Larry Summers and the former Prince, Andrew, are paying a real price for their Epstein ties. Notwithstanding the significance of the yesterday’s votes, Trump’s debt won’t be paid until he resigns or is removed from office by impeachment or 25th amendment. Nothing less will do.
Yes, and the Harvard student papers are staying on Summers' case. Student journalism is doing the accountability journalism that the MSM has failed to do!
Larry Summers should have been excommunicated from the Democratic Party a long time ago. I'm all for a big tent, but this guy is the dumbest person to be considered smart in a long time, he's been wrong about, what? *everything* for a least two decades, and his errors and proclamations have cost us yugely again and again, in many cases *because* he's allowed to claim he's a Democrat. With friends like him...
You know, I'm still not happy about the Coward Caucus, but if you think that's bad, look at how fast and how thoroughly THE ENTIRE GOP caved after Johnson shut down the House for nearly two months just to keep from swearing in the duly elected Adelita Grijalva and her consequently being the 218th signature on the Epstein files petition.
A 14-point lead for Democrats in the Marist poll should scare the !@#$ out of every Republican running for re-election. That means there are people currently in "Safe R" seats who are going to be thrown out of office, especially if the GOP keeps screwing up.
by coward caucus, you may man the senators who moved to re-open? a fellow Hopiumite, sorry, forgot who, suggested it was with Schumer's go ahead since durbin was one of them and preparing the swearing in of Adelita Grijalva and the Epstein vote.. What happened, imo, is, as Simon has explained, many (all?) Rs believed the red wave garbage polls, then the election shocked them into awareness they were about to go down with the ship and Chuck Schumer (for whom I have the utmost respect) and Hakim Jeffries were ready with the Epstein vote lifeboat.
only for those don't look carefully at the entire process - don't think for a minute Schumer didn't know how the vote would go yesterday. Weren't / aren't he and Nancy P legends at vote counting?
The optics to semi-informed Democratic Party base voters definitely looked like weakness based on convos I’ve had this week (which is, of course, anecdotal evidence).
I might be more receptive to the idea it was brilliant if it wasn’t for that damn taxpayer handout to GOP J6ers in Congress that (a minority of) Dems on both sides of the aisle voted for.
My only point here is that it is ridiculous at this point to refer to Dems as weak given all the successes we've had in recent weeks and all of his failures; and the clear data showing that the shutdown did enormous damage to Trump and helped contribute to our huge electoral wins. It's core to my commentary this week and I hope all of you will fight this out in your communities. For those who are still arguing we are weak have not been paying attention to what has happened over the past month or so and are spreading, unhelpful and inaccurate sentiment.
Thank you!! We are not weak, just suffering from the cruelty of the Republican Project 25. Dems, here in TN, are riding high on all this news. Recap of today: Donated $50 to Jon Ossoff, wrote a letter to Rep. Scott Desjarlais thanking him for voting to release the Epstein. Shared with him I am reading "Nobody's Girl by Virginia Guiffre" and said he should read it, too. Side note: he has a record of affairs with his patients and writing certain prescriptions for them. He isn't the good doctor.
I doubt there is anyone who sees the shutdown as a total victory. But imo, it's a war we're having to fight and in all the history I've read in my 85 yrs, I can't recall any war where one side won EVERY battle. I'd just say that in my view, we're WAY ahead of where we were 3-6 mos. ago.
Not pertinent. they haven't been released yet. but, there's plenty out there already. what they're afraid of is not some sex tape it's how enmeshed T was/ is in the financial side, much of that is out there already (thanks Ron Wyden, and others) my poiint was Schumer and Jeffries threw a life raft to all the Rs seeing the writing on the wall. That is a good thing. A strong stand against T. As Simon points out - we don't know what will happen next.
Oh, it's not just orange. There are Dems in the files. And it's an international list of who's who. That's why I wonder what will be released and what was already removed. It's important to remember that they are sanitized for the sake of survivors who need the closure. Not just from the epstein-maxwell files, but others too. The truckers who aren't on the list, the pilots, etc.
