08/04/23

Good morning! It’s Friday, August 4th. National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Hey! That’s like national ice cream sandwich day. I love that!

And now, the news.

Trump Crime Update Time

-via NPR, Politico, CNN, and NY Times

"We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.”

“Now, it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, we're going to walk down, and I'll be there with you, we're going to walk down, we're going to walk down.

Anyone you want, but I think right here, we're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.

Because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong.”

“We’re going to try and give our Republicans – the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help – we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country. So, let’s walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.”

That was Donald Trump on the morning on January 6th. After he knew he’d lost the election, but before a deadly mob descended upon the Capital.

In the hours after, more than 2000 people would enter the building. While some took pictures, other stole laptops and paperwork. And others… others went in search of Nancy Pelosi. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Mike Pence. In search of those they considered enemies. They carried zip ties, loaded guns, and used flag poles as weapons.

They fought like Donald Trump told them to - they fought like hell. And the did it in service of, and at the request of, Donald Trump who was, at that time, the sitting president. The sitting president encouraged a mob to continue the work that he had started months earlier - the work of overturning the free and fair election of President Joe Biden.

And while people, including the officers that Trump supporters claim to support with their Blue Lives Matter flags, were crushed and beaten, Trump watched from the White House dining room table. As his children and closest advisors asked him to condemn the rioters, he refused. As they chanted “hang Mike Pence” he simply sat by. Watching and saying nothing.

Finally, 187 minutes later, Trump posted a video on Twitter asking the rioters to stand down. Telling them “We love you. You’re very special.”

In the end, six people died either on the day of, or in the time after but directly related to, the insurrection. Many, including 138 police officers, were injured.

It was one of the darkest days in our country’s history.

And on Thursday, August 3rd, Donald Trump was arrested, fingerprinted, and processed for the actions he willingly and freely took both on January 6th and the months leading up to it. For a conspiracy to defraud the United States, a conspiracy and attempt obstruct the vote certification, and a conspiracy to violate civil rights.

YOUR civil rights. YOUR right to have your vote counted just like everyone else’s.

As expected, he entered a not guilty plea on all counts.

He was allowed to leave, but the conditions of his release are that he is not allowed to talk about the case to any witnesses except through legal counsel.

He cannot commit a crime, including not trying to influence a juror (which the judge specifically noted).

Per the judge, violating these conditions could mean prison.

Tricky that one, as he commits crimes like I talk about Kelly Clarkson’s new album… often.

The first hearing in this case is set for August 28th at 10am eastern, at which time the first trial date will be set. Expect that to be a case, as his defense lawyers already began pushing back on the public’s right to have a speedy trial, saying the government had three and a half years to investigate this case, and all they ask is for the right to fairly defend their defendant.

In other words… they want this case to take a while, because obviously the closer to the election the trickier.

And yes, of course everyone has the right to a fair defense in court. But on the other hand… I think all you need is 187 minutes to prep for this case. Because go back and watch - watch a mob attack our capital building. Watch them attack with Trump flags. Watch them march the confederate flag, the flag of a losing group of rebels who decided they would rather leave our country than accept that fact that Black people deserve rights. Watch them do all of that with Trump’s name on their shirt.

Go back and listen as Trump lights a fire in the mob - hear him say “we.” Here him talk about himself as a part of that deadly mob. The leader, in fact, of that mob.

So there we go - for the third in four months, the former president of the United States has been indicted and arrested. This time for a conspiracy to, among other things, defraud the United States.

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I’m proud of the police officers, Congressmembers, and congressional staffers who risked their lives to ensure that the vote count would go forward and our standing as a country that runs on the idea of a free and fair election would continue to stand.

A republic if you can keep it…

And I’m proud of chocolate chip cookies. Not as proud as I am of everyone else I named, but still. You know… who doesn’t love a cookie?

But more than that - more than cookies! Because you are also sweet… I’m proud of you.