The aftermath of Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial

Trump in a statement on Monday blasted the Supreme Court over a decision opening the door for the Manhattan district attorney to obtain his tax returns and other financial records.

"The Supreme Court never should have let this 'fishing expedition' happen, but they did," Trump said. "This is something which has never happened to a President before, it is all Democrat-inspired in a totally Democrat location, New York City and State."

Strange how Trump always blames someone else for his troubles. He broke decades of tradition by refusing to divulge his tax returns, first as a Presidential candidate then as President. The New York Times discovered that Trump paid a total of $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

That said, according to Trump, his troubles are the fault of the Supreme Court and the Democrats. What the hell do his supporters see in him? We don't know, and they aren't talking.

Trump unbelievably continued his habitual, baseless claims that the election was stolen from him. He loves to use lies, exaggeration, and superlatives to support his case.

"This investigation is a continuation of the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our Country. These are attacks by Democrats willing to do anything to stop the almost 75 (74.2) million people (the most votes, by far, ever gotten by a sitting president) who voted for me in the election—an election which many people, and experts, feel that I won. I agree!" Trump said.

Trump also has a convenient memory. He overlooked the fact that the other guy outvoted him by seven million.

We must all bear in mind that Trump isn't speaking to us. He is speaking to his cult. They believe everything he says.

Unfortunately. 74.2 million uninformed voters is a dangerous thing, particularly for the Republican Party.

 

Both of the democrats dog and pony shows ginned up by the hate filled old hag Pelosi were absolute jokes. It made the whole democrat party look like damn fool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

There should be in impeachment.

 

Sandy Shanks said:
The Republican Party is sinking fast. It can't get rid of intelligence challenged Trump extremists.

Trump describes his lying this way. He calls it Truthful Hyperbole.

"The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people's fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That's why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It's an innocent form of exaggeration, and a very effective form of promotion," Trump said.

Regarding his five-year fight to keep his taxes a secret, there is this nagging question: What is Trump so afraid of? As in: Why has he fought so incredibly hard to keep anyone from seeing his taxes?

He started the fight with lies, a common tactic throughout his term as President. He thinks lying is "a very effective form of promotion."

"If I decide to run for office, I'll produce my tax returns, absolutely," Trump said in 2014. "And I would love to do that." The following year, Trump told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt: "I would certainly show tax returns if it was necessary."

In January 2016, Trump was still dangling the possibility of releasing his returns. "I have very big returns, as you know, and I have everything all approved and very beautiful and we'll be working that over in the next period of time. Absolutely," Trump said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Then he began to back down. "We'll make a determination over the next couple of months," he told CNN's Anderson Cooper in an interview that aired on February 24, 2016. "It's very complicated."

Then Trump had found his excuse for not releasing his returns; "I get audited. And obviously if I'm being audited, I'm not going to release a return," he said. "As soon as the audit is done, I love it."

There is no law against any person releasing their tax returns while under audit. (Richard Nixon did it while he was in the White House.)

What is Trump hiding? We will find out.

 

If true, and it stands to reason that it is as recent events show, this is surreal. Can the GOP sink any lower? In th meantime, Trump's fans are not talking. They are uninformed, and they want to stay that way.

According to NBC News and other outlets, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Tuesday that Trump would likely beat the GOP field if he decides to run in the 2024 presidential election.

“I look at the polls, and the polls show that among the names being floated as potential contenders in 2024, if you put President Trump in there among Republicans, he wins in a landslide,” he said.

There is a slim chance the GOP will regain its sanity and cast off the intelligence challenged followers of Trump.

NBC News reports, "House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney clashed Wednesday after they were asked whether former President Donald Trump should speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend."

At a GOP leadership news conference, McCarthy told reporters, "Yes, he should."

Trump is expected to deliver remarks Sunday at the conference in Orlando, Florida.

Cheney, who voted in January to impeach Trump over his role in inciting the assault on the Capitol, said that decision isn’t up to her, but made clear she doesn’t want him leading their party.

"That's up to CPAC. I’ve been clear on my views about Trump,” Cheney said. “I don't believe that he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country."

Will Trump's cult say anything about these issues or will they focus on the writer and Nancy Pelosi?

 

It is starting already.

CNN reports, "Donald Trump Jr. was deposed as part of the Washington, DC, attorney general's lawsuit alleging the misuse of Trump inaugural funds, according to a new court filing.
In a court document dated Tuesday, DC Attorney General Karl Racine's office revealed the former President's son was deposed on February 11.

