Lorraine Evanoff's Blog, page 4
February 25, 2023
Hyenas At The Gate
Republicans should never be in power again. In their hunger for power, they have become like a pack of hyenas waiting as a helpless zebra gives birth. Excuse the gruesome analogy, but I can think of none more fitting.
Take Mitch McConnell, who refused to allow Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court for over 330 days before Trump took office, because it was an election year. Yet, just days after civil rights hero Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, McConnell handed Trump another evil SCOTUS seat, 42 days before the 2020 election!
Now, the Republican House majority is wasting no time tearing apart the rules. Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling for a “national divorce” separating red states from blue states, to shrink the federal government. She can call it whatever she wants, but it’s still treason. Or the GOP’s obstinate refusal to reinstate an assault weapons ban, that they allowed it to lapse in 2004, even as their own babies’ heads are blown off.
Or Alaska Rep. Eastman, caught on camera saying it’s actually a net benefit to society when a child dies from abuse and neglect because of the financial burden on the state budget. Or this maniacal GOP official making public calls for our President’s violent assassination. At least Twitter suspended her account. So, there’s that.
If I sound pissed off today, it’s because I am. Now, criminal House Speaker Kevin McCarthy committed a major national security breach and colluded with private media by releasing 40,000 hours of unvetted footage of the attack by crazed MAGAs on our Capitol January 6, 2021, to evil Russian asset Tucker Carlson. And there’s nothing we can do but stand by and watch the carnage? I don’t think so.
Democrats and legal experts are sounding the alarm. Will mainstream media file FOIAs for the footage? Will the federal government intervene? We shall see. Meantime, Republicans are doing as much damage as possible while in power because they know it won’t last. Trump and others are in the process of being indicted, so they are feasting on their spoils while they can until bloated and can no longer move. That’s when we will pounce at the polls.
February 16, 2023
The Republican House Is Completely Upside Down
The Republican party seems to give a lot of power to the lower ranks. