Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-16: Fear And Loathing In Orlando Edition
Top 10 Conservative Idiots #10-16: Fear And Loathing In Orlando Edition
Welcome back to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots! Here we are folks, it’s the season finale! You know last week I mentioned that we’re going to be taking a bit of an extended hiatus in June. We're going away for a bit which means I won't get to cover some news items like Trump allegedly bribing Arlen Spector or Tucker Carlson eating a fly while on camera, or the Gun Church buying a literal compound. That's right - there is a literal full fucking cult that worships AR-15s! Of course it's mainly a Christmas and Easter thing, but gun worship is gun worship. We'll save that one for a future edition of Holy Shit! Stay on target! Anyway, now I can reveal why: live Idiots are coming back! That’s right – the Idiots that you know and love that’s been shuttered the past 18 months because of COVID are coming back! We will be revealing tour dates in our 6/17 Best Of edition! Man does it feel good to be back! I can’t wait to finally do this in front of crowds again! Of course I'm not forgetting our limited audience at the Observatory OC, we love you guys! Now do we have time for the thing? Of course we do! Can we talk vaccine perks? I mean come on if this isn’t an incentive to get vaccinated, I don’t know what is. So in Las Vegas, Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club is turning their club into a vaccination center. And these are the perks you get – a lap dance from the stripper of your choice. You also get bottle service, VIP service, and you get VIP membership to the club for a full year! I’m sure Larry Flynt would approve of this. Man I feel cheated, I got my vaccine at a CVS in West Covina. I should have held out! Entice me to get the vaccine then I will take it! Yeah that guy in the back knows what I’m talking about! OK enough of the intro – we have a lot of idiocy to get to. But first John Oliver is back and he delves into the madness behind sponsored content in the media:
So where do we begin this week? First off – the answer is NO, we are not going to cover the Isreal – Palestine conflict part whatever. The reason being is that it’s one of those things that goes against Top 10 policy of being too horrific to be made fun of. This is a comedy show, not a horror movie. OK back to our regularly scheduled programming. In the number one slot this week is Florida Man himself, Matt Gaetz (1). It seems the accusations against him are getting weirder, scarier, and creepier as some of his cronies are being implicated in the scandal. Don’t expect this to go away anytime soon! Taking the second slot this week – is conservative evangelicals (2). So there’s a major case coming up that could determine the future of Roe V Wade – and Former Guy’s 6 -3 SCOTUS could get to decide its’ fate, it’s going to get ugly! In the number 3 slot this week, and what is becoming a regular feature, is our latest update on the fallout from the 1/6 Capitol Riot (3). The latest nonsense coming from the right? Oh it was just a harmless tourist visit. Yeah never mind the poop smeared on the walls or the makeshift gallows being erected outside. In the number 4 slot this week is the Arizona GOP (4). It turns out the audit of the 2020 election has gone completely off the rails but how is this going to end? The answer as we all expect – is not well! Taking the #5 slot this week is our weekly investigative piece, Top 10 Investigates (5), and this week, did Trump’s EPA alter the rules regarding what pesticides can be legally used? Of course he did, would you expect anything less? If you do you're in the wrong theater, guys! Taking the #6 slot this week is of course our weekly visit to the Holy Church Of The Top 10 in “Holy Shit” (6) and this week, our resident pastor is going to take on anti-vaxxers! It seems evangelicals could make or break vaccine progress, so what’s egging them on? We will get to the bottom of this! In the number 7 slot this week is a new “Beating A Dead Horse” (7). OK look, conservatives, you don’t want to play by the CDC rules, fine. But when you get sick and have to be hospitalized, don’t say we didn’t warn you! Taking the #8 slot this week is a new edition of Conspiracy Corner (8). And this week, while our old buddy Ammon Bundy is running for governor of Idaho, a whole bunch of rural Oregon counties may join him! In the number 9 (NEIN!!!) slot this week we have a new People Are Dumb, because of course they are! Finally this week it’s time for Stupidest State 2021 (10)! This week it’s the grand finale! Texas. Georgia. One of these two states will be winning it all! We will have the game, the DeLay Trophy presentation, the closing ceremonies, and of course that song that we all know and love! Plus we’ve got a special treat to close out the season – a little band I like to call the Foo Fighters! YAY!!!!!!!!! Buy their new album Medicine At Midnight or you’re no friend of this program. Enjoy! And as always don’t forget the key!
Ed. Note: Unfortunately our planned Top 10 Investigates piece about Critical Race Theory was scrapped at the last minute. We feel it's best if we don't broach that subject, for now, at least. Now back to our regularly scheduled program!
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Matt Gaetz
[br] [/font] [br]
Of course leave it to Florida to give us one of the dumbest Congress people in United States history, Matt Gaetz (Q – Batshit) who is currently involved in one of the stupidest scandals we’ve ever seen, and that’s counting four years of Former Guy! Look, I’m just saying if you have to, maybe don’t use an easily traceable phone app to pay for sex. I’m just saying. We have this thing called “cash”. And you use cash to make transactions. But we’re getting off topic here. And the thing is this thing is like an onion. The more you peel back the layers, the more it stinks, and the more likely you are to cry as a result. This thing is deep, too (Archer: HEY! PHRASING!). But what’s really bizarre about this scandal is that there’s a scandal within a scandal. It’s Scandal-ception!
You’ve heard about “Gaetzgate,” the prurient scandal engulfing the provocative Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). His reputed wingman, a county tax collector named Joel Greenberg, pled guilty to federal charges including the sex trafficking of a 17-year-old — and Greenberg reportedly claims Gaetz had sex with that 17-year-old. It’s a big story about a big MAGA-world star. A plane flew over the courthouse with a banner that read “Tick Tock Matt Gaetz.”
But you haven’t heard enough about the bomb that’s already exploded in this scandal, because it doesn’t fit the “Gaetzgate” story line of a prominent Trumper in trouble. That bomb is the spectacularly sleazy record of Greenberg, who’s now in the spotlight for apparently flipping on his famous congressional running buddy, but ought to be famous in his own right as one of the most vile creatures ever to slither out of Florida’s political swamp.
It’s not just that Greenberg had sex with the same 17-year-old he’s accusing Gaetz of having sex with, an accusation Gaetz denies. It’s not just that Greenberg was the pimp in the sex-for-cash operation in which he claims Gaetz was a john, another accusation Gaetz denies. It’s that Greenberg also converted the Seminole County tax office into an X-rated criminal enterprise, abusing his power and ripping off the public in a variety of almost comically egregious ways:
He looted taxpayer funds to buy himself not only illicit sex but also cryptocurrency and Kobe Bryant memorabilia.
He bribed a federal official to help him rip off a Covid relief program.
He committed identity fraud with driver’s licenses he stole from his office.
He hatched an elaborate plot to frame a political rival as a child molester, and posted racist rants from a fake social media account he opened in his rival’s name.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2021/05/18/the-scandal-inside-the-matt-gaetz-scandal-492896
But you haven’t heard enough about the bomb that’s already exploded in this scandal, because it doesn’t fit the “Gaetzgate” story line of a prominent Trumper in trouble. That bomb is the spectacularly sleazy record of Greenberg, who’s now in the spotlight for apparently flipping on his famous congressional running buddy, but ought to be famous in his own right as one of the most vile creatures ever to slither out of Florida’s political swamp.
It’s not just that Greenberg had sex with the same 17-year-old he’s accusing Gaetz of having sex with, an accusation Gaetz denies. It’s not just that Greenberg was the pimp in the sex-for-cash operation in which he claims Gaetz was a john, another accusation Gaetz denies. It’s that Greenberg also converted the Seminole County tax office into an X-rated criminal enterprise, abusing his power and ripping off the public in a variety of almost comically egregious ways:
He looted taxpayer funds to buy himself not only illicit sex but also cryptocurrency and Kobe Bryant memorabilia.
He bribed a federal official to help him rip off a Covid relief program.
He committed identity fraud with driver’s licenses he stole from his office.
He hatched an elaborate plot to frame a political rival as a child molester, and posted racist rants from a fake social media account he opened in his rival’s name.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2021/05/18/the-scandal-inside-the-matt-gaetz-scandal-492896
Yeah probably! But of course, nothing bad ever happens to conservative republicans. I mean Trump can have scandal after scandal and when he finally gets caught he screams “WITCH HUNT!!! TOTALLY ILLEGAL!!! SAD!!!”. Well, it’s yet another sign that things are drastically fucked up in this country because the rich white men never get away with their crimes. Dude, you used fucking Venmo to pay for sex. Be a man, own up to it!
Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) “wingman” may have signed a plea agreement in the federal case that is broadly rumored to involve Gaetz, but the possibility of pending criminal prosecution didn’t seem to put a damper on the Florida Congressman’s mood Saturday, as he spoke to a crowd of Trumplican faithful in Strongsville, Ohio, even cracking jokes about the looming scandal.
NBC News national political reporter Henry Gomez was in Ohio to cover the event, and quoted a segment from Gaetz’s keynote speech where he jokingly described the sexual misconduct allegations involving him “as benign as legislative earmarks.”
“I’m being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors,” Gaetz said at the Ohio Political Summit, a gathering sponsored by the Strongsville GOP in suburban Cleveland. “Yet, Congress has reinstituted a process that legalizes the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks, and everybody knows that that’s the corruption.”
Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg signed a much-anticipated plea agreement this week, pleading guilty to 6 out of the 33 charges against him, for a broad-ranging set of sordid schemes that included misappropriation and theft of taxpayer funds, illegally accessing Florida’s database of driver’s license data, stalking and harassing a political opponent, and sex trafficking, including with at least one underage girl.
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/matt-gaetz-jokingly-compares-sex-trafficking-scandal-to-earmarks-at-ohio-rally-im-being-falsely-accused-of-exchanging-money-for-naughty-favors/
NBC News national political reporter Henry Gomez was in Ohio to cover the event, and quoted a segment from Gaetz’s keynote speech where he jokingly described the sexual misconduct allegations involving him “as benign as legislative earmarks.”
“I’m being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors,” Gaetz said at the Ohio Political Summit, a gathering sponsored by the Strongsville GOP in suburban Cleveland. “Yet, Congress has reinstituted a process that legalizes the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks, and everybody knows that that’s the corruption.”
Former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg signed a much-anticipated plea agreement this week, pleading guilty to 6 out of the 33 charges against him, for a broad-ranging set of sordid schemes that included misappropriation and theft of taxpayer funds, illegally accessing Florida’s database of driver’s license data, stalking and harassing a political opponent, and sex trafficking, including with at least one underage girl.
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/matt-gaetz-jokingly-compares-sex-trafficking-scandal-to-earmarks-at-ohio-rally-im-being-falsely-accused-of-exchanging-money-for-naughty-favors/
For once? Really? But the thing is who knows how deep this goes? OK, phrasing! I get it! But why does he get off… again, phrasing. When he pays underage girls for sex? And how many people are involved in this shindig? What is truly mind boggling about this scandal is anyone else would get time behind bars in probably at least a minimum security prison. But not anyone connected to Matt Gaetz, they’re barely getting anything but a slap on the wrist. It’s certifiably insane.
Former Seminole County tax collector Joel Greenberg pleaded guilty Monday morning to six criminal charges including child sex trafficking.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie R. Hoffman scheduled a change of plea hearing for 10 a.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in downtown Orlando.
Under the plea agreement, Greenberg, 37, must provide “substantial assistance” with other government investigations and prosecutions.
He’ll be sentenced in about 75 days, although no official court date has been set. Before then, a pre-sentencing investigation will be conducted that will examine Greenberg’s criminal history, childhood, hardships and successes.
He faces anywhere from 12 years to life in prison based on sentencing guidelines and minimum mandatory sentencing requirements, however, Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, said his client could do less time than that.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/16/ex-tax-collector-joel-greenberg-to-enter-guilty-pleas-monday-morning/
U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie R. Hoffman scheduled a change of plea hearing for 10 a.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in downtown Orlando.
Under the plea agreement, Greenberg, 37, must provide “substantial assistance” with other government investigations and prosecutions.
He’ll be sentenced in about 75 days, although no official court date has been set. Before then, a pre-sentencing investigation will be conducted that will examine Greenberg’s criminal history, childhood, hardships and successes.
He faces anywhere from 12 years to life in prison based on sentencing guidelines and minimum mandatory sentencing requirements, however, Greenberg’s attorney, Fritz Scheller, said his client could do less time than that.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/16/ex-tax-collector-joel-greenberg-to-enter-guilty-pleas-monday-morning/
Yeah phrasing I get it. So in this story we have a crooked Congress person and his equally unhinged attorney in a really stupid scandal. Think of it like a reboot of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, only less mind-altering substances and more hookers and meth. Let’s call it “Fear And Loathing In Orlando”. I’m not sure Hunter Thompson would approve though. But don’t think that this ridiculous scandal is going away anytime soon. We’re getting started! PHRASING!!!!
