Alexander Smirnov, the Russian intelligence-connected disinformation agent the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees have relied on as their chief witness in the impeachment investigation of President Joe Biden, was arrested at his lawyer’s office on a warrant from the Central Federal Judicial District of California declaring him a flight risk from prosecution on multiple counts of lying to the FBI. Smirnov had been spreading the years-old lie that the Bidens, both father and son, had each taken five million dollar bribes to protect a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, from being charged by a Ukrainian prosecutor who had already been fired for corruption unrelated to either Burisma or the Bidens. In other words, Smirnov’s allegation was that the Bidens were bribed by Burisma for exactly nothing.
Why did the magistrate judge release Smirnov? Was he hoping the creep might flee and thereby save the jackasses in Congress? Now that he's been re-arrested, let's hope he remains in jail.
Re-arrested as much for Smirnov's own protection as it is as a flight risk. Wouldn't want to be him after ratting out Ru operatives/agents. Best sleep on the 1st floor including in Federal custody.
Good article in The Guardian about this. Apparently the magistrate judge used the excuse that he was bound by the "least restrictive conditions" under federal guidelines, but warned Smirnov "not to make a mockery of me". Prosecutors then went to a Federal judge in California and got another warrant. It's not clear what happened to convince the California judge to authorize the re-arrest. But Smirnov and the prosecutors must know that his life is in danger. A whole lot of people want him silenced, including our estimable members of Congress whose little plot is rapidly unraveling. I wouldn't put any money on the odds of Smirnov's survival.
Smirov's case is another data point affirming the difference between the USSR and Putin's Ru. As strange as it may sound the Cold War played out with rules when it came to the umbrella word of operatives and their value in exchanges. No such rules-based relationship exists now.
And you are spot on by calling out the participation of members of Congress in the Smirov matter.
Lucian called out a series of people, incidents, and events, that would be. unimaginable during the Cold War. One can add more including a President-elect's family members meeting w/Ru, seeking to use the Ru Embassy SCIF, and a dismissed US GO socializing w/the Ru president.
All it took was for Putin to go all in on rightwing ideology which includes nationalism, claim to be Christian, overall superiority/supremacy of whites, and demonstrate thuggish to behavior to those who disagree, and accumulate unimaginable wealth while doing so.
Chuckled when political talking heads said there is no reason for Rs to vote for Gov. DeSantis when they could have the original in Donald Trump. If today's Rs/cons had a choice, they would choose Putin over Trump every time.
This all came about due to the many Republican and conservative Dr. Frankenstein's creating generations of monsters going WABAC to the people Nixon surrounded self within his 2nd Adm. While some will take issue and say but but but watabout Reagan, the neocons, and the Bushes, all that simply papered over how extreme the GOP base and conservatives were becoming matching the same trajectory of white Christian evangelicals who came off the sidelines to expand the base.
That is the reason I reject the so-called #nevertrumpers with one or two notable exceptions. They are the Dr. Frankensteins who were aware of all the dangers of making Faustian Bargains to achieve power. Once O came along they were w/o power. Trump saw right through them and then rightly dismissed them as well. There only hope to return to power is for Ds to buy their bullshit and embrace them. !never forget~ is the only path to ~never again~.
I've read in two places that there appeared to reason to believe that Smirnov's attorneys may have been trying to assist Smirnov to flee the country. Lots of qualifiers here but the California federal judge took the concerns seriously.
That's the latest reporting, and it makes sense that the California judge would slap Smirnov in jail. If his attorneys were in fact plotting to help him flee the country, they can kiss their law licenses and their freedom goodbye.
On perspective: Although one cannot square a circle, one can circle a square. Circling a square expands the volume and softens the sharp edges and angles (what some call conventional thinking, however rarely find it to be conventional, find it not well-thought-out and through) .
But "nothing" is all Comer, Jordan, and the rest of those clowns have ever had, so they just run with it and see what sticks to the wall. And when that doesn't work they'll create new "evidence". What a waste of time and resources.
They've learned a valuable lesson from Trump, who learned it from Norman Vincent Peale and the Power of Positive Thinking.
You are already perfect, so act like it, always.
Never admit to a mistake because you are incapable of mistakes.
When accused, always accuse your accuser of anything you're accused of because their accusations are just a form of envy. "I'm rubber, you're glue" comes to mind.
Teflon Don as it were. No need to study if you already know everything. Caring about others is a total waste of time and erodes the truth that you are the center of all thing. It's fine to lie, cheat, and steal because anything you do is ok, and always will be.
