crooksandliars--2020-11-20--Morning Joe Explains How You Can Tell Trump's Wacky Lawyers Are Lying

The Morning Joe crew talked about the dangerous `` clown show '' Trump 's Super Special Elite Strike Force is performing for America , led by Rudy Giuliani .
`` Representing the president , he and the attorneys behind him calling for an election to be overturned .
As you point out , Joe , they 're losing everywhere in court .
They 're 1 for 30 .
Might be worse now .
They probably lost a couple while we were sleeping , '' Willie Geist said .
`` The other important point is , they 're making different arguments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RNC press conference yesterday does not line up with what they 're filing in court .
They 're not claiming fraud when they file in court in Pennsylvania .
When they file in court in Georgia , in Arizona , because they know that would be a lie .
They know they do n't have evidence to prove that .
`` This is a show .
It 's a complete show .
The problem as we have been saying for a couple of weeks is they have the attention of about 73 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are open to believing that yes , this election was stolen from the president .
And number two , that it should be overturned as they said explicitly yesterday . ''
`` And the thing is , as we said yesterday as well , do n't kid yourselves in to believing that it 's just people that have fallen off of turnip trucks that are believing this , '' Joe Scarborough said .
`` They are people who graduated from Yale Law School .
They are people who are CEOs of companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educated .
They do n't fit the stereotype that Trump wants you to believe that do n't believe the elites .
There 's some elites in here , too , who have moneyed interests to have Donald Trump re-elected president of the United States .
It did n't happen .
And now some of these people are actually buying in to some of these bizarre conspiracy theories that nobody believes .
`` Again , here 's the tell .
All right ?
Rudy Giuliani , Donald Trump , the rest of Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Meadows , they 're all liars .
All lying through their teeth and they 're telling you things happen that never happened , '' Scarborough said .
`` And the tell is , as Rudy Giuliani refuses to do , as Willie told you , they wo n't say it in court .
You know why ?
Because if they say it in court , and it 's not the truth , they 'll get sanctioned .
Maybe if somebody testifies and lies about it , they 'll actually get arrested for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real tell here . ''

The Morning Joe crew talked about the dangerous "clown show" Trump's Super Special Elite Strike Force is performing for America, led by Rudy Giuliani.
"Representing the president, he and the attorneys behind him calling for an election to be overturned. As you point out, Joe, they're losing everywhere in court. They're 1 for 30. Might be worse now. They probably lost a couple while we were sleeping," Willie Geist said.
"The other important point is, they're making different arguments publicly. Everything they said at that RNC press conference yesterday does not line up with what they're filing in court. They're not claiming fraud when they file in court in Pennsylvania. When they file in court in Georgia, in Arizona, because they know that would be a lie. They know they don't have evidence to prove that.
"This is a show. It's a complete show. The problem as we have been saying for a couple of weeks is they have the attention of about 73 million people who voted for Donald Trump and who are open to believing that yes, this election was stolen from the president. And number two, that it should be overturned as they said explicitly yesterday."
"And the thing is, as we said yesterday as well, don't kid yourselves in to believing that it's just people that have fallen off of turnip trucks that are believing this," Joe Scarborough said.
"They are people who graduated from Yale Law School. They are people who are CEOs of companies. They are people who are very educated. They don't fit the stereotype that Trump wants you to believe that don't believe the elites. There's some elites in here, too, who have moneyed interests to have Donald Trump re-elected president of the United States. It didn't happen. And now some of these people are actually buying in to some of these bizarre conspiracy theories that nobody believes.
"Again, here's the tell. All right? Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump, the rest of Trump's gang are lying through their teeth. Mark Meadows, they're all liars. All lying through their teeth and they're telling you things happen that never happened," Scarborough said.
"And the tell is, as Rudy Giuliani refuses to do, as Willie told you, they won't say it in court. You know why? Because if they say it in court, and it's not the truth, they'll get sanctioned. Maybe if somebody testifies and lies about it, they'll actually get arrested for committing perjury. So that's the real tell here."


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--It's Past Time For Trump Supporters To Reach Out To Biden Voters

Since I watch Fox News so that you don ’ t have to , one of the major themes that almost every right wing pundit and TV host promotes is that Donald Trump got over 70 more million votes and the Democrats ( which means Joe Biden ) should be reaching out to them and sucking up , for reasons unknown .
They constantly repeat that Trump got over 70 million votes but never mention that Joe Biden is about to reach 80 million votes .
He ’ s beating Trump by almost 6 million votes , which is astounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were all too excited to remind Democrats over and over again when Trump was elected in 2016 even though he lost the popular vote by almost three million .
Now , they want the minority to rule .
The will of the people be damned .
Have you ever talked to a Trump cultist ?
There is no reaching out , there is no compromising or coming together for the good of the country .
Trump voter 's whole focus is on owning the libs and attacking any Democrat as a communist shill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy .
Here 's a recent example : They do n't care about policies or bipartisanship since they worship at the feet of Donald Trump .
Any illegal action and criminal behavior Trump has engaged in means nothing to them .
He 's the president and he 's allowed .
You can ’ t reach out to a cult member .
You have to deprogram them which ca n't happen with this many cult members .
I have people close to me that actually took their kids to Trump rallies during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that should be read in its entirety in the New York Times : Reach Out to Trump Supporters , ’ They Said .
I Tried .
I agree , it ’ s not worth it .
If you get into a debate or discussion with a Trump cultist they usually recite whatever Trump says as sacrosanct or any conspiracy theory thrown out by Fox News and QAnon .
If you give them the actual evidence that proves them wrong they laugh and claim you 're promoting fake news or some other Democratic politician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the aid of Russian bots , Facebook became a cesspool of racism , misogyny , and wacky conspiracy theories that included memes like Hillary is worse than Trump so vote for Trump .
That poisoned many first-time voters who became apathetic in the end .
Digby writes , `` It is very simple .
There is no point in arguing with anti-democrats and apologists for racists about the value of democracy and tolerance .
Doing so wastes an immense amount of time that could be better spent strengthening democratic institutions and extending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have a moment to waste . ''
In 2021 , the House needs to investigate and prosecute every instance of illegality they find from the Trump camp .
That includes his cadre of conspirators like Rudy Giuliani .
All whistleblowers should be heard .
Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for the supposed good of the country , but Republicans never learned a lesson or considered the wrongs Nixon committed .
Instead , we had an Iraq-gate , and Iran-Contra immediately following his pardon .
It was Bill Barr , named the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General , who told George H. W. Bush to pardon everybody involved which then derailed the entire Iran-Contra investigation .
Turns out , Barr was right in the middle of it.
“ There were some people arguing just for [ a pardon for ] Weinberger , and I said , ‘ No , in for a penny , in for a pound , ’ ” Barr told the interviewer .
“ I went over and told the President I thought he should not only pardon Caspar Weinberger , but while he was at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others.
” Which is exactly what Bush did , on Christmas Eve when most Americans were with family instead of watching the news .
The holiday notwithstanding , the result was explosive .
America knew that both Reagan and Bush were up to their necks in Iran-Contra , and Democrats had been talking about impeachment or worse .
The independent counsel had already obtained one conviction , three guilty pleas , and two other individuals were lined up for prosecution .
And Walsh was closing in fast on Bush himself .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pardoning not only Weinberger , but also Abrams and the others involved in the crimes , destroying Walsh ’ s ability to prosecute anybody , the New York Times ran the headline all the way across four of the six columns on the front page , screaming in all-caps : BUSH PARDONS 6 IN IRAN AFFAIR , ABORTING A WEINBERGER TRIAL ; PROSECUTOR ASSAILS ‘ COVER-UP.
’ Bill Barr had struck .
They lust for power , not democracy , and as we ’ ve seen with the Trump administration they will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their criminality needs to be exposed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law .
Being nice to Trump supporters will only lead to more chaos and more heartache for the country .
If any of them want to rejoin society , they need to reach out to Biden supporters and walk away from Trump .

