John DeProspo

“The Great Trumpini” Dodges Another Bullet!

May 7, 2021 By John DeProspo 7 Comments

Just when you think he can’t possibly get out of this one … he does! He’s the world’s greatest escape artist, “The Great Trumpini!” You can wrap him in chains, stuff him in a trunk and throw it into the deepest lake and, voila, the master performs his death-defying escape act once again.

Today we learned the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has dropped its inquiry into Donald Trump’s hush-money payment to porn star, Stormy Daniels, made just days before the 2020 presidential election.

The bipartisan commission was evenly split with the two Democrats voting to continue the investigation into Trump’s payment to Daniels made through his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, while the two Republicans voted to drop the case.

Cohen can’t understand why he paid the price for being the bagman in the obvious illegal scheme, having served jail time, while his boss escapes without any consequences.

“The hush money payment was done at the direction of and for the benefit of Donald J. Trump,” Cohen said in a statement after the decision. “Like me, Trump should have been found guilty. How the FEC committee could rule any other way is confounding.”

Michael, we’re talking about “The Great Trumpini.” After escaping two impeachment trials, where he was guilty as sin, did you think he would not get out of the FEC jam?

Won’t it be fun and exciting to see how your old boss gets out of all the other legal troubles he’s still enmeshed in?

Photo | politico.com

What I Would Like To Hear From Joe During His First Address To Congress

April 25, 2021 By John DeProspo 3 Comments

Next Wednesday, April 28, Joe Biden will give, for all intents and purposes, his first State of the Union address. It is not officially called that since a president’s first address to a joint session of Congress is not considered a “State Of The Union.” The reasoning? During a president’s first few months in office, he hasn’t been around long enough to get the lay of the land!

Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, has given us a preview of what the President will discuss:

“Certainly, you can expect that he will talk about all of the priorities and his commitment to building the economy back better, getting the pandemic under control, addressing the challenges we face around the world.”

That’s great, but I hope Biden addresses the 800-pound gorilla in the room as he speaks to Congress and the nation. Perhaps something like this:

On January 20th, I was sworn in as the 46^th president of the United States. I know some of you did not vote for me. But as I have said, I plan on being the president for all Americans. Look, folks, I know a good many of you do not believe the 2020 election was fair. That it was somehow rigged. That the other guy won. I understand why you think that way. But it is simply not true. There are some members in this very chamber who have fed you that lie and continue to do so. Many conservative news outlets have fed you that lie and continue to do so. Things have gotten so bad that many are referring to this whole situation as “The Big Lie.”

Folks, the 2020 election has been scrutinized six ways from Sunday and, for all that have looked into it, it’s the same conclusion … the election was fair and secure. Government officials, judges and elected leaders, mostly Republicans, have publicly acknowledged confidence in the election. In fact, William Barr, who many have said acted more like the former president’s personal lawyer instead of the lawyer for the United States, said he had “not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.” Chris Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said, “There was no indication or evidence that there was any evidence of hacking or compromise of election systems on, before, or after November 3.” He, like Barr, was appointed by the former president.

It is now six months after the election. We have seen what all the lying about election fraud has cost us … a violent attack on our nation’s Capitol. A country more divided than ever. This has got to stop and it has to stop now. There are just too many important things we need to do, right now, to help get us out of this pandemic and economic crisis.

I beg every Republican member of Congress to join me in moving forward with policies that will help the country thrive like never before. Put the political maneuvering and divisive politicking aside … put country over party … and let’s bring this country back, and together, again.

Yes, something along those lines would be great, don’t you think?

Photo | politico.com

When The Going Gets Tough, Gaetz Gets Going!

April 11, 2021 By John DeProspo 8 Comments

Taking a page from his idol’s playbook on crisis management, Matt Gaetz has threatened to sue any journalist who has the audacity to report on his sex scandal.

The Florida representative, one of Donald Trump’s fiercest defenders, has hired a Villanova law school graduate, and former contestant on “The Apprentice,” to do damage control as his political and legal troubles heat up.

