Our jury system seems to lack something in today's political climate

"Justice was rendered, but it was not served."

Elise Cooper: Injustice: The American Way?   "Four recent cases show how there is no justice for victims.  Who is speaking for the victims, since they can no longer speak for themselves?  In three of the instances, the "surviving victims" appear to be forgotten as they suffer from losing a loved one forever and ever.  People need to question what is going on in our society." . . .
Kate Steinle . . .
Ahmed Abu Khatallah . . .
Bergdahl . . .
Sarah Sims  . . .
. . . What all these cases show is the complete disregard for victims and their families.  It appears that the judge and jury were looking for any excuse to allow the perpetrator to be given a lesser sentence and not to take responsibility.  For all these cases, Kate's father, Jim Steinle, summed it up: "We're just shocked – saddened and shocked[.] ... [T]hat's about it[.] ... There's no other way you can coin it.  Justice was rendered, but it was not served."

Selwyn Duke: We can thank a flawed jury system for the Steinle verdict  

"Much has been said about the acquittal of felonious invader José Inés García Zarate, the killer of young Kate Steinle, who died in her father's arms.  While most of the focus has been on "sanctuary cities" – a euphemism for treasonous, lawless cities – there perhaps has been no scrutiny of the people whose minds are too often a sanctuary from knowledge and reality: modern jurors.

"The problem stems from "The Error of Impartiality," which is the title of an essay on this very subject.  For what is often perceived in jurors as fairness is just fecklessness – of the moral variety.

"When choosing jurors, pains are taken to dismiss people with preconceived notions about the case.  But consider:  if in question is a high-profile matter such as the O.J. Simpson or Steinle case, what kind of person would know nothing about it or have formed no opinions?  Does this reflect impartiality or just indifference?. . ."

"Lionel Cryer (Depicted by actor on FX series) is the juror who gave OJ Simpson a black power fist as he left the courtroom after the verdict"

. . . "In the final episode of American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson showed the moment when one juror gave Simpson a black power fist as he left the courtroom following the jury's verdict.

"That moment did indeed happen too, though it was not caught by the cameras in the court because they could not reveal the identity of the jurors.

"It is now known that it was Lionel Cryer who raised his fist, a former Black Panther who Marcia Clark decided to not have removed as a juror in the racially-driven case." . . .

Counterpoint: Why Steinle ‘Not Guilty’ Verdict Is Not ‘Disgraceful’
. . . "14. If I could change the system in any way, I’d change the verdict forms. Instead of “guilty” and “not guilty,” I’d change it to “proven” and “not proven.” That’s really what the criminal system is about. It’s not about finding the truth as some people think. It’s exclusively about what can be proven. Sometimes the truth is difficult to prove.(just ask any prosecutor)" . . .

Can we finally stop calling them moderate Democrats?

Silvio Canto, Jr.   "It was very late, or very early, depending on your time zone, but the tax bill passed the U.S. Senate.  The final tally was 51-49 with no last-minute surprises.

Cartoon added by TD

"Unfortunately, it was a party-line vote.  Every Democrat voted no – another example that diversity in that party is a word and not much else.

"So can we finally stop talking about all those Democrats who will work with President Trump because he carried their state by double digits?  Where in the world are those people?

"What we saw in that vote was two things:

1. The Democrats stick together, no matter what they say back in West Virginia or Montana.  A Democrat in the U.S. Senate is a vote for Senator Schumer.Are you listening, Alabama?  Judge Moore may have his many faults, but a Senator Jones from Alabama will be another Schumer disciple!2. The red-state Democrats will have a lot of explaining to do, unless the GOP nominates a total loser and gives away Missouri, Indiana, et al.

Thursday Night’s NFL Game Looked Like A Ghost Town

Daily Caller

michael phillips@michaelpRTD

Midway through the first quarter and a lot of folks are sitting this one out.

"The Dallas Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins Thursday night in Dallas, 38 to 14.

"The matchup between the two teams is one of the most storied in the NFL and the two teams are historically popular with their rabid fan bases.  

"However, that fact was not on display last night when the teams gathered in Dallas. According to tweets from reporters at the game, the crowd was absolutely abysmal for the matchup." . . .

"The popularity of the NFL has taken a severe hit since dozens of players in the league participated in national anthem protests. Fans have burnt their gear and ratings have steeply declined.

"If last night’s game is any indication, the NFL is in big trouble."

