from Congress.

Here are their names. And to be clear: The cop-killing terrorist mob who attacked, trashed, took over and shut down our United States Congress for seven hours — the first time in history this has ever happened — their terrorist demands and their stated intention was to prevent the counting of the votes of millions of Americans and illegally give the election to Trump. So what did these 147 Republican lawmakers do just hours after these domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol in the hopes of killing, harming or kidnapping some of their fellow representatives, including their Republican Vice-President!? They voted to give in to the terrorists’ demands! And do EXACTLY what the cop-killing mob had demanded they do: Throw out the votes of the American people! Imagine if on the night of 9/11, 147 Republican members of Congress voted to give in to the demands of Al Qaeda. We never would have stood for that and we would have had them all arrested. But of course there’s a difference: Bin Laden wanted to take down buildings in the financial and military capitols of America and kill 3,000 people in the process. These 147 Republicans just wanted to take down American Democracy.

ALL 147 OF THEM MUST BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY PER SECTION 3 OF THE 14th AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION:

(Here Are the 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn the Certified Election Results)

U.S. SENATE

Tommy Tuberville, Ala.

Rick Scott, Fla.

Roger Marshall, Kan.

John Kennedy, La.

Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss.

Josh Hawley, Mo.

Ted Cruz, Texas

Cynthia Lummis, Wyo.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Robert B. Aderholt, Ala.

Mo Brooks, Ala.

Jerry Carl, Ala.

Barry Moore, Ala.

Gary Palmer, Ala.

Mike Rogers, Ala.

Andy Biggs, Ariz.

Paul Gosar, Ariz.

Debbie Lesko, Ariz.

David Schweikert, Ariz.

Rick Crawford, Ark.

Ken Calvert, Calif.

Mike Garcia, Calif.

Darrell Issa, Calif.

Doug LaMalfa, Calif.

Kevin McCarthy, Calif.

Devin Nunes, Calif.

Jay Obernolte, Calif.

Lauren Boebert, Colo.

Doug Lamborn, Colo.

Kat Cammack, Fla.

Mario Diaz-Balart, Fla.

Byron Donalds, Fla.

Neal Dunn, Fla.

Scott Franklin, Fla.

Matt Gaetz, Fla.

Carlos Gimenez, Fla.

Brian Mast, Fla.

Bill Posey, Fla.

John Rutherford, Fla.

Greg Steube, Fla.

Daniel Webster, Fla.

Rick Allen, Ga.

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter, Ga.

Andrew Clyde, Ga.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.

Jody Hice, Ga.

Barry Loudermilk, Ga.

Russ Fulcher, Idaho

Mike Bost, Ill.

Mary Miller, Ill.

Jim Baird, Ind.

Jim Banks, Ind.

Greg Pence, Ind.

Jackie Walorski, Ind.

Ron Estes, Kan.

Jacob LaTurner, Kan.

Tracey Mann, Kan.

Harold Rogers, Ky.

Garret Graves, La.

Clay Higgins, La.

Mike Johnson, La.

Steve Scalise, La.

Andy Harris, Md.

Jack Bergman, Mich.

Lisa McClain, Mich.

Tim Walberg, Mich.

Michelle Fischbach, Minn.

Jim Hagedorn, Minn.

Michael Guest, Miss.

Trent Kelly, Miss.

Steven Palazzo, Miss.

Sam Graves, Mo.

Vicky Hartzler, Mo.

Billy Long, Mo.

Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.

Jason Smith, Mo.

Matt Rosendale, Mont.

Dan Bishop, N.C.

Ted Budd, N.C.

Madison Cawthorn, N.C.

Virginia Foxx, N.C.

Richard Hudson, N.C.

Gregory F. Murphy, N.C.

David Rouzer, N.C.

Jeff Van Drew, N.J.

Yvette Herrell, N.M.

Chris Jacobs, N.Y.

Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y.

Elise M. Stefanik, N.Y.

Lee Zeldin, N.Y.

Adrian Smith, Neb.

Steve Chabot, Ohio

Warren Davidson, Ohio

Bob Gibbs, Ohio

Bill Johnson, Ohio

Jim Jordan, Ohio

Stephanie Bice, Okla.

Tom Cole, Okla.

Kevin Hern, Okla.

Frank Lucas, Okla.

Markwayne Mullin, Okla.

Cliff Bentz, Ore.

John Joyce, Pa.

Fred Keller, Pa.

Mike Kelly, Pa.

Daniel Meuser, Pa.

Scott Perry, Pa.

Guy Reschenthaler, Pa.

Lloyd Smucker, Pa.

Glenn Thompson, Pa.

Jeff Duncan, S.C.

Ralph Norman, S.C.

Tom Rice, S.C.

William Timmons, S.C.

Joe Wilson, S.C.

Tim Burchett, Tenn.

Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.

Chuck Fleischmann, Tenn.

Mark E. Green, Tenn.

Diana Harshbarger, Tenn.

David Kustoff, Tenn.

John Rose, Tenn.

Jodey Arrington, Texas

Brian Babin, Texas

Michael C. Burgess, Texas

John R. Carter, Texas

Michael Cloud, Texas

Pat Fallon, Texas

Louie Gohmert, Texas

Lance Gooden, Texas

Ronny Jackson, Texas

Troy Nehls, Texas

August Pfluger, Texas

Pete Sessions, Texas

Beth Van Duyne, Texas

Randy Weber, Texas

Roger Williams, Texas

Ron Wright, Texas

Burgess Owens, Utah

Chris Stewart, Utah

Ben Cline, Va.

Bob Good, Va.

Morgan Griffith, Va.

Robert J. Wittman, Va.

Carol Miller, W.Va.

Alexander X. Mooney, W.Va.

Scott Fitzgerald, Wis.

Tom Tiffany, Wis.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html (photo collage courtesy of the NY Times)

[removedreality]

Immediately Remove The Republicans Who Voted In Favor of the Terrorists’ Demands

It’s not just Trump who has to go. The Constitution is clear. Any member of Congress who participates in an “insurrection or rebellion” is in violation of the oath they took to defend and uphold the Constitution — and thus they may no longer serve in Congress. Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, written initially to exclude Confederate Civil War traitors, says that "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress … who … having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same[.]"

There are 147 Republican members of the Senate and the House who late last Wednesday night (and into the early hours of Thursday morning) — just hours after a domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol which they and Trump helped to incite — voted to overturn (throw out) the legal and already-certified votes of millions of Americans in the states of Pennsylvania and Arizona. It was an act of sedition and a flagrant violation of their oath of office. Legal experts and other members of Congress have called it an act of treason. THIS MUST BE DEALT WITH. They must be, as the Constitution requires, removed from Congress.

Here are their names. And to be clear: The cop-killing terrorist mob who attacked, trashed, took over and shut down our United States Congress for seven hours — the first time in history this has ever happened — their terrorist demands and their stated intention was to prevent the counting of the votes of millions of Americans and illegally give the election to Trump. So what did these 147 Republican lawmakers do just hours after these domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol in the hopes of killing, harming or kidnapping some of their fellow representatives, including their Republican Vice-President!? They voted to give in to the terrorists’ demands! And do EXACTLY what the cop-killing mob had demanded they do: Throw out the votes of the American people! Imagine if on the night of 9/11, 147 Republican members of Congress voted to give in to the demands of Al Qaeda. We never would have stood for that and we would have had them all arrested. But of course there’s a difference: Bin Laden wanted to take down buildings in the financial and military capitols of America and kill 3,000 people in the process. These 147 Republicans just wanted to take down American Democracy.

ALL 147 OF THEM MUST BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY PER SECTION 3 OF THE 14th AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION:

(Here Are the 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn the Certified Election Results)

U.S. SENATE

Tommy Tuberville, Ala.

Rick Scott, Fla.

Roger Marshall, Kan.

John Kennedy, La.

Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss.

Josh Hawley, Mo.

Ted Cruz, Texas

Cynthia Lummis, Wyo.

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Robert B. Aderholt, Ala.

Mo Brooks, Ala.

Jerry Carl, Ala.

Barry Moore, Ala.

Gary Palmer, Ala.

Mike Rogers, Ala.

Andy Biggs, Ariz.

Paul Gosar, Ariz.

Debbie Lesko, Ariz.

David Schweikert, Ariz.

Rick Crawford, Ark.

Ken Calvert, Calif.

Mike Garcia, Calif.

Darrell Issa, Calif.

Doug LaMalfa, Calif.

Kevin McCarthy, Calif.

Devin Nunes, Calif.

Jay Obernolte, Calif.

Lauren Boebert, Colo.

Doug Lamborn, Colo.

Kat Cammack, Fla.

Mario Diaz-Balart, Fla.

Byron Donalds, Fla.

Neal Dunn, Fla.

Scott Franklin, Fla.

Matt Gaetz, Fla.

Carlos Gimenez, Fla.

Brian Mast, Fla.

Bill Posey, Fla.

John Rutherford, Fla.

Greg Steube, Fla.

Daniel Webster, Fla.

Rick Allen, Ga.

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter, Ga.

Andrew Clyde, Ga.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.

Jody Hice, Ga.

Barry Loudermilk, Ga.

Russ Fulcher, Idaho

Mike Bost, Ill.

Mary Miller, Ill.

Jim Baird, Ind.

Jim Banks, Ind.

Greg Pence, Ind.

Jackie Walorski, Ind.

Ron Estes, Kan.

Jacob LaTurner, Kan.

Tracey Mann, Kan.

Harold Rogers, Ky.

Garret Graves, La.

Clay Higgins, La.

Mike Johnson, La.

Steve Scalise, La.

Andy Harris, Md.

Jack Bergman, Mich.

Lisa McClain, Mich.

Tim Walberg, Mich.

Michelle Fischbach, Minn.

Jim Hagedorn, Minn.

Michael Guest, Miss.

Trent Kelly, Miss.

Steven Palazzo, Miss.

Sam Graves, Mo.

Vicky Hartzler, Mo.

Billy Long, Mo.

Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.

Jason Smith, Mo.

Matt Rosendale, Mont.

Dan Bishop, N.C.

Ted Budd, N.C.

Madison Cawthorn, N.C.

Virginia Foxx, N.C.

Richard Hudson, N.C.

Gregory F. Murphy, N.C.

David Rouzer, N.C.

Jeff Van Drew, N.J.

Yvette Herrell, N.M.

Chris Jacobs, N.Y.

Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y.

Elise M. Stefanik, N.Y.

Lee Zeldin, N.Y.

Adrian Smith, Neb.

Steve Chabot, Ohio

Warren Davidson, Ohio

Bob Gibbs, Ohio

Bill Johnson, Ohio

Jim Jordan, Ohio

Stephanie Bice, Okla.

Tom Cole, Okla.

Kevin Hern, Okla.

Frank Lucas, Okla.

Markwayne Mullin, Okla.

Cliff Bentz, Ore.

John Joyce, Pa.

Fred Keller, Pa.

Mike Kelly, Pa.

Daniel Meuser, Pa.

Scott Perry, Pa.

Guy Reschenthaler, Pa.

Lloyd Smucker, Pa.

Glenn Thompson, Pa.

Jeff Duncan, S.C.

Ralph Norman, S.C.

Tom Rice, S.C.

William Timmons, S.C.

Joe Wilson, S.C.

Tim Burchett, Tenn.

Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.

Chuck Fleischmann, Tenn.

Mark E. Green, Tenn.

Diana Harshbarger, Tenn.

David Kustoff, Tenn.

John Rose, Tenn.

Jodey Arrington, Texas

Brian Babin, Texas

Michael C. Burgess, Texas

John R. Carter, Texas

Michael Cloud, Texas

Pat Fallon, Texas

Louie Gohmert, Texas

Lance Gooden, Texas

Ronny Jackson, Texas

Troy Nehls, Texas

August Pfluger, Texas

Pete Sessions, Texas

Beth Van Duyne, Texas

Randy Weber, Texas

Roger Williams, Texas

Ron Wright, Texas

Burgess Owens, Utah

Chris Stewart, Utah

Ben Cline, Va.

Bob Good, Va.

Morgan Griffith, Va.

Robert J. Wittman, Va.

Carol Miller, W.Va.

Alexander X. Mooney, W.Va.

Scott Fitzgerald, Wis.

Tom Tiffany, Wis.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html (photo collage courtesy of the NY Times)

[zumpietoo]

At the top of the heap of people whose names shall live in infamy are GOP Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, who led the coup in the Senate to overturn the will of the people. After the fires started burning, Ted Cruz very poorly paid lip service to trying to cool things down, after he had helped commit the arson. Hawley could hardly be bothered to do that. Those two garbage fascists were joined in objections to Arizona and/or Pennsylvania by Tommy Tuberville, Roger Marshall, John Kennedy, Rick Scott, brand new Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, and Cindy Hyde-Smith. Let the record show that these people went ahead and kept up their objections even after the US Capitol building was attacked by domestic terrorists they and their shithole Dear Leader had incited. In the Senate, it was only those assholes. In the House, though? Holy shit. They objected to Arizona and somehow even more of them voted to sustain the objection to Pennsylvania in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, as if yesterday's terrorism put a spring in their step, as if the blood in the hallways of the Capitol gave them sustenance. Again, all of this was after the terrorist attack. And in the House it wasn't just Arizona and Pennsylvania either. Reps like Louie Gohmert stood up to object to other states too, even though the GOP senators who had originally planned to support those challenges had put down their guns and agreed to end the standoff peacefully. (It was particularly pleasing to watch Vice President Mike Pence glare at Gohmert, who just got finished unsuccessfully suing Pence to make him overturn the election, and tell him his objection to the electors in Wisconsin "MAY NOT BE ENTERTAINED," since he couldn't get even the Senate's dumbest Republican Ron Johnson to sign his treason permission slip anymore.) Overall, 139 House GOP members voted to object to the electors from Arizona and/or Pennsylvania. These are their names. They should not be allowed around your children, you should kick them out of your chicken restaurant, and they should always and forevermore be referred to as seditious traitors to democracy in the United States of America. They really should be expelled from Congress. They're listed by state, to make it helpful for people to know which chicken restaurants to ban them from, specifically. Alabama 1. Robert Aderholt 2. Mo Brooks 3. Jerry Carl 4. Barry Moore 5. Gary Palmer 6. Mike Rogers Arizona 7. Andy Biggs 8. Paul Gosar 9. Debbie Lesko 10. David Schweikert Arkansas 11. Rick Crawford California 12. Ken Calvert 13. Mike Garcia 14. Darrell Issa 15. Doug LaMalfa 16. Kevin McCarthy 17. Devin Nunes 18. Jay Obernolte Colorado 19. Lauren Boebert 20. Doug Lamborn Florida 21. Kat Cammack 22. Mario Diaz-Balart 23. Byron Donalds 24. Neal Dunn 25. Scott Franklin 26. Matt Gaetz 27. Carlos Jimenez 28. Brian Mast 29. Bill Posey 30. John Rutherford 31. Greg Steube 32. Daniel Webster Georgia 33. Rick Allen 34. Earl "Buddy" Carter 35. Andrew Clyde 36. Marjorie Taylor Greene 37. Jody Hice 38. Barry Loudermilik Idaho 39. Russ Fulcher Illinois 40. Mike Bost 41. Mary Miller Indiana 42. Jim Baird 43. Jim Banks 44. Greg Pence 45. Jackie Walorski Kansas 46. Ron Estes 47. Jacob LaTurner 48. Tracey Mann Kentucky 49. Harold Rogers Louisiana 50. Garret Graves 51. Clay Higgins 52. Mike Johnson 53. Steve Scalise Maryland 54. Andy Harris Michigan 55. Jack Bergman 56. Lisa McClain 57. Tim Walberg Minnesota 58. Michelle Fischbach 59. Jim Hagedorn Mississippi 60. Michael Guest 61. Trent Kelly 62. Steven Palazzo Missouri 63. Sam Graves 64. Vicky Hartzler 65. Billy Long 66. Blaine Luetkemeyer 67. Jason Smith Montana 68. Matt Rosendale North Carolina 69. Dan Bishop 70. Ted Budd 71. Madison Cawthorn 72. Virginia Foxx 73. Richard Hudson 74. Gregory Murphy 75. David Rouzer New Jersey 76. Jeff Van Drew New Mexico 77. Yvette Harrell New York 78. Chris Jacobs 79. Nicole Malliotakis 80. Elise Stefanik 81. Lee Zeldin Nebraska 82. Adrian Smith Ohio 83. Steve Chabot 84. Warren Davidson 85. Bob Gibbs 86. Bill Johnson 87. Jim Jordan Oklahoma 88. Stephanie Hice 89. Tom Cole 90. Kevin Hern 91. Frank Lucas 92. Markwayne Mullin Oregon 93. Cliff Bentz Pennsylvania 94. John Joyce 95. Fred Keller 96. Mike Kelly 97. Daniel Meuser 98. Scott Perry 99. Guy Reschenthaler 100. Lloyd Smucker 101. Glenn Thompson South Carolina 102. Jeff Duncan 103. Ralph Norman 104. Tom Rice 105. William Timmons 106. Joe Wilson Tennessee 107. Tim Burchett 108. Scott DesJarlais 109. Chuck Fleischmann 110. Mark Green 111. Diana Harshbarger 112. David Kustoff 113. John Rose Texas 114. Jodey Arrington 115. Brian Babin 116. Michael Burgess 117. John Carter 118. Michael Cloud 119. Pat Fallon 120. Louie Gohmert 121. Lance Gooden 122. Ronny Jackson 123. Troy Nehls 124. August Pfluger 125. Pete Sessions 126. Beth Van Duyne 127. Randy Weber 128. Roger Williams 129. Ron Wright Utah 130. Burgess Owens 131. Chris Stewart Virginia 132. Ben Cline 133. Bob Good 134. Morgan Griffith 135. Robert Wittman West Virginia 136. Carol Miller 137. Alexander Mooney Wisconsin 138. Scott Fitzgerald 139. Tom Tiffany These are the people who either incited yesterday's attackers, gave them aid and comfort as terrorist sympathizers, or both.

