ELECTION 2020 Part 23

Florida has certified its 2020 election results: Trump 5,668,731 (51.2%) Biden 5,297,045 (47.9%) That's a 2.2 point margin swing towards Trump vs. 2016 and a 17.5% increase in votes cast.

Nate Cohn: Georgia is the first state where we have fully updated vote history data, and it shows the Black share of the electorate falling to its lowest level since 2006

Rudy Ghouliani is out of control in court today, the PA attorney really laid into him

Infighting and an attempted 'coup': Trump team erupts into chaos as Giuliani takes over legal efforts.

Over the weekend, Giuliani and his team of lawyers, which also includes Trump campaign legal adviser Jenna Ellis, attempted what was described to ABC News as an internal campaign "coup"— an attempt to wrestle power away from the current longstanding Trump campaign leadership by claiming the president had given them full control moving forward.

This sparked outrage from senior campaign aides including Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien and senior adviser/deadbeat dad Jason Miller, who engaged in a screaming match with Ellis in front of staffers Saturday.

Tempest in a broken teapot.

I thought Pete was going to be Chief of Staff.

Deputy Chief of Staff.

[bold]Georgia elections chief says Trump 'suppressed' GOP vote, cost himself state[/bold]

Georgia’s Republican secretary of state said Tuesday that President Trump’s attacks on the integrity of mail-in voting contributed to his loss in the Peach State.

“Twenty-four thousand people did not vote in the fall; either they did not vote absentee because they were told by the president ‘don’t vote absentee, it’s not secure,’ ” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) said in an interview with WSB-TV, an Atlanta-area ABC affiliate. “But then they did not come out and vote in person. He would have won by 10,000 votes. He actually depressed, suppressed his own voting base."

Raffensperger has become a target of President Trump and his allies since the state was projected for President-elect Joe Biden. Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R) and David Perdue (R), both of whom face a January runoff for their seats, called for his resignation following the election.

Raffensperger said earlier this week that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also personally pressured him to exclude some mail-in ballots during a mandatory recount. Graham has denied the claim and said “if he feels threatened by that conversation, he’s got a problem.”

They’re refusing to certify the votes in Detroit. This could get very ugly.

[quote]They’re refusing to certify the votes in Detroit. This could get very ugly.

Not really:

"A county board that fails to canvass within 14 days after the election must give all of its documentation to the Secretary of State's office and Board of State Canvassers, which then has 10 days to complete the work and canvass and certify the results, according to the board’s canvassing manual."

The board of state canvassers is 2-2 as well. And one of the GOP members of it has a spouse involved in one of trumps lawsuits. This is going to the courts. This is a coup.

Isaac Saul

[quote]What's happening to Rudy Giuliani in Pennsylvania is deeply, deeply embarrassing. He's getting paid $20,000 a day and he doesn't appear able to answer the most rudimentary questions from the judge. I honestly didn't believe this tweet was real!

[quote]Judge: What standard of review should i apply?

[quote]Giuliani: “I think the normal one”

[quote]Judge: Strict scrutiny?

[quote]Giuliani: “No, the normal scrutiny”

The three standard levels of scrutiny are Rational Basis Review, Intermediate Scrutiny and Strict Scrutiny.

The news out of Wayne county is serious. That’s 870k votes that they refused to certify for no reason. Very alarming.

Joe Biden won, Michigan elector coup ‘not going to happen,’ GOP leader says

“That’s not going to happen,” Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said in a wide-ranging interview with Bridge Michigan. He noted state law awards electors to the winner of the state’s popular vote. And Biden won the state by more than 146,000 votes, according to unofficial results.

“We are going to follow the law and follow the process,” he said. “I do believe there's reason to go slow and deliberate as we evaluate the allegations that have been raised.”

Shirkey spoke with Bridge hours before Tuesday's deadline for Michigan’s 83 county canvassing boards statewide to certify results, a key step before the Electoral College formally selects the president on Dec. 14.

Trump just now fired via Twitter Chris Krebs, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, who last week said the 2020 election was the most secure in history.

R14 yes but one county just failed to certify. Now it goes to another 2-2 situation and I’ll be you anything they won’t certify either. I’m not sure what happens after that. But it’s completely different from what that article is saying.

This is very scary. Michigan could go trump now.

It will get to a court before anything. They can’t just not certify because they “feel” something is wrong. There has to be legal remedies to this.

However, the fact they’re trying it, and being rooted on by the GOP is terrifying. America is no more

The MI Secretary of State:

Bill Kristol:

From the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, to the firing of Chris Krebs, to the DOD announcement about drawing down troops--I'm going to say it: I AM ALARMED.

[quote] This is going to the courts. This is a coup.

Ah, Datalounge, where the concern trolling never ends. What's happening in Wayne County is fucked up, but ultimately, they're going to have to certify and Biden doesn't even need MI anyway. The Incompetents are never going to pull off their desperately sought coup.

R20 he needs every state he can get. What if others follow suit now? There is real reason to be very alarmed.

Fox News "Voter Fraud" Interview Goes Horribly Wrong

[quote]This is going to the courts. This is a coup.

Chris Hayes:

Again, a lot of Republicans didn't get the message that it was just supposed to be a pretend coup to soothe the president's feelings.

Enough people have stepped up to where I don't believe that a coup would even be possible.

Look at Georgia. The Republican Secretary of State is an open war against the Republican party.

There are still some decent people left on the other side, thank God.

It will probably end up in court where you need actual proof and not just a gut feeling about what “might” have happened. Still a dangerous precedent and makes me feel very uneasy about what’s to come. There’s a chance biden may not be president

R2 So does this mean the praise for Stacey Abrams was a bit too early?

[quote] [R20] he needs every state he can get. What if others follow suit now? There is real reason to be very alarmed.

He should get every state that he won, of course, and the more, the better. But he doesn't NEED Michigan's electoral votes to win the election. And it's quite clear at this point that the other swing states aren't interested in playing along with any trumpshit, nor is most of MI and their secretary of states. This won't make it to the courts but if it does, it'll end up just like the zillion lawsuits Trump's team has filed so far.

I just want this hell to end. The goal posts keep getting moved. From “what if the counties don’t certify?” now to “well what if the state doesn’t certify?”

In MI it seems like the SOS and state board (split 2-2 one of the Rs is a trumper) now do an canvass. Now the question is is that 2-2 board will certify even if nothing is found in the canvass. My guess is that this is heading to court.

They're just trying to keep the base riled up as long as possible.

R26, the share of the black vote falling doesn't mean that fewer black people voted. 4,930,000 votes were cast in 2016, compared to 4,146,825 in 2016. That's a 19% increase. Biden got 600,000 more votes than Hillary.

To add to that, I think even that even if Stacy Abrams only focused on registering black voters, it has a multiplier effect. Her and her crew were wildly successful in getting people involved in the electoral process, and the result is that the Democrats won Georgia for the first time in almost 30 years.

R29 no. This is more than that. They’re actively trying to steal this election. They’re doing a poor job and are losing in court everywhere but this is far more than pandering to the base. This is an attempt at a coup.

[quote] [R2] So does this mean the praise for Stacey Abrams was a bit too early?

No, it means that she did a stellar job of getting GA residents of all races to vote.

[quote]I just want this hell to end.

Same here. I'm trying to ignore it until January but I'm emotionally involved in this election. Been checking the certification deadlines for each state. Virginia is delayed due to Covid but six states should be done by November 20 including Georgia.

Still have to wait sixty-three days

@tbonier 31m

AAPI voters in GA almost doubled their total turnout from 2016, surging by 91% over '16. Latino turnout exceeded '16 by 72%, Black turnout by 20%. White turnout surged by 16%, resulting in a 2.5 pt drop in electorate share.

A quick turnaround:

@adam_brew

BREAKING: The Wayne County Board of Canvassers has just unanimously voted to certify the results of the election & called on Michigan SOS Jocelyn Benson to conduct an audit of the unexplained precincts in Wayne County that did not match.

Those fuckwads in MI caved and certified. Assholes...

Theyve now certified them for all the screaming queens

Armen Berjikly @armenberjikly · 13m Replying to @adam_brew and @Bencjacobs For those following along at home, yes, this is a (2 hour) reversal of their previous deadlock on certification. Whiplash.

They got scared when they realized they were about to have 800,000 black people on their doorsteps

Rudy is doing his crap Trump work for free. You get what you pay for,

[quote]Rudy is doing his crap Trump work for free.

He’s being paid $20,000 a day.

Only if he's getting the money up front r42. Otherwise I suspect r41 is right.

By who? Definitely not by Trump. Is it from their scam fundraising? He is hands down one of the worst attorneys ever.

I hope that PA case is dismissed tomorrow.

He’s trash

@Bencjacobs

Trump's Nevada electors, including the chair of the Nevada Republican Party, are suing to either have Trump declared the winner of Nevada or to have the presidential election in the state annulled entirely.

4:50 PM · Nov 17, 2020

The judge is going to allow briefs but no evidence. I don’t see a bright future for rootin tootin Rudy.

Sad frivolous lawsuits by vexatious litigants

Michigan certified. Sorry Donny. Cry more.

And the world looks on as we behave like a banana republic.

Are they sad? Pleased? Scared? (Trump was asking if he could attack Iran)

Filled with schadenfreude?

Like us they are counting the days to January 20.

Trump is a disgusting ugly pig. Hiding in the White House and playing sabotage. Hideous small man

R47 So stupid since Nevada has been blue for the last four presidential elections.

@jimsciutto· 56m

Mark Aronchick, who argued against Rudy Giuliani today in PA court, tells me tonight: “Giuliani was outrageous in the things he was saying. He called Philadephia election workers ‘a little mafia group’. Many things he said were not related to what the complaint actually said.

“He was bringing a fantasy land into the court room. It was irresponsible and disgraceful to accuse election workers. He didn’t even come close to pleading anything close to widespread fraud.”

“I don’t think sending in Giuliani advanced their case. I don’t think it helped at all. He eventually conceded this wasn’t about fraud - they weren’t pleading fraud.”

Have they taken The Gold Codes away from Dump?

Linda Chavez is one of the most important writers for a generation of #PrinciplesFirst conservatives.

@chavezlinda 1 hr For the first time since I joined the GOP in 1985, I am ashamed to be a Republican. The party’s complicity in what amounts to an attempted coup by Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. #CountryOverParty

[quote] Those fuckwads in MI caved and certified. Assholes...

On what planet are they "fuckwads" and "assholes" for certifying their legitimate, valid election returns as would happen in any genuine democracy?

I stumbled upon this thread and was thinking "WHY do we still need this thread series?" Then I watched the news. There are some seriously mentally deranged people in this country. But I love the quick reversal of the Rethugs in Detroit that were refusing to certify the votes. Perhaps they realized that people are done with their bullshit and it would not be pretty if they tried to leave the safety of their homes or offices if they continued down that line. People are DONE with this shit.

....and before the grammar nazi comes on and corrects me for saying "the Rethugs in Detroit THAT were...." and telling me it should be WHO, not THAT.....please keep in mind that WHO refers to human beings. I'll leave it at that.

R58

As Giuliani left the courthouse on Tuesday night, he insisted that an adverse ruling from Brann wouldn’t doom the president’s legal efforts.

“Obviously, if we lose it, we’ll appeal it,” the former mayor told reporters. “There are seven other cases.”

Giuliani also insisted that there was plenty of time for the various challenges to play out, much as they did in 2000.

“We’re still well within the Gore schedule,” he said.

WTF?

@AltNatSecAgency 42m Is this the GOP's concession and Graham's way of getting his name out of the news with the GA secretary of state fuckery?:

@alizaslav (covering Congress for CNN) · 7h VP Elect Sen. Kamala Harris was warmly embraced by GOP senators on the floor, many offering her congratulations despite still siding w/ Trump “Congratulations,” said GOP Sen Lankford to Harris Graham gave her a fist bump Sens Tim Scott, Rounds & Sasse also congratulated her

Miss Lindsey has always been a fair weather girlfriend

[quote]The judge is going to allow briefs but no evidence. I don’t see a bright future for rootin tootin Rudy.

No one-- and I mean NO ONE--wants to see Rudy in his briefs.

Robert Costa:

One thing I keep hearing from Rudy people tonight: they know they can't catch up. What they want -- in MI, PA, NV, other states -- is for the vote to *not* be certified. Their end game: try to force it to the House. Giuliani talking about this privately.

WTF with Rudy saying they are in the “Gore schedule”?

1. Admits they try to cheat via courts 2. Forgets that case only involved Florida 3. Appears to not know Biden won in several states 4. Has no evidence of fraud or other basis to overturn election

Is Moscow Mitch and his KKK coven finally gettin' skeerd?

Sen. Mitch McConnell, joined by other GOP Senate leaders, continues to express opposition to President Donald Trump drawdown plans in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Nov. 17)

That QAnon lady will stand up and say I challenge the results. Then wheelchair boy will salute and say I challenge the results. Then they will debate it and waste everyone’s time. The USA is going to shit.

R64 except they need a legal reason for the vote not to be certified. They have none.

Can Congress-members challenge certain states? That is my fear - that they will turn it into a public shit show purely to please their cult leader.

R57 I'm not who you quoted, but they're fuckwads and assholes for first voting to not certify. The fact that they then backed down does not absolve them of their fuckwadishness and assholery.

GEORGIA:

Secretary Raffensperger Announces Completion of Voting Machine Audit Using Forensic Techniques: No Sign of Foul Play

Twitter CSI is onto one of the Michigan no-certify fuckwads.

Surprise surprise, a Trumper.

Isn’t it all over for Trump on December 14 when they certify the electoral college?

Okay, so here's a basic question, maybe too basic, maybe it's obvious, but I don't know.

I'm hoping PollTroll or somebody here knows for sure: so where do these racial and gender and whatever breakdowns come from, exactly. How exactly do we get to this percentage of black males or latina females or suburban women voted for Trump or Biden? What is the actual process. I voted by mail, and I don't think I indicated anywhere white gay male. How is it determined that somebody of some race and some gender voted for this guy or the other guy?

R73 yes and no. Congress still has to certify on January 6th but they will. The EC vote is pretty much the end.

R74, it comes from exit poll data & surveys. Each network and research firm does its own exit poll sample of voters, although the numbers per subgroup can vary depending on which network or organization is collecting the data.

Dave Wasserman:

Fact: Biden's current margin of victory in Michigan is more than 13 times Trump's margin of victory there in 2016.

Wasserman: With what's left outstanding, Biden is on pace to cross 80 million votes before Trump crosses 74 million.

Dana Houle @DanaHoule 57m Listening to Mitch McConnell & it sounds like he’s got congestive heart failure. Or COVID.

There was already a thread about sick Mitch:

How many parts will there be?

