Continuation 2020 Presidential Election part 3

[BillC]

I suspect Trump may resign before 20 January, putting Pence in the hot seat for a few weeks, on condition of a full blanket pardon.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by BillC

I suspect Trump may resign before 20 January, putting Pence in the hot seat for a few weeks, on condition of a full blanket pardon.

You have to admit guilt or be found guilty before you can get a pardon.

Can Trump bring out an Executive Order saying presidents should be able to get pardons in advance for a small fee?

[Captain_Swoop]

US election: Justice lawyer quits after attorney general orders 'vote fraud' inquiries

US attorney general William Barr has allowed prosecutors to probe alleged irregularities in the presidential election, prompting a senior justice department official to quit.

The official, Richard Pilger, would have overseen such investigations.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54882647

[Captain_Swoop]

Trump retweets

Breitbart News
@BreitbartNews
Let's roll.
AG William Barr Authorizes DOJ to Look into Voting Irregularities
William Barr in a memo issued on Monday authorized the Justice Department (DOJ) to look into voting irregularities in the 2020 election.
breitbart.com

[angrysoba]

Originally Posted by Pixel42

Seen elsewhere:

"This feels like a horror movie where the monster just died, but there's still 20 minutes left of the runtime".

And then...

Quote:

President Donald Trump has sacked Defence Secretary Mark Esper, announcing on Twitter that the top US official has been "terminated".

Link

[BillC]

Originally Posted by Vixen

You have to admit guilt or be found guilty before you can get a pardon.

No, Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes he committed or may have committed, thus covering crimes for which Nixon had neither admitted to nor had been found guilty of:

Quote:

Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974.

[BillC]

Of course, Trump could in theory pardon himself, but for President Pence to do it would be less open to legal challenge.

[Captain_Swoop]

Trump tweeted

Nothing!
Quote Tweet

Mark R. Levin
@marklevinshow

1. Phony Joe Biden.
Joe Biden is truly an ambulance chaser. He had nothing to do with the vaccine that is about to be made available to the public, he had nothing to do with the manufacturing process that is already underway,

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Trump tweeted

Nothing!
Quote Tweet

Mark R. Levin
@marklevinshow

1. Phony Joe Biden.
Joe Biden is truly an ambulance chaser. He had nothing to do with the vaccine that is about to be made available to the public, he had nothing to do with the manufacturing process that is already underway,

I guess that's something he has in common with President Trump then

Then again, unlike President Trump, Joe Biden isn't attempting to claim credit for it either.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by BillC

No, Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes he committed or may have committed, thus covering crimes for which Nixon had neither admitted to nor had been found guilty of:

Don't forget the Acosta one giving a pardon to Jeffery Epstein and all of his conspirators known and unknown. Torn up and ripped to pieces. 'Pardoned co-conspirator' Ghislaine Maxwell awaits trial in July 2021.

Let's see how that pans out.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by BillC

Of course, Trump could in theory pardon himself, but for President Pence to do it would be less open to legal challenge.

I wouldn't put it past Trump to award himself a pardon. He is immune to feelings of embarrassment.

[Vixen]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Trump tweeted

Nothing!
Quote Tweet

Mark R. Levin
@marklevinshow

1. Phony Joe Biden.
Joe Biden is truly an ambulance chaser. He had nothing to do with the vaccine that is about to be made available to the public, he had nothing to do with the manufacturing process that is already underway,

The envy and jealousy is going to finish Trump off. Forever he will be chewed up with a sense of unfairly being deprived of the accolade of bringing a vaccine to America.

[Darat]

Originally Posted by acbytesla

These are just wild accusations. Hearsay on top of hearsay on top of hearsay. It's never multiple individuals saw ballots thrown out or fraudulent ballots being included. No, it's complaints about processes that could have been more efficiently done but which the GOP obstructed.



Their biggest complaints about ballots in Pennsylvania are about provisional votes and votes that were postmarked before the end of voting. This is about their desire to suppress voter participation and not about a dishonest election.

