Musk: DOGE Is Now Investigating How So Many Congressmen Become "Strangely Wealthy"

He says that the US government gives billions to NGOs, who then transfer it to other NGOs, who then transfer it to other NGOs -- you know, like a criminal mafia organization laundering money through shell companies -- before that money is ultimately paid into the accounts of congressmen.

The world's richest man is dying to figure out how lawmakers on Capitol Hill got "strangely wealthy" despite their comparatively modest public salaries.
Speaking at a town hall in Wisconsin Sunday night, Elon Musk suggested that his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will investigate how certain members of Congress have achieved generational wealth.
One attendee at the town hall had asked Musk if DOGE had uncovered evidence of funds wired from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

"They'll [the government] send the money overseas to one NGO [non-governmental organization], then they'll go through a bunch of them, and then I'm highly confident that a bunch of that money then comes back to the United States and lands in the pockets of the people you just mentioned," Musk replied.
"But it is a circuitous route. It doesn't go directly, but let's just say that there's a lot of strangely wealthy members of Congress where I'm trying to connect the dots of, 'How do they become rich?'"
...
Rank-and-file members of Congress make $174,000 annually. Last year, Musk -- whose net worth is pegged at $330 billion by Bloomberg -- helped kill legislation to raise congressional pay, then later supported an increase as a means of fighting corruption.
Scores of lawmakers who have spent decades in Congress are millionaires.
Two of the wealthiest include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has a net worth of about $250 million, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), whose personal fortune hovers around $552 million.
Pelosi's wealth largely comes from her and her venture capitalist husband Paul's lucrative investments in companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Netflix.
Scott's personal fortunes largely stem from his work co-founding HCA Healthcare, a company that runs hospitals and other medical facilities around Florida, and Solantic, an urgent-care clinic chain. His work on both of those companies predates his time in the Senate.
"How do they get $20 million if they're earning $200,000 a year?" Musk further pondered. "We're going to try to figure it out and certainly stop it from happening."

Musk was in Wisconsin to rally for Brad Schimel, the Republican hoping to keep the 4-3 Republican advantage on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Of course, it's a CONSPIRACY THEORY offered WITHOUT EVIDENCE to even speculate about Congressional Democrats getting rich on the backs of the American taxpayers.

But, as it turns out, longtime Congresswoman Barbara Lee pushed to give federal contracts to minority-fronted businesses and just happened to take a little piece of each of those contracts.

The $63 million woman: Barbara Lee company tied to 287 federal contract actions, many while she was in political office

According to the Federal Procurement Data System, over $44 million went to guard services.
by Susan Dyer Reynolds April 1, 2025

In a post on X, attorney Laura Powell notes that during the 1996 State Senate race, "current Oakland mayoral candidate Barbara Lee was called out by her opponent for her company's federal contracts . . .,b> she was awarded many of these contracts without facing any competitive bids. Barbara Lee responded by saying that it was ridiculous to suggest that her close association with Congressman Dellums helped her win those contracts." Powell also quotes Lee's response at the time: "I am a self-made woman. I work very hard. I'm a product of affirmative action. I understand the barriers that are there that exclude people like me from participating."
Powell also adds a little background: "After graduating college with a degree in social work, Barbara Lee worked in Congressman Dellums's office for 11 years, then started a facilities management company in 1987. In 1990, she went to the California Assembly, while continuing to run this company, which she says grew to 500 employees before she sold it."
Powell's assessment is spot on -- it turns out The Voice of San Francisco was already looking into Lee's financial past. Not only did she make multimillions of dollars from federal contracts, mostly without competition, but she seems to have "forgotten" that part of her history: In a post on X dated April 15, 2024, Lee said, "If minority-owned businesses received federal contracts reflecting their share of the US biz sector in 2020, they would've received an additional $64 BILLION. We're calling on @SBAGov to release all FY21-23 data so we can improve equity in contracting."
...
During the 1990s, while Barbara Lee served as a California State Assembly member (1990--1996) and later as a State Senator (1996--199, W.C. Parish secured contracts with federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Posts on X and public commentary suggest that the company received significant federal contracts, however, these figures stemmed from unverified sources and lacked corroboration from official federal contract databases -- until now. A months-long investigation by The Voice turned up decades of apparent bias procurement, set-asides, and entitlement: In other words, it's easy to be successful, even have 400 to 500 employees, when contracts are steered your way -- and that's likely why the whole story has been kept under wraps, for the most part.

Curse your eyes for even having looked at those hateful words, Bigots.

Posted by: Ace at 01:22 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1

This long overdue. Most of them are thieves.

Posted by: four seasons at April 01, 2025 01:23 PM (3ek7K)

2 2nd. I'll call 'em.

Posted by: T. Bird at April 01, 2025 01:26 PM (/y8xj)

3 Curse your eyes for even having looked at those hateful words, Bigots.

=======

I feel seen.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 01:27 PM (GBKbO)

4 Oooooooh, Musk is gonna be in trouble now.

Posted by: zombie at April 01, 2025 01:27 PM (pMi6S)

5 Just a scant 2 months before pride month and Elon is pulling this stunt...does he not have a heart, does he not have empathy...

Posted by: Cu'chullainn at April 01, 2025 01:28 PM (EFX0t)

6 He better get extra security!

Posted by: RUReadingthis at April 01, 2025 01:28 PM (aQ25I)

7 I submit that. 82.3% of the US legislative branch(including assistants and aides) are stealing billions of dollars from taxpayers.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 01, 2025 01:29 PM (4XwPj)

8 Fuck you

Posted by: Dan Crenshaw at April 01, 2025 01:29 PM (u73oe)

9 God Bless. I hope Elon is successful and survives to see this shit come to an end.

But, man. Talk about putting a Target on your back...

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:29 PM (AVXxY)

10 Do it, don't say it, Elon.

Posted by: Grump928(C) RIP vic, absent friend at April 01, 2025 01:29 PM (W2MFb)

11 And we wonder why these crusty octogenarians hold on to their government positions like they were security blankies. Greed, pure and simple. The power? Maybe, but it's mostly the greed.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (LweC0)

12 Say what you will about Musk, he isn't afraid to poke the hornet's nest.

That might explain why he and Trump are getting along so well.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (6ydKt)

13 Hi ace!

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (4XwPj)

14
Madame,

I agree with you. Most of our government is not there to serve we the citizens, they are to enrich themselves on our tax money.

Posted by: four seasons at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (3ek7K)

15 Congressional people need to stop trading stocks and should be prihibited from hiring friends and family.

All of this needs to be audited. I have a feeling it is much more corrupt and criminal than we could ever imagine.

Posted by: Czech Chick at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (vK/Ja)

16 They’re just really good at picking stocks. Cut them some slack!

Posted by: Squid at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (p8+6P)

17 Musk better beef up his security

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 01:31 PM (VE6XX)

18 Of greater importance - what are they expected to do for this money?

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:31 PM (neOeF)

19 No wonder they spend millions to get elected. Once they make bank, they can pay back their generous election benefactors and then reap the rewards.

Posted by: hobbitopoly at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (k9OZB)

20 I'd start with Federal Executive agency annual budgets that Congress approves and then move towards the Government Services Administration (GSA) & other executive branch Federal contracts to see who, what the Federal government is boosting, for how long, etc. There are huge companies on contractor listings for decades. (Much like TPS for non-citizens.)

And then if I played the markets, I'd look at prices, shares, stability to see what looks like a sure thing and go from there.

BTW, GSA is huge in real estate.

Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (NFX2v)

21 Doge is doing exactly what we wanted done. For years the corruption and horsecrap was blatantly apparent, but nobody did a damned thing about any of it. Between Elon's chainsaw and Trump's flamethrower... His truth is marching on.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (LweC0)

22 Cut them some slack!
Posted by: Squid at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (p8+6P)

Slack in the rope can prolong the suffering. I like it! Slack it is!

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (4XwPj)

23 >>Congressional people need to stop trading stocks and should be prihibited from hiring friends and family.

Anyone utilizing a Title of State for profits should be paying royalties.

You hang yourself out there for a speaking engagement and use your title/former title...you pay the American People a Royalty for that usage.

A hefty fuckin' fee, as it were.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (AVXxY)

24 Quango Unchained

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (neOeF)

25 "I am a self-made woman. I work very hard. I'm a product of affirmative action."

Three mutually-contradictory statements in a row!

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (8zz6B)

26 I'm not sure it's a matter of these semen-throated cocksuckers actually pocketing NGO cash that boomerangs back to them after being laundered through 50 shell companies. I think that does happen, but it's not reported on their incomes or net worth. It's secret money. It may well find its way into their campaign war chests.

I think what balloons their reported net worth and income is blatant insider trading. How these shit-caked fudgepackers aren't subject to more stringent insider-trading laws than the public--not less--is beyond me. It's a no brainer.

I'll bet any amount of money there's a cottage industry of brokers, traders, and consultants that grew up around these scumbags' ability to insider-trade, and which pimps their services to Congress and their scuzzy remoras.

Posted by: Elric Blade at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (iFTx/)

27 Can't be long before there are charges filed against Elon.

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (neOeF)

28 Doesn't Pelosi outperform the Anti-Cramer Fund?

I mean...that is an impressive return on investment.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (AVXxY)

29 12 Say what you will about Musk, he isn't afraid to poke the hornet's nest.

That might explain why he and Trump are getting along so well.
Posted by: SpeakingOf
=======
Both are putting their lives, their property, their sacred honor on the line to fix America. Compare that with Congress critters, judges, etc.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:34 PM (ctrM5)

30 16 They’re just really good at picking stocks. Cut them some slack!
Posted by: Squid at April 01, 2025 01:30 PM (p8+6P)

As Dan Crenshaw whined, how are Congresscritters supposed to make any money if they can't trade stocks?

I mean, cmon! Won't you think of the poor Congresscritters and their potential for intergenerational wealth from trading stocks with insider information?

That's not even getting in to the illegal graft, of course.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:34 PM (uCjyK)

31 I'm so incensed by these Democrats and their insider trading, I've decided to get the hell out of here and run for governor.

Posted by: Sen Tommy Tuberville at April 01, 2025 01:34 PM (paSBy)

32 DOGE Is Now Investigating How So Many Congressmen Become "Strangely Wealthy"

And I voted for it!

Posted by: t-bird at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (ls1gy)

33 in the Senate,
it is Dem Marl Warner who is the biggest on-the-take....
FROM THE UKRAINE.

Posted by: jb at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (7kpvR)

34 I can't find it, but there is a chart published this weekend showing the congressional stock portfolios against Warren Buffet.

Good heavens, why are all these financial wizards not running their own venture capital or hedge funds, the are THAT GOOD!

Posted by: Kindltot at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (D7oie)

35 I think what balloons their reported net worth and income is blatant insider trading. How these shit-caked fudgepackers aren't subject to more stringent insider-trading laws than the public--not less--is beyond me. It's a no brainer.