Since I watch Fox News so that you don’t have to, one of the major themes that almost every right wing pundit and TV host promotes is that Donald Trump got over 70 more million votes and the Democrats (which means Joe Biden) should be reaching out to them and sucking up, for reasons unknown.
They constantly repeat that Trump got over 70 million votes but never mention that Joe Biden is about to reach 80 million votes. He’s beating Trump by almost 6 million votes, which is astounding.
Elections have consequences, as Republicans were all too excited to remind Democrats over and over again when Trump was elected in 2016 even though he lost the popular vote by almost three million. Now, they want the minority to rule.
The will of the people be damned.
Have you ever talked to a Trump cultist? There is no reaching out, there is no compromising or coming together for the good of the country. Trump voter's whole focus is on owning the libs and attacking any Democrat as a communist shill trying to destroy our freedoms and our democracy. Here's a recent example:
A caller who is near tears, distraught over election results, tells Rush Limbaugh that he's willing to die for Trump pic.twitter.com/huVu0qfcgt — John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) November 20, 2020
They don't care about policies or bipartisanship since they worship at the feet of Donald Trump. Any illegal action and criminal behavior Trump has engaged in means nothing to them. He's the president and he's allowed.
You can’t reach out to a cult member. You have to deprogram them which can't happen with this many cult members. I have people close to me that actually took their kids to Trump rallies during the pandemic.
Wajahat Ali wrote an excellent op-ed that should be read in its entirety in the New York Times: Reach Out to Trump Supporters,’ They Said. I Tried.
The majority of people of color rejected his cruelty and vulgarity. But along with others who voted for Joe Biden, we are now being lectured by a chorus of voices including Pete Buttigieg and Ian Bremmer, to “reach out” to Trump voters and “empathize” with their pain. This is the same advice that was given after Mr. Trump’s 2016 victory, and for nearly four years, I attempted to take it. Believe me, it’s not worth it.
I agree, it’s not worth it. If you get into a debate or discussion with a Trump cultist they usually recite whatever Trump says as sacrosanct or any conspiracy theory thrown out by Fox News and QAnon. If you give them the actual evidence that proves them wrong they laugh and claim you're promoting fake news or some other Democratic politician did it first.
Don’t waste your time reaching out to Trump voters like I did. Instead, invest your time organizing your community, registering new voters and supporting candidates who reflect progressive values that uplift everyone, not just those who wear MAGA hats, in local and state elections. Work also to protect Americans against lies and conspiracy theories churned out by the right wing media and political ecosystem. One step would be to continue pressuring social media giants like Twitter and Facebook to deplatform hatemongers, such as Steve Bannon, and censor disinformation. It’s not enough, but it’s a start.
In 2016, with the aid of Russian bots, Facebook became a cesspool of racism, misogyny, and wacky conspiracy theories that included memes like Hillary is worse than Trump so vote for Trump. That poisoned many first-time voters who became apathetic in the end.
I don’t need Trump supporters to be humiliated to feel great again. I want them to have health insurance, decent paying jobs and security for their family. I do not want them to suffer, but I also refuse to spend any more time trying to understand and help the architects of my oppression.
Digby writes, "It is very simple. There is no point in arguing with anti-democrats and apologists for racists about the value of democracy and tolerance. Doing so wastes an immense amount of time that could be better spent strengthening democratic institutions and extending justice and opportunity. And we don’t have a moment to waste."
In 2021, the House needs to investigate and prosecute every instance of illegality they find from the Trump camp. That includes his cadre of conspirators like Rudy Giuliani.
All whistleblowers should be heard.
Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for the supposed good of the country, but Republicans never learned a lesson or considered the wrongs Nixon committed. Instead, we had an Iraq-gate, and Iran-Contra immediately following his pardon.
It was Bill Barr, named the cover-up general by William Safire then Attorney General, who told George H. W. Bush to pardon everybody involved which then derailed the entire Iran-Contra investigation.
Turns out, Barr was right in the middle of it.“There were some people arguing just for [a pardon for] Weinberger, and I said, ‘No, in for a penny, in for a pound,’” Barr told the interviewer. “I went over and told the President I thought he should not only pardon Caspar Weinberger, but while he was at it, he should pardon about five others.”Which is exactly what Bush did, on Christmas Eve when most Americans were with family instead of watching the news. The holiday notwithstanding, the result was explosive. America knew that both Reagan and Bush were up to their necks in Iran-Contra, and Democrats had been talking about impeachment or worse. The independent counsel had already obtained one conviction, three guilty pleas, and two other individuals were lined up for prosecution. And Walsh was closing in fast on Bush himself. So, when Bush shut the investigation down by pardoning not only Weinberger, but also Abrams and the others involved in the crimes, destroying Walsh’s ability to prosecute anybody, the New York Times ran the headline all the way across four of the six columns on the front page, screaming in all-caps: BUSH PARDONS 6 IN IRAN AFFAIR, ABORTING A WEINBERGER TRIAL; PROSECUTOR ASSAILS ‘COVER-UP.’ Bill Barr had struck.
They lust for power, not democracy, and as we’ve seen with the Trump administration they will do anything at all to keep it.
Their criminality needs to be exposed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Being nice to Trump supporters will only lead to more chaos and more heartache for the country. If any of them want to rejoin society, they need to reach out to Biden supporters and walk away from Trump.


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Why Were MI Legislators Drinking $800 Champagne At Trump's Hotel?

What the heck were Michigan ’ s top Republican legislators celebrating at Trump ’ s D.C. hotel last night , after claiming they would not interfere with the state ’ s election certification ?
And who paid for the $ 800 champagne they drank ?
After meeting at the White House , Mike Shirkey , Michigan ’ s Senate leader , and Lee Chatfield , the speaker of the State House , announced that they learned no new information that would change the outcome of the election .
`` The lawmakers stopped short of affirming Mr. Biden ’ s victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they also sent a clear signal that they would abide by the election results , '' The New York Times reported .
The statement from Chatfield and Shirkey also suggested that their goal in visiting the White House was to get COVID relief .
“ We used our time in the White House to deliver a letter to President Trump making clear our support for additional federal funds to help Michigan in the fight against COVID-19 , ” it said .
Really ?
Was it a huge commitment of COVID relief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , apparently also part of the delegation , to pop an $ 800 bottle of champagne at the Trump International Hotel in D.C. after the meeting ?
And who paid for that bottle ?
Before promising any relief , did Trump ask any of them to “ do us a favor , though ?
” Michigan Democrats , and others , had the same questions on Twitter : And SOMEONE knew they were staying at Trump 's hotel , to have had enough lead time to do this :

What the heck were Michigan’s top Republican legislators celebrating at Trump’s D.C. hotel last night, after claiming they would not interfere with the state’s election certification? And who paid for the $800 champagne they drank?
I guess MI House Speaker @LeeChatfield + @RepJimLillyMI were in a celebratory mood last night, drinking Dom Perignon at the Trump Hotel til midnight 🥂 pic.twitter.com/s7FDpDdshm — Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) November 21, 2020
After meeting at the White House, Mike Shirkey, Michigan’s Senate leader, and Lee Chatfield, the speaker of the State House, announced that they learned no new information that would change the outcome of the election. "The lawmakers stopped short of affirming Mr. Biden’s victory in the state in the statement. But they also sent a clear signal that they would abide by the election results," The New York Times reported.
The statement from Chatfield and Shirkey also suggested that their goal in visiting the White House was to get COVID relief. “We used our time in the White House to deliver a letter to President Trump making clear our support for additional federal funds to help Michigan in the fight against COVID-19,” it said.
Really? Was it a huge commitment of COVID relief that prompted Chatfield and State Rep. Jim Lilly, apparently also part of the delegation, to pop an $800 bottle of champagne at the Trump International Hotel in D.C. after the meeting? And who paid for that bottle?
Before promising any relief, did Trump ask any of them to “do us a favor, though?”
Michigan Democrats, and others, had the same questions on Twitter:
Three questions for @LeeChatfield and @SenMikeShirkey:
1. Who funded the Dom Pérignon fueled vacation while Michigan reported almost 10k new cases of COVID-19? — Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
2. After Donald Trump outed you for lying about your meeting, will you apologize to Michigan voters for scheming to silence their voices? — Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
3. Will you denounce Laura Cox and Ronna McDaniel's request that the Michigan Board of Canvassers break the law by not certifying the election results on Monday, November 23? — Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
And SOMEONE knew they were staying at Trump's hotel, to have had enough lead time to do this:


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Ivanka's 'Consulting Fees' Are Subject Of Criminal And Civil Subpoenas Sent To Trump Org

Remember those mysterious consulting fees paid to Ivanka Trump , a full time employee who was not actually able to be both a `` consultant '' and an `` employee ? ''
Well , it looks like the New York State Attorney General has some questions about those as well .
CBS News is reporting that a subpoena has been sent to the Trump Organization for records related those consulting fees by the New York State AG , Tish James .
Oh , and a similar subpoena was sent to the Trump Org by the Manhattan District Attorney , Cy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal probe .
Poor Ivanka is having a sadz , tweeting that it was `` harassment . ''
The news of the `` consulting fees '' paid to Ivanka came out of stellar reporting by The New York Times .
During their deep dive into taxes paid by the Trump Org , they found an unusual notation of fees in the amount of $ 747,622 paid to Ivanka Trump , even though she was part owner of the Trump Org already .
If she paid taxes on those fees , she would probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue that needs to be addressed is whether the Trump Org diverted the money to avoid paying taxes on it .
That would potentially be illegal and could open the Trump Org to hefty civil penalties .
Will Ivanka have to sit for a deposition as well ?
Will she respond to the subpoenas ?
Did she pay taxes on those `` consulting fees ? ''
Will Daddy be able to bail her out , like Trump 's daddy did for him ?

Remember those mysterious consulting fees paid to Ivanka Trump, a full time employee who was not actually able to be both a "consultant" and an "employee?" Well, it looks like the New York State Attorney General has some questions about those as well. CBS News is reporting that a subpoena has been sent to the Trump Organization for records related those consulting fees by the New York State AG, Tish James. Oh, and a similar subpoena was sent to the Trump Org by the Manhattan District Attorney, Cy Vance. The Manhattan case is a criminal probe.
Poor Ivanka is having a sadz, tweeting that it was "harassment."
This is harassment pure and simple. This ‘inquiry’ by NYC democrats is 100% motivated by politics, publicity and rage. They know very well that there’s nothing here and that there was no tax benefit whatsoever. These politicians are simply ruthless.https://t.co/4dQoDzQlRX — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 20, 2020
The news of the "consulting fees" paid to Ivanka came out of stellar reporting by The New York Times. During their deep dive into taxes paid by the Trump Org, they found an unusual notation of fees in the amount of $747,622 paid to Ivanka Trump, even though she was part owner of the Trump Org already. If she paid taxes on those fees, she would probably not be in legal trouble. The issue that needs to be addressed is whether the Trump Org diverted the money to avoid paying taxes on it. That would potentially be illegal and could open the Trump Org to hefty civil penalties.
Will Ivanka have to sit for a deposition as well? Will she respond to the subpoenas? Did she pay taxes on those "consulting fees?" Will Daddy be able to bail her out, like Trump's daddy did for him?


