Trump Crime Family Members Have to Take the Witness Stand Against Daddy

There's a big week coming up for the children of the Trump Crime Family who have to testify under oath next week in the family's fraud trial in New York.

This will be prime time entertainment as we listen to Don Jr., Eric, and Ivanka try to weasel out of telling the truth.

Don Jr. and Eric are defendants in the fraud case. Ivanka was a defendant, but an appeals court dismissed the case against her this summer. But she is still expected to testify next week after an unsuccessful effort Friday to avoid doing so.

All three of the miscreates have to face a judge starting Wednesday. 

The former president is set to testify on Nov. 6.

The Trump Crime Family has been convicted of fraudulently inflating the value of its assets to obtain favorable treatment from banks and insurance companies. The case is currently in the penalty phase to determine the extent of their penalties.

Some Thoughts.

* I'll be watching to see if Don Junior's eyes are mere slits perched above his runny nose.

* It ought to be amusing watching Daddy Trump throw his son Eric under the bus by placing blame on him as he acted in his stead while he was the president.

* Watching Ivanka squirm in the hot seat will be fun as she tries to protect herself while testifying against Daddy.

* Guaranteed big ratings for the channels that show the trial.

* Viewers may get treated to watching Trump (in videos after the fact) lose his shit in court during the testimonies. The judge, Arthur Engoron, has already punished him for violating gag orders (2) and fined him a total of $15,000.

* I'm going to start a betting line on the odds that Trump gets his plump butt thrown in jail after pushing a judge too hard.

As it stands, is it just a coincidence that Republicans are said to be divided into different families with Trump as the head of the gang? Can you say MAGA Mafia?

Gag or Not to Gag? That is the Question for Dealing with Motormouth Trump

Gag me a MAGA maggot!

Why can't judges find a big enough gag that fits over Trump's yawning yap?

He's violated gag orders twice in his civil fraud trial in New York and had to pay $15,000 in fines. 

Judge Engoron has repeatedly warned Trump to quit attacking his staff, but the fines don't seem to bother him. He figures his donors will be paying them for him. As long as there's people stupid enough to give him money out of their social security checks, he'll continue the grift.

In another Trump trial the Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a gag order on October 16 that prevented him from making certain public statements about people in the case-like prosecutor Jack Smith, his team, court staff or witnesses-after prosecutors argued his social media posts were threatening.

In a surprise move Chutkan temporarily halted the gag orders allowing Trump's team time to appeal it. 

The reason it was a surprise is the judge knew what was happening in the New York trial - that Trump was impudently violating gag orders and still she issued a stay. 

The end result was predictable.

Trump immediately went after his former chief of staff Mark Meadows when the news broke that he was getting immunity in return for testifying truthfully under oath about Trump's actions during the Jan. 6 coup attempt.

Trump posted thinly veiled threats on his failing website Truth Social that Meadows wouldn't dare to flip on him.  

"Some people would make that immunity deal (to testify), but they are weaklings and cowards, and so bad for the future our failing nation. I don't think Meadows is one of them, but who really knows?"

Prosecutor Jack Smith accused Trump of issuing "multiple prejudicial and threatening Truth Social posts to influence and intimidate a future witness" and asked Judge Chutkan to lift the stay on the gag order and modify the conditions of Trump's release to include compliance with the order.

What good has the gag orders done thus far? Trump laughs at the financial fines and just redoubles his efforts at intimidating witnesses in his numerous trials.

A gag order with no teeth is a waste of court time and money. It's about time to put some bite back in the judicial system and to slap his fat ass in jail, which would have happened a long time ago against any other defendant. But Trump is making a case that he's above the law.

And so far, he's succeeding.

There's a great hesitancy among judges in the four trials against Trump to see who will actually put him in the pokey first. Locking up a former president is not a good look but letting him get away with jerking our judicial system around is a worse look.

As it stands, for the sake of our democracy we can't allow anyone - former president or not - to attempt to overthrow the republic and steal top security documents without reprisals. Lock him up!

War Abroad to War at Home: A Mass Murder in Maine

America's undeclared war rages on.

Homegrown terrorists murdering civilians has become so common place that there's even a ritual after mass shootings. 

1. The NRA blames everything and everybody but their AR-15s for contributing to this senseless slaughter of innocent people.

2. Republicans "pray" for the victims but refuse to take any legislative actions to curtail this war on Americans by Americans.

3. Democrats get outraged and try to pass bills banning weapons of war but without any support from Republicans they fail nearly every attempt to pass meaningful gun legislation in wake of another massacre.

