alternet--2020-11-20--Trump's legal coup is in shambles — so now he's turning to his mob

While Rudy Giuliani was melting down in front of cameras Thursday , Donald Trump and fellow Republicans were losing in the courtrooms as usual .
They did get one small win setting aside 2,349 absentee ballots in Allegheny County , Pennsylvania .
They went into the day with a 1-28 win/loss record and finished it 2-31 .
Oh , and they lost the recount in Georgia .
While Trump was losing the Georgia recount , a federal court there rejected an attempt by high-profile conservative attorney , L. Lin Wood Jr. to block certification of the election results .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better is this : Wood was arguing—in Georgia—that he could prove voter fraud because it happened in Michigan .
Which , okay .
He alleged that more people voted in certain Michigan precincts than lived in those Michigan precincts and that there were affidavits to prove it .
Except ( and this gets richer by the minute ) the affidavit he was talking about was from a cyber security `` expert '' from Texas , who mixed up Minnesota and Michigan .
And it just keeps getting better because that massive , critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reader of the far-right blog Powerline ( yes , believe it or not , it still exists ) .
But wait !
There 's more !
That happened after another `` expert , '' a Dr. Christos Makridis who apparently publishes a lot in right-wing outlets was absolutely skewered by another professor , Jonathan Rodden of Stanford .
`` Dr. Makridis includes a discussion of provisional ballots in Mercer County , '' Rodden told the court .
`` It is difficult to know what Dr. Makridis might be referring to , since there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
And these are the arguments coming from Trump 's `` real '' lawyers , not the ones crammed into Rudy 's clown car !
It 's almost even better than Hugo Chavez rising from the grave to steal the 2020 election for Joe Biden .
Well , almost .
There are still 18 active cases in 6 states .
Not all of them are as hilarious as those , but they are all pretty much nuisance suits , none of which can actually result in changing the vote totals and overturning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends , though .
The legal case , in any state , is a total loser for Trump .
He knows it , Giuliani knows it and has all but admitted it in court and in interviews .
The strategy is to foment chaos , to attempt to disrupt and delay certification in the states and try somehow to either get Trump-friendly electors to overthrow the election results or deadlock and throw it to the House .
That 's where Republicans have the majority of state delegations .
We are in the midst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Republicans are participating in , meeting with Trump to talk about how to steal the state for him .
As batshit as Rudy 's Thursday press conference was , it was a direct message to the rabid and dangerous Trump mob—from communists to antifa—to get them primed to act .
The threat to state Republican lawmakers is hardly subtle .

While Rudy Giuliani was melting down in front of cameras Thursday, Donald Trump and fellow Republicans were losing in the courtrooms as usual. They did get one small win setting aside 2,349 absentee ballots in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. They went into the day with a 1-28 win/loss record and finished it 2-31. Oh, and they lost the recount in Georgia.
While Trump was losing the Georgia recount, a federal court there rejected an attempt by high-profile conservative attorney, L. Lin Wood Jr. to block certification of the election results. That's good. What makes it even better is this: Wood was arguing—in Georgia—that he could prove voter fraud because it happened in Michigan. Which, okay. He alleged that more people voted in certain Michigan precincts than lived in those Michigan precincts and that there were affidavits to prove it. Except (and this gets richer by the minute) the affidavit he was talking about was from a cyber security "expert" from Texas, who mixed up Minnesota and Michigan. And it just keeps getting better because that massive, critical, embarrassing error was uncovered by a reader of the far-right blog Powerline (yes, believe it or not, it still exists).
But wait! There's more! That happened after another "expert," a Dr. Christos Makridis who apparently publishes a lot in right-wing outlets was absolutely skewered by another professor, Jonathan Rodden of Stanford. "Dr. Makridis includes a discussion of provisional ballots in Mercer County," Rodden told the court. "It is difficult to know what Dr. Makridis might be referring to, since there is no county called Mercer in Georgia."
And these are the arguments coming from Trump's "real" lawyers, not the ones crammed into Rudy's clown car! It's almost even better than Hugo Chavez rising from the grave to steal the 2020 election for Joe Biden. Well, almost. There are still 18 active cases in 6 states. Not all of them are as hilarious as those, but they are all pretty much nuisance suits, none of which can actually result in changing the vote totals and overturning it.
This is where the hilarity ends, though. The legal case, in any state, is a total loser for Trump. He knows it, Giuliani knows it and has all but admitted it in court and in interviews. The strategy is to foment chaos, to attempt to disrupt and delay certification in the states and try somehow to either get Trump-friendly electors to overthrow the election results or deadlock and throw it to the House. That's where Republicans have the majority of state delegations.
We are in the midst of a coup attempt that two powerful Michigan Republicans are participating in, meeting with Trump to talk about how to steal the state for him. As batshit as Rudy's Thursday press conference was, it was a direct message to the rabid and dangerous Trump mob—from communists to antifa—to get them primed to act. The threat to state Republican lawmakers is hardly subtle.


alternet--2020-11-20--Trump and Giuliani's 'horrifying spectacle' reveals the GOP is 'far down the rabbit hole': columnist

Although Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin is right-of-center politically , she has been a blistering critic of the direction the Republican Party has taken under Donald Trump 's presidency .
Rubin , in a column published on Friday morning , slams Trump and his personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , for their efforts to steal the election from President-elect Joe Biden — lamenting that their extremism is now the face of the GOP and arguing that a democracy needs more than one `` rational '' political party .
`` Rudolph W. Giuliani , Sidney Powell and other members of President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their bizarre , incoherent conspiracy theories about voter fraud , have made clear they want to overturn the election in large part by excluding ballots from Black voters , '' Rubin writes .
`` Without Wayne County , Mich. , which is heavily African-American , Giuliani declared on Thursday , Trump could have won the state — as if the 15th Amendment and the 1965 Voting Rights Act were nonexistent . ''
Rubin goes on to say that Trump and Giuliani 's extremism is not an anomaly — they have become the faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too many Republicans wo n't call them out for trying to overturn the election results .
`` Giuliani is representing the president 's views , and because the vast majority of Republicans say Trump should be allowed to exhaust his legal claims , his performance has , in effect , been endorsed by Republican House and Senate leadership , much of right-wing media and the Republican National Committee , '' Rubin explains .
`` Even worse , Trump has invited Michigan Republican state lawmakers to the White House and even reportedly contacted Monica @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wayne County Board of Canvassers , after she voted to certify the county 's results .
After her chat with the president , Palmer and another Republican on the board wanted to take back their certification votes . ''
During the presidential race , Rubin made no secret of her desire for Biden to win .
But while she considers Democrats the United States ' only major `` rational '' party , she is n't arguing in favor of one-party rule under Democrats .
And the Never Trump conservative wraps up her column @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. needs two major rational parties — not one .
`` The horrifying spectacle playing out before our eyes should leave little doubt of how far down the rabbit hole the Republican Party has gone and how cowardly and detached from reality Republican elected leaders have become , '' Rubin stresses .
`` Clarity is enlightening , but in this case , it is also dispiriting .
We have only one functional , rational political party .
It 's not enough . ''

Although Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin is right-of-center politically, she has been a blistering critic of the direction the Republican Party has taken under Donald Trump's presidency. Rubin, in a column published on Friday morning, slams Trump and his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, for their efforts to steal the election from President-elect Joe Biden — lamenting that their extremism is now the face of the GOP and arguing that a democracy needs more than one "rational" political party.
"Rudolph W. Giuliani, Sidney Powell and other members of President Trump's legal team, in spouting their bizarre, incoherent conspiracy theories about voter fraud, have made clear they want to overturn the election in large part by excluding ballots from Black voters," Rubin writes. "Without Wayne County, Mich., which is heavily African-American, Giuliani declared on Thursday, Trump could have won the state — as if the 15th Amendment and the 1965 Voting Rights Act were nonexistent."
Rubin goes on to say that Trump and Giuliani's extremism is not an anomaly — they have become the faces of the Republican Party, and way too many Republicans won't call them out for trying to overturn the election results.
"Giuliani is representing the president's views, and because the vast majority of Republicans say Trump should be allowed to exhaust his legal claims, his performance has, in effect, been endorsed by Republican House and Senate leadership, much of right-wing media and the Republican National Committee," Rubin explains. "Even worse, Trump has invited Michigan Republican state lawmakers to the White House and even reportedly contacted Monica Palmer, a Republican member of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, after she voted to certify the county's results. After her chat with the president, Palmer and another Republican on the board wanted to take back their certification votes."
During the presidential race, Rubin made no secret of her desire for Biden to win. But while she considers Democrats the United States' only major "rational" party, she isn't arguing in favor of one-party rule under Democrats. And the Never Trump conservative wraps up her column by saying, in essence, that the U.S. needs two major rational parties — not one.
"The horrifying spectacle playing out before our eyes should leave little doubt of how far down the rabbit hole the Republican Party has gone and how cowardly and detached from reality Republican elected leaders have become," Rubin stresses. "Clarity is enlightening, but in this case, it is also dispiriting. We have only one functional, rational political party. It's not enough."


alternet--2020-11-20--How losing viewers to other right-wing outlets might force Fox News to feature less Trumpian reporti

How losing viewers to other right-wing outlets might force Fox News to feature less Trumpian reporting

President Donald Trump has been furious with Fox News , slamming the right-wing cable news outlet for calling Arizona for Joe Biden on Election Night and urging his supporters to watch Newsmax TV or One America News instead .
Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele , a Never Trump conservative who supported President-elect Joe Biden , discussed the evolution of Fox News during a Friday , November 20 appearance on MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe . ''
And as Steele sees it , losing viewers to other right-wing outlets might force Fox News to feature more `` center-right '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right .
On November 19 , Trump 's personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , held a press conference in which he reiterated nonsense claims that the election was stolen from Trump and that former Vice President Biden is n't really the United States ' president-elect — and some of the most aggressive debunking of Giuliani 's claims came from a Fox News reporter : Kristin Fisher .
According to Steele , that type of fact-based reporting from Fisher or Chris Wallace shows that Fox News is `` looking at the bottom line '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap '' if many Trump supporters are turning to other right-wing outlets .
Those outlets , Steele told `` Morning Joe '' hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski , could range from Newsmax TV to a media company that Trump might start after he leaves the White House .
And the former RNC chairman said he expects to see more `` center-right '' reporting at Fox News , which he predicted will still have a conservative slant but be less Trumpian .
There were signs of trouble in paradise when Fox News ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
But when Fox News ' decision desk called Arizona for Biden , Trump 's campaign was especially angry and demanded a retraction .
Nonetheless , Fox News stuck by its reporting .