Politico reports, “A boutique conservative consultancy group working on behalf of Rep. Matt Gaetz is threatening to sue journalists for their coverage of the embattled congressman. The entity, Logan Circle Group, is run by Harlan Hill, a former Democrat who became a top Trump surrogate during the 2016 presidential election. The official behind the recent legal threats is Erin Elmore, a colleague of Hill’s at the Washington-based consulting firm and a Season 3 contestant on ‘The Apprentice.'”

Another tactic Gaetz has borrowed from the “man-who-once-occupied-the-White-House” is to deny, deny and then deny some more. No doubt this defiant stance will appeal to the Trump base Gaetz so desperately courts. But, in the end, courts tend to have the final say!

Following reports that Gaetz was under investigation by the Department of Justice for a sexual relationship with a minor, the Trump brownnoser denied the allegations, saying he would not “be intimidated by a lying media … The truth will prevail.”

Perhaps without seeing the irony of his statement, Gaetz’s bold prediction just might come true … the truth will prevail.

The investigation into Gaetz, according to sources, began during the Trump administration, with approval from former Atty. Gen. William Barr. It is linked to the sex-trafficking indictment of former Seminole County, Fla., tax collector Joel Greenberg, who is accused of meeting women through websites that connected them with men willing to provide gifts, fine dining and travel in exchange for sex. Among those whom Greenberg is accused of trafficking is a 17-year-old girl, according to the indictment.

If Greenberg turns on Gaetz in order to save his skin, Gaetz’s bluster will be seen as pathetic as that of a former president who denied his own sex scandal.

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky” said an audacious Bill Clinton before being impeached.

As we found out with Clinton, and most likely will find out with the many lawsuits against Trump, in the end, the truth, more often than not, prevails. Oh, in case any journalist feels threatened by possible legal action from Gaetz’s hired guns, the truth is an absolute defense to any libel claim. Report away!

Photo |aljazeera.com/Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP

Agreed … Not Every Citizen Should Be Allowed To Vote

March 25, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

A few weeks ago, John Kavanagh, a Republican legislator who chairs Arizona’s Government and Elections Committee, made waves when he said voting really shouldn’t be for everyone.

“There’s a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans,” he told CNN. “Democrats value as many people as possible voting, and they’re willing to risk fraud. Republicans are more concerned about fraud, so we don’t mind putting security measures in that won’t let everybody vote — but everybody shouldn’t be voting … Not everybody wants to vote, and if somebody is uninterested in voting, that probably means that they’re totally uninformed on the issues. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”

Kavanagh may be onto something …“everybody shouldn’t be voting.” He’s right, but for the wrong reason.

We should want fewer people voting not because that would reduce fraud, but we should want to reduce the number of uninformed citizens from voting!

I have long been in favor of some type of national civics test before allowing someone to exercise his or her right to vote. Just like potential drivers first have to demonstrate they know the rules of the road by passing a written test, so should citizens show their knowledge of American history and our political system before being allowed to vote.

As David Harsanyi wrote in the Washington Post a few years back, “By weeding out millions of irresponsible voters who can’t be bothered to learn the rudimentary workings of the Constitution, or their preferred candidate’s proposals or even their history, we may be able to mitigate the recklessness of the electorate.” He added, “If you have no clue what the hell is going on, you also have a civic duty to avoid subjecting the rest of us to your ignorance.”

Of course, this will never happen!

A test to weed out ignorant voters would, no doubt, run up against calls of governmental bias in setting up such a test in the first place. And, anyway, too many politicians depend on clueless voters to wield and secure their power.

Perhaps the best we can hope for is that the uninformed, the misinformed and the disinformed will someday want to brush up on their civics or just voluntarily abstain from voting.

Unfortunately, that’s highly unlikely.

We may forever be stuck with bad governance and an American populace where only 40% can pass a basic multiple choice U.S. citizenship exam.

Photo | abcnews.go.com

Where’s Jared?

March 12, 2021 By John DeProspo 3 Comments

Reprint from moronmajority.com

Since leaving his position, in January, as White House senior advisor, Jared Kushner seems to be missing in action.

During Donald Trump’s appearance at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Jared Kushner was noticeably absent from his side.

