hotair--2020-11-26--Krakens released: Powell publishes lawsuits in GA, MI alleging massive fraud

As promised , Sidney Powell released the Kraken — two of them , actually , although the two are essentially twins .
Powell made her election-fraud lawsuits against Georgia and Michigan available through her website , although only the document of the Michigan suit has the markings of a court filing .
Whatever criticisms may follow , at least these have the virtue of making the case in court rather than in press conferences , which means we can finally peruse the real arguments rather than just wild claims for public-relations purposes .
Let ’ s take a look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is front and center in both claims , which we ’ ll look at in the Michigan suit ( documents via Jeff Dunetz ) : Powell ’ s whistleblower alleges that he was a “ direct witness ” to the Smartmatic software creation and operation in Venezuela .
In the first place , one has to wonder whether Chavez really needed to build such a system at all to steal elections once he was in office .
Why not just change all the records by putting your own people in charge of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ origin of Smartmatic in 2006 , the Department of Homeland Security — under one Donald J. Trump — never found any such issue in 2020 with Dominion whether or not their system still uses that original Smartmatic software , nor did the state of Georgia or any other state using that system .
[ See update below . ]
Not to mention that the hand recount would have resolved this issue in Georgia .
Don ’ t forget that the Dominion system produces a paper record of the votes cast on screen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the paper ballot and submits that to the precinct .
Those paper records are what got recounted by hand last week in Georgia .
In order for this theory to be true , hundreds of thousands of voters in Georgia and Michigan would have had to looked at an incorrect ballot and never raise an objection to the vote switch .
Did any such objections emerge on Election Day ?
No one has produced a single instance , let alone the flood of complaints that should have occurred under this theory .
Next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regarding Voting Fraud ” : In addition to the above fact witnesses , this Complaint presents expert witness testimony demonstrating that several hundred thousand illegal , ineligible , duplicate or purely fictitious votes must be thrown out , in particular : ( 1 ) a report from Russel Ramsland , Jr. showing the “ physical impossibility ” of nearly 385,000 votes injected by four precincts/township on November 4 , 2020 , that resulted in the counting of nearly 290,000 more ballots processed than available capacity ( which is based on statistical analysis that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s flaws ) ; ( 2 ) a report from Dr. William Briggs , showing that there were approximately 60,000 absentee ballots listed as “ unreturned ” by voters that either never requested them , or that requested and returned their ballots ; and ( 3 ) a report from Dr. Eric Quinell analyzing the anomalous turnout figures in Wayne and Oakland Counties showing that Biden gained nearly 100 % and frequently more than 100 % of all “ new ” voters in certain townships/precincts over 2016 , and thus indicated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from these precincts .
These are all data analyses , not evidence , and at least one of these is already suspect .
Russel Ramsland is the man behind the infamous Lin Wood affidavit that claimed to have found massive anomalies in nearly two dozen Michigan cities .
Unfortunately , it turned out that the Texan didn ’ t know Michigan from Minnesota , as John Hinderaker discovered when he tried to run down the numbers : Here ’ s the problem : the townships and precincts listed in paragraphs 11 and 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are in Minnesota .
Monticello , Albertville , Lake Lillian , Houston , Brownsville , Runeberg , Wolf Lake , Height of Land , Detroit Lakes , Frazee , Kandiyohi–these are all towns in Minnesota .
I haven ’ t checked them all , but I checked a lot of them , and all locations listed in paragraphs 11 and 17 that I looked up are in Minnesota , with no corresponding township in Michigan .
This would have been obvious to someone from this state , but Mr. Ramsland is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not natives of either Minnesota or Michigan .
Evidently a researcher , either Mr. Ramsland or someone working for him , was working with a database and confused “ MI ” for Minnesota with “ MI ” for Michigan .
( The postal code for Minnesota is MN , while Michigan is MI , so one can see how this might happen . )
So the affidavit , which addresses “ anomalies and red flags ” in Michigan , is based largely , and mistakenly , on data from Minnesota .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that causes a legal position to crash and burn .
Powell cites Ramsland ’ s analysis twenty-one times in her Michigan suit .
In case you ’ re wondering , Ramsland also makes four appearances in the Georgia lawsuit published by Powell last night .
None of these claims is evidence either ; Powell uses data analytics to make a claim that something is wrong , but her experts don ’ t identify any specific ballot or process as invalid or corrupt .
The heavy reliance on the easily debunked Ramsland affidavit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed speaks to the lack of a real argument for Powell .
There are also less substantive but nonetheless unprofessional errors , too .
Powell neglected to run her Georgia complaint through a spell checker , which was immediately obvious at the very top of her filing : And some of those errors are more substantive than others : That very well could be a fatal error if Shepherd and his team demand to be withdrawn from the complaint .
And the lawsuits seem to be missing one important component if Powell intends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seek — a reversal of the certification of electors : These are serious problems with filings that Powell has been promising for a week .
At least at first blush , this appears to have been rushed out at the last minute yesterday without much review .
That makes it look like a PR stunt more than a serious attempt to litigate real issues in the election .
However , give Powell credit for finally choosing a proper venue to argue these claims .
By putting these claims in a lawsuit and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will all get a chance to see whether Powell and her plaintiffs have any actual evidence of the massive fraud they and Donald Trump keep claiming took place in this election .
That ’ s worth taking seriously , at least until we see that evidence and what it actually supports .
Addendum : In reading through these complaints , one question should be asked .
If Powell actually has evidence that can be submitted in court to support these allegations , why did Giuliani and Ellis distance the Trump campaign from Powell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t , but we ’ ll see in the days ahead .
Update : FactCheck.org points out that the Dominion theory has already been rebutted by both Dominion and Smartmatic , and that Smartmatic didn ’ t start in Venezuela in the first place : On Nov. 19 Powell claimed on Dobbs ’ Fox Business show , “ The fact is , the Dominion machines run the Softmatic software.
” That ’ s false .
Regardless of the facts , Dobbs ’ show shared a clip of that interview on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands of views .
Both companies have issued statements denying that kind of agreement .
Dominion said , “ Dominion does not use Smartmatic software.
” Smartmatic said , “ Smartmatic has never provided Dominion Voting Systems with any software , hardware or other technology .
The two companies are competitors in the marketplace.
” Separately , and more importantly , regardless of the type of software that might be used in any voting system , the agencies and organizations that oversee U.S. elections said in a joint statement , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system deleted or lost votes , changed votes , or was in any way compromised.
” In 2010 , Dominion acquired Sequoia , which had been a subsidiary of Smartmatic until 2007 , when Smartmatic sold it off .
Smartmatic also licensed Dominion ’ s technology in Canada in 2009 , not the other way around .
Both of these transactions took place a decade or more ago , which means whatever technology was exchanged has likely been made obsolete since .

