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

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#241501: May 7th 2018 at 7:24:12 PM

To be honest, I hope that Blankenship manages to get the nomination.

We don't have any candidates for WV who aren't at best standard Republicans who will vote in lockstep - we don't have any Collins or Murkowski options. And the functional difference between a McConnell candidate and Blankenship is nonexistent in terms of Senatorial power.

On the other hand, if Blankenship hands the ball to Manchin, that's one more seat on the road to a Democratic Senate, and Trump will have to demonstrate that deal-making skill he's so fond of touting if he wants to put anyone else in a judicial seat. (Not holding my breath.)

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#241502: May 7th 2018 at 7:29:44 PM

Don't wish that.

Then Blankenship might win.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#241503: May 7th 2018 at 8:08:23 PM

BREAKING NEWS: New York's Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, resigns after 4 woman reveal he had abused them.

It's a good thing he's gone.

edited 7th May '18 8:08:46 PM by DingoWalley1

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241504: May 7th 2018 at 8:16:53 PM

[up] Maybe Preet Bharara could run to replace him.

edited 7th May '18 8:19:18 PM by megaeliz

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#241505: May 7th 2018 at 8:22:22 PM

[up]If only....sad

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#241506: May 7th 2018 at 8:24:19 PM

If Blankenship lives in Nevada, how is he running in West Virginia? Does he have some property there or something?

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241507: May 7th 2018 at 8:31:27 PM

[up] he definitely owns a home there. It's just apparently not his primary residence.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#241508: May 7th 2018 at 9:12:54 PM

It ought to be a rule everywhere that if you run for office in a place you ought to at least live in the fucking state you're running in.

Nikkolas from Texas Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#241509: May 7th 2018 at 9:27:20 PM

So perhaps I missed it but did you all discus Connecticut joining this thing that lets states cast their electoral votes for the national popular vote winner? Thiseems pretty cool.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#241510: May 7th 2018 at 9:33:10 PM

Neat trivia until a majority of electoral votes are in favour of it. A comfortable majority so random delegates can't decide to change their mind.

Ingonyama Since: Jan, 2001
#241511: May 7th 2018 at 9:36:05 PM

Well crap...Schneiderman turned out to be an abuser, too?? And after so many had been counting on him prosecuting Trump and his people for all the state charges Mueller could hand him...

The timing of this seems very suspicious, what with Cohen's case plus how close Trump could be to firing Rosenstein and Mueller (or Congress impeaching Rosenstein). It's been a known fact that many have been depending on Schneiderman pursuing those state charges, after all... but the fact he resigned suggests the allegations are true. Damn it.

Who's the Deputy Attorney General of New York now, is it someone we can count on to do what Schneiderman would have done? If not, I think we can kiss any chance of criminal charges good-bye, because we can't afford to wait until a new Attorney General is elected in November, even assuming a great Democrat does win. Unless Mueller finally drops those indictments before then...

edited 7th May '18 9:37:49 PM by Ingonyama

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#241512: May 7th 2018 at 9:44:05 PM

Just because the timing of something is unfortunate doesn't mean there's some kind of a conspiracy to take down Mueller, if that's what you're thinking. And from the way you worded that that seems to be what you're thinking. IN the whole aftermath of #Me Too it's not surprising that some famous lawyers have also done something wrong.

In any case, Schneidermann being gone doesn't mean that the state of New York doesn't still have a damn good case. Let's see who replaces the guy before we worry overmuch about the state of Mueller's case.

Ok, to answer the question I looked it up, this appears to be the staff in New York:

https://ag.ny.gov/senior-staff

edited 7th May '18 9:45:40 PM by AceofSpades

Ingonyama Since: Jan, 2001
#241513: May 7th 2018 at 10:01:10 PM

No, even a cursory glance over the women's testimony makes it clear it's real. It's just, damn, that fucking timing. Trump and his people must be laughing so hard right now. *seethes*

Okay... *does some research* So apparently it isn't a deputy AG, the entire New York legislature, both Assembly and Senate, meet to vote on an interim replacement, who can then run again in November if they have the support. I was worried because of the things we'd been hearing about those "independent" NY Dems who were caucusing with the Republicans, but in this case because it includes all members from both houses, and the Assembly has an overwhelming Democratic majority, the person chosen is sure to be a Democrat. Right now people who have been listed as possibilities are: City Public Advocate Letitia James; Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Nassau County); Fordham Law Prof. Zephyr Teachout; state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Nassau County Dem who is a former federal prosecutor; state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Queens); and former Cuomo chief of staff Ben Lawsky.