I have been following Epstein for a long time. three points: a. it's impossible to sanitize the files because everything is interrelated. b. as pointed out by multiple commenters accross the 'tubes, many intelligence services, we must assume, have [part of] the info. c. some of the financial info is already out there, and pushing on that as Simon notes - looking forward to interview with Ron Wyden - is key. imo that will be enough to bring down T. he is already very weak and even more dangerous, time is of the essence. well, also d. some of our recent, very significant info is from the Epstein estate, not from the 'Epstein files'
I NEVER, EVER, EVER expected to have MTG bring me to tears, except in rage, but that clip of her was truly something………….she is on the right side of history and justice on this, and I am grateful for her courage—-something I also never dreamed I would ever say. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never ending stream.” Amos 5:24
The west part of the county I live in in Georgia is in her district. Not being her constituent has not prevented me from calling her office to express my thanks for the positions she has taken, starting with her speaking out against the massive rise in health care premiums.
It’s the sexual violence against and exploitation of girls. She just gets it.
And it’s nice to see her behave like an adult and leader and see that she’s capable of that. That means that her deranged MAGA persona is an act.
But of course the fact that she’s willing to carry on such an act when convenient means she can’t be trusted in general. Ever. Her I-found-Jesus act is an act too.
But as for the Trump + Epstein victims, she just gets it. (And I say Trump + Epstein victims b/c I strongly suspect some of those bedroom tapes will show Trump using both physical and sexual violence against one or more underage punching bags.)
Pamela, I am a lawyer too. And I agree MTG cannot ever be trusted and has done MANY horrific and crazy and destructive things. Who knows her motivations here? But what she said was true and right this time. I have zero doubt Trump was the number one sidekick participating in the abuse. What moral code of any kind has he ever followed his entire vulgar and perverse and miserable life? The answer is NONE.
I hear where you're coming from. It's just a sad, sad, sad state of affairs when someone gets applauded for just doing what is morally and ethically normal for 99.9% of the population. I mean, how depraved and pathetic is the R party when it's a surprise that someone from within wants accountability for people who committed truly heinous acts???
This is the classic double standard. Dems unanimously support releasing the Epstein files for months, fight like hell for the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid for decades (or, years, for the ACA), create jobs and economic growth at significantly better rates than R's, get no credit for any of it and get called weak by their own base, and yet when R's do something even remotely on the side of the voiceless or powerless (that, again, wouldn't even cause a second of hesitation for 99.9% of the population), they get victory laps.
"I don't get when people act all proud when they say, 'yeah, I take care of my kids!' I mean, WTF?? Why you proud of that?? You supposed to take care of your kids! You don't extra credit for that! It ain't an achievement, it's an expectation!" --Chris Rock
Yes, that’s what I was thinking of. Also I think Virginia Guifrey and maybe some of the others too have described beatings and various physical violence sometimes accompanying the sexual assaults they experienced. It seems pretty obvious that it was occurring frequently.
And Katie Johnson was 13 when she was tied up and struck and the rest. Leaves me with very little patience for “underage women,” “barely legal” or slut-shaming. These were kids.
Agree. I find Simon's categories domination vs. freedom clarify - these 'powerful' men (actually pathetic human beings] were offered private domination to their hearts content in exchange for kompromat. The piggy comment is so repulsive yet so telling. The Katie Johnson deposition describes T acting violently towards a Latina woman iirc whereas Katie, white 'the good one' did not receive violence.
I haven‘t forgiven her. She has years of work ahead if she wants that.
And I haven’t forgotten the harm she has done. I don’t expect any of us ever will.
But neither will I spit in her face when she speaks the truth. Other Democrats have said much the same. And that, right there, is more genuine respect, from Democrats, than she has ever had from T****, who has never been genuine.
Maybe she will like having Democrats call her to say thank you for standing up for healthcare and against sexual predators. Maybe even enough to put in the years of work to make up for the harms she has done. It’s a long shot, and I am not holding my breath. But she has now shown that she has known all along how to do the job right.
It is possible that she was misinformed and changed her mind when she saw what Trump was all about. I hope that is the case and that many more people will be persuaded.
I just called my AZ senators Kelly and Gallego and thanked them for their support of the Epstein survivors, along with the 4 part agenda. I also called my congressman Greg Stanton to thank him also for his support of the Epstein survivors. I'm still unclear as to what procedural move Schumer made for unanimous consent in the senate. I hope Simon can explain how that works.
Don't know for certain, but my gut tells me Schumer acquiesced to a voice vote in the interest of getting the vote over the finish line before MAGA Mike and Thune could get any poison pill amendments added to it.
I assume Schumer had everything lined up and ready to go - the vote held no surprises for Schumer and Jeffries and Thune. Mike Johnson is a problem they needed to get around. Thune was asked about amendments, he said, no amendments on something with such a mandate in the House. What is the rush about. As Simon has explained T is spiralling out of control and crashing into everything.