President Donald Trump has been furious with Fox News, slamming the right-wing cable news outlet for calling Arizona for Joe Biden on Election Night and urging his supporters to watch Newsmax TV or One America News instead. Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, a Never Trump conservative who supported President-elect Joe Biden, discussed the evolution of Fox News during a Friday, November 20 appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." And as Steele sees it, losing viewers to other right-wing outlets might force Fox News to feature more "center-right" reporting and less commentary from the extreme right.
On November 19, Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, held a press conference in which he reiterated nonsense claims that the election was stolen from Trump and that former Vice President Biden isn't really the United States' president-elect — and some of the most aggressive debunking of Giuliani's claims came from a Fox News reporter: Kristin Fisher. According to Steele, that type of fact-based reporting from Fisher or Chris Wallace shows that Fox News is "looking at the bottom line" and the need to "fill that gap" if many Trump supporters are turning to other right-wing outlets.
Those outlets, Steele told "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, could range from Newsmax TV to a media company that Trump might start after he leaves the White House. And the former RNC chairman said he expects to see more "center-right" reporting at Fox News, which he predicted will still have a conservative slant but be less Trumpian.
There were signs of trouble in paradise when Fox News' Rupert Murdoch predicted that Biden would win the election. But when Fox News' decision desk called Arizona for Biden, Trump's campaign was especially angry and demanded a retraction. Nonetheless, Fox News stuck by its reporting.


alternet--2020-11-20--Psychiatric expert: Trump will not hesitate to cause violence to stay in power

Dr. Bandy X. Lee was interviewed by Patrick R. McElligott , who is a retired psychiatric social worker from upstate New York .
He has decades of experience in grass roots social-political activism , including working on his late friend Rubin `` Hurricane '' Carter 's case , serving as Onondaga Nation Chief Paul Waterman 's top assistant on burial protection and repatriation , and providing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency information on Super Fund sites for federal court cases .
Dr. Lee agreed to an interview regarding current events in post-election America .
McElligott : In April , 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warn '' Conference .
Later , you were the editor and contributor to the book , The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump .
Has Donald Trump 's behaviors since losing the 2020 election reinforced your opinion on the dangers Trump poses to a civilized society ?
Lee : Absolutely .
We are seeing the last bout of just how much he is willing and able to destroy norms and to push the limits .
It is clear he does not intend to leave without placing us in further danger , and without obstructing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
My regret is that , because of the `` gag order '' on all mental health experts , which the American Psychiatric Association forced through public campaigns since this administration , the people are still left vulnerable without having learned much .
As we see from the 72 million who voted for him again , we are very likely to repeat our errors .
Recently , my brother sent me the following e-mail : `` He is the estranged husband who returns on Christmas Eve to murder his wife and children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : An Interdisciplinary Approach to Causes , Consequences , and Cures , do you think that our culture 's serious problems with domestic violence are related to the aggression we are witnessing from Trump and some of his supporters ?
Different forms of violence are interrelated , and our culture has maximally cultivated conditions for violence through extreme economic inequality , which divides the population into superior and inferior .
When vast segments of the population are deemed `` inferior '' , they will be inclined to try to escape the shame by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy or gender superiority .
These are all what I call , `` structural violence . ''
Structural violence is the most lethal form of violence as well as the most potent cause of behavioral violence .
Thirty minutes after my brother 's first message , he followed with one noting that Trump had just fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper .
He expressed concern that Trump might attempt to create a `` national emergency '' by attacking Iran in January .
I said that I think this is more likely an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation 's institutions .
Does it make sense that a furious Trump would seek to punish the country that he is convinced betrayed him by rejecting him in the election ?
I would say we need to be concerned about both .
Donald Trump may desire maximum revenge , but he is also a follower , including of public opinion .
Our feelings of helplessness arise from a paralyzing anxiety or the complacency that `` It ca n't happen here , '' but the difference we can make with serious understanding and deliberate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American Psychiatric Association 's acting as an arm of the government , and not only itself failing to meet its societal responsibility but preventing other professionals from doing so , as outlined in its own ethics code .
Education and awareness about psychological dynamics had the potential not only to prevent vast harm to the public 's collective mental health but to save a quarter million lives .
Instead , by keeping the public in the dark and unable to protect itself , extreme dangers continue .
The formal study of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F.H .
Giddings ) .
In the late 1950 's , sociologists first used photographs and film to support their theories ( R. Turner , l. Killian ) .
In general , crowds can behave the existing social structures , such as laws , and can organize in a positive , meaningful manner .
However , with the introduction of rumors , panic , and/or hysteria , crowds can easily be led to participate in behaviors that are well outside of the social structures , and include riots and arson .
In our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post Civil War era until the 1950 's , this included groups such as the Ku Klux Klan lynching black Americans , attacking Native American communities , and the too often forgotten `` disappearing '' of Chinese immigrants by the hundreds ( likely thousands ) in the `` old west . ''
What factors beyond Trump are responsible for the current rise in these types of threats ?
A spectrum of theories exist about group behavior , from irrationality as the predominant observation , as by Gustave Le Bon , to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which dominates a lot of economic and political science models .
I find the multi-layered understanding of psychoanalysis to be more consistent with the complexity of the human mind , including in groups .
We think of laws and social norms as objects that are `` out there , '' but they are rational constructs that require mental health to operate and have meaning in the collective mind .
And just as individuals can not function at a higher level if the mind breaks down , neither can groups .
Unconscious , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of regression , but we can guard against this through awareness , education , and engagement in collective decision-making .
Many advanced democracies have developed into harmonious , higher-functioning societies , which improve a society 's health across many domains .
Donald Trump is a product as well as a cause of breakdown of democratic organization .
Yesterday , a news report from Utah showed that a hospital had problems with a group of five conspiracy theorists seeking to enter and film its Intensive Care Unit .
They were convinced that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Such behaviors cause unnecessary strain on the medical professionals .
What factors have turned so many seemingly `` normal '' people into being aggressively anti-science ?
They are not just anti-science but tragically anti-reality now .
Taking their cues from a president whose fantasy is that he be a `` winner '' and that a deadly pandemic be a `` hoax '' , they know well what is required of them .
I have defined authoritarianism as `` the handing over of all institutional , professional , and personal authority , including over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appease a single person . ''
The more his followers ' minds are controlled , and the more horrific his oppression and massacre of the people , the less they will be able to face the truth .
Therefore , a subconscious collusion happens between perpetrator and victims .
We can see how powerful this emotional force is if we recall that the pandemic was not always politicized , and the right mindset in the beginning would have changed people 's behavior to be life-saving instead of death-spreading .
When the media announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and is indeed the president-elect , public celebrations across the country rivaled those at the end of WW2 .
By no coincidence , similar celebrations took place across Europe , and in many other places around the globe .
However , it appears the January 20 presidential inauguration ceremony will come at a time when the virus will hold an increased risk of spreading .
There also seems to be a risk of white nationalist Trump supporters planning to disrupt the events in Washington , DC , on that day .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrating the long national nightmare coming to an end honor the day ?
The public celebrations were phenomenal , indeed .
You can see the level of oppression , fear , and sense of seizure people have been living under , the world over .
However , I am worried not only about the inauguration but the persistent lack of awareness of psychological factors .
Politicians , networks , and social media are still giving him a platform , without realizing how destructive this can be , capable even of disrupting an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Washington energized him , he responded by `` tweet '' : `` ANTIFA SCUM ran for the hills today when they tried attacking the people at the Trump Rally , because those people aggressively fought back .
Antifa waited until tonight , when 99 % were gone , to attack innocent # MAGA People .
DC Police , get going—do your job and do n't hold back !
!
! ''
He shows that he would not hesitate to cause violence and mayhem to stay in power , in which case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day if we are not vigilant .
I think there are several distinct , though overlapping , levels within the millions that voted for Trump in 2020 .
Some were motivated primarily by financial issues , others by long term party loyalty , many by an external locus of control looking for a hero , and still others by fear and anger .
I remember years ago , when Rubin `` Hurricane '' called me from the other side of the world , when he was working with Nelson Mandela on an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on South Africa 's Truth and Reconciliation Commission .
Do you think something similar to that is possible in this country , or are we more likely to experience something similar to `` the Troubles '' in Ireland ?
I believe it is useful to keep in mind that followers of Trump are diverse and complex , but we should not miss important overarching patterns .
First , there is the psychological injury that relative , not absolute , poverty produces—whether it is relative to previous generations or those currently at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false authority figures .
Sociopathic individuals who exploit such psychological vulnerabilities to claim they will take care of them , when their intention is to plunder , become a gift for the billionaires .
There is nothing like mental pathology to distract and detach people from the reality of their unfair power arrangement .
So , as a psychiatrist , I consider the time when our society consults with mental health experts , whether for the 25th Amendment or some other intervention , to be the moment when it is ready for truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worsening the troubles just to avoid facing the issue .
In my new book , Profile of a Nation : Trump 's Mind , America 's Soul , I recommend three steps : ( 1 ) removal of offending agent ( the influential person with severe symptoms ) ; ( 2 ) dismantling cultic programming and propaganda , which have vastly increased in recent years ; and ( 3 ) fixing the socioeconomic conditions that give rise to poor collective mental health in the first place .

