February 12, 2021

Our bench is deep.

The two impeachment trials have revealed some of the most spectacularly talented representatives.

It makes me both proud and sad.

Proud because I know we are in good hands. Sad because their jobs now require them to literally put their lives on the line.

I pray that this changes.

February 11, 2021

**'s words are damning: "If you don't fight like hell you're not gonna have a country anymore!"

Impeachment manager Madeline Dean's compelling case today made it clear that when ** told the mob 20X to “fight” January 6th, all that was left to “fight” was the election certification.

The election had passed, the state certifications were done...campaigning was over.

There is no democratic or nonviolent way to “fight” certification within hours of it happening--other than physically.

“There was only one fight left,” Dean said.

And they did.

February 10, 2021

In Chgo. trial is on all major networks in DC notsomuch.

Just talked to a friend there who had to go to PBS for it.

I’d assumed if I was seeing the major networks air it everybody was.

This is why Republicans are so comfortable ignoring this. Many of their constituents will never see this.

February 10, 2021

Norah O'Donnell: "The weight of the evidence is suffocating."

I’m no fan of Norah but I’ll take truth where I can get it.

February 10, 2021

Masterful presentation by Democrats nt

February 9, 2021

There's no executive exemption and no January exception.

Both of these false claims by ** are equally baseless.

February 9, 2021

Where to watch the impeachment trial live

The Senate impeachment trial will be aired on most major TV news networks starting at 1PM EST 2/9/21. If you don't have cable, here's where you can view the trial for free.
* C-Span (website)
* YouTube
* CNN
* PBS News Hour

How long will the trial last?
There's no set time for an impeachment trial. Trump's first impeachment, in 2019, lasted three weeks. This one is expected to go faster and rely largely on evidence gathered from news video, social media posts and live video from people on the scene.

Current schedule of Trump's impeachment trial
This is how the trial will unfold:
* Feb. 9: four hours of debate equally divided between prosecutors and defense on whether the trial is constitutional, followed by a vote needing a simply majority to proceed
* Feb. 10, 12:00 p.m. ET: House of Representatives will begin arguing its case; prosecutors and defense will have up to 16 hours each to present their arguments, with neither side permitted to present for more than eight hours per day
* Feb. 12, 5:00 p.m. ET: The trial will break through Saturday
* Feb. 14, 2:00 p.m. ET: The trial will reconvene Sunday
* Arguments will be followed by four hours for senators' questions
* If the House impeachment managers want to call witnesses or subpoena documents, there will be two hours of debate by each side followed by a Senate vote on whether to allow this
* If witnesses are called, there will be enough time given to depose them, and for each party to complete discovery before testimony is given
* Once witnesses and evidence is dealt with, there will be four hours of closing arguments divided evenly between the prosecutors and defense
* Lastly will come the vote on conviction or acquittal, for which a two-thirds majority is required

https://www.cnet.com/news/trump-impeachment-trial-starts-tuesday-schedule-potential-outcomes-what-happened-today/

February 4, 2021

Former Illinois (R) Senator/Gubernatorial Candidate Sam McCann Indicted for Fraud

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil/pr/former-illinois-state-senator-gubernatorial-candidate-sam-mccann-indicted-alleged

McCann allegedly:
* used more than $60,000 in campaign funds to partially fund the purchases of a 2017 Ford Expedition and a 2018 Ford F-250 in which he titled in his own name and used for personal travel.
* used campaign funds for loan payments on the F-250 and for fuel and insurance expenses for both vehicles
* used campaign funds to reimburse mileage expense claims which he did not incur.
* used $18,000 in campaign funds to purchase a 2018 RV trailer
* used $25,000 in campaign funds to buy a 2006 recreational motor home--both titled in his personal name.
* established an online account with a RV rental business in Ohio and listed the vehicles for rent identifying himself as owner. * * * established a second account with the same rental business and identified himself as a potential renter, with a different residential address and email than those he listed as the owner.
* while representing himself as the renter, William--rented both the travel trailer and motor home from Sam, the owner, through the RV rental business-- a total of $62,666 in campaign funds and the rental business retained approximately $9,838 for commission and paid McCann $52,827
* reimbursed the campaign accounts $18,000, resulting in more than $77,000 in campaign funds used to buy and rent from himself.
* On or about Oct. 4, 2016, used a $20,000 cashier’s check from a campaign account to pay off a personal loan issued to him in 2011 that was in collection by the bank due to non-payment.
* from May 2015 to August 2020, paid $64,750 on two separate personal mortgage loans
* Used a payroll service, to conceal himself as the payee for the expenditures from the campaign account continuing to June 2020, causing the Conservative Party of Illinois to issue approximately $187,000 in payments to him personally and an additional $52,282 in payments for payroll taxes.
* used $50,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses including Green Dot credit card payments related to a family vacation in Colorado and other personal expenses, charges from Apple iTunes, Amazon, a skeet and trap club, Cabela’s, Scheels, Best Buy, a gun store, and cash withdrawals.

February 3, 2021

You gotta see this

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeJaKVjA/