The scandal involving Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) continues to rage in Washington as Gaetz alleges a conspiracy to extort $25 million and the New York Times has reported an investigation into his traveling across state lines with a minor for sex. Both are serious allegations and someone is clearly lying. The question is why, after a year of reported investigation, the underlying facts appear unresolved. Either this girl was 17 or she was not. Either Gaetz traveled with her or he did not. Then there is a taped call that could prove the veracity of key witnesses. In other words, there is raging speculation over facts that should be easily and already established. Why?
The investigation of Gaetz occurred during the tenure of former Attorney General Bill Barr — another example of how his department conducted nonpartisan investigations. Indeed, reports suggest that Barr avoided Gaetz during his tenure due to the investigation.
The Justice Department has long been criticized for leaks, including leaks tied to the Russian investigation. As a defense attorney, I have had to deal with such leaks that clearly are calculated to pressure defendants.
Of course, the Justice Department has also been criticized for speaking about cases that do not result in charges as shown by the James Comey press conference before the 2016 election. The Justice Department is not in the business of clearing subjects or addressing public controversies.
That is why Congress may have to step forward to seek confirmation of basic facts on the allegations against Gaetz. It has ample authority and reason to do so. If Gaetz is guilty, he would likely face criminal charges and probable expulsion from Congress. However, it has reportedly been under investigation for a year and the age and relationship with this girl should have been easy to confirm.
Of course, assuming the girl was underage, there can be complicating factors. For example, they may not have traveled together but she could claim that they arranged to meet on such trips. (So Gaetz’s suggestion of reviewing his travel records will not answer the legal question of facilitating or enabling such travel). Once again, however, such travel (and her status as a minor) must already be established. Gaetz insists that he knows of no such person. Period.
There are reports that the investigation of Gaetz began with a sex trafficking investigation of a third party. That larger case could also result in delays in the issuance of indictments.
Then there is the call that is being cited by Gaetz as part of an effort to extort. If the call was recorded by one of the parties, it is not clear why it cannot be released. Gaetz wants it released and presumably his father (who is reportedly on the phone) would agree. The other party is reportedly former Justice Department lawyer David McGee, currently with the law firm Beggs & Lane. McGee denies being part of any such conspiracy and says that he has no objection to the release.
The call is one area to test the credibility of Gaetz who insists that it will demonstrably show extortion while McGee insists that it was a harmless call with a concerned father. The written extortion offer is perfectly bizarre. Extortionists usually do not offer a detailed written offer, including a pledge to seek a presidential pardon for Gaetz. This is all part of a bizarre claim to be seeking the $25 million to free a captured former FBI agent.
If the call was orchestrated by the Justice Department, it is unlikely to release the transcript or the recording solely to address the controversy. (Gaetz’s father said that he wore a wire at the behest of the FBI). Indeed, absent an indictment, it may not be released. The only other avenue would be for Congress to seek the transcript or recording citing oversight and legislative authority. With the parties raising no objection to release, the only question would be law enforcement privileges and any privacy concerns if the girl’s identity is disclosed directly or indirectly. Yet, it is possible to address such issues through redactions or summaries.
What is curious is that Gaetz is still, after a year, reportedly a subject not a target in the investigation. If the prosecutors confirmed the girl was underaged and traveled with Gaetz or had a sexual relationship with him, he would clearly be a target. Obviously there is a tendency to keep the lower status as long as possible but I would have expected a grand jury submission after a year on such a relatively straight-forward case or at least a change in status for Gaetz.
FBI told his dad to wear a wire? really, pretty dumb to get into that jive.
“We’re from the government and we’re here to help you–” Scariest words in the English language”
-Ron Reagan
there is a presumption of innocence. the NYT is urine-yellow journalism and muckraking, nothing more.
I think if they had Gaetz on a Mann act violation, it would have been charged already. this stinks. Sal Sar
NYT is honest journalism but you wouldn’t know honest if it jumped into bed with you.
Like Gaetz, you want to be like Trump too: A rich, pussy-grabbing vulgarian who gets away with everything.
Ain’t gonna happen.
Who is Ben Marcus? Are you a regular posing under a fake name or are you a new gadfly here to troll and insult other users? Just curious.
Here’s a new story about a dirty old FBI agent I’ve been learning about recently.
Lindley DeVecchio: FBI agent who handled Mafia informant Greg Scarpa aka “The Grim Reaper” for decades, and helped him kill other informants lower in the food chain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindley_DeVecchio
One story circulating from credible sources, is that Scarpa, at the behest of DeVecchio, went down to Alabama and tortured a klansman to find out where the bodies were hidden in the levee.
Seems unwise to trust a “law enforcement agency” that uses sources and methods like that. Sal Sar
If brains were dynamite, you couldn’t blow your nose.
Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8v0TXRTu4E
Why are you embarrassed Ben Marcus? You are a successful magazine writer with expertise in surfing topics, and I am a nobody from flyover. You have youtube clips and clever wit, but I have only relentless intention and the skill of typing 90 wpm. A cool dude like you can find better places on the internet to practice your haughty California arrogance. Sal Sar
I discovered you can learn an awful lot arguing with people who know nothing.
When people don’t have their facts straight I have to.
Ben is an expert on blow, ladies and gentlemen.
Not. We had fun with drugs in the 70s but haven’t touched them since we all went to the Rolling Stones’ Some Girls concert in Oakland on mushrooms and I couldn’t come down.
Haven’t really touched drugs since although I did try cocaine in Brazil because it was so cheap.
Is that the “blow” you were referring to? Cocaine is misleading. It looks white and pure but if people knew the chemicals that went into cocaine, they wouldn’t touch the stuff.
Drugs are overrated. Even weed is too strong these days.
Oh, come now, Ben, are you bragging or confessing?
Explainin. We had fun with drugs at one time, but we were young and healthy and could handle it. And one of us really went bad except maybe for CK who got a sex change but maybe he was headed around the bend anyway.