Via Weasel Zippers

Andrew Napolitano: Michael Flynn's guilty plea a 'nightmare' for Trump

Washington Examiner   “This is probably the tip of a prosecutorial iceberg, so to speak,” Napolitano, a Fox News contributor, said on the network’s “Outnumbered” on Friday. “It’s a nightmare for Donald Trump because Gen. Flynn was his constant companion on foreign policy and national security matters from June of 2015 to the time the president fired him.”
. . . 

"ABC News reported that Flynn intends to testify against Trump and members of his family and plans to say then-president-elect Trump told him to make contact with Russians.

"Flynn was removed from his post at the White House earlier this year after it was revealed he misled the administration about his sanctions-related communications with the Russians." . . .

What the Flynn Plea Means

Andrew C. McCarthy

"There’s less to the news than meets the eye", in spite of Joy Behar's glee on "The View".

. . . "Obviously, it was wrong of Flynn to give the FBI false information; he could, after all, have simply refused to speak with the agents in the first place. That said, as I argued early this year, it remains unclear why the Obama Justice Department chose to investigate Flynn. There was nothing wrong with the incoming national-security adviser’s having meetings with foreign counterparts or discussing such matters as the sanctions in those meetings. Plus, if the FBI had FISA recordings of Flynn’s conversations with Kislyak, there was no need to ask Flynn what the conversations entailed. 

"Flynn, an early backer of Donald Trump and a fierce critic of Obama’s national-security policies, was generally despised by Obama administration officials. Hence, there has always been cynical suspicion that the decision to interview him was driven by the expectation that he would provide the FBI with an account inconsistent with the recorded conversation — i.e., that Flynn was being set up for prosecution on a process crime." . . . Read more

Ammoland

Thomas Lifson: Flynn pleads guilty in plea deal with Mueller  . . . "Flynn already is a proven liar and was fired for lying to Vice President Pence.  His word is not worth much.  There would have to be corroborative evidence to convict Trump of anything.  But absence of evidence would not stop the demands for impeachment.  Give the Democrats control of the House next year, and impeachment is what we'll get.

"During the transition, then-president Obama famously said, "There's only one president."  This may be what is seized upon to demand Trump's impeachment and indictment for the Logan Act.  Nobody ever has been prosecuted for violating it, much less convicted.  But Mueller conceivably could do so.

"There will also be plenty of calls for indictment for treason."

History shows that special counsels almost inevitably overstep their mandates.

Garrison

Victor Davis Hanson  "Former FBI director Robert Mueller was supposed to run a narrow investigation into accusations of collusion between the Donald Trump campaign and the Russian government. But so far, Mueller’s work has been plagued by almost daily improper leaks (e.g., “sources report,” “it emerged,” “some say”) about investigations that seem to have little to do with his original mandate. 

"Now, there are leaks claiming that Mueller is going after former national-security adviser Michael Flynn for his business practices before he entered the Trump administration. Specifically, Mueller is reportedly investigating Flynn’s security assessment and intelligence work for the Turkish government and other Turkish interests. Yet possible unethical lobbying on behalf of a NATO ally was not the reason Mueller was appointed." . . .   Read more

Al Franken ‘Greatest Groper’ billboard by artist Sabo stuns L.A. commuters

The Washington Times

"Altered ad for Hugh Jackman’s upcoming ‘Greatest Showman’ spotlights sex scandal"

 

"Los Angeles commuters on their way to work Thursday morning were greeting with an unexpected surprise: a giant billboard altered to draw attention to Sen. Al Franken’s sex scandal.

"The California street artist known as Sabo has skewered Hollywood celebrities and liberal politicians for years, but he usually sticks to poster-sized pieces that blanket bus stops and areas of high foot traffic. His latest political commentary involving a billboard for the upcoming film “The Greatest Showman” considerably upped the size and scope of his efforts. 

“ 'This hit cost me about a $1,000 out of pocket,” he wrote tweeted Thursday morning. “I obviously can’t crowd fund these projects so donations via [my main] site at http://www.unsavoryagents.com are much appreciated.”

"The billboard, which immediately captured the attention of The Hollywood Reporter, shows Mr. Franken in a lecherous pose next to a circus performer for actor Hugh Jackman’s movie about P.T. Barnum’s rise to fame." . . .

Sabo

They tower over the 405 freeway near the National Blvd. . . . "When questioned, Sabo mischievously told The Hollywood Reporter: 'Efron wanted to catch her, but Franken got there first, I guess.' 