"Trump Jr. and his brother Eric Trump, executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization who run the real-estate company on a day-to-day basis, are under scrutiny for their roles in the family business."

It should be noted, President Trump never divested himself from the Trump Organization in addition to not allowing the public to see his tax returns, breaking a decades long tradition.

CNN added, "In addition to the DC attorney general's lawsuit, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office are digging into the company's finances and asking questions about business units that both brothers are intimately involved with, including the Trump family compound known as Seven Springs in New York, as well as the Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street skyscrapers, according to a people familiar with the matter.

"One person said prosecutors are asking "about everything under the sun about Donald, Ivanka, Don Jr and Eric, [and] Allen Weisselberg," the chief financial officer."

The DOJ and criminal prosecutors looking into his insurrection on Jan. 6 will have to wait their turn.

 

CNN reports, "Tax records that former President Donald Trump tried to keep secret for years are now in the hands of the New York district attorney.

"Prosecutors obtained the records on Monday, just hours after the US Supreme Court denied Trump's last-ditch effort to keep the records private, a spokesperson for the district attorney said.

"The millions of pages of documents, sources say, contain Trump's tax returns spanning from January 2011 to August 2019, as well as financial statements, engagement agreements, documents relating to the preparation and review of tax returns, and work papers and communications related to the tax returns."

The intriguing question is this. Many have long suspected that Putin has something on Trump. It would explain why President Trump did so many things to please Putin, including the creation of animosity with our traditional allies, embracing communist dictators, and failing to sanction Russia for illegal activities. Will his tax records reveal that Putin did have something on Trump?

Is that why Trump fought so hard for five years for the non-disclosure of his tax records? Clearly, he didn't want anyone to see them.

They are now in the hands of the New York district attorney.

 

After voting to acquit Trump on February 13 following his Senate impeachment trial, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the mob of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol were "fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth because he was angry he'd lost an election."

"Former President Trump's actions that preceded the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty," he said, adding that "Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that he would back Donald Trump if he were the Republican Party's nominee for president again.

He made the comment during an appearance on Fox News' "Special Report" with Bret Baier.

"If the president was the party's nominee, would you support him?" Baier asked.

"The nominee of the party? Absolutely," McConnell said.

Nearly every day the Republican Party gives new meaning to the term, "hypocrisy."

 

Fox News reports, "Sen. Ted Cruz says the GOP is the party of the working class and vows that former President Trump will remain a power player in the Republican Party.

"Cruz, the conservative two-term senator from Texas and former and likely future Republican presidential candidate, used his speech Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference to paint a populist portrait of a GOP transformed during Trump’s four years in the White House."

Nothing will be said at this conference about the Jan. 6 insurrection and Trump's role in that assault on our Democracy. Republicans will simply pretend it did not happen.

 

The capitol and its grounds were once a tourist attraction. Americans could actually walk the halls of Congress.

Not any more thanks to a President.

CNN reports, "A review of US Capitol security in the wake of the January 6 insurrection is set to recommend a series of sweeping changes next week intended to better protect lawmakers while they are in Washington, DC, and at home.

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi directed retired Lt. General Russel Honoré to conduct an independent review of the security presence around the Capitol last month after a pro-Trump mob breached the building.

"The addition of more than 1,000 Capitol Police officers -- at a cost approaching $100 million -- would include some 350 officers and expanded staffing in regional offices. The review found that the force must be expanded in part to meet members' security needs when they are back home.

"Additionally, the recommendations call for establishing a robust and dedicated quick reaction force composed of a National Guard military police battalion to be on standby in Washington full time.

The draft recommendations suggest building an integrated system of walls and fences around the Capitol.

Currently, the capitol and its grounds are fenced off. Tourists are not allowed.

Thank you, Mr. Trump.

Trump is going to be the guest speaker at CPAC Sunday. Go figure. Have conservatives lost their minds?

 

Two days after the U.S. Senate voted to acquit former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, three-quarters of Republicans say, 75 - 21 percent, that they would like to see Trump play a prominent role in the Republican Party, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of 1,056 adults released today. 75% Of Republicans Want Trump To Play Big Role In GOP, Quinnipiac Poll Finds

As long as this is true, as indicated above, the Republican Party will continue to lose. For the first time in 90 years a political party lost the House, Senate, and the Presidency during a span of four years.

And most Republicans want Trump to play a role in elections!

 

Republicans refuse to deal with the real Trump and his sheer incompetence, his extreme self-centered narcissism, and his well-planned incitement of an insurrection against our government. The American voter is aware of these faults, but Republicans are ignoring them, which accounts for the GOP losing streak.

