ALSO: Biden called McConnell yesterday and asked if Senate could dual track impeachment trial and cabinet confirmations.
Far from telling Biden he would not discuss the impeachment, McConnell said he would check with the parliamentarian and get back to Biden.
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) January 12, 2021
I don’t know if I buy this, but interesting if true. Also, fuck the seditionist McCarthy, he needs to resign, and it’s a classic move from him to offer up censure after impeachment is a sure thing in the House.
HumboldtBlue
All I need is that creepy Ron Paul “it’s happening meme.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
McConnell has only cared about his own power and keeping the Senate. Since the Senate was lost (arguably by Trump), I completely believe he is done with Trump.
ETA: Yes, and fuck Kevin McCarthy. As the Minority Leader in the House, it is pathetic and disgusting he went ahead and voted to obstruct the certification. Talk about leadership!
Raoul Paste
Biden is doing this for a reason and that’s pretty scary
Ken
I would guess “gives Rs the chance to purge the President” is the main factor, if McConnell is in fact considering impeachment. Primarily to purge him from the fundraising apparatus, but also to keep him away from the 2024 race.
Steeplejack
In other news . . .
Uh-oh.
natem
Said in the last thread, Trump has about seven days to shit the bed even worse, so gaming out McTurtle’s motives (assume the worst, most likely those involving money) is a waste of time. His time as Senate leader is ending soon regardless, fuck him. Let the GOP go on record where they stand with Trump.
Jeffro
the ol’ rope-a-dope is Mitch’s only chance of turning around the donor desertions…trump is pretty obviously insane, maliciously & maniacally so, and a massive weight around The Turtle’s neck if they are to have a prayer of getting funded/winning in 2022 and 2024.
(or, what formerly Mohagan said ;)
CaseyL
McConnell is an enemy of the United States, now and forever. Any gestures towards being law-abiding, or bipartisan, have to be interpreted in view of that fact.
If he’s now “receptive” to impeachment, there is a reason, and the reason has nothing to do with the plain merits of impeachment.
McConnell is maneuvering for something.
(And McCarthy? He should simply be expelled from Congress and stand trial for insurrection.)
debbie
@natem:
He seems…unchastened.
Elizabelle
Trump’s not being able to run again (OK, hoovering up cash as a 2024 electoral grift) would benefit Republicans who might be able to divert the MAGA money to their own accounts.
West of the Rockies
Evidently, Piggy Pompeo canceled a trip to Europe after leaders refused to meet with him. What a burn. I hope he feels anger and humiliation.
HumboldtBlue
Most of us are on the same page with Ms. Reid I see.
JPL
@Elizabelle: It doesn’t matter, because trump is going to leave a stain. Jr., Ivanka and Eric will make sure that happens.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@CaseyL: He’s trying to find a way of getting the stink of Trump’s insurrection off the GOP. Good luck with that.
RSA
A rawstory link to a tweet by John McCormack:
Good God.
patrick II
Parler users at the Capitol on Jan 6 are in for some unpleasant news. Unlike other more sophisticated social media, Parler doesn’t remove metadata from the pictures and videos published to protect its users.
Data from Parler has been obtained legally by a computer hacker according to this Gizmodo story giving the location within 12 meters of the Parler users posting pictures and videos from the assault.
The F.B.I. has obtained a copy.
debbie
@West of the Rockies:
Yeah, Lichtenstein declined Pompeo’s presence. 😂
p.a.
Dump tRump, divert MAGA money to their coffers? They better worry more about diverting MAGA bullets!
Better them as targets than our side!
Bex
So Trump was “paralyzed” watching TV as the insurrection was taking place. At least Nero provided musical accompaniment.
VeniceRiley
@patrick II: And she tells you how she did it: @donk_enby on twitter.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@HumboldtBlue: Joy is a treasure. And OT, I have been surprised and pleased at the evolution of Michael Bechloss from boring “Presidential Historian” MSNBC wheeled out at appropriate times to deliver pablum to a pissed off American citizen tweeting with historical insight. Also, I love the living room that he Zooms from.
NotMax
@Bex
Liar vs. lyre.
:)
Anya
It’s the smart move. Have all of those senators who don’t have to worry about facing the voters in 6-years vote for it. They’e already got their judges and tax cuts so why get rid of Trump for good. But I am not convinced.
Elizabelle
I want to see Hawley and Cruz expelled. It could happen. Donor money, that sweet sweet lifeblood to Mitch and the Republicans.
Throw Josh and Ted to the sharks. Make a strong statement like that. (Of course, Missouri and Texas — to a lesser extent — are wired for Republicans. Both have GOP governors who, I guess, would appoint the interim replacement.)
JPL
It’s easy to support something when you know you won’t get the blame.
Benw
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan): and betting that the gop has enough other fascists that they’ll hold the lunatic base, even without Trump
Elizabelle
Mitch is learning from the superior Nancy Pelosi how to live in Trump’s head, too.
Can you imagine the vitriol keeping AF One aloft at this hour? And Trump with a speech to make?
He’s almost be primed to explode.
dmsilev
There might be a timing element in McConnell’s thinking: Trump is going to get impeached, probably tomorrow. That’s set in stone. The only question is what will the trial look like. If it starts any time in the next week, McConnell has a lot of power to set up the structure. If he keeps to his original timetable and only brings the Senate back into session right before Biden takes over, Schumer is the one laying out the framework and pace of the trial. McConnell might want to say “well, the House impeached in a day, so we’ll have the trial up and down, just a day and done.” I think the Democrats want something that’s thorough, with real witnesses and lots of testimony, because they’re really not just impeaching Trump, they’re impeaching a wide chunk of the Republican Party by proxy.
SiubhanDuinne
@Raoul Paste:
I must be missing something. Why scary?
Elizabelle
@JPL: Oh, we shall see that Mitch gets his share of the blame.
Brachiator
@Ken:
Works for me.
I suspect, though, that the GOP will stick with Trump no matter what. This will be bad for the country, not that Republicans care.
Feathers
@patrick II: I loved the statement that Amazon had preserved Parler’s data so that Parler could use it move to another platform at a later date if they wanted to. I can just picture the call with the FBI. You mean we don’t have to get a warrant for the whole thing now? You are making a mirror copy for your own reasons and we can take our time? Thanks!
I think the Parler types are so high on their own bullshit that they don’t realize how much everybody hates them. They have the whole whiny-victimhood thing down, but that fantasy also includes the notion that once they burst forth and reveal their true nature, all will bow down before them. Nope. You are losers. Any way you look at it.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@Benw: Unfortunately true. :-(
dmsilev
@RSA: Leopards, faces, eating.
That has become surprisingly close to literal these past few weeks.
MattF
@debbie: Trump is ‘unchastened’ or ‘unrepentant’ in a purely formal sense, e.g., as ‘black’ is ‘unwhite’. The actual meanings of the words are not involved.
Mike in NC
Rep. Bush (D-MO) introduced legislation to censure and possibly expel the idiots who refused to accept the election results. That includes the weasel McCarthy.
Hopefully the impeachment vote sails through the House tomorrow. With Democrats holding the House and Senate, President Biden should invoke the 14th Amendment to rid the country of Trump forever.
rjm
Some of those posters look to me like they were in the white house and eob. I guess it might take a while, but comunications between those folks and the insurrectionists outside are going to be obvious to the FBI
Elizabelle
@Mike in NC:
What does that mean??
HumboldtBlue
@RSA:
I’m not gonna track it down now, but one of the freshman GOPers told a reporter that if they didn’t vote to protect Trump the lives of their family would be in danger.
...now I try to be amused
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
All Mitch needs is to give the donors enough cover to turn the money spigot back on.
patrick II
@Feathers:
I personally hate the loss of privacy that comes with the internet. I am not a sophisticated enough user to do much about it, but at least I am aware that it is there. So many of these people just seem so oblivious. Yeah! Let’s go do sedition — and make sure to get pictures and post them.
WaterGirl
@Raoul Paste:
Biden is doing what?
SiubhanDuinne
@debbie:
And Luxembourg!
Andorra? Monaco? We’re waiting…
dmsilev
@Elizabelle: It’s a reference to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment:
Brachiator
@debbie:
Das Lichtenstein says “Nein!”
HumboldtBlue
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
Yes, he’s a must-follow.
Ken
Jack Danforth and GW Bush are tanned and rested.
...now I try to be amused
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was targeted at former Confederates. Who knew we’d still have them in 2021?
West of the Rockies
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
Oh, I’m envious of that room, too, with its fireplace and books. I like MB.
jonas
It looks like the GOP rep in the district next door, John Katko (NY-24) has stepped up to say he would support impeachment. Quite a contrast to my *other* neighboring rep, Elise Stefanik, who is up to her eyeballs in what is increasingly appearing to be not simply a spontaneous riot, but a coordinated coup attempt. We’ll see who comes out looking better in the history books.
mary s
I doubt that anyone here is inclined to give McConnell the benefit of any doubt, but according to Vox, raw he is hamstringing the Biden administration by not holding confirmation hearings:
https://www.vox.com/22227009/mcconnell-biden-sabotage-confirmation-hearing-cabinet-senate-schumer
rikyrah
Moscow Mitch has no more use for Dolt45.