We're hoping for only one, R81.

R70, I agree with you there. But I suspect r37 is one of our Trump trolls who was hoping the assholes and fuckwads would stand by their assholery and fuckwadism and refuse to certify.

12 News in Phoenix reports ... Republican chair of Maricopa County Board posts sweeping defense of 2020 vote, against attacks coming from fellow Republicans.

Fucking snakes! Wanna bet that the moment the WH door hits Dump on the way out, Miss Lindz will try to cosy up to Biden and Kamala. Obama has a good quote about him in his book: he's the guy in the spy thriller or heist movie who double-crosses everyone to save his own skin.

[quote]Republicans Congratulate Kamala Harris On Senate Floor For Unnamed Reason

[quote]The Democratic vice president-elect was greeted warmly by GOP colleagues who have yet to publicly acknowledge her and President-elect Joe Biden's victory.

[quote] Miss Lindz will try to cosy up to Biden and Kamala.

The Tuesday fist bump with our Vice President-Elect.

I love seeing all of this Republican on Republican violence. I revel in it. Attack each other, monkeys, attack!

R87 Divide and conquer is a good strategy.

The Wayne County mess is your latest reminder the days of lazy ass democracy where you think you only have to pay attention from Labor Day to November are dead and gone and are never coming back.

Considering that campaign season in the twenty-first century begins at least three years before the election, r89, your "reminder" seems a bit outdated.

Of course that’s the goal R65, and in the simple minds of Trump and Giuliani, achievable. Hence, the buffoonery. Certifications are happening, and state legislatures have indicated they won’t contest the popular vote when sending electors (for now, I take them at their word). Doesn’t leave much for the House to do in terms of influencing the Presidency.

Outside of the absolute worst President and the worst legal team, I think many are just giving lip service to this process to satisfy the rabid pack of idiots that Trump seems to command. Unfortunately (for the GOP), I think they might end up losing Georgia because of it. And it would serve them right.

And when they do take power, Dems need to be as vicious as the GOP. They owe that to the people they say they’re fighting for, and who fought to put them back in power. .

Arrest Graham now!

R86 Oh Kamala, there ain't enough Purell in the world.

Russell Drew

@RussOnPolitics

·

49s

I found myself screaming out loud while reading this article about why Florida was such a clusterf**k for Democrats in 2020. As State Senator

@Annette_Taddeo

says, “We go through this every two fricking years.” Miami-Dade was a slow moving train wreck happening in plain sight.

I've been trying to figure out why Miss Lindsay would debase herself and be lobbying so hard to suck Trump's tiny mushroom-sized cock after she just got re-elected to the Senate for six more years. What's in it for her? Then it hit me. Ms. Graham is positioning herself to run in 2024 and is guessing that in four years Trump will be either damaged goods or will have moved on to new interests. She's hoping that Trump will then bestow his blessings on those who backed him in this "rigged" election.

Disaster

Nathaniel Rakich

@baseballot

·

43m

New from me and

@elena___mejia

: After a strong 2020, Republicans will control redistricting of 188 House seats, vs. 47-73 for Democrats.

Yeah, it’s almost certain the GOP will control the house in 2022, barring crazy circumstances like Biden being VERY popular. The presidents party always loses seats in the first midterm. Nancy’s gotta go. She really effed this one up.

Well Nancy may want to step down, at some point. But she certainly fuck anything up. The problem is I don't know who can replace her. When you really think about it there are a lot of considerations: a workhorse, not a showhorse. Somebody who intends to stay in the House and not jump to the Senate or run for Governor at the first opportunity. Somebody willing to learn all the boring rules and minutiae of House procedure. Honestly not sure there are a lot of good candidates there. And no friggin amateurs just cause a few dingbats like them on the teevee.

oops, certainly DIDN'T fuck anything up.

R98 yes she did. All swing seats went to the GOP. The dems have a VERY slim margin now. Nancy is in charge of getting her members re-elected. She failed.

New Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that Trump’s open defiance of Biden’s victory in both the popular vote and Electoral College is doing just what was intended -- undermining his base's confidence in American democracy:

52% of Republicans believe that Donald Trump "rightfully" won the election.

68% of Republicans are concerned that the 2020 election was "rigged."

Republicans were much more likely to be suspicious of Trump’s loss this year than Democrats were when Hillary Clinton lost four years ago.

[quote]Well Nancy may want to step down, at some point.

She's just been reelected as Speaker.

R102 no she was nominated for speaker. The vote doesn’t happen until January 3rd when new congress is sworn in.

[bold]Trump canceled his annual plan to spend Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago, as aides describe a 'bunker mentality' at the White House[/bold]

President Donald Trump has canceled his annual plans to spend Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago resort, as aides describe a "bunker mentality" in the White House.

Trump has kept a low profile since his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden, making few public appearances but maintaining his customary stream of tweets.

Trump was scheduled to travel to Florida next week, but Stephanie Grisham, the spokeswoman for the first lady, Melania Trump, tweeted late Tuesday that the Trumps had chosen to remain at the White House for the holidays.

"Holiday Scheduling Update: The @POTUS & @flotus will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday at the @WhiteHouse this year," she wrote.

Trump has refused to concede the election, baselessly challenging the election's integrity. Insider and Decision Desk HQ called the election for Biden on November 6, while most other news outlets made the same call November 7.

Numerous reports have detailed how Trump has confined himself to stew in the Oval Office and White House, relentlessly watching the news, and publicly claiming that he had won.

Trump's schedule Wednesday showed "no public events" — the 11th day since the election in which it had done so.

Trump aides told The New York Times that the president's "mood is often bleak," and a White House official told CNN before the new Thanksgiving plan was announced: "It feels like bunker mentality."

The Trump campaign has filed several lawsuits challenging the election result in many states, with Trump maintaining that it will uncover electoral fraud. The campaign has won just one lawsuit so far, in Pennsylvania, and his lawyer has said the litigation will not affect Biden's victory.

Trump believes his supporters want him to "keep fighting" the result, an aide told The Washington Post.

"He is more dug into his position than he was at the beginning," the person said. "He thinks this is his base for 2024, and that half the country are warriors fighting for him, and that he's got to keep fighting."

Trump usually spends Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago with his family, and he often plays golf while there. Last year he traveled to Afghanistan in secret to spend Thanksgiving eve with US troops, despite his official schedule placing him at his resort.

The same weekend, Trump accused liberals of trying to rename Thanksgiving but promised "we're not changing it."

"You know, some people want to change the name Thanksgiving," Trump told a rally in Sunrise, Florida, at the time. "They don't want to use the term 'Thanksgiving.'"

Trump's term as president ends January 20, when Biden is set to commence his term. Concern is abounding, however, that Trump may refuse to leave.

Former Secret Service officials told Insider's Robin Bravender that a scenario in which a sitting president refused to leave at the end of his term was not among the long list of incidents they had ever had to prepare for.

Top administration officials like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence have said they are preparing for a second Trump term.

Robert O'Brien, Trump's national security advisor, said Monday, however, that Biden "obviously" appeared to have won the election.

I despise Mike Pompeo on just about every level, but I THINK he was joking when he announced during that press conference that he was preparing for a second Trump term. I can understand the media taking him at his word because that is exactly what he said, though.

I'm not so pessimistic about 2022. There's the possibility that Democrats stay engaged, and Republicans don't turn out because they're demoralized with Trump off of the ticket. And half of them will probably be dead of COVID by then.

That ain’t happening

President Donald Trump's campaign is mounting a fresh legal bid to prevent the certification of votes in Nevada. A new lawsuit names the state's Democratic presidential electors as defendants.

One of those named is Gabrielle d'Ayr, a former chair of the Clark County Democratic Party who says she is currently homeless. Clark County has been the focus of a previous election-related case.

The lawsuit, which was jointly filed by the Trump campaign and the Nevada Republican Party, seeks to award the state's six electoral college votes to the president or annul the election result there.

[quote] Raffensperger: Can I just be a normal Republican?

[quote] @GOP: Sure. Steal the election for Trump.

[quote] Raffensperger: I said *normal* Republican.

[quote] GOP: THIS IS NORMAL FOR US NOW.

[quote] Raffensperger: But...

[quote] GOP: RINO! RINO ALERT!

[quote] Raffensperger: Christ.

I wonder how many of the Republicans who believe these lies are non-college educated? Maybe they all believe it since they are all in for their fat losing liar.

Funny how all of Trump's fuckery is simply verifying the election as safe and fair.

The EC meets on Dec 14th.

Biden becomes officially the President Elect. No need for that cunt at the GSA to validate.

Trump pays $3 million for recount of 2 Wisconsin counties

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s campaign has paid $3 million for a recount of two heavily Democratic Wisconsin counties, saying Wednesday that they were the sight of the “worst irregularities” although no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented and state elections officials have said there was none.

The recount, once formally approved by the elections commission chair, could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday. It would have to be complete by Dec. 1.

[quote] Trump pays $3 million for recount of 2 Wisconsin counties

[quote] This is what happens when you can’t afford a full recount so you gotta use a Groupon

[quote] $8 million for a full statewide recount?!? What can we get for (scrounges in pocket) $26.7...wait no that’s a Canadian quarter...$26.50?

I can't believe that Parscale left that much change in the sofa...

Lawrence: ‘Another Day, Another Trump Vengeance Firing’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

[quote]In the two counties Trump chose for the recount, Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes compared with 213,157 for Trump. Biden won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.

That's a huge difference. Trump will have to show that 182,149 of Biden's vote were incorrectly counted. Wisconsin's certification deadline is 12/1.

[quote]Former Secret Service officials told Insider's Robin Bravender that a scenario in which a sitting president refused to leave at the end of his term was not among the long list of incidents they had ever had to prepare.

Surely that has changed by now.

R113, of course he wants recounts only in the biggest Democratic districts.

It's a propaganda strategy but ultimately it's a grift. He/his campaign have been blasting donations emails nonstop, and the more faux outrage they create in Deploraville, the more money the fools will give him. He'll milk the deplorables for years to come.

Wouldn't it be fun if the recount - if it's approved - gives Biden even more votes?

r112 - Say it ain't so, Crissy!

Mr. Colbert...

I just want to relax. I want to enjoy Biden’s victory I can’t because there are so many “what ifs” and the GOP seems perfectly fine with stealing this thing.

People working at the White House often take guests on tours of the historic building. But unlike others, during his two terms as vice president, Joe Biden made a point of taking guests down to the Situation Room, said Larry Pfeiffer, a veteran intelligence official then serving as the room’s senior director.

Biden would look over the team of analysts monitoring world events, point to them, and tell his guests, “These are the smartest people in the world,” Pfeiffer said. “That was something you didn’t have to do, but it went a heck of a long way to raising the morale of people who were working 12-hour shifts around the clock. It demonstrated a guy who really had a lot of respect for intelligence.”

When U.S. President-elect Biden takes office in January, he will have his work cut out for him as he inherits an intelligence community that has been demoralized by President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks maligning and politicizing the work of the country’s spy agencies. But former intelligence officials said Biden’s election will likely be seen within the 17 agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community as the welcome beginning of a less turbulent relationship with the executive branch.

“I think the intelligence community is probably doing cartwheels in the halls,” said Pfeiffer.

Biden has not named his picks to lead the CIA or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, but those reportedly under consideration, including former acting CIA Director Michael Morell and former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon, are all career national security officials with a deep understanding of the intelligence community.

Is it really working with anyone? Republicans will say anything to pollsters. Once we pass December 14, and all the lawsuits stop, they will move on to the next misinformation of the day.

[quote]Wouldn't it be fun if the recount - if it's approved - gives Biden even more votes?

It's certainly possible. A recount there from four years ago gave Trump an additional 131 votes.

The two Wayne Country deplorables who refused to certify the elections got quite a beatdown.

[quote]68% of Republicans are concerned that the 2020 election was "rigged."

These are my people!

The GOP can try all they want, but they are not going to steal this. They've been smacked down in courts, they've been smacked down by Republican secretaries of State, and by everybody else.

If Trump wants to waste Covidiot money recounting counties in Wisconsin, then so be it. It's not going to change anything.

[quote][R98] yes she did. All swing seats went to the GOP. The dems have a VERY slim margin now. Nancy is in charge of getting her members re-elected. She failed.

Remember that Repugs project all their crimes. THEY CHEATED at every level. I just hope the next year is enough time for the Dems to prove it.

Wisconsin: "Recounts in the past have not changed vote totals at the margin Trump would need to secure the state's electoral votes. When the state's votes were recounted in 2016, Trump netted an additional 131 votes."

Whoever directed the voter suppression operation in Detroit clearly had no concept of the political realities of that city and I'm guessing the shots were called from some very different area in the country, probably south of the Mason-Dixon line.

MSNBC @MSNBC

Dane Co. clerk Scott McDonell on election misinformation coming from the White House: "We were trained ... for this kind of disinformation to come from the Kremlin" but "we never thought it'd be coming" from within the US.

Secretary of State Hobbs in Arizona.....

Thank you r133. She manages to emasculate the election deniers, the governor, members of congress and the current White House occupant while remaining calm and even gracious. Arizona should be proud of her.

Masks are about basic hygiene. Politicizing them is like politicizing toilet paper.

How soon before he tries for the U. S. Supreme Court? Long Dong, Not-Merrick, Rapist and Handmaiden are standing by.

Does Donald have a game plan other than wasting time and money and sowing mistrust of the democratic voting system? He and his cult followers are bizarre.

Well r137, I believe he has finally worked out a standing order at McDonalds that can be prepared and delivered in a matter of minutes.

Republicans are 100% CRAZY.

As good a theory as any:

Trump stands to reap three potential advantages from his delays in spite of the crushing courtroom failures. One is that they allow him and his campaign to keep fundraising and paying off campaign debts. The second is that they give his allies cover to keep denying that Biden will be the next president — so long as at least one court case is still ongoing, it's not really a lie to say the election is disputed.

The third is that, in theory, they have bought Trump time to rally the public in his defense and prevent him from being evicted from the White House in January. Unfortunately for him, the cavalry doesn't appear to be coming just yet. His supporters may believe his claim that the election was rigged, but they aren't taking to the streets. The past weekend's attempt to marshal his forces resulted in only a few thousand people showing up.

I also think they are hoping to find one judge anywhere who will stop the votes from being certified. It’s not even a strategy it’s just a fantasy.

[quote]The third is that, in theory, they have bought Trump time to rally the public in his defense and prevent him from being evicted from the White House in January.

After the electoral college votes in December Biden takes the oath on January 20. From that date on, it doesn't matter if Dump barricades himself inside the WH - he's nobody. Biden is POTUS and the enforcement apparatus responds to him - wherever he may be. He can camp out at the Four Seasons if need be.

