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Friday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 07:10:33 AM EST
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In other news this week:

DOJ fired prosecutor Maureen Comey. Anyone know why? Was it because of her father, because of something she did in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, or something she did in the Sean Combs trial?

Donald Trump has been diagnosed with venous insufficiency.

Ten reasons Emil Bove should not be a federal judge. But let's not blame his actions as a defense lawyer, which he was for all of five minutes. There's enough in his actions while a federal prosecutor to shut him out.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Donald Trump Under Pressure Over Epstein Files

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    Why don't they just ask (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 06:22:24 PM EST
    Ghislaine Maxwell?

    The conventional wisdom (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 06:32:04 PM EST
    says she won't talk because she expects a pardon from Trump at the end of Trump II.

    And lots of the stuff the DOJ asked for today will not be available because she is still in court. Obviously why they were requested.

    If Trump suddenly had some kind of health problem she might rethink that.
    Consider other deals.

    Parent

    What is meant by "the Epstein files"? (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 12:21:09 PM EST
    I can think of three buckets: (1) Files and records (including video and/or audio recordings) that JE himself made and kept, and which were seized by the FBI during the search incident to his arrest. (2) Files and records created by the FBI during the investigation of the case and by the U.S. Attorney's Office during their preparation for prosecuting it. (3) Materials presented to the grand jury for obtaining the indictments of JE and G. Maxwell. Nothing prevents government disclosure of categories 1 & 2 other than federal privacy laws designed to protect crime victims and individuals incidentally named in those files but not charged with any crime (which is actually a lot of what people want to see). Category 3 (which is what was pretend-requested to be disclosed today) cannot be disclosed without court order, and as far as I can tell the pertinent court rule does not authorize that disclosure (see Rule 6(e)(2)(E)).

    Parent
    Thanks for that. (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 12:49:24 PM EST
    It explains a lot and why nothing has been released. And I'm guessing if it was released it would be so redacted as nobody would learn much from it.

    Parent
    Dan Goldman (none / 0) (#20)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 01:56:43 PM EST
    Want to know about the redactions of Trump's name---

    To be clear, there is no proper basis to redact the name, identify, or likeness of President Trump.

    If you have been directed to redact instances of President Trump's name or likeness that are included in the Epstein Files, then your oath of office and your commitment to transparency requires you to inform the American people of that directive. As part of Congress' oversight authority provided by the Constitution of the United States, I request that you respond, in writing, to the following questions no later than June 2, 2025:

    Are you or the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in possession of all of the Epstein Files in the FBI's custody and control?

    Have the necessary redactions of victims' identities and likenesses been completed? If not, why not?  

    Has the name, identity or likeness of President Donald Trump been redacted? If so, why?  

    Have you, OAG, or any other member of the DOJ been contacted by President Trump, anyone working in the White House, or another agent of President Trump's about the Epstein Files?  

    If so, did they request that you or your staff prevent the release of the Epstein Files?

    Did they request that you redact the name, identity or likeness of President Trump from the Epstein Files prepared to be released publicly pursuant to your previous promise?  

    If not, why haven't you released the Epstein Files as you promised to do in February?  

    If you do still intend to release the Epstein Files, please provide a detailed timeline of your plan to do so.

    Parent

    AI says (none / 0) (#12)
    by FlJoe on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 06:50:39 PM EST
    Reports have surfaced indicating that Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring, has expressed a willingness to testify before Congress regarding the case. These reports stem from an anonymous source close to Maxwell, as published in the Daily Mail on July 13, 2025. The source claims Maxwell was never offered a plea deal and would be "more than happy to sit before Congress and tell her story," according to NewsNation.


    Parent
    Hmmm (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 07:39:58 PM EST
    But maybe.  

    "Some people" think Epstein was killed to keep this stuff from coming out in a trial.

    If I was her that would weigh in any decision.

    They are talking about having her testify. If this keeps spiraling it could happen.  

    If this ends Shitler it would be both poetic and operatic. I would pay to see that opera.

    Parent

    Putting Ghislaine Maxwell before Congress ... (none / 0) (#105)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 12:10:28 AM EST
    ... would be a Godsend to Democrats, particularly if Republicans treat her as some people on the right have increasingly come to characterize her - that is, a victim.

    I hope we can all please understand and agree on one thing here, which is that Maxwell is no victim. Like her quasi-paramour Jeffrey Epstein, she is a pedophile. (She also committed perjury.) She was convicted of ten felony counts involving child sex trafficking and related offenses following a fair trial by a jury of her peers and sentenced to a 20-year prison term, which she's presently serving.

    There are a lot of victims of Epstein and Maxwell who've expressed willingness to testify about what happened to them, such as Maria Farmer. Will Republicans allow them to tell their stories, especially since they've been retraumatized by the resurrection of this gross, tawdry and ultimately tragic tale?

    That meeting today between Dep. AG Todd Blanche and Maxwell and her attorney at the Tallahassee federal courthouse - only a few days after DOJ fired Maurene Comey, the federal prosecutor who secured Maxwell's conviction and put her away - looks less like a deposition and more like negotiations for a cooperative defense agreement. DOJ is acting as Trump's personal law firm, rather than in the public's best interest.

    Republicans are not protecting the survivors. They are circling the wagons to shield their abusers. If Democrats can't hammer and beat them on that point, they might just as well pack their bags and retire to Palm Springs.

    (Sigh!) Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

    Parent

    I know (none / 0) (#106)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 08:42:06 AM EST
    Frankly anything Maxwell said I wouldn't believe even if she convicted Trump with a statement.

    The easiest solution to all this is to speak to the victims. They know what happened and who was involved. They are acting like they know Trump was involved with sex trafficking for sure.

    Parent

    Witness tampering. (none / 0) (#108)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 12:14:57 PM EST
    Plain and simple. In the open.

    Parent
    I figured out the Todd Blanche scheme. (none / 0) (#111)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 05:54:39 PM EST
    The news reported that Maxwell provided information on over 100 persons. That's what is coming next. They will trot out a list of Democrats that Maxwell may or may not have named. The Epstein saga will become a story about all the Democrat pedophiles. And MAGA will eat it up. This will be the story next week. All week.

    I've said repeatedly that there is no too low for these repugnant reprobates. They will shout out those 100 names loudly and repeatedly. Orange mussolini will get lost in the noise.

    Parent

    You are (none / 0) (#112)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 06:27:01 PM EST
    probably correct. But then we should yell louder for the files since Maxwell is a convicted sex trafficker.

    Parent
    Whatever the plan is (none / 0) (#113)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 06:39:49 PM EST
    I think it's going to blow up in their face.

    It's true this will increase the calls to release the files.  How else could they possibly make a big deal about believing the testimony of a convicted sex trafficker and perjurer without some proof.

    This has gone beyond the usual shite.  It's feels like maybe some people in charge do not yet understand that but I think it's going to be made clear to them.

    I do expect some names.  Maybe even charges. It won't change the climate.

    The truth is coming out.  Way to many people now have copies.

    Parent

    The victims (5.00 / 1) (#115)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 06:53:26 PM EST
    say you should read the court testimony to see what Maxwell did to these girls. Not that Trump or his minions will care though.

    Parent
    I repeat what I said before (none / 0) (#114)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 06:41:34 PM EST
    they are fu'king this up in every way they possibly can.

    It's a disaster.

    Parent

    yeah (none / 0) (#116)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 07:34:21 PM EST
    even Jake Tapper is like who would believe the word of a child sex trafficker. NBC news was kind of on the same line. George Conway says he is making this list for people who want to cling to Trump and use it hide behind their support for Trump.

    So you're probably right. It seems most are this lady is a skeezbag and only an idiot would believe what she says because we all know she wants to get out of prison.

    Also it came out that Bondi knew the Obama stuff was nonsense but she did it to please the boss. This may be another case of trying to appease the monster.