Schumer simply had to ask for unanimous consent, which then allows any Senator to object and stop the process. Since no one objected, the bill passed. It also avoids a roll call vote, so no one had to be on record of voting against it, so it is also a sort of dodge on accountability. In other words, they didn't want to touch it with a 10 foot pole.
Pima County AZ Board of Supervisors (Tucson+) passed the resolution “…OPPOSING EXECUTIVE OVERREACH, SUPPORTING THE US CONSTITUTION, AND DEFENDING OUR DEMOCRACY”
Another one in the books!
Where it all started back in March with Phin Anderson’s inspiring resolutions to the County Board and also to the Tucson City Council, which should be dropping soon as well. Huge thanks to County Supervisor Jen Allen for directing the momentum for passage among her fellow board members. (Thanks to Supervisor Allen as well for leading the legislative opposition to the proposed ICE detention facility in Marana, NW Tucson, where local opposition is profound and vocal. Subject for another day.)
Here's my audio recording of Phin's awesome testimony and the Pima Co. Board of Supervisor's introduction of the resolution then vote to adopt it 4:1. Randy and others were also slated to testify, but the vote was called due to time constraints.
Fantastic! I may borrow some of the language Phineas used when we get this on our City's agenda. (Paraphrasing from Simon's quote of Thomas Paine -- we will it to be so.)
What a day yesterday! I barely slept - watched the House vote live, and did a fist pump alone in my house when it passed the voice vote. :) Had to work and did not see the Senate vote. Watched the full survivors' press conference, listened to a lot of the coverage, esp. by Lawrence O'Donnell, who received gracious thanks from Rep. Khanna last night. Justice is coming, and she is pissed!
Even the Traitor Rep. Smith voted in favor of the files' release bc he's a coward and does what he's told. UGH. Our House targets in NJ next year are NJ07 (Tom Kean Jr. ) and of course bringing the great Tom Malinowski back to the House in Mikie's old seat, NJ11.
Just signed up for regular monthly donation for the Winning the House fund, already donating to the House 7 & Expansion Funds. I know my $ is well spent!
Gonna get on the phone and thank my wonderful senators who are doing a great job standing up for the people of NJ. Now they need to up the ante. We don't know what we can accomplish, but we have to try. The fact that this country even exists is testament to that.
"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has, and it never will." - Frederick Douglass
"It always seems impossible until it is done." - Nelson Mandela
Trump really seems to be unwinding. The mask is slipping more often. With the treatment of women and girls central to the Epstein scandal, to call a female reporter "piggy" is just so insane and beyond the pale. When he loomed over her it just felt like pure evil. Trying to run a complex coverup while his dementia worsens is not going to go well. His inhibitions are gone.
Other than Clay Higgins, no one in Congress is going to come out and support his coverup either. Bondi and Patel will. Danny BingBong might be the weak link.
Seeing him holding hands with Sheik Bone Saw in the Oval Office that he has desecrated with his gold spray-painted Home Depot decor, so that it looks like a cat house or, at best, a strip mall Thai restaurant, was just so ugly. The venality was on full display. As always, but his ability to cover it up I think is diminished by his progressing dementia.
I chipped in $10 recurring monthly for the Bohannan, Cognetti, Mendoza, and Stelson fund. Not a lot but I have a lot of other donations going on.
I attended the launch of Beth Macy’s campaign to win the VA 6th Congressional District. It has been solid red but Beth Macy has high name recognition as a reporter in Roanoke and author of Dopesick. Keep an eye on this race. Her opponent Ben Kline is 100% MAGA/Trump.
She's got a Dem primary first, right? Ken Mitchell has a real head-start on her. It will be an interesting race to watch and, clearly, VA's strong leftward tilt is encouraging people to run in red districts.
Weds. congresspersons call script (works for team red or blue):
- pass HR 6019 (House supposed to vote on it today per calendar), because [something about no handouts for insurrectionists or we’re not supposed to be a sleazy banana republic where legislators steal taxpayer money.]
this is the one about stopping Congresspeople being able to sue DOJ for a half million dollars on not being informed of their phone records being searched in the J6 investigation, right?
What a beautiful and inspiring quote from Ken Burns The American Revolution. MTG is for once doing her job and protecting the country instead of the orange clown owned by McDonalds.
I am energized now more than ever. Yesterday, Kamala Harris stopped by Nashville and spoke to a huge crowd of Democrats. We are driving up to Nashville to canvas on Saturday and are all dreaming about what famous person will come out and canvas with us. Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Elizabeth Cook, Allison Russel... we are all dreaming about canvassing this weekend.