This is typical Trump bullshit tactics. Once the EC votes for Biden, it’s over for him. Then he will figure out some flimsy excuse how to resign so he and his family can get a pardon. There is no way he will stick around for January 20.

Has Dump done any actual government work since the election? All he does is golf, tweet-rage, and beg for money, and tell a few people You are fired.

Supposedly the Secret Service can cart Trump off the property the minute Biden is sworn in. But it’s very likely it won’t be habitable. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump is trashing it right now.

I saw someone on CNN saying Trump wanted to “set as many fires as possible” before leaving. That sounds a lot like Hitler’s Nero Decree, scorched earth policy. Hitler ordered his generals to actually attack strategic parts of his own country, in an attempt to make his country unusable for the conquering Allies.

Hitler thought the German people didn’t deserve to live because they lost the war. They had proved themselves not to be the master race after all, because they lost. He didn’t blame himself or his idiotic leadership for that, of course. Here’s part of the Nero Decree orders:

"1) All military transport and communication facilities, industrial establishments and supply depots, as well as anything else of value within Reich territory, which could in any way be used by the enemy immediately or within the foreseeable future for the prosecution of the war, will be destroyed." Albert Speer refused to carry out the order, and saved Germany.

Trump is known to be a Hitler fan. He kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bed when he was married to Ivana. I wonder if he’s comparing his own actions to Hitler’s Nero Decree policy, thinking any damage he does to the U.S. is deserved, because he wasn’t re-elected. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts a war with Iran, for Biden to clean up. If he does, he needs to go in front of The Hague.

So who is our Albert Speer, who will stop him?

Sorry, here’s the link to the Nero Decree:

CNN:

The Trump campaign's top legal advisor, attorney, and spokesperson Jenna Ellis previously repeatedly called Trump an "idiot," and said his supporters didn't care about "facts," "logic" or that Trump was an "unethical, corrupt, lying, criminal, dirtbag."

He seems to have a sick fantasy that he can make major change on the world stage in 60 days and even remain in control of an entire political party - after being soundly defeated - once he leaves the White House.

Unfortunately, the weakling Republicans are enabling his delusions. They are all in with an ugly tyrant.

ABC News:

GOP state leaders brush off idea to hand Trump election by replacing electors

The Independent:

[quote]A petition has called for Philadelphia’s Four Seasons Total Landscaping to be named to the National Register of Historic Places. More than 2,800 people have signed the petition at change.org to recognise the bizarre role the business played in the 2020 election.

[quote]“We as a nation need to remember where the travesty of the Trump administration died with a whimper,” states the petition.

Wayne county drama again. They want to rescind the certification

This really is all going to end in a civil war

Can they take it back? Is it binding? Good god a court needs to step in

President Donald Trump’s campaign has filed yet another version of its lawsuit over the election results in Pennsylvania, now contending that he should be named the victor in the presidential contest there or that the state legislature be given the authority to assign the state’s 20 electoral votes.

The third iteration of the suit also restores legal claims dropped in the second version that the campaign’s constitutional rights were violated because of allegedly inadequate access for observers during the processing of mail-in ballots.

The campaign eliminated those claims in a version of the suit filed on Sunday, but Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has said that was due to a miscommunication prompted by harassment and threats directed at lawyers who represented the campaign.

The new complaint claims 1.5 million mail-in or absentee votes in seven Pennsylvania counties “should not have been counted” and that the disputed votes resulted “in returns indicating Biden won Pennsylvania.”

They are flailing like fish out of water dying on the sidewalk. There are no legal grounds so they are moving to insurrection and defiance.

The vote recount in Georgia is expected to confirm the election results, as intended. But it also exposed flaws in voting systems that almost resulted in some ballots being overlooked.

Election workers in three counties discovered a total of more than 3,300 new votes stored on memory cards that hadn’t been loaded into election computers. A different issue in Floyd County led to another 2,600 ballots going unscanned.

Those votes are now being counted, reducing Joe Biden’s lead over Donald Trump to 12,781 votes. Trump gained about 1,400 votes that county election officials hadn’t tallied before the recount.

The missing memory cards were found in three counties: Douglas, Fayette and Walton. The Douglas votes favored Biden. The Fayette and Walton votes favored Trump. In all, the manual recount revealed nearly 6,000 additional votes in the presidential election. About 3,600 of them were for Trump and 2,200 were for Biden out of 5 million total votes cast.

After the conclusion of the recount, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger faces a Friday deadline to certify statewide results, according to state law.

How is some of this behaviour not treason or at least domestic terrorism? Trying to circumvent the democratic process of VOTING and instead simply declare Trumptardo as King/Dictator via legal maneuvers is contrary to the Constitution. Heads need to roll.

[quote]Can they take it back? Is it binding? Good god a court needs to step in

Reddit says according to Michigan law the deadline for certification is 14 days after the election. That was November 17th. They voted to certify by the deadline and it was submitted to the Secretary of State. The vote was binding. You do not simply “rescind” a binding certification already submitted by releasing an affidavit to right wing propaganda outlets.

Also of note, the 'takebacksies" announcement came through a firm that worked for the Trump campaign.

Meanwhile, this Monica Palmer person has some other things to worry about. She's under investigation for multiple ethics violations, and had a hearing earlier today. Ethics board found that there was enough evidence to move forward for a formal hearing Jan 20th. There is also a formal complaint against her for violating campaign finance laws with her 501c4...could result in jail time.

Thanks R157, interesting info. That cunt needs to be gone.

r149 link--

[bold]Michigan[/bold]

The prospect of the Michigan Legislature intervening in a process that by state law they are not involved in is not one that has been publicly embraced in Lansing.

Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey quashed the idea to Bridge Michigan, a local news outlet, saying that they will not move to award the state's 16 electors to Trump.

"That's not going to happen," he said.

A spokesperson for the state Senate majority leader also reiterated that state law does not allow for the legislature to step in and directly select the electors or award the electors to anyone other than the popular vote winner.

State leaders in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin, too, are putting distance between themselves and any possible strategy to circumvent the popular vote -- against the backdrop of a president relentlessly assaulting the electoral process, with unsubstantiated claims of fraud and a flurry of legal maneuvers that have mostly fallen short in the courts.

r149 link--

[bold]Pennsylvania[/bold]

In Pennsylvania, where Biden's advantage currently stands at more than 80,000 votes, Republican leaders aren't giving any merit to claims that state legislators have constitutional authority to intervene in selecting electors.

"The Pennsylvania General Assembly does not have and will not have a hand in choosing the state's presidential electors or in deciding the outcome of the presidential election," [Republican] state Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and [Republican] House Majority Leader Kerry Beninghoff wrote in an October op-ed.

"To insinuate otherwise is to inappropriately set fear into the Pennsylvania electorate with an imaginary scenario not provided for anywhere in law -- or in fact. Pennsylvania law plainly says that the state's electors are chosen only by the popular vote of the commonwealth's voters," they wrote.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is a Democrat, also assured that he and Gov. Tom Wolf, are not worried about the state's Republican legislature upending the outcome of the election.

"Everyone just needs to kind of take a deep breath," Fetterman told ABC News' "Powerhouse Politics" podcast on Wednesday. "Everybody knows how this movie is going to end -- everybody knows, including the president."

[quote]Good god a court needs to step in

Yes? Standing back and standing by!

r149 link--

[bold]Georgia[/bold]

Further south in Georgia, where the state is finishing up a statewide audit of the 4.9 million votes before the deadline to certify on Nov. 20, the president Wednesday morning demanded Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, "call in the legislature" as he continues to trail Biden by at least 12,000 votes.

But Kemp, along with Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and state House Speaker David Ralston, both Republicans, said last week in a statement that any changes to the state's election laws made in a special session -- the legislature is not currently in session -- would not influence this year's election.

"Any changes to Georgia's election laws made in a special session will not have any impact on an ongoing election and would only result in endless litigation," the statement reads. "We share the same concerns many Georgians have about the integrity of our elections. Therefore, we will follow the coming audit and recount closely, and will work together to keep Georgia's elections safe, accessible and fair."

r149 link--

[bold]Wisconsin[/bold]

In Wisconsin, where the Trump campaign requested a partial recount as just over 20,000 votes separate the president and his Democratic rival, top elections officials in the state told ABC News there was no way the legislature could overturn or invalidate the results of the election.

"I'm not aware of there being any possibility for that. I think that would require court's intervention for anything like that to occur. I don't believe that the legislature has the ability to do something along those lines," said Meagan Wolfe, the chief elections official at the Wisconsin Election Commission.

Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Rep. Robin Vos [Republican] said there likely wouldn't be enough evidence of irregularities to overturn the results of the election, but that they would pursue an investigation, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"I think it is unlikely we would find enough cases of fraud to overturn the election," Vos said. "I think it's unlikely, but I don't know that. That's why you have an investigation."

Jeff Mandell, a lawyer who runs Law Forward, a nonpartisan, nonprofit impact litigation firm in Wisconsin, also said there was no path for the Wisconsin State Legislature, which is made up of a state senate and a state assembly, to alter the results -- despite comments from Republicans such as state Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, who said that the state should pursue changes to the election results or processes in casting electoral votes should the investigation find problems with the election, according to the Journal Sentinel.

"Under Wisconsin law, and under federal law, Biden won the most votes in the state of Wisconsin and he's entitled to -- and is going to get -- the 10 electoral votes from the state of Wisconsin. And that's what the law provides for pretty clearly. And there's not an avenue around that," he said.

Mandell believes that not even the oversight hearings to investigate the election in the legislature can overturn the results.

"There's nothing wrong with legislative oversight. This is a perfectly fine part of the legislature's operations. The place in which it gets dicey and which it is inappropriate, is to the extent that anyone is suggesting that the proper use for the purpose of legislative oversight in this instance, is to overturn the results of the election. Legislative oversight is about studying what has happened and figuring out what we can learn to make the law better for the future," he said.

r149 link--

[bold]Arizona[/bold]

In Arizona, where the legislature has no involvement in certifying results or choosing electors, according to a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office, Biden is running ahead of the president by about 11,000 votes.

Rusty Bowers, Arizona's Republican House speaker, also dismissed any potential plot involving the legislature interfering with the state's electors, according to the Associated Press.

"I do not see, short of finding some type of fraud -- which I haven't heard of anything -- I don't see us in any serious way addressing a change in electors," he said. "They are mandated by statute to choose according to the vote of the people."

The state Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a Republican, insisted last week in an interview with Fox Business that he was confident in the election results and although legal action is still ongoing in at least one county, it will do little to change the vote before counties certify results by Nov. 23.

"There is no evidence, there are no facts that would lead anyone to believe that the election results will change," he said. "And so if indeed there was some great conspiracy, it apparently didn't work since the county election official -- who was a Democrat -- lost and other Republicans won. What really happened -- it came down to -- people split their ticket."

Meet your newest Federal judge, one of five more judicial nominees confirmed today by the U.S. Senate, which is too busy to debate legislation related to a pandemic affected citizen's health and the country's economy.

The recipient of this lifetime appointment is 33; was a law clerk until last year; is rated unqualified by the American Bar Association, is an admirer of the legal philosophy of Clarence Thomas and calls him the greatest living American; had never tried a civil or criminal case; currently works for Jones Day, the law firm of Orange and the Republican Party; is married to the acting General Counsel to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and loves Jesus.

Along with the other new appointees, Senate Republicans are breaking a 123-year tradition against approving the judicial nominees put forward by a departing president whose party lost the White House.

Trump has announced a press conference for this afternoon from his lawyers, he said “pieces are falling into place”

Can’t believe we’re living thru the end of American democracy. The overthrow of the US government

February 1945: Hitler stares obsessively at model of Fuhrerstadt Linz.

November 2020: Trump stares obsessively at Twitter and Fox News.

They’re 0-28 in court so far. Watch what they do, not what they say. They may think they have this grand strategy to delay the certification in states in order to force it to go to the house but Nancy Pelosi holds all the power if that happens. It’s not going to happen. Courts will order these Trumpers to certify the votes because they have NO reason not to. They need actual evidence and they don’t have any. Clerical error is not evidence of widespread fraud.

[quote] We are waiting for a guy who hasn’t accepted his own hair loss to accept losing an election.

Rudy says they have dropped Michigan lawsuit

Getting nowhere in the courts, President Donald Trump’s scattershot effort to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is shifting toward obscure election boards that certify the vote as Trump and his allies seek to upend the electoral process, sow chaos and perpetuate unsubstantiated doubts about the count.

In Wayne County, the two Republican canvassers at first balked at certifying the vote, winning praise from Trump, and then reversed course after widespread condemnation. A person familiar with the matter said Trump reached out to the canvassers, Monica Palmer and William Hartmann, on Tuesday evening after the revised vote to express gratitude for their support. Then, on Wednesday, Palmer and Hartmann signed affidavits saying they believe the county vote “should not be certified.”

I think Biden needs to act... sue to force the transition. Be seen to force the issue, force people to choose sides.

I think it is terribly important to demonstrate to voters In Georgia if you don't act, this is what you're going to get... four years of futility and Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham's games... attack, attack, attack... not on some high minded moral ground that sends people running in the opposite direction from AOC et al, but practically speaking... we know what polls well (like Obamacare) so: we can't fix it if these sons of bitches are in the way... and just look at them.

The Michigan SOS has released a statement saying that there is no legal way for those two to rescind their certification.

Omg....can’t believe we have four weeks left of this nonsense! Dec 14th can’t get here fast enough

Glenn Kirschner:

Trump's Failed Attack Strategy on Election Results: DeJoy, Graham, Rudy, Lawsuits - All Failed.

This is enough.

I usually counsel indifference but it's enough.

Some action must be taken to contain that fool. I don't know what it is, but somebody... Biden, Pelosi, someone with authority needs to act to put him in his place somehow, in a way that harms Republican chances in Georgia.

The next four years will be pointless with McConnell at the helm.

Biden won by 5 million votes. This is a disgrace.

Yes this really needs to be stopped. Trump is actively pressuring state republicans to overturn the election for him. This is way past him throwing a tantrum and putting on a show for deplorables. He is actively attempting a coup of the US. Someone MUST be able to do something.

Rudy's press conference should be going on now. Anyone watching?

Where is being held now? A car wash? A check-cashing place?

He’s apparently quoting My Cousin Vinnie.

Kyle Griffin:

Rudy Giuliani is lying. A lot. That is all you need to know.

[quote]Where is being held now? A car wash? A check-cashing place?

David Corn:

Rudy Giuliani is claiming now there was not a "singular voter fraud" in key states but a "plan" that was mounted "from a centralized place" to "execute these various acts of voter fraud." And the judges are in on it. So it's a deep, dark, national conspiracy. But...no evidence.

