Jo Jorgensen Wins Libertarian Party Presidential Nomination

 
 Article by Brian Doherty in "Reason":

In a day-long virtual meeting, after four ballots, the 1,035 delegates assembled for the Libertarian Party's online convention selected Jo Jorgensen as their presidential candidate.

She won with slightly over 51 percent of the vote (not every delegate voted in every round) on that fourth ballot, with 524 votes. Jacob Hornberger came in second, with nearly 28 percent of the vote. Vermin Supreme came in third, with 20 percent of the final vote.

Reason ran an interview with Jorgensen, a lecturer in psychology at Clemson who was the party's vice presidential candidate on a ticket with Harry Browne in 1996, on Thursday.

The party's voting procedure involved six candidates officially in nomination: Jorgensen, Jacob Hornberger, Vermin Supreme, John Monds, Judge James Gray, and Adam Kokesh. (Members could vote for other people if they wanted, or for none of the above, and many did.)

Jorgensen led the vote in every round, though she was only 12 votes ahead of runner-up Jacob Hornberger on the first ballot. As per the party's procedure, the lowest vote getter in each round was technically eliminated for the next one.

Kokesh was eliminated after round one, Gray after round two, and Monds after round three. Jorgensen's lead grew with each round, to 82 votes over Hornberger on the second ballot and a 126-vote lead on the third. Hornberger's support remained pretty steady, rising only to 285 from his first-round 236 votes.

Jorgensen vowed to "make this the most successful campaign we can" in a speech after the results came in. Runner-up Hornberger said in a concession speech that he "hold[s] her in the highest respect and esteem."

Joseph Bishop-Henchman, an at-large representative on the Libertarian National Committee who is running for its chairmanship this year, said in a written message on learning of her victory that "Jo Jorgensen has proven that she is a fighter, and will serve as a great contrast to the 70+ year old men she's taking on. She brought a remarkably diverse group of Libertarians together."

Jorgensen's vice presidential running mate will be selected in a second vote scheduled for tomorrow.

https://reason.com/2020/05/23/jo-jorgensen-wins-libertarian-party-presidential-nomination/ 

CDC Director Robert Redfield Unleashes His Inner Storm Trooper and President Trump Needs to Show Him the Door

Article written by streiff in "RedState":

President Trump has been served remarkably poorly by the nation’s public health bureaucracy. Early on they bought into Armageddon-like models that showed hospitals flooding with patients; they couldn’t manage basic tasks like fielding testing kits; and utter bullsh** has been disseminated as health advice that has lead to people scrubbing down their groceries, to National Guard troops being assigned to “deep clean” nursing homes, and to the needless closure of businesses. His reluctance to say “just stop it” to the people trying to treat the nation’s citizens and economy as simply a more interesting variety of lab rat is understandable and perhaps mitigated a bit by his willingness to push back on some part of the craziness. But still we have people who are so drunk with perceived power and definite self-importance that they are willing to do whatever it takes to impose their wishes upon 330 million people.

It turns out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been working on a plan to allow the U.S. to safely begin to scale back those policies. CDC Director Robert Redfield spoke with NPR on Thursday, saying that the plan relies on not only ramped-up testing but “very aggressive” contact tracing of those who do test positive for the coronavirus, and a major scale-up of personnel to do the necessary work.

Two thoughts here.

First, CDC has no business making plans to open the country. These people have no legal authority to order anyone to implement any policy. The have limited legal authority over people with highly infectious diseases but they have zero authority to compel any healthy American to cooperate. Second, contact tracing of a virus that has already infected probably 30 million Americans is simply not a feasible course of action and certainly not one that is possible within the constraints of the US Constitution.

What does this contact tracing look like:

Contact tracing is the process of finding and reaching out to the contacts of someone who tests positive for an infectious pathogen. Those contacts are then quarantined or monitored, and if any of them are also positive, the process is repeated with their contacts, and on and on, until the chain of transmission is halted.

What this means is that if you happen to work in the same office, or building, or share any activity with someone who tests positive, then you can be forced into quarantine for two weeks. That includes your family. But what if you refuse to cooperate? How does this work in practice? Well, in Washington we have an example. Under Fascist Governor Jay Inslee, people involuntarily quarantined who cooperate with the public health Gestapo get access to state employees to shop for them for food. If you don’t cooperate, you have to find your own help. The unstated policy is that they intend to starve people into submission. Beyond that, you are not allowed to know who fingered you for involuntary imprisonment. In fact, there is absolutely no safeguard against the inevitability that this will be used for harassment. All it takes is an anonymous call to the contact tracing Nazis fingering, in a non Biden-esque way, someone as having been in contact with a known case of Wuhan and you can lock down the target for 14 days.

Redfield left the door open for contact tracing in the U.S. to employ cellphone data. “People are looking at all the different modern technology that could be brought to bear to make contact tracing more efficient and effective,” he said. “Are there more tech-savvy ways to be more comprehensive in contact tracing? Currently these things are under aggressive evaluation.”

If a federal agency using data collected by a private vendor to involuntarily deprive you of liberty and quite possibly livelihood without any semblance of due process or ability to challenge the mistakes that will happen doesn’t scare you, you probably need to think about it carefully.

This is not the Redfield’s and the CDC’s first rodeo when it comes to trying to transform its bureaucratic preferences into legal mandates. Back in April, Redfield gave an interview to the Washington Post in which he revealed that the CDC anticipated another lock down being necessary this winter. In early May, the administration stomped on a scheme by the CDC to issue detailed plans to basically every industry type to let them know when they could ‘safely’ reopen. While these would have no legal authority, you’d have to be fairly dense not to see that if you violated those guidelines and an customer or employee caught Wuhan virus then you’d be sued into oblivion if not actually prosecuted. What Redfield’s CDC was trying to do was use a backdoor to take control of the entire US economy for the next several months…of only that long.

When this is put into context with the way the CDC dropped the ball on developing a usable test and the contradictory information it has put out about the virus then it is pretty clear that Redfield and his senior staff have little to know control over their agency and their is not sense of accountability for really bad decisions. Redfield touting this contact tracing scheme as being viable within the concept of civil liberties should be the last straw for the administration. He needs to take advantage of that enhanced unemployment compensation that he helped to make necessary and someone with a grip on reality needs to be put in charge.

https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2020/05/24/cdc-director-robert-redfield-unleashes-his-inner-storm-trooper/

The Oldest Vintage Cognac Ever Sold at Auction: the Provenance of the 1762 Gautier Cognac

A s the oldest vintage Cognac ever to be sold at auction, the Gautier 1762 holds the answers to many questions about the history of French Brandy production.

Pre-Phelloxera

We often refer to older Cognac vintages as being “pre-Phylloxera”. Between around 1872-74, vineyards across Europe were devastated by Phylloxera Vastatrix, a tiny insect related to the aphid that feeds on grapevines. The extent of the Phylloxera endemic in Cognac effectively ceased viticulture and wine production in the area. The problem was overcome by importing foreign rootstocks that were more resistant to Phylloxera and grafting the sprouting branches of alternative grape varietals onto them.

Provenance

This Gautier 1762, now known lovingly as the “Grand Frere”, or “Big Brother”, is actually one of a trio of 1762 bottles, all of varying sizes. The smallest of the three, the “Petite Soeur”, is now on display at Maison Gautier in Cognac. The “Petit Frere” was sold in 2014 at auction in New York for £48,000. The “Grand Frere” was the largest of these three bottles. All three were, for generations, owned by one family, who wish to remain anonymous.
The family in question have for years stored these three bottles cautiously in their cellar understanding that their condition, rarity and value must be preserved. The story of their procurement dates back generations to the 19th Century when the family adopted a son by the name of Alphonse. Alphonse was quiet and independent, and it wasn’t long before he left home to find work for himself. His intrepid nature led him to the vineyards of Cognac where he arrived in 1870, not long before the phylloxera outbreak.

After 10 years in Cognac Alphonse returned home. The devastation of phylloxera meant that many distillers had to make their way back to their families. Indeed times were so tough that many Cognac producers may have been unable to pay their staff, and instead provided them with bottles of brandy in lieu of wages. As Alphonse made his way home he brought with him a cart laden with bottles. Amongst these bottles were three of varying sizes, but in exceptional condition and with legible labels that read Gautier 1762: The Petite Soeur, Petit Frere and Grand Frere
Some years later, at the beginning of World War I, Alphonse was conscripted to the army. He sadly died in 1914 but left behind him a superb legacy: the oldest vintage Cognac ever to be sold at auction.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-oldest-vintage-cognac-ever-sold-at-auction-the-provenance-of-the-1762-gautier-cognac?locale=en

Emmet Sullivan’s Federal Career is...

from John M. Reeves via Threadreader

The wording of the DC Circuit's order directing Judge Sullivan to personally respond to Sidney Powell's writ shows it is deeply troubled by Judge Sullivan's actions. #appellatetwitter

