Skeets Of The Day

 

Operation Cuban Epstein Distraction: another "excursion" aimed at Cuba? --

Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Enters Caribbean as Trump Pressures Cuba “the administration intends to use the Nimitz, and its wing of fighter jets, as a show of force, not as a platform for major military operations” www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...

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— Shipwreck (@shipwreck75.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 7:40 AM

The Malignant Fascist's illegal Thug Fund likely beneficiaries. Oh hell no.  -- 

Todd Blanche believes that the rioters who beat cops and smeared feces on the walls of the Capitol are "good people" who should be compensated for their services to Donald Trump.

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— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 8:46 AM

 

Trump's administration announced the creation of a $1.776 billion fund for Americans deemed to be victims of political "weaponization” and Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendants want their share. Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader sentenced ‌to 22 years for seditious conspiracy, hopes to get $2-5 million.

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— Jon Cooper (@joncooper-us.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 7:04 AM

 

You will be paying her with your tax dollars. Brought to you by the Republican Party.

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— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) May 20, 2026 at 10:47 PM

Ebola, the Malignant Fascist, evil Musk, and eugenicist RFK, Jr.  -- 

Trump and Musk’s profoundly evil decision to cut off U.S. aid is now making an Ebola outbreak in the DRC much worse. The world will live to regret the cruelty and stupidity of Trump, Musk, their flunkies, and the scumbags and fools in the U.S. who voted them in.

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— Faine Greenwood (@faineg.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 7:47 AM

He doesn’t care because he is a eugenicist. For him it is “survival of the fittest”. It’s about culling the population. It’s necropolitics.

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— Oni Blackstock, MD MHS (@oniblackstock.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 6:55 AM

 

Trouble for the MF's $1 billion golden ballroom / dictator bunker  --

(Punchbowl) - Senate Republicans are preparing to buck President Donald Trump on two of his long-running obsessions: the White House ballroom project and the “weaponization” of federal agencies against his allies. @punchbowlnews.bsky.social punchbowl.news/article/sena...

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— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 7:02 AM

 

He’s going to barricade himself in there after he refuses to leave office in 2029. Bookmark this

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— Rachel Bitecofer (@rachelbitecofer.bsky.social) May 19, 2026 at 12:39 PM

MF's poll numbers cratering, independents reject him by huge margin --

Trump absolutely cratering in new Quinnipiac poll of registered voters: 33-64 on economy 66% oppose $1 billion for ballroom And Trump is underwater among independents on economy by a staggering 43 points, 27-70 (!!) On the pod, we dig deep into all these numbers: newrepublic.com/article/2107...

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— Greg Sargent (@gregsargent.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 9:24 AM

The despicable Gov. Polis censured by Colorado Dems -- 

This is the best news this month. Proud of these Dems. Polis is a fucking clown and deserves to be treated like one. There should be no room in this party for fascist enablers. Take them all out. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...

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— Jodi Jacobson (@jljacobson.bsky.social) May 20, 2026 at 11:08 PM

World Cup cancellations in U.S. mount.  Fire Trump ass-kisser Gianni Infantino  -- 

you know how badly you have to fuck up to throw a WORLD CUP and have nobody come?

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— Micah (@rincewind.run) May 20, 2026 at 8:21 PM

Last show tonight with the irreplaceable Stephen Colbert.  Turn off CBS / Paramount for good -- 

Kimmel told viewers not to watch CBS again after Colbert’s run ends.

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— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) May 21, 2026 at 1:20 AM

Classy! -- 

Spotted at Mar-a-Lago…

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— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes.bsky.social) May 20, 2026 at 5:20 PM

 

 

ICE And The Proud Boys

 

Amanda Marcotte, writing in Salon.com, describes the relationship between ICE and the street fighting right-wing thug organization, the Proud Boys, the participants in the January 6 insurrection.  She describes them as a "fledgling community of wannabe brownshirts" and "deadbeats and losers," and describes how the zealous, cosplaying fascist leader of Homeland Security, Kristi "ICE Barbie" Noem, has adopted their style and manner.  An excerpt, but please read her entire article:

"I’m far from the first observer to notice how much ICE, under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary — and proud dog-killer — Kristi Noem, has come to resemble the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist group founded by Gavin McInnes in 2016. As Wired’s David Gilbert wrote in response to ICE’s recent invasion of Minneapolis, the reason we haven’t seen a resurgence of the Proud Boys in Trump’s second term is that the president’s 'militarization' of ICE and 'embrace of white nationalist rhetoric' leaves the group 'without a role to play.'

ICE’s current aesthetics owe much to the Proud Boys, from the masks they use to hide their identity and their corny but racist language about 'heritage' to their attachment to the phrase 'FAFO,' which is short for 'eff around and find out.' But Kristi Noem hasn’t just changed the way ICE presents itself. The tactics the agency now uses and the ideas fueling its mission are eerily identical to the vision of the Proud Boys that McInnes laid out from the group’s very beginnings." (our emphasis)

ICE's recruitment campaign is in full swing, and it's targeting the same "losers" and "deadbeats" that populate the Proud Boys and other violent, far right-wing groups like the Oath Keepers, Patriot Front, and militia groups.  (A recent report that Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio was an ICE office has since been disputed). 

It's easy to watch the actions of ICE officers harassing and beating people from LA to Chicago to Minneapolis, and have strong memories of the Proud Boys and their ilk storming the Capitol on January 6.  They're cut from the same dirty cloth.

