You have nailed something I've been thinking about for weeks now - both the momentum of obvious criminal activity and the inevitable desperate acts that are sure to come. Of course, desperation (to stay out of jail) is what got Trump elected again, and it will be what drives even further depravity by Trump and his evil cohort - you are entirely correct about this. I'm honestly terrified of what this means for the rest of us once things start to implode for them (as will surely happen because it always does). But I agree that the only thing to do is to shine a light on all of the criminality. Make them own it, one and all.
I think it's no coincidence so many of the people who have positioned themselves in power here are also deeply tied up in crypto scams, where the only way they sustain their wealth and power is to jump from one con to another and leave a wake of collateral damage behind them. Trump's entire life story is a series of increasingly escalating rug pulls to avoid accountability for the last set of rug pulls.
Between the immunity ruling from SCOTUS and his age, it's possible he may just run out the clock on personal accountability, but I agree with Brian we shouldn't let all these other grifters in his wake coast through this era without scrutiny and be restored to good standing if and when we emerge on the other side. We need to bear witness and keep score.
Months ago that feel like years ago I was worried that T-rex would be fully mentally incompetent to stand trial by the time any such thing actually happened.
Now, between Hegseth and Patel and Gabbard and Bondi and what's-his-face ... and the enabling Senators ... I'm running out of excuses to care what ever happens to the Don.
When certain conditions are met, things can implode near-instantaneously. Or explode. I'm not technically a scientist, just an appreciator of the effects of sufficient kinetic energy.
Word to the wise: what's coming for them is coming for the child castrators too.
Does it make sense to ANYBODY that given the myriad ways Republicans disenfranchise voters, their complete abandonment of any mutually followed rules of fair play, the obvious fact that they don't believe in our form of government, Rove proudly proclaiming that they create their own reality, that with all that, having stolen and disseminated proprietary voting and tabulating software that they WOULDN'T manipulate election results that way too? In what world does that possibly make a lick of sense? That would be a million percent inconsistent with every single thing they do.
Screwing too hard with American elections earns you one in the dome, and I don't mean the rotunda. A little local cheesery is part of the game, but there have been a lot of warnings against digging too deep.
There's a reason this administration is using ICE for a bunch of random things -- they don't trust anyone with a tie and a gun. What do they know that we don't?
I think this is of course why DOGE initially relied on hopped-up 'Turning Point' interns aged 19 and 20 to do most of the criming at each agency. Musk wanted easy sight lines on scapegoats. As the crime continues, the DOGE budget expands, and more middle-aged MAGA realtors from Scottsdale are brought in to manage cancer research at the NIH or whatever, we're going to get more people who have third houses and scam businesses to protect. And they are going to be somewhat more desperate and wily.
Totally. But WHY are we expecting Democrats to do this, and thus feed into a both sides narrative that will be used to minimize it? This is the job of the fourth estate, the trusted objective arbiter. You are one people honorably telling the story, but there are few.
This is not partisan politics, it’s an international crime. Democrats aren’t investigative reporters, or reporters at all. Democrats need to do everything they can, but we need a solid nonpartisan force investigating and finally prosecuting this.
Unfortunately, it seems the legacy press has lost their muscle memory for identifying a scandal when it happens.
They have always taken their cues from elites. Republicans hammer the Hillary emails and Hunter laptop to such a ridiculous extent that the press takes note and covers them as scandals.
But something is broken. Democrats don't seem adept at working the refs, and the refs don't seem interested in being worked by Democrats, only Republicans.
Business leaders should note that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has a statute of limitations of five years. In other words, you can bribe all you want during the Trump administration, but that will not protect you from prosecution under the next president. Act accordingly.
Also, it is virtually certain that Elon is going to need a pardon from Trump to avoid prosecution under the next administration for all of his crimes. The time to start hammering this is NOW. What corrupt things will Elon do for Trump to earn his pardon? Nelson should remember that if you commit crimes for the boss, he suddenly gets immense leverage over you.
As if Chuck Schumer needs any more incentive to stay down in his foxhole until the 2026 *putative* midterms, this threat by Ed Martin should send him scurrying to a "secure, undisclosed location"...feh!
The more Trump's polls tank, the more media are filled with stories of sobbing MAGAts with buyer's remorse and leopard-eaten faces, the more Trump will want to cancel the 2026 election. Brian, if you've nothing better to do, I'd appreciate you exploring this scenario--how Trump might try (e.g., martial law on a bullshit pretex), how Dems would respond, how REPUBLICANS would respond (other than with "concern"), who would have what police or military force to wield, etc.
There have already been two assassination attempts, and one self-immolation by a US Marine. Musk recently said of his president-sized security detail, "It's not that big. Maybe it should be bigger."
I think it is the heads of this criminal enterprise who should be practicing their ducking. Remember "don't tread on me"?
I may have some disagreements with that old snake as to what constitutes "treading," but the present case is rather obvious...if I may stretch the metaphor, that snake has barely awoken, and brave young Tom Crooks was but a shaking of its rattle.
Further, none of the world's men in black approve: and many of those men are long past death.
If you don't believe me -- why do you think they held his inauguration indoors? Do you really believe it was because of the cold?
As long as Trump is president, he can pardon anything in federal law. However, Leon could be charged under state law. Perhaps the answer is for NY to charge him with theft.
Every Republican president from Nixon on has been involved in crimes and coverups. Every single one. Only Nixon paid any kind of price - and it was far short of what he deserved. When bad behavior has few consequences but many rewards, is it a surprise we get more of it?
You have nailed something I've been thinking about for weeks now - both the momentum of obvious criminal activity and the inevitable desperate acts that are sure to come. Of course, desperation (to stay out of jail) is what got Trump elected again, and it will be what drives even further depravity by Trump and his evil cohort - you are entirely correct about this. I'm honestly terrified of what this means for the rest of us once things start to implode for them (as will surely happen because it always does). But I agree that the only thing to do is to shine a light on all of the criminality. Make them own it, one and all.
I think it's no coincidence so many of the people who have positioned themselves in power here are also deeply tied up in crypto scams, where the only way they sustain their wealth and power is to jump from one con to another and leave a wake of collateral damage behind them. Trump's entire life story is a series of increasingly escalating rug pulls to avoid accountability for the last set of rug pulls.
Between the immunity ruling from SCOTUS and his age, it's possible he may just run out the clock on personal accountability, but I agree with Brian we shouldn't let all these other grifters in his wake coast through this era without scrutiny and be restored to good standing if and when we emerge on the other side. We need to bear witness and keep score.
Months ago that feel like years ago I was worried that T-rex would be fully mentally incompetent to stand trial by the time any such thing actually happened.
Now, between Hegseth and Patel and Gabbard and Bondi and what's-his-face ... and the enabling Senators ... I'm running out of excuses to care what ever happens to the Don.
When certain conditions are met, things can implode near-instantaneously. Or explode. I'm not technically a scientist, just an appreciator of the effects of sufficient kinetic energy.
Word to the wise: what's coming for them is coming for the child castrators too.
Does it make sense to ANYBODY that given the myriad ways Republicans disenfranchise voters, their complete abandonment of any mutually followed rules of fair play, the obvious fact that they don't believe in our form of government, Rove proudly proclaiming that they create their own reality, that with all that, having stolen and disseminated proprietary voting and tabulating software that they WOULDN'T manipulate election results that way too? In what world does that possibly make a lick of sense? That would be a million percent inconsistent with every single thing they do.
Screwing too hard with American elections earns you one in the dome, and I don't mean the rotunda. A little local cheesery is part of the game, but there have been a lot of warnings against digging too deep.
There's a reason this administration is using ICE for a bunch of random things -- they don't trust anyone with a tie and a gun. What do they know that we don't?