"Disturbing new details in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer reveal their Plan B was to takeover the Michigan capitol building with 200 combatants, who would stage a week-long series of televised executions of public officials."

Donald Trump: "Liberate Michigan."

Is Rudy in drag?

Those shitheads in Wayne County who tried to rescind their certification votes have failed.

Rudy is waving around affidavits, just as he did as "proof" that Joe Biden had helped his son launder millions of dollars from Ukraine.

In the earlier case, his "affidavits" were revealed to be printouts from a nutter's website.

The shit that Rudy is pointing to has already been thrown out by judges as nonsense. This performance art. He would never say this shit in an actual court of law.

Glenn Kirschner:

Lindsey Graham Pressures Georgia Secretary of State to Toss Votes. Biden Mulls Over Investigations

David Frum:

No more happy talk about the "uniquely American transition of power." Trump presidency and this post-election period confirm that the US is *less* committed to democratic norms - and has *weaker* institutional safeguards for democracy - than peer wealthy democracies.

This is ridiculous...a clown car of ineptitude.

It's hard not to think that Trump has some kompromat on Graham, r189.

Sidney Powell follows Rudy: "What we're really seeing here is the massive influence of Communist money through Venezuela" to take over our election.

From the Pennsylvania Attorney General:

[quote]In case that thought pops in your head this morning, the answer is:

[quote]No, Rudy is not smarter than folks give him credit for. He doesn’t have a legal strategy and he has no facts to fit his client’s false narrative about election fraud.

[quote]Now carry on with your day. We got this. - Josh Shapiro

Communism! Clinton Foundation! George Soros!

They're hitting all the right-wing boogeymen.

He’s going to try to strong arm the MI GOP leaders to fuck with the certification somehow. Luckily Whitmer has the final say. And the MI GOP leader has called Biden the president elect and said there would not be a coup in Michigan. Probably meeting with him because he can’t say no. We’ll see. But Trump is attempting a coup. Doesn’t matter that it won’t work. America will likely never be the same again.

Honestly, the UN needs to get involved now. It’s growing increasingly worrisome and dangerous. If this were any other country they would have stepped in by now. Shit, WE would have stepped in by now.

[quote]He’s going to try to strong arm the MI GOP leaders to fuck with the certification somehow.

He's going to try all kinds of stupid shit. Can't he be removed from office now? I don't want to wait a month, and certainly not two months. This is such a travesty, and yet his corrupt party supports him in it.

They're making arguments against voting machines that they mocked liberals for in 2016.

"President Trump won by a landslide!"

Jesus

Now Jenna Ellis, famous for calling Trump "one of the greatest threats to our liberty," is excoriating "the media" for not reporting the insanity she and her "elite strikeforce team" are spewing.

Sidney Powell is blaming Venezuela and Hugo Chavez who died 7 years ago. This “press conference” really went off the rails

Ewww, R200. Is Rudy melting? Did someone throw a bucket of water on him?

r197, the time to remove him from office was last February, but Bitch McCuntall and his band of merry Senatorial traitors refused. There isn't time to set up another impeachment and I doubt the 25th Amendment allows for sitting presidents to be removed on the basis of a personality disorder that he demonstrably had before he was elected.

Yeah, right, the solidly African American, Democratic city of Detroit couldn't POSSIBLY have voted for Biden.

Moscow Mitch could end this any moment if he just went out and accepted Biden as president elect and asked the government to begin the transition. He is THE central villain in all this, because he knows better and he knows this is nonsense and is harmful, but he doesn’t care.

[quote]Can’t believe we’re living thru the end of American democracy. The overthrow of the US government

Can't believe we're living thru this clownish attempt to end American democracy. The attempt by a pack of flailing grifters to overthrow the US government.

Fixed that.

Can these idiots be prosecuted for sedition?

Yes please R208..they are seditionist and should be prosecuted as such!

Someone help him!

David Corn:

Trump/Flynn lawyer Sydney Powell basically saying that the entire voting system is insecure and compromised. So then every result should be thrown out--including for all Senate races and down-ballot races. And the 2016 results, too!!

The Biden transitions “stay patient, it’ll all work out in the end” strategy is beginning to not be enough. They need to get a little more aggressive IMO before state GOPs start to consider going rouge.

The #coup attempt is on. People in #Michigan had better be ready to march by the hundreds of thousands in the next few days. If this gains any traction, it will spin out of control. This is going to be decided in the next 3 weeks, not late December.

"Yeah, it's true we have a little difficulty in getting lawyers," says Rudy.

They need more rouge, r212....

Okay, it's over. Let me summarize the argument put forth by Rudy and his motley crew:

George Soros, Joe Biden, the Clinton Foundation & Antifa collaborated with the Venezuelan government and other communists (perhaps in China!) to rig the election ... by making big Democratic cities vote for the Democratic candidate. However, they also let Republicans win Senate, Congressional and local races.

Seriously.

Yes this is very worrisome that the strategy has shifted to trying to persuade state legislators to try to flip the vote. People keep saying it’ll never happen-but what if it does? There have to be legal remedies to stop it right?

[quote]Jesus

No r200, that is Rudy Giuliani, America's Mayor.

[quote]They need to get a little more aggressive IMO before state GOPs start to consider going rouge.

Is that rouge running down Rudy's face in those photos?

It is a water-based rinse. Should never be used on a sweaty Italian. Cheap and ineffective way to do roots.

Maggie Haberman:

Some Trump advisers - none of whom are speaking publicly - are saying this press conference and what Giuliani is doing is dangerous. They’re waiting for the president to recognize that but he is not so far.

I think most states have laws saying they cannot randomly flip electoral college votes. I also thought the Supreme Court also ruled on this already. As for local officials not doing their duties, there are also remedies for that.

MAGA Haberman needs to start naming names. This isn’t a game anymore. This is a serious attempt at a coup.

Nothing illegal about this! Perfectly reasonable thing for a president to do!

R222 Enforcement is the issue. In some states it's just a fine, some states have no laws at all. This image is the best summary I've found

[quote]Dark green indicates votes voided with a penalty, and light green indicated votes voided. Dark red indicated votes counted with penalty, and light red indicates votes counted without penalty.

Gray means there's no law.

[quote]They’re waiting for the president to recognize that but he is not so far.

Can she stop with these '"on background woe is us" stories? Nobody cares two shits what they think or how long they wait. They are propping up a thieving loser and that's how they will be remembered.

Where are house democrats and why aren’t they launching congressional investigations over this stuff?

So they're waiting for the treasonous sociopath running the show to realize he's being a treasonous sociopath and stop being that way? Haberman needs to start naming these people or just shut the hell up.

[quote]making big Democratic cities vote for the Democratic candidate.

"We win if you take out the cities with black people!"

Why is he flying people to the White House to ask them to cheat. It’s time for a hit man to take out Don Corleone Trump.

The NY Times ran a piece today about how the big business community is getting antsy and is strongly urging that the transition begin immediately. Jamie Dimon himself said the election is over and its time to move on. If anyone can pressure the senate GOP to quit playing this game it’s the Wall st guys. Perhaps they need to get more aggressive

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

At the very least, Rudy needs to be disbarred. What a fucking asshole and what a fucking loon.

Rudy has really lost the plot...then that Powell bitch said Hugo Chavez was in cahoots with Dems..he's been dead since 2013

[quote]Hugo Chavez was in cahoots with Dems..he's been dead since 2013

That's what the DemocRATS want you to believe, R234.

It's DemoRATS, Dee. It's right there on page three of the manual. Get it right!

Actually, it's demoncRATS.

What ever you wanna call them, they're just a bunch of HOMOS!

[quote] I think Biden needs to act... sue to force the transition. Be seen to force the issue, force people to choose sides.

R172 I think Biden is doing the right thing by staying above it all. There is no side to choose. There's only one side. Team Trump continues to fumble and collapse all over themselves.

[quote] He is THE central villain in all this, because he knows better and he knows this is nonsense and is harmful, but he doesn’t care.

Why should he care? The moron voters in his state just re-elected him for another six years.

If I was invited to the White House, I would say

This chicken is delicious. Have you thought what you are going to do after January 20th?

[quote] If I was invited to the White House, I would say this chicken is delicious.

And you would be lying.

KYFried is not delicious. I'm certain there must be better chicken in Detroit.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Dana Bash: Trump admits in private conversations that he lost the election. But he believes the Democrats delegitamized his election so he’s going to do the same to Biden.

Just-fired CISA director Chris Krebs on the Rudy show:

That press conference was the most dangerous 1hr 45 minutes of television in American history. And possibly the craziest. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re lucky.

[quote] "We win if you take out the cities with black people!"

It never stopped me from voting against Trump

r244 In other words, he's petty, vindictive, immature and could give two shits about how holding up transition is impacting immediate and long-term mortality of Americans, or essentially, same ol' same ol' 45

Washington Post:

Brad Raffensperger's wife got these texts on her cell this week:

“You better not botch this recount. Your life depends on it.”

“Your husband deserves to face a firing squad.”

“The Raffenspergers should be put on trial for treason and face execution.”

This is transforming from a legal battle to a political battle. Would these state legislators dare ignore the popular vote in their state? I know they’ve all said no, but I don’t trust any republican.

Democrats need to stop underestimating lust for power

The MI legislator can’t do anything. They can’t make a new law because Whitmer would shut it down. They can’t send their own group of electors because Whitmer would send hers and, according to the constitution, the governor’s electors win in a tie in congress. It’s very scary that they’re attempting it but so, so many things have to happen in multiple states. And then it gets to congress where Pelosi can just shut the whole process down and take the presidency for herself on the 20th.

That, of course, is barring any SC involvement but many people who follow the court, including scotusblog, have said the court is very, very, very unlikely to get involved.

Democrats always laugh at Trump and his minions until their jackboots are on their necks

NBC:

BREAKING Judge tosses out @AZGOP lawsuit vs Maricopa County, denies motion to block canvass & allows state to recoup attorneys fees from Republican Party. #12News

If the election was a close election, there’s no doubt in my mind that they would have had a legitimate chance at stealing this election. It would have been a lot easier to influence state legislators if we were talking about a few thousand votes. But Biden’s margin of victory is too big to ignore. He won Michigan by 150k votes. You’re telling me the MI GOP is just gonna be like, nah, we”re just gonna ignore all that? I just don’t see it happening. This time, anyway. Still incredibly dangerous. The consolation prize for trump is that he’s convinced tens of millions of Americans that Biden is illegitimate.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

More Winning!

I can't believe this happened.

If I didn't know the context, I'd say it's a still from a horror / vampire movie.

Photo at R243 is direct from the Walking Dead.

It's like his blood is trying to escape.

Can’t one Republican say no to him? Why are they going to the White House to deal with a crazy person who will make improper demands on them ? Grow a pair of balls and say NO. Say fuck you, you lost.

Gloria Borger says insiders are telling her, Trump is saying he won over 70 million votes, and therefore he won. That’s the answer to everything.

Any possibility he thinks that if you get over 70 million votes, you’ve gone over some kind of threshold, like over 270 electoral votes always means you’ve won? Any chance he’s really that delusional, or is he just pretending? It sounds like he’s saying that anyone with 70 million votes has the majority.

As of right now, CBS News says:

Biden has 79,601, 237

Trump has 73,641,428

It’s really just because he is crazy. He cannot admit he lost so he is going into full on battle mode. It’s really sad that is giving his reality TV fans false hope.

R260, did Borger say whether Trump knows that Biden has nearly 80 million votes?

R259, because the GOP agrees with him. They are about keeping power.

Just now heard someone on cable news put it like that (paraphrasing): "The Republicans consider the Democrats fundamentally ineligible to govern. So they will do anything to stay in power, legally or illegally."

[quote]Gloria Borger says insiders are telling her, Trump is saying he won over 70 million votes, and therefore he won.

Sucks for him then that the other guy also won over 70MM votes.

[quote]Rudy says

I stop reading there.

R262, she did not say he knew Biden got more, and it didn’t sound like anyone around him was telling him either. They were just letting him say anything he wanted and not telling him anything to contradict his claims.

Gloria also said some Repugs are telling him that he needs to accept defeat and let the transition process proceed ... but he says no, not because he really thinks he won (he doesn't), but because he wants to make sure his base doesn't give the Biden admin any quarter.

I can't wait for historians, Hollywood and law school professors to depict this period as part of 45's ill-fated legacy. There's just no conceivable positive spin from all of this

Streaming on demand ... Trump's long-awaited concession speech.

A federal judge in Georgia has rejected a bold election lawsuit of a Republican elector, Lin Wood, who had alleged in court constitutional violations, perceived fraud in the presidential election, and sought to block the certification of election results.

"There's no doubt an individual's right to vote is sacrosanct," Steven Grimberg in the Northern District of Georgia said Thursday evening. But, that "does not mean individual voters have the right to dictate" how votes are cast or decided to be counted. "It's not for the courts to meddle with" processes set by the states.

The Georgia decision was the third against Republicans just on Thursday with judges in Arizona and Pennsylvania also rejecting election-related lawsuits from Republicans and the Trump campaign.

Wood's attorney indicated earlier today he may want to try for a second round before the judge, representing the Trump campaign as it seeks to block a Biden win. But Grimberg's ruling on Thursday, spoken from the bench, shuts down new rounds of lawsuits in multiple ways.

Grimberg decided that the elector in Georgia didn't have the ability to show he could bring a case, didn't have an avenue in court under the law, and had sued far too late to affect the election.

"I didn't hear any justification for why the plaintiff delayed bringing this claim until two weeks after this election and on the cusp of these election results being certified," Grimberg, a Trump appointee, said Thursday evening. Absentee ballot counting in Georgia, that Republicans were challenging in the lawsuit, started months ago, he noted.

Is Trump now 0-30 in lawsuits? Who can keep track when he loses so often?

He’s as out of control as Frankenstein’s monster.

In 2009, and 2010, Democrats mocked and minimized the Tea Party. Then, the Tea Party swept the nation. In 2015/2106, Democrats laughed at Trump and his chance to become president. And then Trump won. In 2020, Democrats are still mocking and minimizing the threat Trump and his followers pose to our nation.

Democrats like to laugh off Trump and his followers. That’s the wrong response

Interactive Map of all Legal Challenges in the Election, and their current status

You're totally right r273 and r274.

I guess it is time for Biden to concede.

After all, Trump got over 70,000,000 votes. He WON!

Waserman at Cook Political Report believes Biden is on course to go over 81 million, since most of the votes still needing to be counted are in NY and CA.

Speaking of which, what's with NY? They're still only at 84%. Good thing they're not a battleground ...lol

The head of the Minnesota GOP-a state Biden won by 7 points-is starting the BS about “irregularities”. The goal is clearly to delay certification by any means necessary.

Georgia recount verified Biden as winner for second time. Give up loser!