by Patrick R. McElligott
Dr. Bandy X. Lee was interviewed by Patrick R. McElligott, who is a retired psychiatric social worker from upstate New York. He has decades of experience in grass roots social-political activism, including working on his late friend Rubin "Hurricane" Carter's case, serving as Onondaga Nation Chief Paul Waterman's top assistant on burial protection and repatriation, and providing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency information on Super Fund sites for federal court cases. Dr. Lee agreed to an interview regarding current events in post-election America.
McElligott: In April, 2017, you organized the "Duty to Warn" Conference. Later, you were the editor and contributor to the book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. Has Donald Trump's behaviors since losing the 2020 election reinforced your opinion on the dangers Trump poses to a civilized society?
Lee: Absolutely. We are seeing the last bout of just how much he is willing and able to destroy norms and to push the limits. It is clear he does not intend to leave without placing us in further danger, and without obstructing the president-elect's agenda as much as possible. My regret is that, because of the "gag order" on all mental health experts, which the American Psychiatric Association forced through public campaigns since this administration, the people are still left vulnerable without having learned much. As we see from the 72 million who voted for him again, we are very likely to repeat our errors.
Recently, my brother sent me the following e-mail: "He is the estranged husband who returns on Christmas Eve to murder his wife and children." As the author of Violence: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Causes, Consequences, and Cures, do you think that our culture's serious problems with domestic violence are related to the aggression we are witnessing from Trump and some of his supporters?
Different forms of violence are interrelated, and our culture has maximally cultivated conditions for violence through extreme economic inequality, which divides the population into superior and inferior. When vast segments of the population are deemed "inferior", they will be inclined to try to escape the shame by resorting to other hierarchies, such as white supremacy or gender superiority. These are all what I call, "structural violence." Structural violence is the most lethal form of violence as well as the most potent cause of behavioral violence.
Thirty minutes after my brother's first message, he followed with one noting that Trump had just fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. He expressed concern that Trump might attempt to create a "national emergency" by attacking Iran in January. I said that I think this is more likely an escalation of Trump's attack on our nation's institutions. Does it make sense that a furious Trump would seek to punish the country that he is convinced betrayed him by rejecting him in the election?
I would say we need to be concerned about both. Donald Trump may desire maximum revenge, but he is also a follower, including of public opinion. Our feelings of helplessness arise from a paralyzing anxiety or the complacency that "It can't happen here," but the difference we can make with serious understanding and deliberate preparedness is overlooked. I again lament the American Psychiatric Association's acting as an arm of the government, and not only itself failing to meet its societal responsibility but preventing other professionals from doing so, as outlined in its own ethics code. Education and awareness about psychological dynamics had the potential not only to prevent vast harm to the public's collective mental health but to save a quarter million lives. Instead, by keeping the public in the dark and unable to protect itself, extreme dangers continue.
The formal study of "crowd behavior" began in 1908 (F.H. Giddings). In the late 1950's, sociologists first used photographs and film to support their theories (R. Turner, l. Killian). In general, crowds can behave the existing social structures, such as laws, and can organize in a positive, meaningful manner. However, with the introduction of rumors, panic, and/or hysteria, crowds can easily be led to participate in behaviors that are well outside of the social structures, and include riots and arson. In our nation's history, for example from the post Civil War era until the 1950's, this included groups such as the Ku Klux Klan lynching black Americans, attacking Native American communities, and the too often forgotten "disappearing" of Chinese immigrants by the hundreds (likely thousands) in the "old west." What factors beyond Trump are responsible for the current rise in these types of threats?
A spectrum of theories exist about group behavior, from irrationality as the predominant observation, as by Gustave Le Bon, to the unrealistic "rational choice theory," which dominates a lot of economic and political science models. I find the multi-layered understanding of psychoanalysis to be more consistent with the complexity of the human mind, including in groups. We think of laws and social norms as objects that are "out there," but they are rational constructs that require mental health to operate and have meaning in the collective mind. And just as individuals cannot function at a higher level if the mind breaks down, neither can groups. Unconscious, "primitive" processes take over in situations of regression, but we can guard against this through awareness, education, and engagement in collective decision-making. Many advanced democracies have developed into harmonious, higher-functioning societies, which improve a society's health across many domains. Donald Trump is a product as well as a cause of breakdown of democratic organization.
Yesterday, a news report from Utah showed that a hospital had problems with a group of five conspiracy theorists seeking to enter and film its Intensive Care Unit. They were convinced that it was not filled with COVID 19 patients. Such behaviors cause unnecessary strain on the medical professionals. What factors have turned so many seemingly "normal" people into being aggressively anti-science?
They are not just anti-science but tragically anti-reality now. Taking their cues from a president whose fantasy is that he be a "winner" and that a deadly pandemic be a "hoax", they know well what is required of them. I have defined authoritarianism as "the handing over of all institutional, professional, and personal authority, including over their own survival, so as to appease a single person." The more his followers' minds are controlled, and the more horrific his oppression and massacre of the people, the less they will be able to face the truth. Therefore, a subconscious collusion happens between perpetrator and victims. We can see how powerful this emotional force is if we recall that the pandemic was not always politicized, and the right mindset in the beginning would have changed people's behavior to be life-saving instead of death-spreading.
When the media announced that Joe Biden had won the election, and is indeed the president-elect, public celebrations across the country rivaled those at the end of WW2. By no coincidence, similar celebrations took place across Europe, and in many other places around the globe. However, it appears the January 20 presidential inauguration ceremony will come at a time when the virus will hold an increased risk of spreading. There also seems to be a risk of white nationalist Trump supporters planning to disrupt the events in Washington, DC, on that day. Do you have any thoughts about how those celebrating the long national nightmare coming to an end honor the day?
The public celebrations were phenomenal, indeed. You can see the level of oppression, fear, and sense of seizure people have been living under, the world over. However, I am worried not only about the inauguration but the persistent lack of awareness of psychological factors. Politicians, networks, and social media are still giving him a platform, without realizing how destructive this can be, capable even of disrupting an election through psychological manipulation. After a recent rally in Washington energized him, he responded by "tweet": "ANTIFA SCUM ran for the hills today when they tried attacking the people at the Trump Rally, because those people aggressively fought back. Antifa waited until tonight, when 99% were gone, to attack innocent #MAGA People. DC Police, get going—do your job and don't hold back!!!" He shows that he would not hesitate to cause violence and mayhem to stay in power, in which case there may not even be an inauguration day if we are not vigilant.
I think there are several distinct, though overlapping, levels within the millions that voted for Trump in 2020. Some were motivated primarily by financial issues, others by long term party loyalty, many by an external locus of control looking for a hero, and still others by fear and anger. I remember years ago, when Rubin "Hurricane" called me from the other side of the world, when he was working with Nelson Mandela on an attempt to get peace in the Middle East, based on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Do you think something similar to that is possible in this country, or are we more likely to experience something similar to "the Troubles" in Ireland?
I believe it is useful to keep in mind that followers of Trump are diverse and complex, but we should not miss important overarching patterns. First, there is the psychological injury that relative, not absolute, poverty produces—whether it is relative to previous generations or those currently at the top—and this makes people vulnerable to false authority figures. Sociopathic individuals who exploit such psychological vulnerabilities to claim they will take care of them, when their intention is to plunder, become a gift for the billionaires. There is nothing like mental pathology to distract and detach people from the reality of their unfair power arrangement. So, as a psychiatrist, I consider the time when our society consults with mental health experts, whether for the 25th Amendment or some other intervention, to be the moment when it is ready for truth and reconciliation; for now, we are worsening the troubles just to avoid facing the issue. In my new book, Profile of a Nation: Trump's Mind, America's Soul, I recommend three steps: (1) removal of offending agent (the influential person with severe symptoms); (2) dismantling cultic programming and propaganda, which have vastly increased in recent years; and (3) fixing the socioeconomic conditions that give rise to poor collective mental health in the first place.
Follow Dr. Lee at bandylee.com.


alternet--2020-11-20--Critics slam president's pal after he suggested COVID vaccine be named 'The Trump'

Geraldo Rivera suggested that the coronavirus vaccine be named after President Donald Trump to make him feel better about losing the presidential election and Twitter users quickly fired back .
During an appearance on Fox & Friends , Rivera proposed a wild idea of naming the coronavirus vaccine `` The Trump . ''
He even went a step further to offer dialogue examples of how that suggestion would work .
According to Rivera , naming the vaccine after Trump could be a way to `` honor '' following his election loss .
`` I had an idea , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has to give up and time to leave and time to transition and all the rest of it , why not name the vaccine 'The Trump ' ?
Make it — 'have you gotten your Trump yet ? '
It would be a nice gesture to him , and years from now it would become kind of a generic name , '' Rivera said .
`` 'Have you got your Trump yet ?
I got my Trump , I 'm fine . '
I wished we could honor him in that way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ architect of this Operation Warp Speed and but for him we 'd still be waiting , you know , into the grim winter these amazing , miraculous breakthroughs . ''
Unfortunately for Rivera , many Twitter users were not in agreement with his suggestion .
Rivera faced a flood of critical tweets from those with deeply opposing views regarding Trump 's handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
In fact , many took the moment as an opportunity to remind Rivera of all the racist nicknames he gave the virus as he offended so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door for Twitter users to compile a list of other things that should be named after Trump , like cemeteries commemorating the lives lost as a result of Trump 's recklessness .
Others suggested naming the virus , itself , as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif ) has .
According to the top-ranking Democrat , the virus `` is , in fact , the Trump virus '' based on his lacking leadership and handling of the pandemic .
As of Friday , November 20 , there are nearly 12 million coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues its accelerated spread across the country .
The death toll , which has surpassed 255,000 , is also continuing to rise .

