Like Maria Said Paz: 2022-12-04

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Karma comes for Joe Harding

Do we call it "Portrait of a Homophobe"? THE HILL reports:

The Florida state legislator who sponsored the bill that became known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill has resigned after he was indicted for pandemic-era loan fraud.

State Rep. Joe Harding (R) said in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday that he is resigning effective immediately, saying that Floridians’ leaders should not be burdened by distractions that are “mine alone.”

“When I decided to run in in 2019 for the Florida House, I did so for two simple reasons: I love people, and I love Florida. Today, I am resigning from my position for the same two reasons: I love people, and I love Florida,” he said.

Harding’s resignation comes after the Justice Department (DOJ) charg ed him with two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering and two counts of making false statements to the Small Business Administration.

WIKIEPDIA notes:

On December 7, 2022, Harding was indicted by a federal grand jury on six counts of wire fraud and money laundering related to a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration of more than $150,000 in COVID-19-related small business loans. Harding was released on bond and has lost his committee assignments for the upcoming legislative term.^[11] Harding resigned on December 8, 2022.^[12] A trial is scheduled for January 11, 2023, in Gainesville, Florida.^[13]

Hope Harding gets hard time. Love to see karma working.

"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Friday, December 9, 2022. The Respect for Marriage Act passes the House, protests return to Iraq, and much more.

Yesterday, the House of Representative passed The Respect for Marriage Act. US President Joe Biden released the following statement:

Today, Congress took a critical step to ensure that Americans have the right to marry the person they love. The House’s bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act—by a significant margin—will give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled.

After the uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Congress has restored a measure of security to millions of marriages and families. They have also provided hope and dignity to millions of young people across this country who can grow up knowing that their government will recognize and respect the families they build.

I want to once again thank the unwavering champions of this legislation in Congress—Representatives Nadler, Cicilline, and Davids in the House, and Senators Baldwin, Collins, Portman, Sinema, Tillis, and Feinstein in the Senate—who refused to be deterred and brought this vital bill over the finish line. Together, we showed that it’s possible for Democrats and Republicans to come together to safeguard our most fundamental rights.

On this day, Jill and I are thinking of the courageous couples and fiercely committed advocates who have fought for decades to secure nationwide marriage equality at the Supreme Court and in Congress. While we are one step closer on our long journey to build a more perfect union, we must never stop fighting for full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans and all Americans.

Alex Bollinger (LGBTQ NATION) reports:

The House of Representatives has passed the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) in a 258-169 vote. The bill would require the federal government and state governments to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed by other states.

The bill originally passed the House in July and was then passed by the Senate on November 29. The Senate amended the bill to add some religious protections and to state that it doesn’t legalize polygamy, so the House had to pass it again with the amendment.

The bill now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it into law.

The historic moment also had a heavy helping of spectacle thanks to Drama Queen Vicky Jo Hartzler. The outgoing Republican Congress person burst into tears on the House floor, looking very butch in her cheap, faux leather jacket, as she growled that marriage equality was wrong. Trudy Ring (THE ADVOCATE) reports:

She has a long anti-LGBTQ+ record. Back in 2011, in her first term in the U.S. House, she told a gay student who questioned her at a town meeting in Missouri that he shouldn’t worry about bans on same-sex marriage. When Missouri amended its state constitution to include such a ban in 2004, it was merely maintaining the status quo, she said.

The student also asked Hartzler about a comment she had made warning that letting same-sex couples marry would be like letting 3-year-olds drive cars. She insisted that the remark, which was recorded on video, “was really taken out of context.”

More recently, she has targeted transgender people. In July 2017, shortly before Donald Trump announced his trans military ban, she proposed an amendment to a defense spending bill that would prevent the government from funding transition-related health care for troops. It was narrowly rejected by the House, with more than 20 Republicans voting against it. Earlier, she had proposed another amendment, this one to reverse the Obama administration’s lifting of the ban on trans troops, but withdrew it while making a plea to Defense Secretary James Mattis “to take the steps to restore readiness and make sure we don’t waste precious tax dollars” — in other words, reinstate the ban. She also voiced concern about cisgender military members showering with trans people.

