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Thanks, Robert, for this very revealing history, tracing the network of connections. Very helpful in putting the facts all together. Much regarding the conspiracy is now getting clear.

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Jun 16, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

I admire how steady the Committee members are. They're doing a beautiful job. All of this leaves me feeling sickened, saddened, and very old. I hope our country can move past it, safely.

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Hope is good, but I fear that hope without action is useless.

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Bambi, I deeply agree. I'm sure I will be out, knocking on doors in the fall before Voting Day.

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Lark Leonard ; At least it is happening and was not blocked like so many other investigations and impeachments.

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Oh, absolutely, Laurie - it needs to be exposed, and now it is. What follows is anyone's guess, but I am guardedly optimistic. I do dread the ill-will and animosity, but like a cancer - it's there already.

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I so appreciate these hearings and the steadiness and seriousness of the committee members as well. I was glad to hear Bill Barr tell the truth, finally. I still think he is evil, as he wrecked the Department of Justice during his tenure. They are telling the truth when facing consequences. That makes me sick and sad as well. Stepien, while being a star witness for the Hearings, is helping right wing-nut candidates in their campaigns to unseat moderate Republicans. 😕 This hypocrisy makes me sick. I wish Republicans would watch and listen to the Hearings. But they mostly won’t, I’m guessing.

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I agree with you, ScannyDo, that many Americans will not listen to these hearings. But we can hope that many voters who register as Independents will listen, and the information - however imperfectly - will seep across. I am watching and listening very carefully so that I feel I can respond to any discourse with as deep an understanding as I can achieve. It's the least I can do.

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I will do the same! And try to help get out the vote in November. Thanks!

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You bet! We're all in this together, and there are a great many who are very alarmed by what Prof. Reich accurately calls a slow motion coup.

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Thomas is corrupt and should be impeached or forced to resign. His traitor wife should be arrested and prosecuted. And ANY Congressman who aided members of the insurrection mob should be removed from office and prosecuted.

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Dee Long ; The ones in league with tRump should all be found unfit for office because they violated their oaths of office by opposing the Jan 6th investigation, refusing to even have debates on voting rights and supporting an indefensible misreading of the second amendment.

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Woulda, coulda, shoulda......... but I do agree w/ you. Does the law set the rules for removal and prosecution? I should know this, but it't been a long few years and all the evil just winds itself around all the good stuff and poisons every well.

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I strongly suspect that even if Justice Thomas didn’t take a direct part in his wife’s efforts to overthrow Biden, including getting in contact with Eastman, he still knew what his wife was doing and possibly approved of it.

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So, he should be forced to resign or otherwise be impeached. Dura lex, sed lex...

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Wow, you don't say? What more proof do we need? These people need to be held accountable and put in prison.

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Just remember, the Rethuglicans will take that opportunity to fund raise. I kinda think these characters need to take themselves out. That could make it a lot easier to get back our nation from the Rethugs.

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Interesting, it makes sense that Thomas would be involved. More interesting if she testifies. It's looking increasingly like Trump is toast to me. The wealthiest people on earth have used their money to convince the most gullible people on earth to support the most dangerous political organization on earth, the GOP. They are planning to gain control of the most deadly military on earth with the most nuclear weapons on earth to consolidate their power. I doubt the public will allow this to happen, but it will take some heavy lifting going into November to stop them. Luttig is dead right.

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'Bout hallfthe public wouldn't have a problem with that. Too bad our younger generations are pretty much oblivious to what's need to save the Republic. The other half of the public have themselves hog-tied by the Rethuglicans.

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I think there are many in the younger generations that are paying attention. My hope is that they will help save our country in November.

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Hope dies hard. How might we elders support the younger generations? Waiting for some group to 'save us" is mighty thin gruel. Just ask he Ukrainians.

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I get that. But I think they did help us win the presidency back in 2020.

I’m planning to take voting day off to help drive people to the polls. I’m lucky enough to live in a state where we can give people water when they’re standing in line.

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Well planned. Where I live, I'd be most likely taking Rethugs to the polls. Even if I understand they are brainwashed and not responsible for running themselves off the road, I just can't deliver them to vote. It would be like cutting my own wrists.

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I think they will. Just the mass shootings they have grown up with are enough to get their attention!

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MJHooper ; More like a third ; The outsized minority rule just makes it seem like half.

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Sort of follows the style of the Ruskie attack on Ukraine. We could end up with a broken country.

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Dana ; And he is conservative!

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We've known for sometime his wife interfered with the election results but now the spotlight is brighter. Good time for Thomas to resign. Robert's recusing him is enabling him and weakening the court even more than it already has been.

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I wonder if the plan is to destroy SCOTUS as we know it and replace it with another system...?

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That notion is not as far-fetched as it first seems. Republicans have been trying to shrink, corporatize, de-democratize & undermine our government for decades now. Destroying SCOTUS as we know it & replacing it with, say, some tribunal that does whatever the autocratic head of state tells it to do -- something like they have in Iran -- could be in our future.

