"Palling with terrorists"

We haven't heard from her lately. Trump is pals with ISIS, Putin, Assad, Erdogan, and MBS....
What's up with that?

Eight episodes and I'm loving it. As usual, very well done. I loved his Jazz series and now Country is awesome. I love researching the artists and songs.

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/country-music/

Came across this tonight and since we've been having this discussion here on DU:

There exist Senate rules of procedure that dictate how impeachment trials should be run. As Michael Dorf, Robert S. Stevens professor of law at Cornell Law School, put it in an email to The Post, the rules include a “a lot of ‘shall’ language” — language that gives McConnell and the Republican majority a lot of flexibility in how they conduct a trial.

Or whether they conduct a trial at all.

Snip.......................

“As a practical matter,” he continued over email, “the Majority Leader will have substantial discretion on the process, if any, he fashions in response to the articles.”

“If any.” In other words, impeachment trials are themselves one of those “what the norms dictate” activities of the Senate. McConnell could simply decide against holding a trial at all. Nothing goes on television. No more evidence comes to light. From a majority leader who simply declined to hold a vote on a presidential Supreme Court nominee, it’s far from inconceivable.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/27/if-house-impeaches-trump-mitch-mcconnells-senate-can-simply-ignore-it/




I hate Moscow Mitch...I hate Moscow Mitch...I hate Moscow Mitch..........

I wish he would just slither way......

"Today's activity is part of an ongoing joint investigation by the Texas Rangers and the FBI. At this time no further information will be released so that the integrity of the investigation is not jeopardized," said a spokesperson with the FBI.

Two large FBI trucks and several Department of Public Safety vehicles were outside the building Monday morning.

"What I believe here is that they are looking for something that is not there. The reason why is that I don't believe in the good ole boy system, I never have," Barrientes Vela said. "They've asked over and over different subpoenas they submit over to me from Don McGraw from the District Attorneys office just a bunch of stuff that they are asking for. I have been cooperative I have given them everything."

Barrientes Vela and several Pct. 2 deputies have been the subject of several scandals this year, including a proposed cavity search and warrantless blood draw on a teen, and the delayed booking of her political opponent.

https://www.ksat.com/news/feds-rangers-raid-pct-2-constable-s-office

The main reason I post this: The raid happened a mile from my house, but since I don't get up early, I didn't see it. Probably the biggest scandal to hit our neighborhood. Barrientes Vela has made headlines for some strange behavior. She kicked some people out of a park, claiming security issues and then set up camp for her family there. Then she allegedly molested another deputy in a hot tub. She also kicked out Leon Valley police from an accident scene. Now she says she's gonna run for sheriff...

By John Wiesen via Daily Kos

On July 3 2019, I attended the Carrizo Springs Detention Center protest along with approximately 200 fellow activists and protesters. This event was organized by Children’s Defense Fund Texas, Texas Organizing Project and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas. Its purpose was to protest the expanding detention of innocent refugees and immigrants and their cruel and inhumane treatment at the hands of the U.S Government.

From the beginning, there was a heavy and intimidating presence of police special forces. They cruised slowly in large black SUVs, persistently driving back and forth inches away from protesters. They were so close that at one protester was hit by a side view mirror as they drove by, and felt she had to leave early to remove her children from this frightening situation. The police periodically interrupted the speakers with sirens and admonishments to “clear the road” as well as operating a drone over the crowd, perhaps to identify participants. The protest action was calm and peaceful, even with the ominous presence of police and sheriff’s officers decked out in body armor. I heard many moving and heartfelt speeches against these cruel and inhuman detention centers by those closest to the battle. But only as the protest was concluding did the real intentions of this hostile, aggressive police presence become clear.

I had heard from action organizers that they had pre-arranged with the facility administrators to allow people who came in their personal vehicles to park along the roadway provided they stayed clear of the road surface, which they did. Activists saw and photographed deputies looking inside the parked cars during the protest. Just as people were leaving to return to their cars, the facility admin/police broke this agreement, perhaps they never planned to abide by it. Several tow trucks suddenly appeared and began to tow cars away, even though the cars were not obstructing the road in any way. Because the tow trucks were blocking the road, no one could get out, and many of us became upset at this provocation and gathered along the roadside. The timing of the towing was obviously orchestrated to cause chaos among the protesters and give the Sheriff deputies a pretext to arrest people, as they had a police van standing by for that purpose. According to witnesses, two activists engaged one of the tow drivers in a conversation, during which a police officer determined that the driver was “offended” by their comments, and arrested the activists illegally using brutal and abusive tactics, including the use of a taser.

