The Witching Hour 🌻 🌻 🌻 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️

The Trump Show:  Mistakes happen, that’s my excuse for the higher than usual number of typos in yesterday’s blog.  Still, it’s hard to believe that Trump’s legal team really “forgot” to ask for his business crushing New York fraud case to be heard in front of a jury rather than as a bench trial in front of only a judge. In response to Trump’s complaint that it was “very unfair that he didn’t have a jury presiding” Judge Arthur Engoran said that there wasn’t a jury because “nobody asked for one.”  To be fair, most of co-defense counsel Alina Habba’s trial experience has had far more to do with fighting speeding tickets and COVID restrictions than mega civil fraud cases so maybe she really did forget to check the “jury” box.  In any case, Trump who sat through yesterday’s proceedings, mostly quietly steaming but becoming obviously agitated when his former accountant testified, appears to understand that things aren’t going well for him in court. Evidence of that is that even for him, his performance outside the court, in front of the cameras, was unusually wacko. He called Judge Engoran deranged, called for him to be kicked out of office and quoting one or more of his imaginary friends, perhaps Jim from Paris, added that “this is a judge that some people say could be charged criminally for what he’s doing.” He also dismissed the suit against him and his sons as a “witch 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ hunt,” not unusual for him but at least this time seasonally appropriate.  None of those statements are intended to win over the “deranged” judge, they’re directed at his base and anyone else who’s ever felt mistreated by the powers that be and if we’ve learned anything by now, it’s that Trump’s rants can be effective and dangerous. If Judge Engoran’s security hasn’t been increased, it should be because though few of Trump’s fans were hanging outside court, as Paul Pelosi learned, it only takes one nut to do lots of damage.

Vacating: For a moment it appeared that Panhandle Putz Matt Gaetz was holding his “motion to vacate” in reserve but then last night he went for it.  As a result, later this week Speaker McCarthy is expected to face a vote that could result in him being ousted from his perch atop the House. Gaetz says that he has enough Republican votes to ensure that one of two things will happen, either McCarthy won’t be the Speaker of the House or “he’ll be the Speaker working at the pleasure of the Democrats.”  Assuming Gaetz has the requisite votes, given the Republican’s slim House margin he doesn’t need more than a handful, McCarthy may have to strike some kind of deal with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to hold on to his Speakership. It wouldn’t be normal for Democrats to vote for a Republican Speaker but we’re in unchartered waters and at least at this point there doesn’t appear to be another Republican who could get the votes to assume the speakership, it doesn’t help that second in Republican leadership Steve Scalise is currently undergoing chemo treatments.  Leader Jeffries could direct his caucus, or at least a few members of his caucus to vote for Kevin or he could direct enough of them to vote “present” to allow Kevin to win another slim majority. Jeffries won’t help McCarthy out of his mess without extracting something significant in exchange.  Stay tuned.        

A Bit Late: One time Trump Chief of Staff Kelly, who is known for his taciturn ways has finally spoken. Perhaps he was influenced by Trump’s call for former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milly to be shot for treason, but whatever triggered him to open up he went all out confirming that Trump really did say all the horrible things he’s reported to have said including: “A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star families – on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France….A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason – in expectation that someone will take action. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law…..There is nothing more that can be said, G-d help us.”  It’s nice that Kelly has finally spoken but where was he when he was Chief of Staff? Or during the impeachment hearings? Or the 2020 election? 

And:  Hunter Biden is due in court today for the gun charges that typically only hardened criminals get indicted for.  And Jamaal Bowman, the New York Democrat who either intentionally or accidentally pulled a House fire alarm on Saturday is now apologizing for an “unapproved” statement put out by a member of his staff.  In that statement he called House Republicans “GOP Nazis.” Bowman needs to read up on Godwin’s Law and take a vow of silence before he digs himself into a hole he can’t get out of.