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Marsha Blackburn Claims She Misspoke When She Referred To Joe Biden As President-Elect

Nevermind that she also referred to Kamala Harris as the vice-president-elect .
In public , nearly all of these Republicans are playing along with the fiction that Trump has any legitimate case , but in private they all recognize that he lost , and some , like this dummy from Tennessee , occasionally slip-up and let the cat out of the bag , as happened here in her interview last night on ABC News .
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn , a stalwart supporter of President Donald Trump , on Friday referred to Joe Biden as the country 's `` president-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said was a mistake .
Blackburn made the comments Friday evening live on ABC News , where she was being interviewed by Juju Chang .
The remark placed her among just a handful of Republican senators signalling acknowledgement of Biden 's projected victory .
Chang asked Blackburn whether she had been in contact with Biden to congratulate him , as president-elect , on his victory .
`` I have not spoken with the president-elect , '' Blackburn said .
`` We did have the vice president come to the floor , the vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cast a vote .
I was presiding at the time .
Did n't get to speak with her . ''

Nevermind that she also referred to Kamala Harris as the vice-president-elect. In public, nearly all of these Republicans are playing along with the fiction that Trump has any legitimate case, but in private they all recognize that he lost, and some, like this dummy from Tennessee, occasionally slip-up and let the cat out of the bag, as happened here in her interview last night on ABC News.
Source: The Tennessean
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a stalwart supporter of President Donald Trump, on Friday referred to Joe Biden as the country's "president-elect," a comment her staff later said was a mistake.
Blackburn made the comments Friday evening live on ABC News, where she was being interviewed by Juju Chang.
The remark placed her among just a handful of Republican senators signalling acknowledgement of Biden's projected victory.
Chang asked Blackburn whether she had been in contact with Biden to congratulate him, as president-elect, on his victory.
"I have not spoken with the president-elect," Blackburn said. "We did have the vice president come to the floor, the vice president-elect come to the floor this week to cast a vote. I was presiding at the time. Didn't get to speak with her."


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Trump Thanks Parody Account Claiming To Be His Sister For Her Support

Early Friday morning , filtering his media diet to only include yahoos promoting conspiracy theories and baseless election fraud claims , Donald Trump found a heartwarming story .
Posted by a Wayne Dupree , the title clearly caught Donald ’ s eye : “ Trump ’ s Alleged Sister Issues Rare and Bold Statement on 2020 Election and Proves How Much She Believes in Her Brother.
” You might want to grab tissues , especially if you cry when you laugh really hard .
Trump retweeted the story , writing “ Thank you Elizabeth , LOVE !
” The tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Nov. 18 from an account @ TheBettyTrump , and reads “ This election inspired me to break my silence and speak out on behalf of my family .
My brother Don won this election and will fight this to the very end .
We ’ ve always been a family of fighters .
We are all so very proud of him and the job he has done for our country .
4 MORE YEARS !
” I guess she waited until two weeks after the election to retrofit this inspiration ?
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ain ’ t Donald Trump ’ s sister .
If one clicked through to the Dupree article , he writes an update saying “ This tweet was widely shared online and covered by other publications .
While this has not been officially “ fact-checked ” by social media executives and professionals , we ’ re hearing from many others that this is not actually the account of Ms. Elizabeth Trump , but is actually a parody account.
” The account seems to have been set up two days ago and is filled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michelle Obama to Chris Wallace and Tucker Carlson .
Here are a couple of examples .
So , while this is a parody account and Donald Trump is a dangerous fool , the message is painfully the same as most MAGA accounts .
Elizabeth Trump Grau , has stayed out of the press for the most part during her life .
By most accounts she has been frequently seen at Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago , appearing in photos with massage parlor owner and Chinese CEO liaison , Li Yang .

Early Friday morning, filtering his media diet to only include yahoos promoting conspiracy theories and baseless election fraud claims, Donald Trump found a heartwarming story. Posted by a Wayne Dupree, the title clearly caught Donald’s eye: “Trump’s Alleged Sister Issues Rare and Bold Statement on 2020 Election and Proves How Much She Believes in Her Brother.” You might want to grab tissues, especially if you cry when you laugh really hard.
Trump retweeted the story, writing “Thank you Elizabeth, LOVE!” The tweet highlighted by Mr. Dupree is one posted on Nov. 18 from an account @TheBettyTrump, and reads “This election inspired me to break my silence and speak out on behalf of my family. My brother Don won this election and will fight this to the very end. We’ve always been a family of fighters. We are all so very proud of him and the job he has done for our country. 4 MORE YEARS!” I guess she waited until two weeks after the election to retrofit this inspiration? Well, it turns out that this account ain’t Donald Trump’s sister.
If one clicked through to the Dupree article, he writes an update saying “This tweet was widely shared online and covered by other publications. While this has not been officially “fact-checked” by social media executives and professionals, we’re hearing from many others that this is not actually the account of Ms. Elizabeth Trump, but is actually a parody account.” The account seems to have been set up two days ago and is filled with succinct attacks on just about everyone from Michelle Obama to Chris Wallace and Tucker Carlson.
Here are a couple of examples.
Barack Obama is a homosexual.— Betty Trump (@TheBettyTrump) November 19, 2020
Michelle Obama is a man.— Betty Trump (@TheBettyTrump) November 19, 2020
So, while this is a parody account and Donald Trump is a dangerous fool, the message is painfully the same as most MAGA accounts.
Pathetic.
Elizabeth Trump Grau, has stayed out of the press for the most part during her life. By most accounts she has been frequently seen at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, appearing in photos with massage parlor owner and Chinese CEO liaison, Li Yang.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Trump Jr. Tests Positive For COVID

Trump Jr. Tests Positive For COVID

The president ’ s eldest son is the second of his children to test positive for the virus , following @ @ @ @ @ last month .
“ Don tested positive at the start of the week and has @ @ @ @ @ cabin since the result , ” a spokesperson for Trump Jr. said .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines.
” None of the stories @ @ @ @ @ he caught it , but I suspect his emotional support cougar could probably fill in @ @ @ @ @ at least we now know what he ’ s sniffling .
Oh .
Wait .

BREAKING: Donald Trump Jr. has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson says. — NBC News (@NBCNews) November 20, 2020
And ABC tells us:
The president’s eldest son is the second of his children to test positive for the virus, following Barron Trump’s diagnosis last month. “Don tested positive at the start of the week and has been quarantining out at his cabin since the result,” a spokesperson for Trump Jr. said. “He’s been completely asymptomatic so far and is following all medically recommended COVID-19 guidelines.”
None of the stories has any theories about how he caught it, but I suspect his emotional support cougar could probably fill in the blanks.
The contact tracing begins!
Don Jr has tested positive. His contacts include:
- 12 drug dealers who want their money
- The newest parts of Kimberly Guilfoyle
- A Stop sign he punched and tried to pay for sex
- Lindsey Graham, from a piggyback ride
- Mitch McConnell's neck, used as a cardigan pic.twitter.com/uvDGGoDgJw — Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) November 20, 2020
Well, at least we now know what he’s sniffling. Oh. Wait.
Posted with permission from Mock Paper Scissors


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Neal Katyal: Trump’s Behavior ‘Basically Guarantees’ He’ll Be Prosecuted

Law professor Neal Katyal explained why Donald Trump will almost certainly face criminal investigations and prosecution ( s ) once he leaves the White House `` for the rest of his life . ''
Maybe Ivanka , too .
Appearing on MSNBC yesterday , Katyal told host Nicolle Wallace that the Biden administration will have no choice but to prosecute Trump , especially over his post-election behavior .
That ’ s on top of the crimes laid out in the Mueller report and any found in current New York state and city criminal investigations .
KATYAL : You 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the federal level , Trump has been protected so far by a get-out-of-jail-free card .
As a sitting president , the Justice Department has said he ca n't be indicted and that 's why , even when the Mueller report found ten different instances of federal crimes , they said we ca n't indict a sitting president .
But all of that expires in exactly 60 days .
So now , you 've got Trump trying to do all of this ridiculousness around the election , I do think with an idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defend himself .
But it also actually , perversely , makes it really hard for a future Biden attorney general or for a New York prosecutor to look the other way because even if Trump had hoped to avoid criminal prosecution , his post-election behavior basically guarantees it .
I mean , you 've got a guy who is right now literally committing if not crimes , pretty darn close , even when he 's being forced out of the door , in terms of conspiring with these Michigan canvassers or these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime , it 's a state crime to try and take someone 's right to vote away and that is what Trump is doing .
He 's trying to perpetrate the largest act of disenfranchisement in our lifetime .
Hundreds of thousands of votes he 's trying to throw out .
That is , if he 's conspiring to do it and it sure looks he may be , a crime .
There are also the crimes that current Attorney General Bill Barr has disappeared , such as those committed by “ Individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the Michael Cohen criminal prosecution .
And let ’ s not forget those “ consulting fees ” to Ivanka Trump The New York Times just revealed .
Or the Stormy Daniels hush money as a “ business expense.
” KATYAL : All of these investigations somehow magically disappeared once Bill Barr came into office .
However , the statute of limitations is such that they can be investigated .
And what that New York Times report is saying is that , for example , Trump has been paying his daughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not millions of dollars in consulting fees .
And that allows him to expense those and avoid , essentially , gift tax or inheritance taxes on that .
So that may be one thing that 's going on .
Another is , which has been reported by many outlets , he deducted the $ 130,000 in payments to Stormy Daniels as a business expense .
Katyal has no doubt Trump will try to pardon himself and his family before leaving office .
But that will probably not get them off the hook .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't work for states and I think if you 're Ivanka right now , you 've got to worry that if Trump somehow gets off on these charges , whether a pardon or something else , and does n't have any state charges , these prosecutors are going after someone and here is looking at you , kid .