Rule 21(b)(1) allows the DC Circuit to deny the writ petition outright, without asking for a response. This is what happens with the vast majority of writ petitions. #appellatetwitter

If the appellate court instead orders a response under Rule 21(b)(1), it shows it is concerned and wants to hear more about the matter. #appellatetwitter

By obtaining an order for a response, Sidney Powell has already cleared a huge hurdle. #appellatetwitter 

If the DC Circuit ordered a response and did nothing else, that alone would be a huge deal. But the DC Circuit didn't stop there. #appellatetwitter

Rule 21(b)(4) states that the appellate court "may invite or order the trial-court judge to address the petition or may invite an amicus curiae to do so." #appellatetwitter

The appellate court is not REQUIRED to order the trial-court judge to address the matter--it has the authority to do so, but doesn't need to exercise it. #appellatetwitter

Even if it wants to hear from the trial judge, the appellate court can simply "invite"--that is, request, or ask--the trial judge to respond. It does not have to ORDER the judge to respond. #appellatetwitter

And even if the appellate court orders the trial court judge to respond, it can avoid requiring the judge to personally defend the action under challenge by appointing a lawyer as amicus curiae to defend the judge's actions. #appellatetwitter

This is what the DC Circuit did in the Fokker case--the main case Sidney Powell relies upon in her writ. See the highlighted portion of the fourth image below. #appellatetwitter

In Fokker, the DC Circuit said, "Because both parties seek to overturn the district court's denial of their joint motion to exclude time, we appointed amicus curiae to present arguments defending the district court's action." #appellatetwitter

The DC Circuit, in ordering Judge Sullivan to respond to Sidney Powell's writ petition, could have easily appointed a lawyer as amicus to do so. #appellatetwitter

Note that an amicus appointed by the DC Circuit to defend Judge Sullivan would have had a job entirely different from John Gleeson's job as amicus appointed by Judge Sullivan to oppose the DOJ's motion to dismiss. #appellatetwitter

Had the DC Circuit appointed amicus, that lawyer's job would have been to present legal arguments defending Judge Sullivan's refusal to grant the DOJ's dismissal motion, NOT legal arguments purporting to show why the DOJ's motion should not be granted. #appelatetwitter

But the DC Circuit did not appoint a lawyer as amicus to defend Judge Sullivan's actions, unlike in Fokker. 

Instead, the DC Circuit ordered Judge Sullivan to PERSONALLY respond and defend his actions, without an amicus attorney to do it for him. #appellatetwitter

This means that Judge Sullivan (and presumably his clerks) will have to PERSONALLY submit written briefing trying to legally justify his refusal to dismiss the Flynn case. #appellatetwitter (Update: He will try to use a hired defense lawyer)

The DC Circuit is thus making Judge Sullivan--a lifetime federal judge--publicly and directly explain to them his actions. #appellatetwitter

In short, of all the options available to the DC Circuit for ruling on Sidney Powell's writ, the DC Circuit, chose the most extreme, rare, and drastic of them. #appellatetwitter

It has ordered (not requested) Judge Sullivan to personally (and not through appointed amicus) respond and defend his actions to them. #appellatetwitter

This promises to be anything but dull going forward. #appellatetwitter

<END>

Thousands Of Churches Are About To Defy Lockdown Orders. It’s About Time

Churchgoers across the country are reasserting their fundamental rights of conscience—rights that too many political leaders have forgotten or denied.

John Daniel Davidson writing for The Federalist

On Friday, President Trump said churches and houses of worship are “essential” and called on governors nationwide to allow them to open this weekend. If they don’t, Trump said he would “override” governors, citing forthcoming guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In remarks Thursday, the president criticized some governors who have “deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential” but not churches. “It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential.”

Trump is right, but churches are already taking action on their own. This week in Minnesota, thousands of Catholics and Lutherans will gather in their churches in defiance of the governor, whose plan for reopening the state relegates churches and houses of worship to the status of tattoo parlors and hair salons.

It’s about time. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is plainly violating the Constitution with his order, which limits attendance at religious services to 10 people, inside or outside. Meanwhile, places like Walmart and Home Depot and a host of other types of businesses deemed “essential” by the governor’s office are allowed to operate at half-capacity.

On its face, that’s discrimination against religious exercise, and it’s illegal. Someone should tell Walz that you can’t just issue edicts that treat churches differently than other entities and expect to get away with it.