https://www.wonkette.com/here-are-all-147-members-of-the-terrorist-inciting-gop-sedition-caucus-may-their-names-forever-be-stained

[creepingsharia]

Islamic Relief Under Investigation; Congress Demands Answers

Source: MEF Reveals Islamic Relief under | Middle East Forum

October 18, 2018 – Following the Middle East Forum’s exposé of a possible criminal investigation into Islamic Relief, the recipient of at least $700,000 in U.S. taxpayer funding, seven members of Congress have demanded answers from the federal government.

Islamic Relief is the largest Islamic charity in the West, with branches in more than 20 countries. Founded by students affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, it has received at least $80 million from Western governments and international bodies.

Citing an “extensive report by the Middle East Forum,” representatives Ted Budd, Chuck Fleischmann, Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, Debbie Lesko, Barry Loudermilk, and Walter Jones issued a letter to the directors of the FBI, IRS, and Office of Personnel Management (OPM):

As members of the legislative branch, we have a vital role in ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely and certainly to ensure that such money is not spent on entities that are subsidizing terrorism. If the United States Government has information suggesting criminal or extremist activity by Islamic Relief, it is critically important that Congress be informed so we can make decisions concerning any funding that might go to Islamic Relief.

That “extensive report” refers to a June 2018 MEF study on Islamic Relief’s extremism and terror connections. It reveals the response from OPM to a Freedom of Information Act request:

“We are withholding the records … as they were compiled for law enforcement purposes and their disclosure could reasonably be expected to interfere with ongoing enforcement proceedings, by—for example—suggesting the scope of an investigation and alerting potential subjects as to the nature of the Government’s evidence and strategy.” (Emphasis added.)

Any criminal investigation into to Islamic Relief’s U.S. branch is likely to relate to its financial relationship with its parent branch in the U.K, or its activities in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

For years, allegations of extremism and terrorism ties have dogged Islamic Relief:

In 2014, the United Arab Emirates designated Islamic Relief Worldwide as a terrorist organization, due to its links with violent Muslim Brotherhood elements in the Middle East.

In 2015, Egyptian prosecutors accused Essam El-Haddad – a founder of Islamic Relief and advisor to President Mohamed Morsi – of using Islamic Relief to fund the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 2016, the banking giant HSBC shut down Islamic Relief’s accounts, following a similar decision made by UBS in 2012.

In 2017, the Bangladeshi government banned Islamic Relief from working with Rohingya refugees.

In 2017, the U.K. Charity Commission started investigating Islamic Relief’s promotion of extremist preachers.

“For decades, Islamic Relief has used its position as a leading provider of humanitarian aid to distract from its promotion of intolerant, extremist ideology, and its links to terrorism in the Middle East,” said Sam Westrop, author of the Forum report.

“Now, officials in countries around the world are beginning to understand the dangers of Islamic Relief, its underlying ideology, and its carefully-crafted duplicity. We welcome congressional interest in the matter.”

Please Share & Help Wake America Up

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 15 July 2019

Quick Bits:

Age of X-Man: Omega #1 concludes the event with this finale one-shot from Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler, Simone Buonfantino, Tríona Farrell, and Clayton Cowles. It’s a confrontation between many of the groups within this world and X-Man as they discover the nature of the world and discuss some philosophical concepts of conflict and identity.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #50 begins “Amnesty” from Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Eduardo Pansica, Daniel Henriques, Julio Ferreira, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. It’s damn good. Arthur returns home here and there’s a reintegration of old supporting cast members, Wonder Woman, and further information about what’s going on in Atlantis. Also the set up for an interesting story possibly further down the line. Great art from Rocha, Pansica, Henriques, Ferreira, and Gho.

| Published by DC Comics

Assassin Nation #5 is the end to what has been a fun and humorous action-packed series from Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett. More great action with some surprises along the way.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Batman #75 begins “City of Bane” from Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, Mitch Gerads, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles. It sets up a new status quo in Gotham with Bane at the helm and a bizarre slotting of various villains into traditional roles.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Badge #12 concludes this series with one last mission from the combined forces of all of colour badges, showing us how a coordinated effort really should have taken place before the groups’ purpose was co-opted. This has been a great series from Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins, and Jim Campbell.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Black Science #41 sets up an interesting and somewhat surprising new reality after last issue. I kind of expect that we’ll see another big twist as we head towards the finale in the next two issues. Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio, and Rus Wooton give us an interesting look at “paradise” this issue.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Blade Runner 2019 #1 begins a new time period and introduces a new Blade Runner in this alt-present tale from Michael Green, Mike Johnson, Andres Guinaldo, Marco Lesko, and Jim Campbell. Ash is an interesting character and this interpretation of the mythos is wonderful. Also, the artwork from Guinaldo and Lesko perfectly fits this neon apocalypse world.

| Published by Titan

Bloodborne #13 begins the next arc, “The Veil, Torn Asunder”, as an unnamed veteran searches through the madness of Yarnham and beyond. Beautiful artwork from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson, really bringing the existential horrors to life.