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I have had a low opinion of Mike Pence, having lived through four years of his term as governor, but in this case, he certainly came across as the hero of the day.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse pointed out last night that Chief Justice John Roberts was so outraged over the publication of a draft opinion that had circulated, but he has said not a word about the clear evidence of corruption by Clarence Thomas. The Supreme Court, which we taxpayers fund: their salaries, perks, protection, building maintenance, etc., acts like an elitist secret Skull and Bones society. Reform is badly needed.

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I think the reality on this is not that Mike Pence is a big hero...In my very humble opinion: Pence knew doing what Eastman suggested would cause a huge chaotic mess with litigation and goodness knows what all else; Pence also knows well just how "loyal" Trump is to those who are no longer of use to him. Pence probably figured he was going to be fingered as the goat n(that would be the unspoken part of the plan...). Pence definitely did not want to be left twisting in the wind while still holding the bag.

Mike still has Presidential ambitions as well...he knew pulling a dumb stunt such as Eastman proposed would be the end of his ambition if he consented to the insane plan.

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You could be right. He could also end up with criminal charges against him. Moreover, I suspect that Pence was secretly glad that they lost. Spending another four years toadying as Trump's vice president, and being ridiculed for doing so, would have put a huge crimp in his own presidential ambitions.

This evening, a law professor and election expert commented on PBS Newshour that, right after the electoral votes were cast on December 14, 2020, Mike Pence should have given a concession speech. If he had done so, that might have fended off the plan to have him unilaterally declare Trump had won.

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Mike Pence is no Presidential candidate ; Dan Quayle on steroids!

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Of course, anyone can run for president if they want. Pence was mentioned as a possible candidate in 2016, but he ultimately decided to run for reelection as governor instead. He did so badly as governor that, even in red Indiana, his reelection was in doubt. Trump saved him by choosing him as his vice president. I am no political pundit, and any predictions I do make are often wrong, but I don't see Pence becoming president. He comes across as self-righteous and unlikeable.

Although I supported the first impeachment of Trump, I did not want him to be convicted, because I thought Pence, who would become president if Trump had been removed, would be far worse. He is a closet autocrat.

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Carolyn Herz ; Pence is just plain creepy! The way he would gaze at tRump in seeming adoration ; (it WAS expected of him, but he did it), The way he seems to be unbothered with the tRump minions/traitors/sycophants ; Yuck! Who is in there really?! What is he made of? I'm glad he did not go along with the biggest loser's plot, but after he made a couple consultations he wisely avoided a train wreck of sorts that may have been hard to clean up.

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Not a hero...yet.

Need to show the threats. Did Trump threaten him in those private meetings?

If so, how did Pence react?

Identify the other perpetrators. Have they been charged for threatening Pence? Who built the gallows? Was there DNA evidence? Are Pence and his family still threatened?

Everyone in the videos chanting "hang Mike Pence" are probably culpable, whether or not they breached the capitol. FBI should be able to find all of the perpetrators dumb enough to use a phone or email.

https://code.dccouncil.us/us/dc/council/code/titles/22/chapters/4

Were Jacob, other members of his staff also threatened? Details.

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I agree. The Supreme Court is no longer seen as Supreme. There must be consequences for what has been done to sully it.. The court has lost it's respectability. And Mitch McConnell should be defeated for helping stack the court, among other things he has done to make his oath of office a joke. Moscow Mitch!

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Thomas needs to be recalled off the court ,along with the POS wife of his! Loved Hershfeld, and "find a great defense attorney ". They should all be in jail!

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Republicans must be dumber than dirt to believe that the Vice President can override the votes of the voters.

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they are in a cult. Need I say more?

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Sadly, the law has been used to twist justice many times. Remember Bush v Gore? Bush's interests were more important to the Court than the interests of the majority of voters! It is hideous when twisted 'justice' happens. Now we have an imbalanced, Inferior Court that could enhance this travesty. 'Justice' Thomas must face consequences, along with his wife!

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As the judge testified, the past threat to our democracy has now switched to the future threat to our election system.

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. I still believe Anita Hill. Thomas should never have been nominated for the Supreme Court. He has and has never had a moral leg to stand on. Ditto for his beer buddy Kavanaugh.

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True ; the Kavanaugh hearings showed an unfit candidate,

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Bullhockey! Don't need to look at the color of the skin to spot the dangerous ppl. One looks at/learns about their actions--and has enough sense to see the betrayals.

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Justice Thomas is an insurrection lover and needs to retire. His two pro trump votes show this.

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Certainly showed his allegiance to evil and very bad judgement!

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I think what retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig said during his testimony at today’s Jan 6 committee hearing sums up a lot about the horror of what one repulsive individual is capable of when he is so enabled by plenty of other despicable people;

“Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy”.

For those of you who missed the hearing today (as I did) it will be aired again this evening on PBS. 🌻

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Anne ; I watched again my recording of the third Jan 6 committee investigation where Judge Luttig testified and made myself listen. I had read a 12 page letter he sent to CNN to clarify his remarks. It is sad how we are so used to fast speakers that we can't handle someone speaking slowly and thoughtfully. His words were inspiring and the view back through history telling. I am glad I went back and watched a second time. I am glad he was there to say what he said.

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I completely concur. Judge Luttig’s testimony was really compelling! Happy Independence Day, my friend! 🇺🇸🤩🇺🇸

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You, too Anne!

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How this Criminal In Chief can possibly be allowed to run again and how he is still allowed to be on the street is way beyond my imagination. The success of the Jan 6th Committee will be determined by whether Trump is charged, prosecuted and found guilty of his many many crimes.

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I agree, on all points. He took 15 boxes of classified material from the White House! That’s one crime we all know about. Argh.

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Where are those papers now? Have they been picked up by a fed gov team and delivered to the archives? If not , why not?

Does any govt agency know what was in those boxes? If not, why not?

Had to have been info that 45 thinks he can use to either get a get-out-of-jail-free card or he thinks he can use to blackmail/financially profit from or use as an ace in his trial for the many offenses he has committed against our country. At the same time he is tried and convicted, his tv/radio supporters need their time in court. And taxpayer money/benefits of any kind cut from network income.

When 45 is tried for his crimes against the nation, his co-defendants ought to be Murdoch and everybody at top levels of his traitorous tv network. Also time for some "re-education camps" for the presenters on that and any radio/tv programs/networks/websites broadcasting anti-american propaganda. If they are not stopped, the country will just go through this all over again in the not too distant future. I don;t want my great grandkids having to fight for the country on our own bloody ground. So many arms, already so many deaths. It's totally depressing.

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I agree, completely, MJ. We haven’t heard anything about those boxes since the initial news came out.

My sister just told me she works with a woman who believes, to her core, that the election was stolen, and that Bill Barr’s and Ivanka’s statements were either given by look alike actors or otherwise digitally faked. She also believes JFK, Jr is alive. I want to dismiss her as a loon, but she is far from alone. “Re-education camps” scare me on one hand, as it makes me think of what China did to their educated elite (would that have been the “Left” wing of China at the time?). They sent them all to camps to be re-educated while doing hard labor. On the other hand, one half of our country seems to have collectively been brainwashed. It is, as you said, totally depressing.

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ScannyDo My fear would be that the wingers would run the re-ed camps to brainwash the "leftists," while my common sense tells me this ol' gal is too old to be re-programmed. Death has never seemed such a friend as it does this year. My consolation is that all the evil the wingers do will be wasted when the seas rise and the continents burn. They can deny that til the flames meet their hair. But, in the end, with industrialists/financial plunderers doing their worst, we all are dead soon--world-wide-- from nature's revenge. It's a consoling thought.

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My hope and fervent prayer (or wish?) will be that we see a Blue Sea rise in November, that we take back the Senate for real (as Manchin and Synema so often don’t help us), and that we pass the Voting Rights Act and meaningful climate legislation. And that you my friend, will feel hopeful for our future generations and the Earth again. 🌎💙🌊

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I'm still betting that Ginni is the primary bridge between SCOTUS and the Right Wing clowns. Interesting that she has offered to sit with the Committee. I sure hope they take her up on it and see if she follows through. It'll also be interesting to see if she follows her stated opinion that "there are no rules in warfare" and proceeds to lie through her teeth under oath.

I found Luttig's testimony quite interesting this morning. He was obviously very uncomfortable, and I was uncertain during his testimony whether he was there under subpoena or if he was a willing participant. I also wondered at times if he was a bit senile. He left no uncertainty, however, when he seemingly happily responded to Bennie's offer to give closing remarks. WOW!

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Jun 16, 2022·edited Jun 19, 2022

Judge Luttig is recovering from a stroke (NOT true see edit below), I applaud his courage and fortitude because he felt it was that important. My spouse is recovering from a stroke that resulted in residual apraxia and aphasia after 8 months of rehab to relearn speech and right-side mobility. My spouse would never willingly speak in a public setting.

P.S. Eastman and Cruz were once his clerks and he doesn't support their behavior.

(EDIT: Judge Luttieg is not recovering from a stroke as stated by him on June 18th. Here is a thread of the post https://twitter.com/judgeluttig/status/1538266496371245057. Here is the link to his Twitter account: https://twitter.com/judgeluttig)

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Thank you for that information, Patrice! Now it makes a lot of sense! From his earlier writings I couldn't believe that he wouldn't appear happily.

I'm sorry to hear about your spouse, and hope for continued recovery and health!

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I also appreciate knowing about his stroke. Thank you.

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I stand corrected by Judge Luttieg himself. He says he didn't have a stroke. I don't like to be party to misinformation, so here is a thread of his verified twitter post explaining his cadence: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1538266496371245057.html

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Jun 16, 2022·edited Jun 16, 2022

I hope she does lie through her teeth and they catch her at it. The DoJ is going to have a lot cases to follow up on and prosecute in the next two years!

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I learned early on... have to be crazy to question a crazy person.

She already has been implicated...need to check Thomas' Financial Statement filings

She can't be forced to out her husband.

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