Law professor Neal Katyal explained why Donald Trump will almost certainly face criminal investigations and prosecution(s) once he leaves the White House "for the rest of his life." Maybe Ivanka, too.
Appearing on MSNBC yesterday, Katyal told host Nicolle Wallace that the Biden administration will have no choice but to prosecute Trump, especially over his post-election behavior. That’s on top of the crimes laid out in the Mueller report and any found in current New York state and city criminal investigations.
KATYAL: You've got those state and federal investigations and. at the federal level, Trump has been protected so far by a get-out-of-jail-free card. As a sitting president, the Justice Department has said he can't be indicted and that's why, even when the Mueller report found ten different instances of federal crimes, they said we can't indict a sitting president. But all of that expires in exactly 60 days. … So now, you've got Trump trying to do all of this ridiculousness around the election, I do think with an idea to try and raise his war chest to defend himself. But it also actually, perversely, makes it really hard for a future Biden attorney general or for a New York prosecutor to look the other way because even if Trump had hoped to avoid criminal prosecution, his post-election behavior basically guarantees it. I mean, you've got a guy who is right now literally committing if not crimes, pretty darn close, even when he's being forced out of the door, in terms of conspiring with these Michigan canvassers or these state legislators. It is a federal crime, it's a state crime to try and take someone's right to vote away and that is what Trump is doing. He's trying to perpetrate the largest act of disenfranchisement in our lifetime. Hundreds of thousands of votes he's trying to throw out. That is, if he's conspiring to do it and it sure looks he may be, a crime.
There are also the crimes that current Attorney General Bill Barr has disappeared, such as those committed by “Individual 1,” which was obviously Trump, in the Michael Cohen criminal prosecution.
And let’s not forget those “consulting fees” to Ivanka Trump The New York Times just revealed. Or the Stormy Daniels hush money as a “business expense.”
KATYAL: All of these investigations somehow magically disappeared once Bill Barr came into office. However, the statute of limitations is such that they can be investigated. And what that New York Times report is saying is that, for example, Trump has been paying his daughter, Ivanka, hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in consulting fees. And that allows him to expense those and avoid, essentially, gift tax or inheritance taxes on that. So that may be one thing that's going on. Another is, which has been reported by many outlets, he deducted the $130,000 in payments to Stormy Daniels as a business expense.
Katyal has no doubt Trump will try to pardon himself and his family before leaving office. But that will probably not get them off the hook.
KATYAL: Of course, pardons don't work for states and I think if you're Ivanka right now, you've got to worry that if Trump somehow gets off on these charges, whether a pardon or something else, and doesn't have any state charges, these prosecutors are going after someone and here is looking at you, kid.


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Kyle Rittenhouse Posts $2 Million Cash Bond With Help From Domestic Abusers Rick Schroder And Mike L

Kyle Rittenhouse Posts $2 Million Cash Bond With Help From Domestic Abusers Rick Schroder And Mike Lindell

What 's that saying about birds of a feather ?
Illinois teen Kyle Rittenhouse , who shot three people at a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha , Wisconsin this August , and who has since been either made a sympathetic figure by , turned into the victim by , or glorified by the right and Trump , has managed to make $ 2 million in cash bail , and guess who decided to bail him out .
The teenage gunman charged with killing two Black Lives Matter protesters in Wisconsin this summer walked out of jail Friday afternoon after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rittenhouse , 17 , was released from custody around 2 p.m. and handed over to his own security detail after his attorneys posted bond on his behalf , according to the Kenosha County Sheriff ’ s Department .
Supporters have been donating money for his bail , and a lawyer Friday said cash from former “ Silver Spoons ” and “ NYPD Blue ” actor Ricky Schroeder and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell helped spring Rittenhouse .
“ KYLE RITTENHOUSE IS OUT OF JAIL.
” attorney Lin Wood tweeted .
“ God bless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise required $ 2M cash bail .
Special thanks to Actor Ricky Schroder ... & Mike Lindell ... for putting us over the top .
”

What's that saying about birds of a feather? Illinois teen Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people at a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin this August, and who has since been either made a sympathetic figure by, turned into the victim by, or glorified by the right and Trump, has managed to make $2 million in cash bail, and guess who decided to bail him out.
The teenage gunman charged with killing two Black Lives Matter protesters in Wisconsin this summer walked out of jail Friday afternoon after posting $2 million bail.
Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was released from custody around 2 p.m. and handed over to his own security detail after his attorneys posted bond on his behalf, according to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department.
Supporters have been donating money for his bail, and a lawyer Friday said cash from former “Silver Spoons” and “NYPD Blue” actor Ricky Schroeder and My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell helped spring Rittenhouse.
“KYLE RITTENHOUSE IS OUT OF JAIL.” attorney Lin Wood tweeted. “God bless ALL who donated to help #FightBack raise required $2M cash bail. Special thanks to Actor Ricky Schroder ... & Mike Lindell ... for putting us over the top.”


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Utah Bill Will Legalize Drivers Running Over Street Protesters

Utah lawmakers are being condemned this week for advancing a bill with provisions penalizing demonstrators who obstruct traffic during a `` riot '' while absolving any driver who injures or kills a protester , as long as the motorist was fleeing in fear of their life , which critics denounced as an attempt to legalize running people over .
John Hawkins , the Republican lawmaker who introduced the bill that the state legislature will consider during its upcoming general session , claimed that he does n't `` think that purposefully using your vehicle to cause bodily injury is a normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' But William Carlson , chief criminal justice policy adviser for the Salt Lake County District Attorney 's Office , pointed out that `` creating a criminal defense for drivers '' would make it `` much more complicated '' to prosecute drivers such as James Fields , the `` white supremacist who in 2017 plowed his car into a crowd of peaceful anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville , Virginia , '' killing Heather Heyer .
That 's because Fields might have qualified `` for the legal defense proposed by Hawkins '' if it were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a riot and 'under a reasonable belief ' that he [ was ] in danger of serious injury or death , '' the Salt Lake Tribune reported .
Tribune cartoonist Pat Bagley quipped that `` Utah legislators are considering a bill that would let drivers off the hook for mowing down protesters . ''
Critics say that decriminalizing vehicular homicide in some instances , as state legislators have proposed , might encourage violence against protesters , especially given that , as the ACLU 's Marina Lowe put it , `` one person 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Utah legislators ' lenient position on deadly car attacks is related , some observers noted , to their disapproving views on civil disobedience .
Carlson argued that the bill would `` create an affirmative defense for ... individuals who may disagree with the protests . ''
`` The legislation ... would also make it a third-degree felony to obstruct traffic during a riot , '' the Tribune reported .
`` Protesters found guilty of the offense could face up to five years in prison . ''
According to the newspaper , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , defense attorneys , and civil liberties advocates , '' who argue that it would criminalize `` one of the defining features of American protests . ''
Demonstrations `` often involve hundreds , sometimes thousands , of individuals who are marching down the street in protest of a particular event that occurred in our community or nationally , '' Moffat said .
If this bill were passed into law , Moffat added , `` Every single one of those people could be charged with a felony . ''
Bagley captured what he considers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a cartoon : '' Instead of addressing systematic problems in our society that led to protests of last summer , '' one critic tweeted , `` GOP lawmakers want to increase penalties for dissent , while allowing motorists to run over protesters with no legal sanction . ''

Utah lawmakers are being condemned this week for advancing a bill with provisions penalizing demonstrators who obstruct traffic during a "riot" while absolving any driver who injures or kills a protester, as long as the motorist was fleeing in fear of their life, which critics denounced as an attempt to legalize running people over.
John Hawkins, the Republican lawmaker who introduced the bill that the state legislature will consider during its upcoming general session, claimed that he doesn't "think that purposefully using your vehicle to cause bodily injury is a normal situation that falls into this bill."
But William Carlson, chief criminal justice policy adviser for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, pointed out that "creating a criminal defense for drivers" would make it "much more complicated" to prosecute drivers such as James Fields, the "white supremacist who in 2017 plowed his car into a crowd of peaceful anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia," killing Heather Heyer.
That's because Fields might have qualified "for the legal defense proposed by Hawkins" if it were deemed that he was "fleeing from a riot and 'under a reasonable belief' that he [was] in danger of serious injury or death," the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Tribune cartoonist Pat Bagley quipped that "Utah legislators are considering a bill that would let drivers off the hook for mowing down protesters."
Critics say that decriminalizing vehicular homicide in some instances, as state legislators have proposed, might encourage violence against protesters, especially given that, as the ACLU's Marina Lowe put it, "one person's protest is another person's riot."
Utah legislators' lenient position on deadly car attacks is related, some observers noted, to their disapproving views on civil disobedience. Carlson argued that the bill would "create an affirmative defense for... individuals who may disagree with the protests."
"The legislation... would also make it a third-degree felony to obstruct traffic during a riot," the Tribune reported. "Protesters found guilty of the offense could face up to five years in prison."
According to the newspaper, the bill is "drawing opposition from prosecutors, defense attorneys, and civil liberties advocates," who argue that it would criminalize "one of the defining features of American protests."
The Tribune explained the legislation's repressive implications:
While Utah law already prohibits obstructing a roadway or sidewalk, Hawkins' bill would elevate this behavior to a felony if it's part of a riot. State statute considers a riot to be a gathering of people who are engaging in "tumultuous or violent conduct" that can cause public alarm, and defense attorney Mark Moffat told lawmakers that a broad interpretation of this definition could encompass almost any demonstration.
Demonstrations "often involve hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individuals who are marching down the street in protest of a particular event that occurred in our community or nationally," Moffat said.
If this bill were passed into law, Moffat added, "Every single one of those people could be charged with a felony."
Bagley captured what he considers the reactionary nature of the Utah bill in a cartoon:
"Instead of addressing systematic problems in our society that led to protests of last summer," one critic tweeted, "GOP lawmakers want to increase penalties for dissent, while allowing motorists to run over protesters with no legal sanction."
Republished from Common Dreams (Kenny Stancil, staff writer) under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.