    Parent

    Michael Cohen (5.00 / 2) (#41)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 21, 2025 at 09:34:53 AM EST
    was on a podcast saying there was no way Trump was involved in sex trafficking with Epstein because he is a germaphone. I'm left thinking didn't you testify about Trump having sex with a p*rn star and paying her off? Sheesh the world is just nuts these days.

    RIP Ozzy Osbourne. (5.00 / 2) (#50)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 02:54:27 PM EST
    A rock and roll legend. I was a Black Sabbath fan way back when I was 13 years old. Masters of Reality was my first album.
    Love (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 05:37:44 PM EST
    the knees

    Parent
    He Gets Us... (5.00 / 1) (#92)
    by desertswine on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 12:05:00 PM EST
    All of us.

    South Park PSA.

    nsfw

    1 of 50, LOL! (5.00 / 1) (#110)
    by vml68 on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 01:21:42 PM EST
    If it were anyone else, I might have felt a twinge of pity.

    Parent
    Yep (none / 0) (#97)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 02:40:00 PM EST
    they got him dead to rights.

    Parent
    Trump get the first episode to f the new season. (none / 0) (#98)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 02:53:11 PM EST
    Which is on Paramount😀

    `South Park's most furious episode ever': the jaw-dropping Satanic takedown of Donald Trump
    They've depicted the president's privates. They've shown him in flagrante with the devil. The makers of the foul-mouthed US cartoon have certainly thrown down the gauntlet



    Parent

    Trump is said to be freaking (none / 0) (#102)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 04:19:37 PM EST
    But so far he is doing it privately.  

    I'm really really looking forward to his response.

    Parent

    I just watched it. (none / 0) (#103)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 06:40:09 PM EST
    Absolutely fabulous. This is the stuff I want to see more of. More please.

    Ridicule them. Demean them. Every dam day.

    Parent

    It really is something (none / 0) (#104)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 06:51:33 PM EST
    It leaves no button unpushed.  

    I so hope Trump sues them.  I think they do too.
    That would be a hell of a trial.

    Parent

    Powell isn't taking the BS (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 03:32:17 PM EST
    and he makes Cheeto look like an idiot.

    this is wonderful.  It starts about 50 seconds in.

    Adam Kinzinger (5.00 / 1) (#117)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 12:43:45 PM EST
    says South Park may save us all. In these strange times I actually can see that as being an outcome.

    The Democrats and/or various (5.00 / 5) (#120)
    by Chuck0 on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 02:09:13 PM EST
    Democratic candidates are constantly sending me pleas for money (DNC, DCCC, etc). Here's my deal with them if they ever want any money from me.

    There are hundreds of biting, critical, hilarious and provocative memes online. Start taking those memes and making billboards out of them. Put them up on major interstates, major state thoroughfares, every city and midsize town in America. This is how they breakthrough the Faux News bubble. Everyone travels, everyone uses the highways.

    Contact the South Park guys. Ask if you can use their Satan and Trump scene on a billboard.

    Talking about this stuff everyday on MSNBC is just singing to the choir. Break out of that. Go on every podcast that will have you. And I guarantee even right leaning ones will have you. As Howard Stern says, "It's good radio."

    If the Democrats will do that, I'll start contributing again. Heck, you develop something astounding and really, really mean and I'll sell some stocks and pony up for a billboard myself.

    I feel (none / 0) (#134)
    by Zorba on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 04:14:35 PM EST
    The same way, ChuckO.

    Parent
    Our media could learn a thing or two from (5.00 / 4) (#128)
    by vml68 on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 08:33:00 PM EST
    Scottish newspaper, The National.
    The headline of the front page reads: "Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland".
    A long and interesting read (5.00 / 1) (#130)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 27, 2025 at 12:37:00 PM EST

    The Actual Conspiracy Theory Surrounding Trump and Epstein
    It's not what you think it is.

    She makes (none / 0) (#131)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 27, 2025 at 02:48:29 PM EST
    some very good points. The only way to really resolve is for Katie to come forward. Julie K. Brown said she had talked to her.

    Parent
    Bove confirmed. (5.00 / 3) (#156)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 08:42:05 PM EST
    To me, that's a much bigger and alarming story than Epstein. The rule of law no longer exists.

    As far as the Epstein story. Nothing will happen. Maxwell will be pardoned and everything else swept aside. Mark my words.

    Peter G (none / 0) (#157)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 08:43:02 PM EST
    Don't you practice in the 3rd circuit?

    Parent
    Well, I did until I retired a year and a half ago (none / 0) (#161)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 10:47:18 PM EST
    Now just closing out a few final cases. I'm a founding member and former President of the Third Circuit Bar Association. Dunno what the current leadership is going to do.

    Parent
    A life-time (none / 0) (#159)
    by KeysDan on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 10:11:03 PM EST
    appointment.  He is 44 years old (looks like a hard. 44).

    Parent
    This Economist YouGov poll (5.00 / 1) (#166)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 08:40:29 AM EST
    Is pretty interesting.  

    Trump is way under water on pretty much everything but the best stuff is at the bottom.  (It's long)

    Release all docs. 82%

    Coverup.  67%

    Was Trump involved in Epsteins crimes 46% yes

    link

    This (none / 0) (#168)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 03:33:46 PM EST
    confirms what a lot of other polls have said already. Even those bad poll numbers don't seem to be shaking GOP congress critters away from Trump. I am even wondering if a wipeout in Virginia will do anything.

    Parent
    Laura Loomer and others (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 08:36:28 AM EST
    have been calling for her to be fired for a while.

    "Why is Comeys daughter still in the DOJ"

    I think he fired her to throw them a bone and try to change the subject.

    It really (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 10:25:41 AM EST
    looks bad in light of who she was trying to put or did put in prison. And the timing couldn't be worse.

    Parent
    If anyone (none / 0) (#3)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 10:26:51 AM EST
    can read that letter Trump wrote to Epstein and not think they were doing some creepy and illegal stuff together that would be something.

    That letter to me is basically an admission of guilt.

    Honestly, I'm just here for the popcorn. (none / 0) (#4)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 04:43:13 PM EST
    Whether or not I believe that Trump and his regime are covering up the Jeffrey Epstein affair is actually immaterial in the larger scheme of things.

    Suffice for me to note only that there were many young women - some of whom were under the age of consent - who were real victims of that creep. That's somehow gotten lost in the collective obsession of mainstream journalism and social media over the late financier's so-called "client list", which may or may not actually exist.

    What I do believe is that conspiracy theories will eventually consume themselves, like a snake devouring itself tail first. Donald Trump has only himself to blame here for the personal folly-turned-political firestorm that he himself lit the match to start many years ago. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella.

    And that dumba$$ is now doubling down on stupid by filing a lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal, thus further ensuring that Trump / Epstein remains a big story for the next few news cycles.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    How much of what everyone wants (none / 0) (#6)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 04:59:46 PM EST
    can the get in the process of discovery?

    Parent
    Lisa Ruben (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 05:08:00 PM EST
    just answered this.  It's pretty much.  As I understood.
    And he would have to be deposed.

    Parent
    I know he just got a big settlement (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 05:12:30 PM EST
    from CBS and others he has bullied.

    This is different.  They are not going to settle.  

    Parent

    So now Trump is suing Rupert (none / 0) (#5)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 04:54:38 PM EST
    and Dow Jones(?) and whoever else about the birthday card.  It's official.

    So, if he is sueing them.  He gets deposed, right?
    I'll pay to see that.

    Trump sues Murdoch, Dow Jones over WSJ story on Epstein birthday letter: court records

    This (none / 0) (#14)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 09:08:22 PM EST
    Will probably end up like the Woodward tape case that was thrown out of court. He sues so he can look like he's fighting back but unless there is something he can use against them like a merger then the case goes nowhere

    Parent
    This is a new shiny thing (none / 0) (#9)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 18, 2025 at 06:05:48 PM EST
    I'm sure charges are coming.

    Gabbard claims Obama officials `manufactured intelligence' of 2016 Russian election interference
    by Brett Samuels and Rebecca Beitsch - 07/18/25 6:26 PM ET

    Gabbard asserted in a statement that former officials engaged in a "treasonous conspiracy" and said her office was turning over evidence to the Justice Department for possible criminal referrals.