I'll bet any amount of money there's a cottage industry of brokers, traders, and consultants that grew up around these scumbags' ability to insider-trade, and which pimps their services to Congress and their scuzzy remoras.
Posted by: Elric Blade
======
Embrace both methods. It is not all insider trading as that is tracked more or less.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (ctrM5)

36 Ohhh, he done done it now!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (RJkIF)

37 I keep seeing the guy with the Celtic mythology name and think it should look like this one instead.

Musk ought to look into building himself some sort of space station to live on; even by current standards this is kicking the (evil) hornet's nest.

Posted by: Chu'chutrainn at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (qjKsj)

38 I like how the left, for like 2 nanoseconds, thought they had a huge "gotcha" by howling, "Republicans will be exposed as well!"

Until the universal response from conservatives was, "yes, that is the point. And hope."

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (m77VT)

39 Ace:

"But, as it turns out, longtime Congresswoman Barbara Lee pushed to give federal contracts to minority-fronted businesses and just happened to take a little piece of each of those contracts."

BARABRA LEE???

You mean the most treasonous congressperson ever?

In case anyone has forgotten:

Back during the invasion of Grenada min 1983, Oakland congressman Ron Dellums, despite being a hard-left Socialist, was on a congressional Defense Committee which was apprised of the invasion details ahead of time.

When the invasion happened, there were incidents of American ntroops being caught by surprise resistance, with several causalties and deaths of US personnel.

But how did the Grenadians found out ahead of time?

Well -- AS SHE LATER BRAGGED -- Dellums told details of the invasion to his top assistant, a woman named Barbara Lee, WHO THEN TOLD HER CONTACTS IN COMMUNIST CUBA.

Who then told the Grenadians.

When Dellums returned, he tapped Lee tp take his place. And the public around here happily elected her, not despite her treason, BUT BECAUSE OF IT.

She's now been a congresswomen for decades, but all that time she should have been in jail.

Posted by: zombie at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (pMi6S)

40 "I am a self-made woman. I work very hard. I'm a product of affirmative action."

Much of contemporary America's degradation summed up in one beautiful statement.

Posted by: rhomboid at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (1m82a)

41 I still can't figure out what these critters do that's worth $174K, let alone the corruption slush fund.

Posted by: tcn in AK at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (LweC0)

42 One word: commodity futures.

*touches nose*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (W2MFb)

43 Enlarge the congress and the graft has to get spread out among more people. Currently each congressman represents 800k people or so. Enlarge it so that they represent around 100k and these problems become much smaller.

Posted by: Earl Schlobodowicz at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (P7Iz+)

44 HANDCUFFS. ENOUGH TALK

Posted by: My Sweet Lord at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (zVDqY)

45 The $63 million woman: Barbara Lee company tied to 287 federal contract actions, many while she was in political office According to the Federal Procurement Data System, over $44 million went to guard services.

Let me give you insight into how this will go.

They will find Lee cajole and bribed the bureaucrats making those decisions and personally profited from them

But that this was all "in a gray area" of the law and no reasonable prosecutor would arrest her for it. No sir. I mean we can't abide the government charging a member of the opposition with crimes so close to an election. Well, unless it is Trump, or Le Pen, or that guy in Romania.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:36 PM (t0Rmr)

46 When Dellums returned = When Dellums retired

Posted by: zombie at April 01, 2025 01:37 PM (pMi6S)

47 I think what balloons their reported net worth and income is blatant insider trading. How these shit-caked fudgepackers aren't subject to more stringent insider-trading laws than the public--not less--is beyond me. It's a no brainer.

I'll bet any amount of money there's a cottage industry of brokers, traders, and consultants that grew up around these scumbags' ability to insider-trade, and which pimps their services to Congress and their scuzzy remoras.
Posted by: Elric Blade at April 01, 2025 01:33 PM (iFTx/)

Of course. And agreed. Pelosi doesn't even try to hide it. Her husband has an entire fund that trades off Pelosi's insider information.

And it's kind of brilliant when you think about it. Pelosi, in her role as a very powerful Congresscritter, can simply mention in passing some legislation that will never happen but will affect certain sectors / companies. She knows the market will react to that. Her husband does, too, so he shorts it the day before Pelosi says anything.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:37 PM (uCjyK)

48 there's a lot of strangely wealthy members of Congress

Strangely, to journalists. Not so strange to us.

Posted by: t-bird at April 01, 2025 01:37 PM (Ez0wT)

49 It's not just Insider Trading.

They wet their beaks all over the place.

I guarantee you there is an insane amount of Cash and Gems/Jewlery returning on every Junket Flight the scumbags take.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:37 PM (AVXxY)

50 Pelosi's family has helped wreck two American cities , Baltimore and San Francisco. Anything bad that befalls her is aok with me

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (2ZThz)

51 When Dellums returned, he tapped Lee tp take his place. And the public around here happily elected her, not despite her treason, BUT BECAUSE OF IT.

During the WoT the same people cheered on dead American soldiers so...not only is this par for the course it is true of pretty much any committed leftist.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (t0Rmr)

52 Congress is allowed to insider trade to cover for the REAL dirty shit they get into. Think about *that*.

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (neOeF)

53 I keep seeing the guy with the Celtic mythology name and think it should look like this one instead.

...hmm would have worked better a few years back when I worked for Amtrak I suppose.

Posted by: Cu'chullainn at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (EFX0t)

54 Adding to my comment above, I'll also bet any amount of money the investing and finance community buy influence with these ratfucks by giving them favorable terms on their investments. It's a way of funneling influence money to them, disguised as legitimate investment income.

You might be surprised to learn that, in private equity funds, there is no requirement that all the investors get the same terms or otherwise treated equally. In fact, it's common for the big investors to get sweetheart "side deals" that the smaller investors don't get.

Posted by: Elric Blade at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (iFTx/)

55 Utilitarian faggot or Unitarian faggot?

Posted by: no one of any consequence

This Lutheran pastor says Jesus completely screwed up and needs to get his head straight!

Lutheran “pastor” says Jesus needed to have his worldview corrected

https://is.gd/snre0W

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 01, 2025 01:38 PM (RJkIF)

56 I guess this is Musk making a shot across the bow, maybe it's aimed more at Gopers because no Democrat will be convicted unless they run afoul of the party like Menendez and Adams.

Posted by: EP at April 01, 2025 01:39 PM (aiCOr)

57 Remember the Congressional check writing fraud? The House Bank, I think, would float checks that never got paid back, and these people would rack up thousands of dollars in personal "loans" based on the checks written.

Chicken feed, as we can now say, compared to this nonsense.

As many will recall, it leaned more toward Democrats, but there were certainly Republicans who floated checks as well. So the whole thing essentially got swept under the rug.

We'll see if Musk can do better.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:39 PM (dGCAG)

58 >>I still can't figure out what these critters do that's worth $174K

That is just the salary. It does not even come close touching the benefits and the graft.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:39 PM (AVXxY)

59 These people are real lowlifes. I wouldn't associate with them and mess up my reputation.

Posted by: Tuco Salamanca at April 01, 2025 01:39 PM (neOeF)

60 There is an ETF (stock fund) that just mirrors Nancy Pelosi's public purchases.

It is 3X time the market over the time span it has existed.

That Nancy Pelosi is somehow a stock picking genius.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

61 Embrace both methods. It is not all insider trading as that is tracked more or less.
Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (ctrM5)

I don't think the "off the book" money would show up on their financial disclosures. At least not most of it.

I think that money goes to some crackhead whore loving relative who pays the bills of the principal and otherwise supports their lifestyle. The Principal himself doesn't recognize any of that grift money as income. At least, if we're going by the Biden Crime Family's set up.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (uCjyK)

62 I still can't figure out what these critters do that's worth $174K

Honestly I'd be fine with paying them 5X that if we could find a way to make it so they can't also be bribed.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

63 Politicians are crooks, they just hide it better than….say…….’Rev’ Al.

Posted by: Eromero at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (p4vtc)

64 Elon's been bust with Social Security as well:

In 2021, 270,000 non-citizens got social security numbers. In 2024, 2.1M non-citizens got social security numbers.

https://tinyurl.com/2tdp7zv2
(Autism Capital on X)

There's an approx. 12min video on that post.
In it, Elon and the guy he hired to investigate all of this, Gracias, talk about what Biden & Crew were doing to import illegals, set them up with SS benefits, etc., and register them to vote.

Elon also said in an interview that somebody, he didn't name anybody, apparently a SSA employee, is going to be arrested for selling 400,000 SS numbers.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (6ydKt)

65 >>There is an ETF (stock fund) that just mirrors Nancy Pelosi's public purchases.

>It is 3X time the market over the time span it has existed.

>That Nancy Pelosi is somehow a stock picking genius.

Just imagine how rich and successful she would have been had she not decided to commit herself to Public Service!

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (AVXxY)

66
Cuban governance of California explains a lot.

Posted by: Auspex at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (j4U/Z)

67 Menedez and his gold unavailable for comment?

How about 'Cool Cash' Jefferson?

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (Y0ek+)

68 They saved carefully, and invested wisely !

Posted by: runner at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (g47mK)

69 Check the legislative records and executive branch budgets for operations such as mining, solar, transportation, hospitals, banking, etc. where they and theirs have an in, seats on boards, stock holdings, etc.

They're a hoot!
The Hill, House
Ocasio-Cortez, Raskin to introduce legislation to ‘rein in a fundamentally unaccountable and rogue’ Supreme Court, 06/11/24

In part, “And so, we need to clean that up. And that’s why we said we’re going to start with something simple that the whole country will be able to understand immediately and intuitively,” Raskin said. “We want a $50 gift ban for U.S. Supreme Court justices. They make $300,000 a year. Pay for your own lunch and pay for your own vacation.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters Democrats are planning to try moving legislation on Supreme Court ethics on the floor this week via unanimous consent. A Republican senator is widely expected to deny consent."

Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (NFX2v)

70 That Nancy Pelosi is somehow a stock picking genius.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

It’s a sign of her benevolence that she has dedicated most of her powers to public service, when she could have been the first trillionaire.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (l3YAf)

71 I guess this is Musk making a shot across the bow, maybe it's aimed more at Gopers because no Democrat will be convicted unless they run afoul of the party like Menendez and Adams.
Posted by: EP at April 01, 2025 01:39 PM (aiCOr)

Some will recall Mike Johnson rather timidly (does he ever say anything that isn't timid?) suggested the DOGE efforts should be taken up by the Congress, rather than letting Musk and his team just make the cuts themselves.

So... needless to say there's been no movement on those things. They certainly weren't part of that CR they passed.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (dGCAG)

72 I’d sincerely like Elon to dig into Dan Crenshaw’s finances. I’d bet he got some Ukraine grift. Didn’t he get paid just to go there?

He’s a POS.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (BBjH5)

73 Menedez and his gold unavailable for comment?

How about 'Cool Cash' Jefferson?
Posted by: Anna Puma at April 01, 2025 01:41 PM (Y0ek+)
______

Cold Cash. It was in his freezer. If it was in his fridge it would be Cool Cash.

Posted by: Elric Blade at April 01, 2025 01:43 PM (iFTx/)

74 >>Honestly I'd be fine with paying them 5X that if we could find a way to make it so they can't also be bribed.

They should get a dorm room and a cot and a cafeteria.

I am willing to go as far as to offer them Obamacare.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:43 PM (AVXxY)

75
Okay Elon, once you uncover the money trail and definitively show that these people were getting kickbacks and basically routing money straight back to themselves, then what?

Huh, then what? EVEN if statutes of limitations have not loooong lapsed, nothing happens unless some federal agency takes your work and does its own investigation (we're already into Fantasyland here), decides to invoke the applicable fines and restrictions (ascending to the Upper Realm of Fantasyland), and then the DoJ looks at possible law-breaking (entering a realm the existence of which no one in Fantasyland will confirm or deny), and then prosecutes (the Epstein client list is maintained in this realm).

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (lCaJd)

76 In part, “And so, we need to clean that up. And that’s why we said we’re going to start with something simple that the whole country will be able to understand immediately and intuitively,” Raskin said. “We want a $50 gift ban for U.S. Supreme Court justices. They make $300,000 a year. Pay for your own lunch and pay for your own vacation.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters Democrats are planning to try moving legislation on Supreme Court ethics on the floor this week via unanimous consent. A Republican senator is widely expected to deny consent."
Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (NFX2v)

Agreed, but why stop with Supreme Court justices? Shouldn't every person working at every level of government be disallowed from taking bribes?

I know they certainly are at the local level.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (uCjyK)

77 Remember Joe Wilson from Plamegate fame?

He was working for the Saudis, but they "disguised" it by giving him low cost stakes in various mining/oil operations they had in Africa.

Somehow this was all legal for the husband of a CIA agent who then tapped him to go on a secret mission for the CIA.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (t0Rmr)

78 A lot of this wealth is generated by (currently) legal means - Congressional insider trading.

Laws for the peasants, riches for the hereditary aristocracy.

Posted by: Candidus at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (PhOuQ)

79 How many of the Democrats demanding Trump release the last 10 years of his tax returns have done so for themselves?

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (m77VT)

80 23
You hang yourself out there for a speaking engagement and use your title/former title...you pay the American People a Royalty for that usage.

A hefty fuckin' fee, as it were.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:32 PM (AVXxY)
----
They'll just up the fee. After all it's not a fee for the quality of the speech, it's just laundering money into the speaker's pockets, so the more the better.

Posted by: Ciampino - way past time for orange jumpsuits at April 01, 2025 01:45 PM (sPQoU)

81 I’d sincerely like Elon to dig into Dan Crenshaw’s finances. I’d bet he got some Ukraine grift. Didn’t he get paid just to go there?

He’s a POS.
Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 01:42 PM (BBjH5)

But but but... don't you CARE about "our" slim majority????

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:45 PM (dGCAG)

82 Honestly I'd be fine with paying them 5X that if we could find a way to make it so they can't also be bribed.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

I'm guessing 5x doesn't buy trafficked border children

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:45 PM (neOeF)

83 I've been asking that exact question for years.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 01:45 PM (QAkQ3)

84 >>They'll just up the fee.

Oh, I am talking 101%.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:45 PM (AVXxY)

85 crenshaw can live on his pension just like three or four vets I know who are more disabled than he is.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (D7oie)

86 You posers are a bunch of pikers.

Posted by: Imelda Marcos at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (dIske)

87 But, tariffs and third term and Signalgate !!!

Posted by: The media at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (VE6XX)

88 Double down, Elon. It's the only way.

Trump should say that for every attack on Tesla he intends to add another member to the DOGE team and extend their mission another month.

Posted by: Ordinary American at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (UseAb)

89 A couple of simple reforms for congress

99% tax rate on any earnings they make when they leave congress that are above the higher of their congressional salary/the salary they made before entering congress

All laws passed by congress apply to congress and its staffers and ONLY them, for the first two years.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (t0Rmr)

90 I still can't figure out what these critters do that's worth $174K

Honestly I'd be fine with paying them 5X that if we could find a way to make it so they can't also be bribed.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

They should be paid Federal minimum wage, for every hour they do actual work. Broken down into 5 minute blocks. Punch in with a timecard.

No benefits, no travel expenses, no security.

Once the Federal minimum wage is eliminated, as it is unconstitutional, they can get a raise to $9 /hr.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (l3YAf)

91
Rep Club. They're not just traders. They're also the investment.

Posted by: ... at April 01, 2025 01:47 PM (neOeF)

92 AOC is already worth millions...not bad for a vacuous bartender

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 01, 2025 01:47 PM (fZg2O)

93 I'm guessing 5x doesn't buy trafficked border children

Depends do you want a Guatemalan or a Ukrainian?

Posted by: Some Coyote at April 01, 2025 01:47 PM (t0Rmr)

94 I'm sure Elon has the best security in the world but I wouldn't trust the scum in Congress. They have connections everywhere with all types of people. Elons children and the mothers of those children are priceless to him.

Posted by: Megthered at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (x4P51)

95 Agreed, but why stop with Supreme Court justices? Shouldn't every person working at every level of government be disallowed from taking bribes?

I know they certainly are at the local level.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (uCjyK)

I don't think anybody in the government is supposed to take gifts over a certain amount. Maybe the bigshots can, but even people like Fauci were subject to not being allowed to take cash (or cash valued gifts) from pharmaceutical companies and whatnot.

Of course, it's government. So it's not a bribe when they do it.

Just like indiscriminately killing civilians isn't terrorism when we do it.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (dGCAG)

96 I still fondly remember Eyepatch McCain thinking he'd leveled a complete defense in "but we can't live off of $174k a year!"

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (m77VT)

97 I think this is when the polonium tipped umbrellas start being deployed.

Hopefully Them DOGE Boys have SS details.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (IESjH)

98 Posted by: zombie at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (pMi6S)

It's like Oakland is in a dimensional time bubble where it's always 1972.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (6ydKt)

99 We Republicans just had no idea the giant NGO scam even existed until Musk uncovered it with all them algorithms and shit. No idea, man.

Posted by: Mike Johnson at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (paSBy)

100 >> A Republican senator is widely expected to deny consent.

Name and shame.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (l3YAf)

101 Biden during his stint in the Senate portrayed himself as a poor working guy who road the train to work...

Yeah...

Obama's were poor and in debt, prior to fake Jobs by Michelle, and book deals that made no money for the companies... now multi millionaires with multiple mansions.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (QAkQ3)

102 I still can't figure out what these critters do that's worth $174K

Honestly I'd be fine with paying them 5X that if we could find a way to make it so they can't also be bribed.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:40 PM (t0Rmr)

They should be paid Federal minimum wage, for every hour they do actual work. Broken down into 5 minute blocks. Punch in with a timecard.

No benefits, no travel expenses, no security.

Once the Federal minimum wage is eliminated, as it is unconstitutional, they can get a raise to $9 /hr.
Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (l3YAf)

No. they should be paid by the state they represent. They aren't federal workers - they and their staffs are employed by the state they "represent".

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (VNX3d)

103 As many will recall, it leaned more toward Democrats, but there were certainly Republicans who floated checks as well. So the whole thing essentially got swept under the rug.

We'll see if Musk can do better.
Posted by: BurtTC

Most were Democrats however the overall winner was Tommy Robinson a R-AK who wrote 996 bad checks. His career prior to Congress was as a Sheriff in Little Rock. Go figure.

Posted by: Cheri at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (oiNtH)

104 LOCK THEM UP!!!

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (M7uvb)

105
Elons children and the mothers of those children are priceless to him.
Posted by: Megthered

==============

There's some unintended humor in that statement.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (lCaJd)

106
I don't think anybody in the government is supposed to take gifts over a certain amount. Maybe the bigshots can, but even people like Fauci were subject to not being allowed to take cash (or cash valued gifts) from pharmaceutical companies and whatnot.

Yeah but it is easy to work around that. When Pfizer wants their clot shot approved, no they can't offer you a handful of cash.

But they can hire your wife, or hell you when you leave federal work, and pay you a shit ton of money to do nothing...all perfectly legal.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (t0Rmr)

107 I think this is when the polonium tipped umbrellas start being deployed.

Hopefully Them DOGE Boys have SS details.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (IESjH)

British Secret Service called and said car crashes work well too.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (dGCAG)

108 We Republicans just had no idea the giant NGO scam even existed until Musk uncovered it with all them algorithms and shit. No idea, man.
Posted by: Mike Johnson at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (paSBy)

Also, I had no idea Biden was senile until after Trump was elected and the media was openly talking about it. Swearsies!

Posted by: Mike Johnson at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (l3YAf)

109 Democrats are going to go from funding terrorists to hiring hit men directly.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (lTGtQ)

110 Term limits would be grand...

Posted by: Drink Like Vikings at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (M7uvb)

111 Laws for the peasants, riches for the hereditary aristocracy.
Posted by: Candidus at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (PhOuQ)

The level of corruption is "unprecedented." Any serious dealing with it would make the French Revolution look tame.

Posted by: EP at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (aiCOr)

112 Yeah but it is easy to work around that. When Pfizer wants their clot shot approved, no they can't offer you a handful of cash.

But they can hire your wife, or hell you when you leave federal work, and pay you a shit ton of money to do nothing...all perfectly legal.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (t0Rmr)

Right, that's what I meant, they get around it one way or another. But the rules are supposed to already be in place.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (dGCAG)

113 Any member of congress found to be self-dealing with taxpayer money should be hogtied and then yeeted off the roof of the Capitol Rotunda.

Posted by: ballistic at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (fcWjU)

114 What Does Douchebag Mean?
The term douchebag is a derogatory slang used to describe someone who is an arrogant jerk and is often mean to others without caring about hurting their feelings. It is a popular insult that has several variations, including douche, Dbag, doucheling, and douchebaggery. The origin of the term “douchebag” can be traced back to the actual douchebag, which is a medical apparatus used for hygienic purposes to clean out human orifices. However, the usage of douchebag as an insult dates back to at least the 1940s when it was used to insult people as “dirty” or “unclean.” It became more popular in the 1980s and 90s as an insult to describe others who behaved poorly. It’s important to note that douchebag is an offensive term and is considered a harsh insult. It is not appropriate to use in formal settings such as schools and workplaces, as it can offend people. However, in more casual and informal settings, it is used to express disdain or disapproval towards someone’s behavior. Here are some examples of how to use douchebag in conversation:
“That guy is always making up stuff about people. He’s such a douchebag.”
“I can’t believe he said that to her. What a douche

Posted by: I was Gumby Damn It! at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (sevWd)

115
When Pfizer wants their clot shot approved, no they can't offer you a handful of cash.

But they can hire your wife, or hell you when you leave federal work, and pay you a shit ton of money to do nothing...all perfectly legal.
Posted by: 18-1

=============

How is this possible? Doesn't Sarbanes-Oxley outlaw conflicts of interest like this?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (lCaJd)

116 "Scores of lawmakers who have spent decades in Congress are millionaires.

Two of the wealthiest include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has a net worth of about $250 million, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), whose personal fortune hovers around $552 million.

Pelosi's wealth largely comes from her and her venture capitalist husband Paul's lucrative investments in companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Netflix.

Scott's personal fortunes largely stem from his work co-founding HCA Healthcare, a company that runs hospitals and other medical facilities around Florida, and Solantic, an urgent-care clinic chain. His work on both of those companies predates his time in the Senate."