BANNER HEADLINES

The sickness of mass shootings that continue to plague American society struck again when a lone shooter went on a killing spree in a small Maine town yesterday.

The suspect is still at large, and authorities have warned the community to shelter in place because he's ex-military and is very familiar with weapons.

Authorities are enlisting the news media in their efforts to find the killer who can be seen in a video pointing his assault style weapon as he walks into a bowling alley. A slaughter happens next and in a nearby restaurant when the killer ruthlessly murders at least 18 people.

The killer has been identified as Robert R. Card II, and Army reservist with 20 years of military experience. His colleagues remember him as a skilled shooter who was among the best shooters in his unit.

Turns out he's a mental case and was taken to Keller Army Community Hospital for "behaving erratically" and making troubling statements about killing people, for several weeks.

As in past mass shootings, mental health problems seem to be at the core of these devasting killings.

Just two days ago all the news media was focused on the Israeli/Hamas war where Americans have been killed and taken hostage.

America and the world watched in horror when Hamas fighters massacred Israeli teenagers at a Peace Festival.

Now Americans at home are trying to cope with another mass shooting. This is the 565th mass shooting just this year.

As it stands, sadly it appears that the war in the Middle East is going to get worse. It's the same fate Americans face with our undeclared war at home.

GOP House Members Finally Elect a New Speaker - What's Next?

Republican Rep. Mike Johnson turned out to have less enemies that the prior wannabee speakers and was handed the gavel today.

My first reaction is I'm glad the drama has ended opening up legislation again in Congress. Maybe the world will quit laughing at us, although I wouldn't bet on it - we still have MAGA morons embedded in Congress.

Now what will happen?

With Johnson - an election denier - at the helm will we avoid shutting down the government on November 17? Is it a priority? Or are we going to see more embarrassing dysfunction from the MAGA heavy Republican party?

Let's face it, Johnson is a vocal supporter of Trump and was a key congressional figure in the failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He sent emails asking House Republicans to sustain the objection to electoral votes on January 6, 2021.

So, I don't expect him to go against the Donald's demands as he's going to be the real speaker of the House. 

Rep. Johnson is just another marionette in Trump's closet of puppets. But what choice was there? Whoever they elected had to be a Trump minion ready to defend his lies in real time.

Perhaps the most troubling part of Johnson being the speaker is the question, will he certify the elections results if the Democrats win in 2024?

As it stands, like it or not, there's now a speaker in the House. Let's hope he doesn't burn it down on Trump's orders.

America is in a Coma and Needs to Wake Up Before Democracy Dies

There are zombies roaming in the streets of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the rest of the red states. 

They've taken up residence in Congress and state legislative districts across the country. While they are causing chaos the rest of the nation is in a coma.

There are just too many bad things happening daily from coast to coast. Listening to the news is a shocking, depressive experience that takes us on a tour of fear, loathing, and revelations that shake the republic to its foundations.

The majority of Americans are acting like survivors in a Siberian gulag striving to stay awake, but their senses have been so battered with the crime and corruption throughout the land they just want to sleep it off and wake up to a better tomorrow.

Watching helplessly as a former president attempts to destroy our democracy is an ongoing nightmare. One man has defied all the rules in the land and so far, he's gotten away with his high crimes.

The fact that Trump is trying to get re-elected by every corrupt means possible is a daily drama invading our homes. People are tired of the constitutional meltdown led by the MAGA zombies embedded into the government.

Congress is in a coma and unable to function because of those zombies. They can't even agree among themselves who they want to lead their mindless agenda. 

The Republicans repeated attacks on people being "woke" is very telling. In fact, even the idea of being awake and aware is scary to those zombies that pledge allegiance to Trump.

As it stands, wake up sleepy America! Vote those zombies out of the state and federal government next November.

House GOP Clowns Keep the Circus Going in Congress

What's a circus without clowns?

The ongoing MAGA circus began in January this year and is still going strong in October.

The entertainment has provided a lot of dark humor that isn't playing too well with the majority of Americans.

Did you know that clowns have a hierarchy? Yeah, there's top clowns and middling clowns masquerading as Republican lawmakers in Congress.

Ladies and gentlemen! In this ring we have:

House Oversight Committee Chairman James the Clown Comer who has been trying to uncover any criminal evidence against President Joe Biden since February. The results have been zilch. None. Nada. Not even close.

Comer the clown hasn't let that bother him however as he keeps promising to pull a rabbit out of his MAGA cap. Last week he got all excited and published a message via social media that read, "We have found a $200,000 DIRECT payment to Joe Biden!"