As promised, Sidney Powell released the Kraken — two of them, actually, although the two are essentially twins. Powell made her election-fraud lawsuits against Georgia and Michigan available through her website, although only the document of the Michigan suit has the markings of a court filing. Whatever criticisms may follow, at least these have the virtue of making the case in court rather than in press conferences, which means we can finally peruse the real arguments rather than just wild claims for public-relations purposes.
Let’s take a look at those claims. The Dominion balloting system is front and center in both claims, which we’ll look at in the Michigan suit (documents via Jeff Dunetz):
4. The fraud begins with the election software and hardware from Dominion Voting Systems Corporation (“Dominion”) used by the MichiganBoard of State Canvassers. The Dominion systems derive from the software designed by Smartmatic Corporation, which became Sequoia in the United States. 5. Smartmatic and Dominion were founded by foreign oligarchs and dictators to ensure computerized ballot-stuffing and vote manipulation to whatever level was needed to make certain Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez never lost another election.See Exh. 1, Redacted Declaration of Dominion Venezuela Whistleblower (“Dominion Whistleblower Report”). Notably, Chavez “won” every election thereafter.
Powell’s whistleblower alleges that he was a “direct witness” to the Smartmatic software creation and operation in Venezuela. In the first place, one has to wonder whether Chavez really needed to build such a system at all to steal elections once he was in office. Why not just change all the records by putting your own people in charge of them? And even if this were the origin of Smartmatic in 2006, the Department of Homeland Security — under one Donald J. Trump — never found any such issue in 2020 with Dominion whether or not their system still uses that original Smartmatic software, nor did the state of Georgia or any other state using that system. [See update below.]
Not to mention that the hand recount would have resolved this issue in Georgia. Don’t forget that the Dominion system produces a paper record of the votes cast on screen by the voter, who then visually checks the paper ballot and submits that to the precinct. Those paper records are what got recounted by hand last week in Georgia. In order for this theory to be true, hundreds of thousands of voters in Georgia and Michigan would have had to looked at an incorrect ballot and never raise an objection to the vote switch. Did any such objections emerge on Election Day? No one has produced a single instance, let alone the flood of complaints that should have occurred under this theory.
Next, we get “Expert Witness Testimony Regarding Voting Fraud”:
In addition to the above fact witnesses, this Complaint presents expert witness testimony demonstrating that several hundred thousand illegal, ineligible, duplicate or purely fictitious votes must be thrown out, in particular: (1) a report from Russel Ramsland, Jr. showing the “physical impossibility” of nearly 385,000 votes injected by four precincts/township on November 4, 2020, that resulted in the counting of nearly 290,000 more ballots processed than available capacity (which is based on statistical analysis that is independent of his analysis of Dominion’s flaws); (2) a report from Dr. William Briggs, showing that there were approximately 60,000 absentee ballots listed as “unreturned” by voters that either never requested them, or that requested and returned their ballots; and (3) a report from Dr. Eric Quinell analyzing the anomalous turnout figures in Wayne and Oakland Counties showing that Biden gained nearly 100% and frequently more than 100% of all “new” voters in certain townships/precincts over 2016, and thus indicated that nearly 87,000 anomalous and likely fraudulent votes from these precincts.
These are all data analyses, not evidence, and at least one of these is already suspect. Russel Ramsland is the man behind the infamous Lin Wood affidavit that claimed to have found massive anomalies in nearly two dozen Michigan cities. Unfortunately, it turned out that the Texan didn’t know Michigan from Minnesota, as John Hinderaker discovered when he tried to run down the numbers:
Here’s the problem: the townships and precincts listed in paragraphs 11 and 17 of the affidavit are not in Michigan. They are in Minnesota. Monticello, Albertville, Lake Lillian, Houston, Brownsville, Runeberg, Wolf Lake, Height of Land, Detroit Lakes, Frazee, Kandiyohi–these are all towns in Minnesota. I haven’t checked them all, but I checked a lot of them, and all locations listed in paragraphs 11 and 17 that I looked up are in Minnesota, with no corresponding township in Michigan. This would have been obvious to someone from this state, but Mr. Ramsland is a Texan and the lawyers are probably not natives of either Minnesota or Michigan. Evidently a researcher, either Mr. Ramsland or someone working for him, was working with a database and confused “MI” for Minnesota with “MI” for Michigan. (The postal code for Minnesota is MN, while Michigan is MI, so one can see how this might happen.) So the affidavit, which addresses “anomalies and red flags” in Michigan, is based largely, and mistakenly, on data from Minnesota. This is a catastrophic error, the kind of thing that causes a legal position to crash and burn.
Powell cites Ramsland’s analysis twenty-one times in her Michigan suit. In case you’re wondering, Ramsland also makes four appearances in the Georgia lawsuit published by Powell last night. None of these claims is evidence either; Powell uses data analytics to make a claim that something is wrong, but her experts don’t identify any specific ballot or process as invalid or corrupt. The heavy reliance on the easily debunked Ramsland affidavit even two weeks after its errors were exposed speaks to the lack of a real argument for Powell.
There are also less substantive but nonetheless unprofessional errors, too. Powell neglected to run her Georgia complaint through a spell checker, which was immediately obvious at the very top of her filing:
Both of the cases filed by Powell were riddled with typographical issues. The case in Michigan had a number of formatting problems that removed spacing between words, Bloomberg reports. In the Georgia suit, the word district was misspelled twice on the first page of the document. There was an extra c for “DISTRICCT,” and then it was spelled “DISTRCOICT.”
And some of those errors are more substantive than others:
Just in: Cobb County GOP chair Jason Shepherd, one of seven plaintiffs on Sidney Powell’s lawsuit targeting Georgia’s election, tells me he never agreed to be a part of her complaint. “Guess this is what happens when you wait until the last minute.” #gapol pic.twitter.com/2TmhVJ5ylK — Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) November 26, 2020
That very well could be a fatal error if Shepherd and his team demand to be withdrawn from the complaint. And the lawsuits seem to be missing one important component if Powell intends to actually get the relief she claims to seek — a reversal of the certification of electors:
Seriously, did they file an actual motion for an emergency temporary restraining order yet? Otherwise, this lawsuit would take weeks to begin under the existing rules. https://t.co/l0KSj8cZC2 — Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) November 26, 2020
These are serious problems with filings that Powell has been promising for a week. At least at first blush, this appears to have been rushed out at the last minute yesterday without much review. That makes it look like a PR stunt more than a serious attempt to litigate real issues in the election.
However, give Powell credit for finally choosing a proper venue to argue these claims. By putting these claims in a lawsuit and submitting them to federal court, we will all get a chance to see whether Powell and her plaintiffs have any actual evidence of the massive fraud they and Donald Trump keep claiming took place in this election. That’s worth taking seriously, at least until we see that evidence and what it actually supports.
Addendum: In reading through these complaints, one question should be asked. If Powell actually has evidence that can be submitted in court to support these allegations, why did Giuliani and Ellis distance the Trump campaign from Powell? The clear implication is that she doesn’t, but we’ll see in the days ahead.
Update: FactCheck.org points out that the Dominion theory has already been rebutted by both Dominion and Smartmatic, and that Smartmatic didn’t start in Venezuela in the first place:
On Nov. 19 Powell claimed on Dobbs’ Fox Business show, “The fact is, the Dominion machines run the Softmatic software.” That’s false. Regardless of the facts, Dobbs’ show shared a clip of that interview on its social media channels, which have garnered tens of thousands of views. Both companies have issued statements denying that kind of agreement. Dominion said, “Dominion does not use Smartmatic software.” Smartmatic said, “Smartmatic has never provided Dominion Voting Systems with any software, hardware or other technology. The two companies are competitors in the marketplace.” Separately, and more importantly, regardless of the type of software that might be used in any voting system, the agencies and organizations that oversee U.S. elections said in a joint statement, “There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”
In 2010, Dominion acquired Sequoia, which had been a subsidiary of Smartmatic until 2007, when Smartmatic sold it off. Smartmatic also licensed Dominion’s technology in Canada in 2009, not the other way around. Both of these transactions took place a decade or more ago, which means whatever technology was exchanged has likely been made obsolete since.


hotair--2020-11-27--California House race finally called for David Valadao

Last Saturday an editor for Cook Political Report decided David Valadao would win in California ’ s 21st Congressional District , creating another pickup for the GOP .
But the Associated Press still hadn ’ t called the race .
Finally today they did : Based on the AP race calls , the GOP is currently at +9 in the House but that doesn ’ t include several races in which Democrats have already conceded .
In particular , Democrat Max Rose conceded to Nicole Malliotakis in the NY-11 race more than a week ago .
So the GOP will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
That really only leave 3 races where the result is still in doubt .
In Iowa 2 the race is down to single digits .
Today the AP reports GOP candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks has an 8 vote lead with one district left to finish a recount : Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks held a lead of eight votes over Democrat Rita Hart out of more than 394,400 cast , with recount boards in all but one of the district ’ s 24 counties reporting their results .
Miller-Meeks is trying to flip a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this cycle… Only Clinton County — where Hart lives on a Wheatland farm and served as an educator and state senator — is yet to report .
Clinton ’ s recount board has already reviewed most of its ballots , with Hart so far netting a single vote , said county auditor Eric Van Lancker .
The board will return Saturday morning to finish recounting the last 5,000 to 6,000 absentee ballots , he said .
If Miller-Meeks holds on it will be another GOP pickup .
There ’ s another tight race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is holding on to a narrow lead of around 400 votes .
If he holds on that race will be a hold for the GOP .
Finally , in NY-22 GOP challenger Claudia Tenney has apparently fallen behind by a dozen votes : That ’ s another incredibly close race and one where Tenney led the election day totals by nearly 30,000 votes .
For it to come down to a loss by a dozen votes would be heartbreaking .
We ’ ll have to wait and see a bit longer what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done the GOP will almost certainly be +10 and still could be +11 .
This puts the GOP in a good position to win back the House in two years .