And as ever in recent CTs where are the videos and photos?

[Darat]

Originally Posted by timhau

If one side claims Bigfoot is real and the other side claims it isn't, surely the reasonable position is that there is a size-10 bipedal ape roaming the North American wilderness.

At worse it's got to be 50/50 it exists, right.....?

[Dave Rogers]

Originally Posted by Vixen

I wouldn't put it past Trump to award himself a pardon. He is immune to feelings of embarrassment.

I would put it well beyond Trump to admit that he could conceivably have done anything he needed pardoning for.

Dave

[Tero]

Originally Posted by Vixen

You have to admit guilt or be found guilty before you can get a pardon.

Can Trump bring out an Executive Order saying presidents should be able to get pardons in advance for a small fee?

Not so. Nixon was never charged with crimes, yet he was pardoned:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_of_Richard_Nixon

Not sure Nixon admitted guilt, he resigned "for the good of the country."

[eerok]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

He said that part?

No, I was paraphrasing, and that was my editorial comment. He did use the word "sloppy" though.

[Craig4]

Originally Posted by Vixen

The envy and jealousy is going to finish Trump off. Forever he will be chewed up with a sense of unfairly being deprived of the accolade of bringing a vaccine to America.

The US Government didn't have anything to do with the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer, was never part of Warp Speed and took no USG money. What they did was independent of the Trump Administration's efforts.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-b1719698.html

Pfizer was partnering with the Germans who supported their effort. We have Angela Merkel to thank more than we do Trump.

[The Great Zaganza]

Originally Posted by Craig4

The US Government didn't have anything to do with the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer, was never part of Warp Speed and took no USG money. What they did was independent of the Trump Administration's efforts.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-b1719698.html

Pfizer was partnering with the Germans who supported their effort. We have Angela Merkel to thank more than we do Trump.

It would have been the first time Trump didn't take credit for something he had nothing to do with.

[Jim_MDP]

Originally Posted by Craig4

The US Government didn't have anything to do with the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer, was never part of Warp Speed and took no USG money. What they did was independent of the Trump Administration's efforts.



https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-b1719698.html



Pfizer was partnering with the Germans who supported their effort. We have Angela Merkel to thank more than we do Trump.

You're right about Germany and US Fed money but not the other.
They are under or are open to contracts under Warp Speed to deliver doses.
Still, they self funded. Good on them.
(threw up a little typing that)

[Captain_Swoop]

Trump Tweeted

“Only because of President Trump, we are going to have a Vaccine by the end of the year.” Ronny Jackson, Texas Congressman-Elect

“President Trump told us for some time we would be getting a Vaccine by the end of the year and people laughed at him, and here we are with Pfizer getting FDA approval by the end of this month. He was right.”
@MariaBartiromo

[Foster Zygote]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Trump retweets

Breitbart News
@BreitbartNews
Let's roll.
AG William Barr Authorizes DOJ to Look into Voting Irregularities
William Barr in a memo issued on Monday authorized the Justice Department (DOJ) to look into voting irregularities in the 2020 election.
breitbart.com

Shyster to English translation:

The corrupt toady I appointed specifically for the purpose of covering my fat keister by abusing the power of his office says I was robbed.

[Firestone]

If you live in Minnesota, and haven't voted yet, please do NOW!

Eric Trump tweeted some 20 minutes ago:

Minnesota get out and vote!!!

eric.jpg

[Captain_Swoop]

Trump Tweets

WE WILL WIN!

WE ARE MAKING BIG PROGRESS. RESULTS START TO COME IN NEXT WEEK. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

[Captain_Swoop]

Originally Posted by Firestone

If you live in Minnesota, and haven't voted yet, please do NOW!

Eric Trump tweeted some 20 minutes ago:

Minnesota get out and vote!!!

Attachment 43542

Groundhog week?

[Captain_Swoop]

Seen winging around on twitter

R: It’s at The Four Seasons.

