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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#341201: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:14:49 PM

[up]Well maybe that's something they should change eventually, so that any corrupt figures working under a corrupt president, if they were undeservedly pardoned, should be re-arrested under a more competent president.

As for Flynn I hope everyone ostracizes him and makes his life a living hell so he'll wish he had never been pardoned. Biden should make every single person who worked with and enabled the Orange Monster pay dearly for their actions. We cannot simply allow any of these people to become a Karma Houdini.

Edited by clemont107 on Nov 25th 2020 at 5:21:47 AM

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#341202: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:22:41 PM

"Maybe its about time presidential pardons are abolished, then."

Can't. It's a power expressly given to the president in the Constitution.

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#341203: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:24:34 PM

[up][up]Just wait 'till Trump himself becomes the Karma Houdini!

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#341204: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:28:14 PM

[up]I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not. Biden should also make Trump pay for every horrible thing he has done, to set an example of good behavior. Trump is not fit to be a free man for all his blatant crimes.

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#341205: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:29:33 PM

Biden is on record as leaving such decisions to the Department of Justice.

Edited by sgamer82 on Nov 25th 2020 at 2:29:41 AM

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#341206: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:32:21 PM

[up][up]He's old, powerful, and popular amongst his demented crowd. Assuming that any prosecutor is willing to risk widespread riots, he will be long dead before he ever sees a jail cell.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#341207: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:32:46 PM

That's what constitutional amendments are for. "It's in the constitution, so we can never change it" is a flawed argument.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#341208: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:34:08 PM

Trump also can't pardon away all the civil cases and debts he has coming due. I bet he's far more worried about that than any criminal charges.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#341209: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:34:12 PM

[up][up]Yeah, no. In this day and age, constitutional amendments are impossible. Period.

Edited by ShinyCottonCandy on Nov 25th 2020 at 5:34:19 AM

My musician page
clemont107 Mega Togekiss?! from Land of Missed Opportunities (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
Mega Togekiss?!
#341210: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:35:03 PM

[up]x4 Let them riot. What matters most is that Trump and his cronies must suffer for everything they did.

Edited by clemont107 on Nov 25th 2020 at 5:35:31 AM

"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#341211: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:36:52 PM

> Can't. It's a power expressly given to the president in the Constitution.

then maybe its time we abolished the Constitution

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#341212: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:37:26 PM

Again, it is not the President's job to punish anyone. All Biden has to, and should do is allow the DOJ to do their jobs and not commute or pardon afterwards.

The DOJ is not the President's personal legal hit squad, Trump and Barr already proved how awful that can be when done incompetently. We do not need a precedent for this.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#341213: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:37:51 PM

Is it a pardon for the crimes he’s been charged with or a Nixon-style “all crimes” pardon?

Also if he commits any further crimes (like lying to the FBI again) he can still be charged for them.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#341214: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:40:40 PM

Pardons are useful for allowing the President to prevent people from being unjustly punished. They can also be used to prevent people from being justly punished, but that's an acceptable loss.

Leviticus 19:34
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#341215: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:44:07 PM

Pardons are better to have than not. Because it's better to let 5 guilty men free than punish one innocent.

But fuck Michael Flynn.

He's a traitor.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#341216: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:46:44 PM

To clarify, what did Michael Flynn do? I am having trouble remembering.

Leviticus 19:34
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#341217: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:48:25 PM

If he has only be pardoned for the crimes he’s actually been charged/convicted for there are still other charges that can be bought against him once Trump is gone.

Remember, a judge once asked why Flynn wasn’t being charged with Treason! If Trump’s pardon doesn’t explicitly cover all crimes then Flynn can still be charged with treason (or more realistically sedition or espionage).

Also Trump himself may now face criminal prosecution for the pardon, as it’s potentially criminal interference in an active investigation.

[up] His actual formal crime was lying to the FBI about being an agent of a foreign government (I think Turkey), but his actions as an agent of a foreign government has been suggested by a federal judge to potentially reach the laymen’s definition of treason.

Edited by Silasw on Nov 25th 2020 at 10:49:53 AM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#341218: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:55:02 PM

Bismark Tribune: the North Dakota Supreme Court unanimously agreed to block Governor Doug Burgum attempted appointment to replace David Andahl, who passed away from COVID-19 a month before winning a seat in the state Legislature.

Here's the TL;DR points:

  • North Dakota's state Constitution allows the governor to fill any open office as long as all other options to do so have been exhausted.
  • District 8 Republican Executives appointed incumbent Jeff Delzer, who was primaried back in June by both Andahl and another Republican.
  • Burgum sued so he could get rid of Delzer, who he has crossed swords with, to appoint coal executive Wade Boeshans to the seat.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#341219: Nov 25th 2020 at 2:58:47 PM

It looks like the pardon only covers his conviction.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#341220: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:01:46 PM

Is this . . . good? I mean at least its one less fossil fuel executive in a political office

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#341221: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:03:33 PM

Seems like it. The previous choice was at least appointed by a consensus of party elders, while this one appears to be the governor acting unilaterally.

Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#341222: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:07:30 PM

If he was primaried by 2 different people it probably should have gone to whoever was the other person.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#341223: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:24:18 PM

Ideally they should have an emergency runoff election of some kind, and if Boeshans wants a shot at that seat he should have at least run for it.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#341224: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:43:16 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/11/25/day-1406/

    Day 1406: "A truly fantastic Thanksgiving!" 
1/ Trump pardoned Michael Flynn, his first national security advisor, who pleaded guilty – twice – to lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts during the presidential transition in late 2016 and early 2017. Trump announced the news on Twitter and wished Flynn “a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!” The pardon was issued before a judge ruled on a Justice Department motion to dismiss charges and undo Flynn’s guilty plea to lying to the FBI. Since last year, Flynn’s lawyers have sought to withdraw his guilty plea. In May, Attorney General William Barr and the Justice Department sought to dismiss its charges, declaring that prosecutors should not have brought the case against Flynn. The request to withdraw charges has been pending before a federal judge, who has been reviewing the case. Flynn’s pardon is expected to be part of a series of pardons that Trump issues between now and when he leaves office, including former Trump campaign advisers Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos. (CNBC / NBC News / Washington Post / NPR / Axios / New York Times / Politico / The Guardian / CNN)

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/823893821/trump-pardons-michael-flynn-who-pleaded-guilty-to-lying-about-russia-contact

2/ Biden dismissed pursuing investigations into Trump after he leaves office, saying “I will not do what this president does and use the Justice Department as my vehicle to insist that something happened.” Biden’s comments, however, didn’t rule out that the Justice Department could still investigate Trump, since it traditionally operates independently of the White House on criminal matters. Biden also acknowledged that states could continue pursue their own investigations. (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/25/biden-wont-order-investigation-trump-but-legal-troubles-remain/6419769002/

Trump-Biden Transition Live Blogs: New York Times / ABC News / CNN

3/ Unemployment claims rose for the second week in a row with 778,000 people filing for benefits. Claims haven’t risen for two consecutive weeks since July and it was the largest two-week increase since April. Another 311,000 people applied for jobless benefits under an emergency federal program for gig workers and the self-employed. (Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NPR / CNBC)

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/11/25/938808537/unemployment-claims-jump-for-second-week-as-pandemic-rages

4/ The U.S. reported its highest daily coronavirus death toll in more than six months. The nearly 2,100 COVID-19 deaths reported Tuesday is the highest mark since May 6, when states reported a combined 2,611 fatalities. The U.S. has added more than one million new cases in each of the past two consecutive weeks. (Washington Post / New York Times)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/24/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/

😷 Dept. of “We Have It Totally Under Control.”

Global: Total confirmed cases: ~60,187,000; deaths: ~1,418,000

U.S.: Total confirmed cases: ~12,728,000; deaths: ~262,000

Source: Johns Hopkins University

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

Live Blogs: New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / NBC News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / CNBC

Trump administration health officials held their first “Operation Warp Speed” briefing with Biden. The initial meeting was focused on COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and distribution. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/25/trump-biden-operation-warp-speed-coronavirus-briefing-440611

The first 6.4 million doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine could be distributed as early as mid-December if authorized by the FDA and an independent advisory panel to the CDC. Officials said they are on track to have 40 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna by the end of the year – enough to vaccinate 20 million people. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/11/24/vaccine-plan-first-doses/

5/ Biden’s pick for Secretary of State and a top contender for defense secretary co-founded a Washington consulting firm where at least 21 of the 38 employees donated to his campaign. Because WestExec’s staffers aren’t lobbyists – they aren’t directly advocating for federal dollars on behalf of clients – they don’t have to disclose who they worked for. One of WestExec former principals, Avril Haines, is Biden’s pick for director of national intelligence, and Michèle Flournoy, a potential pick for defense secretary, raised more than $100,000 alone for Biden. At least five WestExec employees are helping staff Biden’s review teams for the Pentagon, the Treasury Department, the Council of Economic Advisers and other agencies, including Jen Psaki, who is advising Biden’s transition team. Two other former WestExec employees, Lisa Monaco and Julianne Smith, are also considered potential Biden administration hires. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/23/westexec-advisors-biden-cabinet-440072

    ✏️ Notables. 
The Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit for a gold and copper mine in Alaska, saying it was “contrary to the public interest.” In a statement, the Army Corps said it would block the Pebble Mine because the project’s waste “does not comply with Clean Water Act guidelines.” (New York Times / Politico / Washington Post)

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/25/trump-administration-alaska-mining-project-440626

The City of El Paso hired legal counsel to collect more than $500,000 in debt owed by the Trump campaign from a rally that took place almost two years ago. (KTSM)

https://www.ktsm.com/news/city-of-el-paso-hires-legal-counsel-to-help-collect-trump-campaigns-outstanding-debt/

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plans to transfer $455 billion in unspent Cares Act funding into an account that will require congressional authorization to use. The move leaves Janet Yellen, Mnuchin’s presumed successor, with just under $80 billion available in the Treasury’s Exchange Stabilization Fund. (Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-24/mnuchin-to-put-455-billion-in-funds-out-of-yellen-s-easy-reach?sref=MIBMEEoj

Edited by sgamer82 on Nov 25th 2020 at 3:43:52 AM

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#341225: Nov 25th 2020 at 3:50:59 PM

Re: Pebble Mine, that particular debacle has been going on for years now. This will not be the last we hear of it, since there's a lot of people who stand to get very rich from it and are quite willing to share a small portion of the wealth with politicians.


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