 

Half Measures On ICE Won't Work, Dems

 

As funding for this fiscal year runs out on January 30, the push to eliminate the funding for ICE  is a demand among most in the Dem base and a plurality of the population.  However, some Dem "leaders" are seeming to cave on the issue of ICE / Border Patrol funding, calling for tighter "regulations" (no masks, visible nameplates, body cams, etc.) and more "training":

"Behind the scenes, top Democrats are feverishly working to fund the agency — with strings attached.

The mismatch between the anti-ICE rhetoric and the actions of Democratic appropriators reflects a Catch-22 of congressional power: The only way lawmakers can put guardrails on the controversial agency and curb President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda at this moment is to hand it billions of taxpayer dollars.

As they negotiate fiscal 2026 funding for the Department of Homeland Security with Republicans ahead of a Jan. 30 shutdown deadline, Democrats are demanding new rules for DHS agents, such as forcing them to use body cameras, refrain from wearing masks and go through more extensive training." (our emphasis

Dem "leadership" is once again behind public sentiment by years. "Training" them to be more efficient thugs and to set rules for them that they will immediately violate and mock is spineless.  They have yet to recognize that the Malignant Fascist has formed ICE and the Border Patrol into his own army of brownshirts sent to intimidate and beat up residents of cities that are strongly Democratic and diverse.  Many see his action as a dress rehearsal for the mid-term elections and beyond, to help him consolidate illegitimate power. 

Dems might want to take their green eyeshades and white gloves off and look at the recruitment part of ICE, not "training" them to say "please" before beating someone up.  There seem to be very few restrictions on the hiring of these thugs, to wit:

After a document leak from DHS outed him, Enrique Tarrio, head of the Proud Boys militia group, acknowledged that he was now an ICE officer. www.telemundo.com/noticias/not...

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— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) January 14, 2026 at 10:55 PM

Proud Boy leader Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and other felonies related to the January 6 insurrection.  You can be damn sure that ICE is a magnet for Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Militia, Patriot Front and other fascist group members.  They got that sweet $50,000 signing bonus, too (which Dems should put a stop to in whatever budget they're negotiating).  Dems have to focus on that end of the equation before continuing to fund ICE "with conditions."

 

MAGA Crime Blotter: Gusano Cubano Arrested

 

Confirming the maxim that a criminal always returns to the scene of the crime, yesterday U.S. Capitol police arrested street thug, and neo-fascist Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio on the grounds of the Capitol after he assaulted a female heckler. From the Associated Press:

"Capitol police said officers saw Tarrio strike the protester’s cellphone and arm after the woman placed the phone close to his face as they walked near the Capitol. Tarrio had just left a news conference that had ended 'without incident,' police said.

'The woman told our officers that she wanted to be a complainant, and the man was arrested for the simple assault,' police said in a statement.

An attorney who represented Tarrio in his Capitol riot case didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Tarrio, of Miami, was serving a 22-year sentence — the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot cases — when President Donald Trump granted clemency last month to all 1,500-plus people charged in the Jan. 6 attack." (our emphasis)

Raised in Miami's Little Havana, Tarrio is one of several January 6 coup participants (e.g., here and here) who have been in scrapes with the law since the lawless Malignant Fascist pardoned them. 

(photo: CNN)

 

Pardoning The Insurrectionists -- Felon Frees Fellow Felons

 

As promised, the disgraceful Malignant Fascist and convicted felon granted pardons or commutations to all of the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed effort to keep the convicted felon in power:

President Donald Trump [Ed.: let that sink in!] has pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers, using his clemency powers on his first day back in office to undo the massive prosecution of the unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.

Trump's action, just hours after his return to the White House on Monday, paves the way for the release from prison of people found guilty of violent attacks on police, as well as leaders of far-right extremist groups convicted of failed plots to keep the Republican in power after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden.

The pardons are a culmination of Trump’s yearslong campaign to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 attack, which left more than 100 police officers injured as the angry mob of Trump supporters — some armed with poles, bats and bear spray — overwhelmed law enforcement, shattered windows and sent lawmakers and aides running into hiding. While pardons were expected, the speed and the scope of the clemency amounted to a stunning dismantling of the Justice Department's effort to hold participants accountable over what has been described as one of the darkest days in the country's history.

Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that are pending before judges stemming from the largest investigation in Justice Department history.  [snip]

“We are deeply thankful for President Trump for his actions today,” said James Lee Bright, an attorney who represented Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was serving an 18-year prison sentence after being convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes.

It's unclear how quickly the defendants may be released from prison. An attorney for Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys national chairman who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, said he expected his client to be released from prison Monday night.

“This marks a pivotal moment in our client’s life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation,” attorney Nayib Hassan said in a statement. “We are optimistic for the future, as we now turn the page on this chapter, embracing new possibilities and opportunities."

Democrats slammed the move to extend the pardons to violent rioters, many of whose crimes were captured on camera and broadcast on live TV. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution."

“Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in an emailed statement.

Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack after a rioter shocked him with a stun gun, appeared taken aback to learn from an Associated Press reporter that those who assaulted police officers are among the pardon recipients.

“This is what the American people voted for,” he said. “How do you react to something like that?”

Fanone said he has spent the past four years worried about his safety and the well-being of his family. Pardoning his assailants only compounds his fears, he said.

“I think they’re cowards,” he said. “Their strength was in their numbers and the mob mentality. And as individuals, they are who they are.”...