Last Saturday an editor for Cook Political Report decided David Valadao would win in California’s 21st Congressional District, creating another pickup for the GOP. But the Associated Press still hadn’t called the race. Finally today they did:
BREAKING: Republican David Valadao wins election to U.S. House in California's 21st Congressional District, beating incumbent Rep. TJ Cox. #APracecall at 10:32 a.m. PST. #Election2020 #CAelection https://t.co/lGfinjTqT4 — AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 27, 2020
Based on the AP race calls, the GOP is currently at +9 in the House but that doesn’t include several races in which Democrats have already conceded. In particular, Democrat Max Rose conceded to Nicole Malliotakis in the NY-11 race more than a week ago. So the GOP will be at +10 once the AP catches up.
That really only leave 3 races where the result is still in doubt. In Iowa 2 the race is down to single digits. Today the AP reports GOP candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks has an 8 vote lead with one district left to finish a recount:
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks held a lead of eight votes over Democrat Rita Hart out of more than 394,400 cast, with recount boards in all but one of the district’s 24 counties reporting their results. Miller-Meeks is trying to flip a second congressional seat in Iowa for Republicans this cycle… Only Clinton County — where Hart lives on a Wheatland farm and served as an educator and state senator — is yet to report. Clinton’s recount board has already reviewed most of its ballots, with Hart so far netting a single vote, said county auditor Eric Van Lancker. The board will return Saturday morning to finish recounting the last 5,000 to 6,000 absentee ballots, he said.
If Miller-Meeks holds on it will be another GOP pickup.
There’s another tight race in CA-25 where GOP incumbent Mike Garcia is holding on to a narrow lead of around 400 votes. If he holds on that race will be a hold for the GOP.
Finally, in NY-22 GOP challenger Claudia Tenney has apparently fallen behind by a dozen votes:
BREAKING: sources on both Dem & GOP sides confirm that the final counts submitted by all 8 counties in #NY22 to NY Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte will show Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D) *ahead* of Claudia Tenney (R) by either 12 or 13 votes. Wow. — Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 25, 2020
That’s another incredibly close race and one where Tenney led the election day totals by nearly 30,000 votes. For it to come down to a loss by a dozen votes would be heartbreaking. We’ll have to wait and see a bit longer what happens.
So when all is said and done the GOP will almost certainly be +10 and still could be +11. This puts the GOP in a good position to win back the House in two years.


hotair--2020-11-27--Trump's short tempered response to White House reporter: "Don't ever talk to the president that way"

President Trump snapped at Reuters White House reporter Jeff Mason during a Thanksgiving Day press conference .
The atmosphere became a little more tense than usual between the press and the president when Trump took Mason to task for rudely interrupting the president mid-sentence .
Trump scolded Mason as a father would scold a child .
Keep in mind that this was the first opportunity for White House reporters to ask the president questions since the election .
They were more than ready to ask about the election results and when Trump thinks he will concede the election .
Mason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Joe Biden won the election , will Trump concede ?
Trump launched into familiar rhetoric about election fraud and a rigged election .
He wanted to make sure Mason and the other reporters understood that he won the election , no matter what the Electoral College determines .
It would be “ a mistake ” if they declare Biden the winner .
Mason interrupted Trump and Trump wasn ’ t having it .
Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason asked Trump whether he would think about conceding the election when the Electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Trump responded , “ Well if they do , they made a mistake , because this election was a fraud.
” “ Just so you understand , this election was a fraud , ” he continued .
“ So no , I can ’ t say that at all .
I think it ’ s a possibility… they ’ re trying to , look , between you people… ” As Mason started to talk over Trump in an attempt to ask his question again , Trump snapped .
“ Don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he protested .
“ You ’ re just a lightweight .
Don ’ t talk to me that way .
Don ’ t talk to… ” “ I ’ m the President of the United States .
Don ’ t ever talk to the president that way , ” Trump continued , before concluding , “ Alright , I ’ m going to go with another question.
” Just for the record , I can totally understand Trump ’ s frustration that he is so disrespectfully treated during press conferences .
The old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough questions to the president are long gone .
Today ’ s journalists raise their voices to the president , ask him about lying , argue with his answers , and interrupt his sentences as though their opinions are more important than those of the person of which they are paid to ask questions .
There ’ s been finger pointing from journalists at both the president and the press secretary during questions .
Simple , professional behavior is gone for most journalists .
Maybe they all just forgot how to do their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long eight-year nap when the Obama-Biden administration was in the White House .
Trump takes criticism personally and is quick to name call , especially toward journalists .
He calls them the enemy of the people and that is not a feeling that is unknown to conservatives .
Because he calls them out , they take that to mean they , too , can escalate their behavior .
It ’ s a vicious circle .
Yesterday , when Trump took questions after a Thanksgiving call to wish military members a good holiday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Trump ’ s timing of his concession of the election and if he will leave the White House on January 20 , 2021 were top priority .
Mason is normally a kind of mild-manner type of reporter but he , too , has taken a more abrasive approach in recent weeks .
This wasn ’ t the first time Trump has schooled Mason .
Back in October Trump chided Mason for wearing a face mask during a White House briefing .
The official order that all journalists must wear a face mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet but Mason and a few others were wearing them .
Trump had difficulty understanding Mason ’ s question and told him to remove his mask .
Mason took a pass on that and so Trump mocked him by saying Mason was only wearing a mask to be politically correct .
Mason , along with the other White House reporters , didn ’ t wear face masks when they were first recommended as the pandemic began to spread in the U.S .
They all abided by the daily White House routine of taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the press room for a briefing .
Yes , Trump told a different reporter , he will leave the White House on January 20 , 2021 , if Biden is officially declared the winner .
Trump ’ s opponents and their cohorts in the press have a fantasy wish that Trump will refuse to leave the White House and have to be dragged out of the Oval Office by the U.S. military or something .
They really want to see that .
The military has already said that will not happen but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fellow reporters and cable television news anchors came to Mason ’ s defense .
CNN ’ s Kaitlan Collins posted a group photo of the reporters present for the briefing .
Mason is the mostly bald guy behind her .
This all took place in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House .
The last thing either Trump or the press practice with each other is diplomacy .
I ’ m sure all of that will change on January 20 .
The press will suddenly become incurious about the new president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be exercised again .
He ’ s one of them , a member of The Swamp .
It ’ s all so cozy .

President Trump snapped at Reuters White House reporter Jeff Mason during a Thanksgiving Day press conference. The atmosphere became a little more tense than usual between the press and the president when Trump took Mason to task for rudely interrupting the president mid-sentence. Trump scolded Mason as a father would scold a child.
Keep in mind that this was the first opportunity for White House reporters to ask the president questions since the election. They were more than ready to ask about the election results and when Trump thinks he will concede the election. Mason asked if the Electoral College votes prove that Joe Biden won the election, will Trump concede? Trump launched into familiar rhetoric about election fraud and a rigged election. He wanted to make sure Mason and the other reporters understood that he won the election, no matter what the Electoral College determines. It would be “a mistake” if they declare Biden the winner. Mason interrupted Trump and Trump wasn’t having it.
Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason asked Trump whether he would think about conceding the election when the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, to which Trump responded, “Well if they do, they made a mistake, because this election was a fraud.” “Just so you understand, this election was a fraud,” he continued. “So no, I can’t say that at all. I think it’s a possibility… they’re trying to, look, between you people…” As Mason started to talk over Trump in an attempt to ask his question again, Trump snapped. “Don’t talk to me that way,” he protested. “You’re just a lightweight. Don’t talk to me that way. Don’t talk to…” “I’m the President of the United States. Don’t ever talk to the president that way,” Trump continued, before concluding, “Alright, I’m going to go with another question.”
Trump Snaps at Reporter Jeff Mason at Thanksgiving Presser https://t.co/PO5X320llM — Julie Mason (@juliemason) November 27, 2020
Just for the record, I can totally understand Trump’s frustration that he is so disrespectfully treated during press conferences. The old days of showing respect while still asking tough questions to the president are long gone. Today’s journalists raise their voices to the president, ask him about lying, argue with his answers, and interrupt his sentences as though their opinions are more important than those of the person of which they are paid to ask questions. There’s been finger pointing from journalists at both the president and the press secretary during questions. Simple, professional behavior is gone for most journalists. Maybe they all just forgot how to do their jobs in a professional manner during the long eight-year nap when the Obama-Biden administration was in the White House.
Trump takes criticism personally and is quick to name call, especially toward journalists. He calls them the enemy of the people and that is not a feeling that is unknown to conservatives. Because he calls them out, they take that to mean they, too, can escalate their behavior. It’s a vicious circle. Yesterday, when Trump took questions after a Thanksgiving call to wish military members a good holiday and thank them for their service, questions about Trump’s timing of his concession of the election and if he will leave the White House on January 20, 2021 were top priority. Mason is normally a kind of mild-manner type of reporter but he, too, has taken a more abrasive approach in recent weeks.
This wasn’t the first time Trump has schooled Mason. Back in October Trump chided Mason for wearing a face mask during a White House briefing. The official order that all journalists must wear a face mask in the room had not been issued yet but Mason and a few others were wearing them. Trump had difficulty understanding Mason’s question and told him to remove his mask. Mason took a pass on that and so Trump mocked him by saying Mason was only wearing a mask to be politically correct. Mason, along with the other White House reporters, didn’t wear face masks when they were first recommended as the pandemic began to spread in the U.S. They all abided by the daily White House routine of taking temperatures of journalists before being allowed into the press room for a briefing.
Yes, Trump told a different reporter, he will leave the White House on January 20, 2021, if Biden is officially declared the winner. Trump’s opponents and their cohorts in the press have a fantasy wish that Trump will refuse to leave the White House and have to be dragged out of the Oval Office by the U.S. military or something. They really want to see that. The military has already said that will not happen but it doesn’t stop the fever dream.
Fellow reporters and cable television news anchors came to Mason’s defense.
The excellent journalist @jeffmason1 is on the other end of this spectacle. Jeff will still be working at the White House after January 20, 2021. https://t.co/OJoGCvzUrG — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 27, 2020
This was in response to a question about whether he would concede, and a follow-up pressing for an answer, by the least-rude reporter in DC, @jeffmason1. — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 26, 2020
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins posted a group photo of the reporters present for the briefing. Mason is the mostly bald guy behind her.
The crew that got President Trump to answer his first questions in over three weeks. Proud to be part of it. Happy Thanksgiving! pic.twitter.com/1H1uBdxdG9 — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 26, 2020
This all took place in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House. The last thing either Trump or the press practice with each other is diplomacy. I’m sure all of that will change on January 20. The press will suddenly become incurious about the new president’s behavior or actions. Manners will be exercised again. He’s one of them, a member of The Swamp. It’s all so cozy.


