All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[BeastieRunner]

That war is still going on?

... yes? It never stopped. We scaled back but it's still churning around.

[Starter Set]

... yes? It never stopped. We scaled back but it's still churning around.

Good god, your government sure enjoys wasting money. (and lives)

[BeastieRunner]

Good god, your government sure enjoys wasting money. (and lives)

No argument here.

[Tendrin]

With the current Farm Bill set to expire at the end of September, the fate of formerly incarcerated individuals and their access to basic necessities like food remains in the balance.

Under current law, only individuals found guilty of a violent crime who violate their parole or terms of release are denied benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known colloquially as SNAP or food stamps). The House version of the Farm Bill, however, contains a provision that would prevent those who have completed sentences for certain violent crimes from accessing SNAP benefits at all.

https://thinkprogress.org/house-farm...-9d93b9af4abe/

Yikes.

[Dalak]

https://thinkprogress.org/house-farm...-9d93b9af4abe/

Yikes.

This on top of them reclassifying several non-violent crimes as violent ones worries me more than a little.

[BeastieRunner]

Mueller Filing Hints At How Manafort ‘Directed’ Major Law Firm’s Production Of Ukraine Report.

Team Mueller has filed that Manafort is/was trying to sway an independent report about the imprisonment of the political rival of Manafort's Ukrainian client.

Also, his new plea deal is he Manafort pleads guilty to everything but does not have to cooperate with testimony thereafter.

[KOSLOX]

Mueller Filing Hints At How Manafort ‘Directed’ Major Law Firm’s Production Of Ukraine Report.

Team Mueller has filed that Manafort is/was trying to sway an independent report about the imprisonment of the political rival of Manafort's Ukrainian client.

Also, his new plea deal is he Manafort pleads guilty to everything but does not have to cooperate with testimony thereafter.

So he's just going to wait for a pardon.

[BeastieRunner]

So he's just going to wait for a pardon.

We'll see.

Even his hard-line GOP supporters said if he pardons anybody during the investigation, it's over for him.

The hard-liners see it as confirmation of guilt.

[KOSLOX]

We'll see.

Even his hard-line GOP supporters said if he pardons anybody during the investigation, it's over for him.

The hard-liners see it as confirmation of guilt.

I'd call that bluff if I were him. We wouldn't see "unsung heroes" if the house and senate acted as a proper check like they are supposed to.

[BeastieRunner]

I'd call that bluff if I were him. We wouldn't see "unsung heroes" if the house and senate acted as a proper check like they are supposed to.

They're lining their pockets and getting more judges than ever, they don't want to end that gravy train.

Pardoning clear criminals that appear to have colluded with another country to interfere in an election is a stink the GOP can't wash off.

They can't afford that one. Even if they don't, much like the Whigs and Federalists before them, it will end their party and gravy train.

[BeastieRunner]

A Republican and Democrat put a governor’s race on hold to help South Carolina face the hurricane.

The guardsman candidate now reports to his opponent. I found that kinda cool in this hyper-partisan day and age.

[JCAll]

We'll see.

Even his hard-line GOP supporters said if he pardons anybody during the investigation, it's over for him.

The hard-liners see it as confirmation of guilt.

Don't believe it, talk is cheap.

[MindofShadow]

They're lining their pockets and getting more judges than ever, they don't want to end that gravy train.

Pardoning clear criminals that appear to have colluded with another country to interfere in an election is a stink the GOP can't wash off.

They can't afford that one. Even if they don't, much like the Whigs and Federalists before them, it will end their party and gravy train.

What stops Trump from doing it right when he leaves?

not like he really cares about the GOP

[BeastieRunner]

What stops Trump from doing it right when he leaves?

not like he really cares about the GOP

If he resigns or is impeached, he can't do anything with pardoning once that is complete.

If he's censured and/or starts the impeachment process, he loses his EO and pardoning powers till it is over. In some cases, the POTUS can lose those as punishment for censure but that's only happened once.

He'd have to do it with each one as they come and he won't be able to save everyone because he'll get removed from office before the dust settles.

If 45 really wanted to save Team Russia, he'll have to out everyone and pardon them now. Imagine how that would look. People not even charged with a crime being pardoned. Don't think he could survive that.

Blanket pardons tend to get eviscerated in court.

Trump is bad but it is not all doom and gloom. He is destined to be a short blip in our history, that I am certain of.

[InformationGeek]

Oh WBE! Get a load of this prince charming.

Maine Republican Party scrambles to distance itself from candidate with string of domestic violence arrests

The Maine Republican Party is in a pickle after it was found that one of their candidates was charged multiple times with domestic violence-related crimes.

According to the Bangor Daily News, Chris Hoy, candidate for House District 33, was charged with domestic assault in Jan. 2015. He ultimately pleaded guilty for a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

Public records reveal he then violated a protective order in Jan. 2017. He was arrested for domestic violence assault again and pleaded guilty that April for a lesser charge of reckless conduct. One year later, it happened again. Hoy was arrested in South Portland for violating the protective order.

The state GOP called the behavior “unacceptable” and swore they had no knowledge of the candidate’s background.

Also, Brad Schimel of Wisconsin is under criticizing for featuring a police officer who is under scrutiny from the FBI in his latest political ad. Oooops.