Drugs are overrated. If you value your marbles, you stay away from them.
Cannabis just makes smart people dumb and dumb people dumber.
And meth and opioids turn people into zombies.
I was born in San Francisco and grew up in Santa Cruz and now live in Malibu and the effects are everywhere: It’s like The Walking Dead.
Why do you think they call it dope?
Well, I finally agree with something you wrote, so I’ll quit while I’m still ahead. Good night, Ben.
“Cannabis just makes smart people dumb and dumb people dumber.”
It is obvious that you fall into the latter “dumb” category, Ben. So it’s good that you no longer imbibe.
It’s true
. I grew up with pot smokers.
My friends in Santa Cruz grow some of the world’s finest marijuana. My one friend as a 52000 square-foot indoor operation. He doesn’t touch the stuff.
Most of the people I know who grow weed don’t smoke it.
I even invented a word to describe the condition. THCenility.
You’re probably an Old Hippie or a young hipster who believes that pot makes you more creative.
It doesn’t.
It just makes you forget where you left your car keys.
“NYT is honest journalism…”
Hahahaha no, it’s actually not, not anymore.
You’re a Trumper.
You wouldn’t know honest if it jumped into bed with you.
You are confused and projecting again, sweetheart.
I’m not confused about anything.
You right-wing Trumpers are a bunch of saps wearing stupid hats riding a Trump Casino bus thinking he’s going to make you rich.
He’s not.
He’s just going to fleece you and you won’t even know you got fleeced.
There is no excuse for any American to be that gullible and dumb and yet half of you are.
You support Biden’s agenda? The one he’s telling you about?
Republicans screw it up, Democrats clean it up.
That was true for Obama and Team after Bush43 left the country in tatters.
Remember the Great Recession? Yeah it wasn’t so great.
Obama and Team came in and faced a many-headed hydra of problems, and set the table.
Only for Trump to come in and shit all over the table and somehow leave a bigger mess than Bush43.
That’s Biden’s agenda – to get the vaccines out, tamp down on Coronavirus, get the economy up and running again.
And that’s what he’s doing.
P.S. Republicans screw it up, Democrats clean it up was also true for California, after Schwarzenegger left the state $27 billion in debt.
Jerry Brown came in and cleaned up the mess in either years and left California with a surplus.
There was a time when the Republicans knew what they were doing and could at least make the trains run on time.
Not any more. They are incompetent idiots, supported by fools.
Ben says, “That’s Biden’s agenda – to get the vaccines out, tamp down on Coronavirus, get the economy up and running again. And that’s what he’s doing.”
Don’t be stupid. He’s just going to fleece you and you won’t even know you got fleeced.
There is no excuse for any American to be that gullible and dumb and yet half of you are.
(PS….I said it in words you should be able to understand)
Biden isn’t out to fleece anyone. I believe his net worth is like $9 million.
From where I’m sitting right now I see neighbors who have guest houses worth more than $9 million. If Biden is corrupt, he’s not very good at it. He might just be a politician dedicated to public service and doing the job right.
Corrupt people can’t fathom someone who is honest.
Perhaps that is your problem.
You just like Trump because you’re just like him.
Ben, did you read Karen’s comment below? Where she explains “fleece”? That generally, it’s high taxes that fleece taxpayers? Since Biden took office gas prices have gone up, grocery costs are up, food costs more, produce costs more, heating bills up, etc. And now? He’s going to raise taxes which means that cost gets passed on to you, the consumer. Plus, the economy was already coming back, but now Biden’s plans will make everything cost more for us, the consumers, the taxpayers, all just coming out of the pandemic setbacks – everything will become more costly. Nice job, Joe.
Plus Biden lies through his teeth about what they are doing and since we do not have an honest press, he doesn’t get called out nearly as much as he should be. So YOU are getting fleeced and you don’t even know it.
Oh and Joe Biden is a sellout and corrupt as hell. He’s a career politician. There are no “honest” lifelong career politicians just “serving” the country. Don’t be stupid. In Joe’s case, he’s also the “Big Guy”….getting 10% of Hunter’s ‘deals”…..or hadn’t you heard? Don’t be stupid.
“That was true for Obama and Team after Bush43 left the country in tatters.”
You are completely clueless.
Obama’s “Team” (Tim Geithner & Larry Summers) was handpicked by Hank Paulson. Obama’s original economic team that was in place throughout his 1st campaign was immediately sent off to think tanks in Europe as soon as he won the election.
All Barry Obama did was take the Bankster bailout baton from Bush and run with it, while referring to the Banksters who caused the so-called “economic crisis” in 2008 as “savvy businessmen”.
All of which is why Obama can now afford $14,500,000 beach houses in Martha’s Vineyard. Wall Street pays well for Presidential bootlickers.
They still rescued the economy no matter who picked Geithner and the other dude.
Rescued the American economy and the worldwide banking structure.
Rescued the American Auto industry.
Pulled America out of two stupid wasteful bloody wars of revenge started by Bush and Cheney.
And about a dozen other problems.
The Obama Administration loan Tesla 465 million dollars to upgrade the Fremont facility and build the S. Tesla paid that loan back 5 years early and that money has created tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth. Trump do anything even remotely that successful? Talk about making America great again.
And Obamacare.
Obama paid for the house on Martha’s Vineyard with Book Sales. He earned every penny of it. He was a black man walking around with a giant bullseye on his back in a country full of ignorant wankers like you.
Republicans screw it up. Democrats clean it up
Back on earth 1; Summers was a Clinton guy, retreaded through Biden to the Obama administration. And fairly soundly hated within. So there’s that.
And he was Geitner’s mentor.
EB
Doesn’t matter who they were or where they came from.
Under Obama’s leadership these guys rescue the American banking system and the worldwide banking system and also the American Auto industry.
They did miracles in a very short time.
Republicans screw it up. Democrats clean it up.
If you’re allowed books in whatever facility they have you in you should read A Promised Land.