A source close to Kushner has said, “Right now, he’s just checked out of politics.”

And who could blame him!

While serving as his father-in-law’s right-hand man, Kushner was tasked with an inordinate level of responsibility. He was responsible for negotiating peace in the Middle East; he was responsible for solving America’s opioid crisis; he was responsible for diplomacy with Mexico; he was responsible for reforming care for veterans; he was responsible for reforming the criminal justice system; he was responsible for reinventing the entire government and making it work like a business; and he was responsible for leading a coronavirus task force!

Is it any wonder the man needs a break?

A close family friend has revealed the Boy Wonder, as some have called Kushner, is chilling out by spending time on his one true passion … creating art.

Much like George W. Bush after he left the White House, Kushner spends his days painting and drawing. But unlike Bush, who liked to paint portraits of important world leaders, Kushner passes the time mostly on drawings of his family.

Photo | npr.org/W. Roger Mills-Koonce

*moronmajority.com is a satirical site … seriously!

It’s Time For This Simple “Sense Of The Congress” Resolution

March 3, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

Nearly two months since Joe Biden’s inauguration, some Republican members of Congress still have trouble saying his November election was valid and that he won fair and square.

And it’s easy to see why.

In a recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about two-thirds of Republicans say Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president.

This is why you had Rep. Steve Scalise, second in command of the House Republicans, waffling when ABC host Jonathan Karl asked him a simple, straightforward question.

“Joe Biden won the election,” Karl asked. “He is the legitimate president of the United States. The election was not stolen, correct?”

“Look, Joe Biden’s the president,” said Scalise. “There were a few states that did not follow their state laws. That’s really the dispute that you’ve seen continue on.”

Karl persisted.

“Congressman, I know Joe Biden’s the president,” Karl said. “He lives at the White House. I asked you, is he the legitimate president of the United States, and do you concede that this election was not stolen? Very simple question. Please just answer it.”

“Look, once the electors are counted, yes, he’s the legitimate president,” Scalise said. “But if you’re going to ignore the fact that there were states that did not follow their own state legislatively set laws, that’s the issue at heart, that millions of people still are not happy with and don’t want to see happen again.”

This nonsense has got to end.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer need to introduce, to their respective chambers, this simple resolution: “Joe Biden is the duly-elected 46^th president of the United States.”

“Sense of the Congress” resolutions do not create law, do not require the signature of the President and are not enforceable. What they do is force individual members of Congress to go on the record as supporting or opposing a particular policy or concept.

Putting Congressional Republicans on the spot serves at least two important purposes. It officially forces their hands, putting them on record over the Biden “legitimacy” question, hopefully cutting off any more of this “Biden is president … but” foolishness. It will also, I’m guessing, show Biden and the rest of the Democrats exactly what they are dealing with. It may finally convince some moderate Democrats that reaching across the aisle is futile.

How can you have bipartisanship when X amount of Republican lawmakers don’t believe the president of the United States legitimately holds office? This resolution might convince all Democrats (looking at you Manchin and Sinema) that ending the filibuster is the only way Biden’s agenda can go forward.

And while a “no vote” will not get a representative or senator expelled (need 2/3 vote) it most likely will get him or her censured as only a majority vote is needed.

So what is your vote, Mr. “I-have-no-sense-of-shame-or-dignity” Cruz. Is that a yea or a nay?

Photo | Official White House photo/Lawrence Jackson

Trump Vows To Appeal Supreme Court Decision On Taxes

February 23, 2021 By John DeProspo 3 Comments

Reprint from moronmajority.com

The United States Supreme Court issued a devasting decision yesterday when it refused to block the release of Trump’s tax returns to the Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance.

In what has become a reflex action whenever Trump is on the losing end of a court case, he vowed to appeal the ruling, saying it allows for the “greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our country” to continue.

In a lengthy written response to the decision, Trump attacked the Court for letting “this ‘fishing expedition’ happen” in the first place.

No one around the former-occupant-of-the-White-House had the nerve to inform him that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land; that it is known as the court of last resort for a reason.

