Formerly from Portland Oregon, now living in Australia, I woke up this morning to the best news I have heard out of the USA for a long time! Now, we have to work together to prevent this convicted felon from being elected again. I am a member of my state chapter of Democrats Abroad Australia and we are working hard to get out the vote among American citizens living/working and studying here. Yours in Democracy, Sue.
Hi Sue! Your story echoes mine: I’m an American living in Rome and working for Democrats Abroad Italy - and with our Florida Team to flip it blue.
Originally from Ohio, I was alerted to the GULTY ON ALL 34 COUNTS news by my Cincinnati high school friend, just as I was climbing into bed. I read and watched news and waited for our Hero Alvin Bragg to humbly but proudly address us all, then finally turned in around 2 am. As always, Robert’s newsletter is the first thing I read - to get his masterful take on the news - this morning.
This swift, unanimous, historic verdict is indeed a marvelous achievement that will keep all Dems - abroad and at home - working to crush 45 and all Maga candidates in November. Today I’m dialing through CallHub to remind Americans in Canada to request their ballot from www.votefromabroad.org, DA’s remarkable tool. Stay engaged, it’ll be worth it!
I carry votefromabroad cards.in my purse and every time I hear a North American accent I ask what part of NA are you from (so as not to upset the Canadians!) and if they say the US I ask if they have registered to vote and if not I give them a card!
Great idea. And not only expats should be approached. And not only US citizens should do that. I am German and will also be affected (green light to Putin to finish off the Ukraine and go after NATO members, stopping the fight against climate change, active support for rightwing parties in Europe) if the plot against America succeeds.
Holiday season starts with 100.000s of US citizens flooding Europe over the summer. It can't hurt if, when the situation allows it, they are approached in a respectful and constructive manner and are made aware of our concerns regarding the convicted felon.
Prima Idee, Stefan! Es ist erstaunlich, wie viele Amerikaner virtuelle "Scheuklappen" tragen wenn's um Weltpolitik geht. Sehr viel Schuld hat daran das Amerikanische Fernsehen; besonders bestimmte Kanaele, die nur Mist ausspucken. Vielleicht hilft es, wenn sie im Urlaub von Einheimischen bzg.l der Amerikanischen Wahl angesprochen und auf internationale Auswirkungen hingewiesen werden. ;) Man kann's nur hoffen! Vielen Dank fuer deine Hilfe! Ich bin inzwischen selber Amerikaner und wohne in Seattle. Ich halte mich von Politik im Fernsehen fern. Robert's morgendliche Zusammenfassung gibt mir die wirklichen Nachrichten -- nicht "fake news"
Great idea!! I’m putting some in my purse right now. ❤️👏👏👏👏 Don’t forget to ask them if they have requested their ballot this year. Voter suppressors are using that bureaucratic hurdle to frustrate vote from abroad and vote by mail.
I write GOTV letters for Vote Forward (www.votefwd.org) and they currently have a "lab" campaign (small experiment to test the efficacy) in conjunction with Voters from Abroad. We are mailing a letter including a hand-written "why I vote" blurb along with a copy of the ballot request. Very simple, although writers living in the States may have to order the Global stamps from the USPS, since not all post office branches have them. (My neighborhood post office doesn't have postcard stamps half the time! UGH!)
Hi Rebecca, this is off topic.. I grew up in Cincinnati, live in FL, and Rome is on my bucket list. If you are open to connecting, my email is oaktreecanopy@gmail.com. I’d love to “meet” you. And yes, Happy Justice Day!
Bless your heart, Sue! Don't be too hasty, though, to drop the subject if someone says "Canadian". As a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen who has lived in Canada for the last 56 years (!), I am still thrilled to be able to vote in US presidential elections. I know a number of people in Toronto who are in the same category - so you might want to pry a little :) :) :). And thank you so very much for helping in this way!
“With our Florida team to tip it blue”. Oh, may your work bring success! As a Floridian who’s worked for decades to strengthen political sanity here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Yes I was chair for the Southern Chapter of Democrats Abroad Italy for two years, and now an active volunteer. Among many other outreach activities, we register Americans studying abroad here at some of the 100+ US study abroad University programs in Italy. 🇮🇹
I've written letters for Vote Forward the past 3-4 cycles (am losing track: Trump Brain Syndrome, I suspect) and can't recommend them highly enough. A great organization and their careful analyses and data suggest that letters are a method --> results!!
As I wrote in my eBlast tonight to members of Swing Left San Gabriel Valley (CA):
While many of us are feeling relieved, ecstatic and even triumphant, we must take a moment to absorb this unprecedented and historic verdict, namely that (1) it makes Trump the first former President in American history to be convicted of a felony, and (2) that our justice system prevailed today. But the story is not yet over. Sentencing will occur on July 11. One can only hope that Trump’s lack of remorse, his multiple violations of gag orders and the unanimous verdict by the jury on all counts will validate the tenet that no person is above the law and will result in a prison term for the former President.
While the beast has been maimed, he has not been destroyed. For that reason, we must recommit to defeating him in November. Have hope in your heart, determination in your soul and the willingness to do whatever it takes to save our democracy from this felon and his minions.
In Greek mythology the giant Antaeus, a son of the gods, was known for his invincible skills in wrestling, which enabled him to collect the skulls of those he overthrew to build a temple for his father. His remarkable strength derived from his physical contact with the Earth. Antaeus remained undefeated until he encountered Hercules, who discovered the source of Antaeus’ power and vanquished him by disconnecting him from the Earth.
Such stories, in which wit and tactics overcome strength and supremacy, seem as old as the hills. However, in reality they reveal some of the qualities required by humanitarians operating on the frontlines of today’s armed conflicts
Extra credit for the classical references, gentlemen. Go liberal arts, sink it, swish! Now that the legal systems has done its good work, we face again the court of public opinion. May our Herculean efforts to hold Antaeus Trump high above the ground in full view of all citizens reveal who he is -- and always has been -- to the American voters, and especially the lukewarm middle of the road types. Lift up the hearts and minds to a vision of the United States where this kind of justice and truth is commonplace! Today is Walt Whitman's birthday and around the world the spirit of that great poet and extrodinary student of the American ethos and polis continues to sound his "barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world"!!
Oh, I like this a lot: “While the beast has been maimed, he has not been destroyed.” I hope you haven’t copyrighted it because I have every intention of quoting you!
I don't actually think there will be violence, post trial. Quite probably post election. But if there were going to be post-trial violence, wouldn't it have already happened? Otherwise, I agree with you, sadly.
I hope and pray you are right Jocelyn B.Never have I want to be wrong, about “if no violence yer, there won’t be” truly hope the MAGAts stay that way. Given their cult leader, an increasingly emotionally disturbed, vindictive person who gleefully goads others to act out his violent desires and fantasies. It is realistic to be Aware and Prepared for eruptions of violence.