Republicans think Dems can’t govern? Oh my sides. Every time they get elected, republicans fuck up the economy, environment, regulations, everything. 8 straight republican presidents have seen a recession or depression start under their watch.

Guilfoyle & Junior plan to takeover the RNC.

R281, is Kimmy G going to give anal and oral to all the top donors?

Biden could end up with a rounded up 5% lead in popular vote

Tucker

Well, she has to up her game, r282. Her lap dances were a bit of a bust.

[quote]is Kimmy G going to give anal and oral to all the top donors?

You mean again, right?

[quote]Trump has 73,641,428

And that number right there is the reason this country will never get better. We are doomed for the foreseeable future.

Ap finally called Georgia.

They also have Biden at 6 million over Trump.

[quote] is Kimmy G going to give anal and oral to all the top donors?

Lincoln Tunnel or Holland Tunnel...

Either way you still end up in Jersey.

Glenn Kirschner:

Rudy Lawsuits Fail so Trump Tries Some Arm-Twisting of Michigan State Legislators. It Won't Work

If he runs out of swing states, maybe he could sue California because they’re not through counting yet.

[quote]Republicans think Dems can’t govern? Oh my sides. Every time they get elected, republicans fuck up the economy, environment, regulations, everything. 8 straight republican presidents have seen a recession or depression start under their watch.

Not a question of ability. The Rethugs see Dems as fundamentally [bold]ineligible[/bold] to govern and, therefore, see themselves as justified in all ratfucking.

R284. they lost Tucker?

Romney: "It is difficult to imagine a worse, more undemocratic action by a sitting American President."

11/19/2020 - the day the swamp literally dripped out of Ghouliani.

Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but Romney actually has a decent amount of leverage, if he and one of Collins, Murkowski, etc. threatened to become "Independent Republicans" or what have you who caucused with the Democrats.

R296 Fat chance any of those cunts back up words with action.

Ezra Klein:

One thing you have to say about Trump: He understood his party's psychology from the outset. And he understood what it gave him license to do.

I think about this clip a lot. As with so much else with Trump, he told us. He told us, he told us, he told us.

Exactly. Democrats are so naive and passive

stuart stevens:

One of the obvious conclusions to this moment is just how much the Republican Party has become the radical party in America. This isn’t remotely in American mainstream. It’s a dangerous, inflammatory organization attempting to remake America into a non-democratic autocracy.

[quote]One thing you have to say about Trump: He understood his party's psychology from the outset. And he understood what it gave him license to do.

Nah. He just happened to match the insanity that is the Repug party. It was like a train running into a car wreck.

I am glad Tucker called out the lack of proof. They keep using terms like probably or could have but have found no evidence of voter fraud. They also cannot admit Trump was defeated because he is unpopular. So they are always starting from a point of fiction and then run with it. It’s both unbecoming and unbelievable.

Watch your backs boys

One of them is the guy who said there's no way the MI legislature will overturn the election results.

Let's see how he feels tomorrow.

They're unethical asshats for even going.

Maybe Hope Hicks will be there to greet them?

Canada, come help us!

Why on Earth would anyone go to the White House without a full HazMat suit? Are these Pro-Disease Republicans the new big chasers?

18 USC Ch. 115: TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES

Sec. 2384. Seditious conspiracy

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Trump had some pretty obscene vote totals. Texas: 5.9 million Florida: 5.7 million Ohio: 3.1 million Tennessee: 1.8 million Missouri: 1.7 million Indiana: 1.7 million Kansas: 753k West Virginia: 545k Montana: 344k North Dakota: 236k

All of those people need to be deprogrammed.

Senators are starting to come out of hibernation. The usual suspects (Romney and Sasse) already released statements, but Corker just joined them.

In fairness, Corker is retired, but that's still a pretty big voice.

Trump will give them KFC for votes

All the hamburders they can eat.

The White House is full of Covid. Anyone over 60 would be crazy to attend this event. You know no masks or social distancing will be required. I'm not sure how many people this will involve but I assume 100 plus.

Isaac Saul

@Ike_Saul

[quote]OMG. Trump's lawyers filed an affidavit claiming statistical irregularities proving election fraud because they *confused Michigan for Minnesota*

[quote]They thought "MI" = Minnesota (it's MN), and then compared a bunch of results in Minnesota to Michigan population statistics.

Date for certification:

November 23

Kentucky Maine Michigan Pennsylvania Utah

Seems like more cracks are starting to appear in the GOP. Perhaps (illegally) trying to flip state legislators to go against the will of the people IS actually a step too far for some of them. Maybe.

Minnesota - November 24

Nevada - December 1

The recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties, where Joe Biden outpolled Trump by a more than 2-to-1 margin, will begins today and must be done by Dec. 1. Biden won statewide by 20,608 votes. Trump’s campaign has cited “irregularities” in the counties, although no evidence of illegal activity has been presented.

Two sources tell CNN there are discussions currently underway with the President about inviting Republican state legislators from Pennsylvania to the White House.

It's not clear if those invitations have been extended yet, but President Trump has expressed interest in doing so as he tries to insert himself into the vote certification process.

This would be another brazen step on the heels of Trump meeting with lawmakers from Michigan this afternoon. The deadline for counties in Pennsylvania to certify their totals is Monday.

They cannot just overturn the will of the voters, no matter what trump wants to do. Bob Bauer, Biden’s lead attorney held a press conference today and said it is unconstitutional and it will be unsuccessful. He knows what he’s talking about. You can’t change the rules AFTER an election just because you lost.

They may try it in MI, but they aren’t prepared for the unholy hell that would unleash.

It's like everyone is out there brainstorming their stupidest ideas, and running with every single one of them.

I haven't gotten too worked up over Trump's foolishness about not conceding and recounts and all of that nonsense, but some of this stuff just shows that much of our democracy is reliant upon good people doing the right thing. We need some fixes. The days of "gentlemen's agreements" and political norms based on custom and practice need some protections from people who will not act in good faith.

It's sad that it has come to this, but let's not be blind to the fact that more like Trump could be the future of politics.

President Joe Biden Confronts A Radically Different World Than When He Was Veep

And really, really different from when he was a Senator r326. I do worry that outdated memories of when you could work across the aisle will affect him, at least early on.

I'm hoping Kamala can set him straight if he ever gets too sentimental about the assholes.

If you want to understand the Trump phenomenon, then watch The Tiger King on Netflix. It explains everything. It shows the power of charisma, narcissism, egomania, paranoia, showmanship, stupidity and the power it can have on hordes of people.

Trump's "charisma" has always somehow eluded me, R328.

It’s the appeal Of the dominant bully who is perceived as an Alpha

and I must admit, there's a lot of assholes running the world right now, r330, in the US, in Russia, in China, Brazil, India, Philippines, Hungary, etc, etc, etc. I wonder what percentage of the world has a complete asshole governing them right now. 80%? 90? Not sure, but clearly there is a strong need to be ruled by assholes in a lot of people.

Georgia SOS certifies state election for Biden.

A meme for a laugh today.

This article about the Electoral College made me feel better about what should be happening on Jan. 6 (counting electoral ballots).

[quote] The names of electors [elec. college] are not on the ballot in most states. Rather, when a voter casts a vote for a presidential candidate, s/he is also casting a vote for the electors already selected by the party of that candidate. If a majority of voters in a state vote for the Republican candidate for president, the Republican slate of electors is elected. If a majority vote for the Democratic candidate, the Democratic slate of electors is chosen.

So, the electoral college in a state that voted for Biden were pre-selected by the Democratic party (since a Democrat won). At least, that's my reading.

Hope you all are doing good.

Yes, the problem Is people are attracted to Dominant jerks and view tolerance, intelligence, and inclusiveness as traits of the weak.

Yes R334, that's basically the mechanism for selecting the electors.

Trump is now trying to twist the arms of Republican-majority legislatures in swing states so they disregard this vote and send the GOP slate of electors (already selected) to Congress instead of the Democratic slate.

[quote]"In theory, state legislatures could try to declare under a part of the Electoral Count Act that voters have 'failed' to make a choice for president, entitling the legislature to choose electors," Hasen writes. "But voters have made a choice, and there is no plausible argument that fraud or irregularities infected that choice. For state legislatures to do this, we are out of the realm of legal arguments and into naked power politics, where the choice of the president would get duked out in Congress." States have until the "safe harbor" date, which falls on Dec. 8, to certify the results of the election before the electors gather across the country to formally cast votes for president.

I thought this twitter thread from Ed Norton was good, his dad was a Federal prosecutor:

I’m no political pundit but I grew up w a dad who was a federal prosecutor & he taught me a lot & I’ve also sat a fair amount of poker w serious players & l’ll say this: I do not think Trump is trying to ‘make his base happy’ or ‘laying the groundwork for his own network’...

Tim Alberta says Biden will get Michigan’s electoral votes. The meeting with trump was to save face and because they can’t say no to the dear leader.

[quote]The meeting with trump was to save face and because they can’t say no to the dear leader.

Whose face?

Why the FUCK can no one say no to this tinpot Mussolini? Is he really that terrifying in person?

I’m sick of people genuflecting to an immoral, petulant ignoramus.

Garland for AG?

Interesting

[quote]Garland for AG?

Oh, yes please. Let the vengeance run through him.

[bold]Merrick Garland Among Biden Candidates For Attorney General, Sources Say[/bold]

Federal appeals court Judge Merrick Garland is under consideration to serve as attorney general in the administration of President-elect Joe Biden, NPR has learned from two people closely following the process.

Garland, 68, is the widely respected former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He launched his career at the Justice Department decades ago.

Garland oversaw the prosecution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and gained significant management experience inside the sprawling department in the 1990s.

More recently, Garland was nominated to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court by President Barack Obama, to fill the seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Despite his qualifications and a history of support from conservatives, Senate Republicans denied Garland even a hearing for the post, and he quietly returned to his job on what's considered the second most important court in the nation. On the bench, Garland focused on professionalism, collegiality and transparency, making audio of arguments widely available.

Some Justice Department veterans had been looking to history for a way to move ahead from the chaotic Trump era when the president has routinely attacked federal prosecutors and FBI agents. The current attorney general, Bill Barr, this year likened some of his employees to young students at a Montessori school.

Former Justice Department officials pointed out that after Watergate, President Gerald Ford enlisted former University of Chicago President Edward Levi to be attorney general and restore public confidence in the institution. The Justice Department bestows an award for honor and integrity in his name.

Supporters said Garland could play a similar role if he could be enticed to leave his lifetime-tenured appointment on the federal bench. Garland joins a number of other department veterans on the Biden short list for attorney general, including former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates in the Obama administration, former civil rights chief Deval Patrick and former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones, among others.

r343 That would be awesome

R342 Oooh yessssss

I'm not sure if Axios is considered a legit source.

Scoop: Trump lawyers to avoid Michigan lawmaker meeting after COVID exposure

Jonathan Swan

Rudy Giuliani and other key members of President Trump's outside legal team won't be attending today's meeting with two Michigan lawmakers because they've been exposed to the coronavirus, two sources familiar with the internal discussions tell Axios.

Why it matters: This added turmoil inside the president's legal operation comes at a time when the president is urging Republican state lawmakers to interfere with the electoral process and reverse Joe Biden's victory to a Trump win.

"It's just a shitshow, it's a joke," said a Trump campaign adviser.

Behind the scenes: Top Trump campaign officials held a conference call this morning with Eric Herschmann, a lawyer on the White House staff, in which they candidly discussed their legal conundrum.

Herschmann serves in an advisory role outside the counsel's office, and no one in the counsel's office participated on the call, according to another person familiar with the call.

Officials on the call included campaign manager Bill Stepien and advisers Jason Miller, Justin Clark, Matt Morgan, Tim Murtaugh and Boris Epshteyn, as well as Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis.

Asked whether the White House counsel's office would be present in the meeting, Herschmann told the Trump campaign officials that the counsel's office would not be represented but that somebody needed to brief the president about the legal situation.

This raised the obvious question of which member of Rudy Giuliani's legal team would join the White House meeting.

But those contingencies fell apart on the call. One of the participants told the group that Andrew Giuliani, a White House staffer and son of Rudy, has tested positive for the virus.

One of the participants on the call said Rudy Giuliani should not attend the White House meeting because he'd surely been exposed to his son. Then Ellis, a Giuliani sidekick, said if that was the case then the entire Giuliani-affiliated legal team was probably exposed, the sources said.

Trump's campaign lawyers have been holed up for days in a conference room at Trump campaign headquarters in Arlingon, Va., one of the sources said, Andrew Giuliani had been around all of them.

Andrew Giuliani acknowledged today on Twitter that he has tested positive, writing, "This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. I am experiencing mild symptoms, and am following all appropriate protocols, including being in quarantine and conducting contact tracing."

The Trump campaign declined to comment.

What's next: A source familiar with the situation told Axios that another campaign attorney is planning to attend the White House meeting in place of the COVID-infected members of the Giuliani legal team.

[quote] Boris Epshteyn

A name only DL Icon Liza could love.

[quote]Boris Epshteyn

Oh look who crawled out of 2016 hole

The far Left hates Merrick.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[quote]Rudy Giuliani and other key members of President Trump's outside legal team won't be attending today's meeting with two Michigan lawmakers because they've been exposed to the coronavirus, two sources familiar with the internal discussions tell Axios.

True. Rudi's son is positive, and has been hanging around the Elite Strike Force's headquarters.

Georgia secretary of state issues correction, saying certification of its general election results is still under way

Despite an earlier announcement, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) said the office is still completing its certification. The office issued a correction, reversing an earlier announcement that had declared the certification was complete. Raffensperger said he expects certification to be completed later Friday.

[quote]Covid seems to be infecting one Deplorable GOP on a daily basis.

I'm surprised it isn't more, considering their fondness for gathering in large crowds without wearing masks.

New York Times:

Senator Lamar Alexander:

“If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president, & it looks like he has a very good chance, the Trump Administration should provide the Biden team w/all transition materials, resources, & meetings.. to ensure a smooth transition"

Help the Biden/Harris team just in case Trump and that bitch Emily don't provide funding for the transition.

“If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president, & it looks like he has a very good chance“

How generous

The Detroit News:

Michigan Republican congressman Rep. Paul Mitchell:

“For them to do anything other than to respect the popular vote is a violation of their oath of office”

4:30PM, Friday (down to the wire): GA finally makes certification a done deal. Trump no doubt apoplectic.

Trump has until Tuesday to request recount (machine).

I'm not sure what this means if anything but Trump supporters seem to believe the "justices will be sympathetic to the lawsuits".

