On Haggis and Donald Trump
On this feast day of Robert Burns, less than a week into the second Trump administration, things are not well. Even so, we have to DING!
Fridays with Nicole Sandler
We talked about the Jan6 pardons and other shit.
"Embarrassingly Wrong:" The Ongoing Misinformation Campaign about the Hunter Biden Hard Drive
The public record shows that the FBI did few of the things it would need to do to rule out Russian involvement in packaging up Hunter Biden's laptop.
Mike Johnson Let a Terrorist Roam the Capitol Yesterday
Mike Johnson let seditionist and terrorist Stewart Rhodes -- whose judgment was commuted but not pardoned -- wander around the scene of the crime yesterday, all while complaining that Bishop Budde's call for "mercy" was divisive.
Herod Goes to the National Cathedral and is Disappointed
Trump's reaction to the National Cathedral prayer service yesterday says a lot more about him than it does about Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.
The Stephen Miller EOs
At least two of the Executive Orders Trump signed on Monday give Pam Bondi the space to conduct investigations without predicate to help out Stephen Miller's close allies and his goal of generating propaganda delegitimizing rule of law.
Trump Puts Drug Trafficker Who Allegedly Contracted Killings Back on the Street
After releasing a bunch of men who violently assaulted cops on his first day in office, Trump released Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. on his second.
The Whole World is Watching, Trump Edition
Among the Trump's new Executive Orders, one it particular is no doubt getting a lot of attention from Intelligence agencies around the world.
Aileen Cannon Locks Up the Jack Smith Report For at Least 30 More Days
Aileen Cannon has locked up the Jack Smith report indefinitely.
Trump Puts Violent Criminals Back on the Streets
In one of his first acts in his second term, Donald Trump freed hundreds of violent criminals (along with a great number of other people charged or convicted for nonviolent crimes for January 6).
Pardons
Joe Biden just pardoned Mark Milley and Anthony Fauci, along with the January 6 Committee.
Found! Dozens of Damning Documents about Trump's Hoarding of Classified Documents!
If you want to know how Democrats failed to make more of a political case against Trump during the election, you can start with the fact that Dan Goldman knows almost nothing about what was made public in the documents case against Trump.
Expressions Of Individuality In Democracy
In this post I add some detail on mechanisms developing individuality, and try to sharpen up the notion of the same.
Fridays with Nicole Sandler
Listen on Spotify (transcripts available)
Listen on Apple (transcripts available)
On the Misguided Tactical Conversations about Volume Two of the Jack Smith Report
Rather than attempting to assert his constitutional responsibility to read Jack Smith's Volume Two in Aileen Cannon's court, where it might respond to Trump's attacks on him there, Jamie Raskin released a letter asking Garland to take some procedurally uncertain route to release it.
The Inadequate Declination Discussions in Both Special Counsel Reports
The worst part of Jack Smith's Special Counsel Report is how he described Donald Trump intimidating witnesses, but didn't describe why he chose to respond with a gag rather than an indictment.
If You Can't Stand the Hypotheticals, Get Out of the Cabinet
Pro tip for all Trump's nominees to high-level positions: if you don't like hypotheticals, you're lusting after the wrong job. Here's why.
What Jack Smith Didn't Say about the January 6 Investigation
As part of Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein's summary of the Jack Smith report, they argued that "Smith [came] to Garland's defense" regarding his conduct of the January 6 investigation before Smith was appointed, pointing to Smith's review of…
How Right Wingers Rushed to DEI Hire Pete Hegseth
Trump convinced Republicans to do something they claim they oppose: hiring someone who lacks qualifications for the job based on his identity.
The January 6 Report Is Substantially the Immunity Brief Reporters Ignored in October
Much of the language describing Trump's alleged crimes already appeared, in the immunity brief reporters largely ignored in October.