Simon, it seems almost inevitable that Bondi and her DOJ are likely to go out of their way to redact Trump’s name as well as other high profile Republicans from whatever files actually end up released. Epstein’s brother of all people has been making rounds stating he’s heard as such from reputable sources. Now of course, we don’t know if this is or will be completely true. However, it certainly isn’t something I’d put past Trump’s DOJ either. Do you think it’s possible…hopefully…that more damning intel connecting Trump and others to Epstein from the files will be anonymously (or maybe not anonymously) dropped by foreign entities/figures? Or perhaps even the estate? Clearly, Trump is trying to sway the narrative towards putting the dirt on only high profile Democrats and my concern is his base will take the bate when we’ve been successful in aiding to crack his base aside from the self made cracks Trump has caused himself. I just don’t want overwhelming ignorance to takeover in spite of the progress we’re making at such a crucial crossroads. I’m trying to remain hopeful and my usual cautiously optimistic self nonetheless Any feedback on how we stay on the offensive as this continues to unfold?
I am not counting on getting anything from the Epstein files. We have enough to work on to defeat them next year. If we get more, great, and yes we should keep working it. But we should not set ourselves up for disappointment or get distracted. We waited for Mueller for two years and did not prosecute the case against Trump on Russia with the public. It was a mistake. We have a four part agenda and need to keep pushing it. We need to stay on mission here - S
Thank you, I appreciate that and completely agree. I believe we have the momentum amidst the muck and are far more effective bench of messengers and fighters in our arsenal.
Simon, there's a show, don't tell sense. Show the non-sanitized files. I don't want information that will jeopardize the safety of anyone. But the pedophiles all need to be behind bars for life. And it needs to be renamed epstein-maxwell files. Throw others under the bus as well. epstein and maxwell are the faces of a much larger problem.
Simon: I respect and agree with your assessment. However I am hearing comments from friends who probably are not quite the junky I am (or TBH, this entire community is) who are expecting SOMETHING from the vote to release the Epstein files. I hope any strategic pivot to Trump’s next pain point effectively manages the lingering expectations of so many.
I suppose Congress could always ask Russia for any kompromat they may have relative to Epstein and his clan. :>) Congressman Khanna said he was completely surprised at the news of emails and other material held by the Epstein estate. This he learned from watching one of the victims' attorneys on Lawrence O'Donnell's Last Word.
I honed in on this part of the Paine quote -- from The Rights of Man (a defense of the French Revolution.): "He acquires a knowledge of his rights by attending justly to his interest..."
Acquires a knowledge of his rights. The "right" to be represented by a person faithful to their Oath of office -- and not a traitor -- seems a fundamental and just interest. And yet we have over 200 such traitors in our House of Representatives. Which is why we have Trump for a second time.
I don't believe Paine would agree that waiting for midterms is fit for a free people. The legitimate right to dismiss / fire / expel a traitor immediately is implied in our Ninth Amendment -- a bit of knowledge yet to be acquired by a critical mass. (Starting from a single small spark.)
From another quote in the message, not Paine's > "it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
It is our right, it is our DUTY, to throw off such unfaithful traitors, and to provide new Guards for our future security. -- What could be more clear?
Larry Summers and the former Prince, Andrew, are paying a real price for their Epstein ties. Notwithstanding the significance of the yesterday’s votes, Trump’s debt won’t be paid until he resigns or is removed from office by impeachment or 25th amendment. Nothing less will do.
Yes, and the Harvard student papers are staying on Summers' case. Student journalism is doing the accountability journalism that the MSM has failed to do!
Good to hear.
Larry Summers should have been excommunicated from the Democratic Party a long time ago. I'm all for a big tent, but this guy is the dumbest person to be considered smart in a long time, he's been wrong about, what? *everything* for a least two decades, and his errors and proclamations have cost us yugely again and again, in many cases *because* he's allowed to claim he's a Democrat. With friends like him...
Too bad netanyahu isn't paying the price.
You know, I'm still not happy about the Coward Caucus, but if you think that's bad, look at how fast and how thoroughly THE ENTIRE GOP caved after Johnson shut down the House for nearly two months just to keep from swearing in the duly elected Adelita Grijalva and her consequently being the 218th signature on the Epstein files petition.