Miss Michigan @correctthemedia

[quote]BREAKING: Circuit Courts have been Reassigned

Effective November 20, 2020, ordered pursuant to Title 28, United States Code, Section 42. Look who is in charge of MI, WI, PA, and GA:

MI - Brett M. Kavanaugh

WI - Amy Coney Barrett

PA - Samuel A. Alito

GA - Clarence Thomas

Interesting article about the strategy Rethuglicants appear to be trying to carry out and how the Electoral Count Act of 1887 would shut it down.

[quote]Admittedly, like most elements of this scenario, the law here is untested because the scenario hasn’t played out in more than a century. When a version of it occurred in 1876, Congress enacted the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to sort out the mess if it were ever to occur again; that law favors Biden.

Assuming that Congress did receive two competing sets of electors from a state, the set of electors appointed under settled state law at the time — i.e., those appointed according to the election result — are supposed to be recognized. And even if some claim about election fraud clouded that judgment, the Electoral Count Act directs Congress to recognize the set that is certified by the governor of the state, not chosen by the legislatures. (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, notably, all have Republican-controlled legislatures and Democratic governors).

Apparently Hillary Clinton is one of the Biden electors for New York. I'd love it if she were the one to make the official declaration for Trump's home state.

I didn't look at my ballot closely enough. New York lists the electors separately.

I do have to give Cuomo and/or the legislature props for the expert trolling.

Any legal bees - is r359 something to be concerned about? The timing does seem odd.

Has anything, ANYTHING in 2020 not been something to be concerned about r363?

It is distressing that politics has become far more about divisive partisan bullshit and so much time gets taken up on all these tactical strategies for getting elected, "fighting" for control, etc. It's pathetic that any of that needs to be done, when the government is supposed to be all about the things pointed out int he Preamble, not "fighting" and "winning" and having "sides". It's supposed to be all about WE THE PEOPLE, working together for the good of all. It used to be more about disputes over policy and ways of accomplishing certain goals, with the goals themselves being similar (broad things like equal justice and opportunity for all, improving standards of living, having a safety net for those less fortunate, having a safe and secure nation, a strong economy, etc.).

I honestly cannot remember when I felt myself to be an actual part of WE THE PEOPLE.

[quote]“If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president . . .

Asshole.

Georgia governor certifies presidential electors for Biden.

From R368's link

[quote]At a news conference, Kemp did not clearly endorse the results. Instead he stated that the law requires him to “formalize the certification, which paves the way for the Trump campaign to pursue other legal options and a separate recount if they choose.”

What a fucking cunt.

Don Jr has been found to be Covid positive and is quarantining.

Trump will probably ask for a recount in Georgia since the counties are paying for it.

Maggie Haberman:

Most people in touch with him say he knows he lost despite refusing to concede. Other times he sounds like he believes the conspiracy theories that Sidney Powell has aired. But his public appearances give weight to the former.

Anyone have any idea what it will take to make Maggie Haberman go away? Forever?

Needs a serious dick punch. That'd do it.

Washington Examiner says Trump should concede:

I always count on the Washington Examiner for thoughtful, incisive political insight.

It's a pro-Republican source, R376. So it's significant that even they say Trump should concede.

In a joint statement after the meeting, the two [Michigan] lawmakers said they “have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election.”

“NEW: MI GOP leaders issue statement on Trump meeting:

"We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election."

“Michigan’s certification process should be a deliberate process free from threats and intimidation. Allegations of fraudulent behavior should be taken seriously, thoroughly investigated, and if proven, prosecuted...” etc.

They asked Trump for Covid funds. Were they trying to trade Michigan electoral college votes for Covid funds? Because Trump sure wasn’t going to give Covid funds away to a state he lost. For free.

They asked Trump for Covid funds, yet were they even wearing masks?

NBC:

JUST IN After daylong trial in final election challenge, Maricopa County judge tells both sides she'll toss out lawsuit 'with prejudice.' Meantime, Maricopa County Board will certify results within the hour. It is over.

Didn't Kemp in GA say that after they certified, Trump could challenge it in court even more? Not that it will change Biden’s win, but it’s just more oxygen for Trump’s conspiracy theory based fundraising.

Sounds like the Trump "Stop the Steal" train is heading over a cliff, finally.

Interesting wording - threats and intimidation?:

“Michigan’s certification process should be a deliberate process free from threats and intimidation."

It's STOP THE SEAL, people!

Lisa Kudrow with new tits as Ivanka in a high camp interpretation

Did the MI leaders at least kick him in the dick, cause that would be the only useful thing to do if you meet Trump these days. a dick kicking is the only reasonable response to all his nonsense.

[quote]Maggie Haberman

She and the rest of Trump Whisperers are on my last nerve.

Georgia was hand recounted. Then Certified. Fucker Kemp keeping the fiction of some other remedy when there isn't.

It's over, Donald.

[quote]They asked Trump for Covid funds. Were they trying to trade Michigan electoral college votes for Covid funds? Because Trump sure wasn’t going to give Covid funds away to a state he lost. For free.

Ya know, R379, I wouldn't put it past Trump at this point. No way was that meeting just to discuss Covid funds.

It’s over. The election wasn’t close enough to stage a coup. The MI GOP guys are idiots but they’re not about to ignore a 150k vote difference. If it was 5k then I’d be worried.

We should still be scared. And disturbed. And outraged. If the election were closer, they would have stolen it. They will try the next one.

Biden just surpassed 11 million votes in California. Prior to 2020, no presidential candidate had ever hit 9 million votes in any state.

Biggest pro-Trump margin swings vs. 2016 in the U.S. so far (excluding NY, where there are still over a million absentees left to count):

1. Hawaii +2.7% 2. Utah +2.4% 2. Florida +2.2% 3. California +0.8% 4. Arkansas +0.7%

You know what? I AM DONE. Bring it.

Nate Cohn: One interesting thing about this election is the extent that the 2016 post-mortems and subsequent arguments for how Democrats should win--by basically everyone!--don't necessarily look great in retrospect.

And most of all, this theory assumed--implicitly--that all Dems needed to do was win 2016, as the president had maxed out his support, hadn't won any new converts, and couldn't compete in a higher turnout election. That assumption was wrong

Instead, Biden wound up winning in a way that I think many post-2016 post-mortems allowed as a possibility, but that I think had relatively few advocates: more-or-less run the Clinton playbook, but with a less polarizing candidate

As a result, Biden's gains came in many of the same places that Clinton surged in four years ago: traditionally Republican, well-educated suburbs, and often with limited coat-tails for downballot Democrats

Many of the challenges identified for Democrats in their 2016 post-mortem still hold today: the Trump-Obama vote; something less than the turnout they wanted/assumed; and now the added issue of relative weakness among nonwhite voters

Even Brian kemp certified results. That should calm the “coup” people down.

Presidential Vote across 3 military installations in SoCal:

2016: 62-38 Trump 2020: 51-49 Trump

Pretty clear Trump slumped with service members...

@Redistrict Amazing that Trump got a 2.2% swing in FL despite giving up 6 points among whites to Biden.

R390 Grimace sings too?

When Brian kemp certifies results...yeah no GOP are gonna “go there”

Washington Post:

Michigan attorney general ponders criminal probes of state and local officials who bend to Trump’s will on overturning election results

[quote]And most of all, this theory assumed--implicitly--that all Dems needed to do was win 2016, as the president had maxed out his support, hadn't won any new converts, and couldn't compete in a higher turnout election. That assumption was wrong

No, it wasn't. THEY FUCKING CHEATED.

[quote]@Redistrict Amazing that Trump got a 2.2% swing in FL despite giving up 6 points among whites to Biden.

Because THEY FUCKING CHEATED.

I swear the Democrats better not spend the next two to four years trying to figure out how these inexplicable things happened and go and prove the fucking cheating that we know did happen, in 2020 and 2016. And, then they better make the Repugs fucking pay.

AMEN R404. I'm so fucking sick of everyone ignoring the bipartisan (!!) findings of the Senate Intelligence Committee this past August. I'm so sick of everyone forgetting Manafort, Bannon, Stone, (fill-in-the-blank-with-Trump-mobster), etc. and their filthy hands that meddled back in 2016 and continued to scheme for another 4 years. Why was it that highly respected polls were always spot on until the 2016 election and then suddenly again in 2020? WAKE UP PEOPLE. By no means was the cheating done to favor the corrupt GOP limited to this one "special foreign helper", but we at least know that they were a factor. And more will come out about just how much the done in-plain-sight sabotaging of the USPS did to conveniently "lose" ballots as well.

And your evidence of this cheating is where?

Your evidence?

[quote]And your evidence of this cheating is where?

In a couple of South Florida Congressional districts, the Republicans paid for Independent candidates with similar names to Democratic incumbents to get on the ballot.

I know this is piddling compared to our anxiety about the Presidential election, but it appears that the New York State Senate is headed to a veto-proof Democratic majority, which is going to force Cuomo further left. That, plus NJ's ballot initiative will likely finally get marijuana legalization passed. My Senator (Democrat in a very, very safe seat) ran unopposed, and she was the one who had blocked it from advancing in the last term. I wrote in Snoop Dogg. My husband wrote in Willie Nelson.

Who's had the young and lissome Mr. Lee Chatfield, America's youngest Speaker of the House? He could be Madison Cawthorn's older brother, and a Liberty University graduate!

I came to believe the appeal of Trump was that he had simple answers to every problem and he spoke bluntly, which compared to most politicians people mistook for genuine. There's an old line: you run on poetry and govern in prose. Trump ran and governed on bathroom wall graffiti.

Never mind the crockery he smashed... never mind some of it seemed (seemed) to work - cancers can be slow growing, too.... he just lurched along pied piping enough idiots to shore up a critical mass that the Republican establishment saw opportunity and went along with it. The joke, and the real price, is now they and we are stuck with it for five or ten years (at least, if we're lucky.)

[quote] NoelCaslerComedy @CaslerNoel; I can help but think there’s been a steady stream of sex workers in Trump Hotel DC for the last 4 years collecting kompromat on all the GOP dudes kissing his ring. He collected it at the Plaza & Trump Props for decades. He will use it to continue to wield power.

[quote] Breaking: @LeeChatfield , the same day he pretended his meeting with @realDonaldTrump was about COVID, pictured maskless, drinking in Trump hotel with others. A slap in the face to the people in Michigan who are doing their best to fight COVID. Image

Trump improved his showing among Latinos by scaling back some of his immigration rhetoric and engaging in a sustained bilingual social media and TV ad campaign that courted Latinos based on place of origin, gender and religion.

But, in interviews with more than a dozen experts on Hispanic voters in six states, no factor was as salient as Trump’s blue-collar appeal for Latinos. “Most Latinos identify first as working-class Americans, and Trump spoke to that,” said Josh Zaragoza, a top Democratic data specialist in Arizona, adding that Hispanic men in particular “are very entrepreneurial. Their economic language is more aligned with the way Republicans speak: pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, owning your own business.”

And then there’s the way the left spoke — or were framed by Trump’s campaign for speaking. Calls to “defund the police,” a boycott of Goya Foods and the threat of socialism turned off some Latino voters. And even using the term Latinx to describe Latinos in a way that’s gender-neutral only served to puzzle many Hispanics.

“About 97 percent of Latinos don’t say ‘Latinx,’” Zaragoza said, referring to a Pew Research poll on the subject. “We’re building strategies around young progressive activists and organizations — and they’re necessary and we appreciate what they do. But a lot of Latino voters are focused on ‘I’m a hardworking American trying to feed my family or build a business,’ and a lot of this language doesn’t speak to them.”

Even though Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) lost the Democratic presidential primary, his embrace of socialism and Latin American leftist leaders was used in swing district races against congressional Democrats — who lost seats in the House and made far fewer gains in the Senate and in state legislatures than expected.

“Let’s face it, ‘defund the police’ is just not the best slogan, especially in a place like Miami, where a lot of people work in law enforcement, or along the border of Texas, where Latinos are in Border Patrol,” said Jose Parra, founder of the consultancy Prospero Latino and a past adviser to Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.

Adam Schiff has won Twitter for at least the week.

It seems very quiet now. Don’t Michigan and Pennsylvania certify on Monday? Has Don Corleone been blocked from stopping the inevitable?

Donie O'Sullivan @donie

Twitter confirming this evening that accounts like @POTUS, @FLOTUS, @PressSec will all be handed over to the Biden Administration on Inauguration Day.

I hope they fumigate them. The virtual stink on all of them will be noxious.

It’s all over except the death threats

Hitting the wall

[quote] Rick Santorum demonstrates what the entire Republican Party is currently doing to sore loser Donald Trump.

Updates:

More:

Source:

There aren’t any cases going to the US Supreme Court. Even if they appeal the pending PA case, which asks the court to throw out ALL PA votes, the high court won’t take it.

Can someone explain r420?

Breaking: Michigan wants to postpone certification for 2 weeks so they can “audit” Detroit votes.

Ahhhh, so THIS is what Election Tampering looks like.

With his henchmen sidelined in Covid quarantine, Trump is losing precious time.

"'twas Covid what killed the beast"

Yeah, those two MI guys are up to something. That statement they released last night was bullshit. This is a coup.

Trump is fucked if they certify and THEN audit. It is only a delaying tactic.

[quote]Breaking: Michigan wants to postpone certification for 2 weeks so they can “audit” Detroit votes.

When will Biden decide to get his lawyers involved?

I think this is where Biden lawyers need to step in. If they don't certify by the 30th won't they be down half the state legislature?

Source?

Harry Enten was on CNN last night explaining that compared to 2016, Biden got fewer votes in Detroit than Clinton and Trump increased his votes. Where Biden won more votes relative to 2016 and what led to his victory was the suburbs.

But Rethugs want to audit Detroit. It's not about the votes.

According to Michigan reporters, you can’t audit until the results are certified.

The two Michigan guys were drinking champagne at the trump hotel in DC all night last night. They don’t care about the pandemic. That statement they released is total BS and very scary. They’re gonna steal this thing.

How are they going to do that, paranoid Jane?

[QUOTE] Breaking: Michigan wants to postpone certification for 2 weeks so they can “audit” Detroit votes.

“Breaking” posts require a source.

From what I have read, it isn't "Michigan" that wants to postpone certification, but a GOP official in Michigan who sent a letter requesting it. Doesn't mean it will happen.

Do we think that 45 & his clown alley continuing to disenfranchise urban voters in MI & PA (thus far), help Warnock & Ossoff?

The courts will end up certifying Michigan is my guess.

The governor can step in and replace the electors if they try anything.

Source is CNN. It is the Michigan GOP that is requesting postponement.

R430: Friday evening, John James asked for a 2 week halt on Mondays' certification (source is Detroit Free Press). He has afidavits from THREE poll workers. He will uncover massive fraud in Michigan!

James hasn't conceded his loss for the Senate, and is still a Black Republican.