I'm going to call 'both-sides BS' on the NY Post article. Rick Scott's business background goes back almost 40 years, to his time working with Richard Rainwater. It makes sense that he's worth a half-billion dollars after that kind of career. Pelosi was a nothing little politico's daughter, and her husband started his business less than five years before she first started her political career in CA. His fortunes rose with hers.

Not even close as a comparison.

Posted by: Darrell Harris at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (d9Y5o)

117 I want to see McConnell arrested and put in Chinese handcuffs.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (/U5Yz)

118 Yeah but it is easy to work around that. When Pfizer wants their clot shot approved, no they can't offer you a handful of cash.

But they can hire your wife, or hell you when you leave federal work, and pay you a shit ton of money to do nothing...all perfectly legal.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:50 PM (t0Rmr)

Or they get your name added to a patent so you can legally collect millions in royalties.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (l3YAf)

119 Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:46 PM (l3YAf)

I would go for Military Officer style Housing for Congressmen. Trying to fund two households on that salary is just asking for bribes. No way you can support both your Home back home, and live in DC on that salary... especially as you are supposed to be one of the most powerful politicians in the country.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (QAkQ3)

120 Most were Democrats however the overall winner was Tommy Robinson a R-AK who wrote 996 bad checks. His career prior to Congress was as a Sheriff in Little Rock. Go figure.
Posted by: Cheri at April 01, 2025 01:49 PM (oiNtH)

I'm sure he did nothing wrong as a peace officer.

No bribes, no funny money, no hanky panky.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (dGCAG)

121 I don't think the "off the book" money would show up on their financial disclosures. At least not most of it.

I think that money goes to some crackhead whore loving relative who pays the bills of the principal and otherwise supports their lifestyle. The Principal himself doesn't recognize any of that grift money as income. At least, if we're going by the Biden Crime Family's set up.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes
------
Given the weak enforcement, easy enough to directly grift through property etc. Looked up Mitt Romney and it appears that he has not filed final reports for the last several years but keeps asking for extensions which are granted, apparently pro forma.

He and his son Tagg started and run several hedge funds that tapped Romney 2008-2012 donors to get started.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:53 PM (ctrM5)

122 If we eliminate money laundering by government officials, I believe the entire deficit goes away.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (lTGtQ)

123 I think this is when the polonium tipped umbrellas start being deployed.

Hopefully Them DOGE Boys have SS details.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 01, 2025 01:48 PM (IESjH)

You know how I know that Trump and Musk are not Nazis? Because no Leftard scum have been dying in unexplained "accidents", or come down with polonium poisoning.

Sad, really. There are so many who righteously deserve it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (8zz6B)

124

Democrats use black people as a means of collecting money.

This is proof of it, they do it in many devious and filthy ways.

They literally use blacks.

Posted by: Dr.Rev. Senator Your Highness E Buzz Miller, Esq PhD MA MS at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (et1vG)

125 How is this possible? Doesn't Sarbanes-Oxley outlaw conflicts of interest like this?

No - as we saw the NIH senior staff and their spouses went back and forth with globo-pharma companies.

I remember years ago there was discussion about banning this and it was pointed out people could just work around it by using an NGO cut out as an intermediate step.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (t0Rmr)

126 I would go for Military Officer style Housing for Congressmen. Trying to fund two households on that salary is just asking for bribes. No way you can support both your Home back home, and live in DC on that salary... especially as you are supposed to be one of the most powerful politicians in the country.
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (QAkQ3)

That’s fine, too, but DC is only expensive because it’s the capital of corruption. Remove that and it will be Detroit. Townhouses for sale for $1.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (l3YAf)

127 77 Remember Joe Wilson from Plamegate fame?
Posted by: 18-1

The movie? The books? The magazine covers? The outraged media telling us about these brave patriots?

Yeah, they don't need that narrative anymore.

Posted by: Auspex at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (j4U/Z)

128 And let's not forget that you won't find a single bylined employee at any of the major news media that doesn't have a close family member employed by a politician, either directly or employed/on the board of an entity controlled by the Democrats.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (m77VT)

129 Congresscritters constantly whine about how expensive living in DC is. Well, with so many military installations in the area, surely one of them has an existing or room to build barracks to accomodate Congress.

Selling points:
Secure neighborhood
Shuttle system
Experiencing the same chow hall system our servicemembers do

Oh, and Congresscritters getting any money outside of their Congressiinal salaries would stop under this system. They wouldn't need it, since their housing, food and transportation would already be covered.

(Yeah, I know they're not going to go for it, I just want them to publicly state why.)

Posted by: pookysgirl could've been THIRD! but life intervened at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (Wt5PA)

130 117 I want to see McConnell arrested and put in Chinese handcuffs.
Posted by: Maj. Healey at April 01, 2025 01:52 PM (/U5Yz)

Yeah, All you need for Turtle Boy is a Chinese finger pull device.

Posted by: I was Gumby Damn It! at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (sevWd)

131 Despite all of the cynicism, things are taking shape. See also: Cori Bush.

Council member Caroll Fife and her husband may also get a view from the federal dungeon.

“OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and three others have been indicted by a federal jury following a corruption investigation, the FBI and US Attorney's Office announced Friday.

The federal charges include bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud.”

Posted by: 13times at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (ffYsK)

132 Didn't Fauci have some patent income from one of the clot shots? I cant recall when it started that federal employees could apply for patents with a revenue sharing system where they get only some % of any income from the patent and their lab gets the rest. This was touted at the time as a way for federal research to be a bit self funding and also be able to retain very smart people vs those folks resigning so they could monetize some brilliant idea they had.

That doesn't sound bad on paper but in Fauci's case he had a huge incentive to unleash the disease so that his vaccine patent would generate some $ in addition to his giant ego to compensate for the dwarf body driving him.

Posted by: PaleRider at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (CKOCg)

133 I can tell you from experience, that if you are leasing land to the Federal Government, you have a relative of a Senator or Representative on your payroll making 100-150k per year, min.

They will usually be either a Realtor or a Lawyer. But, you are going to pay them for more years than your Lease lasts. That I can also guarantee.

Posted by: garrett at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (AVXxY)

134 The "strange sudden wealth" of Congress is in equal proportion the the real power over citizens those otherwise unworthy scumbags should never have. Frame it in those terms, Elon. Take away the $$ and they're return to "public servant" status with no " do you know who I am" mob-like mentality.

Posted by: Gary R at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (AN+ve)

135 Agreed, but why stop with Supreme Court justices? Shouldn't every person working at every level of government be disallowed from taking bribes?

I know they certainly are at the local level.
Posted by: Harry Paratestes at April 01, 2025 01:44 PM (uCjyK)
----
At least in the Legislative branch, they most certainly are. Everyone from summer interns to high-ranking staff, and the Members themselves are all prohibited from taking bribes, gifts, or anything of the sort.

Source: All the stupid meetings I had to attend about ethics rules and the cornball ass rules we had to live by as staffers making jack shit for money.

Posted by: ballistic at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (fcWjU)

136 Well the least they could do is make all members of congress, their families, and their staff have a real-time, updated, listing on their .gov websites of their current equities and bond holdings & trades so that the rest of us can win the market like they do.

A hedge fund could make a "Congress ETF' and let their crystal ball work its magic for the rest of us.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (6ydKt)

137 I'm sure he did nothing wrong as a peace officer.

No bribes, no funny money, no hanky panky.
Posted by: BurtTC

According to Wiki, there was a lot of hanky and panky.

Posted by: Cheri at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (oiNtH)

138 I want to see McConnell arrested and put in Chinese handcuffs.
Posted by: Maj. Healey

Oooooo, finger trap for the win. His blank stare while holding his hands in front of his face will be priceless.

Posted by: She Hobbit (out and about in Middle Earth) at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (8CiiM)

139 113 Any member of congress found to be self-dealing with taxpayer money should be hogtied and then yeeted off the roof of the Capitol Rotunda.
Posted by: ballistic
======
You won't have a Congress then. Dan Rostenkowski back in the day, stole trivial amounts 20-30k IIRC of Postal Stamps from the House by using his office accounts to buy them and then reselling the stamps to pocket the cash.

It is not only that they are corrupt but that they are willing to sell their office so cheaply.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (ctrM5)

140 How did Bernie become so wealthy by not having a real job for his entire life?

Posted by: Maj. Healey at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (/U5Yz)

141 The White Eyes want to take Heap Big Wampum from poor little Indian girl. Take us back to days of Wounded Knee!

Posted by: LIZZIE WARREN at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (GhFyc)

142 Who names their kid Tagg?

Posted by: Late to the thread at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (dg+HA)

143 This is ridiculous.

Posted by: Trent Lott at April 01, 2025 01:58 PM (/U5Yz)

144 They just kept releasing new versions of Blade Runner that TJM compulsively had to buy.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 01:58 PM (zZu0s)

145 A hedge fund could make a "Congress ETF' and let their crystal ball work its magic for the rest of us.

That already exists. And it has made 3X the market for the last few years.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:58 PM (t0Rmr)

146 Curious what our Northern Morons think of this:
Canada’s Laurentian Elite and the Politics of Demography
Michael McConkey
Feb 13, 2021 (so old, it predates the escalation of the woofloo hysteria!)
https://shorturl.at/srZmL

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 01, 2025 01:58 PM (Vqx30)

147 According to Eyepatch McCain, insider trading is needed because that's the only way a regular congressperson can become rich.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 01:59 PM (tT6L1)

148 But "millions" protested over the weekend to make sure you don't find out what they are doing with your money.

Because that's "what our democracy looks like."

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:59 PM (m77VT)

149 142 Who names their kid Tagg?
Posted by: Late to the thread

Romney liked to play Tag--You're It as a kid I guess.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (ctrM5)

150 148 But "millions" protested over the weekend to make sure you don't find out what they are doing with your money.

Because that's "what our democracy looks like."
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:59 PM (m77VT)

Make that "thousands" if that

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (VE6XX)

151 While we could have better laws and much better oversight over federal/elected workers and their constant schemes of graft it should be pointed out this is inevitable.

As the federal budget grows it gets easier and easier to take a share when you are overseeing that taxpayer money.

The only permanent answer to this problem is to reduce the scope and budget of the federal government.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (t0Rmr)

152
But seriously, there is nothing to be gained from these investigations except confirmation of what we all know.

I was shocked at how toothless the regulations were regarding the security failures of SecState Hillary. The regs provided literally NO consequences for failing to follow them. I don't recall some overarching law that addressed failure to follow these regulations either. I mean, the regulatory and legal structures to respond to these failures and crimes do not even exist.

You want to make some criminal cases? Even if Bondi had the will, statutes of limitations have lapsed.

I think there are more useful pursuits for someone who has access to government records.

And as zombie noted, even if you revealed all, voters would consider it a plus for these grifters and traitors.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (lCaJd)

153 How is this possible? Doesn't Sarbanes-Oxley outlaw conflicts of interest like this?
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 01:51 PM (lCaJd)

Once upon a time Congress passed a law which said that acting on prior legislative information to buy/sell stock was insider trading. It was repealed, IIRC, two years later. They don't put rules in place to limit themselves.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (ExV1e)

154 Do you drive in San Francisco?

Do you ever get caught speeding there?