Yes, and the millions of people who voted the convicted felon and leader of the coup back into power, they are who they are, too.  There aren't enough adjectives to describe them.

As for the Malignant Fascist, it was a no- brainer that the most lawless president in our long history would pardon his fellow felons, especially since they had demonstrated the ultimate loyalty to him.  It was the first, but certainly not the last, demonstration that his will be rule by authoritarian with no respect for the law or those who enforce it.

(Photo:  MP Officer Michael Fanone under attack by a likely now- pardoned insurrectionist on 1/6/21 / via Reuters)

Sentencing The Insurrectionists: The Choirboy Tool

Yesterday, Proud Boy insurrectionist and member of the J6 prison choir William Chrestman was sentenced to 55 months in prison for his violent actions during the Trumpist insurrection on January 6. The Kansas seditionist was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee who is known for giving lighter sentences to the January 6 insurrectionists. 

From the Washington Post's account:

"Chrestman stood out among rioters. He was a tall, bearded man who brought tactical gear, a helmet, gas mask and hard knuckle gloves. And he thanked followers 'for helping us — Proud Boys' as he moved with members of the far-right group who marked themselves with orange tape.

He was also notable as one of the lower ranking 'tools' who prosecutors claimed were used by four Proud Boys leaders — including Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and others convicted of seditious conspiracy — to spearhead the attack. [snip]

Holding a wooden club with an American flag attached that he bought after he learned he could not bring a firearm to D.C., Chrestman repeatedly waved rioters forward and urged them to stop arrests. He threatened and pursued retreating police officers and interfered with a security barrier that would have sealed the Capitol basement, according to court filings.

Chrestman bragged in a call he recorded later about how 'cops were legitimately scared' for their lives." (our emphasis)

This s.o.b. came to the Capitol prepared for armed combat. Unrepentant following his arrest and jailing, he joined his fellow insurrectionists in the D.C. jail in a choir that recorded songs that the Malignant Loser would play at his cult's rallies. He needs to be sent with his fellow Proud Boys to a tough Federal Prison where his singing talents won't be appreciated.

(photo: Chrestman holding an ax handle and inciting the crowd. Department of Justice)

Tweets / Xeets Of The Day

 

Officials were told Maine shooter was a risk. Nothing happened. Then the massacre -- 

The Maine mass shooter was recently hospitalized for a psychotic episode and his family told military and police he was a danger to himself and others, but he was still able to buy a sniper rifle legally.

He did nothing illegal until he opened fire: https://t.co/9i9F8IUt5S pic.twitter.com/QpOyUZGMWz

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 28, 2023

 

Coup leader House Speaker Mike "Shriveled" Johnson wants a return to the 1700s --

Yeah, too bad the Civil War changed that. https://t.co/TUn2dAjhMp

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) October 27, 2023

The Malignant Loser's sick affinity for terrorists and der Führer-- 

Trump Posts Article Praising Hitler and Himself as "Smart," Doubling Down on Hezbollah Comments

Trump's article: "Hezbollah is Smart— And So Is Trump" https://t.co/zeAVIJaxYv

— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) October 27, 2023

Speaking of terrorists, ask Hamas to explain why they're punishing their people in Gaza -- 

Absent from the all of the statements decrying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are any demands for Hamas, the actual governing body, to distribute its supplies to the civilian population. Why does Hamas get away with having 0% of the responsibility for taking care of its people? https://t.co/XGactufZxt

— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) October 28, 2023

 

A reminder that 32 Americans were killed by Hamas, making it the deadliest foreign terrorist attack on Americans since 9/11. At least 10 more are hostages in Gaza, and hundreds more are being used as human shields by Hamas. https://t.co/wLiVynpxPj

— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) October 28, 2023

Right-wing money appears to be backing Rep. Dean Phillips' "campaign" -- 

 

NEW: Dean Phillips told The Daily Beast that he doesn't remember receiving a max campaign donation from conservative financier Harlan Crow, but allowed that it was possible he solicited it personally. Me w/@JakeLahut https://t.co/7TTweHRhPR

— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) October 27, 2023

 

Hey, go buy some Chinese-made Body Bags by Ivanka before they run out --

Ivanka Trump’s fashion company received trademarks for voting machines, body bags, and caskets from China while she was working as a Senior White House advisor to her father and business partner, Donald Trump.

Who else wants an investigation? 🤚 🤚 🤚 pic.twitter.com/uqTCStRidL

— Lara reads banned books in Florida 🟦 (@MadeInTheUSANJ) October 27, 2023

Russian humanitarians are shocked! by Gaza bombings, as their war crimes in Ukraine continue -- 

⚡️ Lavrov says Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza is against international law.

Israel's bombing campaign against Hamas in Gaza goes against international humanitarian law, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Oct. 28 on Belarusian state-run news agency BelTA.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) October 28, 2023

"Proud" Boy Tarrio sent to notorious Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. He'll need soap-on-a-rope -- 

US Bureau of Prisons report shows Enrique Tarrio is now serving time in the US federal prison in Atlanta. Estimated release date: Dec 5, 2040

In his seditious conspiracy case pic.twitter.com/e7r2PW4Yi7

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) October 27, 2023

"I'm stuffed" ? -- 

pic.twitter.com/yOy1PwPUFD

— Out of Context Human Race (@NoContextHumans) October 28, 2023

 

Tweets / Xeets of the Day

 

Start asking the question, and demand that the answer be "no" --

"We have reached the point at which every politician in every democracy beginning with the U.S. must be asked: Should the U.S. continue to subsidize the businesses of a man who is actively working for our enemies and against our interests?" @djrothkopf https://t.co/mOVe2D6nfo

— LibertyBansTrumpism 🌊 (@YesWeCan4Us) September 9, 2023

 

The Logan Act makes it a federal crime for private citizens to conduct foreign policy on their own — not to mention making military decisions that contradict U.S. strategic goals. Elon Musk is doing both and should be locked up.

— howardfineman (@howardfineman) September 8, 2023

Overdue, but welcome --  

BREAKING:

ABC reports that the U.S. is now likely to send ATACMS to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/8ILdgEdzpZ

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 8, 2023

More fascist visions from immigrant's son Rama-smarmy -- 

NEW -- Vivek Ramaswamy is saying that if elected president, he'll deport American-born children of undocumented immigrants (even though they're U.S. citizens) https://t.co/pKJdTIBoPZ by @AlexanderTabet @kekoretski

— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) September 8, 2023

Maybe he could ask Javanka for a loan --  

Wait til he meets his son-in-law. https://t.co/YwLR4WtlBV

— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) September 9, 2023

Gov. Sarah "Hucksterbee" Sanders would like y'all to have some COVID. Bless her heart! --

This is great news for Covid https://t.co/KCSxyGG1NX

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 9, 2023

Known by the company you keep -- 

Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle photographed with Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys.

Tarrio was recently sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy. pic.twitter.com/8jwoUTaFiE

— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) September 9, 2023

MAGA cult lunatic the Pillow Guy goes ape over insult to his pillows. Hee hee --

I guess Lindell really doesn’t like it when people insult his pillows. pic.twitter.com/9TNeCoWpSK

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 9, 2023

Twenty one too many, we'd say -- 

 

pic.twitter.com/kCOk6gFwoi

— Poorly Translated Shirts (@translatedtees) September 9, 2023

 

Tweets Of The Day

 

Fulton Co. judge denies severing motions from Crackers and Cheese --

 

Judge McAfee DENIES severing the two speedy trial defendants: When it comes to the question of severing Powell and Chesebro, there are guardrails and RICO doesn't negate those, but the factors favoring severance don't seem to be at play. #gapol

— Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) September 6, 2023

 

Are they getting it?  No?  Hope this helps --

 

Yes, seditious conspiracy is a very serious crime.
Yes, the conspiracy part of the charge refers to planning and organizing the attack on the govt, which is why a jury convicted Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio even though he wasn't at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
You're getting it now https://t.co/8QrTY47pL5

— Nicholas Grossman (@NGrossman81) September 6, 2023

 

“Biden Regime” lol? The *judge* who sentenced Tarrio is Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee, former counsel to Chuck Grassley, and member of the Federalist Society. https://t.co/lvUfpVInvg

— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 6, 2023

 

I must have missed the part where those protesters attacked police officers, invaded the Capitol and attempted to assassinate the Vice President and the Speaker of the House. 🙄 https://t.co/LJRJljqekS

— Angry Staffer 🌻 (@Angry_Staffer) September 6, 2023

 

Hi. The place where people plot a criminal conspiracy IS the crime scene.

Hope this helps. https://t.co/94R5X4gRlh

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) September 6, 2023

 

Cool, cool --

 

The coolest thing your lawyer can say right before you go to jail https://t.co/A7Zsbqz9cD

— elle hardy (@ellehardy) September 6, 2023

 

This should go over well on the yard https://t.co/cn3GhcLAgN

— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithMO) September 6, 2023

 

Not Ok in OK (PragerU Kids?!?)  --

 

Actual grooming. https://t.co/wqGyEuCfmW

— Schooley (@Rschooley) September 5, 2023

 

Coup Congressman's conflict of interest --

 

Firearms equipped with stabilizing braces have been used in several recent mass shootings. Rep. Andrew Clyde is trying everything to overturn regulations on those braces.

His gun company sells those braces, so he stands to profit. We filed a complaint. https://t.co/tk1Jzh5U00

— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) September 6, 2023

 

The truth hurts --

 

Vivek Ramaswamy is hit with the truth pic.twitter.com/0jF3o7oUHl

— Outspoken™️ (@Out5p0ken) September 6, 2023

Let's retire Sen. Marsha "4,000 Holes In" Blackburn --

Holy shit. THIS is how you launch a campaign for US Senate in deep Red Tennessee. Gloria Johnson is running, she’s not pulling back any punches, & she’s going to make Marsha Blackburn & Tennessee Republicans find out. This ad is amazing. Watch & share👇 pic.twitter.com/d8yLPDKDjB

— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) September 5, 2023

 

Someone needs a walk, baaaad --

 

Wakey-wakey..😅 pic.twitter.com/ZkK0rN9Y3i

— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) September 5, 2023

 

 

QOTD: "Tarrio Was A Stain"

 

The Miami Herald's editorial board on Miami-bred seditious fascist gusano Enrique Tarrio, former head of the "Proud" Boys after yesterday's sentencing:

"Tarrio was a stain on this community long before Jan, 6, when he was parading around with a bullhorn and a bunch of other black-shirted men, his extremism on full display during gatherings at places like Versailles. As far back as 2018, we knew the ugliness that he harbored inside: He was in that infamous GOP mob pounding on the door of the Miami campaign headquarters for congressional candidate Donna Shalala when House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was visiting, screaming expletives and yelling: 'Open up, it’s the Proud Boys in here.' [snip]