hotair--2020-11-27--Houston teacher union calls for online classes after Thanksgiving break, shut down in-person classes

The Houston Federation of Teachers wants to go back to only virtual learning as classes begin again after the Thanksgiving break .
However , the Houston Independent School District ( HISD ) says that students will return to online and in-person classes after the break .
The teacher union asked HISD to revert back to only online instruction because of the recent spike in coronavirus cases .
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas , and the seventh-largest in the U. S. The original reopening plan for the schools in the district noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater than 7 % for a 14-day period , then all schools would go to virtual learning .
In October the policy changed to adjust protocol for schools closing due to positivity rates .
Like a lot of school districts across the country , there is a struggle between union demands and the needs of students .
Andrew Dewey , executive vice president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said the union wants the district to go back to online learning and the Harris County Judge ( a non-judicial position ) seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted , was the last school district in the Houston area to reopen for in-class instruction this fall .
The district held out until well into September though the school year begins in August .
School districts take public health authorities ’ recommendations , according to the Texas Education Agency ( TEA ) but school leaders have the final say .
The local teachers union didn ’ t want to go to in-person classes when the district did in September .
Now the teachers union wants to solely have online learning through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 , the Harris County COVID-19 dashboard showed the average positivity rate for the past 14 days at 7.4 % , a rate that would have called for all HISD schools to go virtual under the original policy .
Even more alarming , on Nov. 17 , the 14-day average was up to 8.4 % , according to the Harris County COVID-19 dashboard .
“ In-person instruction is a lifeline for working parents and we all recognize that , ” Hidalgo said .
“ But I also recognize and we have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up where schools open before the numbers got to where they needed to be has us on a ping pong , of sorts , a yo-yo effect where we ’ re opening schools only to see numbers rise dramatically and that ’ s not a sustainable situation.
” “ The reality is we have to go back to virtual .
We thought it was a mistake to open in-person when they did .
HISD , to its credit , delayed it as long as they could .
Strangely enough , the surge has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open up in September .
It ’ s now again in a situation where it ’ s out of control .
We are asking the district today to go all virtual after Thanksgiving break , at least through the end of the semester .
And we understand the consequences that may be coming to the state regarding funding , but it ’ s time to do this , just in the name of safety , ” said Dewey .
It ’ s not just that schools lose a portion of state funding if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main worry should be that Houston-area students are not thriving while under online learning lockdown .
Students are failing classes at unprecedented rates .
In the first marking period , some districts reported nearly half of their middle and high schoolers received at least two F grades because they routinely missed classes or neglected assignments .
The percentage of students failing at least one class has doubled , tripled , or even quadrupled in several of the region ’ s largest school districts .
If this failure rate continues , graduations will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
HISD offered only on-line classes during the first 6 week grading period .
The results were not good – 42 % of students failed two or more classes in the first marking period , up from about 11 % in a typical year .
Texas legislators and education officials have not pledged to allocate additional funding for summer school yet .
Given some disastrous failure rates from virtual learning , Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath decided last month to allow public school districts to force their failing online students back into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means some schools are requiring students failing classes to come in for in-person instruction while students passing their courses can continue with only online classes if that is how their school is proceeding .
HISD ’ s response is the following : “ Decisions about whether HISD returns to 100 percent virtual instruction would involve collaborative guidance from the district , City of Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health authorities .
We may also receive guidance from physicians and medical experts in the Texas Medical Center.
” Teacher unions have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Teachers in 35 school campuses held a strike – a sick-in – to protest the school COVID-19 policies in October .
It was only days after schools re-opened .
The confusion isn ’ t good for families trying to keep their school-age children current in classwork as well as looked after at home if the parents are working outside the home .
Teachers complained that the governor wasn ’ t doing enough to have safety procedures in place for schools but that falls on deaf ears to many Texans .
School districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
The reality is that there is no big outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases being reported from HISD schools .
Schools are a relatively safe environment for students and teachers with protocols in place to keep the spread of the virus down .
It ’ s important that children get back into the classroom as soon as possible .
Virtual learning isn ’ t better than classroom instruction for most students .
The cure can ’ t be worse than the problem , as shutting down all the schools again for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schools are closed when necessary and deep cleaned so that students can return as soon as possible .
It has to be done on a school by school basis , as problems arise , instead of a blanket order to close all school campuses in the district .

