DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Cuckoo Republicans, what they have become pt.8

Tennessee House is in turmoil

Not sure if this should be in the open season thread or here, but this is a bit of a wake up call.

I didn't see anything in the "as introduced" bill but I did find amendments and what was finally passed. A lot of times someone makes something up for a headline and that becomes the thing.

All I’ll say about what the cuckoo republicans are doing in Tennessee. When the tables turn, duck!

All they did was create a situation where the very people they wished to silence are getting attention at the national level and gaining even more support in their districts. They didn't see just how much their actions would backfire on them.

http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2238_enrolled.pdf


There's nothing there about "authorizing genital inspections"... obviously. Just another twitter hack and his circle of panting fools and followers circulating lies.

That appears to be what I read as well.

Thanks for confirming.

Supreme Court Justice Thomas reportedly accepted lavish gifts from billionaire GOP donor

“[The justices] are blind to the fact that the public’s faith in the institution is waning, and the public’s faith is the only thing that gives the court’s ruling any force of law,” said Sarah Turberville, director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing criticism after a scathing report revealed he accepted lavish gifts from a GOP donor.

ProPublica, a nonprofit organization that publishes investigative news, reported on Thursday that Thomas and Harlan Crow became friends after the conservative justice was appointed to the bench in the ‘90s.

Since 1996, Crow, a Dallas businessman and billionaire, has given Thomas access to luxurious trips and gifts throughout the years, according to ProPublica, citing documents and conducted interviews.

Thomas reportedly sailed on Crow’s superyacht around the world on several occasions, and was a passenger on Crow’s Bombardier Global 5000 jet. The report also stated that every summer, Justice Thomas served as a guest at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondack Mountains located northeast of New York.

ProPublica found that for more than two decades, Thomas has neglected to disclose the lavish gifts he accepted from Crow, which violates a post-Watergate disclosure law that requires justices and other federal officials to disclose certain gifts.

The staggering report also found that Crow donated half a million dollars to a Tea Party group founded by Thomas’ wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas. That donation allegedly contributed to Mrs. Thomas’ $120,000 salary.

In a statement responding to ProPublica’s investigation, Crow said, “The hospitality we have extended to the Thomas’s over the years is no different from the hospitality we have extended to our many other dear friends.”

It continued, “We have always placed a priority on spending time with our family and friends. Justice Thomas and Ginni never asked for any of this hospitality.”

The billionaire also denied having any influence in Thomas’ decision-making as it pertained to how the justice rules on Supreme Court cases.

Crow said, “We have never asked about a pending or lower court case, and Justice Thomas has never discussed one, and we have never sought to influence Justice Thomas on any legal or political issue.”

This latest report calls Thomas’ integrity into question and has some people asking whether the gifts he received from Harlan had any impact on how he rules in cases despite the billionaire’s denial of any bias.

Progressive members of Congress quickly called for Thomas to be impeached.

“This degree of corruption is shocking — almost cartoonish,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. “Thomas must be impeached.”

Ocasio-Cortez was joined by her fellow member of “The Squad,” U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who wrote on Twitter, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Clarence Thomas needs to be impeached.”

For years, many organizations, including the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a non-partisan independent watchdog, and the American Bar Association, have called on the Supreme Court to adopt a code of ethics so that justices self-preserve their integrity and keep the illusion that they are unbiased, as theGrio previously reported.

Sarah Turberville, director of the Constitution Project at POGO, previously told theGrio that justices need to adopt “stronger ethical standards.”

“[The justices] are blind to the fact that the public’s faith in the institution is waning, and the public’s faith is the only thing that gives the court’s ruling any force of law,” she said.

In an earlier interview with theGrio, Donald Sherman, senior vice president for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, said justices believe “they’re above” the law and therefore do not have to adhere to an ethical code.

“I think they view themselves as being the best arbiters of whether there is a conflict or whether there is an ethical issue and don’t feel like they should be bound by any independent enforcement structure,” he stated.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/supreme-court-justice-thomas-reportedly-203412891.html

Former Infowars staffer gets three years of probation for storming Capitol on Jan. 6

Samuel Christopher Montoya, a video editor for Infowars at the time of the riot, recorded a lengthy video capturing his movements inside and outside the Capitol.

A Texas man who worked for the far-right website Infowars, owned by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, was sentenced to three years of probation on Wednesday for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Samuel Christopher Montoya was credited as a video editor for Infowars at the time of the Capitol attack, according to court filings. In an approximately 44-minute video that captured his movements outside and inside the Capitol, Montoya is seen describing himself to others as a “reporter” or “journalist,” and he captured footage of the death of Ashli Babbitt, who was among the mob of rioters when she was shot fatally by police officers.