    Skepticism About Trump's Birthday Card to Epstein (none / 0) (#15)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 10:42:13 AM EST
    Michael Cohen is quite credible here: starting 3:15 in. He says that Trump does not have the drawing, typing or literary skills to produce the card.  He guesses that he asked somebody to write it for him.

    Trump (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 01:46:49 PM EST
    draws pictures.

    Cohen is an idiot.

    Parent

    I'll Wait for the Evidence (none / 0) (#21)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 03:35:59 PM EST
    Trump got some small change in return for sending in those doodles of buildings.  Nobody so far has claimed they have seen Donald Trump draw a picture, use a typewriter or computer or use language like in the dialog in the birthday letter.  And Cohen has been making his living for the last few years by making anti-Trump podcasts and interviews as this yesterday with Jake Tapper.

    Parent
    Whatever (none / 0) (#22)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 04:10:15 PM EST

    Trump, Who Has Sold His Doodles in Past, Denies Report of Graphic Epstein Letter by Saying He 'Never Wrote a Picture in My Life'

    People have seen him draw them.

    Parent

    Here (none / 0) (#23)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 04:12:48 PM EST
    Trump even admitted to his prolific scribbling prowess in his 2010 book, Trump Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges Into Success.

    "Each year, I donate an autographed doodle to the Doodle for Hunger auction at Tavern on the Green," he wrote. "It's a great event."

    link

    Parent

    Listen to the Interview I Linked (none / 0) (#24)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 04:26:23 PM EST
    He told Tapper that Trump has had plenty of assistants who were excellent artists.  I also agree with Cohen that there are much more horrible things that Trump is doing now than what he and Epstein might have done 20-30 yearas ago.

    Parent
    Who cares what Michael Cohen told Jake Tapper? (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 08:00:10 PM EST
    Regarding Tapper: To the extent that Donald Trump was immunized from scandals which would have toppled anyone else in politics, it's because Tapper, Maggie Haberman and their colleagues in the political press corps -- surely in the interest of upholding their sense of fairness, balance and impartiality (nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more, say no more) -- have repeatedly bent over backward to rationalize and normalize the abhorrent behavior of a corrupt neo-fascist from hell.

    Donald Trump's long and meticulously well- documented adversarial relationship with facts and truth stands as testament that he should not be afforded any benefit of the doubt by anyone.

    Personally, I don't care about the Jeffrey Epstein case because he's dead, although I have expressed my concern over the effect of this public obsession with it on Epstein's many and very real victims, whose pain and distress appear to exist only in the abstract to the chattering classes.

    To the extent that Trump is in political trouble over Epstein, it's his own fault. His campaign turned the case into a political Ponzi scheme by strongly suggesting to his marks that its evidence could bring down the Deep State. And as a result, it should come as no surprise to anyone that there's now a run on the bank and it's costing him political capital with the supporters he's bilked.

    But will it cripple or topple Trump? Well, I'll believe it when I actually see it happen and not before. I mean, if "Grab 'em by the p*$$y", a criminal conviction on 34 felony counts and "They're eating the dogs, they're eating the cats" couldn't sink him, I very much doubt this will.

    That said, I'll add a caveat with an admission that nothing would make me happier right now than to see subsequent events prove me wrong.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Donald, I agree (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jul 21, 2025 at 05:22:13 PM EST
    He's playing this Epstein thing to the hilt with one hand, while his other hand is probably in his pocket hiding some new authoritarian plan he wants to keep secret until he's ready to roll with it.

    I also think Trump is a marionette, with the strings being held by Stephen Miller.

    Parent

    The only (none / 0) (#32)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 10:05:42 AM EST
    thing that is different now is that he attacked his own voters. They are the true snowflakes who have been coddled for far too long and told how special they are not only by Trump but by the media and their obsession with diners in the midwest.

    Parent
    Well said Donald. (none / 0) (#37)
    by Chuck0 on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 12:53:31 PM EST


    Parent
    So (none / 0) (#25)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 04:33:34 PM EST
    You think those drawings were done by 'excellent artists".
    Did you look at them?  And I guess they signed his name?
    Or do you think he always has a artist travelling  with him and he just signs them?

    Thanks but I would rather stick nails in my ears than listen to Cohen. That man has had his 15 and needs to go away.

    Parent

    Who cares whether he actually drew (5.00 / 2) (#39)
    by Peter G on Mon Jul 21, 2025 at 08:52:58 AM EST
    the lewd cartoon with his own hand, or hired someone to do it? He clearly signed it, so it's his expression.

    Parent
    Exactly, Peter. (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 03:58:07 PM EST
    When I worked at the state legislature, I wrote numerous pieces of correspondence for the State House speaker and majority leader over the years. It was always done with the mutual understanding that once they signed the final draft and it was sent to its intended recipient, at that point they owned it.

    There were times when I received suggested drafts from the bosses which I subsequently had to tone down. I kid you not, one time I got my hands on a memorable and intemperate three-word draft reply from the House majority leader to a hostile inquiry from the chair of the state board of education, which thankfully didn't get sent because it read as follows:

    "Dear Sir:

    Go f*ck yourself.

    Sincerely yours, ..."

    Needless to say, I prepared a far more proper and dignified response. I also kept the original draft, which he had actually written on House letterhead, no less. Many years later, when he became governor, I had it framed and gave it to him when he was inaugurated. He laughed so hard I thought he'd wet his pants and then said to me, "Thank you for saving my political career."

    ;-)

    Parent

    Then (none / 0) (#16)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 12:06:29 PM EST
    he didn't draw the sketches he sent to people to sell for charity either. Nobody thinks Trump actually typed that out himself.

    Anyway this is apparently just the tip of the iceberg as Bondi had 1000 agents going through all the evidence flagging Trump's name. There is no telling how much evidence is in there that includes Trump but it's telling that instead of redacting they just closed the case.

    Parent

    Wise words from Kos (none / 0) (#26)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 07:43:06 PM EST

    And here's the thing: Trump's power depends entirely on the unwavering devotion of people like this. So what happens when that devotion falters? What happens if Elon Musk follows through on his threats to primary Republicans over Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill"--and actually succeeds, powered by this festering backlash on the far right?

    And what happens if the fractured right allows Democrats not just to win big in the House, but to do the seemingly impossible and retake the Senate?

    Trump's influence is only as strong as his grip on his base. So what happens when that grip disappears?

    Sh!t is getting interesting.
    Check H.Res.581-Epstein Files Transparency Act (none / 0) (#28)
    by RickyJim on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 08:23:45 PM EST
    Especially the strange bedfellows among the cosponsors.  I can't see this as anything but serious trouble for DJT.

    What you see here is the extent of it. (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 08:39:46 PM EST
    H.Res.581 is congressional performance art. It will not be scheduled for a public hearing by Gentleman Jim Jordan. And even if it was and somehow got passed out by his Judiciary Committee, to the extent that Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson controls the House agenda, the legislation will not see the light of day on the House floor.

    You can take that to the bank.

    Parent

    They already (none / 0) (#33)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 10:07:04 AM EST
    tried this and the GOP blocked it coming up for a vote. Virginia Foxx saying "she trusts the president".

    Parent
    Regarding Emil Bove's judicial candidacy, ... (none / 0) (#29)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Jul 19, 2025 at 08:27:42 PM EST
    Jeralyn: "Ten reasons Emil Bove should not be a federal judge. But let's not blame his actions as a defense lawyer, which he was for all of five minutes. There's enough in his actions while a federal prosecutor to shut him out."

    ... one needs to consider the total package he offers and not just pick and choose what to like and dislike, cafeteria-style.

    To Jeralyn, Peter G and their honorable colleagues in the criminal defense establishment: With all due respect, Bove's behavior as an attorney rightly bears no reflection on either your chosen field of legal practice or your own personal integrity therein and thereof.