Are you rich or poor?

https://tinyurl.com/bddnbt88

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (CL9Gz)

155 Was eyepatch ever a decent human being or did he go bad with relative wealth and fame?

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (zZu0s)

156 Lindsay Graham was a tease for this. They leaked that he was getting NGO money, and he did a 180 on supporting Zelensky. Coincidence?

So were most of DC, Ds and GOPe alike.

Nancy has been strangely silent about Trump 47, no? She's the bitch that didn't bark.

My working theory is that this is why Kristi is overseeing NSA. We'll find out how much you can datamine out of Utah with modern AI to follow the money.

Biden got cut in when he was VP with no prospects for being POTUS. I guesstimate the Bidens got $50 million out of Ukraine. Others with better connections got far more. Where else did the $50 to $100 billion gone missing from Ukraine go?

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (HUwNa)

157 I'm only worth nine million dollars, because raysis.

Posted by: Jasmine Crockett at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (paSBy)

158 But "millions" protested over the weekend to make sure you don't find out what they are doing with your money.

Because that's "what our democracy looks like."
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 01:59 PM (m77VT)

Democracy lives in darkness.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:02 PM (l3YAf)

159 129 Congresscritters constantly whine about how expensive living in DC is. Well, with so many military installations in the area, surely one of them has an existing or room to build barracks to accomodate Congress.

Selling points:
Secure neighborhood
Shuttle system
Experiencing the same chow hall system our servicemembers do

Oh, and Congresscritters getting any money outside of their Congressiinal salaries would stop under this system. They wouldn't need it, since their housing, food and transportation would already be covered.

(Yeah, I know they're not going to go for it, I just want them to publicly state why.)

Posted by: pookysgirl could've been THIRD! but life intervened at April 01, 2025 01:55 PM (Wt5PA)

-- --

Mark Sanford, for all of his faults, slept in his office on Capitol Hill his entire terms as congressman.

He was part of the Gingrich wave in '94 who were trying to save money and be frugal everywhere.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:02 PM (6ydKt)

160 Was eyepatch ever a decent human being or did he go bad with relative wealth and fame?
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (zZu0s)
---------------

I think losing his eye in combat soured him on America and he decided to get some of his own back.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:02 PM (tT6L1)

161 Who names their kid Tagg?

Posted by: Late to the thread at April 01, 2025 01:57 PM (dg+HA)
-

Obviously someone who doesn't want their kid removed, under penalty of law.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 01, 2025 02:02 PM (CL9Gz)

162 It's these damn yanked sons of bitches looking where they're not supposed to look again.

Posted by: Haley Barbour at April 01, 2025 02:03 PM (/U5Yz)

163 146 Curious what our Northern Morons think of this:
Canada’s Laurentian Elite and the Politics of Demography
Michael McConkey
Feb 13, 2021 (so old, it predates the escalation of the woofloo hysteria!)
https://shorturl.at/srZmL
Posted by: Helena Handbasket
======
I think we are going to see fracturing of nation states in the 21st Century. Basically the vast overhead of useless and harmful national governments and the spread of all sorts of tribal behaviors will cause implosion. That is being accelerated by bringing in economic looters that have their own interests at heart, not the nation.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:03 PM (ctrM5)

164 Obviously someone who doesn't want their kid removed, under penalty of law.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 01, 2025 02:02 PM (CL9Gz)
-------------

Middle name: Mattress

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:03 PM (tT6L1)

165 Democrats use black people as a means of collecting money.
This is proof of it, they do it in many devious and filthy ways.
They literally use blacks.
Posted by: Dr.Rev. Senator Your Highness E Buzz Miller, Esq PhD MA MS at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (et1vG)

Democrats are quite perceptible. They have appropriate contempt for the intelligence of their voting base. For blacks especially.

Posted by: EP at April 01, 2025 02:03 PM (aiCOr)

166 So tomorrow is "T" day ? Wonder how quick the Canadians, mexicans and Euroweenies fold ?

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 02:04 PM (VE6XX)

167 Unfortunately, I imagine there are such people on both sides. Hopefully Musk can still gather a majority coalition to support his reforms, when needed.
The public, everyone who doesn't live in Washington, is all for it, but these people have successfully skirted the law for years and won't accept the spigot to be turned off.

Posted by: PG at April 01, 2025 02:04 PM (Ohm5I)

168 I would go for Military Officer style Housing for Congressmen.

High-rise apartment. Guards to ensure security.

I won't even suggest that it be demolished some night at around 2 am.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 01, 2025 02:04 PM (ExV1e)

169 Mark Sanford, for all of his faults, slept in his office on Capitol Hill his entire terms as congressman.

He was part of the Gingrich wave in '94 who were trying to save money and be frugal everywhere.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

And he decided as governor to piss on his constituents and doubled down on it when he returned to office. My guess is that at some point, he became disillusioned with politics and burned his career down on purpose, not once but twice.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (ctrM5)

170 Liberal white college graduates seem to be the dem base now.

Still idiots.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (zZu0s)

171 Was eyepatch ever a decent human being or did he go bad with relative wealth and fame?
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:01 PM (zZu0s)
----
Son of an Admiral, Nepotism admission to the Academy, half-assed pilot and not much of a leader while in the Navy...so, doubtful he was ever much of a decent human being.
In person, behind the scenes when he was an old sack of shit Senator, he was as much of a cocksucking asshole as anyone here would guess that he was.

Posted by: ballistic at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (fcWjU)

172 This is exactly why one of the talking points against Elon is that he's not cutting waste and fraud he's stealing money for himself because that's the raison detre for being a member of congress.

Posted by: CaliGirl at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (gOEou)

173 Because that's where the money is.

Posted by: Willie Sutton at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (dg+HA)

174 At least take a moment to laugh at the Bidens.

All these schemes, all this money sloshing everywhere for all for decades and decades.

So many of them becoming millionaires.

Then there's Joe.
Elected in the 70's.
And the poorest member of the Senate.
Until he's VP.
And then he's reduced to grubby petty thug shakedowns, protection rackets and bribes.

Because they all, every one of them, hated him so much that none of them cut him or his family in.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (m77VT)

175 Lets not pretend that no Republicans are involved in this. Or that somehow the GOP would be above such a thing were they not given enough time in power.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (ecJ7k)

176 Liberal white college graduates seem to be the dem base now.

Still idiots.
Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (zZu0s)
-------------------

Well, they have every right to be bitter. They're basically useless and somewhere in the deep recesses of their brains, they know it.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (tT6L1)

177 Oh, I meant eyepatch McCain not actual McCain. I figured he was always a complete adshole.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (zZu0s)

178 If only books hadn't been written about this - forever. This really is a GOP and DNC thing.

Boehner rocked it on land deals in Ohio. San Fran Nan almost choked on so many Silicon Valley IPOs given to here at half the initial public value. All Orange John had to do was buy the land cheap that was going to be imminent domained. All Nancy had to do was take those IPO shares and sell them, day one, and double her money.

And on and on and on.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (GvwA4)

179 Hope Elon has good security.

Posted by: wth at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (v0R5T)

180 Liberal white college graduates seem to be the dem base now.

White female college graduates

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (ecJ7k)

181

ow-ow-OW!!

Posted by: Nancy Pelosi at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (EFZgU)

182 The world's richest man is dying to figure out how lawmakers on Capitol Hill got "strangely wealthy" despite their comparatively modest public salaries.

****************

I was very sad to hear of Musk's upcoming suicide

Posted by: The Unmasked and Unvaxed Ranger - Uplifting The Wagshambas of Freedom at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (HYKHz)

183 A County Cop (Prince George, MD) that lived down the street from my MiL, had a limo service. He also had a rental inside DC with many mailboxes rented to DC Metro cops (PG cop had a son on the force) to maintain residency within the District. Guy had a lot of important clients with the limo service. And he retired before the SHTF.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 01, 2025 02:07 PM (gm9Sb)

184 Liberal white college graduates seem to be the dem base now.

They paid $250K for a degree that only prepares them to be a barista.

The left tells them its not because they made a bad decision and that colleges have become scams but because the evil rich won't pay them what they are worth.

And that latter talking point goes down a lot more easily then owning up to your own mistake

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 02:08 PM (t0Rmr)

185 The problem is, almost half of Americans are okay with their "team" cashing in on taxpayer graft.

It's almost like a patronage program. Paid foot soldiers.

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:08 PM (4pwAx)

186 Curse your eyes for even having looked at those hateful words, Bigots.
-------
It's literally gen0cide!

Posted by: 496 at April 01, 2025 02:08 PM (tXY4l)

187
Does anyone know of a time in, say, the last 30 years, when a federal legislator was convicted of an obviously criminal act and punished as you or I would have been?

I can think of a few corrupt mayors and DAs who lost their jobs. Suckers hadn't made it into the Safe Tier yet.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:09 PM (lCaJd)

188 Lets not pretend that no Republicans are involved in this. Or that somehow the GOP would be above such a thing were they not given enough time in power.

*******************

Once DOGE starts auditing the Pentagon prepare to see a lot of RINOs suddenly screeching about how the military industry complex is the most wonderful thing ever and how DOGE is suddenly the worst thing on earth

Posted by: The Unmasked and Unvaxed Ranger - Uplifting The Wagshambas of Freedom at April 01, 2025 02:09 PM (HYKHz)

189 29 12 Say what you will about Musk, he isn't afraid to poke the hornet's nest.

That might explain why he and Trump are getting along so well.
Posted by: SpeakingOf
=======
Both are putting their lives, their property, their sacred honor on the line to fix America. Compare that with Congress critters, judges, etc.
Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 01:34 PM (ctrM5)
-----

A man that can engineer a zillion dollar rocket, watch it explode in mid air then smile and say it's a learning experience, can take a hit.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 01, 2025 02:10 PM (4GPKZ)

190 The problem is, almost half of Americans are okay with their "team" cashing in on taxpayer graft.

***************************

its more like 2 out of 3 support the effort to stop this shit, but only 1 out of 2 support DOGE, who are in fact, trying to stop this shit

Posted by: The Unmasked and Unvaxed Ranger - Uplifting The Wagshambas of Freedom at April 01, 2025 02:11 PM (HYKHz)

191 For what purpose does the senator from Raytheon rise?

Posted by: The senator from Lockheed Martin at April 01, 2025 02:11 PM (dg+HA)

192 Republican Congress should pass a bill you're only allowed to invest in index funds. Period. No single stock ownership. That would stop insider trading in its tracks.

Problem is, it's not just Democrats that engage in this. That GA Senator that lost got caught liquidating things like hotel stocks when she got tipped off about Covid.

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:11 PM (4pwAx)

193 Lets not pretend that no Republicans are involved in this. Or that somehow the GOP would be above such a thing were they not given enough time in power.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (ecJ7k)

Is anyone here claiming that? I see the opposite: people are acutely aware how corrupt the GOP is.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:11 PM (l3YAf)

194 And as zombie noted, even if you revealed all, voters would consider it a plus for these grifters and traitors.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (lCaJd)

-- --

Bondi could go after a few recent, especially egregious cases, if Elon finds any, for some headlines.

