This op-ed really touched my heart. I saw that he was in the gallery for all the hearings, even when not called to testify. I am sorry for him that he can no longer work in his profession and is permanently disabled as a result of Jan 6.
I've decided to stay clear of Twitter for a few days - the noise is getting unbearable. (I left Facebook over three years ago at this point and haven't been back - completely deactivated my account) I don't want to leave Twitter because it isn't contributing to my mental health issues the way FB did - I go there primarily to share with other educators and scream into the void with politics.
But the TFG supporters are really upping the attacks on Biden right now. And I just don't need to hear it. I actually argued with a non TFG supporter the other day who claimed my message on voting, no matter the cost was me telling people to "vote harder" which definitely wasn't the intent. She made some points, I made some points, and we were actually saying some of the same things, but it doesn't help for our side to go down this path. I've never been so enamored with a President that I worshipped at their feet or agreed with everything they did, and it feels like a lot of people there expected one election to undo events that have been 40 years in the making.
Also, all the Hunter Biden stuff going around right now - whether real or tampered with (that laptop still smells fishy) everything that's being posted in regards to old texts and the like is textbook addict - he's at least undergone treatment and attempted to get his life together. Compare that to TFG Jr. But I get it. I've decided from all of this I won't vote for Hunter Biden for President in the next election. Phew. Glad I got that off my chest. I just can't do it folks. :-)
All of this makes sense with what some of you have posted recently about astrology - though I still don't get it completely. It's to noisy and it puts me on too downward a spiral. I still feel like we come out okay after the midterms and that's the most important thing, but every time I read more of the noise on social media I question that intuition. And I just don't need to.
Anyone else want to detox from political social media for a week? We can distract each other together!
@dannyboy I agree with you. It has started to feel suffocating on Twitter lately. Though the news that Elon Musk is actively trying to back out of his hostile takeover of Twitter has been a bit amusing.
I have been suffering from all that has been going on the past couple of weeks. Last week I made a conscious decision to spend time focusing on raising my personal vibration. Working on my affirmations and looking for a positive distraction for the moment so I can get into a better headspace. A timeout if you want.
The result: my husband and I have decided to take up target archery. Go figure. But it is offering me a place to clear my head of all the craziness.
I am actually encouraged about the apparent deluge of anti-Biden information from the Trump terrorists lately. The louder they are, the more they are trying to distract from a bad revelation about their beloved leader.
What could be the revelation? Methinks it may be related to the circus that is Steve Bannon.
Now, we don't have a "legal news" forum here, so I thought this forum was the best place to post this. As most of you know, Steve Bannon was charged with contempt for failing to comply with a federal subpoena (both to testify and to deliver documents) concerning the January 6, 2021 hearings. Mr. Bannon's trial is set for July 18, 2022, next week. This weekend, he made suggestions that he would testify before the January 6, 2021 committee under certain conditions (aka-being allowed to testify in a public hearing immediately, even though every single witness so far has submitted to private depositions first). No doubt he is trying to simultaneously stop/delay his upcoming trial as well as serve his boss by making a mockery of the January 6 hearings by spouting conspiracy theories on the air.
Today, Bannon lost a multitude of motions related to his case. They include the following:
1. Bannon cannot present evidence that he relied upon old opinions from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) regarding executive privilege.
2. Bannon was not a government employee at the time of the subpoena, which basically "dooms" any "entrapment by estoppel" defense (direct quote from the judge.) In other words, Bannon cannot argue that he ignored the subpoena and argue that he believed his actions were legal because of instruction from a government official.
3. Because Donald Trump was a former government official at the time of the subpoena, Bannon can't rely upon a "public authority" defense, meaning that he thought he was acting upon the instructions of a government official and believed unlawful activity was authorized.
4. Bannon can't present evidence that the Jan. 6 committee was not properly formed due to the political balance of its members. (Note: Judge Nichols cited the fact that the entire House had validated the House select committee as proof to refute Bannon's claim).
5. Bannon cannot present any evidence about other people not charged with contempt in relation to the January 6 hearings (specifically, Mark Meadows and Dan Scavino).
6. The judge also quashed Bannon's subpoenas for members of Congress (more or less an attempt by Bannon to pressure Congressional members and cloud the issue of his own wrongdoing.)