"The jibe is the latest in a string of unsavory moments for Franken who, in recent weeks, has been plagued with accusations of sexual misconduct from five different women.". . .   
. . . Sabo is a well known political street artist. His previous subjects have included Hillary Clinton, Lena Dunham, Donald Trump and Barack Obama. 

"After vowing to back Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2016 election, even though he was not a candidate, the artist finally switched his allegiance to Trump before the votes were cast. " . . .  More here.

"Previous works include this mock Rolling Stone cover depicting Lena Denham next to the headline Rape Fantasies "

There Is Still Time to Develop a Solution to the North Korea Crisis

The National Interest

"North Korea conducted its highest missile test yet. So much for the Trump administration’s forlorn hope that Pyongyang’s two-month pause of missile tests indicated that the Kim regime was prepared to negotiate terms of surrender with Washington. Western nations responded with the usual meaningless denunciations of the North. President Donald Trump announced: “We will take care of it.”

"How?

"No one outside of Kim Jong-un’s leadership wants the North to possess a capability to target the United States. Nevertheless, even normally sober Defense Secretary James Mattis repeated Washington’s meaningless litany of scary claims—that the launch threatens America and “everywhere in the world.” This misstates North Korea’s likely intentions for—and the actual impact of—its missile and nuclear programs. Pyongyang cares little about the world and everything about America.

"This isn’t the first time an unpleasant, hostile, and threatening government acquired weapons of mass destruction and the means to attack the United States. Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union and Mao Zedong’s China presented Washington with a similarly difficult conundrum when they developed nuclear weapons. Mao even dismissed America’s retaliatory potential because of his nation’s abundant population. The United States considered and rejected preventive war in both cases.

"The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea offers a similar threat, only far weaker. The DPRK is no superpower. Its economy is minuscule, population is small, and security situation is bleak." . . .

More from this source: North Korea's Latest ICBM Test Highlights America's Flawed Strategy
Nothing many can see would stop this mad little man Kim from putting his weapons into the hands of Islamic terrorists. TD

Mike Flynn's about to be center stage

Obama Admin Approved General Flynn Calls with Russian Ambassador
"On Friday, Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about making contact with Russian Ambassador Kislyak during the transition period. In a stunning twist, the Trump White House revealed to CNN that the calls were approved by the Obama administration." . . . 

Does Mike Flynn’s Guilty Plea And Testimony Really Make Any Difference?  
. . . "If the direction took place before the election then we still don’t know if it is significant. If Flynn was sent off to the Russians to tell them to hack Hillary’s email and send Facebook spam to 50 million white nationalists to motivate them to vote for Trump then it is significant. If Trump told Flynn to open a communications channel to the Russians he’d be doing what basically every candidate does." . . .

The Conservative Hammer

Just In! Flynn Will Testify Against Trump, Trump’s Family 

 . . . "The other problem is it could be setting the stage for an obstruction of justice charge.
"The way the Feds who are on a witch hunt get to obstruction of justice is this: Comey suggested Trump obstructed justice and was fired soon after. If Trump indeed prompted Flynn to engage in talks with Russia, it might mean he was aware that Flynn lied to the FBI about his discussions with the Russian ambassador. Flynn’s cooperation could very well provide Mueller with the evidence he needs to nail Trump on an obstruction charge, which is an impeachable offense. "There is no proof or even evidence so far." . . .

Rush Limbaugh Brilliantly Explains Why Flynn’s Guilty Plea Shows Mueller Has NOTHING on Trump (AUDIO)

The Gateway Pundit   “Speculation of Flynn now cooperating with Mueller’s investigation stirred in recent days due to reports that Flynn had pulled out of a join defense agreement or common interest arrangement to share information with other subjects of the investigation,” said Limbaugh

“ 'But there is nothing unusual about that. Once again, the lack of understanding by the drive-by media reporters — oh — Flynn’s pulling out of the joint agreement to share information, that means he’s getting ready to flip.”

“ 'No, it meant he was getting ready to make a deal with the prosecutor, as such, it becomes unethical for the two lawyers or teams to communicate with each other when one of the people involved is going to cop a plea,” Limbaugh said.

“ 'There was nothing unusual about this, and didn’t mean anything other than Flynn was getting close to make a deal,”

"Limbaugh then expertly explains why Flynn’s guilty plea is nowhere near are damaging as the mainstream media would like people to believe." . . .