Minnesota Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Rev. Lucas Woodford, president of the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, as well as dozens of smaller evangelical churches across the state, are unquestionably correct in their view that the governor has no authority in law to prevent them from gathering. (These churches, it’s worth noting, plan to comply with all social distancing and other safety guidelines, including limiting their churches to one-third capacity—going above and beyond what’ required for malls and other retail stores.)

Hebda and Woodford aren’t taking this lightly. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a non-profit law firm representing the churches, has noted that the churches have had “extensive correspondence” with the governor’s office in hopes of negotiating a compromise. The decision to open in defiance of the order was made only after those attempts failed.

Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, told the Washington Post that the churches are not waiting to file a legal appeal because Walz’s order treats churches unequally and is therefore illegal. “If it’s illegal, you don’t have a duty to follow it,” he said.

Churches In California Also About to Defy Their Governor

Rassbach is right—and the point about unequal treatment is no less true elsewhere in the country than it is in Minnesota. Last week, thousands of pastors in California signed a letter—a “declaration of essentiality”—addressed to Gov. Gavin Newsom declaring their intention to reopen their churches on May 31, with or without the governor’s consent.

Under Newsom’s reopening plan, churches are placed in the same category as hair salons, gyms, and other places deemed to be high-risk. The governor’s office has offered no plausible explanation for why churches are included in this group, likely because there is none.

The California churches have been buoyed by a letter last week issued by the U.S. Department of Justice to Newsom warning that the governor’s planned reopening “facially discriminates against religious exercise. California has not shown why interactions in offices and studios of the entertainment industry, and in-person operations to facilitate nonessential ecommerce, are included on the list as being allowed with social distancing where telework is not practical, while gatherings with social distancing for purposes of religious worship are forbidden, regardless of whether remote worship is practical or not.”

The letter goes on to say that although the Justice Department “does not seek to dictate how States such as California determine what degree of activity and personal interaction should be allowed to protect the safety of their citizens,” it is nevertheless “charged with upholding the Constitution and federal statutory protections for civil rights,” and that, “Whichever level of restrictions you adopt, these civil rights protections mandate equal treatment of persons and activities of a secular and religious nature.”

Religious Freedom Is the Bedrock of U.S. Constitutionalism

Setting aside the fact that broad lockdown orders are no longer constitutionally justified, there’s no excuse for governors and mayors to target religious worshippers as they have from Mississippi to New York City over the course of the pandemic.

That so many governors and mayors have done so betrays a dangerous ignorance, or perhaps indifference, about the place of religious freedom and freedom of conscience in our constitutional system. That indifference is best captured in the infamous line last month from New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy after he allowed arrests at religious services, that the Bill of Rights is above his “pay grade” and that he “wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this.”

He certainly wasn’t, but he should have been. The Bill of Rights is the bedrock of our system of government. Protecting it and upholding the Constitution is included in the pay grade of every single elected official in the country, from the White House to City Hall.

The right not to be discriminated against because of your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, is indispensable to our civic life, pandemic or not. At the end of Thomas Jefferson’s life, in typical Jeffersonian fashion he designed his own tombstone and wrote his own epitaph: “Author of the Declaration of American Independence / of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom / and Father of the University of Virginia.”

It’s easy to see why Jefferson included the Declaration, which gave birth to a new nation, and the University of Virginia, which was—and is—a monument to his genius. But why include a state statute for religious freedom?

Because Jefferson understood what Walz, Newsom, Murphy and others have forgotten or rejected: that “our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to God.”

Dr. Birx urges Americans to continue social distancing amid reopening of nation

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 9:55 AM PT — Sunday, May 24, 2020

According to coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx, the nation is trying to learn how to maintain openness and safety amid ongoing reopening efforts. During a recent interview, she stressed Americans must continue to follow social distancing guidelines and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, even if they are outside.
She confirmed the government is preparing for a potential second wave of the virus in the fall, but also noted it is difficult to tell if the nation will have to close again.
The doctor also warned of asymptomatic carriers unknowingly spreading the virus.