Instead, they believe in a fantasy Trump much like Trump's intelligence challenged followers.

Evidence of this is in the recent comments made by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Trump disciple.

The Daily Mail reports, "House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accused Rep. Liz Cheney of engaging in 'cancel culture' after she told reporters former President Donald Trump should have 'no role in the future of the party or the country.'

"McCarthy appeared on Fox News Channel Thursday and was specifically asked about Cheney's comments."

"The idea that a Republican would join with the cancel culture I just think is wrong, it's beyond just having a difference in opinion," McCarthy answered while blithely ignoring trump's lies about the election which continue to this day and the consequences of those lies -- the Jan. 6 insurrection and his second impeachment.

The spineless McCarthy who changes positions as often as he changes his socks, blamed Trump for the insurrection.

McCarthy considers this a difference of opinion!

 

I have been watching excerpts of the CPAC, and I can't help but wonder, is this a comedy? From Junior's girlfriend to U.S. Senators they are laughing and making totally outrageous remarks, particularly when it comes to Trump. Honestly, they are being very funny, and that seems to be their intent.

"This (conference) is conservative, and conservatives are for Trump," said Tommy Zegan, 61, the artist and creator of the work he calls "Trump and the Magic Wand."

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union and an organizer of CPAC, said it is "the Conservative Political Action Conference that loves Donald Trump because he was a great president."

"We need him more than he needs us," said Caroline Sarian.

See, I told you. CPAC is a comedy show. This is good stuff. It is fitting that the convention is being held at a luxury hotel near Disney World.

Aaron Rupar writes, "If you watched House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Saturday panel discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) after spending four months in a coma, you’d not only think that there was no January 6 insurrection aimed at overthrowing former President Donald Trump’s election loss, but that Trump actually won a second term.

"McCarthy’s remarks in particular — and CPAC 2021 in general — illustrate how whatever second thoughts the Republican establishment had about Trump following the insurrection have fallen by the wayside. And they were a reminder that although Trump did lose reelection, he remains a popular, and therefore powerful, figure in the Republican Party."

A recent Forbes piece by Andrew Solender revealed, "Republicans have the lowest ratings [of national politicians], with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy down by 20 points, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) down by 30 points and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suffering a staggering deficit of 44 points, with just 17% favorability and 61% unfavorability."

The Republican Party is in the hands of the Trump cult. Trump may not be popular in general, but he remains overwhelmingly popular with the GOP base — a recent Politico/Morning Consult poll found 79 percent of Republicans viewed Trump favorably. That is a recipe for disaster.

The strange thing is, the GOP will continue to lose elections, losing the House, Senate, and the Presidency in four years -- a record. As long as this lunacy persists, the loses will pile up exponentially. Why can't the GOP leadership see this? Are they being governed by an unruly, intelligence challenged cult?

It would seem so.

 

The fiberglass statue was made in Mexico over a period of six months in the resort town of Rosarito.

 

I simply do not understand either the leadership of the Republican Party or Republicans at the grassroots level. What they are doing makes no sense at all, and, while they are doing it, they remain totally silent on this thread and other threads critical of the party.

Except, of course, focusing on writers who dare to expose reality.

Trump is doing the work as Putin's agent. He has lead the Republican Party in record shattering election losses, and he is in the process of destroying one of the two major parties in the United States. Trump's disapproval rating hovers around 60%, and the Republican Party will continue to lose elections as they have for the past four years.

So, what are its members doing? Hailing Trump as though he were the Second Coming.

CNN reports, "Donald Trump has no remorse about the deadly violence he incited with his lies about a stolen election in his uprising against the US Congress.

"This much was clear when the ex-President put the Republican Party on notice on Sunday that he intends to use his hold on its grassroots to try to suppress the vote heading into the presidential election in 2024, in which he hinted he might run. In his first public remarks since leaving the White House, he also dangerously lashed out at Supreme Court justices for failing to intervene to throw him the election he clearly lost to President Joe Biden.

"They should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to our country ... the Supreme Court didn't have the guts or the courage to do anything about it," Trump fumed in an authoritarian speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, in Orlando, Florida, referring to false fraud claims thrown out by multiple judges."

Last seen leaving Washington in disgrace, the ex-President's self-regarding wander through old political fights emphasized his obsession with revenge at a time when the attention of the majority of the nation not in his camp is concentrating on more immediate concerns.