| Published by Titan

Daredevil #8 goes in a very interesting direction as Matt accepts a dinner invitation from the married bookseller he keeps flirting with, leading to an assassination attempt and captivating dinner conversation about rules and responsibility. Chip Zdarsky, Lalit Kumar Sharma, Jay Leisten, Java Tartaglia, and Clayton Cowles are really delivering an interesting story here.

| Published by Marvel

Excellence #3 delves into some of the details of how the Aegis deals with rogue magic users. Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett are doing some very interesting world and character building here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Fairlady #4 is another great issue. The humour that Brian Schirmer provides in the dialogue is wonderful. This one dives into the mystery of mystery novel missing its final page and there’s one hell of an ending.

| Published by Image

Ghost Tree #4 concludes this excellent series from Bobby Curnow, Simon Gane, Ian Herring, Becka Kinzie, and Chris Mowry. There are a lot of goodbyes in this issue, some pleasant, some not, and some heartrending choices and consequences. Very well done.

| Published by IDW

Gideon Falls #15 checks in with Father Fred’s nightmares. The different time periods and streams, and their crossings-over at this point, are fascinating, even as things become even more chaotic and horrifying. Gorgeous art from Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Image

Immortal Hulk #21 has gorgeous guest art from Ryan Bodenheim as we get a story filling in this past of Fortean and a dangerous change in the present. Al Ewing also brings forward some of the recurring subtext of form and substance through the Bible and Kabbalah to give a deeper understanding of some of the themes here.

| Published by Marvel

Infinite Dark #8 brings an end to the second arc, with a revelation of the nightmarish creatures trying to destroy the station and a choice for how to proceed with the potential survival or annihilation of the remaining human race. Wonderful work from Ryan Cady, Andrea Mutti, K. Michael Russel, and Troy Peteri.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Invaders #7 begins a new arc, “Dead in the Water”, dealing with the fallout of Atlantis’ assault on the surface. There are some more hints of Namor’s problems, the return of another Invader, and hints at some nefarious things on the horizon. I love the introduction of Tony Stark into the mess in the present, adding another conflict to deal with. Chip Zdarsky, Carlos Magno, Butch Guice, Alex Guimarães, and Travis Lanham continue to deliver some solid storytelling here.

| Published by Marvel

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens #4 features an interpretation of the myth of Lorelei by Aud Koch (with letters from Jim Campbell). It’s wonderfully told, with beautiful, magical artwork.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / Archaia

Justice League #28 concludes “Apex Predator” from James Tynion IV, Javier Fernandez, Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano. This one’s basically integral to the core “Year of the Villain” story as Lex gives his offer to J’onn. 

| Published by DC Comics

The Life & Death of Toyo Harada #5 picks up some of the pieces for the remaining few of Toyo’s forces, as they try to make a plan for what’s to come next. It should be interesting to see what the next step is in the finale. Gorgeous artwork from CAFU, Kano, and Andrew Dalhouse.

| Published by Valiant

Little Bird #5 brings this ambitious and unique story from Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar to an end. The personal nature of this story as Little Bird comes to terms with her family has been a very enthralling element in this fight for freedom, and the sacrifices that one makes. Stunning artwork from Bertram and Hollingsworth.

| Published by Image

Loki #1 is an entertaining beginning to this new series spinning out of War of the Realms from Daniel Kibblesmith, Oscar Bazaldua, David Curiel, and Clayton Cowles. It dives in to Loki’s new role as King of Jotunheim and how he’s humorously approaching his duties. There’s a nice set-up for something coming that’s dismissed as a trick.

| Published by Marvel

Outpost Zero #11 reveals the discovery of life outside of the outpost, which leads to an unexpected reaction and sign of more conspiracies to keep the entire populace in the dark. Sean Kelly McKeever has been seeding little hints that something not right has been going on for a long time within the colony and there is more evidence of it here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Pearl #11 sets us up for the end as Pearl returns to San Francisco to take care of the Endo Twins. Also, a game changer of a cliffhanger. Love the double page spreads from Michael Gaydos.

| Published by DC Comics / Jinxworld

Promethee 13:13 #1 is a digital-original prequel to Christophe Bec’s Promethee series from Andy Diggle, Shawn Martinbrough, Dave Stewart, and Simon Bowland. You don’t need to have read the original to follow this, but I still highly recommend it. This is an interesting starting point, with even more of a conspiratorial/espionage feel than the sci-fi of the main series. It’s good and I’m very interested to see where this goes.

| Published by Delcourt / Soleil

Ragnarok: The Breaking of Helheim #1 is a welcome return of Walter Simonson’s new take on Thor and Norse Mythology, pushing the story in new directions as Thor gains a vision of the end from his father and sets out for Hel. Simonson, Laura Martin, and John Workman work together as a seamless team here delivering a wonderful next chapter to the story. For those new to this series, there’s also a rather nice Q&A section that helps with some of the details.

| Published by IDW

Resonant #1 is an intriguing debut from David Andry, Alejandro Aragon, Jason Wordie, and Deron Bennett. This first issue sets up a different, very interesting post-apocalyptic world that we’re kind of uncertain of, but with the core of a single father trying to protect his children. The art from Aragon and Wordie is incredible.

| Published by Vault

Road of Bones #3 goes even harder into the brutal horror of three men trying to survive without any resources in a harsh landscape devoid of life. Rich Douek, Alex Cormack, and Justin Birch elevate the terror nicely this issue.

| Published by IDW

Rumble #14 unleashes the Last Knight of the Scourge Knights upon the world, bringing with him death through oblivion. John Arcudi, David Rubín, Dave Stewart, and Joe Sabino are definitely raising the stakes here, especially with Rathraq distracted by a personal conflict.

| Published by Image

Sera and the Royal Stars #1 is a fantastic debut of this fantasy series from Jon Tsuei, Audrey Mok, Raul Angulo, and Jim Campbell. It draws on Persian history and folklore as Sera is called upon by Mitra to fulfill a quest to prevent the end of everyone.

| Published by Vault

Silver Surfer: Black #2 continues to build the mythology around Knull. I love this blend of the seed from Venom with what’s been going on in the cosmic side from Guardians of the Galaxy, Donny Cates is doing a great job of reinforcing an evolving shared universe feel. Also, the art from Tradd Moore and Dave Stewart is phenomenal. 

| Published by Marvel

Sonata #2 unveils some more mysteries about the planet, including some incredible monsters out to kill and eat everyone. The art from Brian Haberlin and Geirrod Van Dyke is very nice.

| Published by Image / Shadowline

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #1 is a fun debut from Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Nathan Fairbairn, and Clayton Cowles that brings back a lot of the ridiculousness of the old Jimmy Olsen stories, seeing Jimmy in bizarre and humorous predicaments. There’s also an interesting exploration of Jimmy’s family’s history in Metropolis. And wonderful artwork from Lieber and Fairbairn.

| Published by DC Comics

Usagi Yojimbo #2 continues “Bunraku” as the investigation into the puppets continues. The supernatural aspect that Stan Sakai is bringing to this lead off arc for the new volume is engrossing and the colour from Tom Luth is growing on me.