I just hope whoever is picked is not only a good lawyer and willing to keep up the prosecutions, but can't be bought off through donations like Vance was. And, of course, that they too don't have a guilty secret like this to bring them down.

edited 7th May '18 10:15:05 PM by Ingonyama

NickTheSwing Since: Aug, 2009
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#241515: May 8th 2018 at 12:56:39 AM

[up] Alex Jones is an awful person on multiple levels. It really bothers me that he was able to build a lucrative career out of it.

Partly because I wish I had thought of it first. tongue

edited 8th May '18 12:57:44 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#241516: May 8th 2018 at 2:56:12 AM

Just a reminder (via an Op-Ed), in advance of Trump's Iran announcement this afternoon, that Trump and Israel were down to spying on slandering Obama era staffers to try and discredit the deal. Everyone, the EU, Russia, China, the inspectors, and American and Israeli military leaders, approve of the deal. So, they had to go after the personal lives (of now private citizens) as a desperate measure.

This is going to be Paris all over again...

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241517: May 8th 2018 at 4:41:29 AM

[up][up][up][up] I kind of want Preet Bharara to run next in 218.

It is absolutely imparative that we have a experienced Prosecutor in that seat, and everything I've heard about thim says that he is one of the best.

edited 8th May '18 4:47:12 AM by megaeliz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#241518: May 8th 2018 at 4:46:57 AM

[up][up] No it'll be worse because that was just a non-binding agreement. This is a bonafide peace treaty deal. When the USA tries to back out of it, that's it. What little trust and goodwill other nations have in the USA will be even further eroded.

Disgusted, but not surprised
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#241519: May 8th 2018 at 4:48:16 AM

I'd very extremely surprised if he doesn't cancel the Iran Deal. I mean look at all the people he has whispering in his ear. Bolton wants a full-out takeover of Iran, for crying out loud.

edited 8th May '18 4:48:41 AM by speedyboris

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#241520: May 8th 2018 at 4:49:33 AM

Not to mention how many times he's whined about it and claimed it was a bad deal (bullshit). Even worse, I'm still convinced he's only complaining about it because he wants to shit more on Obama's accomplishments. And yeah, Bolton isn't helping either.

edited 8th May '18 4:50:23 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241521: May 8th 2018 at 4:56:13 AM

Gina Haspel, my highly respected nominee to lead the CIA, is being praised for the fact that she has been, and alway will be, TOUGH ON TERROR! This is a woman who has been a leader wherever she has gone. The CIA wants her to lead them into America’s bright and glorious future!

John Kerry can’t get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it! Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country!

She participated in torture, and he's one to talk about the CIA given how disrespectful you were towards the CIA memorial wall. When you gave a speach there.

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#241522: May 8th 2018 at 7:37:15 AM

[up]

Yeah... turns out that she didn't (though she did decide to destroy the recordings of the waterboarding), but it's telling that Trump seems to assume she did. According to the linked article, she spent the vast majority of her career as an undercover agent, rather than in an administrative role - which would lead to questions of whether she's suitable for leading the entire agency, but that's worlds apart from the original accusation.

And he also touched on something that, while understandable, Kerry shouldn't be doing - long story short, he's trying to use his connections in Iran to preserve their end of the deal even if the US pulls out, which is arguably a violation of the Logan Act, as he's doing the same thing that got Flynn canned, even if it's not for personal gain.

edited 8th May '18 7:41:46 AM by ironballs16

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#241523: May 8th 2018 at 8:05:16 AM

[up]

She did torture people,or was in charge of the operation in the blacksite, but not during the time Pro Publica first claimed. It was later.

edited 8th May '18 8:07:08 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#241524: May 8th 2018 at 8:05:58 AM

[up][up]. That's interesting actually. He probably should have kept his mouth shut on that (who an I kidding, that's impossible.)

Hmmm. Trump’s invocation of the Logan Act will boomerang: what about his campaign’s “Shadow Diplomacy” with the Kremlin during the 2016 campaign and the transition?

Laurence Tribe says that he doesn't believe Preet would need to recuse himself if Trump were to drop any pardons, which makes me want to see him take over as NY Attorney general even more, if he would accept it.

The current acting AG, Barbara Underwood, seems like a pretty good choice as well.

edited 8th May '18 8:17:11 AM by megaeliz

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#241525: May 8th 2018 at 8:09:48 AM

The details of Haspel’s career seem to be almost entirely classified. From what I’ve seen she has pretty bipartisan support from inside the intelligence community though.

They should have sent a poet.

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