In the meantime members of Trump's cult remain silent on the issues.

 

Imagine this ... if you can. A former President of the United States verbally attacked one of the three branches of our government as established by our Constitution. He did so on the basis of a lie.

“This election was rigged, and the Supreme Court and other courts didn’t want to do anything about it,” Trump said. “They rejected it,” Trump continued, attacking the High Court. “They should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to our country. They didn't have the guts or the courage to make the right decision.”

Three of the justices were appointed by Trump.

Now try to imagine a former Republican President attacking 17 members of his own party, while insisting that his party was united. “We have the Republican Party,” Trump said. “It's going to unite and be stronger than ever before."

Now imagine a former President saying all this to roaring applause from Republican lawmakers and grassroots Republicans attending CPAC. Assailing the third branch of our government led the Republican crowd to loudly chant, “You won, you won," to which Trump responded, “We did.”

The reader does not have to imagine any of this. All of this happened on Sunday.

The complete silence from Trump's followers on this forum is deafening.

And highly significant.

 

Sandy said, "Trump has lead the Republican Party in record shattering election losses, and he is in the process of destroying one of the two major parties in the United States. Trump's disapproval rating hovers around 60%, and the Republican Party will continue to lose elections as they have for the past four years.

Boy, Trump's followers do not dare touch this thread. They support Trump, but they can't tell us why, and they certainly can't defend him. That is very strange. Ironically, it is almost as if they want to forget about Trump while supporting him, but Trump simply won't go away. True, that makes no sense at all.

The problem is, Trump makes absolutely no sense.

At CPAC Trump vowed to take his revenge on those 17 Republicans who voted for his impeachment in the House and Senate.

We know that incumbents are difficult to unseat. They have built an organization and they have cash.

Question: How does challenging 17 Republican incumbents help the Republican Party?

Answer: It doesn't. Trump is seeking revenge, not party unity.

Which explains why the NRCC chair cautioned Trump about what he is doing.

“That’s not gonna be helpful,” the NRCC chair said of Trump weighing in.

Politico reports, "National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Tom Emmer said Wednesday that former President Donald Trump should back down on attempting to primary GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach him."

“He can do whatever he wants,” Emmer (R-Minn.) said. “But I would tell him that it’s probably better for us that we keep these people and we make sure that we have a majority that can be sustained going forward.”

Will Trump listen? That would be a first for the spiteful former President.

Little wonder why his fans are avoiding the idiot.

And this thread.

 

House scraps plans for Thursday session after security officials warn of possible plot to breach Capitol

Capitol Police say intelligence shows militia group may be plotting to breach the Capitol

The U.S. Capitol Police said Wednesday that they have information regarding a possible plot by a militant group to breach the Capitol on Thursday, a date that some followers of the QAnon extremist ideology falsely claim will mark former president Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

The department declined to name the militia group or provide additional details, citing the “sensitive nature” of the information. In a statement, the department said it is “prepared for any potential threats.”

“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” police said in the statement.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...a24e86-7c42-11eb-85cd-9b7fa90c8873_story.html

 

Funny you talk about "cults". Never have I heard anything positive from you. It seems you are fixated on Trump Hate. You got the Biden Crime Family elected, instead, why aren't you singing his praises for a change??? Everything should be a positive note for you!! After all he did cancel the Keystone. He IS ripping children from their mothers arms and caging them up like Trump did, but he IS opening the borders to illegals laden with covid and he encourages them! Gas prices are going through the roof and we are signing the Paris Accord that hamstrings the U.S. and allows China to go great guns. Sounds like all that is right up your alley!! Why aren't you being positive Sandy??

 

During the Jan. 6 insurrection inspired by President Trump, there was a three hour, 19 minute delay in the Pentagon's response, three hours and 19 minutes, while a riot raged at the Capitol, according to Politico.

Obviously, the Pentagon was under the command of our Commander-in-Chief at the time, Donald J. Trump. It took nearly three and half hours for the acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to act. Trump had fired the defense secretary two months earlier.

Three hours and 19 minutes, while a riot raged at the Capitol.

"That’s how long the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard says elapsed between then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund’s “frantic” plea for help quelling a violent mob and the ultimate approval of military aid by the Pentagon. The discrepancy between his estimate and the Pentagon's conflicting testimony is now at the heart of lawmakers’ investigation into the security lapses that prolonged the siege on Congress on Jan. 6, according to Politico.

