Impeachment of Donald J. Trump

[drcube]

Two pieces of real news today that impinge upon the impeachment saga.

1. Presiding FISA judge James Boasberg wrote in a January 7 order that the last two FISA warrants on Carter Page (April 7, 2017 and June 29, 2017) were not valid. The status of the other two warrants is also in question. This potentially puts into jeopardy all the convictions that occurred as a result of the Mueller Special Counsel, if any evidence relevant to those convictions was obtained by surveillance (two step rule) as a result of those warrants.

fisc.uscourts.gov

FISC%20Declassifed%20Order%2016-1182%2017-52%2017-375%2017-679%20%20200123.pdf​

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The Daily Wire

BREAKING: DOJ Rules Comey’s FBI Had ‘Insufficient Predication To Establish…​

The Department of Justice says that the FBI under disgraced former Director James Comey should have discontinued its secret surveillance on a member of the Trump campaign during the 2016 election because it had “insufficient predication to establish…

1. Eric Ciaramella – very likely the anonymous “whistleblower" who kicked off the entire impeachment fiasco – was overheard by a former colleague discussing with another staffer in the White House how to remove President Trump from office. … The reason we haven’t heard from Ciaramella (the whistleblower whose “evidence” lead to the impeachment hearing) is precisely because it is known that Ciaramella was working with a Schiff staffer before blowing the whistle.

realclearinvestigations.com

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Whistleblower Was Overheard in '17 Discussing With Ally How to Remove Trump |…​

Eric Ciaramella, right. He and a colleague, Sean Misko, below – both now central to impeachment – were Obama administration holdovers (whitehouse.gov). By Paul Sperry,…

Oh for two in either of these stories have any effect on the Trump impeachment.

 

[drcube]

Very important news.

No, not at all.

 

[HarryStotle]

Oh for two in either of these stories have any effect on the Trump impeachment.

Not sure what your comment means – perhaps a translation is in order.

You may not see the relevance of the first, but the second is obviously significant BECAUSE the whistleblower’s allegations (Ciaramella) are the basis for this entire impeachment fiasco. And yet Schiff won’t call him to testify. Why not?

The relevance of the first then jumps out because a pattern of behaviour is evidenced.

Just as the FISA warrants were fictitious and led nowhere in terms of allegations of Trump-Russia collusion, so the whistleblower’s allegations as warrant for impeachment are just as bogus.

Perhaps that adds clarity?

No, I suppose not.

 

[PetraG]

True, YOU often describe Trumpism as a cult.

SIGNS YOU MAY BE IN A CULT

Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.​

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be “good enough”.
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
    Warning Signs

(Hmmm…what sounds familiar about this list…hmmm…)

In the end, experts on cult-type groups give this advice:
Don’t be naïve, develop a good BS Detector.
You can protect yourself from unsafe groups and leaders by developing a good BS detector. Check things out, know the facts and examine the evidence. A safe group will be patient with your decision making process. If a group or leader grows angry and anxious just because you want to make an informed and careful decision before joining; beware.

The President, to be blunt, has a very low tolerance for anybody with a “hyperbole” detector.

Be for the removal or against it, but could we please stop with the worship of Donald Trump that keeps trying to pretend he doesn’t make stuff up at the drop of a hat or that nobody should care that he does?

Not everybody that supports Trump defends whatever he does. As for those who do, though, the people who make excuses for him no matter what he does, I think it is fair to say they follow him as if they were in a cult.

 

[JapaneseKappa]

And yet Schiff won’t call him to testify. Why not?

Because he blew the whistle by saying “I heard some people on the call saying it was bad” so congress went and got the people on the call to say it was bad under oath. What else is the whistleblower going to say? “See, I told you they said it was bad” ?

 

[Jeanne_S]

Surely you jest if you think this in any way describes Oresident Trump or those who support him.:woman_facepalming:t2:

 

[PetraG]

Surely you jest if you think this in any way describes Oresident Trump or those who support him.:woman_facepalming:t2:

I wish I were joking. If you’ve never met any, you’re fortunate.

There are people who think he’s never done anything he ought to apologize for. There really are.

 

[HarryStotle]

HarryStotle:

True, YOU often describe Trumpism as a cult.

SIGNS YOU MAY BE IN A CULT

Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.​

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be “good enough”.
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
    Warning Signs

(Hmmm…what sounds familiar about this list…hmmm…)

Sounds like Biden will be a “potentially unsafe group/leader.” AND Obama, AOC, Sanders, Warren, HRC and the Democrats, generally. AND climate alarmists following Al Gore, Greta Thunberg or the 97% consensus.

Heck, some might even claim left-leaning Catholics who follow Pope Francis’ comments in the media and defend his every word and manner of carrying out his office fit those 10 warning signs.

An epidemic of cult behaviour seems to be overwhelming our society.

 

[PetraG]

An epidemic of cult behaviour seems to be overwhelming our society.

Yep, the need to act as if one’s leader is some kind of paragon who can do no wrong is cult behavior.

This is how authoritarian regimes get power. It starts with a populace who will feel lucky to get leaders like that. Suspension of the willingness to criticize. Accusations of disloyalty or lack of patriotism in people who dare to oppose the leader. It is scary stuff.

When I criticize Trump, I can count on someone here on this forum to presume I have to be a Democrat if I don’t support Trump. It is common to be accused of being pro-abortion, too. Yes, if I bring up that Trump is a serial fabricator, I’m accused of being pro-abortion!

It is scary, yes.

 

[HarryStotle]

Not everybody that supports Trump defends whatever he does. As for those who do, though, the people who make excuses for him no matter what he does, I think it is fair to say they follow him as if they were in a cult.

Might I ask if it is possible to be in an anti-Trump cult.

Let’s see…

1. Absolute opposition to the legitimately elected leader without meaningful accountability for that opposition.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry regarding opposition (Orange Man Bad, Love Trumps Hate, Free Speech is Hate Speech).
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement of those (i.e., Biden, HRC, Warren and Sanders’ proposed socialist programs, AOC’s Green New Deal) who oppose the legitimately elected leader.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe (i.e., Climate Alarmism, Green New Deal), evil conspiracies (Russia collusion) and persecutions (Safe Spaces on Campus, Sanctuary Cities, Free Speech is Hate Speech).
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil (Racist, Nazi, White Supremacist, Uncle Toms).
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances (Blexit, Walk Away, MAGA, Dave Rubin, Tim Pool).
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be “good enough” (White privilege)
9. The group/leader is always right (Obama, Biden, HRC).
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible. (Racist, Homophobe, Islamophobe, Transphobe, Climate Denier, etc.)

(Hmmm…what sounds familiar about this list…hmmm…)

 

[HarryStotle]

HarryStotle:

An epidemic of cult behaviour seems to be overwhelming our society.

Yep, the need to act as if one’s leader is some kind of paragon who can do no wrong is cult behavior.

Seems that you have confused Trump with Obama, since the bureaucracies, the media, celebrities, and Democrats generally, all believe Obama their once leader is some kind of paragon who can do no wrong.

 

[Jeanne_S]

That hardly describes cult behavior.

 

[JapaneseKappa]

Seems that you have confused Trump with Obama, since the bureaucracies, the media, celebrities, and Democrats generally, who all believe Obama their once leader is some kind of paragon who can do no wrong.

Obama got a pretty solid amount of criticism from his own party. For example:

• On drone strikes
• On not asserting his right to judicial appointments
• On Lybia

 

[HarryStotle]

HarryStotle:

Seems that you have confused Trump with Obama, since the bureaucracies, the media, celebrities, and Democrats generally, who all believe Obama their once leader is some kind of paragon who can do no wrong.

Obama got a pretty solid amount of criticism from his own party…

I suppose.

Only liberal reporters, the line of reasoning goes, are capable of asking the tough questions needed to hold those in power accountable. Here are a sample of questions asked of former President Obama by liberal news outlets.

Loading…

dailycaller.com

 

[PetraG]

Deflection.
You do realize that the existence of an anti-Trump cult would not preclude the existence of a Trump cult, right?
We live in scary times. I stand by that.

 

[petra22]

If you think the house handlers are telling the whole truth you are in for a big surprise. Those other house members know what else was said in the basement that hasn’t come to light yet… Keep an open mind…

 

[PetraG]

Only if he’s never done anything to apologize for.

(Wait: Do you actually believe Donald Trump has never done anything that calls for an apology?)

 

[petra22]

THIS LEADER STILL HAS NOT MET THE US PRESIDENT

I saw the President meet with Zelinsky on TV last month or so…

 

[HarryStotle]

Jeanne_S:

Surely you jest if you think this in any way describes Oresident Trump or those who support him.:woman_facepalming:t2:

I wish I were joking. If you’ve never met any, you’re fortunate.

There are people who think he’s never done anything he ought to apologize for. There really are.

And there are people who think he’s never done anything he shouldn’t apologize for. There really are.

Can you provide a list of three things he’s done that he should be lauded for?

Just calibrating my BS Cult Detector.

 

[HarryStotle]

Deflection.
You do realize that the existence of an anti-Trump cult would not preclude the existence of a Trump cult, right?
We live in scary times. I stand by that.

And most of that scariness is standing over there behind and to the left of you.

Ah, made you look!