68 Floors, 30,000 Sq. Ft. 🌻 🌻 🌻 🦆 🦆 🤡 🤡

🦆 🦆 🦆 Debate; The Republican candidates for president, some of whom are just trying to raise their profiles for the VP slot or for a run in 2028, were at it again last night except for Trump who instead went to a non-unionized auto parts supplier outside Detroit where he dumped on Biden and electric vehicles. The most common take away from the debate was that no one had a breakaway moment, that the wannabees squabbled while yelling over each other and that just about everyone was icked out when Mike Pence referred to Mother as the non-union teacher he’s been sleeping with for around 40 years.  Few thought that Chris Christie’s obviously planned new moniker for Trump, Donald Duck 🦆 🦆, would stick. The 🦆 quack was to shade Trump for his refusal to debate, but really why should he?  He’s so far ahead of all of his Republican opponents that there’s no upside in him showing up on the debate stage. To hammer home that point, he’s now on record saying that he won’t show up for the next one, nor will most viewers.   As to Trump’s visit to the non-union auto workers, he was at the parts manufacturer at the invitation of management, an odd place to go to express solidarity with blue collar workers but then again, many of Trump’s voters are white blue collar workers who either don’t get that he cares little about them or who are so upset about other things like the country’s changing demographics that they vote for him anyway. Trump’s Wednesday visit was in stark contrast to President Biden’s Tuesday visit; union guy Joe actually joined the picket line.  Both Biden and Trump are vying for the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, an endorsement that Biden will probably get even as a not-insignificant number of autoworkers vote Trump.   

💰 💵 💰 💵:  NJ Senator Robert Menendez’s assertion is that lots of first-generation Americans of Cuban descent keep huge stashes of cash (“only” $500,000 rather than the $1 million cited on Tuesday) and about $100,000 worth of gold bars hidden away at home.  Though he didn’t explain the ingots, he claims that he’d been stashing the cash away for years, odd since it’s reported that the dates on the bills found at his home and in his wife’s safety deposit box don’t go back very far.  Moreover, the fingerprints on some of the accompanying envelopes are the same as one of his co-defendants. So far about half of Menendez’s fellow Democratic Senators have called for him to step down, including fellow NJ Senator Cory Booker who sugar coated his call by saying that stepping down isn’t the same as acknowledging guilt but is “best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving.” Senate Leader Chuck Schumer hasn’t weighed in yet but Michigan Senator Gary Peters who is responsible for running the Democrat’s Senate campaign arm called for Menendez to resign late yesterday.  Menendez will be speaking to his colleagues this morning, don’t be surprised if most, if not all of his so far quiet Democratic colleagues, join the others in calling for him to resign following his address.  

Fantasy Land: Compare the Democratic response to Menendez’s most recent spate of “alleged” crimes to the Republican response to all things Trump.  Sure, the Democrats gave Menedez a pass the first time he was indicted, but at least this time they’re trying to give him the boot.  Trump however remains the Republican’s guy though he may now be substantially poorer, or will be poorer, if New York Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling sticks. On Tuesday Judge Engoron ruled that Trump, his two oldest sons and one time CFO Allen Weisselberg, committed fraud by wildly inflating the value of his assets in financial documents presented to banks and insurance companies. Engoron acknowledged that while puffery might be business practice in the real estate industry, Trump’s assertions were fantasies, in a different stratosphere than the norm. In a really bigly move, the Judge canceled the NYS business certificates that allow some of Trump’s properties to operate, it’s not clear what properties are on that list, but it’s thought that the group includes 40 Wall Street and maybe even Trump Tower.  Assuming Engoron’s ruling stands, it’s Trump so you never know,  an independent receiver, someone not named Ivanka, will be put in place to “manage the dissolution” of the affected corporate entities. The judge also fined Trump’s lawyers for repeatedly making meritless arguments. A trial is expected to begin next week on the amount of damages owed.  The floor cited by NY Attorney General is $250 million.  Fire sale time? Obviously, neither Trump nor his sons are all that happy about Engoron’s decision. Trump’s exact response “I have a Deranged, Trump Hating Judge, who RAILROADED this FAKE CASE through a NYS Court at a speed never before seen.”  Eric accused the Judge of attempting to “destroy my father and kick him out of New York,” and focusing on Mar a Lago, both sons questioned the Judge’s valuations.  In other legal news, in their argument against any kind of gag order, Trump’s January 6 lawyers assert that Trump’s attacks on judges, witnesses and jurors are really just love taps. While Judge Chutkan hasn’t yet ruled on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request to shut him up or at the very least quiet him a little, she did say that nothing she’s said and done previously requires her to recuse so she won’t.   

 

House 🤡 🤡:  Largely because Kevin McCarthy prioritizes his speakership role over keeping the government open, a shutdown is imminent.  Kevin has rejected the Senate’s bipartisan attempt to avoid a shutdown, saying that he won’t bring their “kick the ball to November” continuing resolution up for a vote because if he does his right-wing fanatics, led by Panhandle Putz Matt Gaetz will kick him to the curb.  Matt and company are holding out for unrealistic cuts, more funding for the border and elimination of Ukraine money, at least that’s their current demand because for some of them, most specifically Matt, it’s all a game, as in who can make Trump the happiest.  And naturally, Kevin is blaming the whole mess on Biden because of course.  That’s the same Biden who Kevin’s other 🤡 🤡 plan to start impeachment proceedings against today.  Last night they sent out a memo detailing Biden’s “crimes,” the memo says that they’re focusing on how Biden “abused his federal office to enrich his family and conceal his and/or his family’s misconduct.”  In other words, while closing the government the 🤡 🤡 are focusing on Hunter and on things that occurred when President Biden wasn’t even in office because, why not? Got to placate Trump. Retribution much?

RIP 🦆y