A 14-point lead for Democrats in the Marist poll should scare the !@#$ out of every Republican running for re-election. That means there are people currently in "Safe R" seats who are going to be thrown out of office, especially if the GOP keeps screwing up.
To what do you refer 'coward caucus'?
by coward caucus, you may man the senators who moved to re-open? a fellow Hopiumite, sorry, forgot who, suggested it was with Schumer's go ahead since durbin was one of them and preparing the swearing in of Adelita Grijalva and the Epstein vote.. What happened, imo, is, as Simon has explained, many (all?) Rs believed the red wave garbage polls, then the election shocked them into awareness they were about to go down with the ship and Chuck Schumer (for whom I have the utmost respect) and Hakim Jeffries were ready with the Epstein vote lifeboat.
Fair point, but it still played into the "Democrats weak" meme.
only for those don't look carefully at the entire process - don't think for a minute Schumer didn't know how the vote would go yesterday. Weren't / aren't he and Nancy P legends at vote counting?
The optics to semi-informed Democratic Party base voters definitely looked like weakness based on convos I’ve had this week (which is, of course, anecdotal evidence).
I might be more receptive to the idea it was brilliant if it wasn’t for that damn taxpayer handout to GOP J6ers in Congress that (a minority of) Dems on both sides of the aisle voted for.
My only point here is that it is ridiculous at this point to refer to Dems as weak given all the successes we've had in recent weeks and all of his failures; and the clear data showing that the shutdown did enormous damage to Trump and helped contribute to our huge electoral wins. It's core to my commentary this week and I hope all of you will fight this out in your communities. For those who are still arguing we are weak have not been paying attention to what has happened over the past month or so and are spreading, unhelpful and inaccurate sentiment.
I mean, FFS, we are up 14 points in a generic ballot poll today!
Thank you!! We are not weak, just suffering from the cruelty of the Republican Project 25. Dems, here in TN, are riding high on all this news. Recap of today: Donated $50 to Jon Ossoff, wrote a letter to Rep. Scott Desjarlais thanking him for voting to release the Epstein. Shared with him I am reading "Nobody's Girl by Virginia Guiffre" and said he should read it, too. Side note: he has a record of affairs with his patients and writing certain prescriptions for them. He isn't the good doctor.
I doubt there is anyone who sees the shutdown as a total victory. But imo, it's a war we're having to fight and in all the history I've read in my 85 yrs, I can't recall any war where one side won EVERY battle. I'd just say that in my view, we're WAY ahead of where we were 3-6 mos. ago.
Keep in mind how sanitized the files were.
Not pertinent. they haven't been released yet. but, there's plenty out there already. what they're afraid of is not some sex tape it's how enmeshed T was/ is in the financial side, much of that is out there already (thanks Ron Wyden, and others) my poiint was Schumer and Jeffries threw a life raft to all the Rs seeing the writing on the wall. That is a good thing. A strong stand against T. As Simon points out - we don't know what will happen next.
Oh, it's not just orange. There are Dems in the files. And it's an international list of who's who. That's why I wonder what will be released and what was already removed. It's important to remember that they are sanitized for the sake of survivors who need the closure. Not just from the epstein-maxwell files, but others too. The truckers who aren't on the list, the pilots, etc.
I have been following Epstein for a long time. three points: a. it's impossible to sanitize the files because everything is interrelated. b. as pointed out by multiple commenters accross the 'tubes, many intelligence services, we must assume, have [part of] the info. c. some of the financial info is already out there, and pushing on that as Simon notes - looking forward to interview with Ron Wyden - is key. imo that will be enough to bring down T. he is already very weak and even more dangerous, time is of the essence. well, also d. some of our recent, very significant info is from the Epstein estate, not from the 'Epstein files'
Good. The Republicans have sold out America for this disgusting man. They need to be afraid.
I NEVER, EVER, EVER expected to have MTG bring me to tears, except in rage, but that clip of her was truly something………….she is on the right side of history and justice on this, and I am grateful for her courage—-something I also never dreamed I would ever say. “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never ending stream.” Amos 5:24
The west part of the county I live in in Georgia is in her district. Not being her constituent has not prevented me from calling her office to express my thanks for the positions she has taken, starting with her speaking out against the massive rise in health care premiums.
It’s the sexual violence against and exploitation of girls. She just gets it.
And it’s nice to see her behave like an adult and leader and see that she’s capable of that. That means that her deranged MAGA persona is an act.
But of course the fact that she’s willing to carry on such an act when convenient means she can’t be trusted in general. Ever. Her I-found-Jesus act is an act too.
