General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums****Oversight of the DOJ - House Judiciary Hearing - LIVE Thread 2 ***
Thread 1: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213646356
mnmoderatedem
(3,724 posts)address republican claims that this whole committee is strictly to embarrass the president
paraphrasing Richmond, if we wanted to embarrass the president we would just let him talk about drinking bleach.
UncleTomsEvilBrother
(945 posts)...in every statement.
UncleTomsEvilBrother
(945 posts)...statement by a DEM should include the offhand reference to the pandemic/COVID virus.
That issue should stay front and center. I'm listening to one DEM (Cedric Richmond) doing a cross examination, and he mentioned that Trump said to drink bleach that he is slowing testing down.
I think those constant reminders have an impact on voters.
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)Yeah, right. Where have they been since January?
crickets
(25,960 posts)Irony is lost on him, apparently.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)During the timeline surrounding the wikileaks scheme
crickets
(25,960 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)malaise
(268,885 posts)people need lunch
Brother Buzz
(36,410 posts)I hear the Capitol Hill Bean Soup is real popular:
Ingredients
1 pound dried white navy beans, sorted of debris and rinsed 1 (about 1-lb.) ham bone or uncured ham hock 2 1/2 quarts water 1 large russet potato (about 8 oz.) 3 cups chopped celery (about 6 stalks) 3 cups chopped yellow onion (about 3 medium onions) 1 garlic clove, minced 3 teaspoons kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
How to Make It
Step 1
Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover, and soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Add ham bone and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.
Step 2
Rinse potato; pierce with a fork, and wrap potato in a paper towel. Microwave on HIGH until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes; peel and mash potato. Stir potato, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper into bean mixture; simmer over medium-low until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove ham bone from Dutch oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard bone and fat; dice meat, and stir into bean mixture. Top each serving with chopped parsley.
Siwsan
(26,257 posts)I always know I'll be getting some 'unexpected guests' if I mention I'm making a pot of Navy Bean Soup.
panader0
(25,816 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)In my digital pressure cooker.
Sounds hearty, and good on a rainy day.
Brother Buzz
(36,410 posts)My wife had it in the Senate Dining Room, like, sixty-two years ago when she accompanied her father to DC for a business trip (her mother's sister worked for a Senator and landed the invite). She uses a trusty Dutch Oven, and tells me the story every time she makes it; I never get tired of hearing her tell it. Hell, I never get tired of listening to any of her stories because I'm a good husband.
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)crickets
(25,960 posts)He's completely trying to make it sound like they are bogeymen with too much power, perverted by politics. Projection, again. This pretense is so old and threadworn.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Off topic and wandering around in a sea of time-wasting noise
Brother Buzz
(36,410 posts)He's a opportunistic career politician who needs driving directions just to find his district.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Doh! I am a little distracted. I will rewatch this section and post comments afterwards.
Please add your observations.
crickets
(25,960 posts)By declaring Stone should be pardoned, he's admitting that Stone is guilty. Far from showing the hearings in a bad light, it would show they are needed. What a fool.
malaise
(268,885 posts)Gym Jordan - I detest that creep
crickets
(25,960 posts)Siwsan
(26,257 posts)I want to see him weeping in defeat, this November.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Going through the political nature of pursuing investigations into automakers to retaliate against perceived enemies. To punish for the emissions standards in California.
Elias agreed that the investigations were meritless.
Ninga
(8,275 posts)crickets
(25,960 posts)Discussing no misconduct on the part of automakers when agreeing to adhere to CA emissions standards, that they should not have been investigated. It was a bad faith investigation taken due to political whims, closed when no wrongdoing was found. Was a retaliation against CA.
eta Points out taxpayer resources could have best been used elsewhere.
diva77
(7,639 posts)outblasting Dems at times with volume (that's all they got )
Mersky
(4,980 posts)so that cline gets to say key words that will make tRumps base to hit the petal.
Useless pile of buzzword distraction. Then buzzword distraction himself, Gym, is finishing the time that cline yielded.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Ill add a video clip here (and in a few other spots).
crickets
(25,960 posts)Pattern: trump tweets, DOJ softpedals in response.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Zelinsky agrees
crickets
(25,960 posts)choie
(4,111 posts)Zelinsky because he has a newborn and isn't testifying in person? what repugnant pieces of shit they all are.
crickets
(25,960 posts)crickets
(25,960 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)on the logan act and to include as much off topic crap as possible.
Zelinsky replies back that he will not discuss matters that fall within the confines of the special counsel.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)Before you worked for the DOJ you clerked for a republican judge? Correct - Zelinsky
And you had to take an oath? Z - affirms and explains
The sentencing complied with DOJ rules? - Yes
(I will clip this. He clearly restates that the US attorney was giving favor to stone out of fear of the pResident.)
crickets
(25,960 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)crickets
(25,960 posts)not done in good faith, often involving paperwork never scrutinized or uploaded before the investigations were closed for being unlawful/unnecessary.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)He lists off all the staff. Volume of documents from subpoenas.
THEN, OMG: many of the documents were never used, or even uploaded for review
crickets
(25,960 posts)Sounds like it was all busywork to slow down other investigations and to make someone happy. Wonder who?
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Most people dont have a fixer with the title, Attorney General.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)As to how he can justify his position during his confirmation and his stance today.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)The attorney general is not acting for the rule of law, but as sycophant and as a consigliere...
crickets
(25,960 posts)crickets
(25,960 posts)Barr is echoing the president in this and should not be. Acting more like a campaign operative than an AG to the US. Ayers throws shade on Obamagate and the 'investigation' saying that it is wrong.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Whether barr is working to make the pResident an authoritarian leader. Then lists off the numerous actions that barr has taken as described by Ayer.