“People are spreading the virus unknowingly. This is unusual in the case of respiratory diseases. In many cases, so you don’t know who’s infected. So, we really want to be clear, all the time, that social distancing is absolutely critical. If you can’t social distance and you’re outside, you must wear a mask. These are items that are really critical to protect individuals. We’ve learned a lot about this virus, but we now need to translate that learning into real, changed behavior.” – Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus task force coordinator

Dr. Birx has also said it’s “difficult to tell” if she sees the country closing again. This came after she was asked whether the country will remain open if there’s a second wave of COVID-19 infections, a stance President Trump has had firm opinions on.
The doctor went on to say being able to detect asymptomatic cases will be key to reopening safely.
“What I’m worried about is, what are we putting in place to find asymptomatic cases?” she asked. “This is why we’ve asked for proactive 100% testing of all residents and workers, then proactive ongoing testing of workers in nursing homes before nursing homes reopen, before any type of visitation.”
Dr. Birx added that proactive testing would extend to those living or working in large groups, which will indicate if the country is ready to reopen in the fall.

https://www.oann.com/dr-birx-urges-americans-to-continue-social-distancing-amid-reopening-of-nation/

Agencies In The Media

Long term readers will not find this surprising, but it’s nice to see it starting to be said/admitted openly:

(Source)

State Dept. and Defense Dept. embeds primarily operate through CNN.  CIA embeds primarily operate through The Washington Post. FBI embeds primarily work through The New York Times; and Politico carries a blend.  Fox is the controlled opposition.

Researchers who travel the deep weeds of U.S. politics have noted this very predictable pattern has been very visible for well over two decades.

DOJ Joins Lawsuit Challenging Illinois Governor Pritzker COVID-19 Dictates

Yesterday the U.S. Dept of Justice filed a statement of interest supporting the position of a lawsuit filed by Illinois state representative Darren Bailey challenging actions of Governor J.B. Pritzker in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even during times of crisis, executive actions undertaken in the name of public safety, must be lawful”…

U.S. Dept of Justice – […] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Illinois has, over the past two months, sought to rely on authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to impose sweeping limitations on nearly all aspects of life for citizens of Illinois, significantly impairing in some instances their ability to maintain their economic livelihoods.

According to the lawsuit, the Governor’s actions are not authorized by state law, as they extend beyond the 30-day time period imposed by the Illinois legislature for the Governor’s exercise of emergency powers granted under the Act.

Representative Bailey brought his case in Illinois state court and elected only to assert state law claims. On May 15, the presiding state court judge ordered Bailey to file his motion for summary judgment by May 18 and instructed the Governor to respond to it by May 21. A hearing on the motion for summary judgment was scheduled to take place in state court today. Yesterday, however, instead of responding to Bailey’s motion for summary judgment, the Governor removed the case to federal district court.

“The Governor of Illinois owes it to the people of Illinois to allow his state’s courts to adjudicate the question of whether Illinois law authorizes orders he issued to respond to COVID-19,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The United States Constitution and state constitutions established a system of divided and limited governmental power, and they did so to secure the blessings of liberty to all people in our country. Under our system, all public officials, including governors, must comply with the law, especially during times of crisis. The Department of Justice remains committed to defending the rule of law and the American people at all times, especially during this difficult time as we deal with COVID-19 pandemic.”

“However well-intentioned they may be, the executive orders appear to reach far beyond the scope of the 30-day emergency authority granted to the Governor under Illinois law,” said Steven D. Weinhoeft, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. “Even during times of crisis, executive actions undertaken in the name of public safety must be lawful. And while the people of Illinois must be physically protected from the effects of this public health crisis, including by complying with CDC guidelines their constitutionally guaranteed rights and liberties must be safeguarded as well.”

In its statement of interest, the United States explains that this dispute belongs in Illinois state court, and that Representative Bailey has raised substantial questions as to whether the Governor’s current response to COVID-19 is lawful. Although the complaint does not raise any federal constitutional claims, the statement explains, “It is up to the Illinois courts to rule on Plaintiff’s claims, which, because of the sweeping nature of the Orders, may affect millions of lives and raise significant constitutional concerns in other litigation.” Even in the face of a pandemic, states must comply with their own laws in making these sensitive policy choices in a manner responsive to the people and, in doing so, both respect and serve the goals of our broader federal structure, including the guarantee of due process in the U.S. Constitution.  (LINK)

.

Judge Emmet Sullivan Hires “High-Powered” DC Lawyer to Represent His Interests in Flynn Case

The Washington Post headline reads (emphasis mine): “Federal judge hires high-powered D.C. attorney to defend his actions in Flynn case.” Which gives some insight into the framework and purpose of this event, and how it reached the WaPo narrative engineers.

The Washington Post is, as an institution, adverse to the interests of Michael Flynn.  So this story, specifically the events behind the story, are written in a posture to aid Judge Sullivan and oppose Flynn.  Keep that in mind (I’ll explain after).

Judge Sullivan has hired a high profile DC lawyer to assist him in responding to the inquires of the DC circuit:

WASHINGTON DC – […] In a rare step that adds to this criminal case’s already unusual path, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan has retained Beth Wilkinson to represent him in defending his decision to a federal appeals court in Washington, according to a person familiar with the hire who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

[…] Wilkinson, known for her top-notch legal skills and get-results style, is expected to file a notice with the court in the coming week about representing the judge. She declined to comment when reached Friday evening. Sullivan also declined to comment through his office.

[…] A federal judge doesn’t typically hire private counsel to respond to an appeals court, and yet so much about Flynn’s case has been a departure from the norm.

[…] Flynn’s lawyers then accused Sullivan of bias and asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to intervene.  On Thursday, that higher court took the extraordinary step of ordering Sullivan to answer within 10 days. The court also invited the Justice Department to comment.

[…] Wilkinson, a go-to advocate for prominent officials snared in major Washington investigations and high-stakes legal battles, now joins the fray. (read more)

I’m not going into the weeds to outline the motives of of Beth Wilkinson.  Suffice to say the reason she is considered ‘high-profile’ or ‘high-powered’ is because of her connections to the DC system; a political system that frequently becomes enmeshed with the legal system.  Beth Wilkinson is well-connected; that’s the part that matters.

A federal judge hiring a well connected lawyer to write his response to a DC circuit court appeals panel is the part that’s interesting.  There’s no guarantee the appeals court will accept such a response; but that’s also another issue.   Bottom line: Judge Sullivan is importing a lawyer to represent his interests.  Very unusual.

CTH readers are smart; aware and smart enough not to get stuck in the weeds; so lets stay elevated on this and look at the whole picture.  Consider this decision by Judge Emmet Sullivan through the prism of recent events surrounding Flynn:

♦ The DOJ, joined with the defense position and filed an unopposed motion to drop the case against Michael Flynn.

♦ A USAO from Missouri, Jeff Jensen, has discovered a trail of internal evidence pointing toward a corrupt originating prosecution for the case against Flynn.   Mr. Jensen has been revealing those documents and providing them to the court (and defense).

♦ Meanwhile DNI Ric Grenell has declassified and revealed documents showing a corrupt intent by the U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) against Michael Flynn.

♦ Just yesterday (5/22/20) the FBI Director announced an internal investigation into officials inside the FBI for wrongful conduct specifically as it relates to a corrupt operation, now discovered and public, against Michael Flynn.

Additionally, we shall not play games and ignore the obvious.

Judge Emmet Sullivan is well aware of the reason why former Judge Rudolph “Rudy” Contreras was recused from the Flynn case; only days after accepting the first plea agreement, and less than 72 hours after the Peter Strzok and Lisa Page text messages publicly surfaced.

Lisa Page: “Rudy is on the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court]! Did you know that?” “Just appointed two months ago””..

Peter Strzok: “I did. We talked about it before and after. I need to get together with him.”…

On November 30th, 2017, Mike Flynn signed a guilty plea; ostensibly admitting lying to investigators.  The plea was accepted by Judge Rudolph “Rudy” Contreras; who is also a FISA court judge.  Six days later, December 7, 2017, Judge Contreras “was recused” from the case without explanation.

If the conflict -which required recusal- existed on December 7, 2017, wouldn’t that same conflict have existed days earlier on November 30th?

The same DC circuit now ordering Judge Sullivan to explain his decision-making, is the same DC circuit that previously recused and replaced Judge Contreras from the Flynn case.  None of this, including the specific tone of the panel in their order, is disconnected from the larger background.

So when we take everything in total, the decision by Sullivan to hire a high-profile and well connected DC lawyer to represent his interests in the Flynn case…. well, it looks to me like Sullivan just hired himself a defense attorney.

The phase of the “resistance” that federal Judge Emmet Sullivan was participating in, and had a role to play, is now almost totally engulfed in sunlight.  With few options for deniability and justification remaining, Sullivan has hired himself a lawyer.

The Battle Continues…

sundance at cth

Brilliant Agitprop: The power of government comes from the people; or as we say in the U.S. “from the consent of the governed.” When the people lead, the politicians are forced to follow.

It is the responsibility of each of us to stand, defiantly if needed, and support a President who is waging a battle against multiple adversaries on our behalf.  “Stand” means be visible.  “Stand” means let your voice be heard. “Stand” means telling your republican representatives what your expectations are.  They represent us; WE are the people.

We are the elite.

He is our weapon.

As we bear witness, anyone trying to convince us this entire assembly of our union is headed in the right direction, well, they might want to revisit their proximity to the 2020 election ballpark. Because they’re not just out of the city – they’re also out of the same state the election ballpark is located in….. Then again, the media know that.