That Miami allowed someone like this — a two-bit criminal-turned-police-informant and then hatemonger — to exist in plain sight is both reprehensible and an embarrassment. Community leaders keep trying to cast Miami as the city of the future. How does that forward-looking ideal square with tolerating an Enrique Tarrio, who — until he was charged — was happy to stand with those who tried to subvert the peaceful transition of power for the first time in U.S. history? And where was the Miami GOP’s condemnation of Tarrio back when he was pounding on doors or shouting through a bullhorn? [snip]

The attempted overthrow of our government must be met with serious consequences, and that’s what happened Tuesday. Tarrio deserved every year he got.

Still, Miami let him flourish." (our emphasis)

Since the 1960s, Miami has been a hotbed of right-wing Cuban exile politics, helping to elect right-wing Republicans statewide ever since. The editorial mentions Versailles, the Cuban restaurant where the Malignant Loser was cheered and welcomed after his indictment in the stolen classified documents case. What you saw in that scene was a reflection of the community's right-wing extremism, a hateful cauldron that nurtured the cocky, violent street thug Enrique Tarrio, a felon who's probably seen as a hero by them.

 

Sentencing The Insurrectionists: Proud Boys' Tarrio Gets 22 Years

 

Leader of the incel man-babies Proud Boys, gusano Enrique Tarrio, had his well- deserved comeuppance today:

"Former Proud Boys leader Henry 'Enrique' Tarrio, convicted of leading the group that one judge called “the tip of the spear that allowed people to end up getting into the Capitol” on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison, the longest sentence yet among the hundreds convicted of disrupting the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Tarrio, 39, was convicted of seditious conspiracy and obstructing the congressional proceeding meant to confirm the 2020 presidential election as part of a riot that U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly said last week broke America’s long democratic tradition of peaceful transfers of power. Tarrio was the last of five Proud Boys to be sentenced after all were convicted in May following a 15-week trial."  (our emphasis)

According to the report, he was tearful and superficially remorseful, saying that what happened on January 6 was "not acceptable." Trust us, that sentiment likely only lasted a few seconds after the sentence was given. We'll see how "proud" he stays in a Federal slammer.

(Photo: "War boy" Tarrio /Allison Dinner, AP)

Arresting The Insurrectionists -- The Rotund Rioter

 

 

Another violent MAGAt meathead is getting his comeuppance:

A North Carolina man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Brett Alan Rotella, also known as Brett Ostrander, 34, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. Rotella is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and impeding passage through the Capitol grounds or buildings.

Rotella was arrested on Aug. 29, 2023, and will make his initial appearance today in the Western District of North Carolina.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, law enforcement authorities observed a man, later identified as Rotella, wearing a red skull cap, a black sleeveless puffy vest over a red sleeveless shirt, white or gray long shorts with a black stripe and black tennis shoes on the West Plaza of the Capitol building. Court documents say that Rotella held a long pole with at least two flags affixed to it at various points during the day.

At about 2:26 p.m. on January 6^th, Rotella approached a metal police barricade, grabbed it, and pushed it in the direction of a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer, and yelled, “fuckin’ tear gas us, I didn’t do shit!” At approximately 2:33 p.m., the police line on the West Plaza fell, and police retreated away from the area. As the officers near him left their positions, Rotella led numerous other rioters in quickly following the police up the southwest stairs from the West Plaza. While leading the group, Rotella periodically paused and called out “HOLD!” or held up his fist, indicating to the group behind him to stop. Rotella then followed police into a long hallway leading into the U.S. Capitol building on the Lower West Terrace, referred to as “the tunnel.”

According to court documents, police retreated into the tunnel and shut and locked the first of two sets of double doors to the entrance of the Capitol building. Rotella stood outside those doors and stared in at the police line, holding a flag. Moments later, the rioters smashed one of the panes of glass in the doors and opened the set of doors. Rotella then reached around and opened the door on the left and was the second rioter to enter the tunnel. Rotella and the rioters then approached the police line situated behind the second set of doors.

A rioter then came through the doors and quickly began to physically fight the police. Soon, other rioters, including Rotella, joined in the fight. At approximately 2:43 p.m., Rotella turned his back on the police line and pushed against the police officers while using his hand to help leverage his weight and push against the door frame. During this time, Rotella briefly grabbed a police riot shield. Rotella then left the tunnel at about 2:55 p.m. after he was sprayed with OC spray. 

Approximately one hour later, Rotella was still located in the area near the tunnel. By this time, the police had successfully expelled the rioters from inside, but the mob was continuing to fight against the police from outside. Court documents say that Rotella was a member of the crowd, pushing in a concerted fashion and calling out “heave ho” from the outside against the police line. Approximately four minutes later, while still pushing with other members of the mob, Rotella extended his left hand in the air, extended his left index finger, then his middle finger, then his ring finger as if to count “1, 2, 3” and then pushed hard against the rioters in front of him.

Rotella then made his way through the dense crowd closer to the police line. While in the crowd, Rotella was passed a large orange ladder, which he then grabbed and pushed overhead into the mouth of the tunnel. After the ladder was pushed back out of the tunnel by police, Rotella continued to push against other rioters near him to collectively push and breach the police line... (our emphasis)

Since January 6, 2021, 1,106 MAGAts have been arrested for their roles in the violent insurrection, but more are out there and they need to face accountability for their actions.If you want to help bring more of these MAGAts to justice, please check the wanted page for insurrectionists. 