Obama does a clean honest job of detailing his presidency: The challenges they faced and how they faced them..
Doesn’t this all sound familiar?
The Republicans come in and s*** all over the table and then the Democrats have to come in an authorized trillions of dollars to fix the damage.
Obama names his economic team
Geithner nominated as Treasury chief, Summers picked as director of National Economic Council.
EMAIL | PRINT | SHARE | RSS
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: November 24, 2008: 3:19 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — President-elect Barack Obama named key members of his administration’s economic team Monday, including New York Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner as his Treasury Secretary nominee and former Harvard President Lawrence Summers as the director of the National Economic Council.
“I’ve sought leaders who could offer both sound judgment and fresh thinking, both a depth of experience and a wealth of bold, new ideas, and most of all who share my fundamental belief that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street without a thriving Main Street,” Obama said at a press conference Monday in Chicago.
Obama’s announcement came hours after the federal government announced a massive rescue package for Citigroup – which President Bush said he’d spoken with Obama about before it was announced.
Mission No. 1 over the next few weeks for Obama’s economic team will be hammering out the details of what the president-elect described this weekend as a two-year economic recovery plan intended to create 2.5 million jobs.
Estimates for how much might be spent on a multi-year stimulus package range as high as $500 billion to $700 billion.
At the center of the plan are investments in the nation’s roads, bridges, schools and alternative-energy infrastructure.
Obama’s top economic team member – his Treasury Secretary – will also be charged with overseeing the dispersal of funds from the controversial $700 billion financial rescue package that Congress passed in October.
Word last week that Obama was likely to nominate Geithner, 47, as his Treasury Secretary sent stocks soaring Friday.
Geithner, highly respected both on Wall Street and in the Capitol’s corridors, has already been playing a central role in the Treasury’s and Federal Reserve’s efforts to stabilize the financial system. His nomination is expected to provide the kind of continuity in the Treasury’s financial rescue efforts that will be welcome in the markets and among lawmakers.
Obama described Geithner as having “served with distinction under both Democrats and Republicans and has a long history of working comfortably and as an honest broker on both sides of the aisle.”
In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said, “I have the highest regard for Tim –his judgment and creativity have been critical to designing and implementing the necessary actions we’ve taken to protect and strengthen our financial system. I have great confidence in his understanding of markets, his judgment and leadership, and his ability to meet the challenges that lie ahead.”
Bush said Monday morning that Paulson is working closely with the Obama transition team to ensure a seamless transfer.
As the head of Obama’s National Economic Council, Summers will coordinate economic policy-making and economic policy advice for the president.
Summers, who turns 54 this month, is considered one of the country’s most pre-eminent economists, and he served as Treasury Secretary for two years during the Clinton administration.
“As a thought leader, Larry has urged us to confront the problems of income inequality and the middle-class squeeze, consistently arguing that the key to a strong economy is a strong, vibrant, growing middle class,” Obama said of Summers. “This idea is at the core of my own economic philosophy and will be the foundation of all of my economic policies.”
Summers is, however, also a controversial economist, whose critics contend he supported positions that helped foster the current financial crisis. They cite, among other things, his support for the Commodity Futures Modernization Act, which allowed many derivatives – such as the credit default swaps that have rocked markets this fall – to go unregulated.
Obama also announced that economist Christina Romer will be director his Council of Economic Advisors, which provides economic analysis and advice to the president.
Romer, whose expertise includes the Great Depression and the economic recovery that followed, is a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also co-director of the monetary economics program and a member of the business cycle dating committee at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the group that officially determines when U.S. recessions begin and end.
In Romer, Obama said, he has found an independent economist respected by both conservatives and liberals who has done “groundbreaking research on many of the topics our administration will confront, from tax policy to fighting recessions.”
Lastly, Obama named Melody Barnes to be the director of his Domestic Policy Council (DPC), which he said will focus in part on healthcare reform as part of his economic recovery plan.
Before joining Obama’s transition team, Barnes was executive vice president for policy at the Center for American Progress, where her focus was on policies to help middle-class families. She also served as chief counsel to Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Melody’s brilliant legal mind and her long experience working to secure the liberties on which this nation was founded, as well as to secure the opportunities for those who’ve been left behind, make her a perfect fit for DPC director,” Obama said.
Big stimulus to be signed quickly
Obama’s plans to boost the economy aren’t likely to be limited to investing in infrastructure and energy initiatives.
Several other measures are expected as well. Among some of the possibilities discussed: direct federal aid to states and cities, tax cuts for low- and middle-income Americans, increased food stamp payments, and a tax credit for businesses that create new jobs in the United States.
Whatever Obama and his economic team ultimately decide to include in the economic recovery package, it’s expected that Congress will have the final legislation ready for the president-elect’s signature the day he’s inaugurated.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. expressed strong support for Obama’s appointments and their quest to move quickly on stimulus. “Democrats in Congress share that sense of urgency, which is why we will work quickly to pass a substantial economic recovery package,” Reid said in a statement.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made a similar pledge, and stressed that “in this time of economic crisis, bipartisan action is not only in order, it is essential.”
But some key Republicans are sending signals that they will not rubber stamp whatever the Obama team and their Democratic supporters in Congress back.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a Washington Post article on Monday said, “Democrats can’t seem to stop trying to outbid each other – with the taxpayers’ money. We’re in tough economic times. Folks are hurting. But the American people know that more Washington spending isn’t the answer.”
Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who sits on the Joint Economic Committee, echoed that response.
“I have a lot of respect for President-elect Obama, but growing Washington with runaway spending is not change, it’s more of the same. If federal spending actually created economic growth, our economy would be booming right now,” DeMint told CNN.
“If the President-elect wants to help the economy recover, he will work with us to reduce taxes and reform the government policies that have been punishing savings, investment and innovation for years,” he added.