Poor Vicky Jo, she has closet case written all over her. Maybe now that she's out of Congress, she can get honest with herself. She's a supporter of conversion therapy. Apparently because it worked for her and her husband.

Also bitter was US House Rep Marjorie Taylor-Green who insisted, "I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and that's how God created it." That's how God created it, Marjie? And how is your divorce attorney modifying it? It's cute how she wants to claim she's basing her life on the Bible in the middle of her divorce that her fundamental religious beliefs can't back up.

Senators congratulated their House colleagues on the vote. Senator Tammy Baldwin's office issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) released the following statement on the Respect for Marriage Act passing the House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 258-169:

“We are thrilled that the Respect for Marriage Act passed both the Senate and the House with robust bipartisan support. This commonsense legislation provides certainty to millions of loving couples in same-sex and interracial marriages, who will continue to enjoy the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities afforded to all other marriages. At the same time, our legislation fully respects and protects religious liberty and diverse beliefs about marriage. This is an important and historic step forward in ensuring dignity and respect for all Americans.”

Among those voting for the measure were US House Rep Mark Takano. His office issued the following:

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released this statement following the House passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. This bill repeals the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, enshrines marriage equality for federal law purposes and provides additional marriage protections at the state level.?The Respect for Marriage act now goes to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“As the first openly gay Member of color elected in history, enactment of the Respect for Marriage Act means the world to me, to my loved ones, and to millions of Americans,” said Rep. Mark Takano. “Yet we cannot rest— the necessity of this legislation in response to extreme Supreme Court action is a stark call for our vigilance in the fight for human rights. We must rise to the challenge, and we will prevail.”

Press Contact

Taylor Doggett (202) 225-2305

Jay Lassister (LGBTQ NATION) reports:

For many on Capitol Hill, the marriage bill was just another item on a busy “lame duck” smorgasbord that included legislation to fund the Pentagon, among other high-profile items. With control of the House changing hands next month, many Capitol Hill regulars were more focused on the upcoming change of power than today’s attempt to codify marriage equality into federal law.

But for at least one member of Congress, today’s marriage equality vote was more than just a juicy footnote on an otherwise busy day.

Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) represents a South Jersey district in the Philly burbs. An electrician by trade, he’s also the proud father of a gay daughter. His floor speech during the first vote was remarkable for all the right reasons.

“We’re gonna get it right and get it finished most importantly,” Norcross told LGBTQ Nation before the vote, explaining the need for a second vote. “The Senate had their view on it and we passed our version here in the House and there were some language changes that had to do with religious freedoms and there was consensus to come together. We thought it was extremely important so it’s back here under the Senate version that they voted on so we pass it today, it goes right down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House for the president’s signature.”

Historic? Yes! But on a hectic and uncommonly warm day on Capitol Hill, it might be hard to stop and smell the roses.

“I don’t know that I’ll smell the roses today but I’m sure after the vote, I’ll call my daughter,” Norcross said. “And every day that I speak to my daughter and daughter-in-law and every morning that I get a pic of my grandson, it’ll remind me that the nation now approves of their love.”

THE NEWSHOUR (PBS) reported on the vote.

Excerpt:

Lisa Desjardins:

Thanks, Judy.

Lawmakers from both chambers came together to cheer final passage of the bill, the Respect for Marriage Act. Today's move comes after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas expressed interest in reconsidering the Supreme Court decision that protects marriage equality following the High Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June.

Looking at all of this closely is Kate Sosin, who reports on LGBTQ+ issues for The 19th News.

Kate, how significant is this bill?

Kate Sosin, The 19th News: This bill, a lot of people are reporting that this protects marriage equality, and, in some ways, it does. But it doesn't codify marriage equality the way that we know it.

What that means, basically, is, this would make marriages transportable from state to state for states that do have pro-marriage laws on the books. But for states that have bans, you still could not get married in those states.