The man who investigators say was the target of an online smear campaign perpetrated by Joel Greenberg spoke to the media on Monday as the former Seminole County tax collector pleaded guilty in federal court to six charges, including child sex trafficking.
Brian Beute, a teacher at Trinity Preparatory School, ran against Greenberg during the 2020 Republican primary for the tax collector’s office. During that race, Greenberg created fake social media accounts and wrote an anonymous letter all in an effort to portray Beute as a racist and a child molester, according to investigators.
“I’m not a politician, and I never planned to be in politics. I’m a teacher at a small school and a small community who simply saw need to replace someone who is taking advantage of regular citizens like me,” Beute said prior to Greenberg’s guilty plea.
The investigation in the attack on Beute ultimately led to Greenberg’s arrest on federal stalking charges. Those stalking allegations then led to Greenberg facing charges ranging from child sex trafficking to fraud and federal authorities dug deeper into the tax collector’s dealings in and around the office.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/17/joel-greenbergs-stalking-victim-speaks-about-former-seminole-tax-collectors-guilty-plea/#//
Brian Beute, a teacher at Trinity Preparatory School, ran against Greenberg during the 2020 Republican primary for the tax collector’s office. During that race, Greenberg created fake social media accounts and wrote an anonymous letter all in an effort to portray Beute as a racist and a child molester, according to investigators.
“I’m not a politician, and I never planned to be in politics. I’m a teacher at a small school and a small community who simply saw need to replace someone who is taking advantage of regular citizens like me,” Beute said prior to Greenberg’s guilty plea.
The investigation in the attack on Beute ultimately led to Greenberg’s arrest on federal stalking charges. Those stalking allegations then led to Greenberg facing charges ranging from child sex trafficking to fraud and federal authorities dug deeper into the tax collector’s dealings in and around the office.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/17/joel-greenbergs-stalking-victim-speaks-about-former-seminole-tax-collectors-guilty-plea/#//
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]The Battle For Roe V Wade
[br] [/font] [br]
Conservatives have been threatening to overturn Roe V Wade as long as I’ve been alive. Well this could actually within my lifetime. Hell, it might happen next week. That’s right. You heard me. I said it could happen next week. Now how could it happen you might ask? Well sir and/or madam, I will answer you that. There’s a case on the books that originated in Mississippi that could ban abortion at the 15 week period. And it will be decided by Trump’s packed, one-sided SCOTUS. That’s right, when we need Ruth Bader Ginsburg the most, she’s gone. Replaced with Catholic cult member Amy Comey Barrett. And she’s joined by Trump picks Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. How does the worst president in history get 3 SCOTUS picks? That’s a different topic altogether. But here’s what is happening.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said it will review Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy — serving as the first opportunity for the 6-3 conservative-majority court to challenge Roe v. Wade.
The 15-week ban, passed by state lawmakers in 2018 and immediately blocked by lower federal courts, will provide one of the first reproductive rights cases argued before the Supreme Court since Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed in 2020. The 6-3 conservative majority is widely expected to curtail access to abortion.
“As the only abortion clinic left in Mississippi, we see patients who have spent week saving up the money to travel here and pay for childcare, for a place to stay, and everything else involved. If this ban were to take effect, we would be forced to turn many of those patients away, and they would lose the right to abortion in the state,” Diane Derziz, owner of Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the state’s sole abortion clinic, said in a statement. “Mississippi politicians have created countless barriers for people trying to access abortion, intentionally pushing them later in the pregnancy. It’s all part of their strategy to eliminate abortion access entirely.”
The court met 13 different times to consider taking the case, a move many legal analysts have called unprecedented. The taking of this case marks the first time since the landmark 1973 abortion rights case Roe v. Wade that the U.S. Supreme Court has taken up a a pre-viability ban case — a law that prohibits access to abortion based on the amount of time pregnant before the fetus is viable, or around 24 weeks when it is able to live outside the womb.
Read more: https://mississippitoday.org/2021/05/17/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-mississippi-abortion/
The 15-week ban, passed by state lawmakers in 2018 and immediately blocked by lower federal courts, will provide one of the first reproductive rights cases argued before the Supreme Court since Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed in 2020. The 6-3 conservative majority is widely expected to curtail access to abortion.
“As the only abortion clinic left in Mississippi, we see patients who have spent week saving up the money to travel here and pay for childcare, for a place to stay, and everything else involved. If this ban were to take effect, we would be forced to turn many of those patients away, and they would lose the right to abortion in the state,” Diane Derziz, owner of Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the state’s sole abortion clinic, said in a statement. “Mississippi politicians have created countless barriers for people trying to access abortion, intentionally pushing them later in the pregnancy. It’s all part of their strategy to eliminate abortion access entirely.”
The court met 13 different times to consider taking the case, a move many legal analysts have called unprecedented. The taking of this case marks the first time since the landmark 1973 abortion rights case Roe v. Wade that the U.S. Supreme Court has taken up a a pre-viability ban case — a law that prohibits access to abortion based on the amount of time pregnant before the fetus is viable, or around 24 weeks when it is able to live outside the womb.
Read more: https://mississippitoday.org/2021/05/17/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-mississippi-abortion/
I know, right? And it gets worse. So much worse. Only in America does crap like this happen and we have a hundred other issues to worry about. Now here’s how this got totally fucked up. Remember Former Guy? Yeah he was the reason for this trial getting pushed back and pushed back. Did they know something about Ginsburg’s death that we don’t? Well regardless, it will be interesting to see how they decide this and how it gets spinned.
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider a major rollback of abortion rights, saying it will decide whether states can ban abortions before a fetus can survive outside the womb. The court’s order sets up a showdown over abortion, probably in the fall, with a more conservative court seemingly ready to dramatically alter nearly 50 years of rulings on abortion rights.
The case involves a Mississippi law that would prohibit abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The state’s ban had been blocked by lower courts as inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent that protects a woman’s right to obtain an abortion before the fetus can survive outside her womb.
The justices had put off action on the case for several months. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an abortion-rights proponent, died just before the court’s new term began in October. Her replacement, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, is the most open opponent of abortion rights to join the court in decades.
The Mississippi law would allow exceptions to the 15-week ban in cases of medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality. Doctors found in violation of the ban would face mandatory suspension or revocation of their medical license.
Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2021/05/17/supreme-court-to-weigh-rollback-of-abortion-rights/
The case involves a Mississippi law that would prohibit abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The state’s ban had been blocked by lower courts as inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent that protects a woman’s right to obtain an abortion before the fetus can survive outside her womb.
The justices had put off action on the case for several months. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an abortion-rights proponent, died just before the court’s new term began in October. Her replacement, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, is the most open opponent of abortion rights to join the court in decades.
The Mississippi law would allow exceptions to the 15-week ban in cases of medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality. Doctors found in violation of the ban would face mandatory suspension or revocation of their medical license.
Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2021/05/17/supreme-court-to-weigh-rollback-of-abortion-rights/
Exactly. Don’t abandon the ship just yet! But some good news though is that while the right wing may be losing their collective sanity over this issue, we do currently have much cooler heads in the highest levels of government. At least Biden is committed to keeping the rights that Roe V Wade afforded even if the court decides to side with the Christian right. Because this could be the cultivation of nearly 40 years of the insanity surrounding this issue.
President Biden will continue to advocate for the rights established under Roe v. Wade regardless of what the Supreme Court decides on a case challenging a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
“The president is committed to codifying Roe, regardless of the ... outcome of this case,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, referring to Roe v. Wade, the historic ruling that legalized abortion on a national scale.
The Supreme Court announced Monday that it would consider the challenge to the Mississippi law. Last year, the court struck down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics with a 5-4 vote, but the balance has since changed with the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was replaced by the Trump-appointed Amy Coney Barrett.
Supporters of abortion rights fear that former President Donald Trump’s reshaping of the courts through appointments of conservative judges — including the confirmation of three new conservative Supreme Court justices — puts the future of Roe v. Wade in danger.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-president-is-committed-to-codifying-roe-white-house-backs-abortion-rights-as-supreme-court-takes-on-controversial-case-185725796.html
“The president is committed to codifying Roe, regardless of the ... outcome of this case,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, referring to Roe v. Wade, the historic ruling that legalized abortion on a national scale.
The Supreme Court announced Monday that it would consider the challenge to the Mississippi law. Last year, the court struck down a Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics with a 5-4 vote, but the balance has since changed with the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was replaced by the Trump-appointed Amy Coney Barrett.
Supporters of abortion rights fear that former President Donald Trump’s reshaping of the courts through appointments of conservative judges — including the confirmation of three new conservative Supreme Court justices — puts the future of Roe v. Wade in danger.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-president-is-committed-to-codifying-roe-white-house-backs-abortion-rights-as-supreme-court-takes-on-controversial-case-185725796.html
Don’t abandon ship just yet! This isn’t over, those scumbags haven’t won yet. While the cons may be congratulating themselves on finally knocking over the vending machine, there is a possibility that the machine could be propped back up. Biden has been weighing the option of expanding SCOTUS to 13 justices. And while proposals like this very rarely muster, if it gets enough support things like this might actually have a shot. So you’re telling me there’s a chance? Maybe.
Democratic senators say if the Supreme Court strikes a blow against Roe v. Wade by upholding a Mississippi abortion law, it will fuel an effort to add justices to the court or otherwise reform it.
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority this week agreed to hear the Mississippi case, which could dramatically narrow abortion rights by allowing states to make it illegal to get an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
“It will inevitably fuel and drive an effort to expand the Supreme Court if this activist majority betrays fundamental Constitutional principles,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“It’s already driving that movement,” he added.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/554843-democrats-roe-v-wade-blow-would-fuel-expanding-supreme-court
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority this week agreed to hear the Mississippi case, which could dramatically narrow abortion rights by allowing states to make it illegal to get an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
“It will inevitably fuel and drive an effort to expand the Supreme Court if this activist majority betrays fundamental Constitutional principles,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“It’s already driving that movement,” he added.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/554843-democrats-roe-v-wade-blow-would-fuel-expanding-supreme-court
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Capitol Riot Deniers
[br] [/font] [br]
Let’s get down to facts. Fact #1: We will be hearing about the events of January 6th, also known as the Capitol Riot or Capitol Insurrection, for years. Decades, even. Fact #2: We’ve just barely begun to scratch the surface of who was there and what their real motives and intentions were. Now that we’ve got the facts out of the way, let’s talk about denial. Because while we have spent the last few editions talking about the people who were involved, we have yet to talk about the latest developments. And the latest developments are that conservatives are doing their best Marge Simpson impression and just sweeping the Capitol Riot under the rug. But yeah let’s just say that denial is a hell of a drug.
Days after the chaotic storming of the Capitol on January 6, some Republican members of Congress had an idea.
What the country needed, Reps. John Katko (R-NY), Rodney Davis (R-IL), and others decided, was a bipartisan commission, akin to the one established after 9/11, to sort through the facts and determine just how such a terrible breach of government security happened.
Now, though, the chances for such a commission are imperiled. A bill to establish it passed the House last Wednesday with support from every Democrat and 35 Republicans. But most others in the GOP, including party leaders, have come out strongly against the bill, with the party’s senators planning a filibuster.
Republicans have evidently calculated that such a commission’s findings would likely hurt their party’s electoral prospects. Some even admit this: “Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 election, I think, is a day lost on being able to draw contrast between us and the Democrats’ very radical left-wing agenda,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune told reporters last week.
But even if a deal does somehow come together, there are real reasons to doubt whether such a commission would achieve anything substantial.
https://www.vox.com/2021/5/25/22445422/january-6-commission-senate-filibuster
What the country needed, Reps. John Katko (R-NY), Rodney Davis (R-IL), and others decided, was a bipartisan commission, akin to the one established after 9/11, to sort through the facts and determine just how such a terrible breach of government security happened.
Now, though, the chances for such a commission are imperiled. A bill to establish it passed the House last Wednesday with support from every Democrat and 35 Republicans. But most others in the GOP, including party leaders, have come out strongly against the bill, with the party’s senators planning a filibuster.
Republicans have evidently calculated that such a commission’s findings would likely hurt their party’s electoral prospects. Some even admit this: “Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 election, I think, is a day lost on being able to draw contrast between us and the Democrats’ very radical left-wing agenda,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune told reporters last week.
But even if a deal does somehow come together, there are real reasons to doubt whether such a commission would achieve anything substantial.
https://www.vox.com/2021/5/25/22445422/january-6-commission-senate-filibuster
Yeah that’s about right. You know the bad thing about having a January 6th commission? Well it’s going to be bad for them because we’re going to find out that it was an inside job. Yes, we’re going to find out that there were one or maybe multiple senators and Congress people who were in on the riots. Two suspects that immediately come to mind are Tuberville and Hawley, and Boebert and Greene. Well that’s more than two. But Tuberville may have just admitted that he’s guilty of collusion.
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville expressed skepticism Wednesday about a proposed commission to review the seizing of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The proposal is expected to pass the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives on Wednesday but one Alabama congressman, Republican Jerry Carl of Mobile, said in a statement he would not support it.
“What we have heard is it is very partisan and we will have nothing to do with that,” Tuberville said in a conference call with Alabama reporters. “I don’t want this to be a witch hunt. It’s over with. We pretty much know what happened.
“Most of us were here anyway. We saw what happened. We don’t need a commission to tell us. But we’ll see what happens in the near future. I don’t think you’re going to get many Republicans to vote for any commission unless it is 100 percent bipartisan.”
https://www.al.com/news/2021/05/sen-tuberville-skeptical-of-commission-to-review-storming-of-capitol.html
The proposal is expected to pass the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives on Wednesday but one Alabama congressman, Republican Jerry Carl of Mobile, said in a statement he would not support it.
“What we have heard is it is very partisan and we will have nothing to do with that,” Tuberville said in a conference call with Alabama reporters. “I don’t want this to be a witch hunt. It’s over with. We pretty much know what happened.
“Most of us were here anyway. We saw what happened. We don’t need a commission to tell us. But we’ll see what happens in the near future. I don’t think you’re going to get many Republicans to vote for any commission unless it is 100 percent bipartisan.”
https://www.al.com/news/2021/05/sen-tuberville-skeptical-of-commission-to-review-storming-of-capitol.html
They came at us with pitchforks and torches! Torches!!! But for those of you keeping score at home, the GOP allowed 10 separate investigations into the Benghazi terror attacks in 2012. 10! You know how many they’re allowing into the attack on the Capitol? If you guessed 0, you are correct! Tell our contestants the fabulous prizes they’ve won! Well you’ve won your own investigation of the Capitol Riots, courtesy of Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson!
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) on Wednesday railed against a bill for a bipartisan commission intended to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, suggesting he was at work on his own investigation into the events which he claimed had involved peaceful protests and a few “agitators.”
“I’m doing my own investigation to really accurately recreate what happened on January 6th but Nancy Pelosi’s commission is not going to dig into this in any bipartisan fashion,” Johnson said during a Fox News interview. “She gets to pick all of the staff members. This is a joke and should be voted down.”
Johnson told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that in the aftermath of the riot he had “talked to people that were there,” who seemed to agree that the attack, which left five people dead, had been peaceful.
“By and large it was peaceful protests except for there were a number of people, basically agitators that whipped the crowd and breached the Capitol, and that’s really the truth of what’s happening here,” Johnson said. He added: “This is all about a narrative that the left wants to continue to push and Republicans should not cooperate with them at all.”
The comments come after 35 House Republicans on Wednesday voted to defy efforts by GOP leaders to cancel a commission intended to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ronjohn-claims-hes-doing-his-own-investigation-to-accurately-recreate-capitol-attack
“I’m doing my own investigation to really accurately recreate what happened on January 6th but Nancy Pelosi’s commission is not going to dig into this in any bipartisan fashion,” Johnson said during a Fox News interview. “She gets to pick all of the staff members. This is a joke and should be voted down.”
Johnson told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that in the aftermath of the riot he had “talked to people that were there,” who seemed to agree that the attack, which left five people dead, had been peaceful.
“By and large it was peaceful protests except for there were a number of people, basically agitators that whipped the crowd and breached the Capitol, and that’s really the truth of what’s happening here,” Johnson said. He added: “This is all about a narrative that the left wants to continue to push and Republicans should not cooperate with them at all.”
The comments come after 35 House Republicans on Wednesday voted to defy efforts by GOP leaders to cancel a commission intended to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ronjohn-claims-hes-doing-his-own-investigation-to-accurately-recreate-capitol-attack
Now now… no need to riot! But where have I heard that one? Oh yeah… OJ Simpson of course! Let’s all go find the real rioters! Although one person who may be guilty of colluding with the rioters is the head GOP conservative idiot himself – Mitch McConnell. He’s damned opposed to the investigation into the riots which can only mean one thing. Mitch himself is guilty as shit! If he goes, there’s going to be lots of people going down with him! Get the popcorn ready!
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he opposes a proposal to form an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, almost certainly eroding GOP support ahead of a vote.
McCarthy said he wanted the new panel to look beyond the violent uprising by supporters loyal to Donald Trump, who were trying to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election. He pushed to have the new commission also investigate other groups, namely the Black Lives Matter groups that protested police violence in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee who drafted the proposal rejected that approach.
McCarthy said that given the “shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation.”
https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-republicans-insurrection-commission-e0ffe4990ad8f2634ca83b95a2c2c64c
McCarthy said he wanted the new panel to look beyond the violent uprising by supporters loyal to Donald Trump, who were trying to stop the certification of President Joe Biden’s election. He pushed to have the new commission also investigate other groups, namely the Black Lives Matter groups that protested police violence in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee who drafted the proposal rejected that approach.
McCarthy said that given the “shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation.”
https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-republicans-insurrection-commission-e0ffe4990ad8f2634ca83b95a2c2c64c
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Arizona Election Audit
[br] [/font] [br]
As we predicted a couple of weeks ago, the insane recount of the already certified, verified, and certified again 2020 election in Arizona is going off the rails (see: Top 10 #10-12 ). Everything that is happening with this recount is batshit insane. We of course say this in the most polite way possible, because my actual words that I’ve said, as they have said on Animal House, would be so profound and disgusting that the decorum prohibits me from listing them here. But really, lost in the headlines is all of the madness in Arizona. And most of it is Maricopa County, which as we have pointed out is the district that had Sheriff Joe Arpaio – the face of corrupt sheriffs in the country – for three decades! So naturally you can see why things are going off the rails there. But here’s how shady this audit is – the auditors themselves are accused of pressing the “delete” button!
The unconventional, opaque and at times eyebrow-raising review of Maricopa County's 2020 general election started back up again on Monday.
The audit, commissioned by Arizona Senate Republican leaders, took a break for more than a week while graduations were held at the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Coliseum.
The Senate contractors, led by Florida-based cybersecurity firm Cyber Ninjas, plan to try to finish recounting all 2.1 million ballots cast in the county by the end of June, when their lease at the coliseum ends.
With nearly 500,000 ballots counted in the first month, the team will have to greatly increase the number of workers or hours, or both, to meet that goal. The original plan was to finish by May 14, when the break began.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/05/23/arizona-audit-what-know-ballot-recount-set-resume-monday/5233868001/
The audit, commissioned by Arizona Senate Republican leaders, took a break for more than a week while graduations were held at the Arizona Veterans' Memorial Coliseum.
The Senate contractors, led by Florida-based cybersecurity firm Cyber Ninjas, plan to try to finish recounting all 2.1 million ballots cast in the county by the end of June, when their lease at the coliseum ends.
With nearly 500,000 ballots counted in the first month, the team will have to greatly increase the number of workers or hours, or both, to meet that goal. The original plan was to finish by May 14, when the break began.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/05/23/arizona-audit-what-know-ballot-recount-set-resume-monday/5233868001/
Except he’s not running. But there is good news – the sane, rational people in Arizona are unhappy with this current situation. And yes, there are sane, rational people in Maricopa County – I know, my aunt lives there and I’ve been there many times, and I’m actually going to visit in a couple of weeks. In case you’re wondering yes this thing is completely partisan and they are attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Good god that would be my worst nightmare, I know that!
Simmering tensions between Republicans over the ongoing audit of election results in Arizona’s largest county are bursting into the open.
With the audit nearing its one-month mark and the GOP-controlled state Senate driving the process in an increasingly partisan direction, some Republicans have begun more aggressively pushing back against the effort, arguing that it has only served to further undermine confidence in the county’s elections rather than restore it.
The debate over the audit reached a breaking point Monday when the GOP-dominated Maricopa County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Arizona's Republican state Senate President Karen Fann demanding an end to the audit, saying that the process had made Arizona a “laughingstock.”
“None of this is inspiring confidence. None of this will cause our citizens to trust elections. In fact, it is having the opposite result,” the board, which is made up of four Republicans and one Democrat, wrote.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/554199-arizona-recount-creates-backlash-in-state
With the audit nearing its one-month mark and the GOP-controlled state Senate driving the process in an increasingly partisan direction, some Republicans have begun more aggressively pushing back against the effort, arguing that it has only served to further undermine confidence in the county’s elections rather than restore it.
The debate over the audit reached a breaking point Monday when the GOP-dominated Maricopa County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Arizona's Republican state Senate President Karen Fann demanding an end to the audit, saying that the process had made Arizona a “laughingstock.”
“None of this is inspiring confidence. None of this will cause our citizens to trust elections. In fact, it is having the opposite result,” the board, which is made up of four Republicans and one Democrat, wrote.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/554199-arizona-recount-creates-backlash-in-state
Oh people stop your rabbling! Here’s the thing – you know where the biggest source of disinformation coming about the campaign is coming from? If you guessed Russia – you are 100% correct! That’s right – the real Red State is coming for your thoughts. And your vote. And by the way here’s where it gets weird – and you knew it was going to. Our old friends Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz (both Q – Batshit) are calling the audit a fraud! Wow, a fraud within a fraud! That’s what… 16 frauds?
U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, two of the Republican Party’s most controversial figures, told a crowd of Trump supporters in the Phoenix area that an ongoing audit of the 2020 election in Arizona should be replicated in all the battleground states where President Donald Trump lost.
Greene and Gaetz took their “America First Rally” tour to Arizona to cheer the audit, which is testing conspiracy theories about the election on behalf of Republicans in the state Senate.
“We are here in Arizona to stand in solidarity with the Arizona election audit,” Gaetz said to a cheering crowd of several hundred supporters Friday night in Mesa.
He expressed hope that the Arizona effort will be just the beginning of a larger movement.
“It’s my belief that Arizona will be the launch pad for elections audits and election integrity efforts all over this great country,” he added.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/marjorie-taylor-greene-and-matt-gaetz-champion-suspect-maricopa-county-recount-in-arizona-rally-01621859164
Greene and Gaetz took their “America First Rally” tour to Arizona to cheer the audit, which is testing conspiracy theories about the election on behalf of Republicans in the state Senate.
“We are here in Arizona to stand in solidarity with the Arizona election audit,” Gaetz said to a cheering crowd of several hundred supporters Friday night in Mesa.
He expressed hope that the Arizona effort will be just the beginning of a larger movement.
“It’s my belief that Arizona will be the launch pad for elections audits and election integrity efforts all over this great country,” he added.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/marjorie-taylor-greene-and-matt-gaetz-champion-suspect-maricopa-county-recount-in-arizona-rally-01621859164
Oh and in case you’re wondering – we’re not done with this yet. More and more recounts are being demanded despite that they are complete and utter bullshit. But in case you’re keeping score at home, there was a delete of votes, then there wasn’t. And now the tech company behind the audit has said they have had it. Maybe next time, I don’t know, I am just throwing this out there – maybe don’t hire a company called Cyber Ninjas that has no experience? Just spit balling it here.
The Pennsylvania-based IT company that was in charge of running the hand recount of Maricopa County, Airzona, ballots is no longer involved in the audit.
The contract with Wake TSI ended May 14, the original completion date for the hand count, and the company chose not to renew its contract, according to Randy Pullen, an audit spokesperson and former state GOP chair.
"They were done," he said. "They didn't want to come back."
Wake TSI was the subcontractor that developed and oversaw the procedures for recounting the county's nearly 2.1 million ballots, working under Cyber Ninjas, the state Senate's main contractor performing the overall audit of the county's general election results.
The audit was on break from May 14 until Monday, as graduations took place in the coliseum.
https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-recount-tech-company-backs-181934607.html
The contract with Wake TSI ended May 14, the original completion date for the hand count, and the company chose not to renew its contract, according to Randy Pullen, an audit spokesperson and former state GOP chair.
"They were done," he said. "They didn't want to come back."
Wake TSI was the subcontractor that developed and oversaw the procedures for recounting the county's nearly 2.1 million ballots, working under Cyber Ninjas, the state Senate's main contractor performing the overall audit of the county's general election results.
The audit was on break from May 14 until Monday, as graduations took place in the coliseum.
https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-recount-tech-company-backs-181934607.html
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Top 10 Investigates: The EPA and Pesticides
[br] [/font] [br]
It’s time to investigate beyond the headlines! This is Top 10 Investigates!
It’s pretty common knowledge that pesticides are bad. And not only are they bad, but they kill the plants they’re supposed to protect, and they also kill the insect population which helps the plants not only grow and thrive, but also multiply. So it should also be common knowledge that interfering with pesticides is bad, right? Well you would be wrong. In the eyes of the previous administration, who only did things because it “triggered the libs” is involved in the latest bombshell to drop. It seems that they think that whatever actually needed to happen, the opposite was true. If science shouldn’t be messed with, they would start messing with science. And that’s exactly what happened here. It’s never what is the right thing to do, it’s whatever will make the other side mad.