| Published by IDW

Vampirella #1 is kind of a weird start (excepting the zero issue) to this new volume from Christopher Priest, Ergün Gündüz, and Willie Schubert. It’s framed as Vampirella seeking help from a psychiatrist following the trauma of the plane that she was on in the zero issue crashing, a disbelieving psychiatrist, and it’s certainly different.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Force #10 concludes “The Counterfeit King” and with it the series (at least for now). Ed Brisson, Dylan Burnett, Jesus Aburtov, and Cory Petit go out with a bang as X-Force have a final confrontation with Stryfe and his remaining forces. Also, wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Animosity #22, Ask for Mercy: Season Two #1, Bags (or a story thereof), Blossoms 666 #5, Bronze Age Boogie #4, Captain Marvel #8, Clue: Candlestick #3, Collapser #1, Cyber Force #11, Deadpool #15, Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #10, Domino: Hot Shots #5, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #7, Evolution #17, Faithless #4, Firefly #8, From Hell: Master Edition #6, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #264, Hit-Girl: Season 2 #6, Infinity 8 #13, Invader Zim #45, James Bond 007 #9, Joe Golem: Occult Detective - The Conjurors #3, Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #3, Jughead’s Time Police #2, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Tempest #6, Love & Rockets #7, Lucifer #10, Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #4, Port of Earth #12, The Punisher Annual #1, The Ride: Burning Desire #2, Secret Warps: Ghost Panther Annual #1, Spider-Man: Life Story #5, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #34, Star Wars: Tie Fighter #4, Superior Spider-Man #9, Teen Titans #32, They Called Us Enemy, Transformers #9, Transformers/Ghostbusters #2, Turok #4, Uncanny X-Men #22, The Unstoppable Wasp #10, The Warning #9, Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me #1

Recommended Collections: BPRD: The Devil You Know - Volume 3: Ragna Rok, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, By Night - Volume 2, Dead Kings - Volume 1, Die!Die!Die! - Volume 1, The Empty Man: Recurrence, Grumble - Volume 1: You’re the Dog Now, Man, Gunning for Hits, Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown, Jughead: The Hunger - Volume 3, LaGuardia, Miles Morales: Spider-Man - Volume 1: Straight out of Brooklyn, Princeless - Volume 8: Princesses, Vindication, Ronin Island - Volume 1, The Witcher - Volume 4: Of Flesh & Flame, Wolverine: The Long Night, Wonder Woman - Volume 9: The Enemy of Both Sides

d. emerson eddy might currently qualify as a liquid.

[oosteven-universe]

Blade Runner 2029 #8

Blade Runner 2029 #8 Titan Comics 2021 Written by Mike Johnson Illustrated by Andres Guinaldo Coloured by Marco Lesko Lettered by Jim Campbell    Ash is on the run again as replicant cult leader Yotun orders his army of fanatical superhuman followers to kill her.  Will she be able to protect the ones she loves?    Learning of her investigation, Yotun had Ash abducted before launching an all-out terrorist attack upon Los Angeles. His Replicant army destroyed the newly constructed seawall, killing the political and corporate elite of the city who had gathered to witness the opening ceremony.  Rescued from Yotun’s clutches by members of Freysa’s  Underground,  Ash awakens from her time in his rejuvenation tanks seemingly reborn, her back free of its cybernetic brace and her vision restored too. Learning that her lover is Yotun’s prisoner, Ash races to save her.Meanwhile, Yotun’s army have taken control of the LAPD building..    This really just keeps building and building like a massive crescendo and I’m just waiting for it to hit its peak.  Mind you I am in no hurry for that peak because what we see has been an amazing run thus far and a year long story that feels as much like a comic book as it does a nighttime soap opera that you just don’t want to see end, just keep growing and evolving.      I am absolutely thrilled b y the way that this is being told.  The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well.  The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter and this fleshes the personalities out extremely well.  The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more the story we’re left feeling anxious and filled with tension.    I think the way that this is being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen is magnificently rendered.  These layers open up some wonderful avenues to be explored and whether they are, will be or won’t be explored they all add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story.  How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is immaculately achieved.      The interiors here are utterly bloody phenomenal.  The linework we see is clean, crisp and strong and how it works with the varying weights and techniques to create this level & quality of detail within the work really makes such a huge impact on the reader.  How we see backgrounds being utilised enhance and expand the moments as well as work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story.  The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling.  The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a gifted eye for how colour works and how to maximise its effects. ​    This is the kind of book that sets the stage for a franchise.  It is what you read first so that everything else that you read makes things much more interesting and understandable.  The dynamic that we see between the characters is utterly sensational and this affects how we see the story moving forward.  I also think this is incredibly engaging as i see what Yotun is doing and it makes him no better than the supposed oppressors that he claims to be fighting and this makes me think that it isn’t about being a human or replicant but about sentience itself, those that are aware cannot help but to behave a certain way and it’s destructive and selfish, hence the ability to go off page and see and think what it is you see=engaging.  This is marvellously written with strong, intense characterisation and some bloody marvellous interiors that keep readers’ on the edge of their seats.  

[mst3kproject]

K09: Phase IV

Remember I said the movies were all coming together?  Well, Phase IV is definitely a prequel to Overdrawn at the Memory Bank. Think about it – why are the people of the future nothing but replaceable cogs in a few giant companies, or colonies if you will?  Why is individuality so strongly discouraged?  Why does everybody hate anteaters?  Because the world is ruled by ants! See?  See?  It's all part of one great ur-movie!

And honestly, that's as seriously as I've ever been able to take Phase IV.  It's a shame, really, because despite lurid posters in which ants eat their way through a human hand, Phase IV really wants to be a serious science fiction movie.  It's trying to imagine humanity confronted by an intelligence greater than ours, from the most unlikely source – man humbled before God's humblest creatures!  The title apparently refers to all life on Earth eventually merging into a single super-consciousness.  I can definitely see where they were trying to go.  Sadly, when the journey isn't boring me to tears, it's making me giggle like a Tickle-Me Elmo doll at things that weren't supposed to be funny.  Was Tickle-Me Elmo really over twenty years ago?

Dr. Hubbs is an entomologist studying a frighteningly intelligent multi-species ant colony in Arizona – or are the ants studying him? He calls in a cryptographer, Dr. Lesko, to help him try to communicate with the insects.  For the next hour or so, the scientists do scientist stuff and the ants do ant stuff. Occasionally something happens.  The ants tear a house down, and the people inside flee only to be accidentally sprayed with a massive overdose of pesticide. The scientists have praying mantises to keep the ants from getting into their little moon dome, but the ants take them out with ant assassins. Stuff like that.  Eventually Hubbs dies of an ant bite, but the ants capture everybody else to do... something... to them... and then the movie's over.

For the most part Phase IV is deathly boring.  We're either listening to the scientists talk about whatever, or watching ants wiggle their antennas at other ants that are never in the same shot because in the real world two different types of ants put together will either ignore or eat each other.  Dr. Hubbs goes off on poetic flights about the perfection of ant society, and shows that he is the Mad Scientist of the movie by discounting the deaths of actual people.  Dr. Lesko translates ant-language to come up with weird oscilloscope traces and geometric diagrams that might or might not mean anything. Desert Wildlife Stock Footage appears and there's a teenage girl named Kendra who has to hang around because going outside would mean crawly formic death.  The soundtrack is kinda trippy but at the same time impossibly dull.

In fact, it's because Phase IV is dull that I often find it so funny.  Since nothing much is happening, my brain wanders off on odd tangents with the sparse information the film gives me.  We begin with Dr. Lesko's narration telling us that this was all caused by some kind of unspecified celestial event.  Really? A conjuction of the planets created smart ants?  Jupiter is in retrograde and Mercury is rising in Libra, so be conservative with your investments – and watch out, because this month's full moon is the perfect time for ants to suddenly develop a superintelligent hive mind!

Then the narration starts talking about ants 'doing things ants don't do', like holding meetings.  This bodes ill for mankind, sure, but the word 'meetings' just makes me picture ants at tiny tables, sipping tiny lattes while they discuss how best to put the wasp nest under the porch out of business.  Never mind that Lesko's voice is over footage of ants doing... well, exactly what ants do; grooming, fighting, and carrying stuff through tunnels.  The shots cut back and forth from one ant to another of a different species in a way that suggests we're probably supposed to be imagining a dialogue between them, but there's not even any squeaking sounds dubbed in.  I admit that this is realistic, because ants communicate chemically.  It still looks ridiculous.