Lisa Desjardins:

And that's to say, if, in fact, the Supreme Court does take the step of overturning Obergefell and changing kind of national law, this really would just make it a state-by-state situation.

Republicans were key in passing this law, but most of them voted no, many of them saying because they were worried about religious liberties. What are their arguments? And what does the bill say about that?

Kate Sosin:

The Republican talking points about religious liberty are — tend to be that there's a worry that churches will be forced to perform same-sex unions.

There are religious freedom protections in this bill. They mirror the protections that already exist. So, a church or a nonprofit that is set up for religious worship would not have to perform those unions.

However, if you do have a nonprofit or a business that is set up and wants to do business or is accepting government funds, for example, a charity that takes money and is doing adoption services, it would probably be still subject to state laws. So, there's not new law that is created by this in terms of nondiscrimination law.

Lisa Desjardins:

But it's to say some of those nonprofits may have to recognize an out-of-state same-sex union if they want state funds?

Kate Sosin:

That's correct.

But that's still not different from the law that we are living under right now, because we have marriage equality nationwide.

Turning to Iraq, RUDAW reports:

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Friday stated that combating corruption is among the priorities of his government, calling it the main reason for the state’s reluctance to conduct its duties.

On the International Anti-Corruption Day, the Iraqi premier reiterated his cabinet’s commitment to battling the endemic corruption that plagues all levels of the Iraqi state, a day after the second batch was retrieved from the $2.5 billion stolen in tax funds.

“No economic or service effort can achieve what is required without there being serious work to confront this scourge, recover the looted funds, and pursue the wanted,” read a tweet from Sudani on Friday.

Mohammed says ending corruption is one of his priorities? They all have said that -- going back to Nouri al-Maliki. None has won the battle. The previous prime minister also promised he'd bring to justice the killers of the protesters, remember that? He didn't do a damn thing. Let's again note Human Rights Watch's release:

The Iraqi government under former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi failed to deliver on promises of legal accountability for state security personnel and state-backed armed groups responsible for killing, maiming, and disappearing hundreds of demonstrators and activists since 2019, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 40-page report, “To Sleep the Law: Violence Against Protesters and Unaccountable Perpetrators in Iraq,” details specific cases of killing, injury, and disappearance of protesters during and after the 2019-2020 popular uprising in central and southern Iraq. Al-Kadhimi took power in May 2020 promising justice for the murders and disappearances, but when he left office in October 2022, his government had made no concrete progress on holding those responsible to account.

“After two and a half years with al-Khadimi in power, his promises of justice for vicious violence against peaceful protesters turned out to be empty, and killers are walking free,” said Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Protesters sacrificed so much to improve conditions in the country, even giving their lives, but their government couldn’t even provide them the bare minimum of justice in return.”

Nearly 500 demonstrators were killed in just the first few weeks of the uprising by Iraqi security forces and state-backed armed groups, according to the United Nations. Violence against protesters persisted even after protests ended, through a targeted assassination campaign against prominent activists, most of whom were perceived as influential voices in the protest movement.

Six months after taking office, former Prime Minister al-Kadhimi established a Fact-Finding Committee to investigate the violence carried out by state security personnel and armed groups against protesters and activists. But the committee has yet to release any substantial information about its findings, not even disclosing the cases it examined, much less the results of investigations it carried out.

Human Rights Watch examined the cases of 11 Iraqis subjected to violence because of political protest and activism. Five of them were killed, including two women. Another five were injured, and one was kidnapped and disappeared.

The victims and the families of those killed or disappeared filed legal cases with police and judicial authorities, but after initial interest from the authorities, such as police collecting details of these cases, the legal complaints went nowhere. There was virtually no follow up from the authorities about the status of their investigations or attempts to identify and hold those responsible to account.

As some interviewees insisted, their cases were simply “put to sleep.”

Emjad al-Dehemat, 56, was a prominent activist in Amara, the capital of Maysan province in southeast Iraq. On November 6, 2019, weeks into the protests, al-Dehemat was assassinated after leaving a meeting with a senior police commander in Amara’s main police station, said other activists who also attended the meeting. The killing occurred only a few hundred meters from police headquarters.