    If Emile Bove's conduct as a federal prosecutor leaves much to be desired, then the odds are better than even that the same could be said about his tenure as a criminal defense counsel, for the simple reason that leopards don't change their spots depending on the terrain they presently inhabit. And from what I've seen, I wouldn't trust him to fairly judge the entries in a two-float rose parade.

    Aloha.

    I understood J to mean that Bove's willingness (none / 0) (#40)
    by Peter G on Mon Jul 21, 2025 at 09:05:36 AM EST
    to represent Tr*mp on criminal charges and to present, as well as could be done, his client's legally bogus "defenses" is not, in and of itself, a reason to oppose his nomination to become a judge. If he behaved dishonorably as a defense lawyer by knowingly presenting false evidence, lying to the judge or to the prosecutors, threatening or bribing witnesses or jurors, and/or defying court orders, that would be something else.

    Parent
    I'm fine with his representation. (none / 0) (#59)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 04:14:44 PM EST
    At the end of the day, all you can do as defense counsel is advise your clients. Whether or not they take your advice is entirely up to them.

    I'd be fine with you offering up Trump's looney-tunes defense, Peter, because the entire sum balance of your own work product as an attorney would lead me to believe that you very likely tried to first warn your client off that path and he refused.

    However, considering Emil Bove's own sum total, I've concluded that not only did he NOT try to discourage Trump from mounting that defense, but he also very likely cheered him on and helped him double down.

    That sort of ingratiating behavior is what ultimately led to John Eastman's disbarment.

    Aloha. ;-)

    Parent

    The good news (none / 0) (#31)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 08:55:11 AM EST
    I hear chatter about "will Epstein be the thing that finally destroys Cheeto".

    While I think it actually might the truth is we don't need it to do that.

    All we need it to do is keep at least 10% of his voters on the couch in Nov '26.

    10% should do nicely right across the country combined with the already building blue wave.  And I think it will be more than 10%

    The bad news

    I think we should be ready for anything over the next few weeks.  He will be more desperate and delusional by the hour.

    Rick Wilson (none / 0) (#34)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 10:14:17 AM EST
    has said his polling shows 10-15% of maga has left Trump/the GOP/whatever over Epstein. Trump has also hoovered up all the crazies into his "coalition" who are not reliable voters.

    Yes, we should prepare for a lot of mud to be thrown out etc. because as a malignant narcissist Trump will be concerned with saving himself no matter what the truth and facts are. He will blow everything up, have ICE murder people, arrest Hillary etc. etc. in an attempt to avoid consequences.

    Parent

    I was thinking more (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 10:43:13 AM EST
    along the lines of invading and occupying Greenland

    Parent
    Maybe something with (none / 0) (#36)
    by desertswine on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 12:11:50 PM EST
    perennial whipping-post Mexico.

    Parent
    Considering (none / 0) (#38)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Jul 20, 2025 at 01:38:03 PM EST
    how well bombing Iran went over can't see Greenland making much if any difference.

    Parent
    Two Illuminating Links (none / 0) (#42)
    by RickyJim on Mon Jul 21, 2025 at 12:26:27 PM EST
    The actual birthday letter.
    The best analysis of the content I've seen.  It does make me doubt that Michael Cohen is correct.

    I agree (none / 0) (#44)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 07:48:45 AM EST
    It's possible he did not do the drawing.

    It actually looks better than I would expect from him.

    Parent

    Might be an over reach (none / 0) (#45)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 08:44:19 AM EST
    From snopes

    Legislation introduced by Republicans could ban hairdressers from giving gender nonconforming haircuts to minors.
    Rating:

    Outdated

    Context
    State legislation proposed by Arkansas Republicans in March 2025 would have allowed lawsuits against people who give youth gender-nonconforming haircuts, but the bill's author withdrew the policy from consideration just a month later.

    The hair cut (none / 0) (#46)
    by KeysDan on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 10:46:08 AM EST
    proposal is wholly in line with fascism.  

    Parent
    Well (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 11:57:05 AM EST
    It was withdrawn.  Thin consolation

    Parent
    Will (none / 0) (#47)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 11:06:05 AM EST
    Arkansas voters ever reach a breaking point with this nonsense?

    Parent
    Wish (none / 0) (#48)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 11:56:08 AM EST
    I knew

    Parent
    The Republicans are doing everything wrong (none / 0) (#52)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 22, 2025 at 07:40:14 PM EST
    when it comes to Epstein.

    Sending the House home?  For summer vacation?  Clearly to avoid a vote? They are going to be roasted everytime they make a public appearance.

    If anything it will insure that the discharge petition passes in Sept.

    Meeting with Maxwell?  Seriously?  A deal with Maxwell might actually get him shot again.

    Charging Obama with treason ain't gonna do it.

    It seems (none / 0) (#53)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 10:02:34 AM EST
    he is falling back on his "greatest hits" again. Obama, Hillary, Biden etc. etc.

    Even Marge can see through the Maxwell meeting and isn't buying it. I hadn't thought about Trump getting shot at again but with so many Epstein conspiracy theories running around that isn't too farfetched at this point.

    Parent

    Another (5.00 / 1) (#54)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 10:33:32 AM EST
    thing maga seems to be waking up to the fact that Trump screams about treason yet no one is indicted for these so called crimes. I guess it's not easy to find a prosecutor who wants to be disbarred or become a laughingstock to take these cases.

    Parent
    I thnk DOJ Barbie (none / 0) (#55)
    by Chuck0 on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 11:57:42 AM EST
    would do it. But she would have to personally prosecute the case. Or Bove.

    Parent
    Surprise surprise (none / 0) (#56)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 03:05:28 PM EST
    Judge Denies Request to Unseal Epstein Transcripts
    July 23, 2025 at 2:24 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 95 Comments

    "A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday denied a request from the Trump administration to release grand jury transcripts from an investigation into the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, stymying efforts by President Trump to dispel a storm of criticism from many of his supporters," the New York Times reports

    I suspect (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 03:29:07 PM EST
    this is a judicial order that President Donald Epstein Trump will obey.

    Parent
    WSJ is reporting today (none / 0) (#60)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 04:16:09 PM EST
    that the DOJ told Trump as early as May he was in the Epstein files multiple times.

    Trump lied on camera about that several times.

    MTG is absolutely right,

    Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸

    @RepMTG
    If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People.

    If not.

    The base will turn and there's no going back.

    Dangling bits of red meat no longer satisfies.

    They want the whole steak dinner and will accept nothing else



    Parent
    I was thinking back (none / 0) (#62)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 04:49:27 PM EST
    Trump was told in May he was in the files.  I expect everyone in the inner circle was told at this time, in May.

    Interesting the famous Elon tweet was June 5

    Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.

    Have a nice day, DJT!

    -- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025




    Parent
    This "reporting" from the WSJ (none / 0) (#63)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 05:34:42 PM EST
    is being released in what ways looks very strategic.

    I bet they have more.  

    Parent

    sorry (none / 0) (#64)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 05:36:44 PM EST
    ways that look very strategic.

    Drip drip drip.

    I bet they have the goods.  Maybe Robert is thinking about legacy?

    Parent

    sigh (none / 0) (#65)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 05:41:04 PM EST
    maybe RUPERT is thinking about legacy. And all he did to create Trump.

    I'll stoppp posting typos now

    Parent

    People (none / 0) (#72)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 08:31:17 AM EST
    that know Rupert seem to say he cares really nothing for his legacy. He also hates Trump. Personally I think this has gone beyond Rupert. If reporters have the goods on Trump Rupert might as well make the money on the story instead of another outlet because said reporters could go public or sell the story to another outlet and cut Rupert out. The reporters are not powerless in this story.

    And yes, there is more to come once again coming from people who know Rupert. We have only seen 2 parts of a multi part story.

    Does getting rid of Trump really matter to people like Murdoch? It's not like they aren't going to get what they want from Vance. The fatal error in a plan of replacing Trump with Vance is the lack of understanding of Trump's base.

    Parent

    it seems (none / 0) (#71)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 08:24:08 AM EST
    that Kash Patel was blabbing that Trump was all over the Epstein files to many people in DC. So at least now we can guess where Musk got the information.