Audio credit: DailyRushbo

NO DOUBT That Timing Of Mueller Charges Was To 'Sweep Tax Cut Deal Off The Table'

American Silliness: Dec 1, 2017

NFL Donating $89M to Social Justice Causes  Reader comment to this story: 

"It’s the new Neville Chamberlain Success Model for businesses, just virtue-signal and pander your way to the top. No actual substance or results required."

University Event Highlights 14 Ways “Whiteness” Oppresses Society…

Clinton Suggests Lauer Sex Scandal Is ‘Karma’ for His Tough Questioning of Her During 2016 Campaign   . . ."She went on to describe how "men who shaped the narrative" of the campaign harmed her but are now under fire for sexual harassment, echoing how her supporters have tied Lauer's alleged misconduct to his treatment of Clinton. She also repeated her past arguments about the election, primarily blaming a host of outside factors for her defeat. "'She didn't take a lot of the blame herself," Philly Voice contributor Stephen Silver wrote of Clinton at the book event." . . .

University of Oklahoma ‘Gender Ally Program’ instructs trainees in eight different sets of pronouns  "An LGBT “ally” program at the University of Oklahoma offers students eight possible pronouns to use while interacting with peers, presenting the options in a chart that includes words such as “persself” and “eir.”
"The university’s LGBT Ally Program Resource Guide, a 40-page handbook offered through the school’s Gender + Equality Center, gives students nearly ten options to use when addressing their schoolmates.
"In addition to the standard “he” and “she” pronouns, students can choose from “ze,” “sie/zie,” “zie,” “ey” and “per.” “They,” a traditionally plural pronoun that has been repurposed as a gender-neutral singular pronoun in recent years, is also listed." . . .

Oh, foolish nation! Have we lost our right to be greatly blessed? TD

Flynn Ready To Testify That Candidate Trump Told Him To Reach Out To Russians. Wait! This came in...

UPDATE: Obama Admin Approved General Flynn Calls with Russian Ambassador  "On Friday, Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about making contact with Russian Ambassador Kislyak during the transition period. In a stunning twist, the Trump White House revealed to CNN that the calls were approved by the Obama administration." . . . Seeking corroboration, TD

Just In! Flynn Will Testify Against Trump, Trump’s Family  . . . "He will testify that President Trump ordered him to make contact with the Russians. Flynn will also reportedly testify against Trump’s family.

"That isn’t a problem in of itself but Trump has said all along he did not tell him to contact Russians but would have done so if he had known.

"Trump said he didn’t ask Flynn to discuss sanctions with Russia. Trump’s son, Donald Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner are also implicated in Russia’s interference efforts though, so far, there’s no proof.

Obama Admin Approved General Flynn Calls with Russian Ambassador
"On Friday, Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about making contact with Russian Ambassador Kislyak during the transition period. In a stunning twist, the Trump White House revealed to CNN that the calls were approved by the Obama administration." . . . 

Does Mike Flynn’s Guilty Plea And Testimony Really Make Any Difference?  

. . . "If the direction took place before the election then we still don’t know if it is significant. If Flynn was sent off to the Russians to tell them to hack Hillary’s email and send Facebook spam to 50 million white nationalists to motivate them to vote for Trump then it is significant. If Trump told Flynn to open a communications channel to the Russians he’d be doing what basically every candidate does." . . .

Daily Wire

"On Friday, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn pled guilty to lying to the FBI about speaking with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in order to convince Kislyak to lay off of backlash against new sanctions on Russia in the waning days of the Obama administration. He apparently escaped charges with regard to financial payments from foreign sources, including the Turkish government, which led people to believe that he would flip on other members of the Trump administration.
"And that appears to be the case. Flynn says he will now testify against other members of the administration.
"Flynn had resisted doing so for months, given his close ties with the Trump administration. But he apparently felt abandoned by the administration in recent weeks, thanks to “mounting legal debts and plans to sell his house to help defray costs,” according to ABC News." . . .
"That isn’t grounds for a collusion charge – having contact with the Russian government does not mean that actual information exchanged hands with the goal of influencing the election. Campaigns regularly have outreach with other nations’ leadership.
"However, the fact that Flynn’s charges are so light suggests that he may in fact have dirt to spill. Otherwise, we’re looking at special counsel Robert Mueller charging Flynn in a Scooter Libby scenario – charging him for the lies rather than any underlying crime, in an attempt to rope others into charges for lying to the FBI rather than any underlying crime." . . .

The White House responds  . . . “ 'The false statements involved mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation in February of this year,” Cobb said in a statement released to reporters. “Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn. The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel’s work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion.' ” . . . .