Absolutely everything is about you. Everything, and don't let anyone around you forget that. You are the center of all things.
And most of all, when you are inevitably being persecuted by foe, know that it's because they are jealous of you. Their anger is your proof and badge of honor.
The cud chewing masses you attract will never be able to discern the difference between the empty vessel that you are and reality. Instead they will envy your false confidence and fawn at your blowhard blustering as a form of strength while willingly standing with you as the real victims in your selfless struggle for them. They will love you for your sacrifice on their behalf while you fleece them of their lives and money for their own good, which is always and forever based on what is good for you alone.
It's the "Someone else must have shit my pants" theory of life.
My gosh, Ralph, what an incredibly eloquent and spot-on accurate description of the Mango Menace!! Can't say that I've seen anything like it. Beautifully written, sir!!
Thanks Stan, At least I don't have to wonder why people act like that, other than to ask why and educated "adult" like Comer or Jordan would choose that path. Trump was groomed to it from childhood. These other jerkoffs are amateurs, but I suppose there's no half measure when it comes to buying into the delusion path. In for a penny, in for a pound. It's like an elaborate Ponzi scheme that we can only hope becomes a house of cards that will implode due to the weight of its own delusions.
Comer and Grassley—and MTG— have been caught, red-handed, stealing documents, consorting with a Russian agent in an attempt to entrap officials and civilians. What about any of this doesn’t scream CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR worthy of an immediate arrest?
Grassley's been a snake since forever--he's been in the Senate for 44 flippin' years. When someone loses the ability to tell the difference between what's "good for the party" and what might be in the best interests of the country--when the ability to distinguish between RIGHT and WRONG has been irretrievably lost--then it is well past time to retire. Chuckie, your sell-by date is decades past.
That's what I wrote to Mike Johnson and Marc Molinaro( NY19 folly) -that working with Trump now is working for Putin. No replies - Molinaro probably will..
This is to me, unnecessary roughness and all on the taxpayers dime.It is not as though there are other emergent issues facing our country ie funding the government and passing necessary aid to Ukraine . I am calling my reps and voicing my outrage (Gym is my House rep ffs)
One really big problem with Gymmy, from what I understand, is that his district is gerrymandered solid red. Clearly, Gymmy certainly thinks so, anyway.
No doubt the handlers in Moscow will have to come up with a new story for Gomer and Gym to go on. Not only are the Republicans in Congress functional Russian assets, they are astoundingly incompetent. Literally you can't make this stuff up - my fiction writing teachers insisted that dramatic novels had to be realistic. These Republican scenarios aren't cutting the mustard.....but they do smell.
Marjorie Taylor Greene was one the most outspoken terrorists against Biden claiming Biden's guilt and the evidence she had. She even entered classified space and took notes against all regulations regarding copying the information and thereafter speaking about the classified information. She is the most uncouth and dishonest person I have seen in recent years. She has blabbed about the impeachment for over a year on Twitter. Like the cult leader, she is a pathological liar and sociopath. She does not belong in a legitmate Congress. BTW, Twitter has become a cesspool of misinformation.
The day after Biden was sworn in Marge filed articles of impeachment against him. She is not only an embarrassment to Congress but dangerous as another useful idiot of Putin
Very true. She belongs behind bars for this and her role in planning the 1/6 insurrection. She should be expelled from Congress. She is a shameless adulteress.
Shameless. Nothing to do with adultery, unless men’s adultery matters. Who has been called a shameless adulterer? Male candidates have been tossed aside because of affairs, but they don’t get called shameless adulterers.
Reality doesn't matter to these people, just steamroll ahead and claim they have hidden evidence. When trapped in a lie they just fall back on "everyone knows."
If I had Leonard Leo’s billion, I swear I would pay that crowd to go live in St. Lucia or someplace similar. Just get them OUT of this country forever.
Joseph Welch himself couldn’t shame those two psychopaths KKKlown Comer and Sweaty Jim Jordan. They represent the soul, if there is one, of the Republican Party. What a disgrace.
Why did the magistrate judge release Smirnov? Was he hoping the creep might flee and thereby save the jackasses in Congress? Now that he's been re-arrested, let's hope he remains in jail.
Re-arrested as much for Smirnov's own protection as it is as a flight risk. Wouldn't want to be him after ratting out Ru operatives/agents. Best sleep on the 1st floor including in Federal custody.
