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James Comer’s War on Christmas: The Burial Ground of a Dick Pic Impeachment
James Comer has declared a War on Christmas!! He wants to impeach Joe Biden because the then-Vice President invited his son to a holiday party!

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Judge Tanya Chutkan Had to Tell Trump That, “There is no ‘Presidential Immunity’ Clause”
In an opinion booting some of the more difficult questions on presidential immunity to the DC Circuit and SCOTUS, Judge Tanya Chutkan informed Donald Trump that there is not presidential immunity clause in the Constitution.

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Sandra Day
Sandra Day O'Connor has passed away. Don't let anyone spoof you, she was one of the nicest, brightest and best people you could ever hope to meet. Gracious is not enough of a word to describe her. She went from the smartest girl in the room at Stanford Law to not being able to get a job because they were all helmed…

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DC Circuit Rules that a President’s Speech as Candidate Is Not Official
The DC Circuit just held that when a President campaigns for re-election, he acts as an office seeker, not an office holder entitled to absolute immunity.

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Hunter Biden Gets a Step Closer to Vindicating Twitter’s Takedown Decision
On the same day that, in sworn testimony before Congress, Michael Shellenberger claimed "there's no evidence" that the hard drive Rudy Giuliani shared with the NY Post was manipulated, Vish Burra asserted (laughing) that he would hack Hunter Biden again.

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James Comer's War on Christmas: The Burial Ground of a Dick Pic Impeachment

December 2, 2023

James Comer has declared a War on Christmas!! He wants to impeach Joe Biden because the then-Vice President invited his son to a holiday party!

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Judge Tanya Chutkan Had to Tell Trump That, "There is no 'Presidential Immunity' Clause"

56 Comments

December 2, 2023

emptywheel

In an opinion booting some of the more difficult questions on presidential immunity to the DC Circuit and SCOTUS, Judge Tanya Chutkan informed Donald Trump that there is not presidential immunity clause in the Constitution.

Culture, SCOTUS

Sandra Day

88 Comments

December 1, 2023

bmaz

Sandra Day O'Connor has passed away. Don't let anyone spoof you, she was one of the nicest, brightest and best people you could ever hope to meet. Gracious is not enough of a word to describe her. She went from the smartest girl in the…

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

DC Circuit Rules that a President's Speech as Candidate Is Not Official

28 Comments

December 1, 2023

emptywheel

The DC Circuit just held that when a President campaigns for re-election, he acts as an office seeker, not an office holder entitled to absolute immunity.

2020 Presidential Election, Cybersecurity, Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden Gets a Step Closer to Vindicating Twitter's Takedown Decision

74 Comments

December 1, 2023

emptywheel

On the same day that, in sworn testimony before Congress, Michael Shellenberger claimed "there's no evidence" that the hard drive Rudy Giuliani shared with the NY Post was manipulated, Vish Burra asserted (laughing) that he would hack Hunter Biden again.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection, Leak Investigations

Boris Epshteyn's Absence and Presence in Trump's Alleged Crime Spree

19 Comments

November 30, 2023

emptywheel

Boris Epshteyn, who was the focus for months of reporting about his role in Trump's twin federal indictments, has all but disappeared. Indeed, ABC's scoop about Little makes clear that his reportedly significant role in the stolen documents case never even made the indictment.

Foreign Policy, State Department

Finally: War Criminal Dead at 100

172 Comments

November 29, 2023

Rayne

This is an open thread. Leave your comments about Henry Kissinger and war crimes here rather than pollute other threads.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

Donald Trump Insists He's Too Special To Use Same Database 1,200 Other January 6 Defendants Have Used

50 Comments

November 28, 2023

emptywheel

In Trump's discovery demand, he argues he should be treated better than his mobsters who have also been prosecuted for their actions on January 6.

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, Hunter Biden

Abbe Lowell Calls James Comer's Bluff

83 Comments

November 28, 2023

emptywheel

Abbe Lowell has raised the stakes on Jamie Comer's demand that Hunter Biden testify privately, rather than publicly.

2016 Presidential Election, 2020 Presidential Election

Donald Trump Confesses He Can't Distinguish His Own Influence Ops from that of a Russian Spy

28 Comments

November 28, 2023

emptywheel

In a bid to get a lot of irrelevant intelligence reports, Donald Trump insinuates the specific lies he told to undermine US democracy are indistinguishable from Russia's efforts to undermine US democracy.

Left Theory, Science

Goal-Directed Agency and Intentional Agency

27 Comments

November 27, 2023

Ed Walker

Index to posts in this series Lizards Lizards are a representative of the first category of agency according to Michael Tomasello in his book The Evolution Of Agency. As with the other categories, Tomasello focuses on the way lizards forage…

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, emptywheel, Hunter Biden, Impeachment

Hunter Biden: Which Came First, the Chick Selling Sex or the Extortion of Campaign Dirt?

