Is it time to watch the mud stick with TFG? Watch this space!

[Roussette]

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4396017-Big-Bird-may-be-innocent-but-who-can-vouch-for-Elmo?page=40&reply=120171921

Previous thread!

This thread is now full, here is the link to the new thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4912378-trump-gets-gagged-mccarthy-gets-booted-whats-next-in-trumpworld? (added my MNHQ)

Murdoch buying silence

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/04/all-the-texts-fox-news-didnt-want-you-to-read.html?utm_source=tw

I'm amazed Dominion settled, the stuff released during discovery was pretty damning to Fox.
And NO formal announcement of guilt.
Fox's statement afterwards was like when someone says "I'm sorry that you feel hurt" instead of "I'm sorry I hurt you"
Fox's website doesn't mentioned it at all, and the people who need to have their eyes opened to fox's bollocks aren't going to be watching CNN OR Msnbc

That's absolutely true, but the flip side is if they abandon Fox, they're not turning to CNN or MSNBC or NPR, they're going to Newsmax or Breitbart or god-knows-where.

That's a good point.

On the other hand, if Fox has turned itself into Breitbart (but with Fox's remnants of reputation and audience-numbers), then where's the benefit in those viewers not turning to Breitbart?

It's the same stunt UKIP played on the Tory party. Idiot Cameron was scared of losing Tory voters to the 'Kippers, so acted out exactly what the 'Kippers would have done, in the hope of appeasing those voters.

Result: 'Kippers in power though not in office.

Sadly, there's probably not much benefit either way. I guess my point is that a big mea culpa from Fox, while satisfying to the rest of us, wasn't going to make Fox viewers see the light.

There's a thread on here right now where 20something percent of voters think the moon landing was faked. There's no winning these people back around to the side of critical thinking.

I see Trump sycophant Tucker Carlson has been given the boot from Fox.
I suspect his potato face is looking more puzzled than usual

Yes! With immediate effect too.

Result!

Interesting. I suspect they may end up wishing they'd kept him inside the tent, pissing out...

Fox sacked Carlson, not for his views re Trump and the Big Steal per se, but because he dared to put them in writing.

I'm sure he'll just move to OAN or some other alt-right news station. Some people are (Heaven forbid) touting him as a 2024 candidate! But I don't think that's coming from anyone with any 'real' influence.

Rachel Maddow did a real good show last night on the rise and fall of right wing 'commentators', going all the way back to Fr Couglin in the 30s. I recommend the show if you can find it online.

Just as an FYI, Rachel Maddow's show is available as a podcast the next morning. I used to listed to it daily and really miss her now that she's just doing Mondays. I did listen to that one, and while I get what she's saying, and absolutely hope she's right, I feel like she might be underestimating the dangerous amplifying echo chamber that social media provides.

Unfortunately, Carlson has been rumoured to have political aspirations for a long time and I would suspect has some real backers. With a little luck some of these revelations will take the shine off him and I don't think his views resonate with the majority of Americans. I just think we underestimate the influence of Bannon, Mercer, the Kochs, the Federalist Society, et al at our peril.

Interesting, though, that the WSJ is reporting this morning that Fox was losing money on him due to advertisers pulling out.

@Wallaw

Thanks for posting that Rachel's show is available as a Podcast! We normally DVR so I never thought about that.

I think I remember her guest (whose speaking voice and demeanor I found very soothing) saying that we are really in somewhat uncharted territory, so you very well may be right. But like you, I'm hoping Rachel has 'nailed it' and that Fucker Carlson (NOT a typo) will fade into oblivion like Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly.

I had no idea he had political ambitions, but I can't stand to read articles about him. I really should be more informed about 'the enemy', shouldn't I? I'm just hoping that between DiSantos and Carlson, one or both of them runs 3rd party and the GOP vote gets split. Because despite all the shit that Trump is embroiled in, I still think he'll get the GOP nomination unless he's actually in prison (I don't think he'll serve time if convicted) or some really, really heinous 'moral' crime is proven.

And no, I don't think a victory by Ms Carroll in her case will be enough to lose him the nom. It's a civil defamation lawsuit not a criminal rape trial, and doesn't carry much weight with the party and certainly not with the MAGA crowd.

I do worry about the Carroll case. Even though the burden of proof in a civil trial is not the same as a criminal one, rape is a very difficult charge to make stick. Especially historical rape.
If Trump gets off, he really WILL consider himself unstoppable.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/26/trump-rape-trial-e-jean-carroll-testify
Judge Kaplan takes issue with Trump's Truth Social post adding that Trump “may or may not be tampering with a new source of potential liability”.
I'd love to see him slapped with Contempt of Court

The text message that Fox News didn't want people to know about

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/02/business/media/tucker-carlson-text-message-white-men.html

West Clare Hotelier currently golfing in Ireland apparently returning home early to attend trial

www.cnn.com/2023/05/04/politics/proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-verdict/index.html

Breaking News per CNN

What's happening with Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow? Gone from just family friends to funding private school for his child.

So far it appears that there are three allegations of improper conduct; the paid for luxury vacations, a real estate deal in 2014, and the private school for his great-nephew (not his child), although my understanding is that Thomas raised the boy. And there also the issues surround the thousands his wife has received from various groups and individuals.

From what I can tell it's all very 'grey area-ish' which gives someone with a good legal mind the ability to wriggle out of accountability on 'misunderstandings' and 'technicalities'.

I have no idea what, if anything, will officially be done. This is so unprecedented that I honestly think that TPTB don't even know how to investigate this, or who really has jurisdiction. I know SCOTUS justices can be impeached, but I don't really know the exact mechanism for doing it.

Trump getting hoist by his own petard of being a known liar.
Carroll's lawyer during closing arguments...
"You have to conclude that Donald Trump, the nonstop liar, is the only person in here telling the truth."

Closing arguments were yesterday so I assume that today will be jury instruction and then deliberations.

I found it interesting that Doofus' attorneys 'did not put on a defense'. I assume that means that all they did was refute the allegations without presenting evidence or testimony. And probably threw in a bit of character assassination and personal insults for good measure.

I do worry about what it will mean for women in general if Ms Carroll loses this case. A 'successful' defense for sexual assault will then boil down to 'liar liar pants on fire' and 'she's not my type therefore I didn't do it'.

But I think also that, win or lose, this isn't really going to affect Doofus much, and he knows it. That's why he hasn't shown up for the trial. His 'cult' will support him regardless and he already doesn't give a rat's ass what anyone else thinks of him. And I don't see the GOP using it as an excuse for dumping him. They have ample ammunition to do that already and are sticking to him like cockleburs. It's surprising to me really since the GOP 'at large' has any number of viable 2024 candidates to back and an enormous 'war chest' to spend 'bigging them up' whilst making much of Doofus' 'failings' as a reason not to support him. But who knows what goes on behind closed doors, eh? And who knows what 'dirt' Doofus has on whom. Dirty politics at its 'finest'.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/08/politics/trump-carroll-closing-arguments/index.html#:~:text=E.%20Jean%20Carroll%27s%20civil,the%20former%20president%20against%20him.

Thank you Across. I hope she gets justice even if it's a hollow one.

I am quiet on these threads but have been concentrating on our Government and all that entails!

There is a verdict

MSNBC reports that they will read the verdict at the top of the hour.

Donald Trump likely sexually abused E. Jean Carroll, civil jury finds in unanimous verdict — awards her $5 million total

$2 million for sexual assault and $3 million for defamation.