David Mamet had a famous saying, essentially: …‘in order for democrats, liberals, progressives et al to continue their illogical belief systems they have to pretend not to know a lot of things’… By pretending ‘not to know’ there is no guilt, no actual connection to conscience. Denial of truth allows easier trespass.

When we see that justice is measured, not by due process, but by compulsion; when we see that in order to invoke our right to due process, we need to obtain permission from those who rebuke the constitution; when we see that justice is determined by those who leverage, not in law, but in politics; when we see that representatives get power over individual liberty by graft and by scheme, and our representatives don’t protect us against them, but protect them against us; when we see corruption holding influence and individual liberty so easily dispatched and nullified; we may well know that our freedom too is soon to perish….

This hate-filled Democrat ideology relies on our willingness to accept their lies, falsehoods, and scripted presentations; and then demands we grant benefit amid their seeds of doubt.

There’s a level of anger far deeper and more consequential than expressed rage or visible behavior, it’s called Cold Anger.

Cold Anger does not need to go to violence. For those who carry it, no conversation is needed when we meet. You cannot poll or measure it; specifically because most who carry it avoid discussion… And that decision has nothing whatsoever to do with any form of correctness.

We watched the passage of Obamacare at 1:38am on the day before Christmas Eve in 2009. We watched the Senate, then the House attempt passing Amnesty in 2014. We know exactly how it passed, and we know exactly why it passed. We don’t need to stand around talking about it….

We know what lies hidden behind “cloture” and the UniParty schemes.

We watched the 2009 $900+ billion Stimulus Bill being spent each year, every year, for seven consecutive years. Omnibus, Porkulous, QE1, QE2, Bailouts, Crony-Capitalism.

We know exactly how this works, and we know exactly why this ruse is maintained. We don’t need to stand around talking about it…. We’re beyond talking.

We accept that the entire Senate voted to block President Trump’s ability to use recess appointments in 2017, and 2018, and 2019. Every.Single.Democrat.And.Republican.

Cold Anger absorbs betrayal silently, often prudently.

We’ve waited each year, every year, for ten years, to see a federal budget, only to be given another Omnibus spending bill by “CONservative” politicians.

We’ve watched the ridiculing of cops, the riots, and the lack of support for laws, or their enforcement. We’ve been absorbing all that. We’ve been exposed to violence upon us by paid operatives of the organized DNC machine. We know; the media trying to hide it doesn’t change our level of information.

Cold Anger is not hatred, it is far more purposeful.

We watched in 2012 as the Democrat party thrice denied God during their convention.

The doors to evil enterprise opened by official proclamation and request.

Cold Anger takes notice of the liars, even from a great distance – seemingly invisible to the mob. Cold Anger will still hold open the door for the riot goer. Mannerly.

We’ve watched our borders being intentionally unsecured.

We’ve watched Islamic Terrorists slaughter Americans as our politicians proclaim their uncertainty of motive. We know exactly who they are, and why they are doing it. We do not need to stand around discussing it…. we’re clear eyed.

Cold Anger evidenced is more severe because it is more strategic, and more purposeful. Eric Cantor’s defeat, Brexit, Donald Trump’s highest vote tally in the history of presidential primaries or President Trump’s victory might aide your  understanding.

Cold Anger does not gloat; it absorbs consistent vilification and ridicule as fuel. This sensibility does not want to exist, it is forced to exist in otherwise unwilling hosts – we also refuse to be destabilized by it.

Transgender bathrooms are more important than border security.

Illicit trade schemes, employment and the standard of living in Vietnam and Southeast Asia are more important to Wall Street and DC lobbyists, than the financial security of Youngstown Ohio.

We get it. We understand. We didn’t create that reality, we are simply responding to it.

The intelligence apparatus of our nation was weaponized against our candidate by those who controlled the levers of government. Now, with sanctimonious declarations they dismiss accountability.

Deliberate intent and prudence ensures we avoid failure. The course, is thoughtful vigilance; it is a strategy devoid of emotion. The media can call us anything they want, it really doesn’t matter…. we’re far beyond the place where labels matter.

Foolishness and betrayal of our nation have served to reveal dangers within our present condition. Misplaced corrective action, regardless of intent, is neither safe nor wise. We know exactly who Donald Trump is, and we also know what he is not. He is exactly what we need at this moment. He is a necessary glorious bastard.

He is our weapon.

Cold Anger is not driven to act in spite of itself; it drives a reckoning.

When the well attired leave the checkout line carrying steaks and shrimp using an EBT card, the door is still held open; yet notations necessarily embed.

When the U.S. flags lay gleefully undefended, they do not lay unnoticed. When the stars and stripes are controversial, yet a foreign flag is honored – we are paying attention.

When millionaire football players kneel down rather than honor our fallen soldiers and stand proud of our country, we see that. Check the NFL TV ratings – take note.

When a school community cannot openly pray, it does not mean the prayerful were absent.

When a liar seems to win, it is not without observation. Many – more than the minority would like to admit – know the difference between science, clocks and political agendas.

Cold Anger perceives deception the way the long-term battered absorb a blow in the hours prior to the pre-planned exit; with purpose.

A shield, or cry of micro-aggression will provide no benefit, nor quarter. Delicate sensibilities are dispatched like a feather in a hurricane.

We are patient, but also purposeful. Pushed far enough, decisions are reached.

[…] On the drive to and from the East Coast, I paid attention to the billboards and bumper-stickers. Folks, the people in “Fly over” country are PISSED, from the guy that guides hunters, to the mayors of towns and cities, to state senators congressmen and Governors who are voting to arrest and imprison federal law enforcement officials for enforcing federal gun laws that don’t agree with state law … The political pendulum has never, in the history of humanity, stayed on one side of a swing. The back lash from over reach has always been proportionate to how far off center it went before coming back … right now we’re staring at a whole hell of a lot of the country (about 80-90% of the land mass, as well as about 50+% of the population) that is FED UP. You really don’t want those guys to decide that the only way to fix it is to burn it down and start over… (more)

It’s too late…

This man has faced opposition that would overwhelm any other President.  Our chosen President is constantly attacked by those holding a corrupt, conniving and Godless leftist ideology.  It is our job now to stand with him, firm on his behalf.

To respond we must engage as an insurgency. We must modify our disposition to think like an insurgent. Insurgencies have nothing to lose. If insurgents are not victorious the system, which controls the dynamic, wins. However, if insurgents do nothing, the same system, which controls the dynamic, also wins.

Do nothing and we lose. Go to the mattresses, and we might win. The choice is ours.

The power of the local, regional or state authority comes from the expressed consent of the people. As soon as the majority of people deny that consent, those officials and state authoritarians lose all of their power.

A non-compliant snowball becomes an unstoppable freedom avalanche.

The awakened American middle-class insurgency, led by Donald Trump, is an existential threat to the professional political class and every entity who lives in/around the professional political class.

Their entire political apparatus is threatened by our insurgency. The political industry, all of corrupt governance, is threatened by our support through Donald Trump.

Decision time.

You know why the entire apparatus is united against President Trump; and by extension against us, We The People.

You know why the corrupt Wall Street financial apparatus is united against President Trump. You know why every institutional department, every lobbyist, every K-Street dweller, every career legislative member, staffer, and the various downstream economic benefactors, including the corporate media, all of it – all the above, are united against Donald Trump.

Donald Trump is an existential threat to the existence of a corrupt DC system we have exposed to his disinfecting sunlight. Donald Trump is the existential threat to every entity who benefits from that corrupt and vile system.

Global elites now stand with jaw-agape in horror as they witness the result.  The value of multi-billion dollar contracts dispatched at his leisure, our leisure.

Trillion dollar multi-national trade deals, full of scheme and graft, now left nothing more than tenuous propositions smashed asunder from the mere sound of our approach.

The fundamental construct within decades of their united global efforts to tear at the very fabric of our U.S.A is being eliminated. They too have nothing to lose; their desperation becomes visible within their apoplexy; and they’re damn sure displaying it.

Do not look away.

The power of government comes from the people; or as we say in the U.S. “from the consent of the governed.” When the people lead, the politicians are forced to follow.

Without implied consent the municipal, state or federal government has no power. None.

Liberty is inherent.

The removal of liberty requires consent.

Those who construct the systems of control need to weaponize fear. Fear of arrest; fear of losing a business; fear of losing liberty or financial security. Local, regional and state officials rely on fear. As soon as we the people are no longer fearful, the control ends.

Throw aside the sense of discomfort and bear witness to the evil we oppose. Do not turn your eyes from the hatred focused in our direction. Stand firm amid the solace of our number and resolve to the task at hand.

Those who oppose our efforts are merely vile parasites quivering as they stare into the Cold Anger furnace of righteousness.

Who fuels that furnace?

…..US !

#New Rules