I think this is of course why DOGE initially relied on hopped-up 'Turning Point' interns aged 19 and 20 to do most of the criming at each agency. Musk wanted easy sight lines on scapegoats. As the crime continues, the DOGE budget expands, and more middle-aged MAGA realtors from Scottsdale are brought in to manage cancer research at the NIH or whatever, we're going to get more people who have third houses and scam businesses to protect. And they are going to be somewhat more desperate and wily.
Totally. But WHY are we expecting Democrats to do this, and thus feed into a both sides narrative that will be used to minimize it? This is the job of the fourth estate, the trusted objective arbiter. You are one people honorably telling the story, but there are few.
This is not partisan politics, it’s an international crime. Democrats aren’t investigative reporters, or reporters at all. Democrats need to do everything they can, but we need a solid nonpartisan force investigating and finally prosecuting this.
Unfortunately, it seems the legacy press has lost their muscle memory for identifying a scandal when it happens.
They have always taken their cues from elites. Republicans hammer the Hillary emails and Hunter laptop to such a ridiculous extent that the press takes note and covers them as scandals.
But something is broken. Democrats don't seem adept at working the refs, and the refs don't seem interested in being worked by Democrats, only Republicans.
You are not exaggerating in my opinion. Trump is capable of anything.
Thank you.
1.I read somewhere that republicans should be more afraid of Kash Patel's vengeance than democrats.
2. I took note of the 5 Dems who held a press conference at FBI Hdqtrs before the Patel vote.
Where the hell were the rest of them, Including my two, Kelly and Gallego.
Business leaders should note that the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has a statute of limitations of five years. In other words, you can bribe all you want during the Trump administration, but that will not protect you from prosecution under the next president. Act accordingly.
Also, it is virtually certain that Elon is going to need a pardon from Trump to avoid prosecution under the next administration for all of his crimes. The time to start hammering this is NOW. What corrupt things will Elon do for Trump to earn his pardon? Nelson should remember that if you commit crimes for the boss, he suddenly gets immense leverage over you.
Dangit, not sure how Elon got autocorrected to Nelson.
As if Chuck Schumer needs any more incentive to stay down in his foxhole until the 2026 *putative* midterms, this threat by Ed Martin should send him scurrying to a "secure, undisclosed location"...feh!
"Democrats will be tempted to treat all this criminality as a distraction. Forget the past. Look forward. Turn the page. "
The past is prologue. Re: President Obama on George W. Bush's was crimes.
The more Trump's polls tank, the more media are filled with stories of sobbing MAGAts with buyer's remorse and leopard-eaten faces, the more Trump will want to cancel the 2026 election. Brian, if you've nothing better to do, I'd appreciate you exploring this scenario--how Trump might try (e.g., martial law on a bullshit pretex), how Dems would respond, how REPUBLICANS would respond (other than with "concern"), who would have what police or military force to wield, etc.
There have already been two assassination attempts, and one self-immolation by a US Marine. Musk recently said of his president-sized security detail, "It's not that big. Maybe it should be bigger."
I think it is the heads of this criminal enterprise who should be practicing their ducking. Remember "don't tread on me"?
I may have some disagreements with that old snake as to what constitutes "treading," but the present case is rather obvious...if I may stretch the metaphor, that snake has barely awoken, and brave young Tom Crooks was but a shaking of its rattle.
Further, none of the world's men in black approve: and many of those men are long past death.
If you don't believe me -- why do you think they held his inauguration indoors? Do you really believe it was because of the cold?
“I will not risk open war”
“Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not”
As long as Trump is president, he can pardon anything in federal law. However, Leon could be charged under state law. Perhaps the answer is for NY to charge him with theft.
Every Republican president from Nixon on has been involved in crimes and coverups. Every single one. Only Nixon paid any kind of price - and it was far short of what he deserved. When bad behavior has few consequences but many rewards, is it a surprise we get more of it?
Sone of the same people too. Roger stone and manafort.
Thank you Brian. I shared this with my CT Attorney Generals office