I tried to submit this to Attorney General Bonta, but there was no appropriate category in the Procrustean list of reasons for contacting him so I sent it to Senator Padilla‘s office:
“ I do not understand why the Attorney General of California cannot issue an arrest warrant for Kristi Noem and the federal agents who assaulted you today.
You presented no physical threat to her, and it is absolutely not credible that she did not know your identity as she continued talking and ignored the assault that was being perpetrated on you under her authority.
This administration continues to commit unlawful violent acts on innocent citizens.
Today they added your name to the list.
Unless they are opposed with force, they will continue to do this and thousands and potentially millions of people will suffer as a result of the forces of the rule of law and democracy fecklessly refusing to oppose them.”
Noem claimed Padilla was not wearing his official Senate pin. However the video shows his casual shirt with the United States Senate logo. There seem to be no negative consequences for Republican lies, so why would Noem not lie? Fox will show the brief version which makes her version seem correct, and Mike Johnson will suggest censuring Padilla for unseemly behavior. Disgusting!
The only solution I see at this point is a massive national strike. We the people need to shut down this country! No work, no commerce except essential. Do it for two weeks and let's see how the felon rapist and his minions respond!
I will be in Chicago. We have had thousands demonstrating all week to protest ICE, to protest how some Chicago Cops have violated our state law and helped ICE, and in solidarity with people marching in LA. Now Trump is saying he will send the National Guard to us too. I am hoping our numbers will be huge.
I recall taking my daughter to a pro-immigrants rally in 2006. She was 18-months-old and I had her on my back in a pack with a 5 point harness where even I could hardly get her out. My husband was worried for her but I assured him we would be fine. There were 100,000 people that day. It was all peace and love. I was not worried. May our march tomorrow be many times that many. May we be strong and safe.
What is so frustrating is that Trump wins every time, even though the courts have ruled against him in 96 percent of the cases brought against him. This is because he faces no consequences for his unconstitutional and illegal acts. Suppose Newsome gets a court to declare that Trump's federalizing the National Guard and sending Marines into Los Angeles is illegal, as a court surely will. Trump's already done it, and, even if he obeys the court and removes the military, he is free to do it again after declaring the next fake emergency.
If a court rules for Harvard against Trump's illegal acts, Trump has already won. He's cost Harvard a fortune and deterred foreign students from applying to it. Trump imprisoned a graduate student for three months for writing an op-ed column that Trump disliked. A court ordered her free. Trump won. She spent three months in prison and neither she nor other graduate students will exercise their First Amendment rights again. If courts force Trump to bring home people whom he has deported without due process, he's won by instilling fear in all immigrants and those who might be mistaken for immigrants. The courts have so far held no one -- no one -- in contempt.
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the federal government’s mobilization of the California National Guard to protect immigration agents from protesters in Los Angeles. He ruled that the Trump administration had illegally taken control of the state’s troops and ordered the troops to return to taking orders from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In an extraordinary 36-page ruling, Judge Charles Breyer of the Federal District Court in San Francisco severed Mr. Trump’s control of up to 4,000 National Guard troops, many of whom are already deployed in the streets of Los Angeles on his orders. The judge said the administration’s seizure of them violated required procedures in a federal statute.
Exchange I just with a former colleague about Charles Breyer’s order today
Me: Another piece of paper they will defiantly ignore with a snort of contempt
Him: True
Me: And by the time all the appeals are exhausted in weeks or months, the order will be moot — that is if the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn it with dispatch
“Moving fast and breaking things”…🤮
Him:
So sayeth Alex “Cassandra” Kline.
Me: Send me a list of court orders they have obeyed
Him: Not disagreeing.
Me:
“Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor. Under my watch, that is precisely what the Justice Department is doing.”
— Merrick Garland, August 11, 2022
“As long as it takes and whatever it takes for justice to be done — consistent with the facts and the law. … We build investigations by laying a foundation. We resolve more straightforward cases first because they provide the evidentiary foundation for more complex cases. … The facts tell us where to go next.”
— Attorney General Garland, on the first anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack, January 2022
Note that the evidentiary foundation was laid before all the world on January 6, 2021 by countless videos
Mark my words: until “the RADICAL LEFT” (i.e., the usual institutions of the rule of law) start arresting and imprisoning the ringleaders of our current fascist state, they will continue to thumb their noses at any legal constraints and revel in performative cruelty and violence toward Trump’s (and their) perceived “enemies”
The Supreme Court already makes it impossible to hold him in criminal contempt, or to prosecute him for any crime that constitutes an official act. He could be held in civil contempt, but, according to the Wikipedia article, "Contempt of court," "once the party complies with the court's order, the sanction [for civil contempt] is lifted."