Good article in The Guardian about this. Apparently the magistrate judge used the excuse that he was bound by the "least restrictive conditions" under federal guidelines, but warned Smirnov "not to make a mockery of me". Prosecutors then went to a Federal judge in California and got another warrant. It's not clear what happened to convince the California judge to authorize the re-arrest. But Smirnov and the prosecutors must know that his life is in danger. A whole lot of people want him silenced, including our estimable members of Congress whose little plot is rapidly unraveling. I wouldn't put any money on the odds of Smirnov's survival.
Yes, the Russians aren't taking this lightly.
Smirov's case is another data point affirming the difference between the USSR and Putin's Ru. As strange as it may sound the Cold War played out with rules when it came to the umbrella word of operatives and their value in exchanges. No such rules-based relationship exists now.
And you are spot on by calling out the participation of members of Congress in the Smirov matter.
Lucian called out a series of people, incidents, and events, that would be. unimaginable during the Cold War. One can add more including a President-elect's family members meeting w/Ru, seeking to use the Ru Embassy SCIF, and a dismissed US GO socializing w/the Ru president.
All it took was for Putin to go all in on rightwing ideology which includes nationalism, claim to be Christian, overall superiority/supremacy of whites, and demonstrate thuggish to behavior to those who disagree, and accumulate unimaginable wealth while doing so.
Chuckled when political talking heads said there is no reason for Rs to vote for Gov. DeSantis when they could have the original in Donald Trump. If today's Rs/cons had a choice, they would choose Putin over Trump every time.
This all came about due to the many Republican and conservative Dr. Frankenstein's creating generations of monsters going WABAC to the people Nixon surrounded self within his 2nd Adm. While some will take issue and say but but but watabout Reagan, the neocons, and the Bushes, all that simply papered over how extreme the GOP base and conservatives were becoming matching the same trajectory of white Christian evangelicals who came off the sidelines to expand the base.
That is the reason I reject the so-called #nevertrumpers with one or two notable exceptions. They are the Dr. Frankensteins who were aware of all the dangers of making Faustian Bargains to achieve power. Once O came along they were w/o power. Trump saw right through them and then rightly dismissed them as well. There only hope to return to power is for Ds to buy their bullshit and embrace them. !never forget~ is the only path to ~never again~.
I've read in two places that there appeared to reason to believe that Smirnov's attorneys may have been trying to assist Smirnov to flee the country. Lots of qualifiers here but the California federal judge took the concerns seriously.
That's the latest reporting, and it makes sense that the California judge would slap Smirnov in jail. If his attorneys were in fact plotting to help him flee the country, they can kiss their law licenses and their freedom goodbye.
A great point--I hadn't gotten around to thinking about it from that perspective!
am grateful/humbled.
On perspective: Although one cannot square a circle, one can circle a square. Circling a square expands the volume and softens the sharp edges and angles (what some call conventional thinking, however rarely find it to be conventional, find it not well-thought-out and through) .
That photo of Gilda cracked me up! Tweedle Dumb & Tweedle Dumber…oh never mind.
What's all this fuss about Biden's and (fill in the blank)???
“It’s always something!”…R. Roseannadanna
It's never nothing.
But "nothing" is all Comer, Jordan, and the rest of those clowns have ever had, so they just run with it and see what sticks to the wall. And when that doesn't work they'll create new "evidence". What a waste of time and resources.
They've learned a valuable lesson from Trump, who learned it from Norman Vincent Peale and the Power of Positive Thinking.
You are already perfect, so act like it, always.
Never admit to a mistake because you are incapable of mistakes.
When accused, always accuse your accuser of anything you're accused of because their accusations are just a form of envy. "I'm rubber, you're glue" comes to mind.
Teflon Don as it were. No need to study if you already know everything. Caring about others is a total waste of time and erodes the truth that you are the center of all thing. It's fine to lie, cheat, and steal because anything you do is ok, and always will be.
Absolutely everything is about you. Everything, and don't let anyone around you forget that. You are the center of all things.
And most of all, when you are inevitably being persecuted by foe, know that it's because they are jealous of you. Their anger is your proof and badge of honor.
The cud chewing masses you attract will never be able to discern the difference between the empty vessel that you are and reality. Instead they will envy your false confidence and fawn at your blowhard blustering as a form of strength while willingly standing with you as the real victims in your selfless struggle for them. They will love you for your sacrifice on their behalf while you fleece them of their lives and money for their own good, which is always and forever based on what is good for you alone.
It's the "Someone else must have shit my pants" theory of life.
My gosh, Ralph, what an incredibly eloquent and spot-on accurate description of the Mango Menace!! Can't say that I've seen anything like it. Beautifully written, sir!!
Thanks Stan, At least I don't have to wonder why people act like that, other than to ask why and educated "adult" like Comer or Jordan would choose that path. Trump was groomed to it from childhood. These other jerkoffs are amateurs, but I suppose there's no half measure when it comes to buying into the delusion path. In for a penny, in for a pound. It's like an elaborate Ponzi scheme that we can only hope becomes a house of cards that will implode due to the weight of its own delusions.
Or so I hope.
Comer and Grassley—and MTG— have been caught, red-handed, stealing documents, consorting with a Russian agent in an attempt to entrap officials and civilians. What about any of this doesn’t scream CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR worthy of an immediate arrest?
Grassley needs to die - he's way too old to be alive.
He will.....when his time comes......
Grassley's been a snake since forever--he's been in the Senate for 44 flippin' years. When someone loses the ability to tell the difference between what's "good for the party" and what might be in the best interests of the country--when the ability to distinguish between RIGHT and WRONG has been irretrievably lost--then it is well past time to retire. Chuckie, your sell-by date is decades past.
Because every day Trump does something dumber! They get no air time!
DOJ derp derp dee poo poo whaddya gonna do
Nitwits. Maybe they should just make Putin the head of the RNC and call it a day.
Greg, methinks the Repugnant clowns have already defaulted to Putin as their Chair.
Sadly you may be right.
That's what I wrote to Mike Johnson and Marc Molinaro( NY19 folly) -that working with Trump now is working for Putin. No replies - Molinaro probably will..
This is to me, unnecessary roughness and all on the taxpayers dime.It is not as though there are other emergent issues facing our country ie funding the government and passing necessary aid to Ukraine . I am calling my reps and voicing my outrage (Gym is my House rep ffs)
One really big problem with Gymmy, from what I understand, is that his district is gerrymandered solid red. Clearly, Gymmy certainly thinks so, anyway.
Google Gym Jordan's gerrymandered district...hilarious!
One year for my birthday I started a Go Fund Me to get him a suit jacket...what a complete bozo.
No doubt the handlers in Moscow will have to come up with a new story for Gomer and Gym to go on. Not only are the Republicans in Congress functional Russian assets, they are astoundingly incompetent. Literally you can't make this stuff up - my fiction writing teachers insisted that dramatic novels had to be realistic. These Republican scenarios aren't cutting the mustard.....but they do smell.
Marjorie Taylor Greene was one the most outspoken terrorists against Biden claiming Biden's guilt and the evidence she had. She even entered classified space and took notes against all regulations regarding copying the information and thereafter speaking about the classified information. She is the most uncouth and dishonest person I have seen in recent years. She has blabbed about the impeachment for over a year on Twitter. Like the cult leader, she is a pathological liar and sociopath. She does not belong in a legitmate Congress. BTW, Twitter has become a cesspool of misinformation.
The day after Biden was sworn in Marge filed articles of impeachment against him. She is not only an embarrassment to Congress but dangerous as another useful idiot of Putin
Very true. She belongs behind bars for this and her role in planning the 1/6 insurrection. She should be expelled from Congress. She is a shameless adulteress.
Shameless. Nothing to do with adultery, unless men’s adultery matters. Who has been called a shameless adulterer? Male candidates have been tossed aside because of affairs, but they don’t get called shameless adulterers.
That men don’t get called adulterers does not change the fact that MTG is divorced because she did, indeed, engage in an adulterous relationship.
True, she did. I think her behavior as a Congresswoman is what matters. It is shameful. She is without shame.
“Never mind” love her! Thanks for the picture and reminder of Gilda. A perfect parody for Putin’s useful idiots…I mean GOP congressmen
All true, Karen, except for the last word in your post: not "congressmen" but "congress clowns".
My all time favorite SNL performer. Such a sweetheart, and so funny!
Gone way too soon
What's all this fuss about violins on television...
Never mind!
Emily Litella, Roseanne Roseannadanna, Baba Wawa, Lisa Loopner, and the hyper 4 year old (not sure she had a name) make me laugh every time I see them
There are times when the obvious to all of the rest of the world, is an SNL sketch! Emily Latella…perfect!
They cannot even do impeachment right…
Reality doesn't matter to these people, just steamroll ahead and claim they have hidden evidence. When trapped in a lie they just fall back on "everyone knows."
Every idiot knows...
If I had Leonard Leo’s billion, I swear I would pay that crowd to go live in St. Lucia or someplace similar. Just get them OUT of this country forever.
So good, Lucien.
Joseph Welch himself couldn’t shame those two psychopaths KKKlown Comer and Sweaty Jim Jordan. They represent the soul, if there is one, of the Republican Party. What a disgrace.