    Parent
    Maybe he will (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 04:17:39 PM EST
    attack the judge just to make it look good.

    Parent
    More likely blame (none / 0) (#77)
    by Peter G on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 09:47:32 AM EST
    than attack

    Parent
    Wow (none / 0) (#66)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 23, 2025 at 06:05:08 PM EST
    The House Oversight committee is going to subpoena the DOJ to make them release the files.

    This is breaking news

    I'm starting to rethink my initial take ... (none / 0) (#67)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 07:16:51 AM EST
    ... on the Jeffrey Epstein case. I had long been skeptical of suggestions that Trump had a deeper connection to it beyond what we've already long known about their friendship. I was like, okay, so he hung out with trashy people and spoke crassly about women. Wow, revelation, stop the presses.

    But now, I'm wondering what has him so spooked. I mean, he's weathered storms of public outrage before, and so often that I've long since lost count. It can't be that he's lost control of the narrative, because that's occurred prior, too.

    There's something in those evidence files that he really does not want to see the light of day. What could be so bad? Did he pimp out Ivanka? Maybe it has nothing to do with sex. Money laundering, perhaps? Was Epstein propping up his business financially at a low point in funds?

    Inquiring minds want to know.

    Parent

    My first guess would be (none / 0) (#69)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 07:45:31 AM EST
    underage girls.  But seriously, it could be anything.  

    Parent
    This (none / 0) (#70)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 08:02:25 AM EST
    Epstein was asked in a 2010 deposition about his relationship with Donald Trump:

    LAWYER: Have you ever had a personal relationship with Donald Trump?

    EPSTEIN: What do you mean by "personal relationship," sir?

    LAWYER: Have you socialized with him?

    EPSTEIN: Yes, sir.

    LAWYER: Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18?

    EPSTEIN: Though I'd like to answer that question, at least today I'm going to have to assert my 5th, 6th and 14th Amendment rights, sir.

    Parent

    Underage (none / 0) (#73)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 08:35:00 AM EST
    girls would probably be the only thing that would matter. Trump routinely steals and grifts and that doesn't bother his base one iota. Just my opinion anyway.

    Parent
    Yes. (5.00 / 1) (#75)
    by KeysDan on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 09:26:06 AM EST
    Pedophilia undergirds Q Anon/ MAGAts political paranoia . Sexual assault of adult women (Hollywood starlets to attacks in a department store fitting room) seems just fine, but assaults on little girls may cross the line.  And, in the Trump era, due process is quaint  jurisprudence so allegations may be enough evidence for them.

    The sources of Epstein's money is a mystery, so  Senator Wyden's investigation  into finances is another avenue of interest that may spill over to Trump.

    Speaking of mysteries, what is with some Democratic leaders who advocate "moving on" from the Epstein/Trump scandal to "kitchen table" issues.   Can't they handle both?  To me, it would be like Democrats, in 1974, moving on from Nixon/Watergate  so as to focus on  stagflation.


    Parent

    Who said that? (none / 0) (#76)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 09:32:55 AM EST
    Primary them.

    Parent
    Nancy (none / 0) (#79)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:04:04 AM EST
    Pelosi is the only one I know of. She just needs to retire along with a bunch of others. I guess that power is hard to relinquish.

    Parent
    Or her friends (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:18:08 AM EST
    are on the list.

    Parent
    Yes, (5.00 / 1) (#84)
    by KeysDan on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:45:42 AM EST
    Mrs. Pelosi  seemed to equate  Trump/Epstein with Alcatraz restoration as "distractions" .    Several political consultants  are suggesting similar tactics --must be for something not just all about Trump.   The Democratic leadership needs to look for new  consultants,---consultants  who are aware and savvy enough to chart a course that embraces all the dangers of Trump and. fascism and offers a Democratic. Party agenda .   And jettison those tired  political hangers-on.

    Parent
    I happen to have agreed with Mrs. Pelosi. (none / 0) (#95)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 01:28:36 PM EST
    KeysDan: "Mrs. Pelosi seemed to equate Trump / Epstein with Alcatraz restoration as 'distractions'."

    I likewise thought the whole Epstein files thing was a GOP hushpuppy thrown to MAGA's baying dogs- a political red herring and a distraction. I even expressed my skepticism in earlier posts in this same thread. But then something clicked, and I'm only now starting to change my mind for the primary reason cited above.

    There's just something about the Epstein case that clearly has Trump spooked. Maybe the first indication for me, in obvious retrospect, was his almost hysterical public admonitions to his MAGA base to not go there. The higher octave of his delivery raised my eyebrow in suspicion, thinking not unlike Queen Gertrude in Hamlet: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

    Anyway, the whole thing has certainly gotten curiouser and curiouser. Go ask Alice. I think she'll know.

    ;-D

    Parent

    I wonder (none / 0) (#80)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:17:37 AM EST
    if Trump is shown to have participated in sex trafficking women not minors what kind of reaction maga will have. What I find interesting is that none of what is in those files has ever been leaked out by the FBI. Partially that may be because of the Maxwell trial.

    Saw a podcast with a journalist who speaks regularly to the victims. She said this whole Maxwell thing is horrifying them and people need to understand that Maxwell sexually assaulted these girls along with Epstein and the victims consider her worse than Epstein because while Epstein was a monster Maxwell is the one that worked to gain their trust. Epstein could have never gotten these victims without her.

    Apparently Epstein wired 1 billion to a couple of women in Russia right before he was either arrested or died? Yes, lots of suspicious transactions but Michael Wolff said one of the things he did or services he sold was telling the wealthy how to cheat on their taxes.

    Parent

    I think it's possible (none / 0) (#82)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:31:03 AM EST
    the sex stuff Trump is worried about might not be criminal but just really really creepy.

    Maybe sitting in his lap?

    That's just the sex stuff.  Seems more likely his crimes might involve the money.

    Let's hope for both.

    Parent

    The only (none / 0) (#87)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 11:01:52 AM EST
    thing it seems we all know for sure is that Trump has decided that covering up is a better option than the info getting out whatever that may be.

    Parent
    I am not surprised that there has been (none / 0) (#83)
    by Peter G on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:36:24 AM EST
    no previous leak. In decades of working on the defense of federal criminal cases, I have never seen a leak of investigative information or material from the FBI or the U.S. Attorney except when done deliberately to prejudice the accused before trial or to pressure a suspect to "cooperate." That is, always to benefit the prosecutors. Never in any sort of "whistleblower" or internal dissent scenario.

    Parent
    Well (none / 0) (#88)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 11:02:55 AM EST
    I was thinking about the Hillary email issue where the FBI was leaking like a sieve and not always with good information. But since then they have gotten rid of the Russian asset in the FBI so maybe that's why they've not leaked anything.

    Parent
    That is, not since (or other than) (none / 0) (#90)
    by Peter G on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 11:17:44 AM EST
    "Deep Throat" in the Nixon Watergate case, who turned out to be the Deputy Director of the FBI (the job Bongino has now)! For example, the whole time that the FBI's "COINTELPRO" operation was being used to spy on and harass lawful civil rights and antiwar organizers in the 1960s and '70s, implicating hundreds and hundreds of agents, the existence of the program was never leaked until it was disclosed as a result of the 1971 Media PA activist burglary. (I knew several of the perpetrators.)

    Parent
    Ah, yes, Watergate and COINTELPRO. (5.00 / 1) (#94)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 12:54:52 PM EST
    (Sigh!) How I long for the days of third-rate burglaries, political eavesdropping and coverups, vice presidents who took bribes the old-fashioned way with bundles of cash stuffed in plain manila envelopes, and paranoid, racist and deeply closeted FBI directors with lifetime appointments who regularly engaged in blackmail of public figures. Life was so much simpler back then.

    ;-)

    Parent

    That was then (none / 0) (#74)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 09:08:22 AM EST
    this is now.  I'm pretty sure Trump's ability to "get away" with stuff is shrinking faster Americas reputation

    There is one very good thing about this.  I love that Trump himself rolled it up with all the other Witch Hunts.

    When he is so laughably lying about the Epstein files his push to link it all might just work.

    IN THE MINDS OF MAGA.

    You know, if this is not a witch hunt maybe all the rest wasn't either.

    For those with multiple brain cells left this will be a thought.

    Parent

    The linking (none / 0) (#78)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:03:13 AM EST
    of all the cases against him is so obvious but in this case I understand what he is doing. Maga has fallen for all the other scams he has done calling anything he didn't like "fake news". So why wouldn't he expect them to fall in line again?

    I agree about the few with a few brain cells they might be starting to get it.

    Parent

    OY (none / 0) (#68)
    by jmacWA on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 07:40:10 AM EST
    The Court adds to Trump's power -- Lyle Denniston on yesterday's shadow docket ruling.

    I don't know what this is about (none / 0) (#85)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:46:14 AM EST
    But I'm trying to find out.  Anyone know?

    CallMeChristii
    @CallMeChristii
    👀
    Quote
    E X X ➠A L E R T S

    @ExxAlerts
    ·
    11h
    BREAKING: 🚨  Roger Stone looking at recruiting a "REPUBLICAN PRIMARY OPPONENT" for Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton
    Here (none / 0) (#86)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 10:46:35 AM EST

    Roger Stone
    @RogerJStoneJr
    I may have no choice, but to recruit a Republican primary opponent for Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas. Hard hitting ads, revealing the secret truth about him would bring him down.
    11:15 PM · Jul 23, 2025
    ·
    304.3K
     Views



    Parent
    The only (none / 0) (#89)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 11:04:20 AM EST
    thing I have heard is something about his military record but I can't imagine that would rise to the level Stone is talking about.

    Parent
    Yes, (none / 0) (#91)
    by KeysDan on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 11:24:57 AM EST
    Senator Cotton mischaracterized his military record implying he was an Army Ranger when he  was Ranger-qualified (graduated from  Ranger school).  Hardly something that would upset the old dirty-trickster.  Tucker Carlson  claimed Cotton was  trying to block release of  the JFK assassination files, but Cotton denied it.  
    Winner chicken dinner? --Cotton said the Epstein files should be released.

    Parent
    Hulk Hogan dies... (none / 0) (#93)
    by desertswine on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 12:08:27 PM EST
    at 71.

    Of a more important note. (5.00 / 3) (#96)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 02:39:08 PM EST
    Chuck Mangione died on July 22. A better person who will actually be missed.

    Parent
    I really hope (none / 0) (#100)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 03:41:21 PM EST
    Bill Clinton is not in the Epstein files

    LOL (5.00 / 1) (#101)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 24, 2025 at 03:48:40 PM EST
    That is funny.

    Parent
    AI overview (none / 0) (#107)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 10:09:56 AM EST
    Yes, swollen ankles can be a symptom of syphilis,
     but it's important to understand the context.
    Here's why:
    Syphilis can cause inflammatory arthritis. This inflammation can affect the joints, including the ankles, leading to pain, swelling, and restricted movement.
    Musculoskeletal manifestations of syphilis, including inflammatory arthritis and bone involvement in the ankles, have been reported in secondary and tertiary syphilis.
    Tertiary syphilis can damage bones and joints, leading to swelling, though the joints may not be painful at this stage.

    Al Capone died from complications of syphilis. (none / 0) (#109)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 25, 2025 at 12:49:02 PM EST
    But that was in 1948, when the use of antibiotics was not yet widespread and so, there was really no cure. That disease today would very likely be diagnosed early in anyone who gets regular medical checkups nowadays and treated accordingly.

    As with almost any malady, the key is early detection. But for medical practitioners to do that, they require a patient who's not squeamish and uptight and Victorian about discussing any symptoms involving what Monty Python used to discretely refer to as their "naughty bits."

    :-D

    Parent

    The WaPo reports (none / 0) (#118)
    by KeysDan on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 12:52:29 PM EST
    that DOD and Qatar will complete an agreement next week for a gift Boeing 747-8 to be used by the USAir Force, months after the Pentagon first said that the deal was completed.

    The  jet is to be renovated for use as Air Force One, at a cost of $ hundreds of millions. It does not restrict how the plane may be used in the future. The Qatari  government wanted the memorandum of agreement to specify that the plane would remain in the custody of the U.S. Air Force, but was removed after Americans objected.

    The document states "nothing in this agreement is, or shall be interpreted or construed as, an offer, promise, or acceptance of any form of bribery, undue influence, or corrupt practice."

    Just a gratuity.

    That proviso (5.00 / 3) (#119)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 01:40:13 PM EST
    is hilarious. The deal is what it is, not what the conspirators assert that it is.

    Parent
    Wouldn't that proviso have been ... (5.00 / 1) (#135)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 04:22:54 PM EST
    ... more binding legally if the lawyers had further added the phrase "..., so there!" at the conclusion?
    ;-D

    Parent
    A local congressmember and two of (none / 0) (#121)
    by Peter G on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 02:53:31 PM EST
    his top supporters (one of them a friend of mine, and the other a client) went to prison a few years ago over campaign contributions that were all legitimately (on the face of it) documented and which they all swore were on the up and up, but which the government alleged and a jury found were bribes.

    Parent
    Watching this doc (none / 0) (#122)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 04:28:14 PM EST
    Who Killed Jeffery Epstein

    It's pretty interesting.  I'm learning things I did not know.

    It's on HULU

    One thing I learned (5.00 / 1) (#123)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 04:32:12 PM EST
    is that his house and plane were loaded with CCTV

    Everyone in and out of either was recorded.

    I also didn't know that the forensic pathologist who examined him said the marks on his neck were more like strangulation than hanging.

    Parent

    My understanding (none / 0) (#124)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 06:37:35 PM EST
    is that CCTV recordings are usually only good for so long and are taped over after a certain amount of time.

    one of Trump's victims who also dated Epstein said that Epstein told her he had recordings of her undressing. She said with him you didn't know whether he actually did that or was just using it as a control thing. It's not like Epstein was the most honest person. Either way she wants the files released because there might be a recording of her.

    I had heard the "strangulation vs. hanging" argument but never paid all that much attention to it. I do know his brother insisted he would never have committed suicide. The fact that there are 3 minutes of tape missing only makes people remain suspicious.

    Parent

    Epstein (none / 0) (#125)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 07:25:47 PM EST
    had cameras everywhere.  It's believed he used them to blackmail people.  its possible he was a spy.

    In his house they found a second passport.  Austrian I think.  Giving the address of a Saudi prince.

    There's plenty of tape that was not taped over I think.  Audio and video

    Parent

    One of the things suggested (none / 0) (#126)
    by CaptHowdy on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 07:31:16 PM EST
    in that doc I had not thought of was that he specifically was given the opportunity to commit suicide.  Thats interesting but why was editing the video necessary for that?

    There's a lot of strange stuff.

    He was just taken off suicide watch and there was probably ten sheets and a sleep apnea machine in his cell.

    I saw crime scene photos.  

    Parent

    I seem (none / 0) (#127)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Jul 26, 2025 at 08:08:03 PM EST
    to recall reading that one the victims claimed to be sex trafficked to MBS.

    Wyden is following the money which should tell a lot.

    Parent

    I still think Epstein committed suicide. (none / 0) (#136)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 04:57:25 PM EST
    That said, I would not put it past anyone in Trump Regime 1.0 to have issued an expressed directive to MCC staff and personnel to not interfere with their house guest if he started tying bedsheets together - knowhutahmean?

    Fast forward to the present and the most recent developments, and the entire tawdry and tragic Epstein affair represents an absolute nadir in American law enforcement and jurisprudence. The lights were off and no one was home at DOJ and elsewhere for the better part of 25 years, while Epstein and Maxwell were allowed to continue committing their depredations in broad daylight, so to speak, despite the credible reports and complaints filed.