Then some exposure, Bad PR, and maybe some laws are changed or new laws written and signed by a president who'll do it gladly.

I don't see Johnson and Thune getting on that anytime soon, but a man can hope.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (6ydKt)

195 Trump and Elon have been running this like a magic act with a Pledge, a Turn and a Prestige. Like in the movie.

The final revelation will be how the denizens of DC have stolen a trillion dollars from the rest of us.

Then let SCOTUS Roberts say that DOGE must continue to let the looting continue.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (HUwNa)

196 193 Lets not pretend that no Republicans are involved in this. Or that somehow the GOP would be above such a thing were they not given enough time in power.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:06 PM (ecJ7k)

Is anyone here claiming that? I see the opposite: people are acutely aware how corrupt the GOP is.
Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:11 PM (l3YAf)

====

Marcus T claims it pretty frequently.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (GBKbO)

197 Britain is selling the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and somehow the deal includes Britain paying Mauritius 90mm pounds yearly for decades(?). I wonder why Trump didn't counter with an offer to buy it and receive only 80mm pounds/yr

Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Dv3i1)

198 I think Musk is quite smart enough to know his curiosity my well get him murdered.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (pohLc)

199
At least take a moment to laugh at the Bidens.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice

=============

It does strike me that they were utter turnips when it came to grifting. The Obamas and Clintons raked in tons more than the Bidens.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (lCaJd)

200 Bribing officials via huge payments to their children (the Hunter method) should be illegal. Or at least there should a valid reason for such payments.

But that is one of the preferred methods of bribery, it would seem. Then there are the PACs and Foundations. Not sure if USAID was also directly involved. And the Fauci BigPharma kickbacks went to ? hundreds.

The last four years must have been the greatest wealth transfers ever (from taxpayers/owners to the connected). Government backing of the stock markets is its own sort of evil.

Posted by: illiniwek at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Cus5s)

201 Lets not pretend that no Republicans are involved in this. Or that somehow the GOP would be above such a thing were they not given enough time in power.

I see Mitch McConnell has entered the chat by reference.

I want you all to ask yourselves - how does a kid that had a mild cousin of Polio as a teen, was unfit for military service, and who's only claim to fame was getting through Louisville Law School get fast-tracked after working for two campaigns to the full influence of the Kentucky GOP pushing him ? And why does Elaine Chao - a pretty good looking woman well past her prime and rich to boot from her family ties - look at that dude that was broke down in his thirties and tell herself "That's the Man for me ?".

No corruption to see here. None at all. No GOP politician is ever compromised.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (GvwA4)

202 Is anyone here claiming that?

Just a lot of people talking as if the dems are the only ones, and its worth remembering we can't trust any politicians.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (ecJ7k)

203 its more like 2 out of 3 support the effort to stop this shit, but only 1 out of 2 support DOGE, who are in fact, trying to stop this shit
Posted by: The Unmasked and Unvaxed Ranger

==

Its just democrats lying.

They want Republican stealing to stop, not Democrat stealing.

I've yet to hear a single Democrat credibly explain how they intend to cut spending, because they dont want to.

The used to say they wanted to cut military spending but now theyre against that too.

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (4pwAx)

204 Well, Nutzi joined my club! Duh.

Posted by: Jim Cramer - Investing Club and Media Personality at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (v0R5T)

205 Jerry "Gov. Moonbeam" Brown refused to live in the California Governor's mansion.

I don't trust MFers that play that game anymore.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (ZmEVT)

206 185 The problem is, almost half of Americans are okay with their "team" cashing in on taxpayer graft.
---

'Hey, it's part of the system, I didn't build the thing.' *

*and people wonder why Mexicans are so corrupt

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (4GPKZ)

207 No - as we saw the NIH senior staff and their spouses went back and forth with globo-pharma companies.

I remember years ago there was discussion about banning this and it was pointed out people could just work around it by using an NGO cut out as an intermediate step.
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 01:54 PM (t0Rmr)

Same thing happened with field grade officers and the Military Industrial Complex.

Plenty of brass fully expected to cash in when they took the uniform off. And they did/do.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (dGCAG)

208 Bribing officials via huge payments to their children (the Hunter method) should be illegal. Or at least there should a valid reason for such payments.

The stock leftwing answer for why Burisma paid Hunter all that money is that Hunter is an international finance genius.

Of course he has no experience in finance, or the energy sector, or eastern Europe, and when his father's term ended apparently immediately went bankrupt.

But the left still claims the former and since no one has the guts to prosecute him or the Big Guy the left can keep making their silly argument

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (t0Rmr)

209 Elon, on Rogan's show, was trying to be careful about what he said knowing it could get him killed.

He said, "people get desperate" and "I have to go back to DC and it's dangerous."

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:15 PM (PMtkd)

210 This was always a big part of the "Our Democracy" that they were so worried about.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - Moms lie to daughters because they compete against them for men at April 01, 2025 02:15 PM (6Gcwb)

211 The GOP under Ryan had a chance to cut spending and refused.

The current GOP is being dragged, unwillingly, into doing something about spending.

Democrats are dead set against cutting any sort of spending.

I wish I could point at just Democrats but I know better.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:15 PM (tT6L1)

212
Council member Caroll Fife and her husband may also get a view from the federal dungeon.

Nip it in the bud!

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 01, 2025 02:15 PM (63Dwl)

213 Son of an Admiral, Nepotism admission to the Academy, half-assed pilot and not much of a leader while in the Navy...so, doubtful he was ever much of a decent human being.
In person, behind the scenes when he was an old sack of shit Senator, he was as much of a cocksucking asshole as anyone here would guess that he was.
Posted by: ballistic at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (fcWjU)

Eyepatch McCain == Dan Crenshaw.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (ExV1e)

214 Proposal:

Ex-government officials must become hermits in a desert for 10 years after leaving their government employment.

Their family can make as much as they want, but the government officials themselves must seclude themselves in a yurt in Death Valley, completely cut off from all humanity and provided monthly care packages of millet for sustenance.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (GBKbO)

215 Is anyone here claiming that?

Just a lot of people talking as if the dems are the only ones, and its worth remembering we can't trust any politicians.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (ecJ7k)

I think I can trust any new statements from Maverick McCain - it's fake. FDR and Woody Wilson are in the same group.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (VNX3d)

216 174 At least take a moment to laugh at the Bidens.
Posted by: People's Hippo Voice

O.K.

But it's been an expensive chuckle.

Posted by: Auspex at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (j4U/Z)

217 I think it's evident that republicans have gotten rich on the USAID grift too. A lot of them.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (PMtkd)

218 I'm not worried about retribution. I got my shit dicked, man.

Posted by: Judge James Boasberg at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (paSBy)

219 Britain is selling the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and somehow the deal includes Britain paying Mauritius 90mm pounds yearly for decades(?). I wonder why Trump didn't counter with an offer to buy it and receive only 80mm pounds/yr
Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Dv3i1)

Because it’s not about selling the land, it’s about anti-white communist “decolonization”.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:16 PM (l3YAf)

220 A pair of House Republicans, both of whom represent districts full of suburbanites, told me they’re hoping Musk will soon start heading for the exits.

An ”April 1st massacre” would be “a beautiful thing,” said one of the GOP lawmakers, because it would rouse congressional Republicans to the damage Musk is doing and hand political capital to the lawmakers facing the most difficult races next year.

“There will be 26 or so people watching Tuesday, and they’ll decide how they want to be part of the team going forward,” said this House Republican, alluding to the most endangered GOP lawmakers.

The GOP lawmakers, this member said, grasp the political damage Musk is doing because “the shit he puts up on the internet” about government spending or savings “is wrong,” but when it relates to their districts, it gets picked up by both their MAGA base and local media outlets, angering different blocs of voters.

https://tinyurl.com/bddtcbv6
(Politico)

Why do I smell Eye-Patch McCain all over this one?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (6ydKt)

221 211 The GOP under Ryan had a chance to cut spending and refused.

The current GOP is being dragged, unwillingly, into doing something about spending.

Democrats are dead set against cutting any sort of spending.

I wish I could point at just Democrats but I know better.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:15 PM (tT6L1)

======

"False. We fought increased government spending by refusing $5 billion for a border wall. For that, we shut down the government for a mont."
-Paul Ryan

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (GBKbO)

222 A man that can engineer a zillion dollar rocket, watch it explode in mid air then smile and say it's a learning experience, can take a hit.
Posted by: Braenyard
=======
Doesn't matter how rich you are--if people want to kill you for what you have done, setup ops to entrap you, try to eliminate your companies, etc.

Musk has never appeared motivated primarily by money but rather doing things. Trump ditto.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (ctrM5)

223 This was always a big part of the "Our Democracy" that they were so worried about.

You sweet, sweet summer child.

I remember the two parties coming together, because Ross Perot scared the shit out of them with 20% of the popular vote.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (GvwA4)

224 I'm sure he did nothing wrong as a peace officer.

No bribes, no funny money, no hanky panky.
Posted by: BurtTC

According to Wiki, there was a lot of hanky and panky.
Posted by: Cheri at April 01, 2025 01:56 PM (oiNtH)

I can't believe it. I shan't believe it.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (dGCAG)

225
he became disillusioned with politics and burned his career down on purpose, not once but twice.
Posted by: whig

===========

And was reconstituted by the idiot South Carolina Republicans not once, but twice.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (lCaJd)

226 The GOP lawmakers, this member said, grasp the political damage Musk is doing because “the shit he puts up on the internet” about government spending or savings “is wrong,” but when it relates to their districts, it gets picked up by both their MAGA base and local media outlets, angering different blocs of voters.

https://tinyurl.com/bddtcbv6
(Politico)

I see the problem here

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 02:18 PM (VE6XX)

227 And Cory Booker is still talking.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 01, 2025 02:18 PM (63Dwl)

228 I remember the two parties coming together, because Ross Perot scared the shit out of them with 20% of the popular vote.

I'd argue the issue is with the threat of the Soviets gone the American/Euro elites now felt they were untouchable and could do whatever they wanted.

Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 02:18 PM (t0Rmr)

229 213 Son of an Admiral, Nepotism admission to the Academy, half-assed pilot and not much of a leader while in the Navy...so, doubtful he was ever much of a decent human being.
In person, behind the scenes when he was an old sack of shit Senator, he was as much of a cocksucking asshole as anyone here would guess that he was.
Posted by: ballistic at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (fcWjU)
---

His first campaigning around AZ he went to all the Busch Beer distributorship warehouses. He told them, you can vote for me or I will be your boss.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (4GPKZ)

230 227 And Cory Booker is still talking.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 01, 2025 02:18 PM (63Dwl)

======

I understood Rand Paul's filibuster under Obama.

I don't understand Booker's.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (GBKbO)

231 A trillion dollars is beyond our comprehension.

But when it's revealed that your local Congresscritter got $20 million, shit will get real.

I'd bet that Chelsea Clinton cleared over $50 million.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (HUwNa)

232 I don't understand republican reps and senators not fully supporting Musk.

It's a winning issue.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (PMtkd)

233 The stock leftwing answer for why Burisma paid Hunter all that money is that Hunter is an international finance genius.