BONUS:  Proud Boy thug Joe Biggs was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for his seditionist role in the January 6 insurrection.  Biggs was a leader and top propagandist for the group.  His co- defendant Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl* and Dominic Pezzola are scheduled to be sentenced over the next few days/ week.  They, too, should be looking at double- digit prison terms.

*BONUS 2:  Rehl just got 15 years.

(Photos:  Rotund Rotella leading the charge / Justice.gov)

Feds Want 33 Year Sentence For Proud Boy Tarrio

Federal prosecutors have asked the court to sentence seditious conspirator Enrique Tarrio, former head of the fascist street gang Proud Boys, to 33 years in prison for his part in planning and executing the Malignant Loser's assault on democracy on January 6. As reported by the Associated Press:

"The Justice Department is seeking 33 years in prison for Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy in one of the most serious cases to emerge from attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to court documents.

The sentence, if imposed, would be by far the longest punishment that has been handed down in the massive prosecution of the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in a separate case, has received the longest sentence to date — 18 years. [snip]

“They unleashed a force on the Capitol that was calculated to exert their political will on elected officials by force and to undo the results of a democratic election,” prosecutors wrote in their filing Thursday. “The foot soldiers of the right aimed to keep their leader in power. They failed. They are not heroes; they are criminals.”  (our emphasis)

Gusano Cubano Tarrio and several of his Proud Boy thugs will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, DC later this month. We'll be watching them go down. Go for the max.

(photo: We'll be sending him soap-on-a-rope for those awkward prison showers. Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Sentencing The Insurrectionists -- Stewart Rhodes Gets 18 Years (UPDATED)

 

One of the leaders of the January 6 insurrection, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, gets his comeuppance:

Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison Thursday in the first punishment to be handed down for seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

The sentence is the longest given to any of the hundreds of people found guilty of involvement in the pro-Trump riot.

“You sir, present an ongoing threat and a peril to this country, to the republic and the very fabric of our democracy,” Judge Amit P. Mehta told Rhodes.

The judge said he had never before expressed such a belief about a defendant appearing in his court. He described Rhodes, who founded his far-right, anti-government group in 2009, as a disturbingly charismatic figure who manipulated dozens of his followers into coming to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

“They too are victims, victims of the lies, the propaganda, the rhetoric and ultimately the intention that you conveyed,” Mehta said.

Noting that Rhodes has continued to spread conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric in interviews from behind bars, Mehta predicted, “The moment you are released you will be prepared to take up arms against your government.”...

The seditious shit was unrepentant:

“I’m a political prisoner, and like President Trump, my only crime is opposing those who are destroying our country,” he told the court. Comparing himself to Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, he promised that from prison he would “expose the criminality of this regime.”

That sure validated what the judge said, and the sentence Rhodes received. 

Next up for sentencing:  Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. 

UPDATE:  Another Oath Keeper, Jessica Watkins, was sentenced on May 26 to 8 1/2 years for her actions on January 6.

(Photo:  Susan Walsh/AP)

Arresting The Insurrectionists -- "Hey Brother"

Hey, brother, you're in deep shit now:

A D.C. police lieutenant was arrested Friday on charges that he warned the leader of the far-right Proud Boys of his imminent arrest just days before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and then lied to investigators afterward about the scope of their interactions.

Shane Lamond, a 24-year veteran of the D.C. police and then the department’s head of intelligence [ed.: !!], entered a not guilty plea to an indictment on one count of obstruction of justice and three counts of making false statements. Prosecutors allege that Lamond leaked information to Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio as they discussed the group’s protest plans in D.C. in 2020 and January 2021, when Lamond’s duties included monitoring extremist groups.

Lamond, 47, of Stafford, Va., falsely denied tipping off Tarrio about the progress of an investigation and that he would be arrested on Jan. 4, 2021, for his part in burning a Black Lives Matter flag stolen from a historic African American church during a pro-Trump rally weeks earlier, according to the indictment.  [snip]

The indictment states that in key moments after the November 2020 presidential election and after Jan. 6, Lamond appeared to commiserate and trade information with Tarrio.

“Hey brother, sad, sad news today. You all planning anything?” Lamond asked on Nov. 7, 2021, the day news media declared Joe Biden the election winner. “Yep,” Tarrio replied, according to the indictment.

“Need to switch to encrypted. Alerts are being sent out to LE [law enforcement] that [Parler social networking] accounts belonging to your people are talking about mobilizing and ‘taking back the country,’” Lamond added later that day. “Getting people spun up. Just giving you a heads up.”

On Jan. 7, one day after the violence, Tarrio confessed to Lamond in a Telegram message, “I think I could have stopped this whole thing,” Friday’s indictment alleged.

Lamond expressed sympathy, alluding to another person whose name was redacted and identified by prosecutors only as “Person 6,” whose actions appear to align with those of Infowars.com founder and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

“I don’t know, bro. You know it’s f---ing bad when [Person 6] was the voice of reason and they wouldn’t listen to him. He got on the bullhorn and urged everyone to stop attacking the police and march around the US Capitol and they ignored him.”

