Just One Thing: James Comey indicted
Here's the short version of my take on this: Indicting James Comey will look transparently political and is somewhat risky for the Trump administration, though they don't care about that kind of risk. I support the indictment if and only if the prosecutors believe they have an extremely strong case and at least, let's say, a 75% chance of convicting him. If they go after Comey and lose in court, that would not only be bad politically but a ridiculous waste of federal prosecutorial resources.
Former FBI director James Comey indicted
James Comey indicted for perjury in Trump–Russia probe | Fox News
The prosecutor brought 3 possible charges to the grand jury which indicted Comey on two of them. Just the fact that they did not indict on one strikes me as overall weakness in the case(s) against Comey. None of this is to say anything good about Comey. He was a very bad actor during the months just before and just after the beginning of the Trump administration and deserves the disgust of the public even though we likely have him to thank for Trump beating Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Comey, Brennan, Schiff, and probably Clapper all intentionally misled (at least, maybe overtly liked to) the American public in their assertions or implications that they knew that Trump had nefarious interactions with Russia. (For what it's worth, I said from the very beginning of the Trump-Russia investigation that I thought the accusations were all BS (for a variety of reasons that did not rely on Trump's strength of character.)
Here are the grand jury results: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582135/gov.uscourts.vaed.582135.3.0.pdf
I have concern about this being leaked to the media but if it's true -- and I would bet that it is -- this will look like what it probably is: revenge. That said, precisely zero Trump supporters will mind if that's the outcome. Their mindset will be "Comey (and Brennan and Clapper and Schiff) put Trump through hell with knowing lies about the "Trump and Russia" hoax and they deserve to suffer through investigations and prosecutions just as Trump did." And I surely understand that mindset but still don't support using the federal government to go after these guys unless you are highly confident you have a case you can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
Note that the "prosecutor" bringing the case has precisely ZERO relevant legal experience and was only put in the job in order to indict these guys, regardless of whether there is a good basis to do so. If it turns out that they have little or no evidence of perjury but convinced a grand jury to indict anyway, I hope that she gets sanctioned...just as I'd hope that Alvin Bragg would get disbarred.
Trump’s Pick to Replace Ousted U.S. Attorney Lacks Prosecutorial Experience - The New York Times
Unsurprisingly, Trump has thoughts:
This seems likely to have been intended as a private note rather than as a social media post and one wonders if it will be useful for the defense. My guess is that it won't be as helpful for them as they think but you never know what a judge will do.
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Today's Guests
Andy McCarthy is a former federal prosecutor and a contributing editor at National Review. My favorite guest on matters of federal law, and especially the intersection of federal law and politics. We'll discuss the Comey indictment.
The Indictment Against Comey Should Be Dismissed | National Review (may require subscription)
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Jimmy Sengenberger is an investigative reporter for the Denver Gazette and occasional fill-in host for me and Mandy on KOA. We'll discuss a report he's publishing about a strange-looking real estate deal involving Lakewood and the Jefferson County School District.
Lakewood’s shady school deal gets even shadier | Jimmy Sengenberger - Denver Gazette
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Scott Sutton is CEO of influencer marketing platform Later. We'll discuss what we know (and what we don't know) about the TikTok deal that Trump approved yesterday.
Later: Influencer Marketing and Social Media Management
Trump signs executive order on TikTok deal: what to know
Also: TikTok US to be valued at $14 billion (Semafor.com)
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Paul Beale is a professor of physics at the University of Colorado - Boulder and one of the show's most popular guests.
We'll talk about merging black holes and a famous math theorem.
Paul Beale | Physics | University of Colorado Boulder
Physics: Black holes just proved Stephen Hawking right with the clearest signal yet | ScienceDaily
Ten years of gravitational-wave astronomy and the clearest signal yet
Math: Goldbach's conjecture - Wikipedia
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Other Stuff
Be careful! I’ve Written About Loads of Scams. This Phone Scam Almost Got Me. - The New York Times
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Will they "shut down" the government?
Shutdown politics now all about the calendar (Semafor.com)
‘Pain on the bureaucracy’: Russ Vought’s crusade upends the shutdown fight - POLITICO
White House to agencies: Prepare mass firing plans for a potential shutdown - POLITICO
I wonder what this is about: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth orders top US generals to attend mystery meeting next week
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As interesting as the story itself is, it's also worth wondering how and why this got into the media. Actually that question is somewhat addressed in the article: How a Top Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission Into North Korea Fell Apart - The New York Times
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This is clever and is probably also really what he wants. Putin and his puppets, like Tucker Carlson, sometimes assert that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy wants to be a dictator or "president for life" or some such thing. Making this statement gets rid of one more of their lies...one that Trump had bought into at least a bit some months ago. And I suspect he means it. The guy has to be utterly exhausted.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's 'ready' to step aside after Russia war ends
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Cool discovery: New dinosaur from Argentina discovered with a crocodile bone in its mouth
Speaking of Argentina: Trump Wades Into Bailout Politics in Offering a Lifeline to Argentina - The New York Times
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Tariff man still doing his best to raise Americans' cost of living: Trump imposes 30% to 50% tariffs on some furniture, cabinetry
Trump threatens 100% tariffs on drugmakers who aren't building US plants
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Seriously, a president going after a private company over an employment decision and his stated goal is to get them to give him money? This is ridiculous and tyrannical...even though Jimmy Kimmel still isn't funny and I still have no interest in his show.
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This is how insane some people are...look at the reactions to this friendly and harmless invitation: Brooklyn midwife accused of 'colonial violence' over women's Bunco club
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A Muslim man living in Britain attacks (with a knife) a man burning a Quran and the judge imposes no jail time because the man is apparently of good character? And you wonder why Europe is at risk of serious cultural harm from their immigration and criminal justice policies.
Man spared jail over attacking Quran-burning protester
Judge’s ruling: Rex -v- Moussa Kadri
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Today's Videos
What a funny little creature
Really, you're gonna go 30 days and not buy another leash?