crooksandliars--2020-11-21--Trump's Invitation To Michigan Lawmakers May Spark State And Federal Political Crisis

The state of Michigan , and the United States as a whole , may face a political crisis brought on by President Donald Trump ’ s continuing efforts to undo the 2020 election results .
On Nov. 19 , the president invited Republican lawmakers from Michigan to the White House , apparently to pressure them to change the election ’ s outcome in their states .
Michiganders voted 50.6 % to 47.8 % for Democrat Joe Biden over Trump .
Media reports indicate that even before the election Trump ’ s campaign was already considering asking some of the 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge of a total of 300 electoral votes , to depart from current practice in choosing their Electoral College delegates .
The request would be for those bodies to select Trump electors and order them to cast their ballots for the president , regardless of the candidate the states ’ voters actually preferred .
A similar possibility arose in 2000 , when the Republican majority in the state ’ s Legislature claimed to possess “ broad authority to allocate Florida ’ s electoral votes , ” and came close to doing so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I believe that while there are some legal barriers that could limit the ability of legislative bodies to disregard popular vote totals in the allocation of their electoral votes , the most important constraints would be political .
A president picked this way by state legislatures would likely have his legitimacy questioned – and the legislatures would also likely face the public ’ s ire .
Article II of the U.S. Constitution leaves decisions about how electors will be chosen to state legislatures : “ Each State shall appoint , in such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Number of Electors , equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.
” In the country ’ s early years , some legislatures did not trouble themselves to involve their citizens in choosing the president .
When George Washington was first elected in 1788 , the legislatures of Connecticut , Delaware , Georgia , New Jersey and South Carolina appointed electors directly without a popular vote .
The New York state Legislature did not even choose electors because lawmakers couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two chambers , which were controlled by different parties .
The first several presidential elections followed a mixed pattern , with some states using popular elections to direct the choice of electors , while others left that choice solely to their legislatures .
As political parties jockeyed for advantage , states changed their systems often .
No state legislature has ever appointed a slate of electors supporting a candidate who lost the state ’ s popular vote .
As the Supreme Court noted in the recent “ faithless electors ” case , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had passed legislation saying that the popular vote would determine the choice of its electors .
In 1876 , newly admitted Colorado became the last state whose Legislature chose electors on its own .
Today the laws of every state give voters the final say about which party the electors should represent .
State legislatures have given up the power to choose electors , but the Supreme Court has on several occasions recognized their right to take it back .
The first decision was in 1892 , when the court declared that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the manner of appointment , and might itself exercise the appointing power by joint ballot or concurrence of the two houses , or according to such mode as it designated.
” More than 100 years later , the court revisited the question in Bush v. Gore .
In a little-noticed but highly consequential passage , the majority wrote that a state legislature “ may , if it so chooses , select the electors itself , ” and it retains authority to “ take back the power to appoint electors , ” even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision .
In a July 2020 decision , the Supreme Court again declared that Article II gives state legislatures “ the broadest power of determination ” over who becomes an elector .
However , the majority opinion did suggest that power might be subject to “ some other constitutional constraint.
” What are the limits ?
The court has declared that states have the right to take back the choice of electors from the people – but has cautioned that they may not do so easily .
When states give the voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on them a “ fundamental ” right , which is protected by other constitutional guarantees , including the due process and equal protection clauses .
But it ’ s not clear how strong that protection might actually be .
State legislatures would almost certainly have to pass a new law or resolution to make any change .
In each state , a majority of legislators would have to agree .
And , depending on the form of the enactment , it might or might not be subject to a governor ’ s approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , courts have respected legislative decisions to change how a state appoints electors so long as the changes happen before the election happens , not after the ballots are cast .
[ Insight , in your inbox each day .
You can get it with The Conversation ’ s email newsletter . ]
Postelection changes of the kind Trump is apparently contemplating would cause confusion around two federal laws that directly contradict each other .
One law requires electors to be appointed on Election Day itself .
But all states abide by another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed in 1887 , which gives states up to 41 days after Election Day to designate their slate of electors .
The conflict between these laws provides fertile ground for litigation .
In the end , however , the most effective forces blocking state legislatures in Michigan or any other state from disregarding the popular vote may be political rather than legal .
It is , after all , up to the people to hold their officials accountable for their actions .
Yet in the country ’ s current toxic political environment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an obvious effort to ignore the popular vote might nonetheless find support among some of the public , and some of their elected representatives too .
This is an updated version of an article originally published Oct. 1 , 2020 .
Austin Sarat , Associate Provost and Associate Dean of the Faculty and Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science , Amherst College This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Michigan Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, left, and Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield are among those expected to visit the White House. AP Photo/David Eggert
Austin Sarat, Amherst College
The state of Michigan, and the United States as a whole, may face a political crisis brought on by President Donald Trump’s continuing efforts to undo the 2020 election results.
On Nov. 19, the president invited Republican lawmakers from Michigan to the White House, apparently to pressure them to change the election’s outcome in their states. Michiganders voted 50.6% to 47.8% for Democrat Joe Biden over Trump.
Media reports indicate that even before the election Trump’s campaign was already considering asking some of the 29 state legislatures with Republican majorities, in charge of a total of 300 electoral votes, to depart from current practice in choosing their Electoral College delegates. The request would be for those bodies to select Trump electors and order them to cast their ballots for the president, regardless of the candidate the states’ voters actually preferred.
A similar possibility arose in 2000, when the Republican majority in the state’s Legislature claimed to possess “broad authority to allocate Florida’s electoral votes,” and came close to doing so.
As a student of American democratic politics, I believe that while there are some legal barriers that could limit the ability of legislative bodies to disregard popular vote totals in the allocation of their electoral votes, the most important constraints would be political.
A president picked this way by state legislatures would likely have his legitimacy questioned – and the legislatures would also likely face the public’s ire.
A base in the Constitution
Article II of the U.S. Constitution leaves decisions about how electors will be chosen to state legislatures: “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.”
In the country’s early years, some legislatures did not trouble themselves to involve their citizens in choosing the president. When George Washington was first elected in 1788, the legislatures of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey and South Carolina appointed electors directly without a popular vote. The New York state Legislature did not even choose electors because lawmakers couldn’t resolve the split between its two chambers, which were controlled by different parties.
The first several presidential elections followed a mixed pattern, with some states using popular elections to direct the choice of electors, while others left that choice solely to their legislatures. As political parties jockeyed for advantage, states changed their systems often.
No state legislature has ever appointed a slate of electors supporting a candidate who lost the state’s popular vote. As the Supreme Court noted in the recent “faithless electors” case, by 1832, every state except South Carolina had passed legislation saying that the popular vote would determine the choice of its electors.
In 1876, newly admitted Colorado became the last state whose Legislature chose electors on its own. Today the laws of every state give voters the final say about which party the electors should represent.
The Supreme Court’s view
State legislatures have given up the power to choose electors, but the Supreme Court has on several occasions recognized their right to take it back.
The first decision was in 1892, when the court declared that “the legislature possesses plenary authority to direct the manner of appointment, and might itself exercise the appointing power by joint ballot or concurrence of the two houses, or according to such mode as it designated.”
More than 100 years later, the court revisited the question in Bush v. Gore. In a little-noticed but highly consequential passage, the majority wrote that a state legislature “may, if it so chooses, select the electors itself,” and it retains authority to “take back the power to appoint electors,” even if it formerly let the popular vote make the decision.
In a July 2020 decision, the Supreme Court again declared that Article II gives state legislatures “the broadest power of determination” over who becomes an elector. However, the majority opinion did suggest that power might be subject to “some other constitutional constraint.”
What are the limits?
The court has declared that states have the right to take back the choice of electors from the people – but has cautioned that they may not do so easily.
When states give the voters control over electoral picks, they confer on them a “fundamental” right, which is protected by other constitutional guarantees, including the due process and equal protection clauses.
But it’s not clear how strong that protection might actually be. State legislatures would almost certainly have to pass a new law or resolution to make any change. In each state, a majority of legislators would have to agree. And, depending on the form of the enactment, it might or might not be subject to a governor’s approval – or a veto override.
Historically, courts have respected legislative decisions to change how a state appoints electors so long as the changes happen before the election happens, not after the ballots are cast.
[Insight, in your inbox each day. You can get it with The Conversation’s email newsletter.]
A matter of timing
Postelection changes of the kind Trump is apparently contemplating would cause confusion around two federal laws that directly contradict each other.
One law requires electors to be appointed on Election Day itself. But all states abide by another law, the Electoral Count Act, passed in 1887, which gives states up to 41 days after Election Day to designate their slate of electors. The conflict between these laws provides fertile ground for litigation.
In the end, however, the most effective forces blocking state legislatures in Michigan or any other state from disregarding the popular vote may be political rather than legal.
It is, after all, up to the people to hold their officials accountable for their actions.
Yet in the country’s current toxic political environment, it’s not clear whether even an obvious effort to ignore the popular vote might nonetheless find support among some of the public, and some of their elected representatives too.
This is an updated version of an article originally published Oct. 1, 2020.
Austin Sarat, Associate Provost and Associate Dean of the Faculty and Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Elie Mystal: Start Suing The Trump Administration NOW For Ethical Violations Of The Law

