Schumer and Wyden are calling out Johnson and Grassley on the Senate floor right now.👀
Wyden brings up Andreii Dirkach (an active agent of foreign intelligence) Asks why is he meeting with Giuliani? Asks what would you call someone aiding Russians in their interference.👀🍿
Johnson is about 9 types of red right now and stammering out a response. He has none. He gaslights by saying the Democrats are hypocrites. Says the Democrats are violating clause against being mean to other senators. The president has to remind him to not impune other senators.
So exactly doing what he just blamed the Democrats of doing. He is now 10 types of red.
He blames Sen Peters staff who introduced into the record a chart used by Derkach. Without objection by the way. And because of the investigation being run by Johnson.
Johnson says the Steele Dossier was paid for by Democrats. He makes no mention of the fact it was republicans who first paid for oppo research that would become the dossier. Or that it was Lindsey Graham who advised McCain to give to the FBI.
“There is no place for political violence” has been a pretty common refrain throughout the weekend. It really got me thinking. ”Political violence” must be one of those “you know it when you see it” types of things.
Let’s see…
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Political violence strikes me as a visual medium but there are so many things that occur before we see the blood that I think might be political violence. Are we just numb to it? How do we define what is political violence and what is just violence? Why is it different?
Are Texas Gov Greg Abbott’s razor balls floating in the river, considered “political violence”? Kind of. I mean, the idea is people from south of the US shouldn’t be allowed to come here and take our jobs.
Political.
To deter from this, razor balls in the river.
Violence.
There’s been a lot said about Joe Biden since the debate. I, along with so many of you, watched it play out in real time as respected news transmitters read out ‘inside texts’ from knee jerk reactionaries.
After much thought, I won’t be voting for Joe Biden because he’s old.
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I’ll be voting for Joe Biden because he’s team democracy. I’m voting for ideas he represents. I’m voting for the team of people he can put together. I’m voting for my own interests and for your ability to vote for your own interests. I didn’t vote for him last time either, btw.
In 2020, I voted for a November 5th, 2024 election. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were the only options on the ballot that allowed this. I colored in Joe and Kamala’s bubble to keep the lights on long enough for us to have this election. Like many of you, I voted team democracy.
I am loathe to do predictions. However, there are some things you just can’t help but see coming. Project 2025 is a blinking red alarm and we all need to be aware of the stakes of this election. Please familiarize yourself with EO11246, be discriminating voters.
A wee thread🧵👇🏻
On September 24th, 1965 President Lyndon Johnson signed Executive Order 11246. EO11246 established Equal Opportunity Employment. It includes Non-Discrimination in Government. It includes Non-Discrimination Employment by Government Contractors and Subcontractors.
Focus on Non-Discrimination Employment by Government Contractors and Subcontractors. In Sub Part B under Contractor’s Agreements, contractors agree to not discriminate against employees based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Trust me…
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The above is the oath the President takes at 12 noon on January 20. Typically, it is administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court but there is no law that makes that a requirement. You could have your gran do it. So why is it *usually* the Chief Justice?
For this thread let’s assume the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is there as a symbol of the law. Chief Justice Roberts in a way represents the Judicial Branch of our government on the day it grants power to the person who will symbolize the Executive Branch.
If trump wins, the period between Biden and trump would see the installation of trump acolytes in every corner of our government ready to begin the dismantling of institutions on January 20, 2025.
Have you ever heard of a Blackie’s Warrant?
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Of course not because it has no impact on your life whatsoever. Or does it? Because it totally does. If you have ever eaten in a restaurant, or eaten food from a grocery store or stayed in a hotel, or had a loved one being cared for, you may want to keep reading.
On March 17, 1978, a warrant was served upon Blackie’s restaurant as Immigration and Naturalization Services removed 15 employees. 10 of those were proven to be subject to deportation. What was the probable cause to issue such a warrant?
You may have recently seen an article @mtredden wrote in the Huffington Post about Judges going to a fancy West Virginia resort with the Koch funded Judicial Education Institute picking up the tab.
The article discusses how a newly appointed federal judge (who is married to an Affinity Partner of Jared Kushner, btw) did away with mask mandates on airplanes with the help of something called the Corpus of Historical American English.
The COHAE is a database of words and their meaning throughout history. According to Corpus of Founding-Era American English and former Chapman University (👀) professor James Phillips, “Corpus linguistics is the tool that originalists have been waiting for.”