P: Which conference room.

R: Next to the manure shed.

P: They have a manure shed at The Four Seasons?

R: Yeah, yeah, just past the rakes and hoes.

P: You bringing hoes?

R: Nah, they have them there.

P: Ok, Rudy.

[kookbreaker]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

Trump Tweeted

“Only because of President Trump, we are going to have a Vaccine by the end of the year.” Ronny Jackson, Texas Congressman-Elect

“President Trump told us for some time we would be getting a Vaccine by the end of the year and people laughed at him, and here we are with Pfizer getting FDA approval by the end of this month. He was right.”
@MariaBartiromo

Uh, yeah, because any other President, GOP or Democratic, would have totally not worked on funding vaccine research. Only the Trump-man, who hawked fake cures, put the Mypillow guy in charge of multiple COVID things, refused mask mandates, and promised us a vaccine was sure to come any second for months, would pave the way for vaccine research. This despite his anti-vaxxer history.

Meanwhile, the Pfizer vaccine, while impressive, has yet to even submit the safety data to the FDA. That needs to be approved even before distribution (which Trump has done little to nothing about besides saying something about the military). The distribution channel has serious clogs that need addressing (and Trump is ignoring). There also vaccines further along in the channel than Pfizer is, but they are from other countries.

We laughed at Trump because he's made a horde of promises and failed to keep them. This is still another as he tried to force open the economy before any such vaccines were in play.

[Armitage72]

Originally Posted by Vixen

He just can't believe people have voted for Sleepy Joe and Socialist Harris. It is just not possible.

There was a really old Peanuts comic in which someone asked Lucy if she thought there was intelligent life in space.
"Definitely not. If there was, they certainly would have contacted me by now."

She believed she was the most important person in the universe, so any aliens would have sought her out. Trump believes he's the greatest man in the history of the world, so everyone should have voted for him.

[varwoche]

Originally Posted by phiwum

I don't agree with everything Emily's Cat writes, but I have never presumed she's a Trump supporter.

Indeed, nothing that she said in the post you replied to constituted support of Trump. She said that Trump doesn't aim to be a dictator. That's hardly praise, regardless of whether you agree with her or not. (I tend to think that Trump would be thrilled to have the dictatorial powers he surely deserves, as the most successful leader the world has ever known.)

We are what we eat/do/write, and what we eat/do/write extends beyond this thread, and I'm unimpressed when a quacking water fowl denies being a duck. That said, I can't imagine that EC voted for Trump, I believe that her negative comments about him are sincere, and that makes it all the more perplexing when she constantly carries his water, facts be damned. I'd expand on this except we're off topic and outside the rules.

[rambaldi]

Originally Posted by Captain_Swoop

James Woods tweeted

Is he still stuck in his role as a traitor from "White House Down"?

[varwoche]

I do still have a question for EC. When you deem Trump as a person who doesn't really seek to be a dictator, have you considered these facts...?

• He is actively attempting to steal the election
• He had his goons attack peaceful protesters (for a photo op)
• He uses the arms of government as re-election minions
• He encouraged armed whack jobs to commit political violence
• He supported the whack jobs who plotted to take Gov. Whitmer to trial in the woods
• He encouraged violence against the media
• He didn't blink when Saudi thugs offed a US journalist
• He threatened a whistle blower with death
• He asks for political opponents to be jailed
• He openly expresses admiration for dictators

How about we apply the space alien test? If dispassionate space aliens magically absorbed human history, and observed these facts, would they be likely to deem these actions as indicative of a person who aspires to be a dictator?

Because the answer is obviously yes, feel free to consider this question rhetorical. I do welcome you to answer the first question though. A simple yes/no will suffice.

[quadraginta]

Originally Posted by Meadmaker

Just when you think he can't go any lower....

I have never thought he couldn't go any lower.

The only question in my mind was how much lower he would go in any given instance. He has managed to improve on the depth with each successive jump, which in turn has not been particularly surprising.