How about the bit where the ant queen (who I'm pretty sure is not played by an ant – the animal we see looks more like some kind of wasp) assimilates an insecticide, producing offspring that are immune to it?  Sure, scary idea, but Dr. Hubbs intones, 'we challenge with yellow chemistry, they respond with yellow creatures'.  Is that how that works?  Because now I'm pondering the artistic possibilities of feeding Skittles to the ants.

Or how about when the ants decide to cook the humans in their hideaway by focusing solar radiation onto it?  Revenge for all those kids with magnifying glasses, am I right?  Or how Dr. Lesko blasts the tops off the ant towers to try to get a reaction?  That seems a little extra, when any bored six-year-old knows much easier ways to get an ant colony moving.  How about the fact that at the end everybody runs off into the desert in their bare feet when they know damned well there's seventy billion pissed-off ants out there?

The ants only get one moment in the movie that's really effective, when it does seem like there's a higher intellect at work behind these millions of mindless drones in perhaps the same sort of way as billions of neurons come together to create a conscious human brain. That's when the ants bring a sample of the yellow pesticide back to the hill for their queen to examine.  One ant carries this as far as it can before the poison kills it, then another one picks it up and does the same.  Individual ants are expendable. There are just so damn many of them that it makes no difference, and the colony can always produce more to replace what has been lost.  This uses what makes ants scary even when they're not superintelligent, along with reminding us that their purpose here is to study our weapons and learn to neutralize them.

The dead ants laid out in rows like the aftermath of a battle is also sort of cool, but it has the opposite effect, actually humanizing the ants by depicting them as individual lost lives.  Hubbs has already explained to us that's not how ants work, and if ants are individuals who care enough to gather up their dead colony-mates, they become a lot less alien and therefore a lot less frightening.

The behaviour of the ants also suffers from the same problem as a lot of killer animal movies, in which their intelligence seems to have come with a few lessons in electrical engineering.  Intelligence does not automatically confer knowledge – INT is a stat, while knowledge is a skill!  Humans have sophisticated brains, but much of what we do with them depends upon thousands of years of accumulated learning.  Before we could build a generator, we needed at least a primitive understanding of the physics of electricity.  It is true that destroying a generator is simpler than inventing it, but how did the ants even know what the significance of the generator was?  How did they know what the air conditioner was, never mind how to shut it down?  These ants have been sentient for a couple of months at best, and during that time they seem to have been too busy building towers and exterminating their predators (things that actually seem like pretty plausible ant priorities) to go to trade school.

These are all quibbles, though.  The biggest problem with Phase IV is that it raises a lot of questions and then never bothers to even try answering them.  Dr. Lesko makes some progress at communicating with the ants, and the fact that the ants bother to listen and reply suggests that they do want something from these humans... but what? Hubbs dies of the ant venom, but Lesko and Kendra are captured and taken inside an enormous ant hill, where the ants begin doing something to them that seems poised to begin a real dialogue.  In the final moments of the movie we're on the verge of finding out what's really been going on... and then it just ends.

So what was all that leading up to?  We don't know!  And Lesko's final words of narration, we didn't know for what purpose, but we knew we would be told, just seem to rub the anticlimax in our faces – he found out, but we never will!  I'm left with the impression that writer Mayo Simon didn't have any real idea, himself.  I guess the point is supposed to be that the ants are such a completely alien mind that Lesko probably couldn't explain it to us if he wanted to.  Fair enough, but still a lousy non-ending to a boring eighty-four minute movie.

All this movie needed was a conclusion.  Not even a conclusion to the overall 'smart ants take over the world' thing, just a conclusion to the 'kidnap Lesko and Kendra and make them members of the hive' thing.  Are the ants after human knowledge?  Do they need human emmissaries?  Human spies?  Human slaves?  Humans to play the slots in Vegas while the ants manipulate the machines to pay out big wins? A fertile couple to be the progenitors of a new race of Ant-People? See, there I go again, off on tangents trying to supply the entertainment this movie so conspicuously failed to give me.

There are people who really like this movie.  El Santo of 1000 Misspent Hours says it's one of his favourites, because it makes him think.  It made me think, too, but about all the wrong things.

[plusorminuscongress]

New story in Politics from Time: House Panel Authorizes Subpoenas For 12 People Mentioned in Mueller Report

(WASHINGTON) — The House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to authorize subpoenas for 12 people mentioned in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, including President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The panel also voted to authorize subpoenas for documents and testimony related to Trump’s handling of immigration, including on the separation of migrant families at the southern border. The resolution authorizes an investigation into whether there have been any discussions of Trump offering pardons to Homeland Security officials who work on immigration issues.

Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York will make the final decision about issuing the subpoenas and has said they can be avoided if witnesses and the administration cooperate voluntarily. The vote was 21-12.

Trump tweeted about the vote shortly before the meeting began. He said the witnesses “have already spent hours with Robert Mueller, and spent a fortune on lawyers in so doing.”

The president added of the Democrats: “Enough already, go back to work!”

The resolution authorizes subpoenas for documents and testimony from several former administration officials, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn , former White House chief of staff John Kelly and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Among the other subpoena targets are Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager; Jody Hunt, Sessions’ former chief of staff, and former White House aides Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn.

Three other names on the subpoena list are related to the National Enquirer’s efforts to help kill potentially embarrassing stories about Trump over the years by paying hush money in a practice known as “catch-and-kill.” Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen discussed the practice in testimony before the House Oversight and Reform Committee earlier this year.

They include David Pecker, the chief executive of the National Enquirer’s parent company and a longtime Trump ally; Dylan Howard, who Cohen said was personally involved in coordinating payments to two women who said they had affairs with Trump; and Keith Davidson, an attorney who initially represented the women and negotiated their payments.

The top Republican on the panel, Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, criticized Nadler’s handling of the investigations, with a jab that other committees had already called in some of the witnesses.

“If the goal truly is to get the information or testimony, our chairman is failing us, but, as I’ve repeatedly said, if the goal is political theater, Chairman Nadler is winning,” Collins said.

The Judiciary panel is investigating whether Trump obstructed justice after Mueller’s report detailed several episodes in which Trump tried to influence his investigation. Mueller said he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction and indicated in a May news conference that it was up to Congress to decide what to do with his findings.

As part of that probe, Mueller is scheduled to testify to Congress next week before both the Judiciary and intelligence panels for around two hours each. As the hearing approaches, Democrats have been in last-minute negotiations to figure out the format under the tight time constraints. It’s likely that not every member will get to question Mueller, a point that raised ire among Republicans at the committee meeting.

Collins said the panel was “rolled” and is “having our legs cut out from under us by limiting the questioning.” Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko, a junior Republican on the panel, said the decision to exclude some members from questioning is “just plain wrong.”

“I have been elected just like anyone else here,” she said, speculating that she’d be one of the members cut out.

Nadler wouldn’t comment on the format after being repeatedly asked about it by Republicans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference that she wishes they had more time with Mueller, but “I’m glad we have the time that we have.”

On immigration, Democratic lawmakers have sought answers from the administration since more than 2,700 children were separated from their parents at the border last year as the result of a now-abandoned “zero tolerance” immigration policy pursued by Sessions. There was renewed outrage in recent weeks after squalid conditions were reported at border facilities where scores of children are detained well beyond the 72-hour limit by which they are to be transferred to more suitable facilities.

The Democratic questions on pardons center on Kevin McAleenan, the acting Department of Homeland Security secretary. Shortly after McAleenan took over, Trump told him he’d pardon him if he were to find himself in trouble for blocking people legally seeking asylum, people familiar with the conversation told AP. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation. Trump has been trying to stop a surge in migration at the southern border.