In addition to three years of probation, Montoya was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,500 and $500 in restitution.

Montoya, who was arrested April 2021, pleaded guilty in November to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol, which carries a maximum sentence of up to six months of imprisonment.

Last month, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 45 days in prison, 36 months of probation, 60 hours of community service and $500 in restitution for Montoya.

In the video he filmed for Infowars on the day of the riot, Montoya identified himself as “Sam with Infowars.com,” according to court filings. At one point, he turns the camera on himself and says, “It feels good to be in the Capitol, baby!”

Jones, who boosted former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, denied sending Montoya to Washington on the outlet’s behalf, prosecutors said in a court filing last month.

“Jones said that Montoya went to D.C. on his own, and that Jones had instructed his staff not to go inside the U.S. Capitol,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb wrote.

Loeb also noted that Montoya had used the notoriety from his participation in the Capitol riot to launch an unsuccessful congressional campaign in Texas during the 2022 election cycle, using the website, "capitolsam.com."

In an online appearance, Montoya said he was running because of his experience being “‘targeted and persecuted’ for his conduct on January 6.” He lost the primary election in March 2022.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/po...7bNCQuLZL5iYvrMzEIXixUWSxe7t11nkUCD_Lc50

Probation? pffft.

WOW, disrupting a session is worse than urinating on a fellow member's seat....dang, the Republicans sure have their stuff together- AND kicking out the representatives of cities - sweet, they really smart. NOT. How do they undo their stupidity.

If BLM had attacked the Capitol in the same manner, they’d be strung up in public.

No, it would have been deemed a peaceful protest.

Yep. "A peaceful protest with a few bad apples". You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

You and Vers think it. And the claim is the other side uses whatabouts?

It's so odd that when it's pointed out that certain media outlets actually worked as an integral part of trying to disrupt our democracy while knowingly lying about it you try to create a false equivalency. Well not really odd. More like predictable.

I think a reprimand would have been appropriate.

Expulsion is normally reserved for someone who is convicted of a crime in court, yet fails to resign.

But hey, when you have gerrymandered your way to a super majority, you have the votes to do it.

I am just a bit taken aback by how someone on the GOP side would not figure out that this would not look good.

It's the golden rule scenario, he who has the gold, makes the rules.

And let's not forget that this started over a demonstration about guns. As a result of the deaths of 6 people the week earlier.

Apparently, not "everybody."

And now they've been invited to The White House. The very same people these lawmakers tried beyond the pale to try to and silence now have more attention, are more known across the nation, more empowered and stronger than they were before this. They will be a force in Tennessee politics for decades after these old guys are long gone. In some ways the two they expelled owe them a debt of gratitude because they will be back in the state legislature very soon through city appointments until special elections can be held. Then they will run and win those special elections.

Well, this morning there was rumbling on the right that "they asked/wanted to be expelled to attract media attention"

True or not, expulsion was not appropriate.

If you want to get into "everybody", everybody on this board called for everyone who committed a crime during that summer to be arrested and held accountable for all crimes committed. The same thing most of them stated about Jan. 6th. I see some actually believe they have crystal balls. Maybe they should see a doctor about that. And of course people of your ilk never want to talk about the fact that well over 90% of those summer protests were totally peaceful.

Over 90 percent of protests this summer were peaceful, report shows

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-...-this-summer-were-peaceful-report-shows/

About 93% of racial justice protests in the US have been peaceful, a new report finds

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/04/us/blm-protests-peaceful-report-trnd/index.html

Everyone knows that not nearly everyone who attended the trump rally on Jan. 6th stormed the White House. People have only addressed the ones who did. Unlike what happened over that summer where people tried to lump peaceful protestors in with the riots which they had no part of .

But just keep pretending it's all the same.

Maybe all of that happened when you were on your self imposed vacation and you just don't know any better.

That's how it usually works. The 2 most recent expulsions were for bribery and sexual assault. Actual crimes; not a mere rules violation. Not exactly what I'd call proportional response.

I predict that the speaker (and those who voted with him) will find themselves on the thorny side of the law: the law of unintended consequences.

This is definitely not a good look.


.02

"If you strike me down Vader, I will become more powerful than you could ever imagine."

Like I said: unintended consequences...

This is the quote that provoked my response.


Yet, not one word from you. You have zero credibility when it comes to fairness. You trash anyone who disagrees w/your beliefs and excuse those who do agree w/you. In other words, your posts mean absolutely nothing to reasonable folks. Just more hot air.