Geraldo Rivera suggested that the coronavirus vaccine be named after President Donald Trump to make him feel better about losing the presidential election and Twitter users quickly fired back.
During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Rivera proposed a wild idea of naming the coronavirus vaccine "The Trump." He even went a step further to offer dialogue examples of how that suggestion would work. According to Rivera, naming the vaccine after Trump could be a way to "honor" following his election loss.
"I had an idea, with the world so divided and everybody telling him he has to give up and time to leave and time to transition and all the rest of it, why not name the vaccine 'The Trump'? Make it — 'have you gotten your Trump yet?' It would be a nice gesture to him, and years from now it would become kind of a generic name," Rivera said. "'Have you got your Trump yet? I got my Trump, I'm fine.' I wished we could honor him in that way. Because he's definitely the prime architect of this Operation Warp Speed and but for him we'd still be waiting, you know, into the grim winter these amazing, miraculous breakthroughs."
Unfortunately for Rivera, many Twitter users were not in agreement with his suggestion. Rivera faced a flood of critical tweets from those with deeply opposing views regarding Trump's handling of the coronavirus outbreak. In fact, many took the moment as an opportunity to remind Rivera of all the racist nicknames he gave the virus as he offended so many others.
It also opened the door for Twitter users to compile a list of other things that should be named after Trump, like cemeteries commemorating the lives lost as a result of Trump's recklessness. Others suggested naming the virus, itself, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) has. According to the top-ranking Democrat, the virus "is, in fact, the Trump virus" based on his lacking leadership and handling of the pandemic.
As of Friday, November 20, there are nearly 12 million coronavirus cases in the United States as the virus continues its accelerated spread across the country. The death toll, which has surpassed 255,000, is also continuing to rise.


alternet--2020-11-20--Hairstylists explain the lesson that should be learned from Rudy Giuliani's disastrous TV appearance

Like many viewers , hairstylists watched in horror as brownish-colored hair dye , or maybe even makeup or remnants of a spray tan , dripped down the sides of Rudy Giuliani 's head on national television .
Serving as President Donald Trump 's personal attorney and lead counsel over his post-election legal battle , Giuliani spewed more baseless claims based on conspiracy theories as he sweated and dripped at the podium .
But despite the seemingly awkward visual , a new editorial published by The Daily Beast highlights the lesson that can be learned from Giuliani 's disastrous press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they witnessed as they shared their takeaways .
`` We saw it , '' said Patti O'Gara , a Blackstones colorist and educator told the publication .
`` It was a collective 'Ewwww . '
We were like , 'It 's just so gross and it wo n't stop dripping . '
'' Another stylist , Mirko Vergani , creative color director at The Drawing Room New York salon , also echoed similar sentiments saying : `` I watched it , and I was like , 'How can this person work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? '
It was kind of funny .
It looked really weird .
Also , whoever applied the dye put in way too much and did not blend it properly .
It was a big dark patch , and then we saw what happened . ''
However , most stylists agree that it is time for Giuliani to let go of the hair antics and embrace a more natural look .
Based on the hairstylists ' remarks , the latest debacle is actually making it harder for people to take Giuliani seriously .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did let it go gray and have a more appropriate haircut , and he would look better if he did n't spray tan himself , and if he was n't orange .
But it wo n't happen .
He has n't changed his hair , no matter how much fun is made of it or how much the wind f**ks it up .
This is his look .
That 's why everyone can play him at Halloween .
He 's like a guy in costume . ''
That sentiments could also be said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in .
Instead of influencing Trump 's antics , it might be beneficial to embrace what is likely to come .
Based on the results of the election , Trump has lost the presidency and there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud .

Like many viewers, hairstylists watched in horror as brownish-colored hair dye, or maybe even makeup or remnants of a spray tan, dripped down the sides of Rudy Giuliani's head on national television. Serving as President Donald Trump's personal attorney and lead counsel over his post-election legal battle, Giuliani spewed more baseless claims based on conspiracy theories as he sweated and dripped at the podium.
But despite the seemingly awkward visual, a new editorial published by The Daily Beast highlights the lesson that can be learned from Giuliani's disastrous press conference. Multiple hairstylists have weighed in on what they witnessed as they shared their takeaways.
"We saw it," said Patti O'Gara, a Blackstones colorist and educator told the publication. "It was a collective 'Ewwww.' We were like, 'It's just so gross and it won't stop dripping.'"
Another stylist, Mirko Vergani, creative color director at The Drawing Room New York salon, also echoed similar sentiments saying: "I watched it, and I was like, 'How can this person work in politics and appear on TV like this?' It was kind of funny. It looked really weird. Also, whoever applied the dye put in way too much and did not blend it properly. It was a big dark patch, and then we saw what happened."
However, most stylists agree that it is time for Giuliani to let go of the hair antics and embrace a more natural look. Based on the hairstylists' remarks, the latest debacle is actually making it harder for people to take Giuliani seriously.
"He would look better if he did let it go gray and have a more appropriate haircut, and he would look better if he didn't spray tan himself, and if he wasn't orange. But it won't happen. He hasn't changed his hair, no matter how much fun is made of it or how much the wind f**ks it up. This is his look. That's why everyone can play him at Halloween. He's like a guy in costume."
That sentiments could also be said about the legal battle he is embroiled in. Instead of influencing Trump's antics, it might be beneficial to embrace what is likely to come. Based on the results of the election, Trump has lost the presidency and there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.


alternet--2020-11-20--Conservatives give the Trump campaign a dose of reality: Biden won -- so get over it

In the right-wing media , it is n't hard to find extremists who are more than happy to echo President Donald Trump 's claims that the 2020 presidential election has been stolen from him because of widespread voter fraud — and they are urging Trump to fight to the bitter end .
But not all conservative journalists go out of their way to promote nonsense conspiracy theories , and some of them are acknowledging that Joe Biden is now president-elect of the United States .
The National Review 's Andrew C. McCarthy and Commentary 's Noah Rothman , in articles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons why Trump 's last-ditch efforts to change the election results are n't working .
Discussing the Trump campaign 's lawsuits in Pennsylvania , McCarthy explains , `` Realistically speaking , the legal battle over the 2020 election is over .
As I explained over the weekend , from President Trump 's perspective , that battle is beset by a fatal mismatch between : ( a ) what his campaign is in a position to allege and prove , and ( b ) the remedy — i.e.
, the potential number of votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That problem was already apparent last week , when the campaign filed its original complaint in the Williamsport federal court .
It became insurmountable Sunday , when the campaign amended its complaint , stripping out the main fraud claims .
What is left of the lawsuit can not conceivably change the result in Pennsylvania . ''
McCarthy goes on to say that even if the Trump campaign succeeds in getting some votes thrown out in Pennsylvania , Biden 's lead in that state would still be insurmountable .
`` The main problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' McCarthy observes .
`` There are not nearly enough ballots at issue in what remains of his lawsuit to alter the outcome of the voting in Pennsylvania .
And without Pennsylvania , he can not win the election by flipping other states — for which there is , in any event , no realistic prospect . ''
In Commentary , Rothman argues that if the Trump campaign 's efforts to change the election results are an attempted `` coup , '' it is a very bad attempt .
`` According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people close to Rudy Giuliani — who leads the legal campaign to save the president from defeat — acknowledge that the election is lost if the votes are all counted , '' Rothman writes .
`` Their only hope now is to force states to avoid certifying their respective results , prevent Biden from achieving a majority in the Electoral College , and throw the presidency to the House of Representatives where , presumably , the Republican-led majority of state delegations would reelect the president .
The plan is as diabolical as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that for Trump 's allies , the `` biggest impediment '' to overturning the election results is `` the votes of hundreds of thousands of Americans . ''
But the Trump campaign 's would-be `` coup , '' according to Rothman , is more `` pitiful '' than anything — and their `` desperate efforts to cling to power '' are not working .
`` Far from being menaced by this subterfuge , Trump 's Democratic opponents can summon only embarrassment for the president , '' Rothman stresses .
`` There is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaging in — no parallel to which the right can point and claim their actions are justified by the standards of decency Democrats violated long ago .
This is new .
And though it may soon become more dangerous than it is today , the flailing tantrum in which the president 's final phalanx is engaged is n't frightening as much as it is pathetic . ''
Rothman discussed his article during a November 19 appearance on MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe . ''
Watch the video below :