But as for the Trump + Epstein victims, she just gets it. (And I say Trump + Epstein victims b/c I strongly suspect some of those bedroom tapes will show Trump using both physical and sexual violence against one or more underage punching bags.)
That’s my take.
Pamela, I am a lawyer too. And I agree MTG cannot ever be trusted and has done MANY horrific and crazy and destructive things. Who knows her motivations here? But what she said was true and right this time. I have zero doubt Trump was the number one sidekick participating in the abuse. What moral code of any kind has he ever followed his entire vulgar and perverse and miserable life? The answer is NONE.
I hear where you're coming from. It's just a sad, sad, sad state of affairs when someone gets applauded for just doing what is morally and ethically normal for 99.9% of the population. I mean, how depraved and pathetic is the R party when it's a surprise that someone from within wants accountability for people who committed truly heinous acts???
This is the classic double standard. Dems unanimously support releasing the Epstein files for months, fight like hell for the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid for decades (or, years, for the ACA), create jobs and economic growth at significantly better rates than R's, get no credit for any of it and get called weak by their own base, and yet when R's do something even remotely on the side of the voiceless or powerless (that, again, wouldn't even cause a second of hesitation for 99.9% of the population), they get victory laps.
"I don't get when people act all proud when they say, 'yeah, I take care of my kids!' I mean, WTF?? Why you proud of that?? You supposed to take care of your kids! You don't extra credit for that! It ain't an achievement, it's an expectation!" --Chris Rock
Her motivations are running for a higher office.
Exactly, she's a republican.
The Katie Johnson deposition gives some evidence of that
Yes, that’s what I was thinking of. Also I think Virginia Guifrey and maybe some of the others too have described beatings and various physical violence sometimes accompanying the sexual assaults they experienced. It seems pretty obvious that it was occurring frequently.
And Katie Johnson was 13 when she was tied up and struck and the rest. Leaves me with very little patience for “underage women,” “barely legal” or slut-shaming. These were kids.
Damn straight
Agree. I find Simon's categories domination vs. freedom clarify - these 'powerful' men (actually pathetic human beings] were offered private domination to their hearts content in exchange for kompromat. The piggy comment is so repulsive yet so telling. The Katie Johnson deposition describes T acting violently towards a Latina woman iirc whereas Katie, white 'the good one' did not receive violence.
I haven‘t forgiven her. She has years of work ahead if she wants that.
And I haven’t forgotten the harm she has done. I don’t expect any of us ever will.
But neither will I spit in her face when she speaks the truth. Other Democrats have said much the same. And that, right there, is more genuine respect, from Democrats, than she has ever had from T****, who has never been genuine.
Maybe she will like having Democrats call her to say thank you for standing up for healthcare and against sexual predators. Maybe even enough to put in the years of work to make up for the harms she has done. It’s a long shot, and I am not holding my breath. But she has now shown that she has known all along how to do the job right.
It is possible that she was misinformed and changed her mind when she saw what Trump was all about. I hope that is the case and that many more people will be persuaded.
When the Devil Calls Someone Evil that Must Be Pretty Evil
"‘Crazy; dirty; early dementia; evil beyond belief’: Stunning emails reveal what Epstein thought about Trump"
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/epstein-files-email-trump-key-takeaways-b2867656.html
I just called my AZ senators Kelly and Gallego and thanked them for their support of the Epstein survivors, along with the 4 part agenda. I also called my congressman Greg Stanton to thank him also for his support of the Epstein survivors. I'm still unclear as to what procedural move Schumer made for unanimous consent in the senate. I hope Simon can explain how that works.
Don't know for certain, but my gut tells me Schumer acquiesced to a voice vote in the interest of getting the vote over the finish line before MAGA Mike and Thune could get any poison pill amendments added to it.
I assume Schumer had everything lined up and ready to go - the vote held no surprises for Schumer and Jeffries and Thune. Mike Johnson is a problem they needed to get around. Thune was asked about amendments, he said, no amendments on something with such a mandate in the House. What is the rush about. As Simon has explained T is spiralling out of control and crashing into everything.
Schumer simply had to ask for unanimous consent, which then allows any Senator to object and stop the process. Since no one objected, the bill passed. It also avoids a roll call vote, so no one had to be on record of voting against it, so it is also a sort of dodge on accountability. In other words, they didn't want to touch it with a 10 foot pole.