If true, it would give GSA Emily another reason not to approve the transition.

[quote]From what I have read, it isn't "Michigan" that wants to postpone certification, but a GOP official in Michigan who sent a letter requesting it. Doesn't mean it will happen.

The only source I could find for this was Fox News, which reported that it's specifically a GOP Senate candidate who thinks it should be postponed.

[QUOTE] Source is CNN. It is the Michigan GOP that is requesting postponement.

No, it’s not.

Thanks for wasting our time

Any black who is a Republican should be deported

R437 is right, Michigan has not requested postponement, only John James.

This is why we ask for links, because these threads are always full of people who half heard a sentence fragment on CNN in the background and post it as "Breaking News."

Did they really pay I mean (cough) find THREE poll workers who were all in on the great heist in Wayne County to make up a bunch of black people and fill out ballots for them?

Florida and south Texas are huge problems

if democrats keep using the word latinx they will lose more latino voters. for starters, latino need gender description femenine or masculine in order for things to make sense linguistically. second, latinos dislike the vowel x , this vowel seems foreign and it is associated with languages other than spanish, besides, for spanish speakers an x at the end of a word just doesnt make any sense at all, to the point that they dont even know how to pronounce latinX, so they will naturally revert to spanish terminations a/o. only english speaking idiots believe that this word will be accepted by the hispanic community in general. it would also have to be accepted in latinamerica well, and it just wont, cuz they will perceive it as just another "anglocentrism".

Reuters reports:

The Republican National Committee and the Michigan Republican Party wrote to Michigan’s state board of canvassers on Saturday asking it to adjourn for 14 days to allow for an audit of ballots in the state’s largest county.

The board, which includes two Democrats and two Republicans, is due to meet on Nov. 23 to certify election results and will have as many as 20 days to do so.

The letter urged a full audit of votes in Wayne County, which includes the majority-Black city of Detroit, citing allegations of “irregularities” in the county that have not been substantiated.

From Twitter - letter from GOP Chair McDaniel asking for postponement and audit:

“JUST IN: @GOPChairwoman & @MIGOPChair pen a letter to the Board of State Canvassers asking them not to certify Michigan’s election results at Monday’s meeting. Instead, they ask them to adjourn for 14 days & audit Wayne County results first.”

Adjourn for 14 days. How conveeeeeeeeeenient.

Michigan is embarrassing itself. Brian kemp cites his “constitutional duty” to certify results where Biden only won by 12k and those two MI scum to conspire on how to steal MI where Biden won by 150k with the president in the Oval Office. So sad. And they will succeed.

More delays for the transition = buying time for more Trump bat shit crazy fuckery.

Just Fucking This Shit.

Ronna McDaniel is a disgusting pig who deserves to be the victim of a violent crime

CNN chyron still says it is Michigan GOP & the RNC seeking delay and audit.

I am so tired of this bullshit already. Please someone just take Trump out with a sniper already.

The president’s allies have said that if the board deadlocks, the legislature could choose to ignore Biden’s popular-vote win and seat Trump electors. But experts say such a move would be on shaky legal ground. And multiple election lawyers have said that scenario is unlikely for several reasons. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has the power to fire members of the canvassing board and appoint interim replacements without legislative approval. And Democrats are highly likely to file suit in the event the board deadlocks, because state law directs the board to follow the popular vote in its decision to certify.

The thing is this, according to the Michigan SOS you can’t do an audit until AFTER the state has been certified.

Lol @ anyone who believes those two GOP Michigan guys’ statement. Covid relief? Their impeaching Whitmer over her covid response. They don’t care about the pandemic. Do NOT trust that statement. Michigan will be certified ONLY because state law is strict about it. If it wasn’t, they would absolutely steal it. They would do whatever trump asked them to do in the Oval Office.

Source?

James called for 2-week delay and audit Friday evening. The GOP piggybacked on it Saturday morning.

The Michigan AG is looking into prosecuting the two GOP guys who went to DC. Will be very interesting to see who picked up the tab for their Dom at the Trump hotel.

Did they really stay at Trump's hotel?

They were photographed drinking Dom Perignon at the hotel bar

I missed that entirely. They really don't give a shit about optics do they?

What are they celebrating, so ostentatiously?

We need to find out ASAP

David Becker @beckerdavidj

[quote]Some PA Republicans bring a lawsuit, 18 days after an election in which their party outperformed expectations, to claim that a law passed A YEAR AGO, BY THEIR OWN PARTY, is unconstitutional. Because the president can’t accept that he lost by double the margin he won by in 2016.

Alan Feuer@alanfeuer

[quote]JUST IN: Plaintiffs including two GOP congressmen from PA have filed a new lawsuit seeking to invalidate the state's recently passed mail in ballot law as unconstitutional and to stop certification of the statewide election results scheduled for Monday.

Desperation, a new fragrance for Republicans

Is Parnell the reality tv guy with the clown car. womb wife?

Also, isn't it the definition of a cultist to sacrifice their own election for the Orange Foolius?

[quote] A group of 8 Republicans, including Congressman Mike Kelly & PA-17 candidate Sean Parnell are suing the GOP majority PA General Assembly, Gov. Tom Wolf, and Sec. of State Kathy Boockvar, claiming Act 77, which allowed for mail-in voting, is unconstitutional.

[quote] Act 77 passed with majority Republican support in a GOP-controlled legislature in 2019. It allowed for mail-in voting and eliminated straight party ticket ballots. It passed the House 138-61, with only one GOP "No" vote. It passed the Senate 30-20 with all GOP voting "Yes".

[quote] In the lawsuit, filed this morning in Commonwealth Court, plaintiffs say Act 77 is "unconstitutional," and "implemented illegally." They argue it's an illegal attempt to override limitations on absentee voting, and needed to go through a constitutional amendment first

[quote] Plaintiffs in lawsuit say the certification of the election, which Joe Biden is currently leading by 80,000 in race for President, and which Rep. Kelly won and Mr. Parnell lost, should be prohibited.

Link

You can’t declare it unconstitutional after voters relied upon the law to vote

WOW the nut cases are really coming out now! The Reuters story is already debunked as this type of audit/delay is not permitted under Michigan law. We can only imagine the shenanigans that will take place tomorrow ahead of some critical certifications next week.

"Another week, another destiny. This never-ending road to Calvary. These men who seem to know my crime. Will surely come a second time One week more..."

Nor is some after the fact lawsuit a basis to stop certification. These are all pathetic attempts to change a simple reality: Biden won because a majority of Americans rejected Donald Trump.

[quote] Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson briefs reporters on the recount in Milwaukee. Trump lost the state by more than 20,000 votes, but so far only three ballots have been invalidated. Nevertheless, Trump campaign observers have been objecting to every ballot

[quote] Milwaukee County Elections Director Julietta Henry says some observers are objecting to EVERY absentee ballot that is folded. (Absentee ballots are all folded, so that would be every absentee ballot.)

[quote] A representative from Cudahy says that at least one Trump observer has objected to large numbers of ballots because poll workers were placing them in too many piles.

[quote] Another clerk says that they have received an objection about an absentee ballot cast by a hospitalized voter. A number of Wisconsinites hospitalized with COVID-19 cast absentee ballots this year as the state has faced a spike in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

R478 Christ, sounds like every Karen in the state saw their chance for revenge on society

[quote]Biden won because a majority of Americans rejected Donald Trump.

A majority rejected him in 2016 too. How'd that work out?

This time we won the electoral college, but you knew that.

The problem, as always, is male voters. White. Black. Hispanic. It doesn't matter. We need to take the vote away from males for a couple decades to fix the country.

I am sure all of these people are being threatened with primary challenges.

GOP is aiming for Pennsylvania to switch electors now.

Remember when the claim was they're just playing along to soothe Trump's ego? They're about a week away from proclaiming "peace in our time".

[quote]Brian kemp cites his “constitutional duty” to certify results where Biden only won by 12k and those two MI scum to conspire on how to steal MI where Biden won by 150k with the president in the Oval Office.

Fox News: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp certified the state’s presidential election results Friday in favor of President-elect Joe Biden — but called for another audit of the votes.

Now that the results are certified, the Trump 2020 Campaign will have until Tuesday to request another recount, he said, because the vote is within a half-percent. The recount would be paid for by the state.

Man I wish I hadn’t read the last 30 posts, I’m getting agita from these gop fuckwads.

Now I’m thinking maybe it’s a good idea that judges have lifetime terms. If there is an honest bone in their bodies, Republican appointed judges can throw out or rule against these frivolous suits without worrying about repercussions.

Yep, that was the idea behind lifetime appointments

Now Republican's in the Senate are saying they won't let Biden have the cabinet nominees he wants. They 'claim' that since Democrats didn't let Trump have who he wanted, they are going to do the same that the Democrats did. Thing is Republican's had a majority in the Senate the entire Trump term and he got what he wanted. Trump is the one who started not even send nominees up to the Senate for confirmation. He just wanted "Acting Secretaries".

Then we’ll just do the “acting Secretary” thing too.

See how that works, Mitch?

That’s not going to happen (other than perhaps a radical token or two).

At [bold] most [/bold] Mitch will have a two vote margin. Some senate Republicans have already said Biden should have his cabinet choices. Biden will nominate some from Republicans’ home states. And if Mitch loses even two votes, Harris will break the tie.

Trump will keep up all these shenanigans until mid-January. Then he will resign and be pardoned.

The only way he can “steal” the election is for Congress and the Supreme Court to decide against our system of voting. There is no proof of any widespread fraud so it’s a waste of time to speculate it would even happen. If they were to do that, people would stop paying taxes and burn down government buildings including the White House. It would start a civil war.

Yes, cotton candy head might be pardoned, but only for Federal charges. Once he’s out of office, here comes NY Attorney General Letitia James, and NY District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, who will charge now “private citizen trump”, with non-pardonable State charges involving tax evasion, tax fraud, and bank fraud. This is a big reason why trump is behaving like a raging, incoherent, lunatic. Good times coming!

Glenn Kirschner:

Trump Can't Install Himself as President, But His Actual Goal May Be Immunity From Prosecution

^ crackpot in the basement

I'm starting to think that the end game here is to exhaust everybody to the point that Biden commits to non-prosecution in return for finally getting his fat ass to leave the White House without getting dragged by his feet and dealing with violent protests from MAGAts and armed militias nationwide.

[quote]Now Republican's in the Senate are saying they won't let Biden have the cabinet nominees he wants. They 'claim' that since Democrats didn't let Trump have who he wanted, they are going to do the same that the Democrats did. Thing is Republican's had a majority in the Senate the entire Trump term and he got what he wanted.

STOP using apostrophes to make PLURALS. It's not that complicated.

[quote]I'm starting to think that the end game here is to exhaust everybody to the point that Biden commits to non-prosecution in return for finally getting his fat ass to leave the White House without getting dragged by his feet and dealing with violent protests from MAGAts and armed militias nationwide.

That's exactly the point.

Biden has already told his staff he doesn’t want to focus on Trump prosecutions. However what other state and federal prosecutors do is out of his hands. This is why I think Trump will resign so he can be pardoned for all federal crimes.

I’m just going to focus on the State crimes. New York is prepped, locked, and loaded to indict Ronald McDonald the minute IT leaves the White House.

Personally I think that's a good strategy on Biden's part, R501. Let the states go after him and stay out of the fray. Federal government spending years investigating and going after Trump would just detract from other things that need to be accomplished and sustain this divisive partisan environment. It will be divisive enough without all that. Don't get me wrong....Trump has done more things wrong that we could list here and deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his life. But let the states handle it. Remember that some of the most prolific criminals of all time ended up in jail for tax evasion because that was the easiest to prove. Although....maybe that is federal?

President Donald Trump has driven senators into retirement and tweeted wayward Republicans into primary defeat during four years leading the GOP. Now, as a lame duck, he’s launched a new campaign against GOP election officials who won’t bend to his will.

No GOP official has caught more flak than Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fairly conventional Republican who won the job as Georgia’s top election official two years ago running as a rock-ribbed, anti-voter fraud conservative — with Trump’s endorsement. Now, he's getting death threats.

The threats “started out fairly general in nature,” said Al Schmidt, a Republican elections commissioner in Philadelphia. “But then regrettably, after the president tweeted my name, there were more of them, and they were far more specific in nature. So, referencing my children, and what they’re going to do to them.”

I don't care if REPUBS have control of the Senate. The ONLY thing that is keeping this coalition together is the fear of Chump and his supporters. Once he is officially proclaimed the loser the claws and the knives will come out. In some ways this is worse than Julius Caesar. Chump still lives and will bear witness to the retribution that is coming. Already, 4 REPUB senators have broken from the ranks. More will certainly follow once he us politically dead

This might sound cold, but I don’t really care if Brad Raffensperger and his family are getting death threats. You bought a ticket to the Trump show, you have to stay until the end.

Tough shit. Did you think that little endorsement was going to be free?

[quote]The threats “started out fairly general in nature,” said Al Schmidt, a Republican elections commissioner in Philadelphia. “But then regrettably, after the president tweeted my name, there were more of them, and they were far more specific in nature. So, referencing my children, and what they’re going to do to them.”

This is so typical Russian mobster tactics - bribery, blackmail, threats, extortion, killing opponents.

I've been saying for quite some time that I believe Mueller was threatened by Barr, who I'm sure was involved in Epstein's death.

Trump's latest Pennsylvania lawsuit got tossed.

Federal judge tossed the PA case.

PA case dismissed.

[quote]second, latinos dislike the vowel x

Say what now?

I'm so sick of the entire world pandering to machismo/Marlboro Man bullshit.

Brad Heath (Reuters):

The court seems puzzled that Trump wants to invalidate the presidential race, but uphold other races on the same ballot. "Even if it were logically possible to hold PA's electoral system both constitutional and unconstitutional at the same time, the Court would not do so."

I know Twitter is not "real life;" however, I'm still fairly isolated, so it's what I've got. And my Twitter feed is refilling with #DefundthePolice posts about police budgets and the outlay for settlements for police brutality and other misconduct. I want to respond with requests that they hold off on that shit until mid-January, so as to let the Georgia Senate races not get polluted. And while I recognize the tweeters as regulars, I wonder how this restarted and who's behind it. It's hard to believe it's just an innocent accident.

[quote]second, latinos dislike the vowel x

When did 'x' become a vowel?

R514, stay off Twitter. I don't care how isolated you are. You are doing this to yourself.

Brad Heath (Reuters):

Judge: "Even assuming that they can establish that their right to vote has been denied, which they cannot, Plaintiffs seek to remedy the denial of their votes by invalidating the votes of millions of others. ... This is simply not how the constitution works."

[quote]who will charge now “private citizen trump”, with non-pardonable State charges

Oh, I can pardon them.