“Of course I can’t say it officially,” Lamond added on Jan. 8, “but personally I support you all and don’t want to see your group’s name or reputation dragged through the mud.”  [snip]

Lamond faces a mandatory three-year minimum sentence and up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the obstruction of justice charge. The false statement counts are each punishable by up to five years.

There are more incriminating details at the link.

Lt. Lamond and his "brother" right- wing MAGAt insurrectionists -- the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters, etc. -- are being flushed out one by one and prosecuted for their roles in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.  His defense that he was "just doing his job" gathering intelligence is belied by the number of false statement he made to cover his tracks.  Maybe once he's behind bars with his "brother" Tarrio, they can make him an open, full- fledged member of the Proud Boys.

BONUS:  Wonkette has more detail, including a few transcriptions, if you're of a mind to delve a bit deeper.

(Photo:  "Brother" Lamond/ Patrick Semansky, AP)

Tweets Of The Day

The Grifting Thomases --

 

it takes a really special brand of sneering condescension to collect opulent favors and payments ordinary americans would consider a life changing windfall, deliberately conceal them, and then act put upon and attacked that anyone would find out about it and see it as corruption

— kilgore trout, blue check blocker (@KT_So_It_Goes) May 5, 2023

 

The Thomases have rarely spoken publicly about the very legal and normal practice of treasure baths. It is disappointing, but unsurprising that some journalists and critics look down on these baths. The Thomases have earned the right to bathe with Harlan Crow’s coins privately. pic.twitter.com/gOexVneXd8

— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) May 5, 2023

 

We’re about 2 days away from learning that Clarence Thomas is on Harlan Crow’s cell phone plan.

— Jo🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) May 5, 2023

 

Seditious sewer rats --

 

Hey, is that Sen. Ted Cruz pictured with Proud Boy convicted of Seditious Conspiracy Enrique Tarrio?

Be a real shame if everyone retweeted this. pic.twitter.com/XeB5IwDuSG

— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) May 4, 2023

The Malignant Loser - Saudi connection, cont. --

 

BREAKING: DOJ investigating Trump's links to Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour.

This is in the context of the Mar-a-Lago documents case -- which opens possibility that DOJ suspects foreign money may have been exchanged for docs.

— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) May 5, 2023

At Fox "News" same ol' racism --

 

Lol this is why you shouldn’t believe that Tucker got fired for racism https://t.co/lKplFl9mVc

— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) May 4, 2023

All those rounds wasted on cases of Bud Light --

 

Meanwhile, here on planet earth… https://t.co/nrx2dHX67u pic.twitter.com/vQ8mB4eJ9U

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) May 5, 2023

Self over party over country --

 

NEW: A story about Jim Clyburn, one of the most powerful Dems in the country

-He secretly worked with the S.C. GOP on redistricting

-He protected himself

-The cost? Making a swing district safer for the GOP

From @marilynt2004:https://t.co/eicQJnmRk0

— Jesse Eisinger (@eisingerj) May 5, 2023

It's always good to punch a fascist, especially a Russian one --

 

A representative of the Russian Federation in Ankara during the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly tried to disrespect the Ukrainian flag.

People's Deputy from the Servant of the People party, Oleksandr Marikovsky, immediately reacted. pic.twitter.com/gV7c2K3pCZ

— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) May 4, 2023

 

A guide for your local school board book/ play banners --

 

What Objection Will Your School Board Have To Your High School Play or Musical? https://t.co/lpXhkFFX3B pic.twitter.com/NIYmgDzeA3

— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) May 4, 2023

 

That's a dick move! (click on Tweet) 😉 Happy Coronation Eve Friday! --

pic.twitter.com/RttgAcIMQ2

— No Context Brits (@NoContextBrits) May 4, 2023

 

 

Proud Boys Convicted Of Seditious Conspiracy

 

After months of trial, a jury in Washington, DC has convicted so-called Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three of his associates of seditious conspiracy in the January 6 Trumpist insurrection at the Capitol. The seditious conspiracy charge against the right-wing street thug army of the Malignant Loser was considered to be the most complicated to prove, especially in Tarrio's case as he wasn't on the Capitol grounds that day. From the Washington Post:

"Former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and three other members of the extremist group were found guilty Thursday of seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Over nearly 15 weeks of trial, prosecutors alleged that the Proud Boys on trial saw themselves as Donald Trump’s “army.” Inspired by his directive to “stand by” during a September 2020 presidential debate and mobilized by his December 2020 call for a “wild” protest when Congress met to certify the election, prosecutors said the men sought to keep Trump in power through violence.

Defense attorneys for Tarrio fought back by blaming the former president, saying prosecutors made the five defendants scapegoats for an unplanned riot triggered by Trump’s incitement of angry supporters.

The jury, which began hearing testimony in January, deliberated about 30 hours over seven days in Washington.

Tarrio, 29, and the others were charged in a 10-count indictment. The charges included conspiring to oppose by force the lawful transition of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election, conspiring to obstruct Congress’s confirmation of the election result, and actually obstructing the joint session of Congress. The legal maximum penalty for either seditious conspiracy or the obstruction charges is 20 years in prison.  (our emphasis)

This is a breaking story and may be updated. 