Well, sure; I think most sensible people are aware of the possibilities. Personally, I live in SF, and when violence erupted on 1/6, I was sitting behind a computer at work, 3,000 miles away, when my phone yelled at me that there was a terrible thing going on. If there is more violence, I'm likely to be in a similar situation. So, sure: aware. But I don't see anything we can do our here to be "prepared," unless you mean something that I'm not catching. (As I said, I wouldn't be surprised if violence occurred around 11/6, but again.)
I like your analogy to a maimed beast - it is very a propos.
But after all the depressing news coming out around the corrupt Supreme Court justices, it is a definite pick-me-up to finally get some good news on the justice front. I hope it is enough of a shock to break up some of the extreme cognitive dissonance amongst Republicans. If this doesn't do it, I'm not sure what will!
Back before the 2016 election, Nikki Haley was on the stump for Marco Rubio. IMO she gave one of the best and most succinct descriptions of Trump - "He is everything I taught my kids not to be when they were in Kindergarten".
Too bad Nikki Haley is an opportunist rather than someone who is guided by their principles. She disappointed me again by announcing she would vote for Trump in November.
Especially important amidst all this chaos -- which, as Robert points out, will continue and most likely get 'worse' -- to seize all the good moments and not get too caught up in the spinning maelstrom around them ...
I'm staying in the moment and celebrating, just for a little while because justice has been a "long time comin'." I went to Chico's and bought a gorgeous turquoise and white blouse to commemorate this day. I'll wear it whenever things get too too much.
My comments on the significance and importance of today’s guilty verdict on all 34 counts in Trump’s Manhattan trial for attempting to subvert a presidential election.
Today marks a significant day for our democracy, our Republic, and the Rule of Law with the guilty verdict in Donald Trump's Manhattan trial. This decision is a powerful affirmation of the robustness and integrity of our judicial system. The process that led to this verdict is a testament to the principles of fairness and accountability that underpin our legal framework.
The journey began with a grand jury of citizens carefully reviewing evidence and determining that there was sufficient cause to bring charges. This step is crucial as it ensures that the power to indict lies in the hands of ordinary citizens, reflecting the community's voice and reinforcing the democratic foundations of our legal system.
The trial itself exemplified the cornerstone of our justice system: the right to be judged by a jury of one’s peers. This jury, after weighing the evidence and deliberating thoroughly, reached a unanimous decision. This requirement for unanimity underscores the importance of consensus and collective agreement, ensuring that the verdict reflects a balanced and comprehensive consideration of the facts.
This outcome is more than just a verdict in a high-profile case; it is a reaffirmation of the principles that our nation was built upon. It demonstrates that no individual is above the law and that our judicial system can and does function impartially, holding everyone to the same standard of justice. It is a reminder that our democracy is fortified by the rule of law, and our Republic thrives when its legal processes are respected and upheld.
In a time when trust in institutions is often questioned, today’s verdict serves as a crucial validation of our jury system. It highlights the essential role that ordinary citizens play in administering justice and maintaining the integrity of our legal system. This decision reinforces our collective commitment to justice, equality, and the enduring strength of our democratic institutions.
The Rule of Law and our jury system proves it works and is just, fair, and impartial. All are equal under law.
Trump generally does not do well in court because not only does it deal with the Rule of Law but with the Rule of Reality. Without being diagnostic, Trump does not traffic in reality. He traffics in unreality -- in deliberate distortions and falsehoods. We have, for 9 years, been subjected to an unrestrained and unending regime of mendacity -- and mendacity filled with paranoia, rage, insults, and threats. Dangerous mendacity that has gotten steadily worse in its violent menace. Many of Trumpworld statements are forms of projection, e.g., we hear about Biden the Fascist, about the Biden crime family, about Biden rigging the system for distorted outcomes, about Democrats rigging and weaponizing the Justice System, blah blah blah. These are all things that are part of Trumpworld agenda. It is distortion and deception of epic proportions. We who are not under the spell of mendacity can hear it and see it every time we are exposed to Trump, Gaetz, Green, Johnson or any Fox mouthpiece. But tens of millions are under the spell and are organized to act on the unreality, they are ready to be driven into deeper, more forceful collusion with unreality.
So, while today was a triumph of our system and our morality of laws, it was an affront and a threat to these mal-informed citizens, who are now organized against the Constitutional system that is gradually working to restore reality to our political functioning. (By comparison to these 12 stalwart citizens the concierge wing of the SCOTUS and the concierge judge in Florida look pretty dishonest & feckless -- like traitors who have succumbed to the unreality, do they not?). We need to see what is in store in response to this verdict. I saw some clips from Fox and while there were no surprises the rhetoric is quite virulently ominous. This is a media sphere that is fully contaminated by the regime of mendacity. These are people who want big jobs in the Trump Fascist government so their actual smallness will be masked.
It is a very sad and dangerous state that we have entered into. It is like we have told the police about our domestic abuser and now all of the promised violent revenge is brought to the surface as the abuser faces arrest and accountability. We need to stay vigilant and concerned about safety in our Republic, and there is a need to continue the process of restoring reality to this country.
The trials in DC, FL and GA need to move forward with all alacrity. The GA case really just needs to just be about the phone call as incitement to election fraud-- as much as the whole context of the RICO (sic) case is a truthful and compelling story. The shameful collusion of the 6 justices of SCOTUS and Judge Cannon needs to end. Or will Mrs. Alito have a flag to oppose that? Mendacity gets very pathetic at a certain point...
Important thoughts. Before the night was over we had not just the crazy punks of the Freedom Caucus, but senior senators like Rubio and Graham making the most absurd and dangerous attacks on the verdict. Marco Rubio attacked the court as a "show trial." Luckily he may not realize that many of his fellow legislators on the national and state level may not recognize the reference to the Soviet show trials under Stalin in the '30s. But Rubio knows the proceedings in Manhattan are not remotely the same as those "show trials," and he is making this claim as a job application letter for the vice residency. Craven behavior matched by the billionaire donors who vowed their continued support for Trump. See CNBC -- https://cnb.cx/4bBIoTV
Rubio's comments were even more despicable when we remember all the insults he threw at Trump - nearly all absolutely true- during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Rubio knows Donald Trump is a con man. But, like Lindsey Graham, he wants to remain "relevant". And perhaps even Trump's VP pick.
And as Michael Steele mentioned this morning on MSNBC, Rubio knew Trump was a "con man," but he is unwilling to admit that he's now been "conned" and is part of the despicable grift. Best wishes.