Of course he has no experience in finance, or the energy sector, or eastern Europe, and when his father's term ended apparently immediately went bankrupt.

But the left still claims the former and since no one has the guts to prosecute him or the Big Guy the left can keep making their silly argument
Posted by: 18-1 at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (t0Rmr)

Remember, too, the House GOP investigated the Biden Crime Family and found no crimes. The left uses that fact to bolster their arguments.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (l3YAf)

234
I'd bet that Chelsea Clinton cleared over $50 million.
Posted by: Ignoramus at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (HUwNa)

-----

I thought the number was 84 million and 10 of it went to her wedding.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (PMtkd)

235 231 A trillion dollars is beyond our comprehension.

But when it's revealed that your local Congresscritter got $20 million, shit will get real.

I'd bet that Chelsea Clinton cleared over $50 million.
Posted by: Ignoramus at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (HUwNa)

====

Well, my Congresscritter is brand new this year. He's probably gotten nothing so far.

That's nice, I guess.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (GBKbO)

236 I don't understand Booker's.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (GBKbO)
--------------

Probably due to the amount of coke Booker has been snorting in order to keep going.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (tT6L1)

237 Just a lot of people talking as if the dems are the only ones, and its worth remembering we can't trust any politicians.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:13 PM (ecJ7k)

It's the Hannity style cheerleading that you get from lots of people. It's always "the Democrats this" "those liberals that."

It's hackery, but lots of people eat it up.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (dGCAG)

238
hollywood celery and "director" oliver stone, a quasi Trump supporter, is testifying now about the release of "secret" files

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (89upD)

239 Then: $5B for a border wall? No way Jose. That’s a lot of money.

Now: Pffft DOGE says they found $100B in fraud. Whatever. Chump change.

Posted by: Its Go Time Donald at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (A+/01)

240 236 I don't understand Booker's.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (GBKbO)
--------------

Probably due to the amount of coke Booker has been snorting in order to keep going.
Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (tT6L1)

=======

"So, you're telling me there's a chance..."
-heart attack

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (GBKbO)

241 The GOP under Ryan had a chance to cut spending and refused.

The GOP under Ryan made a big show of "repealing ObamaCare". A simple little less than twenty page bill. It passed both houses. Made it to a veto.

Once Trump actually won ? A big, big show of blowing it up to more than 100 pages, before Maverick took one for the team and gave it the public Thumbs Down.

All you need to know about the Establishment Republicans. All I need to know, at least.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:21 PM (GvwA4)

242 238
hollywood celery and "director" oliver stone, a quasi Trump supporter, is testifying now about the release of "secret" files
Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:20 PM (89upD)

======

The best part of Oliver Stone's entire career was his cameo in Dave.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:21 PM (GBKbO)

243 I don't understand republican reps and senators not fully supporting Musk.

It's a winning issue.
Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:19 PM (PMtkd)

Not for their constituents*.

*No, I don't mean their voters.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 01, 2025 02:21 PM (dGCAG)

244 Once Trump actually won ? A big, big show of blowing it up to more than 100 pages, before Maverick took one for the team and gave it the public Thumbs Down.

All you need to know about the Establishment Republicans. All I need to know, at least.
Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:21 PM (GvwA4)

Which is why I'm not a registered Republican

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 02:22 PM (VE6XX)

245
a man can hope.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

=============

You've laid out such a simple and obvious method, and our only hope is hope itself.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:22 PM (lCaJd)

246 And Cory Booker is still talking.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.
......

That's the fiercely heterosexual testosterone for you.

Posted by: wth at April 01, 2025 02:22 PM (v0R5T)

247 The GOP lawmakers, this member said, grasp the political damage Musk is doing because “the shit he puts up on the internet” about government spending or savings “is wrong,” but when it relates to their districts, it gets picked up by both their MAGA base and local media outlets, angering different blocs of voters.

Ok Broseph, show us where Musk is wrong. What, specifically is false?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:22 PM (ecJ7k)

248 This was always a big part of the "Our Democracy" that they were so worried about.

You sweet, sweet summer child.

I remember the two parties coming together, because Ross Perot scared the shit out of them with 20% of the popular vote.
-

Yep. That was my point. The branding is different, but it's always been the same general notion.

It's interesting to consider that without those constant failure theater moments we wouldn't be in this current position to actually fix some problems.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - Moms lie to daughters because they compete against them for men at April 01, 2025 02:23 PM (6Gcwb)

249 223 This was always a big part of the "Our Democracy" that they were so worried about.

You sweet, sweet summer child.

I remember the two parties coming together, because Ross Perot scared the shit out of them with 20% of the popular vote.
Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (GvwA4)

Yup, and then when he said he got Death threats against himself and Family, the Fed Gov said he was nuts... and started the real decline of the Reform party movement as the media piled on...

Looking at recent Deep State actions made me rethink that timeframe.... Perot may very well have been victim of the then just forming Deep State.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 02:23 PM (QAkQ3)

250 247 Ok Broseph, show us where Musk is wrong. What, specifically is false?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:22 PM (ecJ7k)

=======

"Not one NGO is fraudulent. They are merely wildly inefficient recipients of federal moneys that accomplish nothing while making rich the people who run them. It's legal, not fraudulent."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:23 PM (GBKbO)

251
The best part of Oliver Stone's entire career was his cameo in Dave.

Would you believe I was just thinking about this movie yesterday?

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (89upD)

252 I don't understand republican reps and senators not fully supporting Musk.

It's a winning issue.
Posted by: Seems Legit
===

I dont get it either.
It's honestly disheartening.

I genuinely think close to half the population would be thrilled if Musk hung his hat up and said he wasnt going to look for taxpayer fraud anymore. 120 year olds would keep getting their bogus checks.

But remember, there were wiling to put Trump in prison over him being like $9k short on his taxes.

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (4pwAx)

253 247 The GOP lawmakers, this member said, grasp the political damage Musk is doing because “the shit he puts up on the internet” about government spending or savings “is wrong,” but when it relates to their districts, it gets picked up by both their MAGA base and local media outlets, angering different blocs of voters.

Ok Broseph, show us where Musk is wrong. What, specifically is false?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor
=======
GOPe resembles their Uniparty Dem partners in inversion. What is true is false and vice versa. Only difference is GOPe is out for themselves by using their power to get money and the Dems are in it to exercise power over the plebes and get filthy rich while doing so.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (ctrM5)

254 And was reconstituted by the idiot South Carolina Republicans not once, but twice.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:17 PM (lCaJd)

-- --

Well, to be fair, his opponents were Democrats.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (6ydKt)

255 All you need to know about the Establishment Republicans. All I need to know, at least.
Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:21 PM (GvwA4)

the ONLY thing Ryan cut? Yeah, cost of Military retirements to the Fed Gov. Yes, so billions less went to military retirees.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 02:25 PM (QAkQ3)

256 251
The best part of Oliver Stone's entire career was his cameo in Dave.

Would you believe I was just thinking about this movie yesterday?
Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (89upD)

====

A movie about a lookalike being put in place of a president while his unelected chief of staff illicitly holds onto power in order to protect himself from prosecution on election fraud issues?

Why would you think about that in modern day America?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:25 PM (GBKbO)

257 When I look at the wealthy elite liberals that I know, there's always some grift that Democrats enabled. It's in that non-profit, education, legal, medical space that ultimately taxpayers fund.

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:25 PM (4pwAx)

258 >> And Cory Booker is still talking.

His jaw hasn’t worked this hard since his meeting with John Holmes.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director at April 01, 2025 02:26 PM (l3YAf)

259 A trillion dollars is beyond our comprehension.
A trillion seconds is 32000 years

Posted by: MAC V SOG at April 01, 2025 02:26 PM (P4Pk9)

260 Ross Perot knew a lot about the Bush family and he was right to try to stop them. I know that now.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:26 PM (PMtkd)

261 Yep. That was my point. The branding is different, but it's always been the same general notion.

It has occurred to me, multiple times IRL, to make a point that my "you" is rhetorical.

This is another of those times. I get that you get that I get you. Cue Eddie Murphy.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:26 PM (GvwA4)

262 Rental truck hits multiple pedestrians in Boston. I'm hoping all injuries are minor and that this is a true accident and not something else.

Posted by: IrishEi at April 01, 2025 02:26 PM (3ImbR)

263 "Not one NGO is fraudulent. They are merely wildly inefficient recipients of federal moneys that accomplish nothing while making rich the people who run them. It's legal, not fraudulent."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison
=====
George Washington Plunkett
"Everybody is talkin‘ these days about Tammany men growin’ rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin‘ the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There’s all the difference in the world between the two. Yes, many of our men have grown rich in politics. I have myself. I’ve made a big fortune out of the game, and I’m gettin’ richer every day, but I’ve not gone in for dishonest graft—blackmailin' gamblers, saloonkeepers, disorderly people, etc.—and neither has any of the men who have made big fortunes in politics.

There’s an honest graft, and I’m an example of how it works. I might sum up the whole thing by sayin‘: “I seen my opportunities and I took ’em.”

Just let me explain by examples. My party’s in power in the city, and it’s goin' to undertake a lot of public improvements. Well, I’m tipped off, say, that they’re going to lay out a new park at a certain place.

I see my opportunity and I take it. "

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (ctrM5)

264
If I recall, Kevin Kline in "Dave" was just an ordinary guy who pretended to be president. And he ended up governing like a populist.

Democrats LOVED this stupid movie. Bulworth, too. And that Very Stupid fantasy movie by Meathead about the presidency.

All these fake presidents were into, get this, common sense policies -- exactly what they hate today.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (89upD)

265 My "thousand points of light" thing really took off, didn't it.

Posted by: George HW Bush at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (paSBy)

266 I dont get it either.
It's honestly disheartening.

I genuinely think close to half the population would be thrilled if Musk hung his hat up and said he wasnt going to look for taxpayer fraud anymore. 120 year olds would keep getting their bogus checks.

But remember, there were wiling to put Trump in prison over him being like $9k short on his taxes.
Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (4pwAx)

Half the voters don't pay taxes. Why would they care?

As long as they continue getting their personal share of the spoils then keep on keeping on.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (ExV1e)

267 Jerry "Gov. Moonbeam" Brown refused to live in the California Governor's mansion.

I don't trust MFers that play that game anymore.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 01, 2025 02:14 PM (ZmEVT)

He just didn't want to live in his Dad's old house.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (D7oie)

268 Here's the link to the Boston story.

https://tinyurl.com/2ucamztb

Posted by: IrishEi at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (3ImbR)

269 the ONLY thing Ryan cut? Yeah, cost of Military retirements to the Fed Gov. Yes, so billions less went to military retirees.
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 01, 2025 02:25 PM (QAkQ3)

--------

Look under the dictionary for fucking c8nt and you will see Paul Ryan's picture.

Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (PMtkd)

270 Only difference is GOPe is out for themselves by using their power to get money and the Dems are in it to exercise power over the plebes and get filthy rich while doing so.
Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:24 PM (ctrM5)
-------------

Yeah, getting rich while governing in the interests of the American people I can understand. Heck, I'll even take rich coupled with benign neglect. But getting rich while grinding on the population? Nope, that's a non starter.