Senior leaders at the Environmental Protection Agency improperly meddled in the work of career scientists when reviewing the approval of certain pesticides in 2018, according to a new report and the agency’s own admission.
The top officials changed and omitted items from documents related to the decision to grant licenses to three dicamba pesticides, the EPA inspector general found, and created a culture in which career employees felt “constrained” and “muted” from speaking up. In addition to violating EPA’s scientific integrity policies, the tampering left the agency vulnerable to lawsuits. The IG report followed widespread allegations of political interference in the work of career scientists under the Trump administration and comes amid a governmentwide Biden administration review into instances of such meddling.
The licenses for the pesticides, aimed at protecting cotton and soybean plants, were granted without the typical peer review panels. EPA scientists told the IG such reviews would not have impacted the results, due to the unusual level of involvement by several officials at the deputy assistant administration level. Those leaders removed career employees' assessment of concerns raised by stakeholders, the IG found, and the career staffers ultimately did not sign their names to final documents due to management’s revisions.
“Scientists reported that changes from senior management did not make sense and seemed to convey a lack of understanding of the data or analyses,” the IG said. “Multiple scientists said they felt directed to change the science to support a certain decision and that the reasons for senior managers’ requested changes were not documented.”
https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/05/epa-admits-altering-science-under-trump-pledges-new-course/174295/
The top officials changed and omitted items from documents related to the decision to grant licenses to three dicamba pesticides, the EPA inspector general found, and created a culture in which career employees felt “constrained” and “muted” from speaking up. In addition to violating EPA’s scientific integrity policies, the tampering left the agency vulnerable to lawsuits. The IG report followed widespread allegations of political interference in the work of career scientists under the Trump administration and comes amid a governmentwide Biden administration review into instances of such meddling.
The licenses for the pesticides, aimed at protecting cotton and soybean plants, were granted without the typical peer review panels. EPA scientists told the IG such reviews would not have impacted the results, due to the unusual level of involvement by several officials at the deputy assistant administration level. Those leaders removed career employees' assessment of concerns raised by stakeholders, the IG found, and the career staffers ultimately did not sign their names to final documents due to management’s revisions.
“Scientists reported that changes from senior management did not make sense and seemed to convey a lack of understanding of the data or analyses,” the IG said. “Multiple scientists said they felt directed to change the science to support a certain decision and that the reasons for senior managers’ requested changes were not documented.”
https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/05/epa-admits-altering-science-under-trump-pledges-new-course/174295/
That’s right! The Trump administration deliberately altered the science on pesticides to make it seem like potentially dangerous pesticides were safe! If you want to get rid of the bees, there’s a way to do that. But the Trump administration is inherently evil in this regard. But here’s the weird part about this is that the people investigating the EPA are telling the EPA that they need to put up or shut up when it comes to these banned substances.
A federal appeals court on April 29 ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to quickly determine whether a pesticide linked to brain damage in children should be banned, saying the agency had delayed acting on the widely used bug-killer chlorpyrifos for nearly 14 years.
In a 2-1 decision, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to act on a possible ban within 60 days.
"The EPA has spent more than a decade assembling a record of chlorpyrifos's ill effects," U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff wrote. "Yet, rather than ban the pesticide or reduce the tolerances to levels that the EPA can find are reasonably certain to cause no harm, the EPA has sought to evade, through one delaying tactic after another, its plain statutory duties."
Rakoff and U.S. Circuit Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen ordered the EPA to decide within 60 days whether the pesticide is safe, including for infants and children, or ban it.
U.S. Circuit Judge Jay S. Bybee, in dissent, said 60 days was too short, "likely predetermining EPA's option'' and forcing a ban.
https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2021/04/30/appeals-court-epa-ban-pesticide-decide-its-safe/7410347002/
In a 2-1 decision, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to act on a possible ban within 60 days.
"The EPA has spent more than a decade assembling a record of chlorpyrifos's ill effects," U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff wrote. "Yet, rather than ban the pesticide or reduce the tolerances to levels that the EPA can find are reasonably certain to cause no harm, the EPA has sought to evade, through one delaying tactic after another, its plain statutory duties."
Rakoff and U.S. Circuit Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen ordered the EPA to decide within 60 days whether the pesticide is safe, including for infants and children, or ban it.
U.S. Circuit Judge Jay S. Bybee, in dissent, said 60 days was too short, "likely predetermining EPA's option'' and forcing a ban.
https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2021/04/30/appeals-court-epa-ban-pesticide-decide-its-safe/7410347002/
So how did the Trump administration get so reckless in terms of the environment? Well that was the job they were elected to do – is to neglect everything and make banned substances cool again. Seriously if the EPA were to ban poison, these guys would start buying poison in droves. But it’s good to see that the Biden administration is putting the kibosh on most of the nonsense coming directly from the people appointed by the former administration to wreak havoc.
Multiple scientists said and emails showed that after a senior management review, the assistant administrator’s office gave scientists an outline for rewriting an impact analysis document that removed several sections of the original, the watchdog said.
One scientist alleged that senior management in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention told them to use company data for reported dicamba damages instead of EPA data.
Another scientist told the inspector general that senior management and policymakers decided that plant height should be used to measure dicamba’s effects instead of visual signs of plant injury, a standard used in academic and company studies. The report said that this direction changed the scientific conclusions.
In an email to The Hill, Erik Baptist, who served as the deputy assistant administrator in the EPA's chemicals office at the time of the dicamba decision, said that top officials were involved because of the importance of the issue.
"Senior career and appointed leaders pay particular attention to every decision that may have a significant national impact. The 2018 dicamba decision was no different," he said. "For senior leaders not to be 'more involved in the dicamba decision than in other pesticide registration decisions' would have been a dereliction of responsibility."
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/555174-trump-epa-changed-scientific-analyses-pesticide-re-approval-watchdog
One scientist alleged that senior management in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention told them to use company data for reported dicamba damages instead of EPA data.
Another scientist told the inspector general that senior management and policymakers decided that plant height should be used to measure dicamba’s effects instead of visual signs of plant injury, a standard used in academic and company studies. The report said that this direction changed the scientific conclusions.
In an email to The Hill, Erik Baptist, who served as the deputy assistant administrator in the EPA's chemicals office at the time of the dicamba decision, said that top officials were involved because of the importance of the issue.
"Senior career and appointed leaders pay particular attention to every decision that may have a significant national impact. The 2018 dicamba decision was no different," he said. "For senior leaders not to be 'more involved in the dicamba decision than in other pesticide registration decisions' would have been a dereliction of responsibility."
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/555174-trump-epa-changed-scientific-analyses-pesticide-re-approval-watchdog
Yeah so be sure to comply with EPA standards or your town might get sealed in an unescapable dome that engulfs the whole landscape. But here’s why screwing with science and endangering the environment is dangerous and reckless. Because they are not only toxic to insects but they are toxic to humans as well. Of course when the other administration is in charge, anything bad is good and anything good is bad. Well, let’s let sane, rational people make these decisions, OK?
A new report shows that 4% of California produce sold in grocery stores contains illegal amounts of harmful pesticides. While regulators say this is well within safe limits, advocates say they find that statement "alarming."
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has found that 4% of fruits and vegetables tested in 2019 had illegal amounts of pesticide residue, in line with the past five years' test results. Advocates called for even greater gains, maintaining all fruits and vegetables should be safe to eat.
A spokeswoman for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation said they share that goal.
"We also want to see 100% of fruits and vegetables have no detectable pesticides on them. That's our goal," said California Department of Pesticide Regulation's Abbott Dutton. "That's why we do this report and monitoring. We want to see those low levels as well."
https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2021/05/25/california-finds-4-percent-fruits-vegetables-contaminated-pesticide/5199617001/
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation has found that 4% of fruits and vegetables tested in 2019 had illegal amounts of pesticide residue, in line with the past five years' test results. Advocates called for even greater gains, maintaining all fruits and vegetables should be safe to eat.
A spokeswoman for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation said they share that goal.
"We also want to see 100% of fruits and vegetables have no detectable pesticides on them. That's our goal," said California Department of Pesticide Regulation's Abbott Dutton. "That's why we do this report and monitoring. We want to see those low levels as well."
https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2021/05/25/california-finds-4-percent-fruits-vegetables-contaminated-pesticide/5199617001/
That’s it this week for Top 10 Investigates. Good day.
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Holy Shit
[br] [/font] [br]
Gather around my fair brothers and sisters! It’s time to take a seat in the pew and pass the collection plate, for the Holy Church Of The Top 10 has convened and it’s time to remind you that the holiest among us are the most full of:
My fair congregation! I gather before you because this is the last time we will meet for this season like we are currently doing. But when we come back in July, we are coming back at full strength! That’s right – the live Holy Shit production that you all know and love is coming back. And you know what? We had this whole thing planned about conservatives vs vaccines, but I didn’t like where it was going. So we’re just going to wing it and free form for this entry. Because you know what? I’m going on vacation and anything that’s a problem at 3:30 on Friday is next Monday’s problem. But what I want to talk about this week is that conservatives just don’t seem to care. And there’s no low that they won’t stoop to, and it’s already a low bar to begin with!
Religious-right leaders, including the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins, promoted former President Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and actively supported Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the election. And religious-right activists have downplayed the seriousness of the Capitol insurrection and promoted gaslighting claims that insurrectionists were not really Trump supporters. So, it should come as no surprise that Perkins and other religious-right leaders are giving cover to Republican efforts to resist fact-finding and truth-telling about the Jan. 6 insurrection.
In Thursday’s edition of Perkins’ “Washington Update” email newsletter, Perkins claimed that “the far-Left” is trying to “turn the Capitol riots into a synonym for jihadist terrorism,” adding, “Republicans want to know: what’s the point?” Perkins continued:
Pursuing a 9/11-type probe would only politicize the tragedy even more. Besides, there’s already a nationwide investigation into the events of that horrible day. It’s called law enforcement. To add another layer of expensive, partisan, government-sponsored fault-finding sounds like just another DNC fundraising gimmick. And the American people know it.
Perkins’ article promoted Republican leaders’ talking points that Democrats were not interested in compromise and were just looking for a way to “weaponize what happened in January and take voters’ minds off of the White House’s dismal performance.” He called it “political theater” that is “about creating a narrative, aided by the media, that all Republicans are dangerous extremists.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/family-research-council-backs-gop-leaders-on-jan-6-commission-whats-the-point/
In Thursday’s edition of Perkins’ “Washington Update” email newsletter, Perkins claimed that “the far-Left” is trying to “turn the Capitol riots into a synonym for jihadist terrorism,” adding, “Republicans want to know: what’s the point?” Perkins continued:
Pursuing a 9/11-type probe would only politicize the tragedy even more. Besides, there’s already a nationwide investigation into the events of that horrible day. It’s called law enforcement. To add another layer of expensive, partisan, government-sponsored fault-finding sounds like just another DNC fundraising gimmick. And the American people know it.
Perkins’ article promoted Republican leaders’ talking points that Democrats were not interested in compromise and were just looking for a way to “weaponize what happened in January and take voters’ minds off of the White House’s dismal performance.” He called it “political theater” that is “about creating a narrative, aided by the media, that all Republicans are dangerous extremists.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/family-research-council-backs-gop-leaders-on-jan-6-commission-whats-the-point/
Seriously, you guys worship the unholy, ungodly Dark One! A man so disgusting that his name shall not be mentioned in my church! What’s the point? To find out what the truth was behind that horrible attack on Congress! And then once again, the people who we mock as prophets are back and this time they’re doubling down on the crazy. For that’s not what our savior, the good LAWRD JAYSUS would want now, is it? He would be mocking these false prophets!
Self-proclaimed “prophet” Robin Bullock used last Tuesday’s “The Eleventh Hour” church service to warn those who attack or criticize him and other “prophets” that they will be punished by God with insanity for daring to “mock the mouthpiece of God.”
Bullock is among the group of self-proclaimed “prophets” who guaranteed that former President Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and now adamantly refuse to accept that they were wrong even though Joe Biden has been president for four months. Bullock was upset that Biden did not confess that he is “not the legitimate president” and step down as Bullock had commanded last month, and that people dared to mock him for making such a demand.
“There’s prophets of great magnitude speaking everywhere right now, but yet they attack them,” Bullock griped. “The groups that represent abominations before the Lord, the LGBTQ—whatever they call themselves, plus whatever they add—attacking prophets. You’re ripping the mantles of prophets, and you’ve determined your time of falling.”
“However you treat the mouth of God, it determines your future,” he continued. “It’s a dangerous thing to tear the garment of a prophet. That’s a dangerous thing to mock the mouthpiece of God. It’s very dangerous to do such a thing as that. Very dangerous. Once that happens, it leads to one thing: It leads to insanity.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/self-proclaimed-prophet-robin-bullock-says-those-who-mock-him-will-be-driven-insane-by-god/
Bullock is among the group of self-proclaimed “prophets” who guaranteed that former President Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and now adamantly refuse to accept that they were wrong even though Joe Biden has been president for four months. Bullock was upset that Biden did not confess that he is “not the legitimate president” and step down as Bullock had commanded last month, and that people dared to mock him for making such a demand.
“There’s prophets of great magnitude speaking everywhere right now, but yet they attack them,” Bullock griped. “The groups that represent abominations before the Lord, the LGBTQ—whatever they call themselves, plus whatever they add—attacking prophets. You’re ripping the mantles of prophets, and you’ve determined your time of falling.”
“However you treat the mouth of God, it determines your future,” he continued. “It’s a dangerous thing to tear the garment of a prophet. That’s a dangerous thing to mock the mouthpiece of God. It’s very dangerous to do such a thing as that. Very dangerous. Once that happens, it leads to one thing: It leads to insanity.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/self-proclaimed-prophet-robin-bullock-says-those-who-mock-him-will-be-driven-insane-by-god/
?itemid=10041229
I think it is you who are the crazy one, Mr. Bullock! Because of you we spent two weeks covering these insane people who think they’re prophets, and I feel like we’ll be spending many more at that! And speaking of these so-called prophets, why do they always gravitate towards the unholy Dark One? I mean is that we’re we are at in 2021? This is another one of those insane prophecies that should not be, but look Biden won the election, we all knew that! Because JAYSUS would hate the Dark One!
Self-proclaimed “prophetess” Kat Kerr appeared on the Elijah Streams YouTube channel last Wednesday, where she declared that Christians are under no obligation to pray for President Joe Biden because, despite all appearances, he is not actually “in authority.”
Kerr—who is among the group of self-proclaimed “prophets” who guaranteed that former President Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and now adamantly refuse to accept that their prophecies were wrong even though Biden has been in office for nearly four months—outright dismissed the Bible’s command that Christians pray for their political leaders.
Romans 13 declares that “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment,” while 1 Timothy 2 instructs that “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
But Kerr insisted that these commands are not binding on Christians today because Biden supposedly stole the election and is therefore not legitimately “in authority.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/kat-kerr-says-christians-shouldnt-pray-for-biden-because-he-is-not-legitimately-in-authority/
Kerr—who is among the group of self-proclaimed “prophets” who guaranteed that former President Donald Trump would win the 2020 election and now adamantly refuse to accept that their prophecies were wrong even though Biden has been in office for nearly four months—outright dismissed the Bible’s command that Christians pray for their political leaders.
Romans 13 declares that “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment,” while 1 Timothy 2 instructs that “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
But Kerr insisted that these commands are not binding on Christians today because Biden supposedly stole the election and is therefore not legitimately “in authority.”
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/kat-kerr-says-christians-shouldnt-pray-for-biden-because-he-is-not-legitimately-in-authority/
And that devil is people who worship the unholy Dark One! But that said, did you know that we are locked in spiritual warfare of the highest caliber? And this battle for our very SOULS will consume the planet! But not really, it’s just people who are caught up in the Fox News culture wars. But it does sicken me, though it does not shock me, that there are people like this who are “spiritual warriors” for the unholy Dark One. I think I see a future sermon in which we divulge the cult-like mind of those who do worship that mad man!
Mario Murillo, an evangelist who has actively promoted false claims that the 2020 election was “stolen” from former President Donald Trump, told Charisma’s Stephen Strang that the church needs leaders like World War II Gen. George Patton with the “audacity” and “courage” to “take the offense” in the country’s political and cultural wars.
Strang interviewed Murillo in preparation for Strang’s upcoming book, “God and Cancel Culture,” and published the interview as a podcast. Murillo told Strang that revival is at hand because, he asserted, God is exposing what Murillo claimed were attributes of what he called “wokeness”: racism, hypocrisy, and what he described as the “radical nature of cancel culture.”
Murillo said that Christians need to reread the biblical book of Esther to understand how to counter what the right calls “cancel culture.” In the story, Esther intervened with the king to save her people from a planned genocide. Murillo said she was put in such a position by God “for the sake of resisting evil law,” something he said “the church has forgotten how to do.”
Murillo said he had told thousands of pastors in California to resist public health orders to close their churches, adding that “every pastor is in essence a freedom fighter now.” Patton didn’t want his men digging foxholes, Murillo told Strang, he wanted them “taking the offensive to the enemy.” Murillo called for a spirit of “anointed resistance” against socialism, wokeness, and cancel culture.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/mario-murillo-god-is-destroying-wokeness-and-the-church-needs-gen-pattons-to-win-the-war/
Strang interviewed Murillo in preparation for Strang’s upcoming book, “God and Cancel Culture,” and published the interview as a podcast. Murillo told Strang that revival is at hand because, he asserted, God is exposing what Murillo claimed were attributes of what he called “wokeness”: racism, hypocrisy, and what he described as the “radical nature of cancel culture.”
Murillo said that Christians need to reread the biblical book of Esther to understand how to counter what the right calls “cancel culture.” In the story, Esther intervened with the king to save her people from a planned genocide. Murillo said she was put in such a position by God “for the sake of resisting evil law,” something he said “the church has forgotten how to do.”
Murillo said he had told thousands of pastors in California to resist public health orders to close their churches, adding that “every pastor is in essence a freedom fighter now.” Patton didn’t want his men digging foxholes, Murillo told Strang, he wanted them “taking the offensive to the enemy.” Murillo called for a spirit of “anointed resistance” against socialism, wokeness, and cancel culture.
https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/mario-murillo-god-is-destroying-wokeness-and-the-church-needs-gen-pattons-to-win-the-war/
And I’m sure there are a lot of them! All right folks, I am out of here for a couple of weeks! I will see you all in July! Mass has ended, may you go in peace! That’s it this week for:
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Beating A Dead Horse: Conservatives vs CDC
[br] [/font] [br]
So if you were born in the 80s like me, you’ll probably remember a little show called “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”. The show starred character actor Paul Reubens playing the host of a children’s show named Pee Wee Herman. And one of the most popular routines from that show was Pee Wee attempting to brush off childish insults by saying “I know you are, but what am I?”. That was pretty much my mantra in elementary school. And that flied in 1986. It does not fly in 2021. So 35 years later, that’s pretty much the mantra of the entire republican party. And it does not work while we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. And you know what? Listen to the CDC, people! They don’t fuck around when it comes to this kind of stuff. If they issue guidelines saying you shouldn’t kiss chickens, maybe, I don’t know, don’t kiss chickens!!
The CDC recently announced that 163 people in 43 states were reported to have caught Salmonella, and a common thread is contact with backyard chickens.
Lots of folks have chickens in South Dakota, the Administrator of Rapid City Hens, Cody Brown, has an idea as to why.
“I grew up around farms in Nebraska. I’ve always had this inkling or wanting to have chickens,” says Brown. “So, there’s nutritional value. Eggs are healthy. Also, being neighborly. Having the ability to share eggs with neighbors. It’s a hobby, it can be stress relieving.”
A third of those who contracted the disease were children, and those younger than five or older than 65 are at risk for a more severe case. Of the 163 cases, 34 caused hospitalization. The CDC would like for people to be aware of ways to protect themselves.
If you’re not too chicken to hold onto one of the little critters, there’s a few things to keep in mind to make sure that you’re doing it safely. For example, don’t kiss or snuggle the birds.
https://www.kotatv.com/2021/05/21/cdc-says-be-cautious-cuddling-chickens/
Lots of folks have chickens in South Dakota, the Administrator of Rapid City Hens, Cody Brown, has an idea as to why.
“I grew up around farms in Nebraska. I’ve always had this inkling or wanting to have chickens,” says Brown. “So, there’s nutritional value. Eggs are healthy. Also, being neighborly. Having the ability to share eggs with neighbors. It’s a hobby, it can be stress relieving.”
A third of those who contracted the disease were children, and those younger than five or older than 65 are at risk for a more severe case. Of the 163 cases, 34 caused hospitalization. The CDC would like for people to be aware of ways to protect themselves.
If you’re not too chicken to hold onto one of the little critters, there’s a few things to keep in mind to make sure that you’re doing it safely. For example, don’t kiss or snuggle the birds.
https://www.kotatv.com/2021/05/21/cdc-says-be-cautious-cuddling-chickens/
But this isn’t the first time conservatives have flaunted the rules or mocked CDC guidelines, in fact, they’re famous for it. Florida Man himself Ron DeSantis is attempting to reboot the cruise industry which has been docked since the start of the pandemic. Of course it seems that deadly diseases don’t mean jack shit to them, nor do the 550,000 dead from the pandemic. So yeah if you want a lesson in what not to do, look to Florida!
Gov. Ron DeSantis for weeks has trumpeted Florida’s lawsuit against the CDC in a bid to restart the state’s shuttered cruise industry.
Mediation ordered — Well, there’s no victory yet in sight for the Republican governor. Late Tuesday, a federal judge declined to grant the preliminary injunction sought by attorneys for the state. Instead, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday directed the two sides to try to settle the case, ordering that mediation occur between now and June 1.
Showdown — The ruling follows a lengthy hearing last week where attorneys for DeSantis and state Attorney General Ashley Moody asserted that federal officials had overstepped their authority by imposing rules on cruise liners. The federal government has questioned why Florida waited months to challenge the rules and contends the state lacks any standing to file its lawsuit. (Hmm, could it be that DeSantis didn't want to sue until it was no longer the Trump administration pushing these rules?)
Timing — It’s not unusual for judges to order mediation, but Merryday's order undercuts the push by DeSantis and Moody to get a federal judge to quickly block the CDC from enforcing its orders. There were signs that sailing could possibly resume by mid-July, meaning that the litigation may not do much to speed up that timeline. But the lawsuit — which has not been backed by any of the major cruise lines — has given DeSantis an opportunity to rail against the bureaucrats who imposed the orders.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2021/05/19/desantis-denied-victory-in-cdc-lawsuit-farmer-vs-book-stench-vs-bs-mast-joins-rebellion-over-mask-rules-gets-fined-492906
Mediation ordered — Well, there’s no victory yet in sight for the Republican governor. Late Tuesday, a federal judge declined to grant the preliminary injunction sought by attorneys for the state. Instead, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday directed the two sides to try to settle the case, ordering that mediation occur between now and June 1.
Showdown — The ruling follows a lengthy hearing last week where attorneys for DeSantis and state Attorney General Ashley Moody asserted that federal officials had overstepped their authority by imposing rules on cruise liners. The federal government has questioned why Florida waited months to challenge the rules and contends the state lacks any standing to file its lawsuit. (Hmm, could it be that DeSantis didn't want to sue until it was no longer the Trump administration pushing these rules?)
Timing — It’s not unusual for judges to order mediation, but Merryday's order undercuts the push by DeSantis and Moody to get a federal judge to quickly block the CDC from enforcing its orders. There were signs that sailing could possibly resume by mid-July, meaning that the litigation may not do much to speed up that timeline. But the lawsuit — which has not been backed by any of the major cruise lines — has given DeSantis an opportunity to rail against the bureaucrats who imposed the orders.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2021/05/19/desantis-denied-victory-in-cdc-lawsuit-farmer-vs-book-stench-vs-bs-mast-joins-rebellion-over-mask-rules-gets-fined-492906
Oh come on, has anyone even seen a chicken? So deadly diseases don’t mean anything to them, how about food poisoning? That is the whole reason behind these guidelines. I mean come on, they elected a Congresswoman whose gun-themed restaurant sent people to the ER for cases of food poisoning and volatile diarrhea. So of course it’s no wonder that they’re going to skirt the rules when it comes to CDC guidelines regarding food poisoning.
Fox News Host Tucker Carlson did a segment on Friday night about a CDC news release entitled CDC Investigating New Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Linked to Backyard Poultry. One thing missing from the 4:47 minute piece? Any mention of the Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks.
Instead of telling his viewers that ongoing Salmonella outbreaks had been linked to contact with backyard poultry and what they could do to protect themselves, Carlson framed the segment as though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just randomly decided to tell people who “snuggle” chickens how to live their lives.
“Like all obedient Americans, we’re pretty dialed in to what the CDC has to say about our lives. Every day we check for new guidance and we have new guidance. For once, it has nothing to do with the coronavirus. This guidance from the CDC is about chickens. The CDC is warning Americans about chickens and we’re quoting now don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry and don’t eat or drink around them,” Carlson began the segment. “That raises the question who are these chicken touchers that the CDC is concerned about? We’re not judging as we ask that. We’d just like to know. Are there people in this country who snuggle chickens? There are, we found one. Here she is,” Carlson said, before rolling a clip dated 2016 of a young woman identified in the chyron as “Tiara, 27, chicken enthusiast.”