I found the scariest part of Noem's speech today to be her assertion that the armed forces are actually present in L.A. to "liberate" the city and the state from their duly elected mayor and governor and the "socialism" that's threatening the rest of the country (we should be so lucky). I don't know what's coming down the pike, but as a resident of California, I fear it will be nothing good.
This is clearly a test run for the other blue states. And those tanks for the parade seem like they're being put in place to lock down D.C. Where are all the purged military leaders and the never Trump billionaires? I can only hope there are closed-door conversations taking place with plans to counter any attempts at an overt MAGA coup. Yes, we're there. De-escalation and appeasement don't work against literal Nazis. We knew this from history, and we let it get too far. God damn these spineless GOP Congress people, but also God damn Biden and Garland and Pelosi and all the other enablers.
Trump doesn't concern himself with doing anything "under color of law," he just does what he wants on a whim and leaves it to underlings to figure out a reason for it or the legal basis, if any. Just as he considers the Justice Dept his personal lawyers, and now the military his personal army. He's now a dictator and not constrained by courts or congress. We have to support No Kings and stop this before it gets even worse.
He said repeatedly starting about a year ago that he wanted to be Dictator On Day One. The acronym? DODO. Maybe some staffer noticed so now he doesn't use the phrase so much. But he has achieved his desire: he is a DODO in both senses.
I will not stop demonstrating, speaking out, writing op-eds, posting my thoughts or signing petitions. I am not afraid of a tin-pot dictator. We outnumber them. We have history and the law on our side. We have the inevitable fall of this traitorous regime to accomplish. We survived the Civil War as a more or less united country and we must do it again. I am afraid only that enough intelligent, informed, progressives will not step up and fight for our democracy. I'm all in and though have only the power of my voice and actions I'm not giving in or giving up. I won't back down...
Words and lawsuits are meaningless, every Democrat in the House should be out on the front steps of Congress all day every day. Let the gop do whatever they want inside.
Re: "even though the men, all from Nicaragua, had work permits and pending asylum applications."
Perhaps someone has done so, but you really should define "under color of law." Google AI does a bang up job:
"Under color of law" refers to an action taken by a government official or employee while acting under the authority of their position, or while pretending to act within their official duties, even if the action is unlawful. This term is crucial in civil rights cases, where it establishes the necessary element for suing government actors for violating someone's civil rights."
note "pretending." That's what's going on, because if you have a work permit You.Are.Legally.Here. You have a tax ID, and you pay not just state sales tax but FEDERAL INCOME TAX. Which is more than some oligarchs and big corporations do.
Curious, I cannot understand why in the wake of trumps vile partisan rally, call it what it was, where cherry picked magat soldiers (not the fat ones), were cheering at his fascist rhetoric and buying his grotesque merchandise, WHY HAS NOT ONE FUCKING GENERAL SPOKEN UP AGAINST THIS OUTRAGE??? CHICKEN SHITS.
Homeland Barbie is but today's example of Trump's loyal friends slotted into various Cabinet slots -- never mind what the jobs. Seeing Newsom speak was a reminder that that almost decent politician could be a perfectly acceptable president compared to the sick, weak, insecure, narcissistic, power mad loon we're saddled with now. I'm checking out requirements for Scotland.
I tried to submit this to Attorney General Bonta, but there was no appropriate category in the Procrustean list of reasons for contacting him so I sent it to Senator Padilla‘s office:
“ I do not understand why the Attorney General of California cannot issue an arrest warrant for Kristi Noem and the federal agents who assaulted you today.
You presented no physical threat to her, and it is absolutely not credible that she did not know your identity as she continued talking and ignored the assault that was being perpetrated on you under her authority.
This administration continues to commit unlawful violent acts on innocent citizens.
Today they added your name to the list.
Unless they are opposed with force, they will continue to do this and thousands and potentially millions of people will suffer as a result of the forces of the rule of law and democracy fecklessly refusing to oppose them.”
Noem claimed Padilla was not wearing his official Senate pin. However the video shows his casual shirt with the United States Senate logo. There seem to be no negative consequences for Republican lies, so why would Noem not lie? Fox will show the brief version which makes her version seem correct, and Mike Johnson will suggest censuring Padilla for unseemly behavior. Disgusting!
Never contradict a Noem or Gnome
One gets you shot, or if a shotgun isn't handy, handcuffed
The other gets you curses and your milk will turn sour.
We really need to replace Noem with a Gnome.
At least you can make tasty goodies with soured milk - sour milk pancakes, waffles, biscuits....
strictly speaking, it is brownies who make milk go sour. But the poetic license is in full force and effect.
As in Elves?
yes, the little brown ones. Gnomes I see as more gnarly, though smallish. In between brownies and Trolls.
or pixies?
Having had occasion to look at forces souring milk, I went back to the poem I wrote about it back in the 90s. And thought "OMG, we are now there." Its at https://linehan.substack.com/p/comparing-then-and-now?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
Anyone who would shoot a puppy in the face would not hesitate to have this done to a citizen.