McAleenan has said he was not asked, directed or pressured to do anything illegal, but has also said his conversations with the president are privileged information.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK / AP on July 11, 2019 at 02:46PM

[fierceautie]

A little about Tony Tony Attwood is well known for sharing his knowledge of Aspergers Syndrome. He has an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Hull, Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey and a PhD from the University of London. He is currently adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University in Queensland. Tony has written several publications on Asperger's Syndrome. His book, titled Aspergers Syndrome, has now been translated into several languages. Tony operates his clinic two days a week and supports children and adults by visiting them at school and home. He also spends a large amount of time travelling nationally and internationally to present workshops and papers. Tony is married to Sarah with three children, Rosie, William and Caroline. They reside in Brisbane, Australia, in which Tony uses part of his home as his clinic to see families. For more about Tony Attwood, please continue here ... Meet Naomi Francis, Minds & Hearts’ Speech Pathologist! Naomi has experience with individuals across the lifespan, and particularly with children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities. She is familiar with the NDIS framework and expectations for both participants and providers. She is trained to assess, diagnose and provide therapeutic intervention for various communication disorders including Speech Sound Disorders, Language Disorders, fluency difficulties, feeding difficulties, social skill and pragmatic difficulties, and some Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems.  Naomi is a Hanen Certified Speech Pathologist for both the More Than Words (MTW) and It Takes Two to Talk (ITTT) programs. Naomi is also trained in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) assessment.  Naomi enjoys supporting individuals and their families to achieve functional outcomes. She believes in celebrating small achievements on the way to reaching long term goals! For more information please visit the Minds and Hearts website at www.mindsandhearts.net  ***** Tony's new book - Ask Dr Tony Front coverBack cover Ask Dr. Tony book contains transcripts of Skype interviews that Craig Evans of ‘Autism Hangout’ website, www.autismhangout.com, conducted with Tony Attwood over several years. Tony answered a wide variety of questions on ASD posed by the members of Autism Hangout and these have been transcribed for all to read and learn. Published by: Future Horizons Inc., Arlington, TX Web: www.fhautism.com Publication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 9781941765807 Tony's Best Seller Paperback versionHardback version The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome is the definitive handbook for anyone affected by Asperger’s syndrome. It brings together a wealth of information on all aspects the syndrome for children through to adults. Chapters examine: - causes and indications of the syndrome - the diagnosis and its effect on the individual - theory of mind - the perception of emotions in self and others - social interaction, including friendships - long-term relationships - teasing, bullying and mental health issues - the effect of AS on language and cognitive abilities, sensory sensitivity, movement and co-ordination skills - career development. There is also an invaluable frequently asked questions chapter and a section listing useful resources for anyone wishing to find further information on a particular aspect of AS, as well as literature and educational tools. Essential reading for families and individuals affected by AS as well as teachers, professionals and employers coming in contact with people with AS, this book should be on the bookshelf of anyone who needs to know or is interested in this complex condition. Find this book at Resources At Hand, www.resourcesathand.com.au Read more about this book ... Other latest books New book on females on the spectrum from Barb Cook and Michelle Garnett Walking to the Beat of Autism Edited by Barb Cook and Dr Michelle Garnett. Foreword by Lisa Morgan. This is an edited collection that tackles a range of issues that affect autistic women, including chapters on growing up, identity, diversity, parenting, independence and self-care. Well-known writers provide advice, support and empowerment to fellow autistic women, and expert Michelle Garnett provides professional commentary for each chapter. Barb Cook and 14 other autistic women describe life from a female autistic perspective, and present empowering, helpful and supportive insights from their personal experience for fellow autistic women. Michelle Garnett's comments validate and expand the experiences described from a clinician's perspective, and provide extensive recommendations. Autistic advocates including Liane Holliday Willey, Anita Lesko, Jeanette Purkis, Artemisia and Samantha Craft offer their personal guidance on significant issues that particularly affect women, as well as those that are more general to autism. Contributors cover issues including growing up, identity, diversity, parenting, independence and self-care amongst many others. With great contributions from exceptional women, this is a truly well-rounded collection of knowledge and sage advice for any woman with autism. Published by: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Web: www.jkp.comPublication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 9781785924347 Exploring depresssion and beating the blues A CBT Self-Help Guide to Understanding and Coping with Depression in Asperger’s Syndrome [ASD-Level 1] written by Tony Attwood and Michelle Garnett. Illustrated by Colin Thompson. Quick Overview The book explains and describes depression, the forms it can take, and how it looks and feels for teenagers and adults who have Asperger’s syndrome. It includes a 10-stage CBT self-help programme with self-assessment tools and practical activities designed specifically for individuals with Asperger’s syndrome. Although developed as a self-help guide for use with minimal professional support, the programme can also be used in group or individual treatment. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers with more information at www.jkp.com and available in Australia from Resources at Hand, www.resourcesathand.com.au Here's the link to the audio recordings used in the book. Been There. Done That. Try This! edited by Tony Attwood, Craig R. Evans and Anita Lesko The world’s Aspie mentors pass on their insights for successful living! Launching a mentorship movement within the autism community to help each other find success, this is an inspirational guide to life by Aspies for Aspies. Temple Grandin, Liane Holliday Willey, Anita Lesko, Dr. Stephen M. Shore, and many others offer words of wisdom on coping with daily stressors such as self-esteem, employment, friendship, and love. Each chapter is chock full of advice from Aspie mentors who have all been there and done that and ends with recommendations from Tony Attwood. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers with more information at www.jkp.com available in Australia from Resources at Hand, www.resourcesathand.com.au Also, CBT for Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. This book helps clinicians harness the benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Leading treatment developers describe promising approaches for treating common challenges faced by young people with ASD—anxiety and behavior problems, social competence issues, and adolescent concerns around sexuality and intimacy. Chapters present session-by-session overviews of each intervention program, review its evidence base, and address practical considerations in treatment. The book also discusses general issues in adapting CBT for this population and provides a helpful framework for assessment and case conceptualization. Read more about this book ...  Exploring Affection These two books present carefully designed and evaluated activities for parents, teachers and psychologists to help children who have Asperger’s syndrome understand and express affection to friends and family members. The programme can be incorporated into a social skills or friendship programme or a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy programme for the expression of emotions. The books have been published in 2013 by www.jkp.com For more information about these books: From Like to Love, and CBT to Help Young People with Asperger’s Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) to Understand and Express Affection Tony's news portal Minds & Hearts Diagnostic & Treatment Clinic - MINDS AND HEARTS is a unique clinic located in Brisbane specialising in Aspergers Syndrome and Autism. This clinic was designed to provide specialised knowledge and assistance from a multidisciplinary team of experienced professsionals. Minds and Hearts has 7 psychologists, 1 educational psychologist, and 2 receptionists. Tony Attwood is one of the team members. Go to Minds and Hearts. ***** FAQs For some FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS go to www.autismhangout.com Over several years Craig Evans of Autism Hangout has asked Tony Attwood dozens of questions about Asperger's syndrome from visitors to his web page. The questions and Tony's replies have been recorded by Craig on video and are available on his web page. If you have a particular question, the answer may have been recorded for you. Tony  also recommends Craig's web site for interviews with other experts in Asperger's syndrome. There is now an index of questions and answers ***** ASA open in Brisbane Asperger Services Australia has opened a new centre in Brisbane. See the Asperger Services Australia website for more information. ***** Audio Interview with Tony on Adolescents who have Asperger’s Syndrome Go to www.autismeducates.com/free-stuff/tony-attwood-recording-teens-and-the-spectrum ***** Channel 4 (United Kingdom) seeks out-of-the-box autistic thinkers Thinking Violets is developing an ambitious new series for Channel 4 Television. People with high-functioning autism will be invited into companies to contribute fresh ideas to how these businesses design, build and sell their products. The idea was inspired by Temple Grandin whose ability to think in pictures led to the redesign of slaughterhouses sparing livestock unnecessary distress and saving the industry millions of dollars. If this is of interest please contact claire@thinkingviolets.com Please tell us a little bit about yourself, where you come from and why you think you would be a suitable candidate for the series. https://twitter.com/autisticfixers https://www.facebook.com/autisticfixers www.thinkingviolets.com  ***** Website for partners A website, based in the UK, for partners, where one or both partners have the characteristics of Asperger’s syndrome. The web page includes a series of video interviews recorded in England of Tony discussing issues relevant to partners. Go to www.different-together.co.uk for more information for partners. ***** Tony's article on Autism and Anxiety Tony Attwood’s article on Autism and Anxiety was published 29 April 2015 on Anxiety.org - https://www.anxiety.org/autism-spectrum-disorder-anxiety-strategies ***** Rachael Lee Harris Rachael Lee Harris, Psychotherapist, Brisbane. Rachael is a registered Psychotherapist specialising in Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. She provides a unique contribution to the field of Autism Spectrum Conditions(ASC) therapy and research as a women who, herself, has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Now in her sixth year of private practice, Rachael is the only Psychotherapist in Australia with Asperger's Syndrome specialising in this field. Drawing on her life and clinical experience, she continues to improve the quality of life of children and adults on the Autism Spectrum and also their carers and partners through her clinic, speaking engagements and retreats. To find out more about Rachael's services and details for upcoming 'Asperger Sisterhood' Retreat Days for Women, contact Rachael via her website - rlharrispsy.com ***** The CAT-kit Dr. Tony Attwood has teamed up with Dr. Kirsten Callesen and Annette Moller Nielsen of Denmark to create a powerful yet user-friendly tool that gets straight to the core of the thoughts and emotions behind behavior. The CAT-kit offers an easy, hands-on way for young people to communicate with adults, and each other. Read More ***** Radio interview with Tony Tony was recently interviewed by Jeanette Perkis for her radio programme: Listen to it here. ***** Radio interview with Lynette Louise Radio interview with Lynette Louise, from A New Spin on Autism: Answers!, and Tony titled The Aspergers of Lynette Louise analyzed by Tony Attwood. You can listen via this link. ***** Radio Interview on ABC Radio interview with Tony on the ABC transmitted on the 2nd February 2012. The 50 minute interview conducted by Richard Fidler covers many aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome from Pride and Prejudice to the talents associated with Asperger’s syndrome. Visit the ABC website to listen. ***** Danuta Bulhak-Paterson Danuta Bulhak-Paterson, Clinical Psychologist, at Unique U Psychology Clinic, East Melbourne. Danuta conducts diagnostic assessments and therapy for individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger’s syndrome. She has a special interest in girls and women with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Danuta has been working at the Minds and Hearts clinic for the past few years but has returned to her home base of Malvern East, Melbourne with her own practice (view her profile at ‘Our Team’ on the M&H website www.mindsandhearts.net). Contact Danuta via her website - www.uniqueupsychology.com.au ***** Who's Online We have 61 guests and no members online 2020 (c) Tony Attwood Contact Us