The Houston Federation of Teachers wants to go back to only virtual learning as classes begin again after the Thanksgiving break. However, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) says that students will return to online and in-person classes after the break. The teacher union asked HISD to revert back to only online instruction because of the recent spike in coronavirus cases.
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas, and the seventh-largest in the U. S. The original reopening plan for the schools in the district noted that if the average coronavirus positivity rate was greater than 7% for a 14-day period, then all schools would go to virtual learning. In October the policy changed to adjust protocol for schools closing due to positivity rates. Like a lot of school districts across the country, there is a struggle between union demands and the needs of students.
Andrew Dewey, executive vice president of the Houston Federation of Teachers said the union wants the district to go back to online learning and the Harris County Judge (a non-judicial position) seems to agree. HISD, it should be noted, was the last school district in the Houston area to reopen for in-class instruction this fall. The district held out until well into September though the school year begins in August. School districts take public health authorities’ recommendations, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) but school leaders have the final say. The local teachers union didn’t want to go to in-person classes when the district did in September. Now the teachers union wants to solely have online learning through the end of the semester.
On Oct. 26, the Harris County COVID-19 dashboard showed the average positivity rate for the past 14 days at 7.4%, a rate that would have called for all HISD schools to go virtual under the original policy. Even more alarming, on Nov. 17, the 14-day average was up to 8.4%, according to the Harris County COVID-19 dashboard. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo reiterated this point. “In-person instruction is a lifeline for working parents and we all recognize that,” Hidalgo said. “But I also recognize and we have to be realistic and accept that the current set up where schools open before the numbers got to where they needed to be has us on a ping pong, of sorts, a yo-yo effect where we’re opening schools only to see numbers rise dramatically and that’s not a sustainable situation.” “The reality is we have to go back to virtual. We thought it was a mistake to open in-person when they did. HISD, to its credit, delayed it as long as they could. Strangely enough, the surge has been going on since schools began to open up in September. It’s now again in a situation where it’s out of control. We are asking the district today to go all virtual after Thanksgiving break, at least through the end of the semester. And we understand the consequences that may be coming to the state regarding funding, but it’s time to do this, just in the name of safety,” said Dewey.
It’s not just that schools lose a portion of state funding if classrooms aren’t filled, the main worry should be that Houston-area students are not thriving while under online learning lockdown. Students are failing classes at unprecedented rates. In the first marking period, some districts reported nearly half of their middle and high schoolers received at least two F grades because they routinely missed classes or neglected assignments. The percentage of students failing at least one class has doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled in several of the region’s largest school districts. If this failure rate continues, graduations will be affected and summer school enrollments will increase. HISD offered only on-line classes during the first 6 week grading period. The results were not good – 42% of students failed two or more classes in the first marking period, up from about 11% in a typical year. Texas legislators and education officials have not pledged to allocate additional funding for summer school yet. Given some disastrous failure rates from virtual learning, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath decided last month to allow public school districts to force their failing online students back into the classroom, with some exceptions. This means some schools are requiring students failing classes to come in for in-person instruction while students passing their courses can continue with only online classes if that is how their school is proceeding.
HISD’s response is the following: “Decisions about whether HISD returns to 100 percent virtual instruction would involve collaborative guidance from the district, City of Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health authorities. We may also receive guidance from physicians and medical experts in the Texas Medical Center.”
Teacher unions have been a source of contention for many parents. Teachers in 35 school campuses held a strike – a sick-in – to protest the school COVID-19 policies in October. It was only days after schools re-opened. The confusion isn’t good for families trying to keep their school-age children current in classwork as well as looked after at home if the parents are working outside the home. Teachers complained that the governor wasn’t doing enough to have safety procedures in place for schools but that falls on deaf ears to many Texans. School districts have had plans in place since last summer.
The reality is that there is no big outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases being reported from HISD schools. Schools are a relatively safe environment for students and teachers with protocols in place to keep the spread of the virus down. It’s important that children get back into the classroom as soon as possible. Virtual learning isn’t better than classroom instruction for most students. The cure can’t be worse than the problem, as shutting down all the schools again for the rest of the semester would be. Schools are closed when necessary and deep cleaned so that students can return as soon as possible. It has to be done on a school by school basis, as problems arise, instead of a blanket order to close all school campuses in the district.


hotair--2020-11-27--NY Times: Wealthy socialists are eager to get rid of their millions (and destroy capitalism)

The NY Times published a piece today about a group of young and very wealthy socialists who are doing their best to take down capitalism using the money they inherited from their families .
For instance , 25-year-old Sam Jacobs has a $ 30 million trust fund that he wants to use to fight the system : A socialist since college , Mr. Jacobs sees his family ’ s “ extreme , plutocratic wealth ” as both a moral and economic failure .
He wants to put his inheritance toward ending capitalism , and by that he means using his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those at the top , and that have played a large role in widening economic and racial inequality… Mr. Jacobs , whose grandfather was a founder of Qualcomm , expects to receive up to $ 100 million over the course of his lifetime .
The exact plan for destroying capitalism is a bit vague .
Rachel Gelman , who is 30 , is planning to donate her money to Black Lives Matter and other anti-police groups : Then there ’ s Pierce Delahunt whose family money came from a string of outlet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ socialist , anarchist , Marxist , communist or all of the above , ” has a trust fund that was financed by their former stepfather ’ s outlet mall empire .
( Mx .
Delahunt takes nongendered pronouns . )
“ When I think about outlet malls , I think about intersectional oppression , ” Mx .
Delahunt said .
There ’ s the originally Indigenous land each mall was built on , plus the low wages paid to retail and food service workers , who are disproportionately people of color , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transporting the goods .
With that on their mind , Mx .
Delahunt gives away $ 10,000 a month , divided between 50 small organizations , most of which have an anticapitalist mission and in some way tackle the externalities of discount shopping .
$ 10,000 a month is not that much money for a multi-millionaire .
If this person has millions in a trust fund , he ’ s barely spending the interest he ’ s earning on the money .
It ’ s a drop in the bucket .
Helping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group called Resource Generation which exists to radicalize young inheritors of wealth .
Here ’ s a sample of their social media : This is a pretty odd niche but it makes sense if you think about it .
If you ’ re a Marxist millionaire you have a serious social problem that can only be cured by getting rid of that capitalism-tainted money .
So along comes Resource Generation which is selling a kind of social credibility to wealthy leftists .
You ’ re not a hypocrite , they tell these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformative leader ” so long as you let us guide your divestment .
Really it wouldn ’ t be hard to give away ten million dollars if you saw it as a burden .
You could probably arrange that in a week .
But these kids are making the slow spending of that money on left-wing causes into a part-time job that makes them feel good about themselves .
And in the meantime they ’ ll continue to have control over that unearned nest egg .
What I ’ d be most interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this story ( and the hundreds more who are members of Resource Generation but not mentioned by name ) is how they actually live .
Do they refuse to live off the family money ?
I don ’ t mean just that they aren ’ t getting a monthly allowance , I mean refusing to live in a home paid for by the money ?
Do any of them have full time jobs to support themselves ( jobs not connected to their inherited wealth ) ?
It ’ s one thing to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money .
It ’ s another to actually try to make it through life without the money capitalism gave you .
I wonder how many of these Marxists are doing that in a serious way , meaning no free homes , higher education , travel or the other perks of being really wealthy .
Are any of them living lives they made for themselves apart from their money and the connections it gave them ?
I ’ d really like to know how seriously they are taking their Marxism .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a bit of moral licensing going on here .
These are people who are eager to show they are committed to the cause and because they are committed to the cause and giving their money away to radical groups they can allow themselves to spend a little extra on themselves once in a while .
That part of the story won ’ t show up in the NY Times though .

The NY Times published a piece today about a group of young and very wealthy socialists who are doing their best to take down capitalism using the money they inherited from their families. For instance, 25-year-old Sam Jacobs has a $30 million trust fund that he wants to use to fight the system:
A socialist since college, Mr. Jacobs sees his family’s “extreme, plutocratic wealth” as both a moral and economic failure. He wants to put his inheritance toward ending capitalism, and by that he means using his money to undo systems that accumulate money for those at the top, and that have played a large role in widening economic and racial inequality… Mr. Jacobs, whose grandfather was a founder of Qualcomm, expects to receive up to $100 million over the course of his lifetime.
The exact plan for destroying capitalism is a bit vague. Rachel Gelman, who is 30, is planning to donate her money to Black Lives Matter and other anti-police groups:
Ms. Gelman supports groups devoted to ending inequality, including the Movement for Black Lives, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Critical Resistance, a leading prison abolition group.
Then there’s Pierce Delahunt whose family money came from a string of outlet malls:
Pierce Delahunt, a 32-year-old “socialist, anarchist, Marxist, communist or all of the above,” has a trust fund that was financed by their former stepfather’s outlet mall empire. (Mx. Delahunt takes nongendered pronouns.) “When I think about outlet malls, I think about intersectional oppression,” Mx. Delahunt said. There’s the originally Indigenous land each mall was built on, plus the low wages paid to retail and food service workers, who are disproportionately people of color, and the carbon emissions of manufacturing and transporting the goods. With that on their mind, Mx. Delahunt gives away $10,000 a month, divided between 50 small organizations, most of which have an anticapitalist mission and in some way tackle the externalities of discount shopping.
$10,000 a month is not that much money for a multi-millionaire. If this person has millions in a trust fund, he’s barely spending the interest he’s earning on the money. It’s a drop in the bucket.
Helping to organize all of this anti-capitalist giving is a group called Resource Generation which exists to radicalize young inheritors of wealth. Here’s a sample of their social media:
This is a pretty odd niche but it makes sense if you think about it. If you’re a Marxist millionaire you have a serious social problem that can only be cured by getting rid of that capitalism-tainted money. So along comes Resource Generation which is selling a kind of social credibility to wealthy leftists. You’re not a hypocrite, they tell these people, you’re a “transformative leader” so long as you let us guide your divestment.
Really it wouldn’t be hard to give away ten million dollars if you saw it as a burden. You could probably arrange that in a week. But these kids are making the slow spending of that money on left-wing causes into a part-time job that makes them feel good about themselves. And in the meantime they’ll continue to have control over that unearned nest egg.
What I’d be most interested in hearing about the people mentioned in this story (and the hundreds more who are members of Resource Generation but not mentioned by name) is how they actually live. Do they refuse to live off the family money? I don’t mean just that they aren’t getting a monthly allowance, I mean refusing to live in a home paid for by the money? Do any of them have full time jobs to support themselves (jobs not connected to their inherited wealth)?
It’s one thing to say you want to fight capitalism with your money. It’s another to actually try to make it through life without the money capitalism gave you. I wonder how many of these Marxists are doing that in a serious way, meaning no free homes, higher education, travel or the other perks of being really wealthy. Are any of them living lives they made for themselves apart from their money and the connections it gave them? I’d really like to know how seriously they are taking their Marxism.
I don’t know but I suspect there’s a bit of moral licensing going on here. These are people who are eager to show they are committed to the cause and because they are committed to the cause and giving their money away to radical groups they can allow themselves to spend a little extra on themselves once in a while. That part of the story won’t show up in the NY Times though.