Fireworks went off in the tent as his bombshell news was shared everywhere in the right-wing media. Trump flags broke out as middling clowns parading around in glee.  

Yes, but it was just a loan to his brother James who paid him back. It was perfectly legal. It's why James literally wrote on the check itself, "Loan repayment." Talk about boring. Comer the Clown is having trouble entertaining his base.

No wonder. This latest dud comes on the heels of other duds that were failures. Like making promises he couldn't keep, holding hearings that undermined his own partisan efforts, and releasing ostensible "evidence" filled with factual errors.

In the Main Ring we have: 

The entire Republican majority in the House is without a speaker because too many clowns spoil the stew - or something like that.

The competing acts between evil clowns Gym Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Kevin McCarthy, have literally become showstoppers leaving the MAGA base drooling and wanting more sideshows.

The search for a new speaker has been a series of cascading debacles with each one worse than the last.

The scary part is these clowns can't agree on what color their makeup should be let alone a speaker, and they're running out of time before the tent folds up and shuts down our government.

As it stands, the best remedy for dealing with these political clowns is not to elect them. Now there's a good idea. Remember them in November 2024.

Cattle Call for New House Speaker Features 9 Candidates That Don't Inspire Anyone

Who are those guys that suddenly decided to run for speaker of the house? 

They're not exactly household names. They all have one thing in common however, they're taking advantage of an unexpected opportunity to gain some real power in the party.

Since Matt Gaetz set the house on fire it's been a shit show of epic proportions. The last candidate running to replace ousted Kevin McCarthy lost the house vote three times before the party realized Jim Jordan was just too toxic.

We now have nine candidates stepping up on the national stage of this absurd theatre of the damned in Congress. Seven are election deniers and didn't vote to certify Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. Two of them actually did certify Biden's win.

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Rep. Tom Emmer (Minn.) voted to certify election.

Rep. Kevin Hern (Okla.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Pete Sessions (Tex.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Austin Scott (Ga.) voted to certify the election. 

Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Jack Bergman (Mich.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Mike Johnson (La.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Dan Meuser (Pa.) voted against certifying the election.

Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.) voted against certifying the election.

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On Monday the party is holding a conference to hear from this new crop of chaos candidates seeking the gavel. 

The plan is to vote Tuesday on its speaker designate. The trouble with that is nothing has gone as planned in the last nineteen days since Gaetz paralyzed Congress.

Who really believes this group of misfit lawmakers are going to come up with a nominee that will be able to get 217 votes?

Keep in mind this pathetic display of governing is inching the country towards a key deadline: the government will run out of funds on November 17th.

As it stands, the only hope I see for the GOP to get a nominee approved is by working with the Democrats. Let's see if my prediction turns out to be true.

Infectious Diseases Are Rising in America

(Close up macro of small sand fly gnat on green leaf - Getty Images/Ezumelmages)

While no one was looking after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic a host of other infectious diseases have been spreading through the states.

Especially in Florida and Texas.

A new report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) described an endemic in Texas where parasitic flesh-eating sand flies are spreading a disease - leishmaniasis - in the state.

Although relatively common in other parts of the world it didn't show up in the United States until the last few years. A form of the disease is now "native" or endemic to parts of Texas.

According to the World Health Organization, there are three forms of leishmaniases: "visceral (the most serious form because it is almost always fatal without treatment); cutaneous (the most common, usually causing skin ulcers); and mucocutaneous (affecting mouth, nose, and throat)."

Next.

For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. has recorded homegrown malaria cases.

Cases have been discovered in Florida, Texas, and Maryland. There's a concern that if malaria and other diseases are re-emerging, or emerging in places where they haven't previously been it's going to become a larger health issue in the future.

With the climatic changes the conditions are becoming more favorable for malaria transmission.

Reemerging diseases include malaria, tuberculous, cholera, pertussis, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and gonorrhea.

New strains of known disease-causing organisms are also appearing. For example, the overuse of antibiotics has led to disease causing organisms that are resistant to medicines.

Researchers say the increased number of global travelers is contributing to recent renewal of many infectious diseases in America. 

The CDC has made it clear there are a number of factors causing these outbreaks. The challenge now is to stay ahead of the curve by educating the public on safety measures and developing new vaccines. 

As it stands, we can't do anything about the bad effects of climate change, or travelers bringing diseases, but we can stay informed on them, especially where we live in order to protect ourselves.

Revenge of the Rhinos, 2 US Hostages Released, and Chesebro Flips on Trump

       What a day!

     Good News!