His brother Ali al-Dehemat, 52, filed a legal case with the authorities with little result. No arrests have been made in the case. Fighting for justice for his brother, Ali received death threats and was forced to flee Amara, moving from city to city for fear that he, too, would be killed.

Despite the lack of progress in investigations and legal accountability, the Iraqi government has financially compensated most of the families of those killed. According to the UN, most of the families of protesters killed have received financial compensation from Iraq’s Martyrs Foundation, a state entity.

The government also promised to compensate the thousands of protesters maimed or injured during the protests. But only a small number of victims have received compensation for their injuries, and they have only done so after long waits – in some cases up to two-and-a-half years – and at great financial cost. Many have hired lawyers to help with their claims, and some said they had to pay bribes to officials to resolve their claims.

The new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani should release information about the Fact-Finding Committee’s investigations into the killings, injuries, and disappearances of demonstrators during and after the uprising. The government should also urge judicial authorities to release information about the status of ongoing investigations and cases.

Al-Sudani’s government should also redouble efforts to compensate victims of the violence, including by establishing a clear and concise compensation policy for those injured, and laying out straightforward steps that minimize bureaucratic hurdles to receiving compensation.

“The 2019-2020 uprising brought down a government and instigated early elections, and the protesters demanded accountability for perpetrators of the violence they suffered,” Coogle said. “The new prime minister can and should work to deliver the justice his predecessor did not.”

Protests have returned to Iraq. Qassim Abdul Zahra and Abby Sewell (AP) report:

At least two protesters were killed Wednesday in southern Iraq after security forces opened fire on a crowd demonstrating against a harsh prison sentence handed down against a young Iraqi activist over a Twitter post, local officials said.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in the city of Nasiriyah against a court ruling this week sentencing Hayder Hamid al-Zaidi, 20, to three years in prison over alleged criticism of state-sanctioned militias.

Security forces opened fire to disperse the protesters, killing two and injuring 17, according to a high ranking local government source and a medical source, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about the matter.

David Sadler (GLOBAL ECHO) notes:

The occurrence of a number of casualties and injuries among the demonstrators prompted Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani to discuss the rapid developments in an urgent meeting with the Ministerial Council for National Security, in which he discussed the events of the demonstrations and “decided to send a higher security committee to Dhi Qar Governorate to investigate the events that caused casualties and injuries.” between the ranks of the demonstrators and the security services »; According to a statement issued by the meeting.

The Council stressed “the need to preserve the lives of peaceful demonstrators, and to prevent any party from intervening by politicizing the demonstrations or exploiting them for personal purposes.”

The Minister of Interior, Abd al-Amir al-Shammari, directed the replacement of the Dhi Qar police chief, following the losses that occurred during the demonstrations.

The following sites updated:

Thursday, December 08, 2022

A crisis in the republic

We are at a crisis in the republic, we do get that right?

The FBI has dropped the ball and there's nothing I can think but if they are corrupt since they have done next to nothing in the three years they've had the laptop.
All I can conclude is their covering for Biden.
— Kimberly (@Kimberl61468904) December 8, 2022

I’m old enough to remember when the FBI and Twitter were exposed for colluding to shut down anti-Biden speech and the mainstream media totally ignoring…
— Kai Bennetti (@kaibennetti) December 8, 2022

How do you feel about the FBI using Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube…. to suppress the Hunter Biden’s Computer in which shows that Quid Pro Joe Biden was compromised beholden to China,Russia and Ukraine.
— Joyce Holmes (@Joicat1953) December 8, 2022

It's frightening to see all of the "cancer" within the FBI, our justice system, and the Biden cronies, and Biden himself. The U.S. seems to be imploding due to all the corruption and I don't recognize this country anymore. Worse than a banana republic.
— Dee75 (@Dee756Dee) December 9, 2022

For the republic to continue, we have to have a semblance of faith in our institutions. When we discover that the FBI went around to media in the fall of 2020 lying so that the media would not cover or amplify the very real news of Hunter Biden's laptop and the secrets it contained, we grasp that the FBI violated the First Amendment and that it injected itself into an election which is a huge violation.

Yet where is Joe Biden?

He won't even comment on this crisis.

Because he's compromised. The FBI's actions were to the benefit of him and his son.

So he stays silent.

Which only makes things worse. A real president addresses the American people and states, "This never should have happened and it will not happen again. I will now explain to you the steps that are being taken . . ."

Instead, Joe thinks he can wait this out and that legacy media can yet again protect him.

No. That's not acceptable. Govern or resign. Let Kamala be president. I don't doubt that she grasps the law. I don't see her hesitating to hold the FBI accountable.

Joe Biden is compromoised and each day proving that he is not fit to govern and that he can't speak out on behalf of the republic.

"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Thursday, December 8, 2022. A lot to cover, mainly Joe Biden's dereliction of duty and how he better take action immediately or face a deserved impeachment. And I don't say that with glee or happiness. We've held the snapshot for an hour as I tried to think of any justification for his inaction -- legal justification. There is none. Here we go.

Katelyn Caralle (DAILY MAL) reports:

Joe Biden's top spokesperson won't comment on whether the president's 2020 campaign communicated with Twitter after it was revealed there was at least some correspondence with the social media giant.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre continues to deflect questions related to the bombshell 'Twitter Files' after calling it 'old news' during her briefing on Tuesday.

She declined to comment on Wednesday when asked if Biden's team ever formally or informally communicated to the Twitter team that Hunter Biden's laptop was hacked.

It's not old news that the FBI visited social media execs and lied that a laptop might emerge shortly before the election and that it was Russian disinformation. The FBI knew about the laptop because they'd had the hard drive in their possession for nearly a year. They knew it was real.

Why did they lie to social media execs?

That's not old news and it never will be. They lied to influence the outcome of an election.

That's not their role. That's now why they exist. Heads should roll over their behavior.

And let's return to yesterday's main point: the spokesperson declaring that releasing information about what took place is "unhealthy" for the country.

No, it is not unhealthy.

Sunlight is never unhealthy to democracy.

And anyone who claims it is? That's who needs to be rebuked.

And now? It's Joe Biden who needs to be rebuked.

The White House has taken no action at all. Information dumped last Friday has the FBI lying to cover up a story. Yes, the story involves Crack Head Hunter Biden.

Now, let's put everything on pause for just one moment.

A number of idiots -- including on the left -- wanted to insist oh, Hunter's just a drug addict who has problems, stop looking, turn your heads, blah blah blah.

That was bulls**t then and it's bulls**t now.

There's a reason you probe these stories and it's not to learn how many dildos Hunter took up the ass.

It's because his father could end up president and you need to determine whether or not Hunter is going to compromise him.

We don't need to figure that out anymore.

In fact, we now have grounds for impeachment.

I'm not calling for Joe Biden to be impeached.

But the events of the last few days are stronger than any reason we had to impeach Bill Clinton or, yes, even Donald Trump.

On Friday, information was released that showed a federal law enforcement agency went around lying and intimidating the media to influence the outcome of an election.

Where is the president?

Where the hell is the US president?

Joe has previously insisted Hunter did nothing wrong.

Okay, well, let that rest for a moment.

Joe is President of the United States. The information released demands accountability ASAP.

Where's his support for a Congressional investigation? Where's his public demand for answers? Where is his statement to the American people that this never should have happened?

Or, for that matter, that he wasn't a part of it?

Because we need to know that, as a citizen when he ran for president, he wasn't trading on favors to break the law. The FBI's actions are not just appalling, they're also illegal.

Joe is the President of the United States. He is the head of the executive branch of the US government. The FBI falls under that branch.

I don't need to hear the uneducated Karine Jean-Pierre make another joke or issue another threat.

This is a serious matter and it should be treated as such.