Incisive analysis Patrick. Rubio is a MAGAt pod person, just a contaminated bot-like shell with no soul (there is a 50s reference for you!). These clowns are pretty far into their malignant mendacity and probably see this as the home stretch, so they are not going to slow down now! They all want to be in position to eat pie from Trump's behind, like some Bosch doom-scape nightmare, or the bottom of Dante's Ninth Circle-- and maybe folks need a refresher on that location-- it ain't pretty! Donors are making their investments, too, as you note. They want lots of pie too!!! They don't want to get sent to prison camps or deported to where their ancestors came from, or whatever horrors Trump and Bannon & Co would visit on the nation and majority that opposes them. We are deep in the dark realms of perversity here....
Sorry there unfortunately is no collective commitment to justice and all you have to do is listen to Republicans attacking the system after the verdict was delivered.
I am on vacation and was riding in a car with friends seeing some beautiful parts of central Illinois when suddenly I got a group text saying "Turn on the TV! Verdict is in!" The two of us not driving were on our phones instantly. I have Hulu, so I could actually log in and start hearing news. These friends had moved away from where I'd known them for 10 years, and I haven't had face-to-face time in 17 years, but in the last couple days we knew were all on the same "side" on this issue. It was great to be with people to celebrate with the moment I found out!
My oldest friend and I, who do a lot of political work together and have for years, called me this afternoon to tell me the news…I watch a lot of news but hadn’t had the tv on this afternoon and was actually walking my granddog, whom I’m caring for this weekend. It was indeed a great pleasure to share this wonderful moment with her! She’s the first person I called back in Feb of 2016 when Scalia died, and I was sooo excited that Obama would be able to name a new justice to SCOTUS!!!! We all know how that turned out…so glad today’s outcome was genuinely wonderful.
Elise Stefanik supposedly represents our congressional district. I have never in my several decades here been so embarrassed and “misrepresented” as l have been of late with the obvious sucking up to Trump shenanigans that Stefanik has performed. Horrific person.
Appalling. I am so sorry that is the terrain. The terrain of mendacity. No wonder she is such an unrestrained bloviating a-hole She is safe to be so. Keep fighting!!!
I feel for you Brenda, living in your district with your trump sycophant unrepresentative Stefanik. I am in NY22, just south of your district and my Magat unrepresentative Brandon Williams stated " "Two-tired justice system, far-left extremists have their hands on the scales of justice- what a disgrace".
Evidently my unrepresentative doesn't understand that trump was convicted by 12 citizen jurors- a jury of his peers. I am now pushing for people in my district to flood his office with calls and emails, calling Williams out for the dishonor he brings himself in taking a stand against the rule of law.
Yes today was shameful but not for the reasons the GOP espouses. That a man who had no qualifications or character to hold the highest office in the country supported by enablers and criminals should ever have been anything more than a convicted citizen. How America put someone like Trump in office is beyond anything our Founding Fathers imagined.
It is also shameful of the unrelenting attacks on our justice system by the elected GOP congressman and Senators as well as the right wing media ecosystem. On another level the problem in the next few months is the continual connected attacks and misinformation of the GOP and right wing media without a response in force by the Centrist Democrats and Media. When you’re in the dogfight you have no other choice.
Actually, Geo Bush the Elder won the popular vote and so did Bush the Lesser in 2004.
What got Trump in was NON-VOTING -- people who stayed home, or who voted a full Dem ballot but left President blank. The latter was 80,000 in Michigan alone per Michael Moore. I would also suggest that, in times like this, voting for Faux-Party candidates like Kennedy or even my beloved Mr. Professor West are votes that are essentially blanks and steal from the Biden agenda to restore reality, compassion, and justice to this country. If you have too much NON-VOTING then the Electoral College will kick in and doom us, I agree on that. It's really a crummy Rube Goldberg system in many ways as we have found out, but we have to go with it for now.
Justice prevailed today, and elected GOP officials who in no uncertain terms attack the trial results show their true colors. They are more beholden to a now convicted felon than they are to the rule of law and the judicial process that has served our country for over 200 years. If they were not traitors on January 6, 2021, they are now.
I think most of them betrayed their oathes of office and became traitors when they supported Trump's false claims of a stolen election.
I'm in NC and one of the MAGA traitors, Dan Bishop, is running for state AG. But the GOP slate is so bad that he isn't even the most unqualified candidate running for statewide office! That would probably be a toss up between Mark Robinson for Governor and Michele Morrow running for Superintendent of Public Education.
It was a great relief to be able to respect both the judicial process and the public servants whose professionalism, integrity, and hard work brought this case to its conclusion. We should feel indebted to people like Judge Merchan and Alvin Bragg, who have been vilified by the defendant and the media and suffered threats to their safety, and yet continued to their jobs brilliantly. Despite the Supreme Court disgrace, this verdict should give us some hope in our institutions’ ability to withstand corrupt politicians’ efforts to discredit them and to hold everyone accountable for their actions. Tonight we can sleep better and awaken tomorrow even more energized to fight for the 2024 election
2/3s of SCOTUS is a disgrace, with a chaser of more disgrace from FL.
I am hoping Judge Amy will come through based on what I heard on 4/25 and maybe Roberts will even stagger into the end-zone to say that Trumpenstein the sociopath should not be given a free reign of crime....We can hope. The other four are in the bag for the monster...
It is a great day and now the test will be how the media plays this. I'm expecting this in the NYT and others:"Trump found guilty. Hunter Biden case proceeds next week." I hope I am wrong and that we instead see coverage that finally makes clear that this was not about just paying off a porn star but about interfering with an election. And I hope that Trump's post-verdict rant outside the court gets replayed again and again--it is pitiful but it also portrays for any remaining fair-minded "undecided"voters such a downer vision of the world that should be repugnant to them.
Yes it was about interfering with the election by putting up a smokescreen of mendacity by concealing the truth, and then by concealing it again using mendacious business practices. It was about FRAUD, fraud is the vehicle by which it all moves. To put it another way-- the 2016 election was rigged by two peckers!!
Hi Bruce. Yesterday afternoon, after watching CNN and MSNBC highlighting this historic news, I turned to the parallel universe, Faux News, and sure enough they were griping about the Verdict and flipping the switch to Hunter Biden.....You can't make this up!!!
I hope the justice system punishes him like they would any other. He deserves jail time.
the GOP is already attaching poor Hunter Biden....Why do we not go after Jared????? We will fight on...this is one of many battles and I am ready for it......
Indeed! Wasn't it the Saudis who gave him $2bn six months after he left his job at the White House? Wasn't that taking advantage of political connections for personal gain? Why is Hunter Biden prosecuted for something Jared Kushner actually did? Today a friend told me that one of her elderly Republican clients was upset "because Joe Biden will be a dictator if he's re-elected." We're living in a reverse world, where every evil, illegal, horrifying thing Trump does is attributed to Pres. Biden. We must keep (or begin!) fighting back against that. We must re-elect Pres. Biden.
Rabbit or not, the United States certainly *is* in some kind of hole.
We need to get other Americans to stop their digging, collectively start clambering out (electing Democrats this fall), and backfilling the hole to prevent others from falling in.
