Why have Democrats spent the first days of the Biden Administration obsessing over President Trump?

Move on.

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) February 4, 2021

Republican Florida Congressman (and person trying desperately to get people to believe his last name is Damon) Matt Gaetz tried to mandate that the House Judiciary Committee start every meeting by having all members recite the Pledge of Allegiance, claiming it would inspire “unity.”

Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, however, pointed out that it was unnecessary because the House begins every daily session by reciting the Pledge “and we’re covered by that.”

https://youtu.be/R6mG5JB4qvM

The leader of a Georgia militia group that provided security for events held by Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q-GA) has told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his group, the Georgia III% Martyrs is joining another militia, the American Brotherhood of Patriots and American Patriots USA (APUSA), to coordinate efforts to take the state out of the Union.

“The way patriots are now being hunted down and arrested by fellow men and women who have taken the same oath has disheartened any faith I had in the redemption or reformation of the USA as one entity,” Justin Thayer, head of the Georgia III% Martyrs, said in a text exchange with AJC this week.

The militia groups are apoplectic that Donald Trump did not win reelection and that Republicans did not violate the Constitution to install him in a second term.  They are feeling victimized because law enforcement and the military acted to protect the Constitution during the January 6th attack at the Capitol, not follow their insurrectionist demands. 

NBC News: “The Justice Department’s Inspector General pleaded with Congress on Thursday for the authority to compel testimony from ex-department employees after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to be interviewed for his office’s report on the Trump administration’s ‘zero tolerance’ migrant family separations.”

“Without Sessions’ testimony, Inspector General Horowitz testified, his office could not answer the question of why the Justice Department did not consult with the U.S. Marshals Service or federal prosecutors in order to track separated children and reunite them quickly with their parents before announcing zero tolerance on April 6, 2018. As a result of the lack of consultation, those groups, Horowitz said, were caught off guard when parents started being referred for prosecution, and more than 500 children are still separated from their parents today.”

Calling it a “publicity stunt,” the current lawyers for Donald Trump responded to the letter from House Impeachment Managers requesting Trump testify as part of his second impeachment trial, neither denying the request or saying Trump will go under oath.

Under the letterhead of David Schoen, the present representatives of Trump wrote to Congressman Jamie Raskin, “We are receipt of your latest publicity stunt. As you certainly know, there is no such thing as negative influence in this unconstitutional proceeding. Your letter only confirms what is known by everyone: you cannot prove your allegation against the 45th President of the United States (spelled correctly this time), who is now a private citizen. The use of our Constitution to bring a purported impeachment proceeding is much too serious to try to play these games.”

While Schoen’s letter does not necessarily rule out the possibility, NBC’s Kristen Welker reports Trump’s other lawyer Bruce J Castor added a definitive no when asked.

President Gabrielle Carteris and National Executive Director David White of SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors in the film and television industry, responded to the whiny letter from Donald Trump resigning from the union. The response in its entirety:

“Thank you.”

Trump was facing disciplinary action from the union for stoking the January 6th Capitol riot.

Former Trump Administration State Department official Christian Whiton declared that no “extremism” exists in the military and that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is imposing “cancel culture” into the military, calling the recently implemented “stand down” order to root out extremism unnecessary.

Whiton, apparently without a whit of self-awareness, then went on to say that Austin, a former four-star general in the US Army, was chosen for his Cabinet position “frankly because of his skin color rather than his qualifications.”

https://youtu.be/YVJwGyZS5nQ

“March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg tweeted on Thursday that he and software developer William LeGate are launching a pillow company to compete against MyPillow, which is led by Trump supporter CEO Mike Lindell. Lindell is one of former President Trump’s most adamant defenders and has repeatedly shared unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about the election since President Biden took office. Hogg wrote that he and LeGate hope to ‘sell $1 million of product within our first year’ and to launch in about six months. ‘We would like to do it sooner but we have strict guidelines on sustainability and U.S. based Union producers,’ Hogg added. ‘Mike isn’t going to know what hit him – this pillow fight is just getting started.’ MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell told Axios, ‘Good for them. Nothing wrong with competition that does not infringe on someone’s patent'” – Axios.

