Trump gets gagged, McCarthy gets booted. What's next in Trumpworld?

Scalise isn't considered a 'Trump Loyalist' like Jordan, but he is certainly a Trump Supporter. He backed him up during his White House years and he's continually sidestepped the issue of Trump's false allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. He DID vote against certifying the election results so I guess that's all we need to know.

I'm surprised to hear that Jordan is backing Scalise and is calling on all GOP Reps to vote for him to avoid another debacle like McCarthy's 15 rounds of voting.

I'm not holding out any hope that Scalise will work with the Dems to get legislation passed or be willing to compromise any hard GOP positions (gun control, abortion, equal rights). I don't think we'll gain any ground with Scalise as Speaker. But I think we would have lost ground with Jordan.

Well, with the election next year and the remaining Trump Trials coming up, I have a feeling that we'll run out of space before Trump (hopefully) 'runs out of time'.

Lordy, who knows!

You've got Jordan, a rabid Trumpinista if there ever was one and who has been endorsed by Doofus himself. And you've got Scalise, another Trumper, just not as 'vocal' about it. But he was 'endorsed' by Gaetz and that's enough to make my hackles rise.

The actual nominee is chosen by the GOP 'conference' so let's see how long it takes them to decide on Scalise vs Jordan. Or someone else, for that matter.

As far as the actual vote, the 'magic' number is 218 out of the 435, but if Reps vote 'present' or absent themselves it could be a smaller number. The GOP has 222 seats so they could easily elect based on a party line vote.

But 45 of them are 'Freedom Caucus' members. It goes without saying that they'll want the 'hardest line Trumper' they can find or demand hard line concessions before agreeing to nominate or vote the nominee. So will they 'hang the vote' by refusing to support a more moderate nominee? That's what happened with McCarthy and why it took 15 rounds.

Tune in Tuesday evening for the next episode of 'As the Stomach Turns'*, DC style.

*For our non-US friends that's a play on the title of an old US soap opera 'As the World Turns'.

So, I just got a CNN news flash that McCarthy is reportedly now either considering or planning on leaving Congress. Apparently McCarthy is denying this.

And that Jim Jordan is putting himself forward as a candidate for Speaker. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire!! They may as well make Doofus Speaker (as has been rumoured some wanted to do). The current candidates are Jordan and Scalise.

Fraud is a crime here, too. It's why Madoff & his ilk ended up in prison.

I think it's the difference in evidentiary standards that made this a civil case. Civil cases are generally 'easier' to prove and don't require a unanimous verdict (in a jury trial). Obviously IANAL, but I assume the NY AG was more interested in simply getting the State's 'money back' in monetary penalties and insuring that Trump is barred from business in NY so she went for the option that she felt most likely to result in a guilty verdict.

Also, remember that there is Federal law and there are State laws. Trump is being prosecuted under NY state law for falsifying documents to get loans and insurance. Interestingly enough, back in the 70s the pastor of my parent's church was convicted criminally of pretty much the same thing in a federal court and served 18 mos in federal prison. I think his conviction was for 'mail fraud' because the US Postal Service was used to mail fraudulent documents hither and yon. So who knows what the future may bring?

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/04/1203566052/pelosi-office-patrick-mchenry-speaker

What a little prick. Once again it's all about appearances. Let's not bother with actually doing any political work. Let's make ourselves look like a 'tough guy' by ordering two very senior legislators (he's ordered Steny Hoyer out too) to vacate their offices.

This says it all about McHenry:

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4237172-texas-republican-will-nominate-trump-for-speaker-of-the-house/

The gag order is limited to not 'attacking or disparaging' the judge's staff. Apparently Doofus made claimed the judge's clerk was "a girlfriend to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer". Not only patently false, but defamatory to both the clerk AND to Schumer. The judge then said “Consider this statement an order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any members of my staff”.

The judge has to walk a fine line between not allowing Doofus to prejudice the public against any decision he makes (or that might 'influence'/affect any of Doofus' future trials) and respecting his rights to free speech wrt his 2024 campaign.

Both MSNBC and CNN have had some interesting legal commentary on just what that means. My 'interpretation of their interpretation' is that he is free to say "I am innocent", "This is a witch hunt", or "The Dems are corrupt" as those can be construed as 'free speech electioneering' but cannot make negative comments about specific persons that infer that they are lacking in 'moral character' or are otherwise 'corrupt' as that can be construed as trying to 'manipulate/influence the public' against individuals involved in actively prosecuting him.