In the right-wing media, it isn't hard to find extremists who are more than happy to echo President Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 presidential election has been stolen from him because of widespread voter fraud — and they are urging Trump to fight to the bitter end. But not all conservative journalists go out of their way to promote nonsense conspiracy theories, and some of them are acknowledging that Joe Biden is now president-elect of the United States. The National Review's Andrew C. McCarthy and Commentary's Noah Rothman, in articles published this week, lay out some reasons why Trump's last-ditch efforts to change the election results aren't working.
Discussing the Trump campaign's lawsuits in Pennsylvania, McCarthy explains, "Realistically speaking, the legal battle over the 2020 election is over. As I explained over the weekend, from President Trump's perspective, that battle is beset by a fatal mismatch between: (a) what his campaign is in a position to allege and prove, and (b) the remedy — i.e., the potential number of votes that could swing from Biden to Trump. That problem was already apparent last week, when the campaign filed its original complaint in the Williamsport federal court. It became insurmountable Sunday, when the campaign amended its complaint, stripping out the main fraud claims. What is left of the lawsuit cannot conceivably change the result in Pennsylvania."
McCarthy goes on to say that even if the Trump campaign succeeds in getting some votes thrown out in Pennsylvania, Biden's lead in that state would still be insurmountable.
"The main problem for President Trump continues to be math," McCarthy observes. "There are not nearly enough ballots at issue in what remains of his lawsuit to alter the outcome of the voting in Pennsylvania. And without Pennsylvania, he cannot win the election by flipping other states — for which there is, in any event, no realistic prospect."
In Commentary, Rothman argues that if the Trump campaign's efforts to change the election results are an attempted "coup," it is a very bad attempt.
"According to (Washington) Post reporter Robert Costa, people close to Rudy Giuliani — who leads the legal campaign to save the president from defeat — acknowledge that the election is lost if the votes are all counted," Rothman writes. "Their only hope now is to force states to avoid certifying their respective results, prevent Biden from achieving a majority in the Electoral College, and throw the presidency to the House of Representatives where, presumably, the Republican-led majority of state delegations would reelect the president. The plan is as diabolical as it is nonsensical."
Rothman notes that for Trump's allies, the "biggest impediment" to overturning the election results is "the votes of hundreds of thousands of Americans." But the Trump campaign's would-be "coup," according to Rothman, is more "pitiful" than anything — and their "desperate efforts to cling to power" are not working.
"Far from being menaced by this subterfuge, Trump's Democratic opponents can summon only embarrassment for the president," Rothman stresses. "There is no modern analog for the display Republicans are engaging in — no parallel to which the right can point and claim their actions are justified by the standards of decency Democrats violated long ago. This is new. And though it may soon become more dangerous than it is today, the flailing tantrum in which the president's final phalanx is engaged isn't frightening as much as it is pathetic."
Rothman discussed his article during a November 19 appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." Watch the video below:


alternet--2020-11-20--GOP senators lambaste Trump for his post-election charade hoping to overturn election in Michigan

Two Republican senators have finally pushed back against President Donald Trump 's attempts to blatantly overturn the results of the presidential election .
On Thursday , Sens .
Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) and Ben Sasse ( R-Neb . )
, two of the very few lawmakers willing to verbalize their disapproval of the president , condemned Trump 's continued attempts to undermine the election results .
Both released statements on Thursday evening challenging the president 's post-election legal battles .
Romney took to Twitter with a statement criticizing the president 's claims of `` widespread fraud or conspiracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pressuring state and local officials to adhere to his own personal agenda .
`` Having failed to make even a plausible case of widespread fraud or conspiracy before any court of law , the President has now resorted to overt pressure on state and local officials to subvert the will of the people and overturn the election , '' Romney said in a statement posted to Twitter .
`` It is difficult to imagine a worse , more undemocratic action by a sitting American President . ''
Sasse also weighed in in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the documents included in the Trump campaign 's legal challenge , he admitted they have still failed to provide evidence .
`` Based on what I 've read in their filings , when Trump campaign lawyers have stood before courts under oath , they have repeatedly refused to actually allege grand fraud -- because there are legal consequences for lying to judges , '' Sasse said .
`` President Trump lost Michigan by more than 100,000 votes , and the campaign and its allies have lost in or withdrawn from all five lawsuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any evidence . ''
The senators ' remarks come as Trump 's campaign aims to challenge election results in Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and Georgia .
On Thursday , the Trump campaign suffered another loss as the state of Georgia confirmed that its recount solidified President-elect Joe Biden 's win .
In the other states Trump is demanding recounts , math will be the dominant issue .
With such wide margins between both presidential candidates ' results , recounts in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania will likely prove to be unsuccessful @

Two Republican senators have finally pushed back against President Donald Trump's attempts to blatantly overturn the results of the presidential election.
On Thursday, Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), two of the very few lawmakers willing to verbalize their disapproval of the president, condemned Trump's continued attempts to undermine the election results. Both released statements on Thursday evening challenging the president's post-election legal battles.
Romney took to Twitter with a statement criticizing the president's claims of "widespread fraud or conspiracy." He also scrutinized Trump for resorting to pressuring state and local officials to adhere to his own personal agenda.
"Having failed to make even a plausible case of widespread fraud or conspiracy before any court of law, the President has now resorted to overt pressure on state and local officials to subvert the will of the people and overturn the election," Romney said in a statement posted to Twitter. "It is difficult to imagine a worse, more undemocratic action by a sitting American President."
Sasse also weighed in in similar fashion. After reviewing some of the documents included in the Trump campaign's legal challenge, he admitted they have still failed to provide evidence.
"Based on what I've read in their filings, when Trump campaign lawyers have stood before courts under oath, they have repeatedly refused to actually allege grand fraud -- because there are legal consequences for lying to judges," Sasse said. "President Trump lost Michigan by more than 100,000 votes, and the campaign and its allies have lost in or withdrawn from all five lawsuits in Michigan for being unable to produce any evidence."
The senators' remarks come as Trump's campaign aims to challenge election results in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia. On Thursday, the Trump campaign suffered another loss as the state of Georgia confirmed that its recount solidified President-elect Joe Biden's win. In the other states Trump is demanding recounts, math will be the dominant issue. With such wide margins between both presidential candidates' results, recounts in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania will likely prove to be unsuccessful.


alternet--2020-11-20--Team Trump's last-ditch plans to steal the election shouldn't possibly work -- but there's power in

Team Trump's last-ditch plans to steal the election shouldn't possibly work -- but there's power in shamelessness

Back in September , Politico 's Anita Kumar reported that for the previous year the Trump campaign had been assembling a team of election lawyers from all over the country to familiarize themselves in local election laws and prepare `` prewritten legal pleadings that can be hurried to the courthouse the day after the election , as wrangling begins over close results and a crush of mail-in ballots . ''
The effort was led by `` a 20-person team of lawyers '' from major law firms who were overseeing a strategy in `` key states the Trump campaign is targeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It sounded like a very serious and professional operation , one which came as no surprise to me , since Republicans have specialized in disenfranchising Democratic voters for many decades .
Trump himself repeatedly made clear on the campaign trail what he planned to do , from contesting the validity of mail-in ballots to declaring himself the winner on election night regardless of whether the votes had been counted and filing a flurry of lawsuits contesting the election with an eye toward having `` his '' judges ( including newly-minted Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election to him if necessary .
I do n't think anyone can possibly say they are surprised at how he has reacted to losing the election .
In the weeks before Nov. 3 , Trump did have that team of high-powered legal talent arguing cases around mail-in ballots and shifting deadlines in various states , some of which did make it to the Supreme Court .
But then the election actually happened and vote-counting began , and since then Trump 's crack team has been been remarkably unsuccessful .
The good lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or threw in the towel themselves as it became patently obvious that they had no evidence of voter fraud .
That has n't stopped Trump from plowing ahead anyway with the self-described `` elite strike force '' led by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , last seen prior to the election with his hand down his pants in the latest Borat movie and famously presiding over a post-election press conference at a landscaping company next door to a sex shop and a crematorium .
Trump was evidently impressed by Rudy 's performance in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former LifeLock spokesman ( hat tip to Salon 's Roger Sollenberger ) full authority to conduct the legal strategy to overturn the election results by any means necessary .
CNN reports that Giuliani has taken full control .
For instance , upset by what he was hearing from three of the lawyers assigned to argue one of the Pennsylvania cases , the man once described as `` America 's mayor '' fired them on the spot and took over the case — which was being argued the very next day — himself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than 30 years , and it showed .
He was very nearly laughed out of court .
Giuliani was undaunted .
He immediately pulled together the other members of the `` elite strike force '' : Sidney Powell , who is former national security adviser Michael Flynn 's Fox News lawyer ; veteran right-wing husband and wife team Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova , also Fox News lawyers ; and over-the-top Trump defender and campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis .
None of them have any expertise in election law , but then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either .
Having lost over and over again in court , Trump and his team have switched to their Plan B , which , as longtime Democratic strategist Chris Marshall spelled out in detail in Salon on Thursday , is to delay the certification of the vote in certain states and try to get Republican legislatures to assign electors to vote for Donald Trump instead of the actual winner , Joe Biden .
This is based on the theory that if they can create enough chaos around the election results , Republican loyalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save democracy '' from the Democrats , who are allegedly stealing the election .
This idea has been pushed by conservative talk show host Mark Levin and picked up by the right wing as a way to keep their beloved president in office for at least four more years .
It 's a theory that is very unlikely to prevail , particularly since the Supreme Court just decided a case on `` faithless electors '' last July , in which the justices made it very clear that whatever the founders may have anticipated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today demands that electors express the will of the people .
It will take some convoluted intellectual gyrations for them to conclude that state officials can simply change the results at their discretion .
In order to blow the smoke as thick as possible , Giuliani and the `` strike force '' held a press conference at Republican National Committee headquarters on Thursday which was so surreal that it may have displaced the COVID task force briefing where Trump suggested that people might inject disinfectant as the all-time weirdest press conference of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ellis held forth for 90 minutes , going full Infowars and throwing out one insane conspiracy theory after another .
They said that Dominion voting machines had been created by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez ( who has been dead for seven years ) and financed by George Soros , the Clinton Foundation and `` communistic '' countries China and Cuba .
Just in case that did n't work , the corrupt Democrats had also rigged the vote with a sophisticated computer hack that was only foiled because Trump won so overwhelmingly that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` strike force '' to catch them in the act .
Also , the mail-in ballots were fraudulent because so many of them were filled out properly .
( Yes !
The fact that there were very few problems with mail-in votes was somehow evidence they were fake ! )
Meanwhile , rivulets of black liquid were running down Giuliani 's face as if he were an extra in an Alice Cooper video from the 1970s .
The assumption is that it was some kind of temporary hair dye .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all we know .
Powell later made the rounds to expand on their theory and she made no bones about what they hope to do : You 'll notice that she just blithely uses the term `` overturn , '' as if that were perfectly normal .
If that does n't work , the `` strike force '' are also talking about a Plan C , which would be to delay the vote certification for so long that the states ca n't send Biden 's required 270 electors to Congress by the deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution would throw the election to the House , where every state 's delegation gets one vote .
As luck would have it Republicans hold 26 of the 50 delegations .
Surprise !
Is any of this remotely possible ?
Sure .
It 's unlikely , but it 's possible .
It 's tempting to think this is all so nuts that it could never possibly happen , but we thought everything Donald Trump has done over the past five years was nuts , and here we are .
All our hand-wringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our democracy is sadly irrelevant — not just to the preposterous Giuliani and the equally preposterous Trump but to the entire Republican Party .
They have learned the power of total shamelessness , and it is profound .
I would never count them out .