In other words no accountability so the orange man can't single out any particular senator. 😠
Pima County AZ Board of Supervisors (Tucson+) passed the resolution “…OPPOSING EXECUTIVE OVERREACH, SUPPORTING THE US CONSTITUTION, AND DEFENDING OUR DEMOCRACY”
Another one in the books!
Where it all started back in March with Phin Anderson’s inspiring resolutions to the County Board and also to the Tucson City Council, which should be dropping soon as well. Huge thanks to County Supervisor Jen Allen for directing the momentum for passage among her fellow board members. (Thanks to Supervisor Allen as well for leading the legislative opposition to the proposed ICE detention facility in Marana, NW Tucson, where local opposition is profound and vocal. Subject for another day.)
https://pima.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14929990&GUID=F2929432-0B70-490C-B337-77D59EC4809F
Great job - thank you!
💙 🥳 💙 Congratulations Phin and Randy! 💙 🥳 💙 Persistence pays.
Here's my audio recording of Phin's awesome testimony and the Pima Co. Board of Supervisor's introduction of the resolution then vote to adopt it 4:1. Randy and others were also slated to testify, but the vote was called due to time constraints.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IYSIscf8vQSt2fecLQH6ZdULl6ssLMZb/view?usp=sharing
You can watch the video segment here. https://www.youtube.com/live/AH0K7QrDImc
at 1:39:33 and 2:14:22
Congratulations!
Fantastic! I may borrow some of the language Phineas used when we get this on our City's agenda. (Paraphrasing from Simon's quote of Thomas Paine -- we will it to be so.)
Borrow away!
Wow, huge congratulations! 🎉
Outstanding! Great work!
Does anyone here in Northern Virginia know why our congressman, Rep Don Beyer, didn't vote yesterday on releasing the Epstein files?
Looks like he was sick: https://www.newsweek.com/five-house-members-missed-epstein-vote-heres-why-11072176
Oh! Thanks. I wondered if that was the case
What a day yesterday! I barely slept - watched the House vote live, and did a fist pump alone in my house when it passed the voice vote. :) Had to work and did not see the Senate vote. Watched the full survivors' press conference, listened to a lot of the coverage, esp. by Lawrence O'Donnell, who received gracious thanks from Rep. Khanna last night. Justice is coming, and she is pissed!
Even the Traitor Rep. Smith voted in favor of the files' release bc he's a coward and does what he's told. UGH. Our House targets in NJ next year are NJ07 (Tom Kean Jr. ) and of course bringing the great Tom Malinowski back to the House in Mikie's old seat, NJ11.
Just signed up for regular monthly donation for the Winning the House fund, already donating to the House 7 & Expansion Funds. I know my $ is well spent!
Gonna get on the phone and thank my wonderful senators who are doing a great job standing up for the people of NJ. Now they need to up the ante. We don't know what we can accomplish, but we have to try. The fact that this country even exists is testament to that.
"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has, and it never will." - Frederick Douglass
"It always seems impossible until it is done." - Nelson Mandela
Keep going!
The despot's icy grip is melting. Our job is to turn up the heat.
I love that quote from Frederick Douglass. Thanks for sharing!
Simon, thanks, as always, for the good news on polls.
I know you've been insanely busy, but I wonder if another of your "With Democrats Things Get Better" presentations might not be helpful about now.
I made my calls this morning and am looking forward to tonight's discussion.
Trump really seems to be unwinding. The mask is slipping more often. With the treatment of women and girls central to the Epstein scandal, to call a female reporter "piggy" is just so insane and beyond the pale. When he loomed over her it just felt like pure evil. Trying to run a complex coverup while his dementia worsens is not going to go well. His inhibitions are gone.
Other than Clay Higgins, no one in Congress is going to come out and support his coverup either. Bondi and Patel will. Danny BingBong might be the weak link.
Seeing him holding hands with Sheik Bone Saw in the Oval Office that he has desecrated with his gold spray-painted Home Depot decor, so that it looks like a cat house or, at best, a strip mall Thai restaurant, was just so ugly. The venality was on full display. As always, but his ability to cover it up I think is diminished by his progressing dementia.
I chipped in $10 recurring monthly for the Bohannan, Cognetti, Mendoza, and Stelson fund. Not a lot but I have a lot of other donations going on.
I attended the launch of Beth Macy’s campaign to win the VA 6th Congressional District. It has been solid red but Beth Macy has high name recognition as a reporter in Roanoke and author of Dopesick. Keep an eye on this race. Her opponent Ben Kline is 100% MAGA/Trump.