Absolutely. It doesn’t matter where they came from. The take home point is that Republicans take power, take profits for the top income brackets through trickle one philosophy, ride the high of an economy until they drain so much sugar it crashes and then leave the steaming wreckage for the Dems to piece back together. Because facts (however unpopular actual facts are in this comment section).
EB
Exactamundo.
Republicans rape. Democrats escape.
Republicans steal. Democrats heal.
America needs to wake up.
Ben Marcus – generally, it’s high taxes that fleece taxpayers. Guess which party has enacted tax increases, enormous gas taxes, and caused many job losses in CA? Hint, it’s not the Republican Party.
How do you think Trump, a former President, is going “fleece” Republicans? Or are you just stringing together insults at random?
Ben Marcus: Says someone who obviously believes what Joe Joe and his slept my way to the top say (and do). If you believe we’re better off today than we were the same time last year you not only stupid, but you’re crazy
I know, right??? Spring time for Hitler and all that? Early days in a pandemic genocide…, such lovely days.
Much better off than a year ago.
We have intelligent responsible leadership in place and not an old fat p**** grabbing, wife-cheating, student-defrauding, charity-stealing charlatan and fraud.
Trump couldn’t con his way out of a pandemic which is why he was voted out after one term.
America is being vaccinated and things are opening up again.
That would not be the case under Trump.
He would have found some way to screw it all up.
Operation Warp Speed, under President Trump’s vision and leadership is WHY we had two effective vaccines with millions being vaccinated BEFORE the end of last year. Fauci, Biden, Harris, etc, were all doubting it would happen before *years* of R&D. Trump got it done. America would not be being vaccinated now if Joe Biden had been in charge at the time.
Biden is in charge and America is being vaccinated.
Trump would have screwed up somehow.
Everything he Touches turns to s***.
Thank Odin he is gone.
“intelligent responsible leadership in place”
Intelligent? Who says? No we don’t. Did you miss the Alaska meeting where China’s top diplomat wiped the floor with Biden’s wimpy secretary of state who was not prepared for the whooping he got? It was an embarrassing display of utter disrespect from China and weakness from Secretary Blinken and the US. We are not in good hands.
“NYT is honest journalism ….”
***************************************
Ah, the punchline to every yellow journalists joke. From the recent 1619 Project Fraud to the Anthrax Person of Interest Lies to Valerie Flame and all the way back to Jayson Blair’s phony stories and who can forget ol’ Weapons of Mass Destruction Judith Miller, the NYT is the paper not of record but the propaganda rag of the Left. Cite them at your peril, Ben, but then again you are the Prince of Prevarication.
Valerie Plame.
And it wasn’t Weapons of Mass Destruction plural – it was Weapon of Mass Destruction singular.
Hussein was trying to get his hands on a suitcase nuke being sold on the blackmarket by Russians.
All he needed was one and he could become the world’s biggest pain in the ass.
Hussein needed killing, and he got what he deserved.
And like most small-minded people, you accentuate a couple of glitches and completely miss the much bigger picture.
When NYT are wrong, they admit it. As they did with Jayson Blair
As they did with Sicknick.
A handful of retractions in millions of words of reporting is pretty good.
You just don’t like the side of the fence they are on, so keep watching Fox and believe everything they feed you.
You want to be a gullible sap, no one can stop you.
Ben Farkus:
Your are as credible as the Times is and about as superfluous as the grammar police can be. Tack that to your thin skin and we get a surfer dude intellectually powered by sailboat fuel with a god complex. You aren’t just a troll. You’re the California of trolls and all rolled into one dung heap. Congrats, you da man!
Shouldn’t God be capitalized? It’s proper spelling and grammar that distinguish us from the Mongol races.
And my arguments about the NYT were pretty good – a handful of mistakes and retractions in over a century of reporting?
I was at a surf content in Lemoore and met William Finnegan from the New Yorker.
The dud who won a Pulitzer for a book on surfing.
I read him the riot act on a story The New Yorker ran on the Hollister clothing company.
Shockingly inaccurate and this was The New Yorker – the gold standard for getting it right.
Y’all better stick to Mad Magazine and USA Today.
NYT probably above your pay grade and will just confuse you.
I like this Ben Marcus. Quick witted and loaded with facts. Plus hilarious retorts!
Yeah he’s super smart and funny.
Sweetheart, check the date. April Fools!
No I was serious. He is super smart and funny.
“Your are as credible as the Times is and about as superfluous as the grammar police can be. ”
Bahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
Can’t even get through a sentence about ‘grammar police’ without blowing the first word. Then again, Mespo probably likes to blow things. (Warning: thin skin check)
Aninny:
“Can’t even get through a sentence about ‘grammar police’ without blowing the first word.”
*********************************
I was hoping for Ben Dover to mention it to prove my point but you sucker every time. Wanna buy a bridge? As for blowing things? Yeah like stupid arguments out of the water but my guess your experiences caused you to mean something else. Frustrated much?
Awesome. Big Mess goes all word salad and giggles to himself.
EB
HE ADMITS IT! NYT Editor “The Left Doesn’t Want To Hear Thoughtful Disagreements”
Dean Baquet, the executive editor of the New York Times, said that the left wing in American politics doesn’t want to hear “thoughtful disagreement,” during a panel at Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, on Tuesday.
Baquet was defending the New York Times decision to hire conservative journalist Bret Stephens, who is a climate change skeptic.
“I don’t understand how one can actually have an intellectual discourse in this country if you cannot have the opportunity to read thoughtful people with whom you disagree,” Baquet said.
Baquet continued, “we’re at a moment in the country right now, which I think, you know, the left should do some soul searching, too.”
“The left, as a rule, does not want to hear thoughtful disagreement,” Baquet concluded.
https://vidmax.com/video/157890-he-admits-it-nyt-editor-the-left-doesn-t-want-to-hear-thoughtful-disagreements
The dumbest 50% of America had their idiot president for four years with the expected result: Economic, humanitarian and constitutional disaster.
Thank God America came to its senses and voted that idiot out.