Back in September, Politico's Anita Kumar reported that for the previous year the Trump campaign had been assembling a team of election lawyers from all over the country to familiarize themselves in local election laws and prepare "prewritten legal pleadings that can be hurried to the courthouse the day after the election, as wrangling begins over close results and a crush of mail-in ballots." The effort was led by "a 20-person team of lawyers" from major law firms who were overseeing a strategy in "key states the Trump campaign is targeting, like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan." It sounded like a very serious and professional operation, one which came as no surprise to me, since Republicans have specialized in disenfranchising Democratic voters for many decades.
Trump himself repeatedly made clear on the campaign trail what he planned to do, from contesting the validity of mail-in ballots to declaring himself the winner on election night regardless of whether the votes had been counted and filing a flurry of lawsuits contesting the election with an eye toward having "his" judges (including newly-minted Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett) deliver the election to him if necessary. I don't think anyone can possibly say they are surprised at how he has reacted to losing the election.
In the weeks before Nov. 3, Trump did have that team of high-powered legal talent arguing cases around mail-in ballots and shifting deadlines in various states, some of which did make it to the Supreme Court. But then the election actually happened and vote-counting began, and since then Trump's crack team has been been remarkably unsuccessful. The good lawyers have either been pressured to to quit or threw in the towel themselves as it became patently obvious that they had no evidence of voter fraud.
That hasn't stopped Trump from plowing ahead anyway with the self-described "elite strike force" led by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, last seen prior to the election with his hand down his pants in the latest Borat movie and famously presiding over a post-election press conference at a landscaping company next door to a sex shop and a crematorium. Trump was evidently impressed by Rudy's performance in both venues, because he gave the former LifeLock spokesman (hat tip to Salon's Roger Sollenberger) full authority to conduct the legal strategy to overturn the election results by any means necessary.
CNN reports that Giuliani has taken full control. For instance, upset by what he was hearing from three of the lawyers assigned to argue one of the Pennsylvania cases, the man once described as "America's mayor" fired them on the spot and took over the case — which was being argued the very next day — himself. He hadn't been inside a courtroom in more than 30 years, and it showed. He was very nearly laughed out of court.
Giuliani was undaunted. He immediately pulled together the other members of the "elite strike force": Sidney Powell, who is former national security adviser Michael Flynn's Fox News lawyer; veteran right-wing husband and wife team Victoria Toensing and Joe diGenova, also Fox News lawyers; and over-the-top Trump defender and campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis. None of them have any expertise in election law, but then they don't have a legal strategy either.
Having lost over and over again in court, Trump and his team have switched to their Plan B, which, as longtime Democratic strategist Chris Marshall spelled out in detail in Salon on Thursday, is to delay the certification of the vote in certain states and try to get Republican legislatures to assign electors to vote for Donald Trump instead of the actual winner, Joe Biden. This is based on the theory that if they can create enough chaos around the election results, Republican loyalists will rise to the occasion and "save democracy" from the Democrats, who are allegedly stealing the election.
This idea has been pushed by conservative talk show host Mark Levin and picked up by the right wing as a way to keep their beloved president in office for at least four more years. It's a theory that is very unlikely to prevail, particularly since the Supreme Court just decided a case on "faithless electors" last July, in which the justices made it very clear that whatever the founders may have anticipated in the 18th century, our democracy today demands that electors express the will of the people. It will take some convoluted intellectual gyrations for them to conclude that state officials can simply change the results at their discretion.
In order to blow the smoke as thick as possible, Giuliani and the "strike force" held a press conference at Republican National Committee headquarters on Thursday which was so surreal that it may have displaced the COVID task force briefing where Trump suggested that people might inject disinfectant as the all-time weirdest press conference of the Trump era.
Giuliani, Powell and Ellis held forth for 90 minutes, going full Infowars and throwing out one insane conspiracy theory after another. They said that Dominion voting machines had been created by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez (who has been dead for seven years) and financed by George Soros, the Clinton Foundation and "communistic" countries China and Cuba. Just in case that didn't work, the corrupt Democrats had also rigged the vote with a sophisticated computer hack that was only foiled because Trump won so overwhelmingly that it tripped up the algorithm which allowed the "strike force" to catch them in the act. Also, the mail-in ballots were fraudulent because so many of them were filled out properly. (Yes! The fact that there were very few problems with mail-in votes was somehow evidence they were fake!)
Meanwhile, rivulets of black liquid were running down Giuliani's face as if he were an extra in an Alice Cooper video from the 1970s. The assumption is that it was some kind of temporary hair dye. But it could have been embalming fluid, for all we know.
Powell later made the rounds to expand on their theory and she made no bones about what they hope to do:
You'll notice that she just blithely uses the term "overturn," as if that were perfectly normal.
If that doesn't work, the "strike force" are also talking about a Plan C, which would be to delay the vote certification for so long that the states can't send Biden's required 270 electors to Congress by the deadline, which under the 12th Amendment to the Constitution would throw the election to the House, where every state's delegation gets one vote. As luck would have it Republicans hold 26 of the 50 delegations. Surprise!
Is any of this remotely possible? Sure. It's unlikely, but it's possible. It's tempting to think this is all so nuts that it could never possibly happen, but we thought everything Donald Trump has done over the past five years was nuts, and here we are. All our hand-wringing about this plot being un-American and destructive to our democracy is sadly irrelevant — not just to the preposterous Giuliani and the equally preposterous Trump but to the entire Republican Party. They have learned the power of total shamelessness, and it is profound. I would never count them out.


alternet--2020-11-20--A new beginning: Experts explain how we'll survive our bad breakup with Donald Trump