[trustbutverify]

Originally Posted by Emily's Cat

I think he's a bombast and a blowhard, who likes to make a lot of noise, but I don't personally think he ever had any intention of trying to become a dictator. Just like I also never worried that he would wake up in the night and launch a nuclear strike on a whim. Or like I never worried about the roving gangs of Trump supporters who were going to start hunting down and beating gay people in Capitol Hill.

If Trump had the power to declare this election invalid and himself as president for life, he would so in a heartbeat and we both know it.

[quadraginta]

Originally Posted by Meadmaker

On their website you can buy a mask with "Lawn and Order" and "Make America Rake Again".

Maybe I should get one for the guy who does my yard.

OTOH, he's Hispanic, and an immigrant, so it might not be received in the spirit in which it was given.

[quadraginta]

Originally Posted by acbytesla

Originally Posted by BobTheCoward

The two different methods receive different levels of scrutiny. For example, you have to show an ID in person but a signature is acceptable on a mail in in the same state.

This is also true in pretty much every state.

Well, we aren't one of them.

I told the guy my name, he looked it up, gave me a form to sign, and sent me down the line to get a ballot.

I tried to show him my voter registration card, but he wasn't interested.

[The Greater Fool]

Originally Posted by quadraginta

Maybe I should get one for the guy who does my yard.

OTOH, he's Hispanic, and an immigrant, so it might not be received in the spirit in which it was given.

Besides, it should be "Lawn Order"

[quadraginta]

Originally Posted by BillC

Of course, Trump could in theory pardon himself, but for President Pence to do it would be less open to legal challenge.

And as a side benefit either one would relieve Biden of the danger of being castigated by Trump supporters for letting his DoJ investigate anything Trump did. While still leaving all the state prosecutions wide open.

Trump might not see that as a good thing, though.

But if Pence did pardon the bastard he could write off any chances of ever winning the top spot.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by quadraginta

But if Pence did pardon the bastard he could write off any chances of ever winning the top spot.

Why ?

There were 70 million people willing to cast their ballots in favour of President Trump and the vast majority of these are part of the Trump base. Pardoning President would absolutely ensure the support of that base whereas anything other than total support would deny him the support of that base.

The way it stands in the GOP at the moment, in most states slavish support of President Trump is the way to keep your position and any dissent will result in howls of disapproval.

President Trump and the GOP are one and the same for the next few years at least.

[Bob001]

Originally Posted by Vixen

You have to admit guilt or be found guilty before you can get a pardon.
.....

This has been discussed. No, you don't have to admit guilt or be found guilty to get a pardon. Neither was true for Nixon. Reagan pardoned several officials connected with "arms for hostages" without any admission or finding of guilt. Trump could issue pardons to everybody he's ever met or random people in the street for "crimes they may have committed" without anybody proving or admitting anything.

But presidential pardons won't protect Trump, his family and his pals from prosecution under state law.

[Segnosaur]

Originally Posted by Minoosh

Quote:

... two sources told Fox News that Trump would concede and execute a peaceful transfer of power if his campaign's legal challenges fall short of changing the projected outcome.

Someone is trying to make him sound reasonable, or save face, but take a look at that conditional statement. IF his legal challenges fail THEN he will concede and execute a peaceful transition of power. There's a fallacy there I can't quite put my finger on. IF his legal challenges fail, THEN he has no ******* leg to stand on whatsoever. The statement ... nullifies itself, is the best I can come up with. Or it's a tautology. IF he fails, then he fails. He doesn't have to concede. It's conventional, but it's not required. So why bother making a statement?

True, assuming all the legal challenges fail (likely at this point) Trump is out of office regardless... The big question is, How does Biden subsequently take power? Will there be the normal transition period (where incoming officials meet with outgoing officials, exchange information, etc.) Or will the Trump administration sit on its hands until January, and just... leave (causing as much damage on their way out as possible)