    I really don't fault anyone at this point for believing that people in authority who were in position to put a stop to all of it were repeatedly bought off or blackmailed - or both. As I'm seeing it now, that's perhaps the most logical explanation for what happened here, and it's certainly a far more plausible notion than the idea that literally dozens of DOJ attorneys and investigators repeatedly dropped the ball, Keystone Cops-like, and were serially incompetent at their jobs.

    And so now, we await the next shoe to drop.

    Parent

    Twice this weekend (none / 0) (#137)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 05:27:10 PM EST
    I have read about an element of the Epstein case I was not aware of until recently.

    He might have been a spy.

    One of the big questions is where did his money come from.  Apparently some people think it was coming from some kind of intelligence operation that even paid for his Island.

    He was in an excellent position to get kompromat on a smorgasbord of influencial people

    He had extra passports.

    The more you learn about this the wilder it seems.

    I think it's totally possible that, as I said before, others looked at this stuff and even if they are not on the list said 'its just better for everyone if is better kept secret'.

    I never thought much about it but the way Trump is acting, the way the government is acting, makes me think that we collectively can not imagine what is there.

    Government ending stuff.  

    Literally nothing else would explain him turning on his cabinet and his base.

    imho

    Parent

    And that link from the MIRROR (none / 0) (#138)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 05:39:59 PM EST
    it's seem completely believable Maxwell leaked the book as a heads up to Trump about what she knows.

    And again what else would explain
    WHAT THEY DID?
    The #2FBI/Trump's personal lawyer goes to speak with her alone.  

    Parent

    It seems (none / 0) (#142)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 07:01:15 PM EST
    a lot of the problem is the police just don't believe women. There were several girls that went to the police in Palm Beach and the police just brushed them off until one showed up with their mother IIRC and they couldn't be ignored. Also the victims were turned into sex traffickers themselves recruiting other girls making the cases harder to prosecute.

    Parent
    That's true (none / 0) (#144)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 07:18:21 PM EST
    But in his case a LOT of women were not believed. And even when they finally were nothing was done.

    Someone in the Bush administration gave him an insane deal.  
    Palm Beach Police I know, but it was the Bush Administration hack.

    wiki

    In May 2006, Palm Beach police filed a probable cause affidavit saying that Epstein should be charged with four counts of unlawful sex with minors and one count of sexual abuse.[107][117] On July 27, 2006, Epstein was arrested by the Palm Beach Police Department on state felony charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation of a prostitute. He was booked at the Palm Beach County jail and later released on a $3,000 bond.[6][10][118][119] State prosecutor Krischer later convened a Palm Beach County grand jury, which was usually only done in capital cases. Presented evidence from only two victims, the grand jury returned a single charge of felony solicitation of prostitution,[120] to which Epstein pleaded not guilty in August 2006.[121] Epstein's defense lawyers included Roy Black, Gerald Lefcourt, Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz, and former U.S. Solicitor General Ken Starr.[106][122] Linguist Steven Pinker also assisted.[123]



    Parent
    Here's (none / 0) (#145)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 08:05:54 PM EST
    what I don't understand. He was brought up on state charges yet Acosta got involved? Acosta was DOJ. It seems this should have just been state charges and state sentencing. Were there federal charges brought that I don't know about in 2006?

    Personally I think the so called "deal" had to do with Les Wexner who was in deep with Epstein and a major donor to the GOP at the time.

    The funniest thing is the GOP trying to blame Obama for all this by changing the year. I guess their base has allowed them to lie to them for years so why stop now.

    Parent

    Epstein's (excellent) lawyers brought Acosta in, (5.00 / 2) (#152)
    by Peter G on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 10:43:13 AM EST
    in order to sign off on making a "universal" deal. The feds (via Acosta) signed off on the state charges satisfying his criminal exposure, at that time, in both state and federal court, and immunizing all his co-conspirators, such as Maxwell. Neither of those aspects of the deal, however sweet, is inherently improper. The issue in Maxwell's present, pending application for permission to appeal before SCOTUS is whether Acosta, as U.S. Atty. for the Southern District of Florida, had authority to bind the entire U.S. Dept. of Justice, including the Southern District of New York, to such a deal. The federal appeals court in N.Y. said he did not, rendering the deal (insofar as it protected anyone from federal charges outside of Florida) invalid and unenforceable. The federal appeals courts that oversee a substantial number of other regions would have held the deal enforceable, under their own precedents. Hence, the potential for SCOTUS review.)

    Parent
    Thanks (5.00 / 1) (#153)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 11:02:59 AM EST
    for the explanation.

    Parent
    It's not so much about believing women, ... (none / 0) (#147)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 01:24:36 AM EST
    ... as it is a genuine failure on the part of the still-mostly male hierarchy in law enforcement and corporate management to simply take such complaints from women seriously. I mean, we're still trying to address the failure to process rape kits in a timely manner.

    A good example was the sexual assault complaint filed against then-Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston in 2012. Both the university and the Tallahassee PD detective in charge of the case literally sat on it for the better part of a year, because they were more concerned about jeopardizing Winston's Heisman Trophy hopes (he won) with adverse publicity than with investigating the allegation. Talk about your misplaced priorities! Then we further learned that there wasn't just one assault allegation involving Winston at Florida State, but two. If there was a case, it fell apart due to inaction.

    You don't have to "believe" a woman who complains to you about unwanted sexual advances, harassment or assault. But dammit, if you're a boss or law enforcement officer, you better take this matter seriously, because such alleged incidents tend to not be a one-off for guys who engage in this sort of sexually aggressive behavior toward women.

    If there's no intervention and they see they can get away with it, the odds of them doing it again to some other woman are better than even. And if you're the one wearing the big sombrero and you've allowed such behavior to perpetuate on your watch and someone gets hurt, then you may face civil liability yourself.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    I agree (none / 0) (#149)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 08:46:00 AM EST
    A friend of mine's daughter was raped by someone she knew. She went to the police and the police talked her out of filing a report or complaint by saying you don't want to ruin that boy's life do you? I am sure this type of thing happens more than we would like to think. The only people that are allowed to file rape reports are the women who don't know the rapist it seems.

    Parent
    'You don't want to ruin that boy's life'? (5.00 / 1) (#163)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 04:57:50 AM EST
    Jeez, it's as though the police viewed that young woman's own life as disposable and not important. No, let me rephrase - that's EXACTLY how they saw it.

    I was sexually assaulted by one of my baseball coaches when I was in middle school. It was mischaracterized by some as an "inappropriate relationship" and therefore, it was my fault because somehow, if it had indeed happened, I had let it happen and how dare I besmirch this man's good name and reputation. I mean, I was thirteen years old. I just wanted to play baseball at that age, not get shagged by my coach. I wanted to curl up and die.

    You grow up, you get older and for the sake of your own sanity, you compartmentalize it all and you move on. But you never really get over it. Never. You just finally come to understand what Noah Cross told J.J. Gittes in "Chinatown": At the right time and the right place, some people are capable of anything.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    I have wondered (none / 0) (#165)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 07:54:08 AM EST
    how the response from law enforcement and the public might be different if Epstein had been running boys instead of girls.

    Girls are sort of expected to deal with this stuff
    /s

    Seriously if Maxwell had been seducing and trapping boys.  Would the response be different?

    PS
    When I was in about 7-8 grade there was a teacher who would regularly flash me in the bathroom. I think he started following me in.  It was across the hall from his office.
    I was shocked at first and a little scared.  Eventually I started looking forward to it.
    When it stopped making me uncomfortable he stopped doing it.

    Parent

    That PS is an incomplete story (none / 0) (#172)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 05:08:03 PM EST
    that teacher was actually the school counselor.  And he was beloved by everyone.  Even me really.  Our relationship was a bit distant after the period mentioned (which was all) but he was always nice and helpful to me.  

    He was first to tell me I could make a living as an artist.
    We had a more or less normal relationship.   Once I was in high school.

    Recently I was having lunch with a high school friend and he was talking about this person and his wife who was probably my most influencial teacher in high school.
    How great they both were.  How much they added to the school.  And I was really tempted to tell him the mens roon story, we are very old friends, but I didn't.  