The breakup of a relationship with a malignant narcissist is fraught with danger and uncertainty every step of the way .
Such is the case with Donald Trump .
Our breakup with him will be on center stage for the next 60 days .
It has already proven to be grueling and disruptive and painful .
Democracy feels like it is teetering .
Republicans are silent and absent .
Trump supporters are disappointed and unwilling to severe their cult-like bond with him .
But we will emerge from this bad breakup .
We will survive .
We will be stronger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps to minimize the damage and strengthen our healthy resolve .
As we have predicted , Trump 's election defeat has triggered tremendous embarrassment and humiliation for him .
He is now throwing a big temper tantrum — what we call narcissistic rage .
He is like a screaming , stomping petulant child .
His self-image of grandiosity and superiority is melting away .
He is desperately afraid that we will all see that the emperor has no clothes .
Trump is refusing to concede the election for fear that he will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing frivolous and baseless lawsuits .
He is pushing Republicans to manufacture voter fraud in certain states .
He is ginning up his base to support his false and fake narratives of victory .
Trump is now refusing to do his job .
Yet playing golf on the weekends at taxpayers ' expense is acceptable because he can cheat and win .
He can not work because he is totally consumed with figuring out a way to hang onto power at any cost .
He is a desperate and pathetic man .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakness .
He does not mind that his corruption and lack of moral compass are on full display .
President-elect Joe Biden 's transition team has been stopped cold in its tracks by a government employee who is showing fierce loyalty to the president .
Trump is not allowing Biden to have access to intelligence briefings and coronavirus data .
Trump is a bully who is acting as if the federal government were his own personal playground .
He has no understanding that he is a public servant who holds office at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have spoken loud and clear at the ballot box .
Worse than defiance and obstructionism is Trump 's scorched earth mentality .
Consistent with being a malignant narcissist , Trump believes that everyone and everything should go down with him .
He will seek revenge and destroy people if he can .
He will undermine democratic norms and institutions .
He wants to make sure that the Biden administration starts out with a mountain of ashes rather than a unified and hearty country .
He is ignoring the spike in COVID cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care that 252,000 American souls ( and counting ) have perished under his direction .
What we are seeing now is Trump 's psychopathology gone amok .
He is not capable of reigning in the dysfunctional and destructive parts of his personality .
His self-control is nil .
The pressures and stress of losing this election have overwhelmed his psyche .
He is agitated and hostile and flailing .
His breakup with America is going poorly because he is an unhealthy man .
This is not politics or love of country — this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and havoc for millions of us .
But we will survive this breakup .
Trump has lost the election and he will be removed from office at noon on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
His official voice will be retired .
He will lose his bully pulpit .
His pep rallies of misinformation and lies will come to a halt .
Trump will slither away behind the scenes so that he does not have to show the face of defeat to the world .
Fortunately , our Constitution provides the guardrail for ridding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The best way to survive this breakup is to invest energy and hope in our new president , Joe Biden .
Biden is the father figure we need to confront the existential challenges we face .
He is experienced and committed and wise .
He has been a true public servant for over 40 years .
He will address and fix the pandemic , the economic recession and the recent undermining of democratic institutions .
Biden has the temperament , empathy , gravitas and skill to navigate this complicated and anxiety-producing time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many important ways for the mental health of our country .
There will not be an `` alternative universe '' of false narratives and self-aggrandizement .
There will be a return to an emphasis on science and the truth .
The Biden administration will be a corrective emotional experience for those of us who have been traumatized by Trump 's reign of terror for the past four years .
Many Americans will get closure from this breakup .
For some , it will be the image of Trump walking out of the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden placing his hand on the Bible at the inauguration .
For others , it may take the legal , financial and social fallout that will come to Trump once he emerges from the protective bubble of the Oval Office .
Our successful breakup with Trump must be promoted by the media .
Trump 's Twitter account should be suspended because of his corrosive and toxic propaganda .
Media coverage of him must be curtailed .
Fox News should dissociate from him .
OAN and Newsmax ought to do the same .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be thwarted .
Donald Trump 's oxygen is attention from the public — he can not maintain an influence in America without it .
For our safety and well-being and sanity , we need Trump to vanish from our public consciousness .
But he will not disappear voluntarily — we must force him out with clear intentions and firm boundaries .
Once Trump is removed , the tone and tenor of our country will change .
We will adopt the mantra of unity , inclusiveness and honesty going forward .
Racism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected without exception on a national level .
It will be our new normal .
Trump 's supporters and sycophants have had a tight emotional and irrational bond with him , largely because of the phenomenon of collective narcissism .
Their connection will be broken once Trump is removed from power .
Their gradual deprogramming from their cult leader will take time .
A return to political discourse with negotiation and compromise will eventually occur .
Trump supporters are not the enemy .
Their grievances and concerns merit attention .
They want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to count .
Their sociocultural and economic issues must be addressed .
Biden has already announced that he wants to be the president for all Americans .
A bad breakup with Donald Trump was inevitable .
Relationships with malignant narcissists always end badly with great angst .
This is no exception .
We will survive this breakup .
What now feels so confusing and frightening will soon lead to sunshine and a new beginning .

The breakup of a relationship with a malignant narcissist is fraught with danger and uncertainty every step of the way. Such is the case with Donald Trump. Our breakup with him will be on center stage for the next 60 days. It has already proven to be grueling and disruptive and painful. Democracy feels like it is teetering. Republicans are silent and absent. Trump supporters are disappointed and unwilling to severe their cult-like bond with him.
But we will emerge from this bad breakup. We will survive. We will be stronger than before, especially if we take steps to minimize the damage and strengthen our healthy resolve.
As we have predicted, Trump's election defeat has triggered tremendous embarrassment and humiliation for him. He is now throwing a big temper tantrum — what we call narcissistic rage. He is like a screaming, stomping petulant child. His self-image of grandiosity and superiority is melting away. He is desperately afraid that we will all see that the emperor has no clothes.
Trump is refusing to concede the election for fear that he will be perceived as a loser. He is filing frivolous and baseless lawsuits. He is pushing Republicans to manufacture voter fraud in certain states. He is ginning up his base to support his false and fake narratives of victory.
Trump is now refusing to do his job. Yet playing golf on the weekends at taxpayers' expense is acceptable because he can cheat and win. He cannot work because he is totally consumed with figuring out a way to hang onto power at any cost. He is a desperate and pathetic man. His loud bravado belies his personal and political weakness. He does not mind that his corruption and lack of moral compass are on full display.
President-elect Joe Biden's transition team has been stopped cold in its tracks by a government employee who is showing fierce loyalty to the president. Trump is not allowing Biden to have access to intelligence briefings and coronavirus data. Trump is a bully who is acting as if the federal government were his own personal playground. He has no understanding that he is a public servant who holds office at the will of the people. And the people have spoken loud and clear at the ballot box.
Worse than defiance and obstructionism is Trump's scorched earth mentality. Consistent with being a malignant narcissist, Trump believes that everyone and everything should go down with him. He will seek revenge and destroy people if he can. He will undermine democratic norms and institutions. He wants to make sure that the Biden administration starts out with a mountain of ashes rather than a unified and hearty country. He is ignoring the spike in COVID cases across the country and he does not care that 252,000 American souls (and counting) have perished under his direction.
What we are seeing now is Trump's psychopathology gone amok. He is not capable of reigning in the dysfunctional and destructive parts of his personality. His self-control is nil. The pressures and stress of losing this election have overwhelmed his psyche. He is agitated and hostile and flailing. His breakup with America is going poorly because he is an unhealthy man. This is not politics or love of country — this is one man's psychopathology creating turmoil and havoc for millions of us.
But we will survive this breakup. Trump has lost the election and he will be removed from office at noon on Jan. 20, 2021. His official voice will be retired. He will lose his bully pulpit. His pep rallies of misinformation and lies will come to a halt. Trump will slither away behind the scenes so that he does not have to show the face of defeat to the world. Fortunately, our Constitution provides the guardrail for ridding us of this failed and defeated leader.
The best way to survive this breakup is to invest energy and hope in our new president, Joe Biden. Biden is the father figure we need to confront the existential challenges we face. He is experienced and committed and wise. He has been a true public servant for over 40 years. He will address and fix the pandemic, the economic recession and the recent undermining of democratic institutions. Biden has the temperament, empathy, gravitas and skill to navigate this complicated and anxiety-producing time.
Biden will be the anti-Trump in many important ways for the mental health of our country. There will not be an "alternative universe" of false narratives and self-aggrandizement. There will be a return to an emphasis on science and the truth. The Biden administration will be a corrective emotional experience for those of us who have been traumatized by Trump's reign of terror for the past four years.
Many Americans will get closure from this breakup. For some, it will be the image of Trump walking out of the White House for the last time, or Biden placing his hand on the Bible at the inauguration. For others, it may take the legal, financial and social fallout that will come to Trump once he emerges from the protective bubble of the Oval Office.
Our successful breakup with Trump must be promoted by the media. Trump's Twitter account should be suspended because of his corrosive and toxic propaganda. Media coverage of him must be curtailed. Fox News should dissociate from him. OAN and Newsmax ought to do the same. Trump's attempts to establish a media presence must be thwarted.
Donald Trump's oxygen is attention from the public — he cannot maintain an influence in America without it. For our safety and well-being and sanity, we need Trump to vanish from our public consciousness. But he will not disappear voluntarily — we must force him out with clear intentions and firm boundaries.
Once Trump is removed, the tone and tenor of our country will change. We will adopt the mantra of unity, inclusiveness and honesty going forward. Racism, xenophobia, sexism and terrorism will be rejected without exception on a national level. It will be our new normal.
Trump's supporters and sycophants have had a tight emotional and irrational bond with him, largely because of the phenomenon of collective narcissism. Their connection will be broken once Trump is removed from power. Their gradual deprogramming from their cult leader will take time. A return to political discourse with negotiation and compromise will eventually occur.
Trump supporters are not the enemy. Their grievances and concerns merit attention. They want to be heard and valued. They want to count. Their sociocultural and economic issues must be addressed. Biden has already announced that he wants to be the president for all Americans.
A bad breakup with Donald Trump was inevitable. Relationships with malignant narcissists always end badly with great angst. This is no exception.
We will survive this breakup. What now feels so confusing and frightening will soon lead to sunshine and a new beginning.


alternet--2020-11-20--Texas Trump supporters say they're ready to take up arms the minute the president gives the order

Some supporters of President Donald Trump in Texas say they 're willing to take up arms against the American government the minute that Trump gives them the order .
In an interview with Reuters , Texas-based chiropractor Brett Fryar says he has joined a militia group called the South Plains Patriots who are conducting firearms training sessions in case they need to stage an armed revolt against the American government .
`` If President Trump comes out and says : 'Guys , I have irrefutable proof of fraud , the courts wo n't listen , and I 'm now calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' we would go , '' he explained .
In total , Reuters interviewed 50 different Trump supporters across the country and found that all of them believe that President-elect Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump .
What 's more , only 20 expressed a willingness to accept that Biden had won , but only if presented with evidence that no fraud had occurred .
Janet Hedrick , a 70-year-old Trump supporter from West Virginia , told Reuters that she believes all of the president 's debunked conspiracy theories about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions and millions of Trump votes that were just thrown out , '' she said .
“ That computer was throwing them out . ''