And now country is under the control of the thoughtful left and it’s all going to get better.
Its better already.
The left isn’t afraid of thoughtful discourse it’s just that the right-wing conservatives aren’t capable of it
“The dumbest 50% of America had their idiot president for four years with the expected result: Economic, humanitarian and constitutional disaster.”
***************************
Punks say the darndest things.
Well it’s true.
If you want to see Trump supporters look at the idiots who raided the capitol. A pack of ignorant, mullet-headed, clueless proles incited to Violence by a wannabe Mussolini
That’s the dumbest half of America. On parade.
If you want to see Trump supporters look at the idiots who raided the capitol. A pack of ignorant, mullet-headed, clueless proles incited to Violence by a wannabe Mussolini
**********************
That was 378 people out of 74 million. I like your math skills. About as good as your argumentation ones. So let’s carry that out. The summer race rioters were typically Biden voters (if they bothered to vote at all) who did billions of dollars of damage and murdered at least ten people, so ipso facto, the idiot Biden supporters are rioters and serial murderers, too. Ain’t your ‘logic” fun? Oh nd a serious question: Do they have schools in California or are folks just hatched as geniuses?
How do you know the summer race rioters were Biden voters? I’ll bet most of them were just low-class idiots who wanted to Riot. And couldn’t tell you what they eere writing about.
The mullet headed idiots who raided the capitol represented that 74 million people who voted for Trump.
Anyone with any intelligence has to question the intellect and the Integrity of anyone who supports Trump.
If you have half a brain it’s Crystal Clear he’s a charlatan and a fraud who couldn’t Khan his way out of a pandemic and showed a stunning lack of leadership in the face of an economic and humanitarian crisis.
Trump failed America completely and was voted out after one term and you have to be a real f****** to get voted out after one term
Thank Odin he is gone and stifled in America has come to its senses.
Now hopefully Trump will go to jail along with all the idiots who raided the capitol.
“I’ll bet most of them were just low-class idiots who wanted to Riot.” About as good a definition of Biden voters as I could come up with. Kudos. One thing for sure: they weren’t Trump voters. They’re patriotic capitalist; the rioters — not so much.
Yeah The Classy people supported the guy who bragged about grabbing women by the p**** and cheated on his wife and screwed some sad stripper and paid 130 Grand to keep her mouth shut.
The guy who lost a $25 million dollar lawsuit for defrauding students then was fined $2000000 from stealing from his own charity.
The guy who has gone bankrupt multiple times and has thousands of lawsuits against him.
The guy who lied through his teeth for 4 years and is such a f****** he got voted out after one term.
The guy who lied through his teeth about a stolen election and incited a bunch of impressionable deplorables to read the capital and Destroy property until five people.
That’s the class vote
President Trump lowered black unemployment and poverty to the lowest levels ever, and narrowed the gap between black and white unemployment rates, but now Joe Biden thinks we need massive taxes and spending to achieve “racial equity.”
And Biden’s Chief of Staff, Ron Klain said raising corporate taxes would create jobs. Would love to hear you explain the logic behind that claim.
Trump claims he lowered black unemployment but he’s the boy who cried wolf.
He’s incapable of opening his mouth without telling a lie so you can’t believe a word he says.
And any gains he might have made at the start of his presidency were completely destroyed by Coronavirus.
Covid might have been God’s punishment for a country venal and stupid enough to elect Trump as a leader.
Even the AP admits major problems with DOJ Capitol probe:
“Prosecutors have sometimes struggled to maintain a consistent narrative and had to walk back statements made in court hearings or in papers. It has created an opening for defense attorneys.”
https://amgreatness.com/2021/03/30/the-insurrection-probe-is-falling-apart/
The ‘Insurrection’ Probe Is Falling Apart
The government has created, by their own overheated hyperbole, a nearly insurmountable obstacle to proving their initial accusations in court.
by Julie Kelly
All the evidence they need is right there on video.
Sometimes their own videos and text messages and other social media they’re so damn dumb.
Talk about self-incrimination.
Those idiots are all going to prison.
See how the arrogant California “writer” calls white people “proles.” Proletariat is an insult to him.
Even though he is no capitalist, he wishes to lick their boots, and he insults the workers for being workers.
Funny how today’s Democrat cheerleaders sound so contemptuous of white workers. Because, they are!
Good point. I always wondered what ‘proles’ meant. Didn’t feel the need to waste energy to look it up.
Hi. You’re a moron. You’re a prole.
“Prole” has less to do with social class than it does with intelligence or sophistication.
It’s from 1984 and refers to the unthinking dunderheads who do as they’re told and don’t question.
You, in other words.
In 1984, Orwell describes Oceania’s society as divided into three distinct classes: the Inner Party, the Outer Party (the lower bureaucracy),[3] and the proles[4] (with their own upper, middle and lower classes). The proles made up almost 85% of the population in Oceania;[5] they receive little education, work at manual labor, live in poverty (although in having privacy and anonymity, qualitatively better off than Outer Party members), and usually die by the age of sixty.
As the Party slogan put it: ‘Proles and animals are free.'[6]
— Part 1, Chapter 7
Party members (the Inner Party and Outer Party)[7] are under surveillance via telescreens in both private and public; by contrast, proles’ quarters are generally free of telescreens as the Party does not care to observe them, and the proles who do have telescreens do not use them for surveillance purposes as they are not required to do so. Their functions are simple: work and breed. Proles are described as “caring little about anything but home and family, neighbor quarrels, films, football, beer, lottery tickets, and other such bread and circuses.”