At this point I arrived in the vicinity of the police van and heard lots of yelling and people chanting “Let them go!” at the police on the scene. I saw my friend Rosey Abuabara talking to a police officer, and after a short time, I saw them grab her violently without warning or justification, throw her to the ground, arrest her and put her into the police van. I believe they had already decided to arrest people no matter what, even though no crimes were committed. I rode to the Dimmitt County Sheriff’s office with another activist to await information on Rosey’s situation. There were at least a dozen activists already there. I was inspired to see multiple people there working feverishly making calls to lawyers, elected officials and press to get the word out about what had happened and try to get the three activists freed. The Dimmitt county authorities slow walked the processing in order to force the three to spend the night in jail. They were eventually freed after about 24 hours in detention.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/7/5/1869729/-Peaceful-Protesters-Harassed-and-Three-Unlawfully-Arrested-at-Carrizo-Springs-TX-Detention-Center?fbclid=IwAR2_KJRTPTgvj0oEPjRlzgtbF7wLQU0zPQSXvnN7FtRNGVLPKHvZDU5xi4M#comment_74336473

We will find the "Great Wall of San Antonio" on Cinco De Mayo! So far 1,400 are going. 7,000 are interested.

If you're still wondering where San Antonio's wall is you're apparently not alone. And more than a thousand people indicated they're ready to go find it.

A San Antonio resident has created a Facebook event dedicated to finding the wall in San Antonio recently referenced by President Donald Trump.

(snipped Trumps comments)


"I propose that we all meet up and find this wall! We as San Antonians deserve to know where this wall is at and deserve some answers," Lopez wrote in the event's description.

Lopez writes he hopes the search party can answer some questions, like where the wall is and who paid for it.


https://m.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Search-party-event-planned-to-find-Trump-s-13551916.php?fbclid=IwAR3-dM1duy2bzCYYHlHx3YbdIUqcxJAC37ks7s1k1J0pfalMzzIWmOZ27S4

County party officials overwhelmingly rejected attempts to remove Shahid Shafi because he's Muslim. The 139-49 vote in his favor came after the state's top Republican officials denounced the failed move to oust the trauma surgeon.

RICHLAND HILLS – Shahid Shafi will retain his role as vice-chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party despite a push from a small faction of precinct chairs to remove him from his post because he's Muslim.

Shafi, a trauma surgeon and Southlake City Council member, said after the vote that the last several months had been hard on him and his family. But he said he holds no animosity toward people who backed the failed motion to recall him — and that he was proud to be an American and a Republican.

"As an immigrant to this great country, I am honored and privileged to receive the support of my fellow Republicans," Shafi told members of the press late Thursday. "We need to learn to trust each other so we can create a more perfect union everyday."

https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/10/tarrant-county-gop-shahid-shafi-vote-muslim/

It would have been his ninth term

He was very effective at what he did, but his declining health was interfering with his work, so I supported his opponent in the primary.

There were also rumors that his health was bad enough that he would not survive the next term.

Instead, he didn't even make it to the next term.

The County Commissioners Court will appoint a replacement until the next general election. I hope the replacement is his primary opponent or someone who is very competent.

He was in the job for so long that he was part of the "machine" and that is why he accomplished so much. Our municipal reps (mayor, city council) are all term limited, however County Commissioners Court is not. Commissioner Elizondo and long serving, Judge Nelson Wolff are the bedrock of many programs in Bexar County.

http://www.tpr.org/post/bexar-county-commissioner-paul-elizondo-dead-83

Did you know that you are the victim of one of the weirdest conspiracy theories.----EVER??? I'm Rh-negative. Had three kids. Got Rhogam and lived a normal life until I decided to Google Rh-negative blood.

It is hard to find any scientific articles within the piles of wooo wooo woooo beyond crazy.

My blood type is A negative. I've heard this can cause pregnancy issues, so I Googled "Rh-negative blood" and ran across a bunch of weirdo sites with "theories" about the origin of negative blood types and some online communities with seriously racist undertones. Where did all this crazy mythology surrounding blood types come from? —Katrina

That sure is some netherworld of dodgy disinfo you inadvertently spelunked into, Katrina—no place you’d want to find yourself without up-to-date antivirus software, an airtight pop-up blocker, and ideally a strong stomach. Many links concerning Rh-negative blood look kosher enough in your search results but when clicked release a flood of wide-eyed theories about ethnic migration, blood-type-based dating tips, and offers to trace your ancestry back to extraterrestrials, angels, or lizards.

Various stalwart rationalists, bless 'em all, have labored above and beyond to debunk this stuff. But I'll go out on a limb here and assume that none of my readers actually suspects some randy E.T. begat great-grandpa. Instead, as you say, the question is where these crypto-hematologists emerged from and what their deal is. On examination, they generally seem to be people who had certain theories about how the world worked long before they learned of Rh negativity. And then? Well, they smelled blood........

No one knows for sure: five magic words that will forever summon swarms of crackpots from dankest cyberspace. Some try to tell you that the children of the Nephilim, an antediluvian race of fallen angels and/or giants casually mentioned in Genesis, still walk among us—ye shall know them by their Rh-negative blood. Others will list the “reptilian” physical characteristics Rh-negative folks possess, including extra vertebrae and lower-than-normal body temperature. Yet others want to talk about the AB-negative blood supposedly found on the Shroud of Turin. But two major sets of opportunistic cranks stand out, each armed with their own theories about Rh negativity.

https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/columns/straight-dope/article/20832373/why-are-there-so-many-crazy-theories-about-negative-blood-types