Reader comments after a momentous week.

October 21, 2023

          I will be brief(er) in tonight’s newsletter because my main purpose is to open the Comments section for paying subscribers.

          Now more than ever, I urge readers to be respectful in the Comments section. Debate issues, ideas, and positions. Explain your emotions if that is helpful. But please refrain from directing comments at other readers. We are living in stressful, difficult times. People of good faith hold diametrically opposing viewpoints.

          After a rough week, I am going to do my best to focus on the positive aspects of developments that arise in troubling circumstances. I have highlighted the positive takeaways in bold:

• Hamas released two American hostages. President Biden said, “I thank the government of Qatar and the government of Israel for their partnership in this work.” At least one media source is reporting that there are ongoing negotiations for the release of additional hostages. The release of hostages highlights the fact that there are backchannel negotiations taking place between Israel and Hamas.

• After another wild day in the US House of Representatives, Jim Jordan was finally defeated in his bid to become Speaker of the House. After losing a third vote on the House floor, the GOP caucus took a secret vote to determine whether the caucus still supported Jordan. He received only 86 votes (out of 222 GOP members)—a proxy for the lack of support for the Freedom Caucus within the broader Republican membership in the House. We may have just witnessed the high-water mark of the Freedom Caucus.

• Kenneth Cheseboro, a Trump-aligned attorney who was the chief architect of the fake electors’ scheme pleaded guilty to one felony count in the Georgia RICO prosecution brought by D.A. Fani Willis in Fulton County, Georgia. Cheseboro agreed to testify truthfully in future proceedings. He worked closely with Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman in designing and implementing the fake electors’ scheme in Georgia. The guilty plea makes the conviction of members of Trump's first-line legal counsel more likely. That, in turn, will increase the likelihood of convicting Trump. Fani Willis has emerged as the most valuable member of Jack Smith’s prosecution team!

• New York state court Judge Arthur Engoron fined Donald Trump $5,000 for a “flagrant violation” of the court’s gag order prohibiting Trump from disparaging court staff. Trump's campaign had maintained a posting that falsely claimed that Judge Engoron’s court clerk was involved with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Judge Engoron issued an order saying that future violations may result in imprisonment for Trump. The episode shows that Trump is incapable of complying with the gag orders pending against him and that Trump will likely have his pre-trial release revoked by Judge Chutkan (at the appropriate time).

•  A federal bankruptcy judge ruled that Alex Jones cannot avoid paying damages to families of children and teachers killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. (Jones claimed that no children or teachers were killed and that the grieving parents were “crisis actors.”) Thus, Jones is personally liable for $965 million of the damages awarded to families of victims.

Opportunities for reader engagement.

          The opportunities for engagement below include the opportunity to hear Professor Heather Cox Richardson discuss her new book (Wednesday), a presentation on preserving Virginia’s environmental protection legislation (Monday), and an event to support knocking on 3.8 million doors in North Carolina (Monday).

From BigTentUSA on Wednesday.

Join BigTentUSA for a discussion between Professor Heather Cox Richardson and Katie Couric on Wednesday, October 25th at 7:00 PM Eastern. They will discuss Professor Richardson’s new book Democracy Awakening: The State of America; how we got to this perilous point, what our history really tells us about ourselves, and what the future of democracy can be. RSVP Here!

From reader Sarah O. of Markers for Democracy on Monday.

Squeezing in one last Zoom event for Virginia this Monday, Oct 23, at 7:00pm ET: 

Everyone knows that reproductive rights, gun safety, and fair voting are at stake in Virginia on November 7th.  But less covered is the real risk of a roll-back of climate laws to the bad old days. This event will focus on what's at risk to Virginia's important Clean Energy bills if we don't hold at least one VA chamber. We have two speakers who helped create the bills and will talk about what happens if Republican's try to dismantle them. In 2020, Democrats in Virginia passed bills that made the state a national clean energy leader, and the only southern state with a climate plan. Youngkin wants to undo all that! Here is the link to RSVP Here.

This event is organized by three States Project Giving Circles working in Virginia - Purple to Blue, The Wednesday Group, and Markers For Democracy. 

From Movement Voter PAC / North Carolina event on Monday.

One way to address the extremists in Congress is to vote them out in 2024. The Movement Voter PAC, All In For North Carolina, and Register and Vote North Carolina are hosting a Zoom event on Monday OCT 23 at 7 PM ET/6PM CT/5PM MT/4PM PT. Together, these organizations have resolved to knock on 3.8 million doors — 3 times as many as in 2022. Funding this effort early could flip results up and down the ballot, and bring a more responsive, inclusive, and representative government to NC. You can sign up for the event here: HERE

Concluding Thoughts.

          Everyone who values the rule of law should be grateful to District Attorney Fani Willis of Fulton County, Georgia. Against steep odds, a hostile legislature, and stonewalling from witnesses during her investigation, she filed the indictment that needed to be filed—one that alleged a sprawling conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.

          She was second-guessed by reputable legal commentators, ridiculed by right-wing pretend lawyers, and excoriated in the press and social media by MAGA extremists. Three defendants thought they were “calling her bluff” by demanding a speedy trial—but she responded with a raise: “Game on!”

          Her strategy worked. For complicated reasons, Jack Smith may get his case to trial first (in DC). But make no mistake, Smith’s hand is significantly stronger today because of the dedication, fearlessness, and skill of Fani Willis. It isn’t over in Georgia, but her courage and tenacity should be a lesson to us all.

          Talk to you on Monday!