So you consider yourself a reasonable person. Now that's funny.

Perfects take is 100% truth and you, well you shouldn't be involved in political discourse, because your political ideology sucks. Fence riding and hiding your stripes won't accomplish anything. Never has.

It's simply a deflection on their part to try and use misplaced blame on their own actions. Nobody in their right mind would have thought that expulsion would have been the results of their actions. Only three such expulsions have taken place since the Civil War.

The most recent time the House kicked out a sitting member was in 2016 when they removed Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin.

His expulsion followed allegations of sexual misconduct and a 40-page Attorney General report that detailed claims from interns and politicians, who said Durham harassed them. One report claimed he had sex with an intern in his office which Durham denied. Despite fighting the charges, 70 votes sealed his fate and Durham was expelled.

On the Senate side, Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, was expelled last year after she was convicted on federal fraud charges.

You have to go back to 1980 to find another expulsion.

Representative Robert Fisher, R-Elizabethton, was convicted of accepting a bribe. Once again, after he was convicted in court, lawmakers voted to expel him. But there are other well-known lawmakers who got in trouble but who never got kicked out.

Republican Glen Casada lost his speakership after a NewsChannel 5 investigation discovered racist text messages sent by Casada's chief of staff, Cade Cothren — one using the N-word, another saying "Black people are idiots." One of the inappropriate texts was sent to Casada himself. The Speaker initially claimed the texts were not real, but our investigation uncovered other text messages including vulgar ones about women sent between the two.

The Franklin Republican kept his seat and was even re-elected. Then last year he was arrested on federal bribery charges. That case is still pending. Casada decided not to seek re-election and was never brought up on an expulsion vote.

You have to go back to 1866 to find other state lawmakers who were expelled.

That's when six lawmakers were removed after they tried to prevent Tennessee from ratifying the 14th Amendment which gave citizenship to former slaves.

It's also worth noting that then-state Senator Marsha Blackburn called for protesters to descend on the State Capitol in 2001 during the income tax vote. Those protests got out of hand but Blackburn did not face any consequences.

Information taken from this source......

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/n...-tennessee-since-the-civil-war-heres-why

Nothing done by any of these three lawmakers comes close to rising to the level of what caused other expulsions in the past. Trying to use some bait and switch con game to blame their actions against the very people they perpetuated such a ridiculous abuse of power upon is little more than a cheap shell game.

Not surprised that the left wants to eliminate the voice of others. There are terms to describe such controlling behavior.

Of course that's what you call it when anyone questions you or challenges you. You play the victim card. This is the reaction people resort to when they don't like being challenged. They make it sound like someone elses fault. There are terms to describe that as well.

Nobody is trying to silence you just because they call you out on your opinions. As per usual you can't seem to grasp how an open discussion forum works.

Of course, you resort to personal insults when anyone disagrees w/your opinions. Shouting down the opinions of others is the antithesis of an "open discussion." You guys have chased many posters awayw/your constant attacks. Congrats. Pffttttttt

More on what you call open discussion. Here is OCD's comment:



Again, not a word from you about that. Shove your bias where the sun never shines.

I don't speak for OCD. It's not rare that OCD and I disagree. The only poster on this board I recall that has actually tried to silence anyone is something you must have a very short memory about. It was you who tried to tell me not to respond to your posts. Your claim that I have "chased many posters away" is exactly what I would expect from you.

I've watched you try to say I'm a bully, that I attack people, that I shout people down. Then you complain about someone else attacking people? You are the prime example of the very thing you describe. You attach negative labels and connotations to those you disagree with.

I'll repeat, there are rules of conduct on this board. The person who owns this board sets those rules, not you. You are not the judge nor jury of how others conduct themselves. You just hate anyone who questions you. You just hate anyone who actually takes you to task. Then you act as if you're a victim and somehow morally superior and try to sit in judgement of them.

Your act isn't hard to see.

I find it odd you are dressing me about my posting when your example is OCD. If it's his comments you're using as your example, why isn't it he who you are addressing here? Things that make you go hmmmm.

I’m still betting if BLM had attacked the Capitol with the same violence, they’d be getting a lot more than a slap on the wrist. Like these insurrectionists are getting.

I did not tell you anything. I asked you politely. Of course you refused and brought up your definition of how a board works. Well, you obviously don't know how civilized people communicate. When someone requests that you stop bullying them, it's time to walk away. Instead, you ramp it up. Have at it. You prove who you really are daily.