hotair--2020-11-27--3-0: All-Republican panel of Third Circuit savages Trump appeal in Pennsylvania election case

Two of the three panel members were appointed by George W. Bush .
The third , Stephanos Bibas , was added to the court by Trump himself and wrote today ’ s scathing majority opinion .
I suspect that was by design , as the court knew that Trump and his team were sure to demagogue the ruling .
That ’ s harder to do when the author of the opinion is himself a “ Trump judge.
” Reportedly the president has told aides that he feels obliged to “ fight on ” in court for the sake of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual fighting happening .
His “ elite strike force ” legal team is now 1-38 in election lawsuits .
Bibas ’ s contempt for their arguments practically drips from the pages of his opinion .
This is a fight at this point in the same way that a boxer who ’ s out on his feet , leaning against the ropes , taking a barrage of shots to the head is still technically “ fighting.
” No one ’ s willing to throw in the towel , though , so the pulverization goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes , read the entire opinion .
It ’ s only 21 double-spaced pages and Bibas ’ s style is admirably clear and jargon-free .
All Team Trump wanted was the right to amend its previous complaint in order to add some claims that it had initially dropped .
No can do , says Bibas .
Normally a court will bend and allow that sort of amendment but the president ’ s case is so thin that there ’ s no reason to let the litigation go on .
Especially since , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Rudy Giuliani aren ’ t alleging voter fraud .
Rudy was asked about that explicitly during oral arguments before the district court and assured the judge that he wasn ’ t making that claim .
That ’ s another example of him and Jenna Ellis making outlandish allegations about vote-rigging outside the courtroom and then far more modest claims once they ’ re in front of a judge and accountable .
Most of the claims in the Second Amended Complaint boil down to issues of state law .
But Pennsylvania law is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It favors counting votes as long as there is no fraud .
Indeed , the Campaign has already litigated and lost many of these issues in state courts .
The Campaign tries to repackage these state-law claims as unconstitutional discrimination .
Yet its allegations are vague and conclusory .
It never alleges that anyone treated the Trump campaign or Trump votes worse than it treated the Biden campaign or Biden votes .
And federal law does not require poll watchers or specify how they may observe .
It also says nothing about curing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these defects is fatal , and the proposed Second Amended Complaint does not fix them .
So the District Court properly denied leave to amend again .
Nor does the Campaign deserve an injunction to undo Pennsylvania ’ s certification of its votes .
The Campaign ’ s claims have no merit .
The number of ballots it specifically challenges is far smaller than the roughly 81,000-vote margin of victory .
And it never claims fraud or that any votes were cast by illegal voters .
Plus , tossing out millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , disenfranchising a huge swath of the electorate and upsetting all down-ballot races too .
That remedy would be grossly disproportionate to the procedural challenges raised .
So we deny the motion for an injunction pending appeal .
There are hardly any real facts in the president ’ s complaint , notes Bibas , just dark suspicions about Democratic election officials colluding .
Many of the claims made in the amended complaint were also already litigated in state court , like the idea that it ’ s against the law to exclude Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t .
There ’ s no constitutional right to watch ballots being counted and Pennsylvania law merely requires poll-watchers to be in the room , not within a few feet of the vote-counter .
There ’ s also no equal protection violation from having different counties following different rules in what they allow poll-watchers to do .
Local authorities are allowed to set their own standards on that .
There ’ d be an equal protection problem if different standards were applied to poll-watchers from different campaigns , but there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s people were allowed to do things that Team Trump ’ s weren ’ t .
And as for the alleged urgency of the litigation , Bibas wants to know : Why didn ’ t Team Trump challenge any of these rules sooner ?
An actual “ elite strike force ” of lawyers wouldn ’ t wait until a week after the election to start objecting to practices that were in place while people were voting .
But in a sense that delay is true to the spirit of Trump ’ s legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ object to any of the practices Pennsylvania used in voting and counting votes .
He objects to the fact that he lost , and is willing to grab at any legal argument available to try to undo that loss .
It ’ s not a good-faith effort , just a desperate bid to upend the result of an election he thought he would win .
Elite strike force team member Jenna Ellis is taking the news with her usual good cheer and professionalism : I ’ ll defer to legal eagles on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attorney , who ’ s an officer of the court , could accuse federal judges without evidence of being part of a “ cover up ” and not be sanctioned for it .
She ’ s making an allegation of out-and-out corruption by the Third Circuit .
And of course she ’ s once again alleging fraud on her Twitter feed even though the complaint before the Third Circuit alleged no such thing .
She and Giuliani are going to get obliterated by the Supreme Court *if* the Court agrees to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But you know what ?
I hope they do just because I ’ m eager to see how brutal SCOTUS ’ s opinion might be , especially now that Ellis has taken to impugning the integrity of the federal judiciary : I stand by what I said in this post .
Getting to the Supreme Court , or at least getting to the point where they can petition the Supreme Court to hear their case , has always been the endgame for Giuliani and Ellis for the simple reason that it gives them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failure in the eyes of their target audience .
Never mind that they ’ re 1-38 .
Never mind that the courts they ’ ve been in front of thus far can ’ t contain their disdain for the weakness of Team Trump ’ s case .
Trump fans have been primed to believe that Barrett , Kavanaugh , and Gorsuch will be “ team players ” once they ’ re handed a legal opportunity to give Trump a second term ( never mind that even if Pennsylvania ’ s electoral votes were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be president ) .
That ’ s always been a lie , but the fact that so many Republicans seem to believe it gives Rudy , Ellis , and Trump a convenient scapegoat once SCOTUS lets them down .
The story of the “ elite legal strike force ” will no longer be about amateurish arguments and their pitifully weak array of evidence .
It ’ ll be about them being stabbed in the back by the president ’ s Supreme Court appointees .
The only question is whether the stabbing will involve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court will take the case and blow Trump up properly .
Either will suit Ellis and Giuliani fine .

Two of the three panel members were appointed by George W. Bush. The third, Stephanos Bibas, was added to the court by Trump himself and wrote today’s scathing majority opinion. I suspect that was by design, as the court knew that Trump and his team were sure to demagogue the ruling. That’s harder to do when the author of the opinion is himself a “Trump judge.”
Reportedly the president has told aides that he feels obliged to “fight on” in court for the sake of his fans, but there’s no actual fighting happening. His “elite strike force” legal team is now 1-38 in election lawsuits. Bibas’s contempt for their arguments practically drips from the pages of his opinion. This is a fight at this point in the same way that a boxer who’s out on his feet, leaning against the ropes, taking a barrage of shots to the head is still technically “fighting.” No one’s willing to throw in the towel, though, so the pulverization goes on.
If you can spare 20 minutes, read the entire opinion. It’s only 21 double-spaced pages and Bibas’s style is admirably clear and jargon-free. All Team Trump wanted was the right to amend its previous complaint in order to add some claims that it had initially dropped. No can do, says Bibas. Normally a court will bend and allow that sort of amendment but the president’s case is so thin that there’s no reason to let the litigation go on. Especially since, as Bibas notes more than once, Trump and Rudy Giuliani aren’t alleging voter fraud. Rudy was asked about that explicitly during oral arguments before the district court and assured the judge that he wasn’t making that claim. That’s another example of him and Jenna Ellis making outlandish allegations about vote-rigging outside the courtroom and then far more modest claims once they’re in front of a judge and accountable.
Most of the claims in the Second Amended Complaint boil down to issues of state law. But Pennsylvania law is willing to overlook many technical defects. It favors counting votes as long as there is no fraud. Indeed, the Campaign has already litigated and lost many of these issues in state courts. The Campaign tries to repackage these state-law claims as unconstitutional discrimination. Yet its allegations are vague and conclusory. It never alleges that anyone treated the Trump campaign or Trump votes worse than it treated the Biden campaign or Biden votes. And federal law does not require poll watchers or specify how they may observe. It also says nothing about curing technical state-law errors in ballots. Each of these defects is fatal, and the proposed Second Amended Complaint does not fix them. So the District Court properly denied leave to amend again. Nor does the Campaign deserve an injunction to undo Pennsylvania’s certification of its votes. The Campaign’s claims have no merit. The number of ballots it specifically challenges is far smaller than the roughly 81,000-vote margin of victory. And it never claims fraud or that any votes were cast by illegal voters. Plus, tossing out millions of mail-in ballots would be drastic and unprecedented, disenfranchising a huge swath of the electorate and upsetting all down-ballot races too. That remedy would be grossly disproportionate to the procedural challenges raised. So we deny the motion for an injunction pending appeal.
There are hardly any real facts in the president’s complaint, notes Bibas, just dark suspicions about Democratic election officials colluding. Many of the claims made in the amended complaint were also already litigated in state court, like the idea that it’s against the law to exclude Republican poll-watchers from a polling place. It isn’t. There’s no constitutional right to watch ballots being counted and Pennsylvania law merely requires poll-watchers to be in the room, not within a few feet of the vote-counter. There’s also no equal protection violation from having different counties following different rules in what they allow poll-watchers to do. Local authorities are allowed to set their own standards on that. There’d be an equal protection problem if different standards were applied to poll-watchers from different campaigns, but there’s no allegation that Team Biden’s people were allowed to do things that Team Trump’s weren’t.
And as for the alleged urgency of the litigation, Bibas wants to know: Why didn’t Team Trump challenge any of these rules sooner?
Even if it could, it has delayed bringing this suit. For instance, in proposed Count Four, it challenges giving voters notice and letting them cure ballot defects as violating equal protection. The Campaign could have disputed these practices while they were happening or during the canvassing period. Instead, it waited almost a week after Election Day to file its original complaint, almost another week to amend it, and then another three days to amend it again. Its delay is inequitable, and further delay would wreak further inequity.
An actual “elite strike force” of lawyers wouldn’t wait until a week after the election to start objecting to practices that were in place while people were voting. But in a sense that delay is true to the spirit of Trump’s legal challenge. He doesn’t sincerely object to any of the practices Pennsylvania used in voting and counting votes. He objects to the fact that he lost, and is willing to grab at any legal argument available to try to undo that loss. It’s not a good-faith effort, just a desperate bid to upend the result of an election he thought he would win.
To add insult to injury:
a beautiful end to the third circuit docket sheet — the Trump campaign will have to pay Pennsylvania's costs for the appeal pic.twitter.com/7rcAzSePiw — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) November 27, 2020
Elite strike force team member Jenna Ellis is taking the news with her usual good cheer and professionalism:
.@RudyGiuliani and me on Third Circuit’s opinion: The activist judicial machinery in Pennsylvania continues to cover up the allegations of massive fraud. We are very thankful to have had the opportunity to present proof and the facts to the PA state legislature. On to SCOTUS! — Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) November 27, 2020
I’ll defer to legal eagles on this but I can’t understand how an attorney, who’s an officer of the court, could accuse federal judges without evidence of being part of a “cover up” and not be sanctioned for it. She’s making an allegation of out-and-out corruption by the Third Circuit. And of course she’s once again alleging fraud on her Twitter feed even though the complaint before the Third Circuit alleged no such thing.
She and Giuliani are going to get obliterated by the Supreme Court *if* the Court agrees to take this case, which I doubt. But you know what? I hope they do just because I’m eager to see how brutal SCOTUS’s opinion might be, especially now that Ellis has taken to impugning the integrity of the federal judiciary:
Further proof of the grift: Even conservative SCOTUS justices hate this sort of talk, particularly when it’s about conservative colleagues. It’s like flipping off the ref BEFORE the call. Nuts as legal strategy, boffo for scamming the rubes. https://t.co/lXntYPaDaF — IncitementToResurrectionHat (@Popehat) November 27, 2020
I stand by what I said in this post. Getting to the Supreme Court, or at least getting to the point where they can petition the Supreme Court to hear their case, has always been the endgame for Giuliani and Ellis for the simple reason that it gives them a chance to shift the blame for failure in the eyes of their target audience. Never mind that they’re 1-38. Never mind that the courts they’ve been in front of thus far can’t contain their disdain for the weakness of Team Trump’s case. Trump fans have been primed to believe that Barrett, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch will be “team players” once they’re handed a legal opportunity to give Trump a second term (never mind that even if Pennsylvania’s electoral votes were awarded to Trump that Biden would still be president). That’s always been a lie, but the fact that so many Republicans seem to believe it gives Rudy, Ellis, and Trump a convenient scapegoat once SCOTUS lets them down. The story of the “elite legal strike force” will no longer be about amateurish arguments and their pitifully weak array of evidence. It’ll be about them being stabbed in the back by the president’s Supreme Court appointees. The only question is whether the stabbing will involve a denial of cert or whether the Court will take the case and blow Trump up properly. Either will suit Ellis and Giuliani fine.


hotair--2020-11-27--Hmmmmm: Top Iranian nuclear weapons scientist who was singled out by Netanyahu in 2018 assassinated

Trump and his team deserve great credit for brokering the Abraham Accords but the landmark diplomatic developments in the Middle East recently are less about him than about his successor .
The Accords , the surprise visit by Bibi Netanyahu to Saudi Arabia , and now the liquidation of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh are all best understood as a vote of no confidence in Biden .
Neither Israel nor its Sunni neighbors trusts the team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal to be any tougher next year with Biden at the helm instead of Obama .
At last check , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 times the limit imposed under that deal .
If you ’ re under immediate threat from an Iranian bomb and you don ’ t trust Sleepy Joe to do anything about it , you have little choice but to take matters into your hands .
Today someone took matters into their own hands .
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh — who led Iran ’ s so-called “ Amad , ” or “ Hope ” nuclear program — was shot dead by so-called “ terrorists ” who first blew up another car nearby in Absard city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Many others ” were killed alongside him , potentially including relatives who were traveling with him , the agency said .
“ Unfortunately , the medical team did not succeed in reviving him , and a few minutes ago , this manager and scientist achieved the high status of martyrdom after years of effort and struggle , ” a statement by Iran ’ s armed forces carried by state media said .
Fakhrizadeh was of sufficient importance that he traveled with a security detail .
It would have required a team to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many people confronted his entourage today east of Tehran : What set Fakhrizadeh apart was his work on miniaturizing nuclear weapons so that they ’ d fit in a warhead on a ballistic missile .
One way to stop Iran ’ s nuclear program is try to take out the facilities where the uranium is enriched ; another is to take out the systems for delivering the payload after enriched uranium is converted into a bomb .
Fakhrizadeh had been working on that for 20 years , first leading Iran ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended in 2003 and later , according to Israel , resuming that work under an Iranian agency known as SPND .
Various members of that agency , including Fakhrizadeh , are under U.S. sanction .
Netanyahu singled out the SNPD — and Fakhrizadeh by name — in a presentation in 2018 : Iran has already accused Israel of being responsible for today ’ s assassination , a rare case of the regime saying something that ’ s probably accurate .
Trump isn ’ t hiding his enthusiasm about the news either : There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel have something bigger planned for Iran before he leaves office .
Last week the Times reported that he asked his national security team for options on attacking Iran ’ s enrichment facilities before Biden takes office but was talked out of it .
Bombing Iran risks regional war , he was told .
It would also be “ off-brand , ” shall we say , at a moment when Trump is looking to extricate America from its involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq .
His nationalist fans want a lighter U.S. footprint in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the last time he flirted with attacking Iran his buddy Tucker Carlson complained loudly on television about neocons leading the president into war .
Hit Iran and Trump ’ s foreign policy legacy , with one foot out the door , will shift from removing America from aimless wars to starting a new one .
Assassinations are a lower-risk alternative , one that ’ s proved successful for him in the past .
Iran hasn ’ t — yet — retaliated for the strike that killed Quds Force supremo Qassem Soleimani early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have looked at that and reasoned that they could get away with targeting Fakhrizadeh as well , knowing that even if Iran does respond ( the anniversary of Soleimani ’ s death is approaching and U.S. officials are reportedly anxious about it ) it probably won ’ t be on a scale that guarantees war .
Maybe taking out the Iranian nuclear brain trust is what the U.S. and Israel have settled on in lieu of bombing , especially with the Saudis and Europeans nervous about Trump starting a conflict in his final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Saudi crown prince on an attack and got a cool reception , for the understandable reason that Biden can ’ t be counted on to intervene in a regional war with Israel and Sunni powers on one side and Iran on the other .
On the other hand , precisely because Biden can ’ t be counted on , that may bolster the case for Israel attacking Iran ’ s nuclear facilities before Trump leaves office : Axios reported two days ago that the IDF has been told to prepare for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaves office , not because POTUS has given them any signal about it but because “ senior Israeli officials anticipate ‘ a very sensitive period ’ ahead of Biden ’ s inauguration on Jan. 20.
” With Biden about to take office , it ’ s arguably in Iran ’ s interest not to respond to today ’ s assassination and hope for a more conciliatory White House on January 20 .
But there ’ s only so much Biden will be able to do for them , at least initially .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right out of the gate ; even if he approaches Iran about reinstating the nuclear deal , they may demand concessions that he ’ s unable to make , like “ compensating ” them for all of the damage to their economy inflicted by Trump ’ s sanctions .
Plus , even if Iran would ideally prefer not to respond to U.S./Israeli operations like Fakhrizadeh ’ s assassination , at a certain point the need to save face internationally will usurp their patience .
They ’ ve now lost two hugely important military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed no penalty on the people responsible .
At some point they have to retaliate .
Maybe they ’ re planning something for January in the belief that Trump won ’ t want to hit back in the last days of his presidency ( which is incorrect ) and that Biden won ’ t want to hit back in the first days of his presidency .
Biden will want a “ reset.
” But Trump , always wanting to draw a “ toughness ” contrast with Democrats , certainly *would* retaliate against Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden .
It ’ ll be weird to watch the “ End Endless Wars !
” section of his base shift to cheerleading a Trump-led attack on Iran just because Biden ’ s too much of a wimp to do it but that may be where we ’ re headed .