When the clip was done, present-day Tiara Soleim appeared on-screen holding a rooster. (The 2016 footage was from her turn as a contestant on the 20th season of the ABC show The Bachelor.) “It feels like you’ve been singled out by the CDC for criticism. How does that feel?” Carlson asked. Soleim, who keeps a flock of 30 chickens, said she wasn’t a fan of the advice. Carlson said humans have a long history with poultry and, overlooking poultry farmers and family farms in rural America who have been keeping poultry for hundreds of years, added that Soleim is just living the way people used to live.
https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2021/tucker-carlsons-chicken-snuggling-bit-omits-salmonella-outbreak/
Instead of telling his viewers that ongoing Salmonella outbreaks had been linked to contact with backyard poultry and what they could do to protect themselves, Carlson framed the segment as though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just randomly decided to tell people who “snuggle” chickens how to live their lives.
“Like all obedient Americans, we’re pretty dialed in to what the CDC has to say about our lives. Every day we check for new guidance and we have new guidance. For once, it has nothing to do with the coronavirus. This guidance from the CDC is about chickens. The CDC is warning Americans about chickens and we’re quoting now don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry and don’t eat or drink around them,” Carlson began the segment. “That raises the question who are these chicken touchers that the CDC is concerned about? We’re not judging as we ask that. We’d just like to know. Are there people in this country who snuggle chickens? There are, we found one. Here she is,” Carlson said, before rolling a clip dated 2016 of a young woman identified in the chyron as “Tiara, 27, chicken enthusiast.”
When the clip was done, present-day Tiara Soleim appeared on-screen holding a rooster. (The 2016 footage was from her turn as a contestant on the 20th season of the ABC show The Bachelor.) “It feels like you’ve been singled out by the CDC for criticism. How does that feel?” Carlson asked. Soleim, who keeps a flock of 30 chickens, said she wasn’t a fan of the advice. Carlson said humans have a long history with poultry and, overlooking poultry farmers and family farms in rural America who have been keeping poultry for hundreds of years, added that Soleim is just living the way people used to live.
https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2021/tucker-carlsons-chicken-snuggling-bit-omits-salmonella-outbreak/
Seriously guys you should know what a chicken looks like! And of course Tucker would know that the foremost expert to turn to on chickens is a former Bachelor contestant. Conservatives, take heart and listen to what I’m about to tell you. I know you try to look more intelligent than people who actually are experts, but the next time you mock actual experts, you should know that is you who is the fool. Ah, see what I did there?
Tucker Carlson on Friday took a break from peddling white supremacist rhetoric and sowing doubt about COVID-19 vaccines on his show via a segment attacking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ― with a chicken.
The Fox News personality welcomed former “Bachelor” contestant and self-described “chicken enthusiast” Tiara Soleim to rail against the CDC’s new advice on limiting salmonella outbreaks in backyard poultry.
“Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them,” the CDC warned on Thursday. “This can spread Salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick.”
“Now that raises the question, who are these chicken touchers out there that the CDC is concerned about?” Carlson kicked off the segment. “We’re not judging as we ask that. Are there people in this country that snuggle chickens?”
Carlson then introduced Soleim, who was holding a chicken in her arms.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-chicken-enthusiast_n_60a8e6d2e4b0313547975a3a
The Fox News personality welcomed former “Bachelor” contestant and self-described “chicken enthusiast” Tiara Soleim to rail against the CDC’s new advice on limiting salmonella outbreaks in backyard poultry.
“Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them,” the CDC warned on Thursday. “This can spread Salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick.”
“Now that raises the question, who are these chicken touchers out there that the CDC is concerned about?” Carlson kicked off the segment. “We’re not judging as we ask that. Are there people in this country that snuggle chickens?”
Carlson then introduced Soleim, who was holding a chicken in her arms.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-chicken-enthusiast_n_60a8e6d2e4b0313547975a3a
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Conspiracy Corner
[br] [/font] [br]
Welcome back to the segment that attempts to explain the unexplainable, Conspiracy Corner! We are of course coming to you live from our underground Doomsday Bunker deep in the flats of the New Mexico badlands. Undisclosed location of course. But first let me adjust my tin foil hat for maximum government interference – they are trying to read my thoughts. And don’t forget the creepy oldies music. Every doomsday shelter has creepy oldies’ music. Well this week a bunch of gun nuts are creating a conspiracy of their own. We’ve repeatedly talked about rural Oregon’s quest to leave for redder pastures in Ohio. But this week we found out one of their own might be running for governor – that’s right, our old buddy, king conspiracy theorist himself Ammon Bundy. So here’s how that could play out.
Anti-government provocateur Ammon Bundy filed papers to run for governor in Idaho next year, even though he's not currently registered to vote or legally allowed to set foot on Capitol grounds.
Secretary of State candidacy records show Bundy listing his address as a post-office box in Emmett, with a local contractor, Aaron Welling, acting as treasurer.
He would be seeking the 2022 GOP nomination for the state's top post, currently held by Republican Brad Little. The governor had been unsuccessfully targeted for recall by anti-government activists unhappy with shutdowns he ordered in response to the pandemic.
Bundy told NBC News on Monday he's not yet formally announced a gubernatorial run, but wants to begin building an organization for a potential candidacy.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/noted-anti-government-activist-ammon-bundy-running-governor-idaho-n1268317
Secretary of State candidacy records show Bundy listing his address as a post-office box in Emmett, with a local contractor, Aaron Welling, acting as treasurer.
He would be seeking the 2022 GOP nomination for the state's top post, currently held by Republican Brad Little. The governor had been unsuccessfully targeted for recall by anti-government activists unhappy with shutdowns he ordered in response to the pandemic.
Bundy told NBC News on Monday he's not yet formally announced a gubernatorial run, but wants to begin building an organization for a potential candidacy.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/noted-anti-government-activist-ammon-bundy-running-governor-idaho-n1268317
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let’s get something straight her e – the guy who hates government so much that he raided a bird sanctuary is now running for the governor of Idaho? That would be like a guy who hates Elon Musk buying stock in Dogecoin! But if somehow this happens and the rooting tooting, freeway shooting cowboy does become governor of Idaho, he’ll have some more territory to occupy, and we wish we were making this up!
Political divisions in Oregon can to a great degree be measured by a river, the Deschutes, which winds its circuitous way through the state’s midsection. The river divides the high prairies of the eastern half — agricultural and politically conservative, largely — from the wetter, woodier western half, which has long been more populated and more liberal.
The statewide shutdown orders that accompanied the coronavirus pandemic last year deepened those divisions, crippling businesses at a time when some rural counties had few cases. The protests and riots over race and police conduct in Portland, the state’s largest city, widened the gap further still, and the defeat of former President Donald Trump, who won most counties but still lost the state by a big margin after President Joe Biden’s strong showing in the cities, capped off a litany of frustrations.
Last week, all of that led thousands of east bank residents to a single resonant but highly improbable word: secession. A majority of residents in five eastern counties said in nonbinding votes that they would like to leave Oregon and join with their more like-minded conservative neighbors further east in Idaho..
“Those of us in rural Oregon are written off,” said Mike McCarter, a retired agricultural nursery owner who has led the secession drive.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/their-own-private-idaho-5-oregon-counties-back-a-plan-to-secede/
The statewide shutdown orders that accompanied the coronavirus pandemic last year deepened those divisions, crippling businesses at a time when some rural counties had few cases. The protests and riots over race and police conduct in Portland, the state’s largest city, widened the gap further still, and the defeat of former President Donald Trump, who won most counties but still lost the state by a big margin after President Joe Biden’s strong showing in the cities, capped off a litany of frustrations.
Last week, all of that led thousands of east bank residents to a single resonant but highly improbable word: secession. A majority of residents in five eastern counties said in nonbinding votes that they would like to leave Oregon and join with their more like-minded conservative neighbors further east in Idaho..
“Those of us in rural Oregon are written off,” said Mike McCarter, a retired agricultural nursery owner who has led the secession drive.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/their-own-private-idaho-5-oregon-counties-back-a-plan-to-secede/
Yes, it’s all about the greater good. THE GREATER GOOD! So rural Oregon voters feel they are being left behind by big city Oregon voters and it’s understandable. I mean I’m sure Oregon has bigger fish to fry right now with the weekly Proud Boys – Antifa cage matches in the city of Portland. And we’re still puzzled at this one because Biden overwhelmingly defeated that other guy in Oregon by a huge landslide victory.
Voters in five rural Oregon counties approved measures on Tuesday to consider joining the state of Idaho, a part of a long-shot grassroots movement to break with a state dominated by liberal voters west of the Cascade Mountains.
Voters in Malheur, Sherman, Grant, Baker and Lake counties all approved measures that would require county officials to take steps to promote moving the Idaho border west to incorporate their populations.
Oregon voters favored President Biden over former President Trump by a 56 percent to 40 percent margin in 2020, but voters in those five rural counties gave between 69 percent and 79 percent of the vote to Trump.
They join two other rural counties — Jefferson and Union — whose voters approved measures promoting a move to Idaho last year.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/554332-oregon-counties-vote-to-secede-to-idaho
Voters in Malheur, Sherman, Grant, Baker and Lake counties all approved measures that would require county officials to take steps to promote moving the Idaho border west to incorporate their populations.
Oregon voters favored President Biden over former President Trump by a 56 percent to 40 percent margin in 2020, but voters in those five rural counties gave between 69 percent and 79 percent of the vote to Trump.
They join two other rural counties — Jefferson and Union — whose voters approved measures promoting a move to Idaho last year.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/554332-oregon-counties-vote-to-secede-to-idaho
OK so disgruntled Oreganites are planning to ditch Blue Oregon for Red Idaho. What happens after the vote to secede? Well I mean first of all they have to spell “secede” before they can secede. Let’s not kid ourselves here! And here’s the thing they should know before they go through with this – they’re not getting any new representation here! New Idaho will have as much representation as the previous Idaho, it just got more rural. Think about that guys!
Idaho could be getting a lot bigger if some voters in Oregon get their way.
Thousands of people in eastern Oregon voted Tuesday for their elected officials to consider ditching their state and becoming part of Idaho.
Voters in Sherman, Lake, Grant, Baker and Malheur counties all voted for ballot measures that would lead to them becoming Idahoans. People in Union and Jefferson counties had already voted in favor during the November election.
Baker County’s election results weren’t yet available on the Oregon Secretary of State’s page, but the Baker City Herald reported that a majority — 3,064 to 2,307 — voted in favor of county commissioners “meet(ing) three times per year to discuss a proposal to include 18 counties, including Baker, as part of Idaho.”
The vote is only the first step of the “Greater Idaho” project, which would allow some Oregon counties to join a state that advocates say more closely aligns with their political preferences.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/northwest/idaho/article251530708.html
Thousands of people in eastern Oregon voted Tuesday for their elected officials to consider ditching their state and becoming part of Idaho.
Voters in Sherman, Lake, Grant, Baker and Malheur counties all voted for ballot measures that would lead to them becoming Idahoans. People in Union and Jefferson counties had already voted in favor during the November election.
Baker County’s election results weren’t yet available on the Oregon Secretary of State’s page, but the Baker City Herald reported that a majority — 3,064 to 2,307 — voted in favor of county commissioners “meet(ing) three times per year to discuss a proposal to include 18 counties, including Baker, as part of Idaho.”
The vote is only the first step of the “Greater Idaho” project, which would allow some Oregon counties to join a state that advocates say more closely aligns with their political preferences.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/northwest/idaho/article251530708.html
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]People Are Dumb
[br] [/font] [br]
Hit it!
Of course you know by now that people are people, and people are dumb. So I wanted to clarify – we have a pretty strict definition of what qualifies for a People Are Dumb story. We’re not going to discuss the story of the woman who left her $26 million winning lottery ticket in her pants pocket. I got a lot of requests for this one. That’s not dumb, that’s just carelessness. This week we’re going to do something a bit different for People Are Dumb. We’re going to talk about fails involving the Tesla Auto Pilot system. See here’s the thing that people just don’t seem to get about the Tesla Autopilot: It’s not an actual self-driving system. Even the California DMV is considering implementing rules against the self-driving system. But this is why I wanted to do this, this week, is because of this dolt out of UC Berkeley who’s been caught multiple times riding in the backseat while his Tesla was on autopilot.
The unwritten golden rule of partially automated vehicles is simple: don't be dumb. Apparently, this rule needs to be a little more profound (or mandated), because despite laws and standards being set in place to define vehicle automation, some people just don't seem to get it. Fortunately, the California Highway Patrol does.
On Tuesday, the CHP arrested 25-year-old Param Sharma, a Tesla driver whose presence was made viral after photos and videos of him riding in the back seat of his Model 3 circulated on social media.