The FBI acted in a criminal manner. That has been exposed. It is time for the President of the United State to stop hiding and to make a statement on what has happened.

Joe hasn't made it yet. He should have made one on Saturday.

But he's compromised.

At best, the only reason he's only compromised is because it's his son. At worst? He might have been knowingly profiting from Hunter's actions and the pay-to-play scheme. Or, for that matter, he might have been involved in the FBI's actions -- calling in favors from his earlier political career, for example.

But, for right now, let's just take the best option for his dithering: It's a story involving his son.

I don't give a damn about your son. You had the crack head before you became president. You're now president.

If you can't handle the job, step down.

And this is why those of you on the left -- and please note, I'm not talking about the liars who dismissed the laptop as nothing back in October of 2020. I'm talking about people who had podcasts and people who 'covered' it by telling us, "Oh, he has a drug problem, poor Hunter."

F**K POOR HUNTER. The country is more important, democracy is more important, than the deserved and earned shame Hunter has brought down upon himself and his family.

Sorry, Katie Halper, I'm looking at you. I'll name you because you're the only one I can name without going into a holy tear. If I name anyone else who had too much sympathy for Hunter Biden and too little for the American people if a compromised person became president, we'll be spending the whole snapshot on their many errors and lies. With Katie, I can say she was too sensitive to Hunter and that's all I have to say because she's got a strong record otherwise.

I'll go further, in fact, I'll even praise Jimmy Dore for not falling into that trap that so many others did. He treated it as a serious story from the start. Good for Jimmy. Thank you, Jimmy.

I don't care that Hunter had strippers shove dildos up his ass.

I do care that he could compromise a presidency.

And that's why you don't pretend like a grown and middle aged man is a child and offer excuses for looking the other way as his father runs to become president.

Drug addict?

Well then he needs to get accountable. He needs to work his program. He doesn't need the press covering for him or excusing him. Or pretending -- and we pointed this out in real time -- that a woman rescued him -- with love, of course. That's not how recovery works.

And all you idiots did was excuse it.

And you created the moment for this.

Joe Biden should have acted immediately. As soon as that information dropped last Friday, he should have met with the White House attorneys to craft a response. Not just a statement but a plan of action to let the American people know that FBI was being reigned in and that this would never, ever happen again. That he was appalled and outraged by what was exposed last Friday.

He's paralyzed because he's compromised and you can thank all the people who whored for him, you brought us to this point.

The FBI acted illegally and this became public seven days ago. SEVEN DAYS AGO. And yet the president has nothing to say. There's has been no statement decrying what took place, no statement to assure the American people that this is not going to be ignored -- despite the White House spokesperson asking for it to be ignored.

I'm real sorry that Joe Biden's having to choose between Daddy and President -- but here's reality, it is no choice. He's the president and he wanted to be it so he needs to act as the President.

His refusal to do so? In the face of what has been exposed, his sinking his head in the sand and not saying a word, his taking no action and his spokesperson trying to Twitter and the press what to do? That is the very definition of high crimes and misdemeanors.

He is failing a president, he is demonstrating dereliction of duty.

These are grounds for impeachment.

I have tried to avoid this issue since Friday in part because there's no report from the one who did the dump and in part because I knew when I got pissed enough I'd say what no one has the guts to say: These are grounds for impeachment.

He needs to take action immediately.

As President of the United States.

He's failed to do so.

It's outrageous.

His failure makes it clear that he is now compromised by Hunter.

Had the press done their job, we wouldn't be at this point. Joe now has to decide if he is going to honor his Constitutional oath and to serve the American people or if he's going to step down immediately as President.

That is what is called for right now.

The American people know that a federal law agency interfered in an election and did so to impact the outcome. That's illegal. Heads to need to be rolling at the FBI. But the American people need to hear from the President that this is unacceptable, that it doesn't matter that he benefited from it, it was wrong for the FBI to act in this manner.

This is Politics 101.

And yet we have no grown ups in the room apparently.

No one wants to state the obvious.