31 Comments

November 27, 2023

emptywheel

You cannot claim to be doing journalism on the Republican effort to impeach Joe Biden based on allegations about his son unless you understand the ties between Rudy Giuliani's efforts to dig up dirt, including from Russian agents, and the Hunter Biden investigation.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

The MAGA Tourist Geofence and the Violent Confederate Flag-Toting Geofence

67 Comments

November 25, 2023

emptywheel

Trump claims that only one percent of his people from January 6 could be deemed insurrectionists. That's not what the Google geofence says.

2024 Presidential Election, emptywheel

How Trump Distracted from Results of His Incitement by Recruiting Journalists to Spread More of It

63 Comments

November 24, 2023

emptywheel

You always have a choice how to disseminate Trump's incitement. And yesterday, a number of journalists and critics chose to do so in the form Trump chose -- a campaign ad! -- rather than in an equally stark form that would be less likely to contribute to the incitement.

Culture, Food

Breathing Room: Thanksgiving Day Emergency Cooking Aid

86 Comments

November 23, 2023

Rayne

In case of last minute Turkey Day kitchen emergencies, an open thread.

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, Hunter Biden

In an Attempt to Claim Vindictive Prosecution, Trump Confesses Biden Hasn't Interfered Like He Has

11 Comments

November 23, 2023

emptywheel

In a bid to claim Joe Biden is treating him unfairly, Trump revealed he's using his own prosecution to interfere, again, in Hunter BIden's prosecution.

2020 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

The Former President's Spaghetti-Wall Assault on the Truth

33 Comments

November 23, 2023

emptywheel

Trump's replies submitted in his various efforts to dismiss the charges against him amount to a demand that Trump be treated not just as above the law that the hundreds of his mobsters have already been held accountable to, but also above the truth.

Culture, Racism

Breathing Room: What’s on Your Holiday Menu?

91 Comments

November 22, 2023

Rayne

This is an open thread -- talk about your Thanksgiving holiday preparations here.

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, Hunter Biden

Perfect Phone Calls: Redefining Vindictive Prosecution in the Trump Era

41 Comments

November 21, 2023

emptywheel

Last week, Abbe Lowell requested subpoenas in the Hunter Biden case -- subpoenas that would obtain known records ranging from mean Trump tweets, to Bill Barr's efforts to funnel a bribery allegation obtained downstream from Rudy's efforts to Trump up a bribery allegation, to the Perfect Phone call. It's an impossible subpoena request. But it's also a request that goes to the core of defending against the kind retribution Trump demands.

2020 Presidential Election, 2024 Presidential Election, January 6 Insurrection

DC Circuit Likely To Narrow Judge Chutkan Gag

103 Comments

November 20, 2023

emptywheel

In the hearing on Judge Tanya Chutkan's gag in the January 6 case, Trump attorney John Lauro got awfully close to arguing that his client must be permitted to run for President by threatening all his adversaries.

See all posts

James Comer’s War on Christmas: The Burial Ground of a Dick Pic Impeachment

Judge Tanya Chutkan Had to Tell Trump That, “There is no ‘Presidential Immunity’ Clause”

Sandra Day

DC Circuit Rules that a President’s Speech as Candidate Is Not Official

Hunter Biden Gets a Step Closer to Vindicating Twitter’s Takedown Decision

James Comer's War on Christmas: The Burial Ground of a Dick Pic Impeachment

Judge Tanya Chutkan Had to Tell Trump That, "There is no 'Presidential Immunity' Clause"

Sandra Day

DC Circuit Rules that a President's Speech as Candidate Is Not Official

Hunter Biden Gets a Step Closer to Vindicating Twitter's Takedown Decision

Boris Epshteyn's Absence and Presence in Trump's Alleged Crime Spree

Finally: War Criminal Dead at 100

Donald Trump Insists He's Too Special To Use Same Database 1,200 Other January 6 Defendants Have Used

Abbe Lowell Calls James Comer's Bluff

Donald Trump Confesses He Can't Distinguish His Own Influence Ops from that of a Russian Spy

Goal-Directed Agency and Intentional Agency

Hunter Biden: Which Came First, the Chick Selling Sex or the Extortion of Campaign Dirt?

The MAGA Tourist Geofence and the Violent Confederate Flag-Toting Geofence

How Trump Distracted from Results of His Incitement by Recruiting Journalists to Spread More of It

Breathing Room: Thanksgiving Day Emergency Cooking Aid

In an Attempt to Claim Vindictive Prosecution, Trump Confesses Biden Hasn't Interfered Like He Has

The Former President's Spaghetti-Wall Assault on the Truth

Breathing Room: What’s on Your Holiday Menu?

Perfect Phone Calls: Redefining Vindictive Prosecution in the Trump Era

DC Circuit Likely To Narrow Judge Chutkan Gag

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