Trump supporters in Georgia vow to destroy the Republican Party if Trump doesn't win

[quote]end game here is to exhaust everybody to the point that Biden commits to non-prosecution in return for finally getting his fat ass to leave the White House

If this were true, there's a window. Maybe Christmas. After that, there's not a lot for Biden to gain since it's over January 20.

I want anyone to pardon Trump and for Biden to LIFT/VOID the pardons.

Just like Trump, the pardon power has never been tested by the SCOTUS.

Let HIS court make it public.

Joe Walsh:

I served in Congress with @MikeKellyPA. I liked him back then. I don’t recognize him now. This is despicable. This is shameful. This is un-American. Today’s Republican Party just sucks.

[quote] And while I recognize the tweeters as regulars, I wonder how this restarted and who's behind it. It's hard to believe it's just an innocent accident.

Good point.

But also, the morning after the election all of the Bernie Bros I followed IMMEDIATELY started piling on with what a horrible candidate Joe was and how they were going to have to force him to the left (payment for all of the hard work--and holding their noses--they did getting him elected). Add to that AOC making her power grab and issuing demands about who is allowed in the cabinet

I don't think these things are mutually exclusive.

[quote]Trump supporters in Georgia vow to destroy the Republican Party if Trump doesn't win

You go, gurls!

It would be at least be a little satisfying if he leaves office with pardons. Maybe it would be a small step into the deprogramming of deplorables. I mean they would definitely have to consider why It is he would need one.

Adding to R519 post.

Isaac Saul@Ike_Saul

[quote]The brilliant Lin Wood is now encouraging his conservative followers not to vote in the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff. This is the legendary mind that mixed up Michigan and Minnesota and will overturn the election results. Got it.

Lin Wood@LLinWood

[quote]Let’s speak truth about @SenLoeffler & @sendavidperdue. Why are they doing little or nothing to support efforts by GA citizens to address unlawful election & need for @BrianKempGA to order special session of legislature? If not fixed, I will NOT vote in GA runoff.

[quote]Will you?

The monster Republicans and Fox News created is turning them.

I swear to God there need to be hangings in the public square of these fuckwads when this is over.

[quote] Trump supporters in Georgia vow to destroy the Republican Party if Trump doesn't win.

Divide and conquer is a good strategy. There are probably ways to help this along.

[quote]Trump supporters in Georgia vow to destroy the Republican Party if Trump doesn't win.

And this sums up why the republican party bends over and presents hole to Trump. He has taken control of their party and they don't know how to get it back. No, that gives them too much credit. They allowed Trump to steal their party and now they are all Trump's bitches.

This needs to be a lesson for Democrats. Bernie and his sycophants have gotten dangerously close to taking over our party. Let's not let that happen.

The Memorandum Opinion from the Pennsylvania case that was thrown out. I think this is Rudy's case posted above where they wanted to throw out millions of votes.

[quote]One might expect that when seeking such a startling outcome, a plaintiff would come formidably armed with compelling legal arguments and factual proof of rampant corruption, such that this Court would have no option but to regrettably grant the proposed injunctive relief despite the impact it would have on such a large group of citizens.

[quote]That has not happened. Instead, this Court has been presented with strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations, unpled in the operative complaint and unsupported by evidence.

[quote]Plaintiffs’ only remaining claim alleges a violation of equal protection. This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together from two distinct theories in an attempt to avoid controlling precedent.

Trump would say “I accept the pardon even though I don’t need it.”

That judge kicked Rudy in the cunt and in the nuts (oops forgot he doesn’t have any).

How much more humiliation does his team of "legal experts" need at this point? By the time this is all done, these clowns will be the laughing stock of their profession. I wouldn't hire any of them to represent me in a small claims court.

What's the chance that Trump throws a hissy fit and doesn't bother pardoning anyone since "If I can't have one, fuck them, either can they!"? That would be delicious.

The judge that just threw out the PA case is a long standing Republican AND WAS A TRUMP APPOINTEE. Suck on that, Trumpardo!

"In the United States of America, this cannot justify the disenfranchisement of a single voter, let alone all the voters of its sixth most populated state. Our people, laws, and institutions demand more," the judge wrote." At bottom, Plaintiffs have failed to meet their burden to state a claim upon which relief may be granted."

Whoops, I might have been wrong that he was appointed by Trump. But definitely a Repub.

Now the Repubs are thanking the PA judge for his quick decision, so they can more quickly get to the Supreme Court in appeals.

Good luck with that appeal.

R530, it is the complete opposite. The Republicans rely on the the hive mentality and group think. Differences of opinions are not welcome. Either you tow the party line or get out. We are not those people. We can intelligently discuss issues and agree to walk away respecting each other even if we differ on how how to approach a problem, The Biden victory is a testament to this. Everyone the Clintons, Obamas, Sanders and a host of others all hit the road to get him elected. We must allow open discourse within our party.

[quote]This needs to be a lesson for Democrats. Bernie and his sycophants have gotten dangerously close to taking over our party. Let's not let that happen.

The big difference is that Bernie's wing of the party could never win a Democratic primary, while Trump won the Republican primary in a landslide. Bernie and The Squad may be quite visible, but they have no real power. They've been marginalized ever further after Biden won and received a record number of votes. We even lost the Latino vote in Florida and Texas because of the fear of socialism.

Bernie's priority wasn't winning, just weakening the Dem candidates.

Senator Pat Toomey @SenToomey

Read my statement on today’s Pennsylvania federal court decision, and congratulating President-Elect Biden:

Liz fucking Cheney

[quote] "America is governed by the rule of law," the chair of the House Republican Conference said in a statement. "The President and his lawyers have made claims of criminality and widespread fraud, which they allege could impact election results. If they have genuine evidence of this, they are obligated to present it immediately in court and to the American people."

[quote] "If the President cannot prove these claims or demonstrate that they would change the election result, he should fulfill his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States by respecting the sanctity of our electoral process,” she added.

Four years. Four long, endless years I barraged Toomey's office with faxes, emails, phone calls, imploring that little rat bastard to show evidence of having even one vertebra. And NOW he opens his mealy mouth to oppose Trump?

I will be praying for you to land face-first in the grease fire, you sniveling twat.

[quote] Trump supporters in Georgia vow to destroy the Republican Party if Trump doesn't win.

[bold]. SO much winning !

Breaking: Kelly Loeffler is self-isolating after positive, then inconclusive, coronavirus tests

Maybe we' ll only need one runoff.

[quote]Four years. Four long, endless years I barraged Toomey's office with faxes, emails, phone calls, imploring that little rat bastard to show evidence of having even one vertebra. And NOW he opens his mealy mouth to oppose Trump?

It's because he's retiring.

OFF WITH HER HAIR!!!!

Mrs. Betty Bowers @BettyBowers

KKKelly has KKKovid beKKKause KKKarma.

At first I read that Kelly was self loathing after her positive test. I liked the sound of that.

R537...Obama appointee, but you’re right full on Republican.

To your point, GOP seem to think they have sway over judges they appoint and/confirm, but they are losing to same.

Womp womp.

This feels so accurate. We are in a coup and we don’t even realize.

R538, case was dismissed, with prejudice. Can that be appealed? Not that it will matter once PA certifies, but what is there to appeal in a case that was never heard?

I don’t wish anyone would die, but I do wish one of these assh*oles who catch COVID would get a really dreadful case, bad enough to scare some sense into the pandemic deniers. Seems like Boris Johnson was the last high profile politician who was really ill.

[quote] Can that be appealed?

A dismissal with prejudice cannot be appealed.

Thanks R557, I do see that. So this is the one Rudy is hoping they’ll win a the Supreme Court. I guess that could impact PA certification next week.

Dammit these people are disgusting.

Washington Post:

Trump campaign requests recount of hand-recounted results in Georgia, which is unlikely to change outcome

The longer Trump strings along his supporters, the harder it will be for them to accept the inevitable.

Also, no pardons for Trump. We cannot let another would be dictator think he/she won’t be held responsible for their criminal activity just because they achieved the Presidency.

I’m still not concerned about this court challenges and request for recounts and Trump meetings... but, months ago I would have been against prosecuting a former president, even a criminal like Trump. But now I’ve changed my mind. Since they’ve thrown out political norms, maybe we need to as well. And I know the prosecuting him is only going to make him a martyr, but I don’t care anymore. He’s got to answer for some of this shit. And he has to be neutralized.

[558] No, that is incorrect. With prejudice means the same suit cannot be filed again in that district (trial) court. It has nothing to do with whether a case can be appealed.

Thanks R562, that is my understanding as well. I misread R557, I thought they said it could be appealed.

My boyfriend, Neal Katyal, a real lawyer who has argued in front of the Supreme Court, tweets:

“Huge loss for Trump in the big federal court challenge. Scathing opinion. Calls it meritless. This thing is way over.”

I agree Dump will just string it out. Tonight he is questioning why Biden is forming a cabinet when the election is still not over. He is beyond the worst President ever because he is actively undermining voting and courts as impartial bodies of government. If a bullet struck him down the planet would rejoice.

I don't advocate violence as a solution, but I am truly shocked that there hasn't been an assassination attempt yet.

If it weren't for the logo, would you have believed this came from Newsmax?

Trump’s appeals should be denied. If anything is taken up, be very afraid.

R561 I agree! His behavior this year has been absolutely criminal. He needs to get hit with the heaviest charges the courts will bear. And I have a feeling we don’t even know the tip of the iceberg of his crimes.

2 - 35

I created part 24 for when it is needed - we got caught short last time

I don't want him to die, just suffer a stroke or something where he's unable to talk coherently and lose mobility of his hands, but still be fully cognizant and aware, and unable to communicate. That would be hell for him. And then live for another 20 years.

[quote]suffer a stroke or something where he's unable to talk coherently and lose mobility of his hands

Well, he's already halfway there.

Damn, Daddy Dick's genes are powerful stuff at R544 pic.

A dismissal with prejudice can still be appealed. With prejudice means that they can't start over on the same charges from scratch. Had the case been dismissed without prejudice, they could have gone back to the drawing board and tried again.

[quote]The monster Republicans and Fox News created is turning them.

It is entertaining to see Fox viewers abandon the channel because it's not longer insane enough for them -- but the alternatives (OAN and Newsmax) are going to make the situation even worse.

And Parler

That piece at R554 is so spot on. I'm sick of optimists telling me that our "sacred institutions" will hold and protect us. The fact that they are regarded as "sacred," thus never held up to any kind of scrutiny, review, modernization, or improvement is exactly why we're in this fucking shitshow in the first place.

ADAPT OR DIE, bitches.

Rumor is that Tish James has dozens of indictments that she's going to unseal on January 21st.

I would believe it. I suspect she's been preparing for this since she took office.

If it's true, she needs to end the announcement with "I'm Tish James, bitch!"

Maryland’s Eastern Shore:

2016- Trump: 58.4% Clinton: 36.3%

2020- Trump: 56.8% Biden: 41.2%

I guess there are some cracks in the dam. Chris Christie appears to have joined the reality-based community. And Fred Upton, a Republican House member from Michigan basically said "It's over."

More of that please.

This isn’t over. Those two MI guys are up to something. We’ll see what happens tomorrow but I’m not holding my breath that MI certifies.

[quote]suffer a stroke or something where he's unable to talk coherently and lose mobility of his hands

He doesn't seem able to speak coherently now. But his hands and fingers are so tiny, I'm afraid signals can still reach them from his reptile brain.

I do think he'll get himself banned from Twitter for violating their terms of service, once he's outside of their idiotic "world leader" exemptions after January 20.

Glenn Kirschner:

Trump Knows He Lost. Next Up: Pardons & How to Defeat Corruptly-Delivered Pardons in Court

Remember when Trump lamented that counting mail-in votes would delay declaring a winner of the election on Election Day? Yet here we are, with the certifications, which happen weeks after Election Day, being the ONLY way to determine the winner.

What an asshole.

SCOTUSblog shuts down Rudy & co.

R554, is correct we must fight for our country and our constitution. Almost 80 million voters got that. We are holding by around six million people. we have got to do more.

Is Sydney Powell an escaped mental patient? She and Rudy are raving lunatics.

Jonathan Swan:

The publicly-stated position of President Trump's legal team is that the reason Trump lost Georgia is because Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has been bribed by a Venezuelan front company in cahoots with the CIA to throw elections to Communists.

Anti-JFK handbill that was circulated in Dallas, November 1963, saying that the President “has given support and encouragement to the Communist inspired racial riots”:

[quote]The publicly-stated position of President Trump's legal team is that the reason Trump lost Georgia is because Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has been bribed by a Venezuelan front company in cahoots with the CIA to throw elections to Communists.

They've also stated that Kelly Loeffler cheated her way into a second place finish in the Senate election, so she shouldn't be in the runoff.

I could explain that, but I don't speak Crazy.

Those Georgia Republicans need to boycott the runoff elections for Senate. That will show the world how they are sick and tired of being lied to by the current Republicans and Fox News.

That's why Christie called Trump's legal team an embarrassment, because they accused the Republican Governor of Georgia of being a criminal without any evidence.

Trump-lovin' Georgians: the best way to protest the stolen and fraudulent election is just to stay home on January 5th! Don't let those people who hate democracy (especially that Raffensberger guy) take your democracy away from you!

Sidney Powell has promoted numerous conspiracy theories. She has made claims of a "deep state" plot to frame Flynn, and has promoted personalities and slogans associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory. More recently, Powell has alleged that groups including international Communists, Venezuelans, Cubans, Chinese, George Soros, the Clinton Foundation, "globalists", thousands of Democratic officials, as well as thousands of Republican officials including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, took bribes to help rig the 2020 presidential election in favor of Joe Biden.

What, she can't even throw in a mention of the Grey Aliens or Lizard People? What a pity.

She has said her next lawsuit will be biblical. Tells you up front that it will be another pile of bullshit.

These folks are lunatics. We have to hope the courts continue to reject their baseless lawsuits and whacky unfounded accusations.

I wonder if anyone has reported Powell to the bar, I think I saw that Giuliani was already reported in several states.

I hope there's a leak about how Trump reacted to Christie's statement about his legal team being an embarrassment.

Any sane person would have fired Rudy Ghouliani after the disastrous press conferences. But Trump probably said, “more, more!” He likes all the chaos and outrage because it’s about him. It’s all a joke to him. He fantasizes that he will be a king after leaving office. King of the Nuts.

This is fundraising. Rudi says outlandish shit (Powell likely believes it, Rudi's just in it for cash), Trump gets more donations. They've changed their terms and raised the percentage of donations that go to his PAC/slush fund from 60 to 75%.

"Stop golfing and concede," Republican governor Larry Hogan (MD) tells Trump after Trump attacks him on Twitter.

Link to new thread.