It is quite possible Donald Trump believes the World Court, headquartered in the Hague, has jurisdiction over the U.S. Supreme Court but, if he had paid attention in his high school history class, he’d know the court, also known as the International Court of Justice, settles disputes involving sovereign states in accordance with international law.

Or is it possible Trump has fallen into a Louis XIV mindset … “L’etat, c’est moi”?

Photo | abc.net.au

*moronmajority.com is a satirical site … seriously!

What? Trump Will Talk About The Future Of The Republican Party At CPAC?

February 21, 2021 By John DeProspo 5 Comments

According to a source, Donald Trump will be “talking about the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement” at this week’s CPAC conference in Orlando, Florida. It seems the former-occupant-of-the-White-House will be taking time off from his usual weekend of golf to address what some have called “the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world.”

It should be a neat trick, considering how the Republican Party is, well, … dead!

The Republican Party, as we knew it, entered its death throes five years ago when it decided to hitch its fortunes to a narcissistic, two-bit con man. It ceased being a major political party when it passed up the chance (twice!) to rid itself of an incompetent, criminal buffoon through impeachment.

What we have today is the Party of Trump or, as Prince might have put it, “the party formerly known as the GOP.” If there is any doubt, just look at some recent surveys showing Trump’s strength among Republicans. In a Suffolk University/ USA TODAY poll, by a whopping margin of 46%-27%, Republican voters say they would abandon the GOP and join the Trump party if he decided to create one. Their loyalty is obviously to the man, not to a 167-year-old political organization.

Cindy McCain said the other day that the Republican Party is still up for grabs, predicting that her moderate wing of the GOP could mount a comeback.

“Our side, it’s swung way to the right. It’ll come back. It’ll come back” said McCain.

Sorry, Cindy, but I don’t think so. If there ever was a civil war among Republicans, that war is over.

Moderates like McCain, along with others such as Romney, Collins and Murkowski might want to remain blind to the fact that their beloved party is now the Party of Trump but, when you have an establishment group like CPAC rolling out the red carpet for a man who fomented a violent uprising against the Capitol, who still insists the 2020 election was stolen from him … and CPAC will no doubt cater to Trump’s fantasies … you know the GOP of old is kaput.

If anything, today’s Republican Party, if you still want to call it that, is the party of Green, Boebert, Jordon, Gaetz and the like.

Unlike McCain, I predict old-time conservatives will eventually face the facts (and their consciences), see their party has been irretrievably hijacked by Trump and his band of “wacko birds”, leave the party to declare as independents, or perhaps start a third party.

The Party of Trump seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future (too late, Mitch … it’s a long way down from that tightrope!).

Photo | cnn.com

Trump Defense Lawyers Celebrate Victory They Had Nothing To Do With

February 15, 2021 By John DeProspo 6 Comments

In true Trumpian fashion, Trump’s defense lawyers are taking credit for something they had no hand in … the Senate’s acquittal of their client on impeachment charges.

“We’re going to Disney World,” Trump lawyer Michael van der Veen joked to reporters following the trial. He was later photographed fist-bumping a colleague.

The whole world knows (as I guess so did Trump’s lawyers) that the fix was in and that their presence at the impeachment trial was nothing more than legal window-dressing. They could not lose no matter what baseless, whacked-out, bogus defense they came up with.

There was no way 17 Republican senators were going to join 50 of their Democratic colleagues to reach the two-thirds vote needed to convict Trump.

Trump’s defense lawyers did not have to be articulate, competent or prepared. It didn’t matter. They just needed to show up.

Because the Senate’s verdict was a forgone conclusion, House impeachment managers were wise not to bring in witnesses. Why further delay the inevitable? The case they presented against Trump, even without witness testimony, was open and shut. Just ask Mitch McConnell!

I wonder if Trump’s lawyers ever bothered to read the reviews of their “lawyering?” Because of their bumbling, buffoonish efforts, “My Cousin Vinny” trended on Twitter.

Of course, that is an insult to Vincent LaGuardia Gambini who won his case after winning over an impartial, some might even say hostile, jury!

Photo | Alex Brandon/AP/inquirer.com

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