Put that shiv in, Mitch.
Put it in…You know you want to…
RSA
@dmsilev: I didn’t make the connection, but you’re exactly right.
@HumboldtBlue:
Wow.
Geminid
@HumboldtBlue: McConnell can count votes. Does he count 17 republican votes to convict? This is getting interesting. But I guess we’ll know more soon.
rikyrah
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
Also, I love the living room that he Zooms from.
Join the fanclub of that room.
Folks all over the internet love that room. It’s like my ideal home library.
Comedian Leslie Jones didn’t think it was an actual room when she first saw it. Once she realized that it was real..
her response…
‘ Shyt…….GOALS’…
LOL
It won Room Rater’s best room of the year.
West of the Rockies
@Brachiator:
Truly, I hope it chaffs Piggy and his wife. I hope they planned their little tax-payed trip to Europe only to see it fade away.
Bill Arnold
@VeniceRiley:
This is interesting:
Which links this, with nice images (maps with GPS location overlays)
Parler Users Breached Deep Inside U.S. Capitol Building, GPS Data Shows (Dell Cameron, Dhruv Mehrotra, 2021/01/12)
I downloaded the metadata myself just for fun, not disguising my IP.
WaterGirl
@patrick II: I have heard rumors of all that, wondering if you have a link?
p.a.
I am dubious abt these corporate announcements shutting off the Rethug money spigots, but maybe MoscowMitch can’t afford to take the chance. IMUO the corps. would find other routes to fund the fascists.
NotMax
@Brachiator
“Anyone know the area code for Andorra? Or San Marino?”
//
Bill Arnold
@Bill Arnold:
ah dupped a link upthread, sorry. Fascinating though.
sixthdoctor
JPL
@rikyrah: hmm Wonder if Mitch knows charges are coming down for some members.. run Mitch run
Liz is voting to impeach.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@sixthdoctor: Donald trump made me agree with Liz “Dick Jr” Cheney
VeniceRiley
Now might be a good time for President Biden to offer blue and purple state R senators like Collins interesting administration jobs.
Ksmiami
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan): it’s the loss of corporate support that is (if this is true) turning Mitch
Gravenstone
I’ll start to consider McConnell is serious as soon as expulsion is credibly put on the table. Until then, it’s so much hot air.
Martin
@Elizabelle: Impeachment doesn’t ban them from holding office again. Being convicted of sedition does, though.
sanjeevs
https://mobile.twitter.com/johnkruzel/status/1349061894418685953
Mike in NC
@Elizabelle:
Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
JPL
@sixthdoctor: It would not surprise me if charges are pending against republicans who incited the violence.
raven
@WaterGirl: Here
TS (the original)
@RSA:
And he needs to be explaining who is doing the threatening and who they support. The politics of trump is deadly – in so many ways.
Elizabelle
Headline on the Marc Thiessen — Marc Thiessen! — WaPost column:
Pelosi is playing politics with impeachment, but Trump committed an impeachable offense
Elizabelle
@Mike in NC: Thank you. Most informative.
@Martin: Sedition for the win, then.
Raoul Paste
@SiubhanDuinne: There are a lot of stories out there about potential follow-on attacks in DC and elsewhere.
I hope there is not an urgency in Biden’s decision to approach Mitch
WaterGirl
@sanjeevs: Remind me who Mark Levin is? There’s so much evil, sometimes I forget.
Cheryl Rofer
Martin
@Ksmiami: In part. He’s not dumb. He can see where this is headed. Blaming it on antifa isn’t going to pull this back.
He surely also got the briefing that more attacks are planned, and if they succeed and he did nothing, that’s it forever and for sure of the GOP. The GOP is dangerously close to being treated as a defacto state sponsor of terrorism, even if they don’t carry the label.
sanjeevs
@WaterGirl: Better educated Rush Limbaugh
dmsilev
@sixthdoctor: Wow. Only a few GOP Reps have committed to voting for impeachment so far, but Cheney is in the Party leadership and, of course, has her …family heritage .
The dam has broken.
jl
@…now I try to be amused: @p.a.:
I think you folks are on the right track, it has to do with big corporate money and billionaire donors. McConnell needs cover for himself and donors to get the big money spigot turned back on asap after a decent interval. Or, the big money funders are serious that they have no more use for Trump or Trumpism, and they are moving on to the next con. They speak and McConnell jumps.
Maybe we’ll see in the coming months, after watching who the big money decides can get out from under the stench enough to deserve some contributions. Will the insurrectionist Trumpster wing be cut off, or will the money start to drip out again, under some sort of parole for abusing the grift?
@Martin: That too, they’ve been frantically A/B testing to see what BS will fly, rather than fall back on them with a stinky splat. Same thing as Trump is doing. Main difference is that Trump’s ability to rehabilitate himself is zero at this point. McConnell is running a desperate retreat to some sort of safety, with disaster control PR that might work with public and big money.
wvng
@sixthdoctor: Liz Cheney is the leader republicans need. I can’t believe I just wrote that.
Gravenstone
@WaterGirl: Presumably talking to McConnell.
Ksmiami
@Martin: Agreed. If they slow walk and more attacks happen, the GOP will be finished
Danielx
@WaterGirl:
A cut rate Josef Goebbels knockoff
West of the Rockies
@VeniceRiley:
Department of Furrowed Brows?
HumboldtBlue
@Elizabelle:
I hate the fact that nearly every day now I see something Bill Kristol wrote that is spot-on and totally in agreement with my thinking.
patrick II
@WaterGirl: The link to the gizmodo story is in the comment (this).
Here is a link to the hacker’s twitter page:
this 2
She does some explaining there.
HumboldtBlue
@WaterGirl:
You don’t want reminding, he’s the most of their vile.
TS (the original)
Will any of this give trump the idea that he should resign? or is he just too stupid to see the reality of what he has done?
dmsilev
Here’s Cheney’s full statement:
VeniceRiley
@West of the Rockies: Ambassador to Nutsylvania? IDK but it’s easier to get to 2/3rds if there’s less of ’em.
Chetan Murthy
@Raoul Paste: I don’t understand it myself:
I just don’t follow.
jl
@HumboldtBlue: Not all wrong and deluded people are stupid. When they try to think problems through in good faith, going in the same direction as the less wrong-headed, similar and expected results can occur.
LurkerNoLonger
Just today I’ve been told to fuck Susan Collins and Kevin McCarthy. I really don’t want to fuck either one of them. Maybe they can fuck each other.
Baud
@dmsilev: Biden’s efforts at unity ARE working.
Punchy
@Ksmiami: no, it wont. 74-ish million voted IN FAVOR of this very bullshit. They are almost half the country, and they’ll be voting red — literally — no matter what happens regarding anything anywhere
ETA: ^half the voting country…
West of the Rockies
@Martin:
OT, but is there any hopeful evidence that SoCal C19 numbers made trend downward soon?
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@patrick II: Pretty amazing they were so clueless. Almost as if they thought the entire country would rise up with them after they led the way, so there were no consequences to be worried about. Truly delusional from living in their own private MAGA world.
Fair Economist
@sixthdoctor: That’s a hell of a statement, coming from Darth Cheney’s daughter – although we already knew Trump’s coup was a step too far even for Darth Cheney.
Really not sure what game McConnell is playing. I’m sure he doesn’t want to have to have his caucus vote on impeachment, but that’s out of his hands. Given there will be a vote, it’s in his interest to have his caucus as unified as possible, and it’s not clear whether he’s better off losing the Trumpsters by convicting or losing business support and being tied to Trump by acquitting. Maybe he’s decided his best option now is to cut loose.
I do wonder if he’s got some procedural shenanigans planned, though – using the impeachment to embed some problematic procedures in Senate rules or some such.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@HumboldtBlue: Hi neighbor!
jl
@Chetan Murthy: McConnell is afraid of losing control of the big money and fears more riot and insurrection from Trumpster wing? Either could be extremely damaging to the GOP long con that McConnell wants to keep running. McConnell is smart enough to move quickly once he sizes up the threats?
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@dmsilev:
I think you’re wrong, Democrats want Trump gone, never to be able to run again(some Republicans would like the last part too), because he’s an unstable person in a position of great power(not just the football, but as a cult leader).
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@rikyrah: Deservedly so :-)
scav
@Fair Economist: Reading it, I’d bet she’s likely also trying to ring fence responsibility for the incitement to the president — when he clearly had help from other Repubs.
Elizabelle
@HumboldtBlue: I know.
David Frum: OK; he was an early adopter, too . Bill Kristol: there are cows on the moon.
Ksmiami
@Punchy: Disagree- many of those 74 million are nostalgia Republicans like my parents who are now enraged at Trumpkins. The business wing is having a conniption and if there is further violence and chaos, the party will split.
Ken
Trump has ruined everything.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@Ksmiami: Chaos and armed insurrection in the streets are SO good for business. And Rs are supposed to be the pro-business party.
Wapiti
@dmsilev: I think if McConnell offered a fast vote for conviction (before the 20th) the Dems would take that in a heartbeat. Any witness stuff could come before the public in criminal trial for incitement and insurrection, and the country would be safer.
The people who would be well and truly screwed would be the GOP House members who abandoned their oaths and voted against impeachment. So… maybe payback to McCarthy for being a dick on the 6th?
Kathleen
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan): I also believe his donors said THEY were done with Trump.
Fair Economist
@scav: I certainly expect Liz Cheney to try to protect other Republicans from the backlash against Trump’s attempt to destroy the country. She is in their leadership, after all. But they’re in quite a pickle because if they vote against impeachment there’s not much she can do – a vote against impeachment is a vote to endanger the country. McCarthy must be having an awful day (and few deserve it more.)
Elizabelle
An insurrectionist in Alpharetta, GA, last name of “Georgia” has offed himself after being arrested and charged. Authorities removed 2 rifles from the home. 53 years old, and an upscale house.
Wapiti
@scav: I think she’s laying down a marker and shivving Cruz and Hawley early in the 2024 race. Cotton’s going to have to vote for conviction if he wants to compete.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@Martin: If the Senate convicts someone who’s been impeached, they can add the bar of holding any office of trust.
Delk
There is a treasure trove of redacted toxicity that is just waiting to be revealed. Go ahead Ivanka, run for office. I dare you.
Kathleen
@Benw: I agree with that.
Fair Economist
Further thoughts – *if* McConnell has decided to cut loose from Trump, he wants as many House Republicans to vote for impeachment as possible – to cut them loose too, and to make it easier on his own members to vote to convict. Hence he would want to get his opinions out before the House vote.
Guess we’ll see with the House vote tomorrow.
Kathleen
@WaterGirl: Something.
HumboldtBlue
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
Hidey ho! (Mendo?)
@jl:
Good points.
@Elizabelle:
Yup.
@Ken:
Goddamn he surely has!
Brachiator
@TS (the original):
He is too stupid, and too willful. His greatest fear is that he will be branded a Loser.
Which of course, he is.
Big Loser.
The Thin Black Duke
@Elizabelle: Thoughts and prayers.
Geminid
@🐾BillinGlendaleCA: McConnell can fast track a Senate trial if he wants to. He won’t if he can’t deliver the Republican votes to convict. But if he can, I think you’re right. Democratic Senators will take it.
RSA
@wvng:
I sometimes browse conservative Web sites, and redstate is up in arms about this. A lot of the commenters also say they’ll never vote Republican again, so… win-win.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@Brachiator: The Biggest Loser.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@Geminid: Agree.
scav
@Wapiti: There’ll likely be an interesting little episode of blood-letting in the Repub caucus appearing soon. Probably enough for an entire series. Snakes driving busses in a red wedding roller derby mosh pit and who knows what else.
WaterGirl
@Danielx: I laughed. I probably shouldn’t have, but I did.
WaterGirl
@patrick II: Thank you!
WaterGirl
@Fair Economist: Chaney is saying “Vote for me, I’m the sane one.”
I would be a million bucks I don’t have that she wants /plans to be president.
Ksmiami
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan): exactly- the dollar and the investments of all the MOTUs are at risk now
wombat probability cloud (previously "Askew")
@dmsilev: McConnell’s motivations, as unclear as they are at present, can’t be good. Hopefully, he’ll be nowhere near the Articles of Impeachment until after the Dems control the Senate. That’s only a couple of weeks.
TS (the original)
@dmsilev:
And the media 100% accept such statements from a republican. When a democrat says the same they are being divisive, political and upsetting trump supporters.
Uncle Cosmo
@SiubhanDuinne: Could’ve diverted to Grand Fenwick, but Pompeo like the rest of this misadministration is ignorant of the classics…
MisterForkbeard
@🐾BillinGlendaleCA: I think Dems know that the subsequent trials (for Trump AND his goons) is going to rope in a lot of GOP folk.
J R in WV
@patrick II:
I’m a little more sophisticated used, perhaps, and can recommend a couple of things you can do to protect yourself.
An add on app to your browser called “Ghostery” will block trackers from following your browsing for the benefit of advertising servers, and other trackers as well. uBlock Origin does similar things. Both applications keep ads from being shown on most sites.
DuckDuckGo Essentials also protects privacy. Be careful when installing these, there are other apps with intentionally VERY similar names that aren’t as effective.
There are commercial sites that don’t want you to use these ad-blockers and anti-tracking tools… you can temporarily halt the protection to view these sites, be careful to select blocking the function temporarily and only for the site you want to visit.