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I was part of the November 2022 exodus to Mastodon, and never wrote an - better late than never.

I am a former U.S. Army JAG Officer, and current attorney in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

My background and lifelong interest is politics and international relations - that was my undergraduate degree at the University of Southampton in the UK, I grew up all over (US, Egypt, Norway & UK), and while in the Army I deployed to Haiti & Bosnia in the 1990s.

I obtained my J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, and while I practice family law, most of my posts are on current political & legal issues. I don't originate breaking stories, and tend to respond in threads more than creating my own threads. But either way, I strive for informed opinions and posts worth reading.









CarlG boosted

If the Shoe Fits

Can I remind people that no president in history has ever acted MORE STEREOTYPICALLY LIKE A GANGSTER than Trump? He owned casinos. He has deep connections in the New York City construction industry. His son-in-law’s father did time for extortion. He calls people who inform on him “rats.” He bullies. He threatens to expose people’s private shame to obtain endorsements. He filled his administration with pro wrestling magnates....

#trumpindictment

talkingpointsmemo.com/

TPM – Talking Points MemoTPM - Talking Points MemoA Decapitation Event: It was a surreal juxtaposition. On the Hill, Kash...
CarlG boosted

#Trump is morally culpable for creating a culture of violence and intimidation among his supporters. #FaniWillis and all the #FultonCounty #grandJurors who #indicted Trump have been bravely serving justice. They should not be subjected to smears and threats. Reporting from Washington Post, gift link: wapo.st/3sfzrOi

The Washington Post · FBI joins investigation of threats to grand jurors in Trump Georgia caseBy Holly Bailey
CarlG boosted

BREAKING: Hunter Biden made $640 million while “working” in daddy’s administration, and received $2 billion from the people behind 9/11.

Now that I got Republicans’ attention. That was actually Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.

WTF has happened to our country? One party's frontrunner was unanimously adjudged a rapist by a federal jury, his namesake company was convicted of tax fraud, and he's under indictment for 91 felony counts in 4 different jurisdictions.

followers stormed the capital trying to block the peaceful transition of power. He calls them patriots and pledges to pardon them, which will only embolden more followers to commit more crimes in his name.

He attacks the prosecutors, judges and witnesses, vowing to go after them, while his followers dox the grand jurors and threaten a federal judge.

Meanwhile, the GOP sits by in silence, as if any part of this is normal??? These are warning signs of a nation on the precipice, and should not be ignored due to cowardice, or to political expediency

Can the 236 year-old American experiment in democracy survive a cult built around a dangerous and autocratic criminal?

Replied to CarlG

I just hope that at least 1-2 of his criminal trials are held far enough in advance of the election that if he's convicted and sentenced to incarceration, he'll be in jail by election day.

Damn - Trump's trial dance card for the next year is completely full.

Even allowing for a couple of cases being bumped or judges not accepting dates requested by the prosecutor, Trump is going to be in trial fairly solidly for most of the campaign season - taking time away from the campaign trail, depleting campaign funds, and generating negative headlines. FAFO.

If MAGA can't see the difference between overt acts in furtherance of a conspiracy and stand-alone crimes, they are either gaslighting, or moronic - either way their commentary should be ignored.

It's not illegal to buy a gun or stencil kit. But if two people conspire to rob a bank, buy the weapon for that purpose, and the stencil kit to create a demand letter, those otherwise lawful acts prove the fact of their illegal agreement.

EDIT - the acts in furtherance are what separate a criminal enterprise from some guys just sitting around bullshitting about committing a crime they have no intention of actually attempting.

CarlG boosted

The Trump Indictment count is now 91.🫨

Let's be clear.

Trump was NOT indicted by Biden, Clinton, Soros, Big Bird, Target, Wokeness, Disney, pride flag, CRT, or Barbie. Trump was indicted by private citizens—as the US Constitution requires. (And most witnesses were Republican).

CarlG boosted

@GottaLaff

The DOJ investigated a potential crime for as long as it took to bring a case.

Trump doesn't have to investigate anything: he lived it.

All that remains is for a jury to determine whether the DOJ is right or not in their determination that multiple crimes were committed.

Everything else is spin, attempted jury contamination and attempted witness (and potentially jury) intimidation.

CarlG boosted

Via Sahil Kapur:

Can’t overstate it: Roe v Wade was an electoral gift to Republicans while it was alive. It turned an issue that’s a huge loser for the party into a winner—they could mobilize their anti-abortion base without triggering a backlash by the abortion rights majority.

Now that’s over.

A quick minute order from Judge in the J6 setting a quick hearing. Pity that she's waiving the defendant's appearance as it means no in-person bench-slap for .

At least not yet - it's still early days, and given Trump's pathological inability to control his emotional tantrums, there will be other opportunities for an ass-chewing, likely in the near future.

@andrew

The admin on my instance has changed somewhat suddenly and I'm thinking it may be time to switch instances.

If you don't mind sharing the info, how many users do you have on esq.social, and are you around for the long haul? (I'm fine contributing, and actually have a monthly patreon payment going to my current instance)

No takebacks! A group of RDOF winners bid down the broadband grants, and are complaining they cannot economically deliver on their promises.

By undercutting more realistic bids, they deprived competitors from the chance to get grants, and consumers in the area of the intended broadband. Buyer's remorse is not a basis to avoid fulfilling their obligations.

And how can the GOP, which claims to want government run efficiently like a business, demand the government forgive breaches instead of enforcing the contracts like any business would? (Rhetorical question - the answer is obvious).

arstechnica.com/tech-policy/20

Ars TechnicaInternet providers that won FCC grants try to escape broadband commitments"Coalition of RDOF Winners" lobbies FCC but won't reveal its full member list.