They are not required to express support for the Party beyond occasional, mild patriotic fervor; the Party creates (largely meaningless) entertainment, such as shows, songs, books, and even pornography for the proles—all written by machines. Julia is a mechanic tending the novel-writing machines in Pornosec, the government’s pornography department. Proles are not required to wear uniforms, may use cosmetics, have a relatively free internal market economy, and would be even permitted religion for those that had interest in it. Proles also have liberal sex lives, uninterrupted by the Party; with divorce and sexual activity outside reproduction (oral sex, prostitution, and other acts which would be considered sexcrimes under Newspeak and by the Party members) being permitted. Despite these personal freedoms, the Thought Police do plant agents to spread false rumors among the proles and attempt to identify and eliminate any individual showing too much intelligence and the capacity for independent thought. Prole quarters typically consist of rundown Victorian houses, shops, and pubs. Though trade between Outer Party members and proles is supposed to be prohibited, all Party members participate anyway, as proles’ shops are often the only reliable source for certain necessities (the novel mentions shoelaces and razor blades as examples).
From a certain viewpoint, Proles are regarded as the “truly free” individuals of the State, as they are uninterrupted by the Party’s propaganda or surveillance, kept in check by certain pleasures to maintain docile behavior with minimal fear of elimination. They also maintain Oldspeak (standard English) unlike the Party members who use Newspeak; the Party have never bothered to require the proles to speak Newspeak as they have rarely been caught using words prohibited under Newspeak.
Jumping to conclusions should be an Olympic sport.
I agree that foundational questions, such as her age, and whether they traveled together, should have been resolved within 24 hours and released to the public. The investigation needs to complete, and the results need to be shared with the public. Gaetz’s political party is immaterial. He is either guilty of a crime, or not.
My concern is that the hyper partisan Democrat Congress does not seem to be too concerned with facts. Look at how they bail rioters out of jail who looted and burned for months, while condemning all Republicans for the illegal acts of one small group of people one time? Law and order are not their forte.
Same goes for Cuomo. The investigation needs to be thorough and complete, and then the conclusions shared with the public. Cuomo is either guilty of a crime or workplace misconduct, or he is not. Again, his political affiliation is immaterial.
People should only be in jail pending trial if they’re a risk to the community. If that’s the case, there should be no bail. But it makes no sense at all to keep poor people in jail while wealthy people bail themselves out.
Anonymous – I do see the point in the argument that it’s unfair that poor people cannot afford bail. The problem is this. If you post bail, you loose the asset or funds you put up to the bail bondsman if you fail to appear. If you commit another crime, you are put back in jail. So it is an inducement to show up to court, and at least some pressure to behave while you’re out.
By getting rid of bail, criminals get arrested, and are right back out on the street, where they immediately reoffend. There have been cases where they knock on the door of the person who called the police on them. This is a terrible problem for women who are stalked.
Where is the incentive for them to show up for their court date, or to not commit more crimes, since they have put up nothing to lose?
While I agree that poor people do not have access to bail, I also think that simply doing away with bail has led to more crime. It’s like a revolving door.
Another option is to do away with bail, but have everyone cool their heels in jail while awaiting their court date. That makes it difficult to put affairs in order, however. Plus, jails are over crowded.
Judges can create an incentive when the person is released: tell them that if they’re arrested again prior to trial, they’ll be jailed until the trial.
“By getting rid of bail, criminals get arrested, and are right back out on the street, where they immediately reoffend.”
Some reoffend, but many don’t. Some aren’t even guilty of the crime for which they were initially arrested.
Someone’s innocent, the assertions are that Representative Gaetz had sex and trafficked an underage girl. He stated on Trucker Carlson’s show that the FBI recorded a conversation between his father, himself and FBI agent(s) documenting the attempted extorsion of $25 Million for the accusers silence. If Representative Gaetz was/is guilty of the charges why would he offer this as proof of his innocents? Of course the screaming leftist on this site claim GUILTY; reminding me of the Old West when the town folks would gather at the sheriffs office and demand Hang Um Hang High; we don’t need no inconsequential trial we know he’s guilty. I have never picked bones with our Host Professor Turley but his statement, “Moreover, I took the same position with Gov. Andrew Cuomo” makes a passive accusation equating the Governor’s actions being the same as Representative Gaetz, when there is no accuser named towards the Representative, and numerous towards the Governor.
“That is why Congress may have to step forward to seek confirmation of basic facts on the allegations against Gaetz. It has ample authority and reason to do so.” Whenever I’ve watched a Congressional hearing, it does not appear to act in any investigatory manner. Instead, I hear a bunch of grandstanding, sound bites, and making political hay, and little to no investigating. My mind goes to the “hands up, don’t shoot” debacle on the Senate floor.
But perhaps Turley has had a better experience with committees than the public hearings.
I agree, Karen. The idea that the pterodactyl of the House is interested in due process is overly generous of JT. She wants to kick Republicans out wherever she can’t win at the ballot box.
Wapo/NYT/CNN/ Old Fake News media are all know as long terms Lairs about almost everything that the corrupt players inside FBI/DOJ/CIA is promoting.
As with this old lying media/US Intel slandering Matt Gaetz.
It’s clear as day they are diverting attention from Bill Gates, Bill Clinton riding on Jeffery Epstein’s Pedo Plane the “Lolita Express”.
So Bill Gates you Commie/Nazi, American Hating Ahole, what’s up with you on the Pedo Plane? Inquiring minds want to know.
And what is Biden & his Creeps doing to those kidnapped young kids flooding our Southern Border? Where are those Bus Loads after Bus Loads after Bus Loads????
Visit Banned.Video & take a look at one some piece that Infowars has caught on video.
Oh geez, and I just thought Gaetz is an ornary Eddie Munster. But it turns out he turned up like a harsh party foul in the sex trafficking investigation of his friend that has him in jail.
EB
Eddie Munster. Perfect. Doesn’t he just look like a phony preacher who has CREEP tattooed on his forehead. So obvi!
Lol!!
I saw a photo of Gaetz and Jim Jordan next to a Beavis and Butthead image, and the likeness was striking.
+10
EB
EB and Ben both sound like men who have lost their hair. Jealous much?
You wish you had my hair.
You know why Rush Limbaugh called Biden “plugs” right? Look at videos of Biden from decades back. Male pattern baldness. Joe Joe’s got more hair on top now than he did back then. He’s got new teeth too. And a face made mostly of plastic. And his brain? Hoo boy.