Now, the judge did grant two of Bannon's motions, particularly to limit general evidence of the January 6, 2021 attack and also allow Bannon to question witnesses about potential political biases. But the judge also stated that the bar was low in Bannon's case. The government had only to illustrate that Bannon's decision was deliberate and intentional, and not by accident.
Basically, the judge is letting Bannon know that his chances of being convicted is rather high.
So the question is this. Now that Bannon's back is against the wall, is he going to sell out Trump? This may be his last chance. Because once Bannon is convicted, then any information he gives is suspect because the testimony of a convicted felon is worth less than testimony from a law-abiding citizen. However, if Bannon has something to offer (aka-taped conversations where he and Trump are gleefully plotting the downfall of our government), then he needs to provide it soon, else he is doomed. He is stupid if he believes that Trump or Republicans can save him once he is convicted. Yes, I know there is a conspiracy theory that if Republicans take over Congress, they will try to (1) impeach Biden and (2) re-appoint Trump and/or (3) pass some sort of law to give them the ability to pardon Bannon.
Not. Going. To. Happen.
First, even as bad as the mood is of the country, the idea of impeaching Biden is crazy. Second, even if Biden is gone, then Harris becomes president, not Trump. And third, the right to pardon rests solely with the President. PERIOD!
So unless Trump wins in 2024, Bannon is doomed. Period.
What is Bannon going to do? Is he going to be the good flunky and go down with the ship, or try to save his hide and implicate Trump?
Any thoughts? Because I am certain Trump doesn't know, hence the reason why Twitter is filled with more of the usual nonsense.
THANK YOU - your legal insights are always awesome. This is my favorite explanatory post of yours to date!!
I've never gone on Twitter except to glance at a public posting - don't even have an account. I have taken FB holidays in the past, to good effect, however I found I missed interacting with a few people. So what did I do? I culled the herd, a lot. I got my friends list down under 100 (from a high of 400+). I only kept distant/old friends from college and other places I've lived, some family because it's a convenient way to stay in touch as a group, a few close friends who I see or talk to IRL but enjoy sharing pics and such online with. Who I eliminated was anyone who:
- Went down the QAnon or MAGA rabbit holes, anti-vaxxers (including people who profess to be on the left).
- Has not commented on a post in over 2 years.
- Has not liked a post in over 3 years.
- Has a FB account that they have not posted on in over 1 year.
- Has not responded to a recent email from me that basic etiquette would indicate they should reply in some way.
- Who announced they are anti-abortion.
- Who became a religious zealot (to clarify - they are all "Christian", but I would have eliminated any type of zealotry).
- I also left all groups except those related to my own special interests (volunteer work, dance, etc.).
- I report any unsolicited ads I get that are political and/or religious and I block the pages.
Just something to consider - it has really improved my mental health (was clinically depressed from 2015 to a few months ago). Maybe you could employ these criteria to your Twitter account - UNfollow! Nothing says you have to have hundreds of friends on social media - you can really limit it however you like, and if that means deactivating, that's cool too.
@laura-f Thank you for the suggestion! My Twitter feed is sufficiently curated. The problem is some of the accounts I follow follow some of the crazy and when they comment on people like Marjorie Three Toes's stupidity it shows up in my feed.
I actually use my Instagram account to stay in touch with most family. And I follow the account Effin' Birds - which - if you haven't seen, I highly recommend taking a look at. I was actually saving most of the effin birds memes to my phone and peppering them through the Marjorie Three Toes/TFG Jr./QCrazies. I just need time away.
@Allyn thank you for the legal insights. I don't pretend to understand it all - I would consider a Bannon testimony live and unfiltered a gave mistake on the part of the 1/6 committee - I don't think they ask any questions they don't already know the answers to and he'd be a wild card. But you're right - the noose does seem to be tightening more and more lately and the noise is just that.
I'm just tired of hearing it.
@April - The last 3 summers I have worked on projects with my mentor. He pays me to put stuff together for him digitally that represents the body of over 50 years of his work in geographic sciences. This summer it's involved a lot of programming - building lots of interactive content. I am pouring myself into finishing up that project in the next week or two so I can have a little bit of summer off before returning to the school year. (And I am looking forward to the paycheck! He pays really, really well!)