Two US hostages have been released by Hamas Friday. 

A mother and daughter are now in safely in Israel. 

Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natali Raanan from the Chicago area had been visiting relatives when Hamas stuck, and they were captured.

Next.

House Republicans have failed for the third straight time to elect Jim Jordan for speaker of the house with more members voting against him on every round.

Worse yet, there doesn't appear to be a way out of the clusterfuck the GOP has created for themselves. 

They're reduced to name calling, threatening lives of wives of some members, canceling each other on social media platforms, finger-pointing at the Democrats for not saving their silly asses, and other unproductive pursuits.

Day 17 - Congress in chaos. With no leader before November 17th, the entire government will shut down with serious consequences.

Next

Another Trump crony flipped on him Friday in the Fulton County election subversion trial.

His campaign legal advisor Kenneth Chesebro (photo above) struck a deal with the prosecution to save his ass and testify against Trump.

This surprising turn of events may harken a stampede among other co-defendants to make similar deals.

Thursday it was Sidney Powell who flipped a day before her jury trial was to take place. Now Chesebro has done the same thing the day before his trial. 

That makes three defendants - Scott Hall, Sidney Powell, and Kenneth Chesebro, who have flipped on Trump. Let's hope it's a trend.

As it stands, there's certainly been some BIG NEWS lately. These are just my three picks among many to select from.

Surprise! Kraken Lawyer Sideny Powell Pleads Guilty to Election Subversion

After threatening Trump opponents with "releasing the Kraken" in court cases defending Trump, Sidney Powell suddenly admitted her guilt today in a move that surprised everyone.

Her trial was set to start tomorrow. After confessing to her role in the breach of election systems in rural Coffee County, Georgia, Powell has agreed to cooperate with AG Fani Willis and testify under oath.

Keeping count. That's two defendants who admitted guilt in the Fulton County election subversion trial. Scott Hall, and Sidney Powell.

Trump's craziest lawyer, Powell, is still facing legal problems beyond the Georgia case. She is an unindicted co-conspirator in the federal election subversion case that Jack Smith filed against Trump.

It doesn't end there. She is facing massive defamation lawsuits from two voting technology companies who sued her for falsely accusing them of rigging the 2020 election.

At this point it looks like Powell will be releasing the Kraken against Donald Trump. There's no such thing as halfway cooperation.

She will be expected to truthfully expose Trump's part in the criminal conspiracy, and other bad actors like Misty Hampton the Coffee County election supervisor that she worked with in the nefarious scheme to disenfranchise Georgia voters.

There's no doubt this development came as a happy surprise to prosecutors who face numerous challenges bringing all the perpetrators to justice.

We may witness a domino effect as the other defendants decide to take Powell's example and try to save themself from prison time. I wouldn't count on it, but today's news is going to make them all think twice.

As it stands, my guess is Trump took a bigly dump in his diapers after this news came out this morning.

The Wages of Trumpism: Bully Jim Jorden Loses 2 Bids for House Speakership - Enough is Enough

By now you'd think the GOP members of the House have learned their lesson trying to promote Trumpism via Gym Jordan.

Jordan is a loser. Just like his idol the orange guy who lives in Florida and still thinks he's the president of the United States, he's a thug that found out he can't get away with threatening his peers if they didn't vote for him.

For example, Jordan and cronies carried out a threat campaign on the 20 members who didn't vote for him during the first round in the Game of Political Thrones. 

Republican Rep. Don Bacon's wife received numerous emails and texts saying, "your husband better support Jim Jordan."

Pure Trumpism. Jordan has adopted Trump's scorched earth tactic of intimidation in order to obtain power. He just lost his second attempt today with more Republicans voting against him than in the first round.

He should take that as a hint, although it's not clear if he will. He may try one more time to pull a rabbit out of his tight-fitting MAGA hat, but it'll be a losing effort. Something Republicans are getting use to when enabling Trump's stooges in Congress.

The scary part of this whole breakdown in the House is someone like Jordan could have emerged the new Speaker. It would have been like giving the nuclear codes to a domestic terrorist. His first act would have been to shut the government down if his MAGA agenda wasn't accepted by the Senate. 

No doubt Trump would have been proud of his bad boy. Americans would suffer while Jordan held the government hostage.

That didn't happen. But where do we go from here? The GOP has proven they can't govern, and it appears no one will be able to get the necessary votes to be the speaker. I suspect a short-term solution will come up at some point.

Frankly, it has to. 

As it stands, I hope Americans remember this hot mess in the House next year when it comes time to vote and make the Republicans pay the price for their ineptitude.