The CHP says that on May 10, it received several complaints from motorists regarding a Tesla Model 3 traveling on the highway without a driver in the front seat. An officer spotted the vehicle near the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza and initiated a traffic stop where the rear passenger was seen moving into the driver's seat. The officer then arrested Sharma and charged him with two counts of reckless driving and disobeying a Peace Officer.
Apparently, Sharma is no stranger to backseat driving, as the CHP acknowledges that he was cited previously on April 27 for similar behavior. On May 8, the CHP publicly acknowledged that they were aware of a similar stunt that was captured and posted to YouTube just three days earlier, noting that they were actively investigating the incident.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/40575/california-police-arrest-serial-backseat-tesla-driver-for-abusing-autopilot
On Tuesday, the CHP arrested 25-year-old Param Sharma, a Tesla driver whose presence was made viral after photos and videos of him riding in the back seat of his Model 3 circulated on social media.
The CHP says that on May 10, it received several complaints from motorists regarding a Tesla Model 3 traveling on the highway without a driver in the front seat. An officer spotted the vehicle near the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza and initiated a traffic stop where the rear passenger was seen moving into the driver's seat. The officer then arrested Sharma and charged him with two counts of reckless driving and disobeying a Peace Officer.
Apparently, Sharma is no stranger to backseat driving, as the CHP acknowledges that he was cited previously on April 27 for similar behavior. On May 8, the CHP publicly acknowledged that they were aware of a similar stunt that was captured and posted to YouTube just three days earlier, noting that they were actively investigating the incident.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/40575/california-police-arrest-serial-backseat-tesla-driver-for-abusing-autopilot
And here’s what makes this insane. Every time he gets out of jail, he goes and buys a new Tesla because – I’m quoting – he’s “very rich”. Gee, who does that remind me of? Well it certainly wouldn’t remind me of anyone who recently served in the White House, that’s for sure. Yeah, no, nobody comes to mind in that regard. But you know the old saying – fool me once shame on you, fool me – you won’t get fooled again. Yeah I heard a guy on TV say that!
Just yesterday we told you about a serial Autopilot abuser—a man who has caused an uproar online after constantly posting videos of himself riding in the back seat of his Tesla Model 3 while Autopilot keeps the car on the road. Today, however, just two days after being arrested and having his Tesla confiscated, he's back at it again—in a new Tesla. As the saying goes: old habits die hard.
25-year-old Param Sharma is back to posting videos of himself doing the very thing he was apprehended for, though this time with a new Model 3 that he claims to have bought right after getting out of prison.
California police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested Sharma on May 10 for two counts of reckless driving and disobeying a Peace Officer after receiving complaints of a man riding in the back of a Tesla Model 3 while nobody was behind the steering wheel. Police impounded his Model 3 for evidence in his upcoming trial, which is scheduled for July.
Within 18 hours after being released, Sharma was once again posting videos on Instagram from the back seat of another Tesla.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/40591/jailed-autopilot-abuser-buys-another-tesla-immediately-starts-riding-in-back-seat
25-year-old Param Sharma is back to posting videos of himself doing the very thing he was apprehended for, though this time with a new Model 3 that he claims to have bought right after getting out of prison.
California police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested Sharma on May 10 for two counts of reckless driving and disobeying a Peace Officer after receiving complaints of a man riding in the back of a Tesla Model 3 while nobody was behind the steering wheel. Police impounded his Model 3 for evidence in his upcoming trial, which is scheduled for July.
Within 18 hours after being released, Sharma was once again posting videos on Instagram from the back seat of another Tesla.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/40591/jailed-autopilot-abuser-buys-another-tesla-immediately-starts-riding-in-back-seat
Oh and if you think this is an isolated incident, I’m here to tell you that you are wrong. Let’s check out this incident from Wisconsin where a man decided to test the limits of the Tesla Autopilot and literally slept behind the wheel of the car while it was going 80 miles an hour! It’s truly amazing no one was hurt or killed by this act of insanity. The Tesla Autopilot is not an actual autopilot! What about this are people still not getting?
Wisconsin authorities ticketed a man who was seen sleeping behind the wheel of his Tesla as the car drove itself in a mode known as Autopilot, according to a sheriff’s report.
The Kenosha County sheriff reported that shortly before 8 a.m. Sunday, a deputy drove alongside the 2019 Tesla and observed its driver dozing as the car hurtled along Interstate 94, according to NBC News reporting.
The deputy tried to perform a traffic stop but noted that “the driver was not pulling over as he followed behind it for approximately 2 miles at 82 mph through Kenosha County.”
Eventually, after the deputy again pulled alongside the Tesla, the driver woke up and stopped the vehicle. According to the report, the driver denied being asleep but admitted being tired, and he was issued a citation for “inattentive driving.”
https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2021/05/22/tesla-driver-slept-as-car-was-going-over-80-mph-on-autopilot-wisconsin-officials-say/
The Kenosha County sheriff reported that shortly before 8 a.m. Sunday, a deputy drove alongside the 2019 Tesla and observed its driver dozing as the car hurtled along Interstate 94, according to NBC News reporting.
The deputy tried to perform a traffic stop but noted that “the driver was not pulling over as he followed behind it for approximately 2 miles at 82 mph through Kenosha County.”
Eventually, after the deputy again pulled alongside the Tesla, the driver woke up and stopped the vehicle. According to the report, the driver denied being asleep but admitted being tired, and he was issued a citation for “inattentive driving.”
https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2021/05/22/tesla-driver-slept-as-car-was-going-over-80-mph-on-autopilot-wisconsin-officials-say/
Again, not that kind of auto pilot. That’s Otto Pilot, and that’s a totally different kind of self-driving system and it’s not approve for cars yet. And by the way there’s incidents of these all over the country, and all in the last month. See? This is what qualifies for a People Are Dumb story – people who don’t read the instruction manuals before operating! And this is why I wanted to do this segment this week, because of idiots like this.
Federal vehicle safety regulators opened a new investigation into a second Tesla crash this month after a Model Y that was reportedly operating in Autopilot struck a stationary police car early Wednesday morning in Michigan, according to officials.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration was already investigating an unrelated Tesla collision in Detroit less than a week ago.
“Consistent with NHTSA’s vigilant oversight and robust authority over the safety of all motor vehicles and equipment, including automated technologies, we have launched a Special Crash Investigation team to investigate the crash,” NHTSA said in a statement to CNBC.
Autopilot is Tesla’s driver assistance system that comes standard with all of its newer models.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/17/tesla-in-autopilot-hits-police-car-in-michigan-officials-say.html
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration was already investigating an unrelated Tesla collision in Detroit less than a week ago.
“Consistent with NHTSA’s vigilant oversight and robust authority over the safety of all motor vehicles and equipment, including automated technologies, we have launched a Special Crash Investigation team to investigate the crash,” NHTSA said in a statement to CNBC.
Autopilot is Tesla’s driver assistance system that comes standard with all of its newer models.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/17/tesla-in-autopilot-hits-police-car-in-michigan-officials-say.html
That’s kind of how I feel driving a Tesla, anyways! But this poses an interesting question to insurance companies – when you crash, who pays? I’m sure this has been the center of debate of many insurance providers and I would love to hear some of those conversations. In the event of stupidity by driver using Autopilot… who does pay? Should Tesla be at fault or should it be the stupidity of the driver? We vote stupidity of the driver.
The advent of self-driving cars is raising questions in the insurance sector about who should pay when the vehicles crash and how insurers will set equitable rates.
When cars can operate themselves, the central question will be whether accidents are the manufacturer’s responsibility and therefore covered by product liability insurance or whether the fault would lie with the driver and be covered by personal auto insurance.
While even today’s most advanced cars aren’t fully autonomous, experts say such cars are coming and the insurance question will only become more urgent. When a Tesla crashed near Houston last month, killing the two occupants, the initial focus was on Tesla’s self-driving technology, prompting CEO Elon Musk to deny that the car in question had those capabilities.
Musk said data logs showed the car didn’t have a full self-driving computer installation and the automaker’s separate “Autopilot” feature wasn’t enabled. Tesla says Autopilot requires active driver supervision and that no Tesla cars are completely autonomous. Police said no one was in the driver’s seat when the car crashed into a tree.
https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/25/insurers-ask-who-pays-when-self-driving-vehicles-crash/
When cars can operate themselves, the central question will be whether accidents are the manufacturer’s responsibility and therefore covered by product liability insurance or whether the fault would lie with the driver and be covered by personal auto insurance.
While even today’s most advanced cars aren’t fully autonomous, experts say such cars are coming and the insurance question will only become more urgent. When a Tesla crashed near Houston last month, killing the two occupants, the initial focus was on Tesla’s self-driving technology, prompting CEO Elon Musk to deny that the car in question had those capabilities.
Musk said data logs showed the car didn’t have a full self-driving computer installation and the automaker’s separate “Autopilot” feature wasn’t enabled. Tesla says Autopilot requires active driver supervision and that no Tesla cars are completely autonomous. Police said no one was in the driver’s seat when the car crashed into a tree.
https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/25/insurers-ask-who-pays-when-self-driving-vehicles-crash/
That’s it this week for:
[div style="padding: 20px; background-color: #ffffff; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0px 2px 4px 1px #aaa;"][div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999; padding-bottom: 8px;"]
[font size="8"]Stupidest State
[br] [/font] [br]
16 states will enter and only one state will become the new Top 10 Conservative Idiots Stupidest State!
Folks, welcome to the finals! That’s right – we have survived the Sweet 16, the Elite 8, and of course the Final Four! Last week, Georgia stunned Michigan with a last second three pointer to win the Layover League and advance to their first championship in state history! Meanwhile, Texas once again towers over the Flyover League and could cement their title championship, once again making them the state with the most wins in NFFSA history! Enough of the pre-game commentary, let’s get to the final round of action! Who will win it all? Georgia or Texas? The winner will win the title and the loser will go home! So let’s go to the floor in Phoenix for more!
[font size="4"]Stupidest State 2021 Championship: Georgia Vs Texas [/font]
[font size="2"]Layover League Champion: Georgia [/font]
The Peach State has powered over all of their competition to win the Layover League. And why not – their credentials are strong! They may have turned blue, and while you can take the red out of Georgia, you can’t take Georgia out of the red. Last we checked with the Peach State they were involved in not one but two scandals over laws. The first was Georgia’s controversial voter suppression law, which many have compared to the Jim Crow days. But do people really know what Jim Crow is or what he really stood for? Or is it just misdirected outrage at the real problems in society? Well there’s more than a lot to unpack here.
Democrats and voting rights activists have branded Georgia’s new election law “Jim Crow 2.0,” the modern equivalent of voter suppression tactics that disenfranchised Black Americans for nearly a century after the Civil War.
They say new identification requirements, limits on ballot drop boxes and other provisions of the law are a deliberate attempt to suppress voters of color who helped deliver Georgia to President Joe Biden and the U.S. Senate to Democrats in recent elections.
“Republicans wrote Georgia’s voting laws, and those laws were just fine until Republicans started losing elections because of high turnout of Black voters and voters of color writ large,” said Seth Bringman of Fair Fight, a voting rights group. “This bill is a backlash to the expression of Black Americans’ power, just like Jim Crow 1.0.”
Republicans and other supporters of Senate Bill 202 say such comparisons are false and offensive. They say the bill’s provisions are in the mainstream of U.S. voting laws and that labeling them “Jim Crow” has led to consequences such as Major League Baseball’s decision to pull this year’s All-Star game out of Georgia.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/calls-of-jim-crow-spark-debate-about-georgia-election-law/ZCQ6LWZMEFDWXF6YYLHLDVLJE4/
They say new identification requirements, limits on ballot drop boxes and other provisions of the law are a deliberate attempt to suppress voters of color who helped deliver Georgia to President Joe Biden and the U.S. Senate to Democrats in recent elections.
“Republicans wrote Georgia’s voting laws, and those laws were just fine until Republicans started losing elections because of high turnout of Black voters and voters of color writ large,” said Seth Bringman of Fair Fight, a voting rights group. “This bill is a backlash to the expression of Black Americans’ power, just like Jim Crow 1.0.”
Republicans and other supporters of Senate Bill 202 say such comparisons are false and offensive. They say the bill’s provisions are in the mainstream of U.S. voting laws and that labeling them “Jim Crow” has led to consequences such as Major League Baseball’s decision to pull this year’s All-Star game out of Georgia.
https://www.ajc.com/politics/calls-of-jim-crow-spark-debate-about-georgia-election-law/ZCQ6LWZMEFDWXF6YYLHLDVLJE4/
Add this to yet another reason in the very long list of reasons why Georgia’s republicans suck so very much! But there is some good news is that there’s quite a few lawsuits on the books that could challenge and upset this most draconian of laws. But then again with a 6 -3 SCOTUS and half of them Trump appointees, it will be interesting to see how the MAGA court sides on this one. Also too, they have been full of surprises lately.