Trump and his team deserve great credit for brokering the Abraham Accords but the landmark diplomatic developments in the Middle East recently are less about him than about his successor. The Accords, the surprise visit by Bibi Netanyahu to Saudi Arabia, and now the liquidation of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh are all best understood as a vote of no confidence in Biden. Neither Israel nor its Sunni neighbors trusts the team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal to be any tougher next year with Biden at the helm instead of Obama.
At last check, Iran had a stockpile of enriched uranium 12 times the limit imposed under that deal. If you’re under immediate threat from an Iranian bomb and you don’t trust Sleepy Joe to do anything about it, you have little choice but to take matters into your hands.
Today someone took matters into their own hands.
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh — who led Iran’s so-called “Amad,” or “Hope” nuclear program — was shot dead by so-called “terrorists” who first blew up another car nearby in Absard city, the Tasnim news agency said. “Many others” were killed alongside him, potentially including relatives who were traveling with him, the agency said. “Unfortunately, the medical team did not succeed in reviving him, and a few minutes ago, this manager and scientist achieved the high status of martyrdom after years of effort and struggle,” a statement by Iran’s armed forces carried by state media said.
Fakhrizadeh was of sufficient importance that he traveled with a security detail. It would have required a team to take him out. I wonder just how many people confronted his entourage today east of Tehran:
First images from the scene of the assassination now being shared on Iranian social media. If true, quite clear Mr Fakhrizadeh was shot dead in his car by the attackers. Caition: The images are unconfirmed at the moment pic.twitter.com/boVHLFW5SR — Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) November 27, 2020
What set Fakhrizadeh apart was his work on miniaturizing nuclear weapons so that they’d fit in a warhead on a ballistic missile. One way to stop Iran’s nuclear program is try to take out the facilities where the uranium is enriched; another is to take out the systems for delivering the payload after enriched uranium is converted into a bomb. Fakhrizadeh had been working on that for 20 years, first leading Iran’s “Project Amad” before work was suspended in 2003 and later, according to Israel, resuming that work under an Iranian agency known as SPND. Various members of that agency, including Fakhrizadeh, are under U.S. sanction. Netanyahu singled out the SNPD — and Fakhrizadeh by name — in a presentation in 2018:
Netanyahu: Head of Project Amad is Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Remember that name. — Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) April 30, 2018
Muhsain Fakhrizadeh, Iran's head of the nuclear program, was assassinated near Tehran. In 2018, Netanyahu marked his name and suggested to remember his name pic.twitter.com/T2pKRcMunM — Gili Cohen (@gilicohen10) November 27, 2020
Iran has already accused Israel of being responsible for today’s assassination, a rare case of the regime saying something that’s probably accurate. Trump isn’t hiding his enthusiasm about the news either:
President Trump retweets Israeli journalist and author Yossi Melman, who said Mr Fakhrizadeh’s assassination is a “major psychological and professional blow” to Iran. pic.twitter.com/n4MoF8OiB1 — Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) November 27, 2020
There have been rumblings lately that Trump and/or Israel have something bigger planned for Iran before he leaves office. Last week the Times reported that he asked his national security team for options on attacking Iran’s enrichment facilities before Biden takes office but was talked out of it. Bombing Iran risks regional war, he was told. It would also be “off-brand,” shall we say, at a moment when Trump is looking to extricate America from its involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. His nationalist fans want a lighter U.S. footprint in the Middle East, not new interventions; the last time he flirted with attacking Iran his buddy Tucker Carlson complained loudly on television about neocons leading the president into war. Hit Iran and Trump’s foreign policy legacy, with one foot out the door, will shift from removing America from aimless wars to starting a new one.
Assassinations are a lower-risk alternative, one that’s proved successful for him in the past. Iran hasn’t — yet — retaliated for the strike that killed Quds Force supremo Qassem Soleimani early this year. Trump and Netanyahu may have looked at that and reasoned that they could get away with targeting Fakhrizadeh as well, knowing that even if Iran does respond (the anniversary of Soleimani’s death is approaching and U.S. officials are reportedly anxious about it) it probably won’t be on a scale that guarantees war. Maybe taking out the Iranian nuclear brain trust is what the U.S. and Israel have settled on in lieu of bombing, especially with the Saudis and Europeans nervous about Trump starting a conflict in his final weeks as president. Netanyahu allegedly pitched the Saudi crown prince on an attack and got a cool reception, for the understandable reason that Biden can’t be counted on to intervene in a regional war with Israel and Sunni powers on one side and Iran on the other.
On the other hand, precisely because Biden can’t be counted on, that may bolster the case for Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities before Trump leaves office:
The second fear is that the Saudis and Israel see the departure of Trump as a ticking clock that they need to beat. “I’m afraid the Saudis or Israelis might see a sympathetic ear leaving the White House and a hostile one arriving and think that perhaps this will make a confrontation inevitable,” said a second NATO official. “Both countries are run by immature leaders who have been screaming about the need for war with Iran for so long it’s possible they really believe that a Biden administration will be followed by an Iranian nuclear attack.”
Axios reported two days ago that the IDF has been told to prepare for a possible U.S. attack on Iran before Trump leaves office, not because POTUS has given them any signal about it but because “senior Israeli officials anticipate ‘a very sensitive period’ ahead of Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.” With Biden about to take office, it’s arguably in Iran’s interest not to respond to today’s assassination and hope for a more conciliatory White House on January 20. But there’s only so much Biden will be able to do for them, at least initially. He won’t want to look weak right out of the gate; even if he approaches Iran about reinstating the nuclear deal, they may demand concessions that he’s unable to make, like “compensating” them for all of the damage to their economy inflicted by Trump’s sanctions. Plus, even if Iran would ideally prefer not to respond to U.S./Israeli operations like Fakhrizadeh’s assassination, at a certain point the need to save face internationally will usurp their patience. They’ve now lost two hugely important military figures in less than a year and imposed no penalty on the people responsible. At some point they have to retaliate.
Maybe they’re planning something for January in the belief that Trump won’t want to hit back in the last days of his presidency (which is incorrect) and that Biden won’t want to hit back in the first days of his presidency. Biden will want a “reset.” But Trump, always wanting to draw a “toughness” contrast with Democrats, certainly *would* retaliate against Iran in his final weeks rather than defer to Biden. It’ll be weird to watch the “End Endless Wars!” section of his base shift to cheerleading a Trump-led attack on Iran just because Biden’s too much of a wimp to do it but that may be where we’re headed.