Amazing how there are two options which wouldn't bother the average American yet, those in charge chose option 3.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (tT6L1)

271
I remember Rush talking about all these hollywood movies with single-dad presidents -- and Rush called it Bill Clinton's fantasy. Hollywood's, too, apparently.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (89upD)

272 Wasn't Perot's solution though to jack up a national gas tax to some crazy level?

Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (4pwAx)

273 Wonder how the election in WI is going.. It's all the media can talk about... If the Lib wins it's all over for Trump.. So they say

Posted by: It's me donna at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (VE6XX)

274
nood

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (89upD)

275
noood

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:28 PM (89upD)

276
Look under the dictionary for fucking c8nt and you will see Paul Ryan's picture.
Posted by: Seems Legit at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (PMtkd)
-------------

Ah, nice to know I'm not alone in my hatred of Paul Ryan.

Posted by: blake - semi lurker in marginal standing (tT6L1) at April 01, 2025 02:29 PM (tT6L1)

277 I'm pretty confident when I say that if Washington's spending were fiscally controlled in a responsible manner with transparency, not only would there be very few congressional millionaires, but a significant portion of the world's economy would collapse.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 01, 2025 02:29 PM (3Ope8)

278
Well, to be fair, his opponents were Democrats.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

================

They didn't need to make him the Republican candidate for Congress in 2012. I admit I don't know what his primary opponents were like, but I suspect at least one of them was equally qualified.

What a fricking grifter. I hate these professional politicians who get busted or term-limited out of one office and then run for another.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:29 PM (lCaJd)

279 264
If I recall, Kevin Kline in "Dave" was just an ordinary guy who pretended to be president. And he ended up governing like a populist.

Democrats LOVED this stupid movie. Bulworth, too. And that Very Stupid fantasy movie by Meathead about the presidency.

All these fake presidents were into, get this, common sense policies -- exactly what they hate today.
Posted by: Soothsayer at April 01, 2025 02:27 PM (89upD)

=====

The politics of the film are thin and to the left. His only proposal is to "get everyone a job in America." It's designed as a fable, not as an actual view of the American political reality.

If you read between the lines, the president he replaces is a Republican (complete asshole). This is evident when we get a series of interviews from Senators about his proposal. Several Democrats all support him and the one Republican throws up his hands saying, "For all the water I've carried for him, he does this?"

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, back to the finish with Corman at April 01, 2025 02:29 PM (GBKbO)

280 Congress critter? Douchebag?
Brazen women skipped out of restaurant to avoid $200 check

https://mol.im/a/14554907

Posted by: Ciampino - some NGO can pay it? at April 01, 2025 02:30 PM (sPQoU)

281 PNW meetup!!!

May 10

Left sidebar!

Posted by: nurse ratched at April 01, 2025 02:30 PM (Yiy01)

282 at a certain place.

I see my opportunity and I take it. "
Posted by: whig
az sen DeConcini speaking, why do you ask...

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at April 01, 2025 02:30 PM (nSg+p)

283 Ross Perot knew a lot about the Bush family and he was right to try to stop them. I know that now.

Yeah but he wasn't driven by a desire for right and justice, he just was angry at them because they pissed him off.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:32 PM (ecJ7k)

284 I genuinely think close to half the population would be thrilled if Musk hung his hat up and said he wasnt going to look for taxpayer fraud anymore. 120 year olds would keep getting their bogus checks.

I am a huge, huge believer in Anecdotal Data. No, its not Scientific Data. But if you're not putting 500 rats in a glass tank ? Life is not Scientific. Everything you learn from life - including all Workplace Studies and Safety Rules and such ? Anecdotal. Its how life works.

Anecdotally ? Joe Namath isn't making TV ads to convince anything but one generation to "get their benefits".

If we asked the honest, hard question ? How many here are "Ride or Die Republican" ? And then lets ask an age.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:32 PM (GvwA4)

285 And he decided as governor to piss on his constituents and doubled down on it when he returned to office. My guess is that at some point, he became disillusioned with politics and burned his career down on purpose, not once but twice.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:05 PM (ctrM5)

-- --

I honestly don't know what happened to Mark.

He was great his first terms as congressman.
He did pretty well as governor the first term.

But a mid life crisis and some tanned Argentinian tail sent him for such a huge loop that I almost felt embarrassed for him.
I honestly didn't care who he was banging, but that show on the statehouse steps was resignation worthy.

He got a second chance in Congress but the Goldman Sachs Neo-Con, Pedigree inside of him won and he blew the whole thing up by being a Never-Trumper in Trump Country.

He's probably on a beach somewhere now sipping margaritas and smoking a fat bowl.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:32 PM (6ydKt)

286 Amazing how there are two options which wouldn't bother the average American yet, those in charge chose option 3.
Posted by: blake
=======
Reason why I got out of politics entirely other than the local level. Almost all politicians end up betraying their constituents and breaking their heart.

There is a phrase--taking the ticket and few people have the strength to turn it down if offered. It usually comes shrouded in the guise of a 'friend' and it is just enough to seem minor at first but then it sprawls until that person is truly part of the Borg doing the unthinkable for unspeakable reasons.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:33 PM (ctrM5)

287 Nood transphobic kids.

Posted by: Washington Nearsider, still gloating at April 01, 2025 02:34 PM (OuB2L)

288 Wait...

Posted by: Washington Nearsider, still gloating at April 01, 2025 02:34 PM (OuB2L)

289

Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver: The rules are a lot easier on grownups than they are for little kids.
Wally Cleaver: Sure, they are, Beaver! The grownups are the ones that *make* the rules!

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 01, 2025 02:35 PM (63Dwl)

290 They didn't need to make him the Republican candidate for Congress in 2012. I admit I don't know what his primary opponents were like, but I suspect at least one of them was equally qualified.

What a fricking grifter. I hate these professional politicians who get busted or term-limited out of one office and then run for another.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 01, 2025 02:29 PM (lCaJd)

-- --

My memory is fuzzy too, but I don't think he had any primary opponents when he ran again.

He did OK in office until Trump came along.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at April 01, 2025 02:35 PM (6ydKt)

291 But a mid life crisis and some tanned Argentinian tail sent him for such a huge loop that I almost felt embarrassed for him.

I see you've never been to Argentina.

If the man had simply resigned, and called home channeling Harlem Nights ? "Hey, its me, I ain't coming home no more".

Couldn't blame him.

Posted by: Taking Notes at April 01, 2025 02:36 PM (GvwA4)

292 He got a second chance in Congress but the Goldman Sachs Neo-Con, Pedigree inside of him won and he blew the whole thing up by being a Never-Trumper in Trump Country.

He's probably on a beach somewhere now sipping margaritas and smoking a fat bowl.
Posted by: SpeakingOf
======
Took the ticket. His wife had the wealth in the relationship and so he could afford virtue. When she left, he found he couldn't.

Posted by: whig at April 01, 2025 02:37 PM (ctrM5)

293
Yeah, the Booker dronalogue seems oddly disconnected from the usual Democrat propaganda operation, like a Kanye West civil rights speech.

Posted by: Auspex at April 01, 2025 02:39 PM (j4U/Z)

294 "Scores of lawmakers who have spent decades in Congress are millionaires"

We need new language. Middle-aged engineers married to teachers who have been invested in 401k accts and mortgage payments for 30 years are "millionaires" on paper. The congresspeople we're talking about have assets that are more than an order of magnitude greater than that...

Posted by: lyford at April 01, 2025 02:40 PM (gb+vr)

295 219 Britain is selling the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and somehow the deal includes Britain paying Mauritius 90mm pounds yearly for decades(?). I wonder why Trump didn't counter with an offer to buy it and receive only 80mm pounds/yr
Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Dv3i1)

I wouldn't be even a little bit surprised to find out that annual payment is for environmental restoration/remediation or somesuch and will inevitably line someone's pockets long before any land gets cleaned up.

Posted by: Octochicken at April 01, 2025 02:42 PM (oCS0o)

296 in the Senate,
it is Dem Marl Warner who is the biggest on-the-take....
FROM THE UKRAINE.
Posted by: jb at April 01, 2025 01:35 PM (7kpvR)

Who is 100 percent supported on US Government money and loans.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 01, 2025 02:45 PM (n7h9X)

297 When I look at the wealthy elite liberals that I know, there's always some grift that Democrats enabled. It's in that non-profit, education, legal, medical space that ultimately taxpayers fund.
Posted by: Leupold at April 01, 2025 02:25 PM

"Taxpayers" have been funding the Democrat ruling class and it's enabling voting base in the trillions, all with the complicity of the so-called GOP opposition.

Posted by: EP at April 01, 2025 02:46 PM (aiCOr)

298 48 there's a lot of strangely wealthy members of Congress

Strangely, to journalists. Not so strange to us.
Posted by: t-bird at April 01, 2025 01:37 PM (Ez0wT)

One of the PJMedia sites ran/linked an article about the "surprisingly wealthy" members of Congress and included Romney on that list, because he apparently wasn't already well-off when he ran for President and just magicked up an 8-figure net worth as a US Senator.

Journalists are pretty dumb, is what I'm saying.

Posted by: Octochicken at April 01, 2025 02:46 PM (oCS0o)

299 219 Britain is selling the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and somehow the deal includes Britain paying Mauritius 90mm pounds yearly for decades(?). I wonder why Trump didn't counter with an offer to buy it and receive only 80mm pounds/yr
Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Dv3i1)

I wouldn't be even a little bit surprised to find out that annual payment is for environmental restoration/remediation or somesuch and will inevitably line someone's pockets long before any land gets cleaned up.
Posted by: Octochicken at April 01, 2025 02:42 PM (oCS0o)

Nah, its just white guilt self blackmail. Its a coincidence that the island 1500 miles away its being given to is pretty cozy with China.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 01, 2025 02:47 PM (n7h9X)

300 PNW meetup!!!

I might be able to make it this time, depending on if the train gets to Yakima or not

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 01, 2025 02:49 PM (ecJ7k)

301 219 Britain is selling the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and somehow the deal includes Britain paying Mauritius 90mm pounds yearly for decades(?). I wonder why Trump didn't counter with an offer to buy it and receive only 80mm pounds/yr
Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 01, 2025 02:12 PM (Dv3i1)

I wouldn't be even a little bit surprised to find out that annual payment is for environmental restoration/remediation or somesuch and will inevitably line someone's pockets long before any land gets cleaned up.
Posted by: Octochicken at April 01, 2025 02:42 PM (oCS0o)

Imaginary populists are fine, its the line they feed everyone that Dems are for da peeple. Actual populism is a far, far different question

Posted by: Oldcat at April 01, 2025 02:53 PM (n7h9X)

302 They don't put rules in place to limit themselves.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 01, 2025 02:00 PM (ExV1e)

It used to be routine that all laws would have a line that these rules don't apply to Congress. I'm not sure if they do it that explicitly any more.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 01, 2025 02:55 PM (n7h9X)

303 Coolsies. I can't wait to see DOGE release proof positive of insider trading, embezzlement of tax funds, and acceptance of bribes from foreign nationals and then have
ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING BE DONE ABOUT IT.

It's gonna be awesome.

Posted by: harbqll at April 01, 2025 06:40 PM (ZXBHj)

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