http://www.fierceautie.com/2020/08/tony-attwood-notes.html

[fullspectrum-cbd-oil]

Eight House Republicans Join Trump’s Defense Team for Senate Impeachment Trial

There are eight Republicans from the House of Representatives who were tapped to join President Donald Trump’s defense team in the Senate impeachment trial.

“Honored to continue fighting on behalf of [Donald Trump],” Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), one of the lawmakers on the list, tweeted.

Collins is among seven others who will be defending Trump against the impeachment charges — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The Trump administration announced on Monday that the other Congressional members include Reps. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), John Ratcliffe (R-Ill.), and Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.).

The White House press secretary wrote in the announcement:

“The President looks forward to their continued participation and is confident that the Members will help expeditiously end this brazen political vendetta on behalf of the American people.”

Collins added on Twitter in a strong rebuke of the impeachment charges against the president, “This impeachment has been a sham since day one, and we will continue to expose it for what it is: A blatantly political attempt to overturn the will of 63 million Americans.”

Others of those chosen to defend Trump in the trial also reiterated their support of the president and blasted the entirety of the impeachment.

“The President NEVER should have been impeached in the first place!” Zeldin tweeted late Monday.

Lesko wrote, “I will continue to fight against this corrupt [and] unfair process and look forward to assisting President Trump as a member of his Impeachment Team.”

“It’s not complicated: when all is said and done, [Donald Trump] will be vindicated from this partisan impeachment,” Meadows declared, adding, “The facts are on the President’s side.”

Check out their responses below:

Honored to be asked to serve on @realDonaldTrump's Impeachment Team, along with my House colleagues @RepDougCollins @RepMikeJohnson @Jim_Jordan @RepDLesko @RepMarkMeadows @RepRatcliffe @RepStefanik. The President NEVER should have been impeached in the first place!

— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 21, 2020

I am honored to be named to President @realDonaldTrump’s Impeachment Team. Democrats are playing politics, and they are playing dirty. I will continue to fight against this corrupt & unfair process and look forward to assisting President Trump as a member of his Impeachment Team.

— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) January 21, 2020

It’s not complicated: when all is said and done, @realDonaldTrump will be vindicated from this partisan impeachment. The facts are on the President’s side.

— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) January 21, 2020

I took an oath to defend the Constitution. This impeachment is an assault on due process. It’s an assault on the separation of powers. It’s unconstitutional. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make that clear to every American during the Senate trial. https://t.co/flhbXLJo4Q

— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) January 21, 2020

Honored to be named by @realDonaldTrump as a Member of the President’s Impeachment Defense Team. I am proud to stand up for the Constitution, my constituents, and the American people’s vote. #NY21 🇺🇸

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 21, 2020

The Democrat majority in the House ignored the Constitution and the rule of law to obtain their single-party impeachment vote, and this has not been a fair fight—until now. I look forward to working with this exceptional team to ensure that order is restored and justice prevails.

— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) January 21, 2020

On Tuesday, the Senate is expected to pass a rules package for the trial proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday.

McConnell’s proposal includes providing the House’s impeachment managers, as well as Trump’s defense lawyers, up to 24 hours to present their arguments, as The New York Times reports. Following the arguments, senators would ask questions, then they would decide whether to have witnesses.

The proposal, however, has already received a strong rebuke, including from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who argued that McConnell “is hell-bent on making it much more difficult to get witnesses and documents and intent on rushing the trial through,” as IJR reported.

from IJR https://ift.tt/2GbjAEZ via IFTTT

[zennie62vlogger]

White House Press Secretary Announcing Congressional Members of President Trump’s Impeachment Team Statement from the Press Secretary Announcing Congressional Members of the President’s Impeachment Team Today, President Donald J. Trump announced that the following Members of the House of Representatives will serve as part of his team working to combat this hyper-partisan and baseless impeachment. This initial list includes the following Members: Congressman Doug Collins Congressman Mike Johnson Congressman Jim Jordan Congresswoman Debbie Lesko Congressman Mark Meadows Congressman John Ratcliffe Congresswoman Elise Stefanik Congressman Lee Zeldin Throughout this process, these Members of Congress have provided guidance to the White House team, which was prohibited from participating in the proceedings concocted by Democrats in the House of Representatives. The President looks forward to their continued participation and is confident that the Members will help expeditiously end this brazen political vendetta on behalf of the American people. by Zennie62 YouTube Oakland News Now Commentary Vlog