Then in regards to how this relates to the virus response
Ayer (paraphrased): how youre gonna make decisions to address the spread of the virus is very much decision making at the local and state levels. Then, proceeds to generally describe how barrs DOJ is wanting to interfere in broad ways - as in how churches and others are to be allowed to open up.
Raskin, then asks, do you think hes acting as part of his campaign? Answers that hes willing to pursue any of the pResidents fantasies... Generally gives a robust answer as to how this is functionally so, with the auspice of power of the DOJ behind him.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)who I did not listen to at all. Garbage.
crickets
(25,960 posts)She was whining about having two committee meetings and about how she bothered to show up in person. (Not wearing a mask, btw.) She just popped on mic long enough to insult people who appeared by video and then sat down. Somebody give her a pretty "you participated!" sticker as a reward!
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)He explains hes never seen such and worries for the future of the country and the rule of law.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)She referenced this sentiment in a WaPo OpEd:
The department undercut the work of career employees to protect an ally of the president, an abdication of the commitment to equal justice under the law.
Asked Ayer, Elias, and Zelinsky if they agreed with that assessment, and they all did with minor stipulation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/us-prosecutor-who-quit-roger-stone-case-joins-law-firm-after-laying-road-map-for-dc-public-corruption-unit/2020/06/22/70731a58-b2fb-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html
Karma13612
(4,549 posts)Begin an impeachment of Barr. (They can do that, right?)
I think this hearing is the perfect wind up to that.
Especially Ayers testimony sharing his concern for the unknown bad acts that could be going on.
I already knew Barr was bad, but this hearing has caused me more concern.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)I missed the start of this exchange, but currently Ayer is asserting that barr ordered to clear the crowd by force regardless of whether he calls them chemical irritants or not.
blogslut
(37,997 posts)I think it rattled him.
electric_blue68
(14,860 posts)Free Congress (866) 338 - 1015
To tell him he needs his tough NYC'r side to come out and send the Sargent-at-Arms to Republicans who IGNORE his requests.
ancianita
(36,017 posts)electric_blue68
(14,860 posts)hmm
I think thinking it over he should only give one warning then signal for the S@A to remove him/her.
Def the rw would yell "cersoreship".
Or maybe at the start of each part of the hearing make a statement about obstruction and the S@A.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)the chairman.
He snarked some bs back that isnt worth repeating, but Ill note that he doesnt take this seriously at all.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Elias clearly explained how he came forward not for political, but because he thought the public should know about the abuse that he saw.
Ayer describes his concerns for how barr seems to pursue authoritarian powers for the pResident.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)And reads a couple glowing comments.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Dips in connectivity...
Mersky
(4,980 posts)As an example of barrs catering to the pResidents campaign, Ayer says that he is concerned with the AG going on fox news with Obamagate nonsense.
ancianita
(36,017 posts)He tells the nation that Trump engaged in constitutional overreach with those governors.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Ayer: No - hes been saying so for six months per his OpEd at that time
crickets
(25,960 posts)I also applaud her for pointing out that all anyone should have said about his newborn baby is, "congratulations!"
Mersky
(4,980 posts)attacked our elections
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Beginning with stepping through the events at Lafayette Square
To retaliating against states that the pResident doesnt like through the coronavirus response.
Then proceeds to question Ayer.
He explains that the DOJ under barr cannot be trusted. Then goes on to warn that the corruption is systemic throughout and that barr has to go. (made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.)
Escobar finished up by relating that barr isnt the only enabler of the pResident as evidenced by the behavior witnessed during the hearing.
blogslut
(37,997 posts)She read one of his awful tweets in his shitty voice!
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)Today. Not tomorrow, or next week.
crickets
(25,960 posts)It's a big help in keeping track of what's going on.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)Paddled as fast as I could. Really appreciate everyone in here.
Glad you caught that tooth in time, and youre a sport for mucking through this today.
Karma13612
(4,549 posts)And I am glad that Ayers final statements included that.
Wow, great hearing overall, if you just ignore the bratty Republicants rants.
Time to impeach.
I get the feeling that Barr is going to take direct aim at Biden and maybe even dirty up the runup to the election. Did anyone else notice that every time they mention Obama and Holder , they also included Biden. Every time. It was a theme that they obviously planned.
I remember during Trumps impeachment hearings, the Dems said the funds for Ukraine were held up or delayed. The Republicans ALWAYS said they were PAUSED, to imply that they would eventually be released.
They are gearing up to dirty up Biden in the coming months.
Mark my words.
electric_blue68
(14,860 posts)jump in 3/4s through, scroll down posts, and get caught up then follow along.
Mersky
(4,980 posts)I do this so I can process these proceedings and hopefully be informative to others. DU is such a neat outlet and Im glad the threads worked for you!
Ill climb back through the hearings footage and add some clips later today. I had to get up and do some things right afterwards. Ya know, walk it off and feed cats, etc.
ancianita
(36,017 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)❤️
Applause for everyone contributing and reading
Thanks for being in here
ancianita
(36,017 posts)Mersky
(4,980 posts)One awash with spineless jellyfish.
Ive always said theres no such thing as a bad beach.
Maybe I should change that to, theres no bad beach unless republicon members of the 116th Congress are around.
ancianita
(36,017 posts)that just keeping up with them is tough. So yeah, a beach strewn with plastic and man-o'-wars.
I hope there's a highlights video up on the hearings, but first I'll watch what Rachel shows tonight.
Thanks, again! Stay cool!