    I've never actually told anyone.  Thanks for listening

    Parent

    French Canadian tourism spot (none / 0) (#129)
    by CaptHowdy on Sun Jul 27, 2025 at 09:31:51 AM EST
    this is very funny

    Better and better (none / 0) (#132)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 12:14:17 PM EST

    Trump seeks quick deposition of Rupert Murdoch in Jeffrey Epstein letter defamation case

    Lawyers for President Donald Trump asked a judge to order Rupert Murdoch to sit for an expedited deposition in Trump's $10 billion lawsuit accusing the media mogul of defaming him in a Wall Street Journal article.

    Trump's lawyers cite Murdoch's advanced age to submit to questioning under oath earlier than would be normal, suggesting that Murdoch will either be too ill or dead to testify at trial.

    Hopefully he will say "I will if you will"

    MIRROR !! (none / 0) (#133)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 04:00:47 PM EST

    Donald Trump's 'birthday card to Epstein circulated by Maxwell' West Wing fears
    Senior West Wing officials are said to believe that claims about the alleged card were orchestrated as a "warning shot" by the convicted teen sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to warn the president of what she knows

    It would explain Todd's field trip

    The Epstein (none / 0) (#139)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 06:43:57 PM EST
    estate has a copy of that book along with a lot of other stuff. The estate has been releasing new video with Trump and Epstein. Personally I think the estate has the same information the DOJ has hence why they won't release the files. If they try to release fake files they will be found out.

    One thing I learned was that all the NY tapes were destroyed. The FBI didn't have a search warrant so couldn't take the tapes there and when they came back the next day the tapes were gone.

    I think the claims that Maxwell had a copy of the book is the White House setting up go give Maxwell a pardon.

    Parent

    He can not pardon her (none / 0) (#140)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 06:59:11 PM EST
    Obviously legally he can.  MAGA is threatening violence if she is pardoned.  I believe them.

    I'm conflicted about caring if Trump and his cabinet are tarred and feathered.

    But he can't do it.  Little Mikey Johnson even said he can't.

    I kind of hope he does but it would be bad.

    This would be the test of Martial Law maybe.

    Parent

    Martial Law (none / 0) (#141)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 07:00:36 PM EST
    Against MAGA.

    didn't see that coming.

    Parent

    This is (none / 0) (#143)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 07:12:25 PM EST
    a prime example of one of his scams coming back to bite him in the butt. He's the one that brought the whole Epstein thing up over and over again promising to release the files. He could have said I'll look at the files and see what we can do and if there's anyone to prosecute and then afterwards stating the statue of limitations had expired and/or there wasn't enough evidence etc. etc. and we wouldn't even be talking about this.

    I have no doubt maga would get violent over this. They have gotten violent before as we all know.

    Trump is pretty much blowing up everything but then the people that know him said this is what he does. Now he's saying that he didn't have the honor of being invited to the Island but a lot of people in Palm Beach were. Sorry but all that does is make me believe that he went to the island.

    Parent

    I stand by my prior statement above: (none / 0) (#148)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 01:52:32 AM EST
    "Donald Trump's long and meticulously well-documented adversarial relationship with facts and truth stands as testament that he should not be afforded any benefit of the doubt by anyone."

    Only the most credulous fools would believe at this point that Trump never visited Epstein's private island. Maybe John Oliver can explain it all to them.

    ;-)

    Parent

    Trump may (none / 0) (#146)
    by KeysDan on Mon Jul 28, 2025 at 10:34:22 PM EST
    let the U.S. Supreme Court do his dirty work.  Maxwell is petitioning the Supreme Court to consider overturning her conviction.   The  appeal  is based  on the  claim that the  plea deal given to Epstein should  also  apply to her.   The Trump DOJ has  opposed  the petition .    After Trump v United States, there is little  reason to believe  that the  Robert's Court  would not  lend  a helping hand--even to its own detriment.

    Parent
    That will definitely work (none / 0) (#150)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 08:58:21 AM EST
    From raw story

    The memo reveals how the party hopes to communicate a potential vulnerability ahead of next year's midterms. In particular, the NRCC wants members to cast the bill's Medicaid cuts -- already a top target of Democrats -- as an overhaul that will strengthen the program," said the report.

    "In addition to Medicaid, the NRCC urged its members to highlight tax relief, immigration, business reforms and 'holding elites accountable.'"

    Well (none / 0) (#151)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 09:42:15 AM EST
    they have been able to sell a guy that sits on gold toilets and the son of a former president as "regular people" against the "elites" so why wouldn't they go back to that well again?

    If what they did to Medicaid is so great then why did they put it off until after the 2026 election? Seems if they wanted to "strengthen" the program they would want that to happen immediately.

    Tax relief as in we pay the same as we did last year? I mean it was basically a continuation of what was already there.

    Immigration is a big loser for them if the polls are right.

    Business reforms affect so few people that they might as well say nothing.

    And holding elites accountable? Yeah, right when they emptied the treasury and borrowed trillions to give them a tax cut. All the elites that Trump has given a pardon to will surely end up in political ads.

    Parent

    I would not advise (none / 0) (#154)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 02:37:10 PM EST
    discussing holding elites accountable this month.

    If I was a lawmaker who just ran away from my job to avoid exactly that.

    But hey republicans, you be you.

    Parent

    It's really (none / 0) (#155)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 07:23:48 PM EST
    miserable here

    I join you in your misery. (5.00 / 1) (#158)
    by vml68 on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 09:14:26 PM EST
    A couple of days ago we reached 100F, broke the record high for that day. Today the heat index broke the record, 119F at 2:30pm!

    Parent
    We're on the road to worse.. (5.00 / 1) (#162)
    by desertswine on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 10:53:24 PM EST
    In Game-Changing Climate Rollback, E.P.A. Aims to Kill a Bedrock Scientific Finding

    Without the United States working to reduce emissions, it becomes far tougher for the world to collectively prevent average global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels. That is the threshold beyond which climate scientists say there is significantly greater risk from increasingly destructive storms, droughts, wildfires and heat waves, as well as from species extinction.

    This clown Zeldin looks to be an absolute moron, in keeping with trump's agenda to destroy the planet.

    Parent

    Comment on the internet that was forwarded (5.00 / 2) (#167)
    by vml68 on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 01:15:05 PM EST
    to me.
    America was once the engine of innovation, courage, and bold change -- but now it's a nation paralyzed by fear, clinging to the past while the future leaves it behind. It wants to be first in everything, except progress. Terrified of failure, it hides behind its military, worships greed, and confuses wealth with worth. The country that once led the world is now running from its own shadow -- too divided to unite, too proud to adapt, and too afraid to admit it's lost its way.

    Well said and so true.

    Parent

    Donald do you have to move (none / 0) (#160)
    by fishcamp on Tue Jul 29, 2025 at 10:12:16 PM EST
    to higher ground due to the approaching tsunami?

    No, We're inland at a higher elevation. (5.00 / 2) (#164)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 05:14:01 AM EST
    But today's tsunami threat was very real. The grounds of the Seaside Hotel on Hilo Bay were flooded out tonight and there were other reports as well of coastal flooding from the surge, which in some areas was 7-9 feet. We'll know a lot more on the morning.

    So much excitement this afternoon. Thank you for asking.

    Parent

    This is great (none / 0) (#169)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 04:37:07 PM EST
    It's like being called out by Lee Greenwood
    Sorry (none / 0) (#171)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 04:39:01 PM EST
    Please delete

    Parent
    This is great (none / 0) (#170)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 04:38:30 PM EST
    It's like being called out by Lee Greenwood

    The Thomas Kinkade Family Foundation has spoken out against a recent social media post by the Department of Homeland Security, saying that it did not authorize the usage of a painting by the artist that was paired alongside the phrase "Protect the Homeland."

    That (none / 0) (#173)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Jul 30, 2025 at 06:33:03 PM EST
    tweet was downright creepy and straight out of the Nazi playbook. Ugh.

    Parent

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