Some supporters of President Donald Trump in Texas say they're willing to take up arms against the American government the minute that Trump gives them the order.
In an interview with Reuters, Texas-based chiropractor Brett Fryar says he has joined a militia group called the South Plains Patriots who are conducting firearms training sessions in case they need to stage an armed revolt against the American government.
"If President Trump comes out and says: 'Guys, I have irrefutable proof of fraud, the courts won't listen, and I'm now calling on Americans to take up arms,' we would go," he explained.
In total, Reuters interviewed 50 different Trump supporters across the country and found that all of them believe that President-elect Joe Biden had stolen the election from Trump.
What's more, only 20 expressed a willingness to accept that Biden had won, but only if presented with evidence that no fraud had occurred.
Janet Hedrick, a 70-year-old Trump supporter from West Virginia, told Reuters that she believes all of the president's debunked conspiracy theories about the election being stolen.
“There's millions and millions of Trump votes that were just thrown out," she said. “That computer was throwing them out."


alternet--2020-11-21--Trump campaign mixes up Michigan and Minnesota locations in affidavit alleging voter fraud

The Trump campaign is now facing another embarrassment in its post-election legal battle .
An affidavit alleging voter fraud confuses two states starting with the letter `` M '' .
As part of a larger affidavit filed by Trump supporter and conservative attorney L. Lin Wood , the lawsuit focuses on undermining the results of the election by highlighting instances of voting discrepancies and alleged issues with the Dominion Voting Systems in Georgia , according to USA Today .
Trump , his allies , supporters , and legal teams have circulated conspiracy theories centered on unfounded claims that voting machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
However , there is no evidence to support these claims .
However , the main flaw in the affidavit focused on problems in other states as opposed to the state at the center of their lawsuit .
To point out the supposed problems with Dominion Voting Systems in Georgia , the affidavit , filed as analysis from Texas resident and cybersecurity expert Russell Ramsland , was intended to show supposed errors in Michigan , as both states use Dominion Voting Systems to tabulate election results .
To provide so-called evidence to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted problems in other states like Michigan and Minnesota .
However , it listed `` Albertville , Houston , Monticello , Runeberg , Lake Lillian , Brownsville , Wolf Lake , Height of Land , Detroit Lakes , Frazee , and Kandiyoh .
The problem is that the townships listed in the Ramsland affidavit are actually located Minnesota , not Michigan .
Ramsland noted a number of `` statistical anomalies and red flags '' he claimed proved `` that election results have been manipulated within the Dominion/Premier system in Michigan . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several the Trump campaign filed that have ultimately been dismissed .

The Trump campaign is now facing another embarrassment in its post-election legal battle. An affidavit alleging voter fraud confuses two states starting with the letter "M".
As part of a larger affidavit filed by Trump supporter and conservative attorney L. Lin Wood, the lawsuit focuses on undermining the results of the election by highlighting instances of voting discrepancies and alleged issues with the Dominion Voting Systems in Georgia, according to USA Today.
Trump, his allies, supporters, and legal teams have circulated conspiracy theories centered on unfounded claims that voting machines had taken votes away from President Donald Trump. However, there is no evidence to support these claims. However, the main flaw in the affidavit focused on problems in other states as opposed to the state at the center of their lawsuit.
To point out the supposed problems with Dominion Voting Systems in Georgia, the affidavit, filed as analysis from Texas resident and cybersecurity expert Russell Ramsland, was intended to show supposed errors in Michigan, as both states use Dominion Voting Systems to tabulate election results.
To provide so-called evidence to back this claims, the affidavit also noted problems in other states like Michigan and Minnesota. However, it listed "Albertville, Houston, Monticello, Runeberg, Lake Lillian, Brownsville, Wolf Lake, Height of Land, Detroit Lakes, Frazee, and Kandiyoh.
The problem is that the townships listed in the Ramsland affidavit are actually located Minnesota, not Michigan. Ramsland noted a number of "statistical anomalies and red flags" he claimed proved "that election results have been manipulated within the Dominion/Premier system in Michigan."
The latest lawsuit in Georgia is one of several the Trump campaign filed that have ultimately been dismissed.


alternet--2020-11-21--Will Georgia's most corrupt GOP senator please stand up?

Things are really going well for Senate Republicans in the two Georgia runoffs due to take place on Jan. 5 .
Not only are Republicans in the middle of an epic civil war over the state 's election results , they are now rallying around two candidates who appear to specialize in abusing their power for personal gain .
In fact , the ethics scandals of Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have been so prolific , we decided a side-by-side comparison was in order .
We undertake the comparison with the understanding that Perdue starts with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator since 2015 while Loeffler has been clawing her way into contention for barely a year now .
But Loeffler has really given it the ol ' college try , doing her level best to leverage her relatively new seat at the table .
Let 's send GOP Sens .
Perdue and Loeffler packing .
Give $ 4 right now to clean house in January .
• Coronavirus stock dump : Loeffler , who sits on the Senate Health Committee , and her husband began dumping more than $ 18 million in stocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was privy to a private all-members briefing on COVID-19 .
She and her husband , who chairs the New York Stock Exchange , also acquired stocks of companies that stood to gain from the crisis .
She was cleared of ethics violations by a Senate committee , but insider trading by congressional members is notoriously hard to prove .
With an estimated fortune of $ 500 million , Loeffler is the wealthiest member of Congress .
• Fundraising ethics violation : Loeffler overtly solicited campaign donations on Fox News while standing inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Loeffler bemoaned the `` dark , liberal money is pouring into our state '' for the Jan. 5 Georgia runoffs , she added , `` That 's why it 's so important that everyone across the country get involved .
They can visit KellyforSenate.com to chip in 5 or 10 bucks , and get involved , volunteer . ''
• Honorable mention : Loeffler stood to benefit from a seedy effort by her fellow GOP senator , David Perdue , who tried to secure an extra tax break for a small pool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to include Loeffler before her appointment to the seat .
• Pandemic profiteering : Similar to Loeffler , Perdue began buying up stocks ( Pfizer , among others ) and selling off stocks ( Caesar Entertainment casino ) shortly after the private pandemic briefing for senators in late January .
Like Loeffler , the Senate Ethics Committee cleared Perdue .
• Debit card scandal : Shortly after Perdue pushed to roll back regulations on prepaid debit cards , he bought stock in one of its industry leaders .
• Defense contractor scandal : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturer shortly before taking the helm of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and helped craft a budget bill that benefitted the company , pushing up its stock .
Then Perdue dumped those stock acquisitions for a profit .
• Sports team scandal : Perdue pushed for a regulatory change that would have benefitted a very small pool professional sports teams owners who contributed liberally to his campaign coffers .
He failed , but one of those donors included Loeffler .
To be fair , Perdue is really running away with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half a billion dollars , give or take , we hate to count her out .
Perdue , with a net worth ranging anywhere from roughly $ 15 million to $ 42 million , is among the richest members of Congress , but it 's really chump change compared to Loeffler .

Things are really going well for Senate Republicans in the two Georgia runoffs due to take place on Jan. 5. Not only are Republicans in the middle of an epic civil war over the state's election results, they are now rallying around two candidates who appear to specialize in abusing their power for personal gain. In fact, the ethics scandals of Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have been so prolific, we decided a side-by-side comparison was in order.
We undertake the comparison with the understanding that Perdue starts with a built-in advantage of having been a sitting senator since 2015 while Loeffler has been clawing her way into contention for barely a year now. But Loeffler has really given it the ol' college try, doing her level best to leverage her relatively new seat at the table.
Let's send GOP Sens. Perdue and Loeffler packing. Give $4 right now to clean house in January.
Sen. Loeffler
Coronavirus stock dump: Loeffler, who sits on the Senate Health Committee, and her husband began dumping more than $18 million in stocks in late January, shortly after she was privy to a private all-members briefing on COVID-19. She and her husband, who chairs the New York Stock Exchange, also acquired stocks of companies that stood to gain from the crisis. She was cleared of ethics violations by a Senate committee, but insider trading by congressional members is notoriously hard to prove. With an estimated fortune of $500 million, Loeffler is the wealthiest member of Congress.
Fundraising ethics violation: Loeffler overtly solicited campaign donations on Fox News while standing inside the U.S. Capitol, which is illegal. After Loeffler bemoaned the "dark, liberal money is pouring into our state" for the Jan. 5 Georgia runoffs, she added, "That's why it's so important that everyone across the country get involved. They can visit KellyforSenate.com to chip in 5 or 10 bucks, and get involved, volunteer."
Honorable mention: Loeffler stood to benefit from a seedy effort by her fellow GOP senator, David Perdue, who tried to secure an extra tax break for a small pool of his wealthy donors, which happened to include Loeffler before her appointment to the seat.
Sen. Perdue
Pandemic profiteering: Similar to Loeffler, Perdue began buying up stocks (Pfizer, among others) and selling off stocks (Caesar Entertainment casino) shortly after the private pandemic briefing for senators in late January. Like Loeffler, the Senate Ethics Committee cleared Perdue.
Debit card scandal: Shortly after Perdue pushed to roll back regulations on prepaid debit cards, he bought stock in one of its industry leaders.
Defense contractor scandal: Perdue bought stock in a submarine parts manufacturer shortly before taking the helm of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and helped craft a budget bill that benefitted the company, pushing up its stock. Then Perdue dumped those stock acquisitions for a profit.
Sports team scandal: Perdue pushed for a regulatory change that would have benefitted a very small pool professional sports teams owners who contributed liberally to his campaign coffers. He failed, but one of those donors included Loeffler.
To be fair, Perdue is really running away with this competition. But since Loeffler is worth half a billion dollars, give or take, we hate to count her out. Perdue, with a net worth ranging anywhere from roughly $15 million to $42 million, is among the richest members of Congress, but it's really chump change compared to Loeffler.