His actions are grounds for impeachment. His actions right now are saying "I can't act as president and demand accountability because it might hurt my son."

He wanted to be president and now he is. It's time to act as a president.

If he delays any longer, then let him face the impeachment he now deserves.

New topic . . .

Josephine Harvey (HUFFINGTON POST) reports:

The California home of state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) was searched by police on Tuesday after he was targeted with a bomb threat parroting false, right-wing “groomer” rhetoric over his fight for LGBTQ rights.

The threat was emailed to the San Francisco Standard and reported to the San Francisco Police Department, which began searching Wiener’s home at around 6 a.m. Police found no explosives at the property.

The subject line read: “Scott Wiener will die today,” according to the Standard. The author, who used the name Zamina Tataro, called Wiener a pedophile and accused him of grooming children.

The name Zamina Tataro was also used in a different bomb threat last month against a school in Ontario over the attire of a trans teacher.

Wiener, who is gay, said it was one of many death threats he had received this year.

“This latest wave of death threats against me relates to my work to end discrimination against LGBTQ people in the criminal justice system and my work to ensure the safety of transgender children and their families,” Wiener tweeted, noting that extremist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk had recently tweeted homophobic lies about him.

The media needs to start calling out those people -- especially politicians -- accusing others of grooming. "What is your proof?" is the question they should be asked. They have none so it should be reported as: "US House Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene made another wild and baseless accusation today . . ." That might not be right. Is she keeping "Greene" now that she's divorcing her husband? At any rate, "US House Rep Lauren Boebert made another wild and baseless accusation today . . ." And when Boebert shares her 'informed' opinion that adult men and women should have to wait until they are 21 before coming out as gay? The media should report, "US House Rep Lauren Boebert, who dropped out of high school when she got pregnant outside of marriage, felt the need to share that all gay adults should be forced to stay in closets until the age of 21 because . . . well, her crazy brain hadn't reached a conclusion just yet but she swears Jesus is about to whisper the reason in her ear."

We need to reduce the climate of crazy and violence that these hate merchants are creating.

The shooter in the Colorado Springs attack? ABC NEWS reports:

The suspect accused of killing five people in a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is facing 305 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and bias-motivated crimes.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, wore yellow prison attire for Tuesday's court appearance, which was to hear the charges against them. Aldrich did not speak.

Public defenders assigned to Aldrich said in a court filing that the suspect identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them.

An e-mail to the public account insists this was not a hate crime.

Based on?

If the shooter is nonbinary -- if -- that doesn't mean a damn thing. Transphobia has not been limited to straight people. The shooter can be binary and still hate gays, lesbians, trans, etc.

The shooter can also be -- far more likely -- consumed with self-hatred.

The porn acting father gave interviews about how his son wasn't gay and better not be gay. The mother has made similar statements.

That both parents refuse to their child as their "son" and use "he" and "him" suggests that either the shooter is not non-binary or that the shooter did not feel the parents would recognize that reality.

A climate of hate was created by Marjorie Taylor-Greene and her ilk and that climate painted a bullseye on a gay club for a disturbed individual who knew their parents loathed gays. Wanting to go out -- it's doubtful the shooter really thought they would emerge from the massacre alive -- in a blaze of glory, the shooter looked around for a socially 'acceptable' target and, thanks to the climate of hate, the gay club seemed the way to go.

The most likely explanation is that the shooter wanted to go out in 'glory' and have the approval of parents -- father left, mother was in and out of life -- who were abhorrent and withheld approval on even the most basic things. In fact, it's probably not even approval, it's just recognition from parents who never made the time for the shooter. The parents have lived enough for several soap operas but there's no role for a child in those storylines. The shooter appears to have drifted through his 22 years with little connection, supervision or love. That's very tragic. It does not excuse attempting to kill people, but it is tragic.

Tragic is also that the Laurens and Marjories create this climate of hate. Remember, boys and girls, that GOP supports life -- unless the child is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. It's a sad and depraved pro-life point of view, but they're happy with it.

Ten days ago, Human Rights Watch released the following: