All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Tami]

The Swamp That Trump Built

A businessman-president transplanted favor-seeking in Washington to his family’s hotels and resorts — and earned millions as a gatekeeper to his own administration.

Federal tax-return data for Mr. Trump and his business empire, which was disclosed by The New York Times last month, showed that even as he leveraged his image as a successful businessman to win the presidency, large swaths of his real estate holdings were under financial stress, racking up losses over the preceding decades.

Federal tax-return data for Mr. Trump and his business empire, which was disclosed by The New York Times last month, showed that even as he leveraged his image as a successful businessman to win the presidency, large swaths of his real estate holdings were under financial stress, racking up losses over the preceding decades.

But once Mr. Trump was in the White House, his family business discovered a lucrative new revenue stream: people who wanted something from the president. An investigation by The Times found over 200 companies, special-interest groups and foreign governments that patronized Mr. Trump’s properties while reaping benefits from him and his administration. Nearly a quarter of those patrons have not been previously reported.

But once Mr. Trump was in the White House, his family business discovered a lucrative new revenue stream: people who wanted something from the president. An investigation by The Times found over 200 companies, special-interest groups and foreign governments that patronized Mr. Trump’s properties while reaping benefits from him and his administration. Nearly a quarter of those patrons have not been previously reported.

The tax records — along with membership rosters for Mar-a-Lago and the president’s golf club in Bedminster, N.J., as well as other sources — reveal how much money this new line of business was worth.

[Robotman]

Federal judges threw two majors wrenches into the cogs of Republican voter suppression efforts this week.

Federal judge blocks Texas governor's directive limiting ballot drop boxes to one per county



Pennsylvania Supreme Court sides with Democrats on absentee ballot deadline and drop boxes

In a 138-page decision, U.S. District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, who was appointed to bench by President Trump, also rejected the Trump campaign’s effort to obtain a federal ruling to circumvent state requirements mandating that poll watchers prove they live in the area near the sites they are monitoring.

[Tami]

Former Special Forces sought by private security company to guard polling sites in Minnesota, company says

A private security company is recruiting former U.S. military Special Operations personnel to guard polling sites in Minnesota on Election Day, an effort the chairman of the company said is intended to prevent left-wing activists from disrupting the election but that the state attorney general warned would amount to voter intimidation and violate the law.

The recruiting effort is being done by Atlas Aegis, a private security company based in Tennessee that was formed last year and is run by U.S. military veterans, including people with Special Operations experience, according to its website.

The company chairman, Anthony Caudle, posted a message through a defense industry jobs site this week calling for former Special Operations forces to staff “security positions in Minnesota during the November Election and beyond to protect election polls, local businesses and residences from looting and destruction.” He said in an interview earlier this week he is planning to send a “large contingent” to Minnesota but did not specify the numbers.

uh, huh

Sheesh

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) said in a statement Friday that he joined election officials in “strongly discouraging this unnecessary interference in Minnesota’s elections, which we have not asked for and do not welcome.”

“Federal law and state law are both clear: No one may interfere with or intimidate a voter at a polling place,” he said. “The presence of armed outside contractors at polling places would constitute intimidation and violate the law. I request this company cease and desist any planning and stop making any statements about engaging in this activity.”

Ellison added that “we don’t expect to have to enforce our laws against voter intimidation, but we will use every resource available to us and all the power of the law if we have to.”

Caudle did not respond to a request for comment Friday on Ellison’s statement.

[Robotman]

Former Special Forces sought by private security company to guard polling sites in Minnesota, company says

uh, huh

Sheesh

The worrisome aspect of this is if Trump’s cult or these “private security” meatheads try to stop people from voting will the police stop them or just give them water bottles and say “we appreciate you.”?

[GindyPosts]

Given Trump's even more unstable behavior, it further has me more concerned about the behavior of his followers if Biden wins and the victory is conclusive.

[Bruce Wayne]

The worrisome aspect of this is if Trump’s cult or these “private security” meatheads try to stop people from voting will the police stop them or just give them water bottles and say “we appreciate you.”?

Definitely going to be the latter. The cops and police unions have allthrown their lot in with Trump.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Given Trump's even more unstable behavior, it further has me more concerned about the behavior of his followers if Biden wins and the victory is conclusive.

The FBI busting the Y'all Qaeda meatheads would discourage a lot of them I think, since the charges including, "attempting to foment a civil war" and everyone knows that these white supremacists include people who want to go active and there are 13 arrests and so on.

Most of these Trump inspired militia are young kids, disorganized and have no backing from state governments. That means they are unlikely to organize and coalesce to create a "Fort Sumter" moment. Remember unlike the last Civil War there isn't a quad of state governments willing to separate and take up arms, nor is it the case anymore that as in the case of the American Civil War -- the officer corps came largely from the American South thus allowing the Confederates to build an army. Likewise we have a FBI now, that for better and worse, takes these cases under review and preserves order.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Definitely going to be the latter. The cops and police unions have allthrown their lot in with Trump.

Exactly that. After George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, people are fed up with police brutality, mayors and city governments are calling cops to task for their thuggish actions while “defund the police” movements have gained steam. Unions have been backed into a corner and are feeling threatened like never before, and the only one on their side is Trump, a dangerous marriage.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Exactly that. After George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, people are fed up with police brutality, mayors and city governments are calling cops to task for their thuggish actions while “defund the police” movements have gained steam. Unions have been backed into a corner and are feeling threatened like never before, and the only one on their side is Trump, a dangerous marriage.

Police unions affect policy on the legal side and so on, but them committing to open insurrection against the election results, as opposed to tacit whistle-and-walk-away is another thing.

[Tami]

Trump is still on IV. IV of what isn't known

Trump speaking earlier with two bandages on his hand. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)



I've had more than enough IV's to recognize the location of the bandage as a tell tale sign.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Trump is still on IV. IV of what isn't known

Trump speaking earlier with two bandages on his hand. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)



I've had more than enough IV's to recognize the location of the bandage as a tell tale sign.

Yeah that's an IV patch all right.

Bandages look recent.

This is Potemkin Village stuff.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Trump gets an endorsement from the Taliban.
(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taliban...raw-us-troops/)

A senior Taliban member told CBS News, "Trump might be ridiculous for the rest of the world, but he is sane and wise man for the Taliban."

Not a jokesite. For legit.



FYI, I do think American troops should leave Afghanistan but quite obviously the negotiations between Pompeo and Taliban are never gonna work, and of course Putin is in fact the current author of foreign policy in the Middle East.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump is still on IV. IV of what isn't known

Trump speaking earlier with two bandages on his hand. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)



I've had more than enough IV's to recognize the location of the bandage as a tell tale sign.

Maybe he’s still on that cocktail of whatever drugs he got while at Walter Reed.

[Jack Dracula]

Trump is still on IV. IV of what isn't known

Trump speaking earlier with two bandages on his hand. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)



I've had more than enough IV's to recognize the location of the bandage as a tell tale sign.

My god that tiny, weak hand. Even in the foreground, it's still so small.

[zinderel]

My god that tiny, weak hand. Even in the foreground, it's still so small.

Hands like Chris Elliott in Scary Movie 2...