Yeah Biden’s old but he’s president of the United States and you’re just some Anonymous wanker online who quotes Rush Limbaugh and is probably still in mourning for that old sap.
May Alex Jones follow him soon into Dust.
Yep, ol’ Plugs is now at the helm of the US of A. Rest easy America. Joe has been with the government for 50 years and he’s here to help.
Republicans screw it up. Democrats clean it up. You can come up with all the stupid names for Biden you one but he’s off to a flying start at putting this country back on its feet.
THE PRESIDENT: Please, please sit down. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Before I take questions, I want to make — give you a progress report to the nation on where we stand 65 days into office here on vaccinations and a few other top priorities for the American people.
First, on vaccinations: On December 8th, I indicated that I hoped to get 100 million shots in people’s arms in my first 100 days. We met that goal last week by day 58 — 42 days ahead of schedule.
Now, today, I’m setting a second goal, and that is: We will, by my 100th day in office, have administered 200 million shots in people’s arms. That’s right: 200 million shots in 100 days.
I know it’s ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country in the world has even come close — not even close — to what we are doing. And I believe we can do it.
And today, we’ve made a historic investment in reaching the hardest-hit and the most vulnerable communities, the highest-risk communities — as a consequence of the virus — by investing an addition $10 billion in being able to reach them.
I also set a goal, before I took office, of getting a majority of schools in K through 8 fully open in the first 100 days. Now, thanks to the enormous amount of work done by our administration, educators, parents, local, state education officials and leaders — a recent Department of Education Department survey shows that nearly half of the K-through-8 schools are open now full time, five days a week, for in-person learning. Not yet a majority, but we’re really close. And I believe, in the 35 days left to go, we’ll meet that goal as well.
As of yesterday, more than 100 million payments of $1,400 have gone into people’s bank accounts. That’s real money in people’s pockets, bringing relief instantly, almost. And millions more will be getting their money very soon.
One final note: Since we passed the American Rescue Plan, we’re starting to see new signs of hope in our economy. Since it was passed, a majority — a majority of economic forecasters have significantly increased their projections on the economic growth that’s going to take place this year. They’re now projecting it will exceed 6 percent — a 6 percent growth in GDP.
And just this morning, we learned that the number of people filing for weekly unemployment insurance fell by nearly 100,000 persons. That’s the first time in a year the number has fallen below the pre-pandemic high.
So there are still too many Americans out of work, too many families hurting, and we still have a lot of work to do.
But I can say to you, the American people: Help is here, and hope is on the way.
Now I’ll be happy to take your questions.
Lost some, yes. I’ve put my time in for sure. Oddly enough I’ve got curls popping up beneath my cap these days for the first time in awhile though. Not like the days when I wore a do rag under a fedora with tiny John Lennon shades. But you know.
EB
Gaetz is a walking sex scandal.
Look at the guy – a poofy, plasticized political phony = Swaggart x Falwell x John Edwards.
You have to question the morals and/or integrity of anyone who blindly follows Trump.
Hopefully this dingaling will go down in flames.
I wonder that the 17 year old looked like?
There are facts and there are opinions. If you have facts, share. If not…
There are also impressions and gut instincts.
Gaetz is as phony as a three dollar bill.
In fact, they should put Trump on the three dollar bill.
There’s a good idea.
Jealous baldie!
Wrong Ben Marcus. There is a bald Ben Marcus who writes for the New Yorker. C’est n’est pas moi, although I would like to write for the New Yorker.
NYT, WaPo lied for constantly for 4 years about: collusion, spying at Trump Tower, Gen Flynn, Kavanaugh, Trump call to Georgia, Hunter Biden’s laptop, Trump paying taxes, Ofc Sicknick, “armed” riot on 1/6, Covington Catholic, Project Veritas, Charlottesville.
These publications are propaganda smear machines for the Democrat party and have no relationship with the truth. If you believe their headlines you are a fool .. as many Americans have proven themselves to be.
Every single report I’ve seen about this made clear that this is nothing but an investigation. No one has “speculated” as to anything else. Butt-ugly Gaetz is the one demanding that law enforcement release tapes, etc., but they do not, and should not, do this for an ongoing investigation. My understanding is that he does not deny purchasing an airline ticket for this underage girl to a destination where he was also going. He said that he has frequently purchased airline tickets for people that he doesn’t know well. He also claims that someone attempted to extort his father to the tune of $25 million. Turley claims these things prove someone is lying. No, they don’t.
Oh, and for Turley’s claim that if these things turn out to be true that Gaetz will be kicked out of Congress, don’t hold your breath. There is literally no bridge too far for Republicans. I mean, if conspiring with Russians to cheat to get into the White House, if trying to cut a deal with the Ukrainian President to gin up false allegations against a political rival and fomenting a riot by lying about losing an election aren’t enough, then this certainly won’t.
But as the comments from the Fox News, OAN, News Max, and Breitbart disciples show, it wouldn’t matter what quantum of evidence was brought forward, if Tucker and Hannity say it isn’t true, they won’t believe it.
Attention! ^^^ Russiagate CultTrue Believer above ^^^^
I don’t understand how any conversation between Gaetz’ father and law enforcement can prove anything other than deference towards a wealthy elite person. What could his father confirm over the phone that could carry veracity without a follow through verification of his responses by law enforcement?
“. . . deference towards a wealthy elite person.”
Your class-warfare ideology is blinding you to a search for the facts.
“. . . a follow through verification of his responses by law enforcement?”
Such documentary evidence (along with more) has been publicly available for days:
“Assistant U.S. Attorney David Goldberg responded [in writing]: ‘I can confirm that your client [Gaetz’s father] is working with my office as well as the FBI at the government’s request in order to determine if a federal crime has been committed. This has been discussed with, and approved by, the FBI as well as the leadership of my office and components of Main Justice.’”
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/documents-detail-alleged-matt-gaetz-25-million-extortion-scheme
Somewhere else someone posted math doesn’t lie. In this case we recall figures can lie and liars can figure.
SMEAR by the Leaky DEM DOJ/FBI, add in the NY TIMES, the DEM’s, MSM and it all SMELLS of a SMEAR. Gaetz came out strong and forced NY TIMES reporter to back off some and if their are recordings they will say it all. Ex DOJ lawyer may be in some big trouble.
As much as I dislike the politics and personality of Mr. Gaetz, in my view if is far too early to comment on the pending investigation, let alone call for his resignation or expulsion from Congress.
Just a new version of the P tape. All nonsense meant to shoot down a formidable opponent.
…why does this smell like a hit job on Gaetz?
I believe Matt Gaetz. Our “justice” department is a uniparty smear/leak sewer and can’t be trusted.
How tall is he?
Lol!Good one!
Politics of personal destruction.
Don’t like Gaetz (that is immaterial), but he could well be a target just because of his politics.
Gaetz deserves the presumption of innocence and these calculated leaks are intended to destroy him before resolution.
Makes my dislike of Lefties even stronger.
(Right has used these tactics in the past and they too were wrong; and I spoke up then.)
The investigation began under Trump during a period where all political investigations had to be approved by Bill Barr. Hardly a group of lefties. I dislike Gaetz who has publicly lied nearly as much as The Donald, yet I have no idea if he is guilty. Your assumption that “lefties” are leaking is unfounded, more facts are likely to come out soon.
This is required reading for you enigma:
https://thefederalist.com/2021/03/31/its-important-to-be-honest-about-what-todays-media-actually-are/
There are propagandists on both sides, it’s up to the citizenry to determine the truth.
At least Biden had a fair and open press conference.
Did he ban anyone from showing up or asking questions?
No,.
We just got through the biggest piece of shit, corrupt presidency in the history of America.
Biden is a breath of fresh air.
Stop being stupid.
Did he ban anyone from asking questions? Uh, yeah, they did. Did he “open it up to questions” and take them on the fly? No he did not. Did he only call on pre-selected “journalists” from his “chart” that included their photos with numbers next to them indicating the order to call on them! Yes! And for all we know those same “journalists” agreed to submitting their questions in advance. It was a pitiful excuse for a “press conference.” It was highly scripted, managed, controlled and it was pitiful to watch.
Don’t be stupid ya moron.
You know who had fair and open press conferences? President Trump. He even called on Jim Acosta and answered his questions! He may have prefaced it with “You’re CNN Fake News” but he still took all questions. Joe Biden doesn’t even think he should be questioned. “Come on, man!” He can’t handle it. He flies off the handle and verbally attacks the questioner. That’s part of the problem why they keep a tight leash on old Joe.
I see you’ve moved on to an entirely new subject after your laughable attempt to explain history to me.
Regarding your current post, there are some left wing journalists that are opportunists trying to make a buck and whose slant on the news makes it unwatchable. The late Ed Schultz was one example. One has to get news from a number of sources (including the right) to begin to sort out what is real, doing your own research as needed. Having said that, all those on the right that attack “the media” never include some of the most powerful media figures on Fox News. They can’t even call themselves journalists anymore and for the most part are opinion show hosts. The truth has started smacking them in the ass, Lou Dobbs got fired for his lies and the most recent billion dollar lawsuit brought by Dominion has others quaking in their boots. How many unnecessary deaths from Covid resulted from Fox’s anti-mask, anti-science, anti-social distancing coverage and platform? I could respect Ed Henry as a White House correspondent. But Peter Doocy? You’re probably hoping Trump does actually start his own channel, we’ll never hear the truth then.
Thank you.
CNN and MSNBC and other left-leaning mainstream media might be slanted towards liberalism but they are not as remotely as blatantly dishonest as Fox news.
Every time I see Fox News it seems like a Saturday Night Live parody of a corrupt news program but nope people really do believe that stuff.
At least they attempt to tell the truth.
But half of America wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped into bed with them.
You seem desperate for a hookup there, Ben. Jump into bed is your catch phrase of the day. Hope you get some tonight. Maybe a hottie will jump in your bed tonight and when you ask her name as you leave $50 bucks on the table, she’ll say, “True, my name is True.”
Or maybe in your Spicoli accent you just say, “Aloha, Mr. Hand. Let’s party.”
Just remember, people on ludes should not drive.
Only creeps pay for sex. Funny how that’s the first thing that came to your mind.
That’s the best ya got? As your favorite president would say, ‘Come on man.”
Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8v0TXRTu4E
I watch Fox from time to time, as much as I can stand. They’ve run off almost all the serious news people. Hannity and Tucker are competing for who’s the worst. The saddest thing is the people who believe everything they say.
This investigation began under the Trump Administration. Blaming the Left is as much of an uninformed opinion as anyone taking a side in this case. Bias is everywhere and on all sides. It’s just harder to see when it’s on one’s own side.
enigmainblackcom & Kidrambler
Investigation started under Barr. Good
Investigation made public under the Dems. Bad.
Did either of you know about this investigation prior to 1/20/21?
I didn’t and nobody I know did.
Your posts are typical of the obfuscation (nice way of saying deceit) practiced by Lefties.
You fellows lost a lot of credibility.
enigmainblackcom: I usually disagree with you, but never saw such a direct mislead as this last post.
Please be more specific as to how I’m being misleading? The leak didn’t have to come from “lefties’ no matter the date. Think of the number of people who would have access to information during the length of the investigation, including Republicans trying to distance themselves from the stench of the previous administration. I doubt I was misleading because I didn’t try to lead you or anyone anywhere. Too much is still unknown.
What’s the over/under on Gaetz wearing the gas mask when he got jiggy with the 17 year old???
I believe Matt Gaetz in a heart beat. I don’t believe the FBI/Dept Of In-Justice now, tomorrow, the day after that or ever.