I think that is correct, Michael, but how we reach those shoveled folks is the question, and how many are even reachable. I think the verdicts yesterday will maybe cause some diggers to pause but will also lead others to dig harder and faster. To win the election we need as many diggers as we can get from around the edges and in the right states as far as electoral college, but of course for all other federal, state, and local races. We need as many Dems and as few MAGAts as possible. My concern is that even with bigger vote and EC tallies on the Blue side there will be games of denial and desperation that will turn things inside out. The MAGAts don't believe in elections and are likely to use any and all power tactics -- some of which we have seen and some we probably haven't. I do not trust Mike Johnson to fairly administrate the installation of the new House on 1/3/25, especially as MAGAts are going to get voted out in droves. If he does not install the new members that would shift the majority then there will be a cluster**** on Jan 6. They have had 4 years in the bunker to make their plans. If they go full tilt with widespread election perversion and denial it could be very messy in the trenches. It is going to take more than one election or even more than several to get things steady again. We will have to live with the SCOTUS for a while unfortunately. Dems in the Senate need to put more heat on Roberts!! But this whole thing might be generational, the hole has been pretty deep and wide and filled with poison. Many have drunk the Kool-Aid...All we can do is vote, advocate, and hope that civic virtue can prevail.
Thanks for your comments, Harvey Can 58. Overall, I agree with you (no surprise!). A few observations of my own:
• If the Congressional elections go the way we hope they will, and those hurdles will have been overleapt, the current House Minority Leader, a Democrat(!), will become Speaker of the House (unless Democrats choose to elect someone else). Mike Johnson’s role on January 3rd should merely be to hand the gavel to his Democratic successor.
• MAGAt trouble-making will probably occur between now and next January 3rd.
There will be “Interesting Times” between now and next January 4th. I expect to grow even more gray and white hairs.
The Senate has been utterly derelict in not investigating Kushner and Mnuchin for their billion dollar deals within weeks/months of leaving the administration. I have been shocked at their lack of initiative, especially when they had both chambers, and most critically when the House slid into unrestrained animality. But yeah -- this was corruption that was given the green light and one has to wonder why.
Well, we care.... I think Kushner and Mnuchin are highly suspect. Countries don't hand out billions for nothing. The either got something or want something. They don't have to have proof before investigating, but if they would have shown some curiosity and outrage to start an investigation maybe the proof would be discovered via their subpoena powers, etc. My guess is there was corruption and illegality of the highest order to get paid in the billions. They didn't just get a motor home or free rent for mom-- but I guess it is all relative based on what you can deliver for the money.
I agree he deserves jail time. But don't get excited about that. In similar cases of this nature, jail time has been the result in about 10% of the cases. I doubt this judge will do that. Again, he deserves it. But Merchan is smart and won't offer up anything that will feed opportunities for appeal.
My suggested sentence is the maximum fine (peanuts for him, but still) and 34 months of house arrest....in NY. Send him to the tower (doesn't that sound great!) No golf. No campaign events. No rant filled rallies. Just TV. And cheeseburgers. Lots of cheeseburgers.
I hope the judge sets it up so that if Trump(or his surrogates) incites his MAGA supporters to harass or threaten jurors that he will be incarcerated while he is waiting on his appeal.
Trump is at heart a coward and I have read that he is deathly afraid of being sent to jail.
MAGA is too uninformed to understand the significance of this verdict; they will huff and puff and threaten to blow our house down but they will be subconsciously demoralized and many (more than enough to make the difference) will just not vote by mail or show up to vote. Then they’ll recite the same old story, it was “rigged.”
But that doesn’t mean we can stop. Keep working the phones, the texts, the letters to editors, the postcards, the canvassing, the conversations and everything and anything that will help. We can only rely on ourselves. The justice system can only go so far.
MAGA will lose support at the fringes, but better, the conviction should influence some "undecided" and "swing" voters and make it easier for us to reach the unregistered who trend Democratic. Register Democratic and sweep the swing states.
Hi, All. i have corrected the date reference to Thursday, May 30. Thanks to those who noted the error.
Formerly from Portland Oregon, now living in Australia, I woke up this morning to the best news I have heard out of the USA for a long time! Now, we have to work together to prevent this convicted felon from being elected again. I am a member of my state chapter of Democrats Abroad Australia and we are working hard to get out the vote among American citizens living/working and studying here. Yours in Democracy, Sue.
Hi Sue! Your story echoes mine: I’m an American living in Rome and working for Democrats Abroad Italy - and with our Florida Team to flip it blue.
Originally from Ohio, I was alerted to the GULTY ON ALL 34 COUNTS news by my Cincinnati high school friend, just as I was climbing into bed. I read and watched news and waited for our Hero Alvin Bragg to humbly but proudly address us all, then finally turned in around 2 am. As always, Robert’s newsletter is the first thing I read - to get his masterful take on the news - this morning.
This swift, unanimous, historic verdict is indeed a marvelous achievement that will keep all Dems - abroad and at home - working to crush 45 and all Maga candidates in November. Today I’m dialing through CallHub to remind Americans in Canada to request their ballot from www.votefromabroad.org, DA’s remarkable tool. Stay engaged, it’ll be worth it!
Happy Justice Day to everyone!
I carry votefromabroad cards.in my purse and every time I hear a North American accent I ask what part of NA are you from (so as not to upset the Canadians!) and if they say the US I ask if they have registered to vote and if not I give them a card!
Great idea. And not only expats should be approached. And not only US citizens should do that. I am German and will also be affected (green light to Putin to finish off the Ukraine and go after NATO members, stopping the fight against climate change, active support for rightwing parties in Europe) if the plot against America succeeds.
Holiday season starts with 100.000s of US citizens flooding Europe over the summer. It can't hurt if, when the situation allows it, they are approached in a respectful and constructive manner and are made aware of our concerns regarding the convicted felon.
Oh, Stefan. Please let any Americans you see know how concerned Europeans are about this felon being in charge.
Yes! Stefan, speak up, hand in heart, and urge them to vote.
Prima Idee, Stefan! Es ist erstaunlich, wie viele Amerikaner virtuelle "Scheuklappen" tragen wenn's um Weltpolitik geht. Sehr viel Schuld hat daran das Amerikanische Fernsehen; besonders bestimmte Kanaele, die nur Mist ausspucken. Vielleicht hilft es, wenn sie im Urlaub von Einheimischen bzg.l der Amerikanischen Wahl angesprochen und auf internationale Auswirkungen hingewiesen werden. ;) Man kann's nur hoffen! Vielen Dank fuer deine Hilfe! Ich bin inzwischen selber Amerikaner und wohne in Seattle. Ich halte mich von Politik im Fernsehen fern. Robert's morgendliche Zusammenfassung gibt mir die wirklichen Nachrichten -- nicht "fake news"
Great idea!! I’m putting some in my purse right now. ❤️👏👏👏👏 Don’t forget to ask them if they have requested their ballot this year. Voter suppressors are using that bureaucratic hurdle to frustrate vote from abroad and vote by mail.