(photo: Gusano Cubano Tarrio in Proud Boys costume. Allison Dinner / AP)

Proud Boy Leader Turns On His Führer

The seditious conspiracy trial of five so-called Proud Boy leaders is in the closing arguments phase, and the Malignant Loser's brown shirts are (surprise!) pointing to him as the reason for their attack on the Capitol. As their judgement day approaches, the street thugs are adopting the "just following orders" defense from the Nuremberg trials, with Proud Boy founder Enrique "Gusano Cubano" Tarrio's lawyer  making it clear who was heading the conspiracy:

“'It was Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation. It was his anger that caused what occurred on January 6th in your amazing and beautiful city,' said Nayib Hassan, Tarrio’s lawyer, during closing arguments in a seditious conspiracy trial stemming from the Jan. 6 attack.

Hassan leaned heavily into the role Trump played in ginning up the crowd at his rally the morning of Jan. 6, just minutes before rioters began breaching police barricades at the Capitol. Trump urged his supporters to 'fight like hell' just 36 minutes before the first wave of the mob charged at police, Hassan noted.

'It was not Enrique Tarrio. They want to use Enrique Tarrio as a scapegoat for Donald Trump and those in power,' Hassan said."  (our emphasis)

Prosecutors have laid out the case that the Proud Boys saw the Malignant Loser as key to their survival in the future, and his defeat as a fatal blow to their vision of an authoritarian America under him:

"Prosecutors say the leaders, loyal to Trump and fearful of the Proud Boys’ survival in a post-Trump America, devised plans to keep Trump in office. And throughout the four-month trial, the Justice Department repeatedly emphasized how Tarrio and the Proud Boys keyed off and drew energy from Trump’s own bid to subvert the 2020 election. The group’s plan went into overdrive, prosecutors said, after Trump’s Dec. 19, 2020 tweet calling on supporters to descend on Washington on Jan. 6, 2021 to challenge the election results." (our emphasis)

The fascist nimrods were jacked up like little fanboys by the Malignant Loser's call for them to "stand back and stand by" during a September 2020 Presidential debate, even incorporating the slogan on their patches and shirts. Now they face years in prison on nine counts felony counts (defendant Dominic Pezzola faces an additional robbery charge) as they watch their cult leader campaign for President.

(photo: Tarrio holding cult leader's sign)

 

Trump Under Investigation By DOJ

 

As was noted yesterday (see below), and as reported in the Washington Post, the Justice Department is focusing a grand jury on the efforts of the Malignant Loser to attempt to overturn the 2020 election.  Here are salient passages from that blockbuster Post report:

The Justice Department is investigating President Donald Trump’s actions as part of its criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, according to four people familiar with the matter.

Prosecutors who are questioning witnesses before a grand jury — including two top aides to Vice President Mike Pence — have asked in recent days about conversations with Trump, his lawyers, and others in his inner circle who sought to substitute Trump allies for certified electors from some states Joe Biden won, according to two people familiar with the matter. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The prosecutors have asked hours of detailed questions about meetings Trump led in December 2020 and January 2021; his pressure campaign on Pence to overturn the election; and what instructions Trump gave his lawyers and advisers about fake electors and sending electors back to the states, the people said. Some of the questions focused directly on the extent of Trump’s involvement in the fake-elector effort led by his outside lawyers, including John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani, these people said.

In addition, Justice Department investigators in April received phone records of key officials and aides in the Trump administration, including his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, according to two people familiar with the matter. That effort is another indicator of how expansive the Jan. 6 probe had become, well before the high-profile, televised House hearings in June and July on the subject.

(Ed.: as we and others have noted, DOJ investigations and prosecutions aren't 60- minute Law and Order episodes;  they unspool slowly, in secret without public drama, as the article goes on to note.)

Federal criminal investigations are by design opaque, and probes involving political figures are among the most closely held secrets at the Justice Department. Many end without criminal charges. The lack of observable investigative activity involving Trump and his White House for more than a year after the Jan. 6 attack has fueled criticism, particularly from the left, that the Justice Department is not pursuing the case aggressively enough.  [snip]

Many elements of the sprawling Jan. 6 criminal investigation have remained under wraps. But in recent weeks the public pace of the work has increased, with a fresh round of subpoenas, search warrants and interviews. Pence’s former chief of staff, Marc Short, and lawyer, Greg Jacob, appeared before the grand jury in downtown Washington in recent days, according to the people familiar with the investigation. Both men declined to comment.

The article notes the Malignant Loser's primary areas of vulnerability:

There are two principal tracks of the investigation that could ultimately lead to additional scrutiny of Trump, two people familiar with the situation said, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The first centers on seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct a government proceeding, the type of charges already filed against individuals who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 and on two leaders of far-right groups, Stewart Rhodes and Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, who did not breach the Capitol but were allegedly involved in planning the day’s events.

The second involves potential fraud associated with the false-electors scheme or with pressure Trump and his allies allegedly put on the Justice Department and others to falsely claim that the election was rigged and votes were fraudulently cast.  (our emphasis)

Keep in mind also that the Georgia grand jury led by Fulton County DA Fani Willis is running on a parallel track looking at the Malignant Loser's criminal efforts to pressure Georgia officials to "find him" enough votes to win the state, a request that was helpfully recorded.

In the meantime, Attorney General Garland is trying to make it as clear as he can that the Malignant Loser isn't exempt from prosecution:

 

We know there are many out there that have a healthy skepticism about AG Garland's willingness to ultimately press charges against the Malignant Loser.  He's taken a lot of angry criticism, generally from folks who are impatient and/or who don't know how the Department operates, especially in high profile cases.  But with these recently reported developments, we should at least afford him some slack, while the wheels of justice grind.