She's got a Dem primary first, right? Ken Mitchell has a real head-start on her. It will be an interesting race to watch and, clearly, VA's strong leftward tilt is encouraging people to run in red districts.
Thank you for this information. She is a great author. I did not know that she was running.
MTG doesn't just know what way the wind is blowing. She knows what is coming about Trump and is running as far away from it as possible. . .
All that she cares about is power and money....she'll run for a higher office. Watch.
Weds. congresspersons call script (works for team red or blue):
- pass HR 6019 (House supposed to vote on it today per calendar), because [something about no handouts for insurrectionists or we’re not supposed to be a sleazy banana republic where legislators steal taxpayer money.]
this is the one about stopping Congresspeople being able to sue DOJ for a half million dollars on not being informed of their phone records being searched in the J6 investigation, right?
Yes, that’s right.
What a beautiful and inspiring quote from Ken Burns The American Revolution. MTG is for once doing her job and protecting the country instead of the orange clown owned by McDonalds.
I am energized now more than ever. Yesterday, Kamala Harris stopped by Nashville and spoke to a huge crowd of Democrats. We are driving up to Nashville to canvas on Saturday and are all dreaming about what famous person will come out and canvas with us. Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Elizabeth Cook, Allison Russel... we are all dreaming about canvassing this weekend.
Simon, it seems almost inevitable that Bondi and her DOJ are likely to go out of their way to redact Trump’s name as well as other high profile Republicans from whatever files actually end up released. Epstein’s brother of all people has been making rounds stating he’s heard as such from reputable sources. Now of course, we don’t know if this is or will be completely true. However, it certainly isn’t something I’d put past Trump’s DOJ either. Do you think it’s possible…hopefully…that more damning intel connecting Trump and others to Epstein from the files will be anonymously (or maybe not anonymously) dropped by foreign entities/figures? Or perhaps even the estate? Clearly, Trump is trying to sway the narrative towards putting the dirt on only high profile Democrats and my concern is his base will take the bate when we’ve been successful in aiding to crack his base aside from the self made cracks Trump has caused himself. I just don’t want overwhelming ignorance to takeover in spite of the progress we’re making at such a crucial crossroads. I’m trying to remain hopeful and my usual cautiously optimistic self nonetheless Any feedback on how we stay on the offensive as this continues to unfold?
I am not counting on getting anything from the Epstein files. We have enough to work on to defeat them next year. If we get more, great, and yes we should keep working it. But we should not set ourselves up for disappointment or get distracted. We waited for Mueller for two years and did not prosecute the case against Trump on Russia with the public. It was a mistake. We have a four part agenda and need to keep pushing it. We need to stay on mission here - S
Thank you, I appreciate that and completely agree. I believe we have the momentum amidst the muck and are far more effective bench of messengers and fighters in our arsenal.
Simon, there's a show, don't tell sense. Show the non-sanitized files. I don't want information that will jeopardize the safety of anyone. But the pedophiles all need to be behind bars for life. And it needs to be renamed epstein-maxwell files. Throw others under the bus as well. epstein and maxwell are the faces of a much larger problem.
Simon: I respect and agree with your assessment. However I am hearing comments from friends who probably are not quite the junky I am (or TBH, this entire community is) who are expecting SOMETHING from the vote to release the Epstein files. I hope any strategic pivot to Trump’s next pain point effectively manages the lingering expectations of so many.
I suppose Congress could always ask Russia for any kompromat they may have relative to Epstein and his clan. :>) Congressman Khanna said he was completely surprised at the news of emails and other material held by the Epstein estate. This he learned from watching one of the victims' attorneys on Lawrence O'Donnell's Last Word.
I honed in on this part of the Paine quote -- from The Rights of Man (a defense of the French Revolution.): "He acquires a knowledge of his rights by attending justly to his interest..."
Acquires a knowledge of his rights. The "right" to be represented by a person faithful to their Oath of office -- and not a traitor -- seems a fundamental and just interest. And yet we have over 200 such traitors in our House of Representatives. Which is why we have Trump for a second time.
I don't believe Paine would agree that waiting for midterms is fit for a free people. The legitimate right to dismiss / fire / expel a traitor immediately is implied in our Ninth Amendment -- a bit of knowledge yet to be acquired by a critical mass. (Starting from a single small spark.)
From another quote in the message, not Paine's > "it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
It is our right, it is our DUTY, to throw off such unfaithful traitors, and to provide new Guards for our future security. -- What could be more clear?