I write GOTV letters for Vote Forward (www.votefwd.org) and they currently have a "lab" campaign (small experiment to test the efficacy) in conjunction with Voters from Abroad. We are mailing a letter including a hand-written "why I vote" blurb along with a copy of the ballot request. Very simple, although writers living in the States may have to order the Global stamps from the USPS, since not all post office branches have them. (My neighborhood post office doesn't have postcard stamps half the time! UGH!)
Hi Rebecca, this is off topic.. I grew up in Cincinnati, live in FL, and Rome is on my bucket list. If you are open to connecting, my email is oaktreecanopy@gmail.com. I’d love to “meet” you. And yes, Happy Justice Day!
Will do!
I love it when people connect and you will adore Rome!
Inspiring!
Bless your heart, Sue! Don't be too hasty, though, to drop the subject if someone says "Canadian". As a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen who has lived in Canada for the last 56 years (!), I am still thrilled to be able to vote in US presidential elections. I know a number of people in Toronto who are in the same category - so you might want to pry a little :) :) :). And thank you so very much for helping in this way!
This is a wonderful way to engage people and go the extra mile for our democracy and constitutional law. Thank you.
“With our Florida team to tip it blue”. Oh, may your work bring success! As a Floridian who’s worked for decades to strengthen political sanity here, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you for your work to save democracy!
Hi Sue! Currently in Portland, Oregon, haha! Yes, yay for us! And yes , gives us renewed vigor to continue the important work still ahead!
Thank you!
Time to move America FORWARD into the future of what we CAN BECOME,
not backward with freedoms lost and groups of people treated as inhuman.
Are you a member of Democrats Abroad? democratsabroad.org
Check it out! It's a great organization. We are dedicated to make certain that all Americans living abroad have the ability to vote.
Yes I was chair for the Southern Chapter of Democrats Abroad Italy for two years, and now an active volunteer. Among many other outreach activities, we register Americans studying abroad here at some of the 100+ US study abroad University programs in Italy. 🇮🇹
Yes!!
Yes!
Yes!
Hi Sue, Are you aware Vote Forward has a campaign for voters living abroad ?
Encourage U.S. voters living abroad to return their overseas ballot request form, in order to vote in this year's general election⬇️
https://votefwd.org/district/US_2024_ABROAD
I've written letters for Vote Forward the past 3-4 cycles (am losing track: Trump Brain Syndrome, I suspect) and can't recommend them highly enough. A great organization and their careful analyses and data suggest that letters are a method --> results!!
Thank you for your efforts from abroad!
As I wrote in my eBlast tonight to members of Swing Left San Gabriel Valley (CA):
While many of us are feeling relieved, ecstatic and even triumphant, we must take a moment to absorb this unprecedented and historic verdict, namely that (1) it makes Trump the first former President in American history to be convicted of a felony, and (2) that our justice system prevailed today. But the story is not yet over. Sentencing will occur on July 11. One can only hope that Trump’s lack of remorse, his multiple violations of gag orders and the unanimous verdict by the jury on all counts will validate the tenet that no person is above the law and will result in a prison term for the former President.
While the beast has been maimed, he has not been destroyed. For that reason, we must recommit to defeating him in November. Have hope in your heart, determination in your soul and the willingness to do whatever it takes to save our democracy from this felon and his minions.
Mary Trump concurs. He is still dangerous. No remorse.
He is even more dangerous. He is an Antaeus, whose strength only multiplies the more he is thrown to the ground.
Loooking up Antaeus:
In Greek mythology the giant Antaeus, a son of the gods, was known for his invincible skills in wrestling, which enabled him to collect the skulls of those he overthrew to build a temple for his father. His remarkable strength derived from his physical contact with the Earth. Antaeus remained undefeated until he encountered Hercules, who discovered the source of Antaeus’ power and vanquished him by disconnecting him from the Earth.
Such stories, in which wit and tactics overcome strength and supremacy, seem as old as the hills. However, in reality they reveal some of the qualities required by humanitarians operating on the frontlines of today’s armed conflicts
Extra credit for the classical references, gentlemen. Go liberal arts, sink it, swish! Now that the legal systems has done its good work, we face again the court of public opinion. May our Herculean efforts to hold Antaeus Trump high above the ground in full view of all citizens reveal who he is -- and always has been -- to the American voters, and especially the lukewarm middle of the road types. Lift up the hearts and minds to a vision of the United States where this kind of justice and truth is commonplace! Today is Walt Whitman's birthday and around the world the spirit of that great poet and extrodinary student of the American ethos and polis continues to sound his "barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world"!!
It kinda like Dracula. Everybody should carry a cross in their back pocket should they ever get close enough to use it.
Oh, I like this a lot: “While the beast has been maimed, he has not been destroyed.” I hope you haven’t copyrighted it because I have every intention of quoting you!
Please do!
Expect chaos
Expect distractions and accusations against Democrats
Expect some form of violence,
even if they try to frame it as "a mentally ill lone wolf"
(It won't be - just someone following "Dear Leader's" dog whistles)
Let's defeat Project 2025 NOW, once and for all!
I don't actually think there will be violence, post trial. Quite probably post election. But if there were going to be post-trial violence, wouldn't it have already happened? Otherwise, I agree with you, sadly.
I hope and pray you are right Jocelyn B.Never have I want to be wrong, about “if no violence yer, there won’t be” truly hope the MAGAts stay that way. Given their cult leader, an increasingly emotionally disturbed, vindictive person who gleefully goads others to act out his violent desires and fantasies. It is realistic to be Aware and Prepared for eruptions of violence.
Well, sure; I think most sensible people are aware of the possibilities. Personally, I live in SF, and when violence erupted on 1/6, I was sitting behind a computer at work, 3,000 miles away, when my phone yelled at me that there was a terrible thing going on. If there is more violence, I'm likely to be in a similar situation. So, sure: aware. But I don't see anything we can do our here to be "prepared," unless you mean something that I'm not catching. (As I said, I wouldn't be surprised if violence occurred around 11/6, but again.)
Keep reminding suburban women (and all) what started this. When Melania had a baby, Donald had sex with a porn star.
Yes, yes and yes.
I like your analogy to a maimed beast - it is very a propos.
But after all the depressing news coming out around the corrupt Supreme Court justices, it is a definite pick-me-up to finally get some good news on the justice front. I hope it is enough of a shock to break up some of the extreme cognitive dissonance amongst Republicans. If this doesn't do it, I'm not sure what will!
Back before the 2016 election, Nikki Haley was on the stump for Marco Rubio. IMO she gave one of the best and most succinct descriptions of Trump - "He is everything I taught my kids not to be when they were in Kindergarten".
Too bad Nikki Haley is an opportunist rather than someone who is guided by their principles. She disappointed me again by announcing she would vote for Trump in November.
We need to spread that Haley quote everywhere!
Very disappointing. It shows Nikki is no different from other Rs who want to walk a narrow path in their grasp for power. Shameful.!
Nothing is more dangerous than a cornered animal.
Donna, your post is exactly what everyone who cares about the U.S. needs to read, absorb and act upon. Thank you!
Thank you for taking time to write.
Totally, Donna! Keep up your great work!
Thank you as well!
This day was enough [dayenu in Hebrew]. If there are no other battles fought, today Dayenu!
Because justice prevailed.
Nice. I'll be going to sleep now humming dai, dai, dayenu...
Now I’m humming it too!
Dayenu!
Great post!
Especially important amidst all this chaos -- which, as Robert points out, will continue and most likely get 'worse' -- to seize all the good moments and not get too caught up in the spinning maelstrom around them ...
Dayenu, Lauren!
I'm staying in the moment and celebrating, just for a little while because justice has been a "long time comin'." I went to Chico's and bought a gorgeous turquoise and white blouse to commemorate this day. I'll wear it whenever things get too too much.
How funny but true!! Dayenu!
The tune will remain in my head for the day! Thanks!
My comments on the significance and importance of today’s guilty verdict on all 34 counts in Trump’s Manhattan trial for attempting to subvert a presidential election.
Today marks a significant day for our democracy, our Republic, and the Rule of Law with the guilty verdict in Donald Trump's Manhattan trial. This decision is a powerful affirmation of the robustness and integrity of our judicial system. The process that led to this verdict is a testament to the principles of fairness and accountability that underpin our legal framework.
The journey began with a grand jury of citizens carefully reviewing evidence and determining that there was sufficient cause to bring charges. This step is crucial as it ensures that the power to indict lies in the hands of ordinary citizens, reflecting the community's voice and reinforcing the democratic foundations of our legal system.
The trial itself exemplified the cornerstone of our justice system: the right to be judged by a jury of one’s peers. This jury, after weighing the evidence and deliberating thoroughly, reached a unanimous decision. This requirement for unanimity underscores the importance of consensus and collective agreement, ensuring that the verdict reflects a balanced and comprehensive consideration of the facts.
This outcome is more than just a verdict in a high-profile case; it is a reaffirmation of the principles that our nation was built upon. It demonstrates that no individual is above the law and that our judicial system can and does function impartially, holding everyone to the same standard of justice. It is a reminder that our democracy is fortified by the rule of law, and our Republic thrives when its legal processes are respected and upheld.
In a time when trust in institutions is often questioned, today’s verdict serves as a crucial validation of our jury system. It highlights the essential role that ordinary citizens play in administering justice and maintaining the integrity of our legal system. This decision reinforces our collective commitment to justice, equality, and the enduring strength of our democratic institutions.
The Rule of Law and our jury system proves it works and is just, fair, and impartial. All are equal under law.
Well-stated, Bruce.
Trump generally does not do well in court because not only does it deal with the Rule of Law but with the Rule of Reality. Without being diagnostic, Trump does not traffic in reality. He traffics in unreality -- in deliberate distortions and falsehoods. We have, for 9 years, been subjected to an unrestrained and unending regime of mendacity -- and mendacity filled with paranoia, rage, insults, and threats. Dangerous mendacity that has gotten steadily worse in its violent menace. Many of Trumpworld statements are forms of projection, e.g., we hear about Biden the Fascist, about the Biden crime family, about Biden rigging the system for distorted outcomes, about Democrats rigging and weaponizing the Justice System, blah blah blah. These are all things that are part of Trumpworld agenda. It is distortion and deception of epic proportions. We who are not under the spell of mendacity can hear it and see it every time we are exposed to Trump, Gaetz, Green, Johnson or any Fox mouthpiece. But tens of millions are under the spell and are organized to act on the unreality, they are ready to be driven into deeper, more forceful collusion with unreality.
So, while today was a triumph of our system and our morality of laws, it was an affront and a threat to these mal-informed citizens, who are now organized against the Constitutional system that is gradually working to restore reality to our political functioning. (By comparison to these 12 stalwart citizens the concierge wing of the SCOTUS and the concierge judge in Florida look pretty dishonest & feckless -- like traitors who have succumbed to the unreality, do they not?). We need to see what is in store in response to this verdict. I saw some clips from Fox and while there were no surprises the rhetoric is quite virulently ominous. This is a media sphere that is fully contaminated by the regime of mendacity. These are people who want big jobs in the Trump Fascist government so their actual smallness will be masked.
It is a very sad and dangerous state that we have entered into. It is like we have told the police about our domestic abuser and now all of the promised violent revenge is brought to the surface as the abuser faces arrest and accountability. We need to stay vigilant and concerned about safety in our Republic, and there is a need to continue the process of restoring reality to this country.
The trials in DC, FL and GA need to move forward with all alacrity. The GA case really just needs to just be about the phone call as incitement to election fraud-- as much as the whole context of the RICO (sic) case is a truthful and compelling story. The shameful collusion of the 6 justices of SCOTUS and Judge Cannon needs to end. Or will Mrs. Alito have a flag to oppose that? Mendacity gets very pathetic at a certain point...
Important thoughts. Before the night was over we had not just the crazy punks of the Freedom Caucus, but senior senators like Rubio and Graham making the most absurd and dangerous attacks on the verdict. Marco Rubio attacked the court as a "show trial." Luckily he may not realize that many of his fellow legislators on the national and state level may not recognize the reference to the Soviet show trials under Stalin in the '30s. But Rubio knows the proceedings in Manhattan are not remotely the same as those "show trials," and he is making this claim as a job application letter for the vice residency. Craven behavior matched by the billionaire donors who vowed their continued support for Trump. See CNBC -- https://cnb.cx/4bBIoTV
Rubio's comments were even more despicable when we remember all the insults he threw at Trump - nearly all absolutely true- during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Rubio knows Donald Trump is a con man. But, like Lindsey Graham, he wants to remain "relevant". And perhaps even Trump's VP pick.
And as Michael Steele mentioned this morning on MSNBC, Rubio knew Trump was a "con man," but he is unwilling to admit that he's now been "conned" and is part of the despicable grift. Best wishes.
Incisive analysis Patrick. Rubio is a MAGAt pod person, just a contaminated bot-like shell with no soul (there is a 50s reference for you!). These clowns are pretty far into their malignant mendacity and probably see this as the home stretch, so they are not going to slow down now! They all want to be in position to eat pie from Trump's behind, like some Bosch doom-scape nightmare, or the bottom of Dante's Ninth Circle-- and maybe folks need a refresher on that location-- it ain't pretty! Donors are making their investments, too, as you note. They want lots of pie too!!! They don't want to get sent to prison camps or deported to where their ancestors came from, or whatever horrors Trump and Bannon & Co would visit on the nation and majority that opposes them. We are deep in the dark realms of perversity here....
Sorry there unfortunately is no collective commitment to justice and all you have to do is listen to Republicans attacking the system after the verdict was delivered.
Republicans attacking the system…My,my,my. In my day it was the Lefties who did that sort of thing. How times have changed.
I am on vacation and was riding in a car with friends seeing some beautiful parts of central Illinois when suddenly I got a group text saying "Turn on the TV! Verdict is in!" The two of us not driving were on our phones instantly. I have Hulu, so I could actually log in and start hearing news. These friends had moved away from where I'd known them for 10 years, and I haven't had face-to-face time in 17 years, but in the last couple days we knew were all on the same "side" on this issue. It was great to be with people to celebrate with the moment I found out!
My oldest friend and I, who do a lot of political work together and have for years, called me this afternoon to tell me the news…I watch a lot of news but hadn’t had the tv on this afternoon and was actually walking my granddog, whom I’m caring for this weekend. It was indeed a great pleasure to share this wonderful moment with her! She’s the first person I called back in Feb of 2016 when Scalia died, and I was sooo excited that Obama would be able to name a new justice to SCOTUS!!!! We all know how that turned out…so glad today’s outcome was genuinely wonderful.
Elise Stefanik supposedly represents our congressional district. I have never in my several decades here been so embarrassed and “misrepresented” as l have been of late with the obvious sucking up to Trump shenanigans that Stefanik has performed. Horrific person.
Vote her out
Oh, we are trying. This is a 65% Republican gerrymandered district.
Appalling. I am so sorry that is the terrain. The terrain of mendacity. No wonder she is such an unrestrained bloviating a-hole She is safe to be so. Keep fighting!!!
Vote for Paula Collins instead this year!
Yes!
I feel for you Brenda, living in your district with your trump sycophant unrepresentative Stefanik. I am in NY22, just south of your district and my Magat unrepresentative Brandon Williams stated " "Two-tired justice system, far-left extremists have their hands on the scales of justice- what a disgrace".
Evidently my unrepresentative doesn't understand that trump was convicted by 12 citizen jurors- a jury of his peers. I am now pushing for people in my district to flood his office with calls and emails, calling Williams out for the dishonor he brings himself in taking a stand against the rule of law.
"I feel your pain."
Let's get rid of those who want to RULE instead of Represent the people.
And let's reform SCOTUS while we are at it!
Yes today was shameful but not for the reasons the GOP espouses. That a man who had no qualifications or character to hold the highest office in the country supported by enablers and criminals should ever have been anything more than a convicted citizen. How America put someone like Trump in office is beyond anything our Founding Fathers imagined.
It is also shameful of the unrelenting attacks on our justice system by the elected GOP congressman and Senators as well as the right wing media ecosystem. On another level the problem in the next few months is the continual connected attacks and misinformation of the GOP and right wing media without a response in force by the Centrist Democrats and Media. When you’re in the dogfight you have no other choice.
Robert DiNero is doing what exactly done by all!
Thanks Robert!
Electoral College is what got Frump in. No Republican has won the popular vote since Reagan.
Actually, Geo Bush the Elder won the popular vote and so did Bush the Lesser in 2004.
What got Trump in was NON-VOTING -- people who stayed home, or who voted a full Dem ballot but left President blank. The latter was 80,000 in Michigan alone per Michael Moore. I would also suggest that, in times like this, voting for Faux-Party candidates like Kennedy or even my beloved Mr. Professor West are votes that are essentially blanks and steal from the Biden agenda to restore reality, compassion, and justice to this country. If you have too much NON-VOTING then the Electoral College will kick in and doom us, I agree on that. It's really a crummy Rube Goldberg system in many ways as we have found out, but we have to go with it for now.
DeNiro but I get it :)
Justice prevailed today, and elected GOP officials who in no uncertain terms attack the trial results show their true colors. They are more beholden to a now convicted felon than they are to the rule of law and the judicial process that has served our country for over 200 years. If they were not traitors on January 6, 2021, they are now.
I think most of them betrayed their oathes of office and became traitors when they supported Trump's false claims of a stolen election.
I'm in NC and one of the MAGA traitors, Dan Bishop, is running for state AG. But the GOP slate is so bad that he isn't even the most unqualified candidate running for statewide office! That would probably be a toss up between Mark Robinson for Governor and Michele Morrow running for Superintendent of Public Education.
https://open.substack.com/pub/politicsnc/p/dan-bishop-putin-tool-and-right-wing?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
https://open.substack.com/pub/politicsnc/p/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
An actual ROGUE’S Gallery.
It was a great relief to be able to respect both the judicial process and the public servants whose professionalism, integrity, and hard work brought this case to its conclusion. We should feel indebted to people like Judge Merchan and Alvin Bragg, who have been vilified by the defendant and the media and suffered threats to their safety, and yet continued to their jobs brilliantly. Despite the Supreme Court disgrace, this verdict should give us some hope in our institutions’ ability to withstand corrupt politicians’ efforts to discredit them and to hold everyone accountable for their actions. Tonight we can sleep better and awaken tomorrow even more energized to fight for the 2024 election
Yes! The outcome of this trial was exactly the shot in the arm we all needed.
We can’t get too comfortable because we have a lot of work to do,
I think most readers of this newsletter know that, but there are still a LOT of disengaged people that we all need to work on getting activated!
Well said, Doc. Good medicine!!
2/3s of SCOTUS is a disgrace, with a chaser of more disgrace from FL.
I am hoping Judge Amy will come through based on what I heard on 4/25 and maybe Roberts will even stagger into the end-zone to say that Trumpenstein the sociopath should not be given a free reign of crime....We can hope. The other four are in the bag for the monster...
Amen!
It is a great day and now the test will be how the media plays this. I'm expecting this in the NYT and others:"Trump found guilty. Hunter Biden case proceeds next week." I hope I am wrong and that we instead see coverage that finally makes clear that this was not about just paying off a porn star but about interfering with an election. And I hope that Trump's post-verdict rant outside the court gets replayed again and again--it is pitiful but it also portrays for any remaining fair-minded "undecided"voters such a downer vision of the world that should be repugnant to them.
In response to "how the media plays this" I read an article by NYT editorial board entitled::
"Donald Trump, Felon
The former president’s conviction in a New York criminal trial revealed, yet again, why he is unfit for office.
By The Editorial Board"
I will have to go back and read that. I saw the enail notifiction. I was surprized as all get out.
Kathy, thanks for sharing that. It makes me feel at least temporarily better.
Yes it was about interfering with the election by putting up a smokescreen of mendacity by concealing the truth, and then by concealing it again using mendacious business practices. It was about FRAUD, fraud is the vehicle by which it all moves. To put it another way-- the 2016 election was rigged by two peckers!!
Harvey, It would be inappropriate to laugh at your joke. So I won't. I promise. (;<{)
Your secret is safe with me, Robert :)
Glad we could all commemorate this moment together. Thanks for providing that space!
Hi Bruce. Yesterday afternoon, after watching CNN and MSNBC highlighting this historic news, I turned to the parallel universe, Faux News, and sure enough they were griping about the Verdict and flipping the switch to Hunter Biden.....You can't make this up!!!
The response of Republican leaders is truly despicable.
And yet, not unexpected.
Totally on message, aren't they?
Sadly yes.
Cheers to justice and the rule of law. Onward!
I hope the justice system punishes him like they would any other. He deserves jail time.
the GOP is already attaching poor Hunter Biden....Why do we not go after Jared????? We will fight on...this is one of many battles and I am ready for it......
Indeed! Wasn't it the Saudis who gave him $2bn six months after he left his job at the White House? Wasn't that taking advantage of political connections for personal gain? Why is Hunter Biden prosecuted for something Jared Kushner actually did? Today a friend told me that one of her elderly Republican clients was upset "because Joe Biden will be a dictator if he's re-elected." We're living in a reverse world, where every evil, illegal, horrifying thing Trump does is attributed to Pres. Biden. We must keep (or begin!) fighting back against that. We must re-elect Pres. Biden.
We are down the rabbit hole, Christina. Logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead...
Rabbit or not, the United States certainly *is* in some kind of hole.
We need to get other Americans to stop their digging, collectively start clambering out (electing Democrats this fall), and backfilling the hole to prevent others from falling in.
I think that is correct, Michael, but how we reach those shoveled folks is the question, and how many are even reachable. I think the verdicts yesterday will maybe cause some diggers to pause but will also lead others to dig harder and faster. To win the election we need as many diggers as we can get from around the edges and in the right states as far as electoral college, but of course for all other federal, state, and local races. We need as many Dems and as few MAGAts as possible. My concern is that even with bigger vote and EC tallies on the Blue side there will be games of denial and desperation that will turn things inside out. The MAGAts don't believe in elections and are likely to use any and all power tactics -- some of which we have seen and some we probably haven't. I do not trust Mike Johnson to fairly administrate the installation of the new House on 1/3/25, especially as MAGAts are going to get voted out in droves. If he does not install the new members that would shift the majority then there will be a cluster**** on Jan 6. They have had 4 years in the bunker to make their plans. If they go full tilt with widespread election perversion and denial it could be very messy in the trenches. It is going to take more than one election or even more than several to get things steady again. We will have to live with the SCOTUS for a while unfortunately. Dems in the Senate need to put more heat on Roberts!! But this whole thing might be generational, the hole has been pretty deep and wide and filled with poison. Many have drunk the Kool-Aid...All we can do is vote, advocate, and hope that civic virtue can prevail.
Thanks for your comments, Harvey Can 58. Overall, I agree with you (no surprise!). A few observations of my own:
• If the Congressional elections go the way we hope they will, and those hurdles will have been overleapt, the current House Minority Leader, a Democrat(!), will become Speaker of the House (unless Democrats choose to elect someone else). Mike Johnson’s role on January 3rd should merely be to hand the gavel to his Democratic successor.
• MAGAt trouble-making will probably occur between now and next January 3rd.
There will be “Interesting Times” between now and next January 4th. I expect to grow even more gray and white hairs.
The Senate has been utterly derelict in not investigating Kushner and Mnuchin for their billion dollar deals within weeks/months of leaving the administration. I have been shocked at their lack of initiative, especially when they had both chambers, and most critically when the House slid into unrestrained animality. But yeah -- this was corruption that was given the green light and one has to wonder why.
Kushner and friends probably did some unethical stuff and benefited from it but it probably was not illegal. The problem is no one cares.
Well, we care.... I think Kushner and Mnuchin are highly suspect. Countries don't hand out billions for nothing. The either got something or want something. They don't have to have proof before investigating, but if they would have shown some curiosity and outrage to start an investigation maybe the proof would be discovered via their subpoena powers, etc. My guess is there was corruption and illegality of the highest order to get paid in the billions. They didn't just get a motor home or free rent for mom-- but I guess it is all relative based on what you can deliver for the money.
I agree he deserves jail time. But don't get excited about that. In similar cases of this nature, jail time has been the result in about 10% of the cases. I doubt this judge will do that. Again, he deserves it. But Merchan is smart and won't offer up anything that will feed opportunities for appeal.
My suggested sentence is the maximum fine (peanuts for him, but still) and 34 months of house arrest....in NY. Send him to the tower (doesn't that sound great!) No golf. No campaign events. No rant filled rallies. Just TV. And cheeseburgers. Lots of cheeseburgers.
I hope the judge sets it up so that if Trump(or his surrogates) incites his MAGA supporters to harass or threaten jurors that he will be incarcerated while he is waiting on his appeal.
Trump is at heart a coward and I have read that he is deathly afraid of being sent to jail.
Check out the latest Lincoln Project ad:
Verdict - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwcjDO6JCVQ
It was out within hours of the verdict. I think they were just waiting for the video of the verdict being announced.
Yet… it is New Yorkers who came through and did their job, why punish them? (I do get your point.)
Only said NY because "it" loves his Mara A Lago and the bathroom of top secrets.
😊 I just couldn’t resist. No harm, I hope. “It” does seem drawn to ticky-tacky and tawdry… and that describes MAL… to a T!
https://search.app.goo.gl/qfVyKKL
The felon’s happy place. Oh, for it to be his expiration place.
Excellent, Bill!
Convicted felon
Just rolls off the 😜 tongue
Don the Con!!!
Someone in the NYT comments referred to him as Felonious Trump. Perfect (apologies to magical jazzman Thelonious Monk).
Yes apologies to Thelonious Monk for sure.... Trump does not belong in his Brilliant Corners...
I prefer Don the Con!!!!
MAGA is too uninformed to understand the significance of this verdict; they will huff and puff and threaten to blow our house down but they will be subconsciously demoralized and many (more than enough to make the difference) will just not vote by mail or show up to vote. Then they’ll recite the same old story, it was “rigged.”
But that doesn’t mean we can stop. Keep working the phones, the texts, the letters to editors, the postcards, the canvassing, the conversations and everything and anything that will help. We can only rely on ourselves. The justice system can only go so far.
MAGA will lose support at the fringes, but better, the conviction should influence some "undecided" and "swing" voters and make it easier for us to reach the unregistered who trend Democratic. Register Democratic and sweep the swing states.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/all-volunteer-ops
Yes, I suspect that if they do have private lives of reflection, then that is where the erosion of their rigid beliefs will begin.