The fight over Georgia's sweeping 98-page voting law has moved from the legislature to the courts, as a number of civil rights and voting rights groups have filed lawsuits challenging various parts of the omnibus as unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
SB 202, also known as the "Election Integrity Act of 2021," alters virtually every aspect of Georgia's election administration, from narrowing the absentee ballot request window to requiring ballots to be counted nonstop once the polls close and everything in between. After Democrats flipped the state's electoral votes in November and both U.S. Senate seats in January, Republican officials at every level of government have pushed false claims about the security and accuracy of Georgia's election system, including former President Trump's attempts to overturn his electoral defeat.
Supporters of SB 202 in the legislature say it was necessary to make changes to help restore confidence in elections, after many Republicans stayed home for the runoff.
Republican Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement that his office has observed a "significant amount of misinformation" about the new law and it is his duty to defend the laws of the state.
https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/05/19/here-are-all-the-lawsuits-challenging-georgias-new-voting-law
SB 202, also known as the "Election Integrity Act of 2021," alters virtually every aspect of Georgia's election administration, from narrowing the absentee ballot request window to requiring ballots to be counted nonstop once the polls close and everything in between. After Democrats flipped the state's electoral votes in November and both U.S. Senate seats in January, Republican officials at every level of government have pushed false claims about the security and accuracy of Georgia's election system, including former President Trump's attempts to overturn his electoral defeat.
Supporters of SB 202 in the legislature say it was necessary to make changes to help restore confidence in elections, after many Republicans stayed home for the runoff.
Republican Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement that his office has observed a "significant amount of misinformation" about the new law and it is his duty to defend the laws of the state.
https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/05/19/here-are-all-the-lawsuits-challenging-georgias-new-voting-law
Oh you know it’s bad when the entire crowd joins in! But remember that other law that Brian Kemp recently signed? You know the one that promises that NCAA athletes can finally get paid for their work but they must redistribute the wealth? And yes, conservative s hate wealth redistribution because that’s inherently socialist. But the one interesting thing about this new law is that it highlights the differences between the haves and have nots:
With much help from NCAA officials, state legislatures and the inevitable becoming reality, college sports is going from walking to sprinting down that dark, slippery and narrow road of paying athletes.
It won’t end pretty.
Not unless we’re talking pretty ugly.
As this money to college players keeps expanding in different ways, particularly in regard to big-time recruits in football, you can forget the Power Five conferences. Soon, we’ll have the Power Five teams.
OK, we’ll likely have more teams than that, but not as many as you think. For verification of income-related horrors to come in college sports — including that day when the Supreme Court (or maybe just the NCAA) says all athletes should get paid, period — we needn’t go further than the state of Georgia.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/terencemoore/2021/05/10/brian-kemp-georgia-law-ncaa-and-others-letting-college-athletes-get-paid-is-selfish/
It won’t end pretty.
Not unless we’re talking pretty ugly.
As this money to college players keeps expanding in different ways, particularly in regard to big-time recruits in football, you can forget the Power Five conferences. Soon, we’ll have the Power Five teams.
OK, we’ll likely have more teams than that, but not as many as you think. For verification of income-related horrors to come in college sports — including that day when the Supreme Court (or maybe just the NCAA) says all athletes should get paid, period — we needn’t go further than the state of Georgia.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/terencemoore/2021/05/10/brian-kemp-georgia-law-ncaa-and-others-letting-college-athletes-get-paid-is-selfish/
[font size="2"]Flyover League Champion: Texas [/font]
Last we checked the Lone Star State crushed all competitors in the Gun Nut Conference, towered over the competition to win the Flyover League. They say everything is bigger in Texas, everyone of course knows this for a fact! One thing we also know is bigger in Texas is their police departments. And American police have come under fire in the last year in the wake of the George Floyd murder, and rightfully so. Police militarization is a very tricky subject. But what makes this even worse is that Texas not only doesn’t care, they’ve made it worse! Which is what Texas tends to do!
Efforts to change policing in Texas in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer last year have mostly failed.
The Legislature had been considering the George Floyd Act – an omnibus bill announced last summer, and introduced by Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Sen. Royce West at the beginning of the session. But Rice University political science professor Mark Jones tells Texas Standard that the bill was “chopped up” into smaller bills, many of which have failed to progress.
“Once it started going through piecemeal … there were just lots of barriers,” he said.
The strongest resistance came from police unions. Jones says their biggest concern was protecting so-called qualified immunity – something the bill would have removed. Qualified immunity protects officers from state civil rights lawsuits.
Read more: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/george-floyd-act-mostly-fails-in-texas-legislature-after-being-chopped-up-into-smaller-bills/
The Legislature had been considering the George Floyd Act – an omnibus bill announced last summer, and introduced by Rep. Senfronia Thompson and Sen. Royce West at the beginning of the session. But Rice University political science professor Mark Jones tells Texas Standard that the bill was “chopped up” into smaller bills, many of which have failed to progress.
“Once it started going through piecemeal … there were just lots of barriers,” he said.
The strongest resistance came from police unions. Jones says their biggest concern was protecting so-called qualified immunity – something the bill would have removed. Qualified immunity protects officers from state civil rights lawsuits.
Read more: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/george-floyd-act-mostly-fails-in-texas-legislature-after-being-chopped-up-into-smaller-bills/
Oh and that’s not the only thing they’re compensating either. But Texas is very fucked up thanks to 40 years of reckless conservative policies. Policing isn’t the only thing that is hampering Texas at the moment. You know what else Texas leads the country in? The number of citizens who got arrested for the January 6th insurrection of the United States Capitol. That’s right – there’s an alarming number of MAGAs in Texas and they??re getting louder and angrier.
Texans are leading the nation in the number of arrests for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as supporters of former President Donald Trump violently disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden’s election.
Months later, the U.S. Department of Justice is still investigating and arresting accused rioters, including Adam Weibling, a Katy area man the FBI arrested on Tuesday. Congress may launch its own independent investigation into the insurrection through a 9/11-style, bipartisan commission, though the measure's prospects in the Senate appear dim.
Meanwhile, some on the right are playing down the violence of a riot that left five people dead, including a U.S. Capitol police officer, and about 140 police officers injured. U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Tyler Republican, recently gave an hour-long speech on the House floor in which he called the vast majority of those accused “peaceful Americans” whose only crime was supporting Trump. The outgoing president had urged supporters to march on the Capitol.
And in court documents released by the Department of Justice in the 44 cases involving Texans, vivid details have emerged about what they allegedly did that day. Some face charges for being caught on camera inside the Capitol and little else. Others are accused of wielding makeshift weapons against the police — tomahawks, chemical spray, a skateboard and a firecracker — as they fought their way into the building.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texans-storming-Capitol-Court-records-insurrection-16202141.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
Months later, the U.S. Department of Justice is still investigating and arresting accused rioters, including Adam Weibling, a Katy area man the FBI arrested on Tuesday. Congress may launch its own independent investigation into the insurrection through a 9/11-style, bipartisan commission, though the measure's prospects in the Senate appear dim.
Meanwhile, some on the right are playing down the violence of a riot that left five people dead, including a U.S. Capitol police officer, and about 140 police officers injured. U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Tyler Republican, recently gave an hour-long speech on the House floor in which he called the vast majority of those accused “peaceful Americans” whose only crime was supporting Trump. The outgoing president had urged supporters to march on the Capitol.
And in court documents released by the Department of Justice in the 44 cases involving Texans, vivid details have emerged about what they allegedly did that day. Some face charges for being caught on camera inside the Capitol and little else. Others are accused of wielding makeshift weapons against the police — tomahawks, chemical spray, a skateboard and a firecracker — as they fought their way into the building.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texans-storming-Capitol-Court-records-insurrection-16202141.php?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
And yes we kid here, but that really is how the rest of America sees Texas. I mean come on, even a throwaway joke on Thor: Ragnarok shows that even beings from other worlds have a stereotype of Texas, so it’s not just us! You know what Texas is doing? They’re allowing guns to be carried into bars now! Yeah give a bunch of drunk people guns and see where that goes! File this one under “things that won’t end well”!
The Firearm Carry Act allowing many Texans to carry a handgun without a permit is waiting for the governor's signature.
The bill was contentious enough but, now, Central Texas Gunworks owner Michael Cargill is concerned a change during the pandemic could lead to unintended consequences for bars that may still operate as restaurants.
"So that means the majority of bars that are on Sixth Street, starting Sept. 1, unlicensed people will be able to carry in there," he said.
Cargill is referring to the bars that have transformed into restaurants after COVID-19 hit. They did it to stay in business.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved rules last year that made it easier for bars to legally operate as restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. No word how long the rules will last.
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/austin-gun-shop-owner-says-new-permitless-carry-law-will-allow-guns-into-bars-that-are-operating-as-restaurants/269-819a1c78-2371-4f90-bd7b-533e7d602cb0
The bill was contentious enough but, now, Central Texas Gunworks owner Michael Cargill is concerned a change during the pandemic could lead to unintended consequences for bars that may still operate as restaurants.
"So that means the majority of bars that are on Sixth Street, starting Sept. 1, unlicensed people will be able to carry in there," he said.
Cargill is referring to the bars that have transformed into restaurants after COVID-19 hit. They did it to stay in business.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved rules last year that made it easier for bars to legally operate as restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. No word how long the rules will last.
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/austin-gun-shop-owner-says-new-permitless-carry-law-will-allow-guns-into-bars-that-are-operating-as-restaurants/269-819a1c78-2371-4f90-bd7b-533e7d602cb0
[font size="2"]And The Winner Is: [/font]
Folks we have a winner!!!!!!!!!! Texas has utterly routed Georgia to win the 2021 Stupidest State contest! They are celebrating on the court, it is absolute madness! They started as a number 2 seed, they are number one! Texas has defeated Georgia by a final score of 101 – 85! Congratulations to Texas, they have won it all and are our new 2021 NFFSA Stupidest State Champions! This is their second title in NFFSA history and another storied franchise in the league!
[font size="4"]Trophy Presentation [/font]
[font size="4"]Locker Room Celebration [/font]
[font size="4"]Statement From The Commissioner [/font]
Congratulations to Texas for becoming our 2021 Stupidest State! They survived the odds and shocked the pundits to claw their way to the top of the NFFSA! I’d like to thank Texas coach Dan Patrick for being a shining example of conservative idiocy and Greg Abbott for being the predictable gun-toting lunatic we all thought he would be! Yes, we have been renewed through season 12 which means that the NFFSA will be back in 2022! I’d like to thank my staff, my crew, the beautiful people at Talking Stick Resort Arena and State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona for being the hosts of this tournament! But most importantly I’d like to thank you, the fans for making this possible year after year! We almost didn’t make it last year, but we survived this year to be stronger than ever. Now let’s all sing that song that we all know and love!
[font size="4"]And Now This [/font]
Folks, before we get out of here, we have our first live performance of 2021! I’m extremely honored to welcome one of my all time favorite bands, their new album is called “Medicine At Midnight”. Playing their song “No Son Of Mine”, give it up for the one, the only, Foo Fighters!
Some announcements: Folks, we have reached the end of one of the more bizarre seasons of the Top 10 (mainly because the events of 1/6 totally derailed our plans to start to the season).And I've got a lot of requests for it, but the answer remains no: we will not be putting out our "Goodbye To The Trump Administration" special. I just do not feel like putting that asshole on a pedestal anymore than I already have, and the events of 1/6 are the reason why we won't be saying goodbye. I would like to thank my staff, my crew, and of course my fans! First the bad news: We’re going to take a bit of time off in the summer but don’t worry, we will be running a Best Of for season 11 on June 10th and a viewer mail bag Best Of on June 17th, and a hybrid mailbag Best Of with new material on June 24th. And the good news: We will return with the new season on July 8th! Also live Idiots will resume in July! Save the date! Live Idiots dates will be announced on the June 17th edition!
See you in July!
Credits
Host: Initech
Top 10 Conservative Idiots Recorded At: Observatory OC, Santa Ana, CA
Images: All images copyright belongs to respective copyright holders.
Videos: All videos copyright belongs to respective copyright holders
Articles: All article content copyright belongs to respective copyright holders
Writing: Top 10 Writing Department
Graphics: Top 10 Graphics Department
Research: Top 10 Research Department
Lighting & Stage Props: Top 10 Lighting Department
Legal: Top 10 Legal Department
Advertising: Top 10 Advertising Department
HR: Top 10 Human Resources Department
Initech’s Wardrobe Provided By: JAB Inc.
Wheel Of Corruption By: Studio 1 Stage Props, Burbank, CA
Management: Initech Productions, CCC Management
Follow The Top 10 On Twitter at: @10Idiots
Follow The Holy Church Of The Top 10 On Twitter: @churchoftop10
Questions? Comments? Complaints? Hate mail? E-mail The Top 10 at: Top10ConIdiots@gmail.com
Initech Productions: Yes, We Got The Memo