Let me guess. Civilized people claim others are trailer trash? Is that it?

I know how social media and this board works. Anyone is allowed to respond to anyone. I'm not the one who was asking for a special privileges and an exemption of how a message board operates.

And there you go playing your victim card again. Like I said, I thought you were a grown ass man. It isn't the first time I've been wrong about somebody.

I can how you interpreted a woman saying "no." <<Shudders>>

Okay, what silly tangent are you going on now?

DOJ seeks nearly 16-year sentence for Jan. 6 rioter who pinned officer in door frame

he Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking a nearly 16-year prison sentence for a Jan. 6 rioter who pinned an officer in a door frame amid the attack on the Capitol in 2021.

Patrick McCaughey III, 25, used a stolen riot shield to crush Officer Daniel Hodges in a metal door frame for more than two minutes.

In one of the most recognizable moments of the day, the trapped officer screamed out in pain, as he was disarmed and attacked by other rioters and the mob engaged in a heave-ho movement in an effort to force its way through the lower west terrace tunnel.

McCaughey was found guilty last September of seven felonies and two misdemeanors, including aiding or abetting or assaulting, resisting, or impeding a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon.

The government is seeking a 188-month sentence for McCaughey, one of the longest it has sought for a Jan. 6 rioter, according to Politico.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall noted in a sentencing memorandum filed on Friday that McCaughey’s actions were particularly “egregious and protracted,” compared to that of the other rioters he stood trial with.

“The actions taken by this defendant were heinous, and his sentence should reflect that,” Paschall wrote.

“The defendant’s actions on January 6 show an absolute disregard for the rule of law coupled with a willingness to incite and engage in violence,” she added in Friday’s filing. “The nature and circumstances of this defendant’s crimes weigh heavily towards a significant term of incarceration.”

https://thehill.com/regulation/cour...m-wC7XbzFA_EHgf-KlqAnIx-1K4U3vSJR4LwWLdE

Abbott seeks pardon for Army sergeant convicted of murder during Black Lives Matter protest

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said on Saturday that he is seeking a pardon for an Army sergeant who was convicted of murder for fatally shooting an armed Black Lives Matter protester.

Sgt. Daniel Perry was convicted on Friday for the July 2020 killing of 28-year-old Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter protest in Austin, Texas.

“I am working as swiftly as Texas law allows regarding the pardon of Sgt. Perry,” Abbott tweeted on Saturday.

“Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney,” he added in a statement.

The Texas governor said he has requested that the state’s Board of Pardons and Paroles review Perry’s case on an expedited timeline, noting that his pardon authority is limited by the board’s recommendations.

“I look forward to approving the Board’s pardon recommendation as soon as it hits my desk,” Abbott added.

Perry, who was working for a ride-sharing company at the time, encountered protesters after turning down a street in downtown Austin. The Black Lives Matter protest, one of many occurring across the country at the time, came in the wake of the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer.

The Army sergeant reportedly stopped and honked at the protesters before driving into the crowd. Foster, who was armed with an AK-47 rifle, approached Perry’s car.

Perry shot and killed Foster, claiming he fired in self-defense after the other man raised his gun. However, witnesses testified that Foster never raised his rifle, and prosecutors argued that Perry could have driven away rather than shooting.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-...lLmOM9HofBGvYOJKerXZA9rdPZR9XsdjhRt9wSGI

The AP is reporting that the next issue on Abbot's political checklist is issuing hunting licenses to Texas citizens that allow hunting any and all liberals who gathers in public with a bag limit of three.

Not a single BLM protester arrested in Texas get’s a pardon? Interesting.

While that is an interesting point that really isn't the direction I was intending with this. What Abbott seems to be indicating is that while Perry claims the man he murdered raised his weapon, the witnesses dispute that claim. After listening to all of that testimony the jury believed the witnesses and convicted Perry.

So for Abbott to be making the claims he is, it appears he has made the decision that the only one telling the truth in this matter is the convicted murderer and that every witness to the crime is lying. Because you know Austin is a liberal city in Texas so they must all be lying. Some people would prefer things like this stay in the dark and never be posted here because they claim it creates and supports division. They can't seem to understand that as our nation is crumbling from within people must stay vigilant in reporting and keeping up with what is happening in the regard.

History is full of lessons of what can easily happen when people ignore such things and value "go along to get along" more than keeping things in the spotlight. Democracies have fallen and world wars have been a result of what can happen when people refuse to hold their leaders accountable. Those people were being criticized for speaking out as well. We see where silence and complacency got them.

Well you know. “The tree of liberty ……..con’t on sig line……