On AM Joy , Elie Mystal applauded Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. for officially coming for Rudy Giuliani 's bar card , along with those of the rest of Trump 's legal team .
Mystal reminded viewers that there are actual ethical standards attorneys are sworn to uphold , including not bringing frivolous lawsuits into the courtroom .
Giuliani is not only violating these standards , but for reasons most abhorrent to a rational American : overturning the results of an election .
If these are n't actions that warrant disbarment , none exist .
Later on in the discussion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imaginary magic wand , making Mystal Biden 's attorney general .
Johnson asked him what else he would do to make sure this kind of legal `` brinkmanship '' did n't happen again in any future elections .
Mystal continued on in the same vein as earlier when he spoke of Pascrell 's aggressive pursuit of consequences for the Trump team 's egregious lawlessness .
MYSTAL : Well , first of all , I would apply all the ethical rules .
Kurt brought up this GSA administrator , Emily Murray .
She should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not later , she should be sued right now for dereliction of her duty .
And that 's the kind of thing that I would bring that as Biden 's attorney general .
I would sue people for ethics violations .
The Trump administration has been so ethically questionable that we kind of just let it roll over ourselves .
Right ?
`` It 's an ethical violation , not a statutory . ''
Look , ethics violations are there .
We have rules , and those are supposed to be the guardrails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lax in this country about basic , ethical requirements , I would start -- I would start putting teeth behind those ETHICAL requirements .
I would start suing people .
I would start suing judges who give fundraising dinner invitations .
I would start suing all of these people for their ETHICAL failures to bring America back to some level of moral standing .
Dr. Johnson heartily agreed , adding that he 'd be fully in favor of impeaching the `` highly incompetent judges '' Trump and Mitch McConnell have put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are appointed for life .
How legitimate are these appointments if the American Bar Association does n't even give them a `` qualified '' rating ?
Yet here is the GOP , ramming them through the Senate , while more then a quarter of a million Americans have died of COVID-19 , and many more than that face eviction , poverty , and food insecurity , while bills that might bring them relief die on the desk of a giggling Moscow Mitch .

On AM Joy, Elie Mystal applauded Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. for officially coming for Rudy Giuliani's bar card, along with those of the rest of Trump's legal team. Mystal reminded viewers that there are actual ethical standards attorneys are sworn to uphold, including not bringing frivolous lawsuits into the courtroom. Giuliani is not only violating these standards, but for reasons most abhorrent to a rational American: overturning the results of an election. If these aren't actions that warrant disbarment, none exist.
Later on in the discussion, guest host Dr. Jason Johnson waved an imaginary magic wand, making Mystal Biden's attorney general. Johnson asked him what else he would do to make sure this kind of legal "brinkmanship" didn't happen again in any future elections. Mystal continued on in the same vein as earlier when he spoke of Pascrell's aggressive pursuit of consequences for the Trump team's egregious lawlessness.
MYSTAL: Well, first of all, I would apply all the ethical rules. Kurt brought up this GSA administrator, Emily Murray. She should be sued right now, okay? Not later, she should be sued right now for dereliction of her duty. And that's the kind of thing that I would bring that as Biden's attorney general. I would sue people for ethics violations. The Trump administration has been so ethically questionable that we kind of just let it roll over ourselves. Right? "It's an ethical violation, not a statutory." Look, ethics violations are there. We have rules, and those are supposed to be the guardrails. And when we have gotten so lax in this country about basic, ethical requirements, I would start -- I would start putting teeth behind those ETHICAL requirements. I would start suing people. I would start suing judges who give fundraising dinner invitations. I would start suing all of these people for their ETHICAL failures to bring America back to some level of moral standing.
Dr. Johnson heartily agreed, adding that he'd be fully in favor of impeaching the "highly incompetent judges" Trump and Mitch McConnell have put in place, who aren't qualified, yet are appointed for life. How legitimate are these appointments if the American Bar Association doesn't even give them a "qualified" rating?
Yet here is the GOP, ramming them through the Senate, while more then a quarter of a million Americans have died of COVID-19, and many more than that face eviction, poverty, and food insecurity, while bills that might bring them relief die on the desk of a giggling Moscow Mitch.


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Flood Of Right-Wing Eliminationist Hate Speech Follows Trump’s Refusal To Concede The Election

The longer that Donald Trump refuses to concede the presidential election to Joe Biden—and the more he and his minions promote conspiracy theories to claim that Biden won fraudulently—the more the unhinged behavior of their perfervid True Believers , threatening mass violence and more , begins to pile up .
Primed by an outburst from leading far-right extremists such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys advocating that liberal media and political figures be targeted for violence , a deluge of similarly violent and threatening rhetoric has washed across the political landscape , both on social media and in real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to an even greater degree , their armies of followers .
Their targets—primarily political figures involved in the election count , including Georgia ’ s Republican secretary of state—have reported being swamped with death threats and other kinds of hateful rhetoric .
Already , a notorious member of the Proud Boys—following last Saturday ’ s “ Million MAGA March , ” in which thousands of extremists ginned up on conspiracy theories and eliminationist rhetoric descended on Washington , D.C. , ending in a flood of street violence and hate-filled rhetoric—had threatened an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and warned Oregon state officials that they were “ not untouchable.
” On Wednesday , the Proud Boys ’ official channel on Telegram followed suit , with a post claiming that , as true representatives of national values , they were prepared to kill “ antifa , BLM , and the whole of the American left .
We ARE American values .
We stand for ALL that is loved by every American .
We work hard every day to better ourselves , our families and our communities .
We don ’ t burn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antifa , blm and the whole of the left are all about destruction .
They are the antithesis of everything America is , what it stands for and what her values are .
They HATE our country and I say OUR country because it ’ s not theirs anymore .
They have committed treason against America and for that they have become the enemy .
The punishment for treason ?
Death .
… We know our enemy as we know ourselves .
Because of this we will win .
Now is the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet for something … Die on your knees for nothing .
Meanwhile , over at the conspiracy mill Infowars , host Owen Shroyer opined that if Democrats “ stole ” the election , they would “ deserve ” the mass violence he believes is sure to follow : And so you just point the finger and you say , “ You ’ ve done this .
You ’ ve committed these crimes .
You ’ ve committed these atrocities .
You ’ re trying to make us a slave .
You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dividing us .
You ’ re gaslighting us .
You ’ re instigating us .
You ’ re doing it.
” And they say , “ Don ’ t say that .
That could lead to violence against us.
” Well , you know what ?
Maybe you deserve what ’ s coming .
You ever thought about that ?
Oh , wait , they have , that ’ s why they ’ re so scared .
Did you really think we would just take this on our backs ?
… Yeah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. peacefully now .
Yeah , it ’ s going to be thousands of people peacefully in Atlanta this weekend .
But let me tell you : If you steal this election from us and you put in a U.N. communist corrupt criminal Joe Biden in the White House , it ’ s not going to be a million peaceful marchers in D.C. No , no , no .
No , it ’ s not .
No , it ’ s not .
And you know , quite frankly , that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point where—I mean , we can lead marches all day long , but I know I won ’ t have to be the one to get my hands dirty .
I can sit right here in studio and just broadcast the whole thing .
It ’ s going to be 3 million veterans , it ’ s going to be 3 million fathers that have been fed up and at the end of their rope for a long , long time , who have been screwed over by this system and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the U.S. Senate—Lauren Witzke of Delaware , a QAnon fanatic who also has deep ties to white nationalists—indulged in similar eliminationist rhetoric , the kind that creates permission for mass violence in the minds of their followers .
On Thursday , Witzke tweeted : Predictably , there was a flood of even more explicitly bloodthirsty rhetoric directed at “ the left ” —with antifascists , Marxists , socialists , and anarchists blurred and bundled together with liberal Democrats and Biden—on social media , including Facebook , which despite having supposedly cracked down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” pages that flourished there after the election , remains home to hundreds of such pages .
The rhetoric became even more hysterical and violent at Parler , the social-media platform that caters to the far right .
Journalist Nicholas Lee collected a number of examples of violent posts there , including such comments as : “ We need a civil war to cleanse these vipers out of America.
” `` The tree of liberty needs to be refreshed at this point . ''
`` It 's time to go to all state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Public trials with public juries .
No wait time if found guilty of treason . ''
“ Someone needs to post up near [ a Michigan vote-certification official ’ s ] house to make sure he has a nife accident .
Soon American Patriots like myself are gon na start poppin these fools .
I give credit to Americans in the 50s and 60s .
They had the balls to shoot politicians in public .
Its time we start using Pablo Escobar tactics . ''
Predictably , various elections officials around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossfire of Trump ’ s conspiracist claims about vote-counting have reported being inundated with hateful messages and death threats .
Among these has been Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican who resisted what he describes as pressure from prominent Trump allies to discard legitimate ballots in ways that could allow Trump to carry the state , and who ultimately confirmed and certified Biden ’ s victory in the state ’ s ballot count .
Raffensperger has insisted that his state ’ s vote was not tainted by fraud , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a deluge of death threats , including some directed to his wife ’ s private cellphone .
He shared a few of the messages with the Atlanta Fox affiliate : Similarly , Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs , a Democrat whose state was involved in some of the early far-right protests involving ballot counting , reported being awash in a flood of hate messages : The truth is , I was prepared for these threats of violence and vitriol I have been a social worker for many years and can anticipate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and angry .
These actions are utterly abhorrent , especially when directed at my family and my staff .
They are a symptom of a deeper problem in our state and country—the consistent and systematic undermining of trust in each other and our democratic process Arizonans deserve to know that elections are safe and secure .
This does not excuse the perpetrators .
Their continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do .
Our democracy is tested constantly , it continues to prevail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch .
But there are those , including the president , members of Congress and other elected officials , who are perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took .
It is well past time that they stop .
Their words and actions have consequences .
Public officials are not the only ones receiving threats .
In the Portland , Oregon , area , activists have been receiving handwritten death threats declaring “ total war ” against Blacks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters publicized so far both appear to have been written by the same person , unmistakably a rancid white supremacist .
The first , sent to a Black Lives Matter activist of color and onetime Portland City Council candidate at her home , is a raw racist rant that reads : A second letter , similarly titled “ Total war !
, ” was sent to So far , the spate of violent rhetoric from the radical right over Joe Biden ’ s election has only spawned more and more hate talk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it never stays that way for very long .