Letter from Rep Jamie Raskin to Former President Trump, via Medium: “As you are aware, the United States House of Representatives has approved an article of impeachment against you for incitement of insurrection. The Senate trial for this article of impeachment will begin on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Two days ago, you filed an Answer in which you denied many factual allegations set forth in the article of impeachment. You have thus attempted to put critical facts at issue notwithstanding the clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional offense. In light of your disputing these factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath, either before or during the Senate impeachment trial, concerning your conduct on January 6, 2021. We would propose that you provide your testimony (of course including cross-examination) as early as Monday, February 8, 2021, and not later than Thursday, February 11, 2021. We would be pleased to arrange such testimony at a mutually convenient time and place.”

“Presidents Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton both provided testimony while in office – and the Supreme Court held just last year that you were not immune from legal process while serving as President – so there is no doubt that you can testify in these proceedings. Indeed, whereas a sitting President might raise concerns about distraction from their official duties, that concern is obviously inapplicable here. We therefore anticipate your availability to testify.”

“I write to you today regarding the so-called Disciplinary Committee hearing aimed at revoking my union membership. Who cares! While I’m not familiar with your work, I’m very proud of my work on movies such as Home Alone 2, Zoolander and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; and television shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Saturday Night Live, and of course, one of the most successful shows in television history, The Apprentice – to name just a few!”

I’ve also greatly helped the cable news television business (said to be a dying platform with not much time left until I got involved in politics), and created thousands of jobs at networks such as MSDNC and Fake News CNN, among many others. Which brings me to your blatant attempt at free media attention to distract from your dismal record as a union. Your organization has done little for its members, and nothing for me – besides collecting dues and promoting dangerous un-American policies and ideas – as evident by your massive unemployment rates and lawsuits from celebrated actors, who even recorded a video asking, ‘Why isn’t the union fighting for me?’ These, however, are policy failures. Your disciplinary failures arc even more egregious. I no longer wish to be associated with your union. As such, this letter is to inform you of my immediate resignation from SAG-AFTRA. You have done nothing for me” – Text of Former President Donald Trump’s resignation letter to SAG President Gabrielle Carteris, via Fox News.

AP: “A voting technology company is suing Fox News, three of its top hosts and two former lawyers for former President Donald Trump – Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell – for $2.7 billion, charging that the defendants conspired to spread false claims that the company helped ‘steal’ the U.S. presidential election. The 284-page complaint filed Thursday in New York state court by Florida-based Smartmatic USA is one of the largest libel suits ever undertaken. On Jan. 25, a rival election-technology company – Dominion Voting Systems, which was also ensnared in Trump’s baseless effort to overturn the election – sued Guiliani and Powell for $1.3 billion.”

“Unlike Dominion, whose technology was used in 24 states, Smartmatic’s participation in the 2020 election was restricted to Los Angeles County, which votes heavily Democratic. Smartmatic’s limited role notwithstanding, Fox aired at least 13 reports falsely stating or implying the company had stolen the 2020 vote in cahoots with Venezuela’s socialist government, according to the complaint. This alleged ‘disinformation campaign’ continued even after then-Attorney General William Barr said the Department of Justice could find no evidence of widespread voter fraud. For instance, a Dec. 10 segment by Lou Dobbs accused Smartmatic and its CEO, Antonio Mugica, of working to flip votes through a non-existent backdoor in its voting software to carry out a ‘Cyber Pearl Harbor,’ the complaint alleged. ‘Defendants’ story was a lie,” the complaint stated. ‘But it was a story that sold.’ The complaint also alleges that Fox hosts Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro also directly benefitted from their involvement in the conspiracy. The lawsuit alleges that Fox went along with the ‘well-orchestrated scheme’ due to pressure from newcomer outlets such as Newsmax and One America News, which were stealing away conservative, pro-Trump viewers. Fox, Giuliani and Powell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.”

“Attorney General Josh Shapiro, in conjunction with the 45th Statewide Investigative Grand Jury, today announced charges against Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman for allegations of sexual assault, intimidation, prostitution, and obstruction of justice, among others.”

“‘Chad Salsman would regularly use his position and power as an attorney to coerce his victims into performing sexual acts on him. He would bring them into his private office, under the guise of discussing their case, and used his knowledge of his clients’ vulnerabilities to negate their consent and sexually assault them,’ said AG Shapiro. ‘Salsman picked these victims because they didn’t have any other choice, because he thought they would be easy to silence, and less likely to be believed if they ever came forward. As Attorney General, I have a responsibility to stand up for people who need a voice in our Commonwealth'” – Statement from Pennsylvania AG’s office.

Huffington Post: “President Joe Biden will soon fulfill one of his top foreign policy campaign promises by ending U.S. offensive support for a brutal Saudi Arabia-led military coalition in Yemen, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday. Biden will make his own announcement later in the day, Sullivan said.”

