Well he hasn't actually done that under oath yet. The question is if there is any privilege to that conversation... if it is determined there is not, then they can hold him in contempt if he won't say. Whether they will or not, is a pretty big unknown. The committee chair seems like he means business, but we'll see!
*oh yeah, he could plead the fifth. That'd be a good look on him! lol
Last edited by solinari6; 2021-07-28 at 06:14 PM.
It ignores such insignificant forces as time, entropy, and death
Congressional Representatives hold a lot of immunity while in office. In the past, that privilege has been typically handled with grace and honor. In the past 20 years the [now] GQP has obliterated that honor, leaving us with people like Gym and Marg and Gaetz and jesus I could just keep going with the lists.
To your specific statement, in my opinion he won't be able to just get away with this proclamation. If he and Trump spoke on Jan 6 about the Insurrection, people will try to get more out of him, either by request or subpoena.
“Leadership: Whatever happens, you’re responsible. If it doesn’t happen, you’re responsible.” -- Donald J. Trump, 2013
"I don't take responsibility at all." -- Donald J. Trump, 2020
or it is actually completely innocent and they walked about the weather.
But yeah he has to know that saying something like this is going to get the committee to target him so its possible he uses it as a trap.
Then again some Trump cultists really are just that stupid.
I give it a 50/50.
It ignores such insignificant forces as time, entropy, and death
It definitely could be an attention grab. If so, it's stupid (not that he does anything intelligently) because it unnecessarily exposes their Dear Leader to subpoena.
- - - Updated - - -
Right?
The GQP typically spews their lying bullshit with impunity, however, when it comes to something that is being actively investigated by Congress as at least an Armed Insurrection and at worst an Organized Terrorist Coup Attempt, their shit is about to get reaped.
At this point, honestly, I'd rather just get a booster and let the Repubs get infected and die off to decrease their numbers, so sanity can return.
This is easily one of the stupidest unforced errors in world history.
We have to look inward as a country, ALL OF US, and really start to question what about our country-wide core beliefs and foundations, have allowed us rear so many stupid and awful people, then fix it.
"When Facism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross." - Unknown
If he's baiting, it exposes nobody because the subpoena will be issued and he'll be able to respond, "The call I mentioned doesn't actually exist and you fell for my carefully laid trap to PROVE that this is all a partisan war on Republicans!"
There's no real downside to this for him. It's red meat for the Republican base that doesn't care about reality. "Oh, he lied about the call? That doesn't matter, what matters is that THE DEMOCRATS BELIEVED HIM AND TRIED TO SILENCE HIM AND LOCK HIM UP!"
I disagree.
The GQP will believe anything that Gym tells them, so the upside doesn't exist because they can just make whatever upside they want. So if it's not this, it will be something else, and something else after that, and then something else after that. A base that willfully elects someone like Gym Jordon doesn't need any reality to continue frothing at the mouth.
Conversely, if he is subpoenaed, and then tells everyone under oath that he lied, well, then he's a liar. However, if he tells the Committee that he did speak with Trump, but refuses to answer any substantive questions, it opens the door for getting Trump under oath. The upside is all for the Democrats here.
- - - Updated - - -
The problem is non-Republicans will die because of their stupidity. I have two children under the age of 12, and their vaccinations CAN'T happen until at least late this year. So all those fuckwads who don't vaccinate are endangering my children (on a personal level) and the health of this country (on a national level).
I would rather just se la vie it and let the GQP die off, but it's not just them who are affected.
Tuesday's report:
61,581 new cases; about 14k more than last Tuesday and doesn't include Florida (no numbers available).
Top 5:
Fuck Florida.
California: 8,546 new cases; 24 deaths
Texas: 7,961 new cases; 38 deaths
Louisiana: 6,818 new cases; 20 deaths
Georgia: 3,610 new cases; 16 deaths
Yeah, this isn't going away anytime soon and it's definitely a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" as it's been dubbed by experts. For most of the states on the list that makes sense, and California definitely belongs up there when you consider the sheer amount of GOP stupidity in that state. You don't need to look any further than "Basilico's Pasta e Vino" and their policy of "proof of being unvaccinated required" for service at their restaurant. Whatever the fuck that means. Fortunately for California the Dems still far outnumber the QAnon conspiracy-theory bullshit loving members of the GOP. The numbers there are almost purely driven by those fucknuts these days. Elsewhere the picture is about the same. Areas with lower vaccination rates are skyrocketing in terms of new cases and/or risk and it's not showing any signs of slowing.
339 deaths is about 50 fewer than last Tuesday and brings the total to 627,351. Once again this does not include Florida's numbers--looks like whatever magic worldometers was using to get daily reports from there has fizzled for the time being and we'll have to wait until Friday for Florida's weekly report--but they're undoubtedly still at the top of both charts given the way they were going at the end of last week. Texas and California round out the top 3 with 38 and 24.
Related news:
Louisiana sees highest spike in single-day Covid hospitalizations since start of pandemic--4th lowest vaccination rate in the country.
Still nothing from DeathSantis about masks or other precautionary measures. Fuck Florida.“To see this current rise in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations is becoming increasingly scary,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement.
According to him, roughly 90 percent of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. In a series of tweets Tuesday, Edwards urged residents to get the shots.
"As I said recently, this surge is on us, & that means it is up to each of us to do our part to bring it to an end. It’s within our power," he posted. "Getting vaccinated is the best way to stay safe & healthy during this pandemic."
Edwards said he would be recommending that everyone, including people who are vaccinated, wear masks while indoors when social distancing is not possible.
"For anyone asking the question when will this end, the answer is simple: when we decide to do what it takes to end it. The most impactful tools to make that happen are free & widely available- the three safe & effective vaccines," he wrote on Twitter. "I am pleading with everyone who is not vaccinated & is of age to make the decision today to get vaccinated."
CDC wants vaccinated Americans to wear masks indoors in Covid hot spots--Nice to see them FINALLY catch up to what I and many others here said months ago. I said back when they stated vaccinated people can go mask-less that that's a bad idea and boy do I hate when I'm right.
Iowa governor suggests immigrants partially to blame for rising COVID-19 cases--Horse. Shit. Anything to avoid blaming Trump and the GOP for downplaying the whole thing for a year. Assholes.
Stay safe, folks.
I've long felt that one of Trump's biggest political mistakes (aside from being his awful self of course) was ceding policy agenda immediately to the House GOP and their priorities instead of pushing for an infrastructure package right out of the gate. Of course, he's a narcissist who knows jack shit about policy, and utterly incapable of leadership when it came to a legislative agenda, so it was never going to happen, but imagine if at the start of his maladministration he said "I was elected because I'm a builder and I'm going to rebuild America"- if he had pushed hard for Congress to focus on infrastructure right off of the bat, he could've:
a) used his grip on the GOP base to get the Reps and Senators to support a broad spending package
b) put some Democrats in a hell of a pickle, with the prospect of something they've wanted to do for a long time on one hand, and on the other hand a base that was still furious about Trump's win and wanted resistance
c) done something popular and gotten credit for it
d) done something good
e) increased his own approval rating because of c) and d)
f) gotten a ton of shit named after him
Honestly it's baffling why he didn't do this...but Trump being Trump, honestly it isn't baffling at all.
"We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."
-Louis Brandeis
Don't underestimate the Congress of 'not doing shit'. I'm not so sure Trump could have overcome that. Its not for want of trying by some that under Trump nothing happened except the corporate tax cut, the GOP couldn't agree to anything to actually do while holding all 3 branches.
It ignores such insignificant forces as time, entropy, and death