Politico continued, "And the overlapping narratives of Jan. 6 are hitting a Capitol already dealing with a volatile security environment, as Capitol Police warn of multiple ongoing threats [from supporters] — one to the as-yet-unscheduled State of the Union address and another on Thursday, when some Trump-supporting militia groups have suggested once again breaching the Capitol.

"Walker, with evident exasperation, told two Senate committees that he preemptively loaded troops on buses amid the chaos of the insurrection while awaiting approval from acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller. That approval took hours to arrive, he said."

Walker drew a contrast between the Pentagon’s response to the Jan. 6 uprising, when it took hours to approve the deployment of the National Guard, and the June 2020 protests in Washington after the killing of George Floyd.

During the summer protests, Walker said he and McCarthy were in constant contact and were often together. In June, the approval to deploy the National Guard once the protests turned violent came within minutes, Walker said.

https://www.rollcall.com/2021/03/03...pentagon-delays-during-jan-6-riot-at-capitol/

 

Yes, and a long time ago, even long before Trump

Conservatives hate the whole idea of America. They are the descendants of the old Tories in the ARW, they want us ruled by a King and nobles like in England

 

In dealing with Trump, the focus of this thread, what have I gotten wrong?

I have noticed that you have never been able to defend Trump in response to my posts. All you talk about is me. Why is that?

Don't answer to me. Answer to yourself. Think about it.

 

Now imagine this, the supporters of a former President of the United States are threatening the U.S. government as we know it.

Putin could not be more pleased.

CNET reports, "Former President Donald Trump left office on Jan. 20, but believers in QAnon, a baseless, far-right conspiracy theory that originated on anonymous message boards, still think he's going to return to the White House. People who believe the conspiracy theory are now looking forward to March 4, but law enforcement says it's aware of the threat.

"March 4 carries significance for two reasons: It's the date when the Constitution was made effective in the US, and it was the official inauguration date until it was moved to Jan. 20 with the passage of the 20th Amendment. Some QAnon believers view March 4 as the date when Trump will walk back into the White House and run the country once again."

The vast majority of Republican lawmakers in Congress agree. Donald J. Trump is the titular leader of the Republican Party.

The Times reports, "The Capitol Police force is preparing for another assault on the Capitol building on Thursday after obtaining intelligence of a potential plot by a militia group, just two months after a mob of Trump loyalists and extremists attacked the building, leaving five dead and hundreds injured.

"Leaving nothing to chance, House leaders on Wednesday abruptly moved a vote on policing legislation from Thursday to Wednesday night, so lawmakers could leave town, according to a senior Democratic aide familiar with the planning."

Everyone can relax. Trump's domestic terrorists -- so named by FBI director Christopher Wray -- are cowards. The threats are more “aspirational” than operational. The ignorant malcontents have no desire to face thousands of armed National Guards on station, protecting the capital. They like to make headlines with their moronic, overly boastful threats.

Nothing will happen on March 4th.

The former President is totally silent regarding March 4th. Interesting. That proves only one thing. Fulfilling Putin's strongest desires, Trump wants to create chaos within our government.

His followers remain silent.

 

I could defend Trump all day long but that would never ever satisfy your goals. I'll say this.....He put America 1st in every situation. That does not fit the globalist design. He did not advertise to those South of our border to come and get a free meal ticket. He built part of a wall. He did things that discouraged that. He began a 1776 project that would have taught our students the premise and history of America. Yes it would have shown our mistakes as well but the focus would be on how we arrived at what we are today. Far better than the hate and disdain students are taught for their country today. Biden did away with that in favor of a project that teaches we were built on slavery and have always been evil. You know Sandy, the premise you seem to hold so dear to your heart. I want to see you do your 1st positive thread. You can start with how Biden will partner with China to get the citizens of this nation under control.....you know, the things you see as positive!

 

Sandy....if it was militia groups who stormed the Capitol on the 6th, they would have accomplished what they set out to do. That was the best opportunity. The only armed assault was by a policeman against an unarmed civilian lady. They tried to say a cop was beat over the head with a fire extinguisher and died but that was a fabricated lie. This was more like a sixties sit in. Not half as violent as we saw this summer in the big cities. Your left wing media has taken it to extremes. They play it up to instill fear like they do with COVID and the systematic race lie. The Government was weaponized against the People before Trump was ever inaugurated. I hope this never comes down to a military coup but I just hope the Nation can be restored, the swamp drained, and corruption exposed. I think it can still be accomplished within our political system, but as it has been said, "Sometimes the tree of liberty has to be watered with the blood of Patriots". You can find that in our history books before you burn them.