“The shift has huge implications for millions of people in Yemen, where the Saudis and their partners – primarily the United Arab Emirates – have killed tens of thousands of civilians with American backing since the Saudi-led coalition began its intervention in 2015. Then-President Barack Obama greenlit U.S. assistance to the coalition in its fight against a militia backed by the Saudis’ regional rival, Iran. He continued that approach despite growing evidence that it involved war crimes and complaints from Democratic lawmakers. Under President Donald Trump, Congress repeatedly passed bipartisan legislation to end the policy, but Trump vetoed it as he cultivated close ties with the Saudis and Emiratis.”

In her weekly news conference, Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressed her disappointment in the weakness of GOP leadership for not disciplining Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q-GA) for her previous threats to members of Congress, including toward Pelosi, and for promoting baseless conspiracy theories.

“Today, the House will vote to remove Representative Green from her seats on the Education & Labor and Budget Committees,” Pelosi said.  “It’s just so unfortunate.  You would think that the Republican leadership in the Congress has some sense of responsibility to this institution.”

The House GOP caucus refused to even take up action to discipline Greene during a caucus meeting yesterday, despite videos being uncovered in which she harassed school shooting survivors, claimed mass shootings were hoaxes, and explicitly threatened the lives of specific Democratic members of Congress.

“If any of our members were to threaten the safety of other Members, we’d be the first one to take them off committees,” Pelosi definitively stated before leaving the dais.

I just went to a MACDONALD’S and there was no MCFISH on the menu. When the hell did that happen? Is it permanently banned? Or is just my “local” MACDONALD’S. I demanded to see the “manager” but they accused me of being a “MALE KAREN” so i walked out. pic.twitter.com/oSpgFqfYGZ

— Greg Kelly (@gregkellyusa) February 4, 2021

There are a number of problems with this tweet, beyond the spelling: The pic is of a McDonald’s in NYC (identifiable by the “letter grade” from the city health department visible on the door), but it’s obviously not in Manhattan as there are no free-standing, one-story McD’s locations in the borough (Newsmax is based in Manhattan). The photo was obviously not taken Thursday, since there’s currently two feet of snow on the ground in NYC, and the trees in the background still have leaves.

Finally, at the time this was posted, 9:58 am, no McDonald’s in NYC would be serving any non-breakfast items whatsoever. It’s either 10:30 or 11:00am that would be the earliest time that a fish sandwich would be available. In conclusion, it appears Greg Kelly is suffering a nervous breakdown.

Jenny Cudd, the Texas florist-cum-domestic terrorist who asked a federal magistrate judge to allow her to attend a “team-building exercise” at a Mexican resort while out on bail, has been indicted in five additional charges by a federal grand jury.

Previously charged with misdemeanor counts of entering and remaining on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct or violent entry, Cudd now faces felony charges of obstruction of an official proceeding, aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or ground; disorderly and restricted conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and aiding and abetting.

Contrary to earlier reports, a judge has not granted Cudd permission to attend a team-bonding retreat on the Mexican Riviera that she pre-paid.  Cudd, who is currently released on her own recognizance, will have another bail hearing on these new charges.

Republicans – First Amendment

Democrats – Cancel Culture

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) February 4, 2021

NOLA.com: “President Joe Biden’s recent utterance of ‘Cancer Alley’ has raised the hackles of Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. The Baton Rouge Republican said the president’s use of the term, rooted in longstanding concerns about toxic air pollution in the industrial corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, was an insult against Louisiana. ‘I’m not going to accept that sort of slam upon our state,’ Cassidy said to reporters Tuesday. ‘It sounds like great rhetoric. But again, I don’t accept that slam.’ He said ‘environmental justice’ will take center stage as his administration works to improve the health and well-being of communities of color, especially ‘the hard-hit areas like Cancer Alley in Louisiana or the Route 9 corridor in the state of Delaware,’ Biden said.”

“While the executive orders didn’t specify how the Biden administration plans to address Louisiana’s petrochemical belt, local environmental activists said the president is clearly concerned about the disproportionate impact of pollution on the state’s mostly Black and low-income communities – a matter they say is rarely discussed by Louisiana politicians. Cassidy, a physician specializing in digestive ailments, acknowledged Louisiana does have higher rates of cancer than other states, but rejected industrial pollution as a major cause. Instead, Cassidy put the blame on lifestyle choices, like smoking and overeating, and other factors.”