The longer that Donald Trump refuses to concede the presidential election to Joe Biden—and the more he and his minions promote conspiracy theories to claim that Biden won fraudulently—the more the unhinged behavior of their perfervid True Believers, threatening mass violence and more, begins to pile up.
Primed by an outburst from leading far-right extremists such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys advocating that liberal media and political figures be targeted for violence, a deluge of similarly violent and threatening rhetoric has washed across the political landscape, both on social media and in real life, from other far-right figures and, to an even greater degree, their armies of followers. Their targets—primarily political figures involved in the election count, including Georgia’s Republican secretary of state—have reported being swamped with death threats and other kinds of hateful rhetoric.
Already, a notorious member of the Proud Boys—following last Saturday’s “Million MAGA March,” in which thousands of extremists ginned up on conspiracy theories and eliminationist rhetoric descended on Washington, D.C., ending in a flood of street violence and hate-filled rhetoric—had threatened an armed response to any Biden inauguration, and warned Oregon state officials that they were “not untouchable.” On Wednesday, the Proud Boys’ official channel on Telegram followed suit, with a post claiming that, as true representatives of national values, they were prepared to kill “antifa, BLM, and the whole of the American left.
The message read:
We ARE American values. We stand for ALL that is loved by every American. We work hard every day to better ourselves, our families and our communities. We don’t burn and we don’t loot. antifa, blm and the whole of the left are all about destruction. They are the antithesis of everything America is, what it stands for and what her values are. They HATE our country and I say OUR country because it’s not theirs anymore. They have committed treason against America and for that they have become the enemy. The punishment for treason? Death. … We know our enemy as we know ourselves. Because of this we will win. Now is the time to do something. Stand on your feet for something … Die on your knees for nothing.
Meanwhile, over at the conspiracy mill Infowars, host Owen Shroyer opined that if Democrats “stole” the election, they would “deserve” the mass violence he believes is sure to follow:
And so you just point the finger and you say, “You’ve done this. You’ve committed these crimes. You’ve committed these atrocities. You’re trying to make us a slave. You’re lying to us. You’re dividing us. You’re gaslighting us. You’re instigating us. You’re doing it.” And they say, “Don’t say that. That could lead to violence against us.” Well, you know what? Maybe you deserve what’s coming. You ever thought about that? Oh, wait, they have, that’s why they’re so scared. Did you really think we would just take this on our backs? … Yeah, it’s a million marchers in D.C. peacefully now. Yeah, it’s going to be thousands of people peacefully in Atlanta this weekend. But let me tell you: If you steal this election from us and you put in a U.N. communist corrupt criminal Joe Biden in the White House, it’s not going to be a million peaceful marchers in D.C. No, no, no. No, it’s not. No, it’s not. And you know, quite frankly, that’s not a threat because I’m to the point where—I mean, we can lead marches all day long, but I know I won’t have to be the one to get my hands dirty. I can sit right here in studio and just broadcast the whole thing. It’s going to be 3 million veterans, it’s going to be 3 million fathers that have been fed up and at the end of their rope for a long, long time, who have been screwed over by this system and are done.
A defeated Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate—Lauren Witzke of Delaware, a QAnon fanatic who also has deep ties to white nationalists—indulged in similar eliminationist rhetoric, the kind that creates permission for mass violence in the minds of their followers. On Thursday, Witzke tweeted:
The Democratic Party is a crime syndicate and must be eradicated from America entirely.
Predictably, there was a flood of even more explicitly bloodthirsty rhetoric directed at “the left”—with antifascists, Marxists, socialists, and anarchists blurred and bundled together with liberal Democrats and Biden—on social media, including Facebook, which despite having supposedly cracked down on the conspiracist “Stop the Steal” pages that flourished there after the election, remains home to hundreds of such pages.
The rhetoric became even more hysterical and violent at Parler, the social-media platform that caters to the far right. Journalist Nicholas Lee collected a number of examples of violent posts there, including such comments as:
“We need a civil war to cleanse these vipers out of America.” "The tree of liberty needs to be refreshed at this point." "It's time to go to all state capitals and DC and start building gallows. Public trials with public juries. No wait time if found guilty of treason." “Someone needs to post up near [a Michigan vote-certification official’s] house to make sure he has a nife accident. Soon American Patriots like myself are gonna start poppin these fools. I give credit to Americans in the 50s and 60s. They had the balls to shoot politicians in public. Its time we start using Pablo Escobar tactics."
Predictably, various elections officials around the country who have been caught in the crossfire of Trump’s conspiracist claims about vote-counting have reported being inundated with hateful messages and death threats. Among these has been Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who resisted what he describes as pressure from prominent Trump allies to discard legitimate ballots in ways that could allow Trump to carry the state, and who ultimately confirmed and certified Biden’s victory in the state’s ballot count.
Raffensperger has insisted that his state’s vote was not tainted by fraud, and said his refusal to pretend otherwise led to a deluge of death threats, including some directed to his wife’s private cellphone. He shared a few of the messages with the Atlanta Fox affiliate:
“You better not botch this recount. Your life depends on it.” “Your husband deserves to face a firing squad.” “The Raffenspergers should be put on trial for treason and face execution.”
Similarly, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat whose state was involved in some of the early far-right protests involving ballot counting, reported being awash in a flood of hate messages:
The truth is, I was prepared for these threats of violence and vitriol I have been a social worker for many years and can anticipate this reaction when certain people feel powerless and angry. These actions are utterly abhorrent, especially when directed at my family and my staff. They are a symptom of a deeper problem in our state and country—the consistent and systematic undermining of trust in each other and our democratic process Arizonans deserve to know that elections are safe and secure. This does not excuse the perpetrators. Their continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do. Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch. But there are those, including the president, members of Congress and other elected officials, who are perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took. It is well past time that they stop. Their words and actions have consequences.
Public officials are not the only ones receiving threats. In the Portland, Oregon, area, activists have been receiving handwritten death threats declaring “total war” against Blacks, antifascists, and liberals. The two letters publicized so far both appear to have been written by the same person, unmistakably a rancid white supremacist.
The first, sent to a Black Lives Matter activist of color and onetime Portland City Council candidate at her home, is a raw racist rant that reads:
Who’s lives don’t matter N----rs lives don’t matter I love it when the cops kill god damn n----rs Say his name!!! Dead n----r! Say her name! Dead n----r! N----rs lives don’t matter!!! It came wrapped in a sheet of paper on which was scrawled: “NLDM [a neo-Nazi acronym for ‘N-----r Lives Don’t Matter] Death to N----rs Total War.”
A second letter, similarly titled “Total war!,” was sent to
If AOC can make a “list” here is my updated kill list: [Names 20 journalists and activists from Portland area] If you try any more “direct action” in Vancouver you El Sickos will pay!! I’m still waiting for that n----r [name redacted] to quote “Fuck me up” Let that him know I have hollow points for his n----r ass! We don’t want “healing” we don’t want “unity” we want TOTAL WAR!!! NLDM!!!
So far, the spate of violent rhetoric from the radical right over Joe Biden’s election has only spawned more and more hate talk and relatively little action in the real world. But it never stays that way for very long.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Fox Continues Being A Public Health Hazard During The Pandemic

Fox has been endangering the lives of their viewers and anyone unfortunate enough to come in contact with them since the pandemic began , and this Sunday the hosts of Fox & Friends were celebrating people defying the CDC 's recommendation for people not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday .
After showing clips of people standing in long lines at airports across the country talking about why they 've decided to travel anyway , here 's what cohost Pete Hegseth said in response : PETE HEGSETH ( CO-HOST ) : This is Thanksgiving , this is something I 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by the way .
A reminder that there is a lot of need right now as well .
As our economy has been shut down , people 's livelihoods have been crushed , and they are in need .
So getting together with family to share that moment becomes all that more important .
You alluded to it , Will .
Mandates crush your soul , they crush your spirit , they bring you down , and something as simple as air flight becomes a complicated endeavor .
But to see millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heartening thing .
I 've spent a lot of time at the airport over the last nine months , I 've flown a ton .
Those safety procedures are in place .
I personally like the short security lines because there 's nobody there .
But to see all of these people back is heartening and , you know , the health experts can say what they want , but these are people being responsible , making a choice to go see their family which I think is heartening , Jed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the voice of reason ( at least in comparison to the two they have her paired up with on the weekends ) explaining that the CDC was correct to have concerns about people who are asymptomatic coming home and spreading the disease to their elderly relatives , Will Cain earned his wingnut welfare making sure anything she said fell on deaf ears .
CAIN : And those concerns are real , but if you 're a public policy maker you have to encounter the fact that America is an independent country that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people will do , what they will do .
In a functioning democracy this poison would not be allowed to continue to be pumped into the veins of Americans and these people would be held accountable for the amount of death and suffering they 've caused .

Fox has been endangering the lives of their viewers and anyone unfortunate enough to come in contact with them since the pandemic began, and this Sunday the hosts of Fox & Friends were celebrating people defying the CDC's recommendation for people not to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.
After showing clips of people standing in long lines at airports across the country talking about why they've decided to travel anyway, here's what cohost Pete Hegseth said in response:
PETE HEGSETH (CO-HOST): This is Thanksgiving, this is something I've always -- those are food banks too, by the way. A reminder that there is a lot of need right now as well. As our economy has been shut down, people's livelihoods have been crushed, and they are in need. So getting together with family to share that moment becomes all that more important. You alluded to it, Will. Mandates crush your soul, they crush your spirit, they bring you down, and something as simple as air flight becomes a complicated endeavor. But to see millions of people going to the airport is a heartening thing. I've spent a lot of time at the airport over the last nine months, I've flown a ton. Those safety procedures are in place. I personally like the short security lines because there's nobody there. But to see all of these people back is heartening and, you know, the health experts can say what they want, but these are people being responsible, making a choice to go see their family which I think is heartening, Jed.
After Jedediah Bila attempted once again to be the voice of reason (at least in comparison to the two they have her paired up with on the weekends) explaining that the CDC was correct to have concerns about people who are asymptomatic coming home and spreading the disease to their elderly relatives, Will Cain earned his wingnut welfare making sure anything she said fell on deaf ears.
CAIN: And those concerns are real, but if you're a public policy maker you have to encounter the fact that America is an independent country that values its traditions and its families, and people will do, what they will do.
In a functioning democracy this poison would not be allowed to continue to be pumped into the veins of Americans and these people would be held accountable for the amount of death and suffering they've caused.


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Dominion Voting Systems Official Debunks Sidney Powell's 'Crazy' Conspiracy Theories On Fox News

Michael Steel , a Republican spokesperson for Dominion Voting Systems , on Sunday knocked down allegations that the company participated in a scheme to steal the election from President Donald Trump .
While appearing on Fox News , Steel was asked about claims made by Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell , who has promised a `` biblical '' lawsuit to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election .
She has suggested that Dominion officials bribed elected Republicans in the state of Georgia in a conspiracy to make Joe Biden president .
`` No , this is a non-partisan American company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Shawn on Sunday .
`` It is not physically possible for our machines to switch votes from one candidate to the other . ''
`` There is no way such a massive fraud could have taken place , '' he said .
`` And there are no connections between our company and Venezuela , Germany , Barcelona , Katmandu -- whatever the latest conspiracy theory is . ''
The Dominion official went on to explain that electronic vote tallies can be audited with a paper trail .
`` If any electronic interference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronically would not match the printed ballots , '' Steel said .
`` And in every case where we 've looked at -- in Georgia , all across the country -- the printed ballots , the gold standard in election security , has matched the electronic tally . ''
`` Some of the people watching you now do n't believe you , '' the Fox News host remarked .
`` They think you 're lying .
They say of course you 're going to say Dominion is not guilty of anything because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got the facts on my side , '' Steel replied .
`` And the president 's attorneys will go on press conferences , will go on TV and make these crazy allegations .
And then 30 times they 've gone to court and they have not offered a scintilla of proof .
We would love to see any evidence they have .
Thus far , we have seen none . ''
Steel also dismissed Powell 's assertion that poll watchers could have used thumb drives to steal the election .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're describing , '' he insisted .
`` This is nonsense .
That is not possible .
And again , if someone tried to alter the electronic record , the printed paper ballots would n't match . ''

Michael Steel, a Republican spokesperson for Dominion Voting Systems, on Sunday knocked down allegations that the company participated in a scheme to steal the election from President Donald Trump.
While appearing on Fox News, Steel was asked about claims made by Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell, who has promised a "biblical" lawsuit to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election. She has suggested that Dominion officials bribed elected Republicans in the state of Georgia in a conspiracy to make Joe Biden president.
"No, this is a non-partisan American company," Steel told Fox News host Eric Shawn on Sunday. "It is not physically possible for our machines to switch votes from one candidate to the other."
"There is no way such a massive fraud could have taken place," he said. "And there are no connections between our company and Venezuela, Germany, Barcelona, Katmandu -- whatever the latest conspiracy theory is."
The Dominion official went on to explain that electronic vote tallies can be audited with a paper trail.
"If any electronic interference had taken place, the tally reportedly electronically would not match the printed ballots," Steel said. "And in every case where we've looked at -- in Georgia, all across the country -- the printed ballots, the gold standard in election security, has matched the electronic tally."
"Some of the people watching you now don't believe you," the Fox News host remarked. "They think you're lying. They say of course you're going to say Dominion is not guilty of anything because you represent the company."
"I've got the facts on my side," Steel replied. "And the president's attorneys will go on press conferences, will go on TV and make these crazy allegations. And then 30 times they've gone to court and they have not offered a scintilla of proof. We would love to see any evidence they have. Thus far, we have seen none."
Steel also dismissed Powell's assertion that poll watchers could have used thumb drives to steal the election.
"It's not physically possible to do what they're describing," he insisted. "This is nonsense. That is not possible. And again, if someone tried to alter the electronic record, the printed paper ballots wouldn't match."


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Peter Navarro: 'President Trump Is Going To Get A Second Term'

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro insisted over the weekend that President Donald Trump will have a second term regardless @ @ @ @ @ During an interview with Eric Bolling of Sinclair broadcasting , Navarro was asked how Joe @ @ @ @ @ negotiations with China .
`` Well , President Trump is going to get a second @ @ @ @ @ defiantly .
`` President Trump is the only president , really the only person in @ @ @ @ @ stand up to communist China . ''
Navarro argued that Biden is `` totally compromised @ @ @ @ @ the `` Hunter Biden laptop . ''
The trade adviser also repeated unsubstantiated claims that @ @ @ @ @ came from a Chinese bioweapons laboratory .

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro insisted over the weekend that President Donald Trump will have a second term regardless of the election results.
During an interview with Eric Bolling of Sinclair broadcasting, Navarro was asked how Joe Biden's presidency would impact negotiations with China.
"Well, President Trump is going to get a second term," Navarro said defiantly. "President Trump is the only president, really the only person in the deep swamp here to stand up to communist China."
Navarro argued that Biden is "totally compromised" by China because of the "Hunter Biden laptop."
The trade adviser also repeated unsubstantiated claims that COVID-19 "mostly likely" came from a Chinese bioweapons laboratory.


crooksandliars--2020-11-22--Chris Christie: Trump's Legal Team Has Been A 'National Embarrassment'

On ABC 's This Week , Trump surrogate Chris Christie bashed Trump 's legal team , which is led by Rudy Giuliani and Sydney Powell , for outrageous conduct , and he insisted it 's time to concede the election .
George Stephanopoulos explained to his viewers that Trump has lost 34 court cases so far , and even Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said it 's time for Trump to concede .
Then the host asked his panel , `` Is it finally time for this to end ? ''
Chris Christie replied , `` Yes . ''
The former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the evidence of fraud , show it .
Trump 's legal team has refused to do so in court .
`` The conduct of the president 's legal team has been a national embarrassment , '' Christie said .
Christie zeroed in on Sydney Powell 's insane conduct , though he never mentioned Giuliani 's name at all during his take down of the Trump legal team .
`` Friends to the end , '' as the evil doll Chucky said .
Christie continued , `` This is outrageous conduct by any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they won ’ t do it inside the courtroom .
They allege fraud outside the courtroom , but when they go inside the courtroom , they don ’ t plead fraud and they don ’ t argue fraud . ''
That 's because there is no fraud , nor deep state conspiracies — by other Republicans or the voting machines — against Trump .
If they were to argue fraud , they would lose their licenses to practice law .
`` Elections have consequences , and we can not continue to act as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t happen .
You have an obligation to present the evidence , the evidence has not been presented , and you must conclude — as Tucker Carlson even concluded the other night — that if you are unwilling to come forward and present the evidence , it must mean the evidence doesn ’ t exist . ''
Christie finished with this , `` The country is what has to matter the most .
As much as I 'm a strong Republican , I love my party , it 's the country that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his cronies , though , it 's always Trump first , Trump second , Trump third , party fourth , then the American people stuck on the bottom .
The coronavirus ravages the country , with an astounding explosion of new cases of infections and deaths .
Trump is hiding in the basement tweeting out lunatic conspiracy theories and claiming he won the election .

On ABC's This Week, Trump surrogate Chris Christie bashed Trump's legal team, which is led by Rudy Giuliani and Sydney Powell, for outrageous conduct, and he insisted it's time to concede the election.
George Stephanopoulos explained to his viewers that Trump has lost 34 court cases so far, and even Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said it's time for Trump to concede. Then the host asked his panel, "Is it finally time for this to end?"
Chris Christie replied, "Yes." The former New Jersey governor explained that if you have the evidence of fraud, show it. Trump's legal team has refused to do so in court.
"The conduct of the president's legal team has been a national embarrassment," Christie said.
Christie zeroed in on Sydney Powell's insane conduct, though he never mentioned Giuliani's name at all during his take down of the Trump legal team. "Friends to the end," as the evil doll Chucky said.
Christie continued, "This is outrageous conduct by any lawyer, and notice, George, they won’t do it inside the courtroom. They allege fraud outside the courtroom, but when they go inside the courtroom, they don’t plead fraud and they don’t argue fraud."
That's because there is no fraud, nor deep state conspiracies — by other Republicans or the voting machines — against Trump. If they were to argue fraud, they would lose their licenses to practice law.
"Elections have consequences, and we cannot continue to act as if something happened here that didn’t happen. You have an obligation to present the evidence, the evidence has not been presented, and you must conclude — as Tucker Carlson even concluded the other night — that if you are unwilling to come forward and present the evidence, it must mean the evidence doesn’t exist."
Christie finished with this, "The country is what has to matter the most. As much as I'm a strong Republican, I love my party, it's the country that has to come first."
With Trump and his cronies, though, it's always Trump first, Trump second, Trump third, party fourth, then the American people stuck on the bottom.
The coronavirus ravages the country, with an astounding explosion of new cases of infections and deaths. Trump is hiding in the basement tweeting out lunatic conspiracy theories and claiming he won the election.