It was planned. They were waiting and hoping for these type of opportunities.
I also sent it to Governor Newsom‘s office.
Sending it to Governor Newsom's office is the appropriate place to send it, with copies to your state assembly person and senator.
Write a letter and mail it USPS
AG Rob Bonta
Office of the Attorney General
1300 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-2919
that's what I do
https://oag.ca.gov/contact
https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/
https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
A retired judge friend advises that the Los Angeles District attorney also has jurisdiction:
https://da.lacounty.gov/contact/email
The only solution I see at this point is a massive national strike. We the people need to shut down this country! No work, no commerce except essential. Do it for two weeks and let's see how the felon rapist and his minions respond!
For tomorrow please be safe. I am sharing a brief piece with some links to my Indivisible training to be safe and know your rights.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/indivisible-training-recommendations?r=f0qfn
I will be in Chicago. We have had thousands demonstrating all week to protest ICE, to protest how some Chicago Cops have violated our state law and helped ICE, and in solidarity with people marching in LA. Now Trump is saying he will send the National Guard to us too. I am hoping our numbers will be huge.
I recall taking my daughter to a pro-immigrants rally in 2006. She was 18-months-old and I had her on my back in a pack with a 5 point harness where even I could hardly get her out. My husband was worried for her but I assured him we would be fine. There were 100,000 people that day. It was all peace and love. I was not worried. May our march tomorrow be many times that many. May we be strong and safe.
In Solidarity!✌🏽
Here's the letter I sent today to Senators Padilla and Schiff:
Now you see what comity gets you, thrown to the floor and handcuffed. You should be denying unanimous consent on everything that comes up.
😁👍
What is so frustrating is that Trump wins every time, even though the courts have ruled against him in 96 percent of the cases brought against him. This is because he faces no consequences for his unconstitutional and illegal acts. Suppose Newsome gets a court to declare that Trump's federalizing the National Guard and sending Marines into Los Angeles is illegal, as a court surely will. Trump's already done it, and, even if he obeys the court and removes the military, he is free to do it again after declaring the next fake emergency.
If a court rules for Harvard against Trump's illegal acts, Trump has already won. He's cost Harvard a fortune and deterred foreign students from applying to it. Trump imprisoned a graduate student for three months for writing an op-ed column that Trump disliked. A court ordered her free. Trump won. She spent three months in prison and neither she nor other graduate students will exercise their First Amendment rights again. If courts force Trump to bring home people whom he has deported without due process, he's won by instilling fear in all immigrants and those who might be mistaken for immigrants. The courts have so far held no one -- no one -- in contempt.
From The New York Times:
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the federal government’s mobilization of the California National Guard to protect immigration agents from protesters in Los Angeles. He ruled that the Trump administration had illegally taken control of the state’s troops and ordered the troops to return to taking orders from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In an extraordinary 36-page ruling, Judge Charles Breyer of the Federal District Court in San Francisco severed Mr. Trump’s control of up to 4,000 National Guard troops, many of whom are already deployed in the streets of Los Angeles on his orders. The judge said the administration’s seizure of them violated required procedures in a federal statute.
Its the Roy Cohn psychopath method.
Exchange I just with a former colleague about Charles Breyer’s order today
Me: Another piece of paper they will defiantly ignore with a snort of contempt
Him: True
Me: And by the time all the appeals are exhausted in weeks or months, the order will be moot — that is if the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn it with dispatch
“Moving fast and breaking things”…🤮
Him:
So sayeth Alex “Cassandra” Kline.
Me: Send me a list of court orders they have obeyed
Him: Not disagreeing.
Me:
“Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor. Under my watch, that is precisely what the Justice Department is doing.”
— Merrick Garland, August 11, 2022
“As long as it takes and whatever it takes for justice to be done — consistent with the facts and the law. … We build investigations by laying a foundation. We resolve more straightforward cases first because they provide the evidentiary foundation for more complex cases. … The facts tell us where to go next.”
— Attorney General Garland, on the first anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack, January 2022
Note that the evidentiary foundation was laid before all the world on January 6, 2021 by countless videos
Mark my words: until “the RADICAL LEFT” (i.e., the usual institutions of the rule of law) start arresting and imprisoning the ringleaders of our current fascist state, they will continue to thumb their noses at any legal constraints and revel in performative cruelty and violence toward Trump’s (and their) perceived “enemies”
The courts not acting and the Democrats hiding under their desks. It beggars belief.
It's about time Trump has been held responsible and in contempt! When will Congress act?
Trump was not held in contempt of court. The Wikipedia article "Contempt of court" explains the meaning of the term.
And if his big, beautiful bill passes, courts will be barred from holding him or his minions in contempt.
The Supreme Court already makes it impossible to hold him in criminal contempt, or to prosecute him for any crime that constitutes an official act. He could be held in civil contempt, but, according to the Wikipedia article, "Contempt of court," "once the party complies with the court's order, the sanction [for civil contempt] is lifted."
I found the scariest part of Noem's speech today to be her assertion that the armed forces are actually present in L.A. to "liberate" the city and the state from their duly elected mayor and governor and the "socialism" that's threatening the rest of the country (we should be so lucky). I don't know what's coming down the pike, but as a resident of California, I fear it will be nothing good.
This is clearly a test run for the other blue states. And those tanks for the parade seem like they're being put in place to lock down D.C. Where are all the purged military leaders and the never Trump billionaires? I can only hope there are closed-door conversations taking place with plans to counter any attempts at an overt MAGA coup. Yes, we're there. De-escalation and appeasement don't work against literal Nazis. We knew this from history, and we let it get too far. God damn these spineless GOP Congress people, but also God damn Biden and Garland and Pelosi and all the other enablers.
Trump doesn't concern himself with doing anything "under color of law," he just does what he wants on a whim and leaves it to underlings to figure out a reason for it or the legal basis, if any. Just as he considers the Justice Dept his personal lawyers, and now the military his personal army. He's now a dictator and not constrained by courts or congress. We have to support No Kings and stop this before it gets even worse.
No Kings is gonna have to practice some civil disobedience.
He said repeatedly starting about a year ago that he wanted to be Dictator On Day One. The acronym? DODO. Maybe some staffer noticed so now he doesn't use the phrase so much. But he has achieved his desire: he is a DODO in both senses.
DODO TACO.
DODO TACO PINO🐥🌮👑
Also POS🤬💩
I will not stop demonstrating, speaking out, writing op-eds, posting my thoughts or signing petitions. I am not afraid of a tin-pot dictator. We outnumber them. We have history and the law on our side. We have the inevitable fall of this traitorous regime to accomplish. We survived the Civil War as a more or less united country and we must do it again. I am afraid only that enough intelligent, informed, progressives will not step up and fight for our democracy. I'm all in and though have only the power of my voice and actions I'm not giving in or giving up. I won't back down...
Amen. This aggression will not stand, man!
Here's the letter I sent to Ted Lieu today:
Words and lawsuits are meaningless, every Democrat in the House should be out on the front steps of Congress all day every day. Let the gop do whatever they want inside.
I actually called Lieu’s office two days ago asking that he and other Dems go to LA’s steps and appear arm-in-arm! They need to be SEEN!
This is beyond appalling. Noem went full fascist and all of us who love our democracy must defend it.
Re: "even though the men, all from Nicaragua, had work permits and pending asylum applications."
Perhaps someone has done so, but you really should define "under color of law." Google AI does a bang up job:
"Under color of law" refers to an action taken by a government official or employee while acting under the authority of their position, or while pretending to act within their official duties, even if the action is unlawful. This term is crucial in civil rights cases, where it establishes the necessary element for suing government actors for violating someone's civil rights."
note "pretending." That's what's going on, because if you have a work permit You.Are.Legally.Here. You have a tax ID, and you pay not just state sales tax but FEDERAL INCOME TAX. Which is more than some oligarchs and big corporations do.
Satyagraha. Gandhi had it figured out. Massive, universal civil disobedience. They cannot rule those who refuse to be ruled.
Where is the national spokesman / spokeswoman for this??? It must be enunciated to all, clearly, forcefully.
Blood will flow.
Man has violated the law of nature.
"The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to Earth."
"The Whites too shall pass, perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Contaminate your bed and you one night will suffocate in your own waste. "
From Chief Seattle's speech.
Stay safe on Saturday, We are firhting a righteous fight. It will be a long fight. We will the fight.
We must resist, persist
and not take one step
back Lucian. There are
at least 2,000 No Kings
protests 6/14. 8-10
European protests in
solidarity with us. This is
how we fight fascism
and bullies. We stand up
and March or roll
peacefully. Your
ancestors and mine,
thousands of others
here going back to the
Founding didn't give up.
They didn't turn away
from the challenges they
faced. We will win free
of this disastrous
regime. Keep the faith!
So tired…
Curious, I cannot understand why in the wake of trumps vile partisan rally, call it what it was, where cherry picked magat soldiers (not the fat ones), were cheering at his fascist rhetoric and buying his grotesque merchandise, WHY HAS NOT ONE FUCKING GENERAL SPOKEN UP AGAINST THIS OUTRAGE??? CHICKEN SHITS.
Homeland Barbie is but today's example of Trump's loyal friends slotted into various Cabinet slots -- never mind what the jobs. Seeing Newsom speak was a reminder that that almost decent politician could be a perfectly acceptable president compared to the sick, weak, insecure, narcissistic, power mad loon we're saddled with now. I'm checking out requirements for Scotland.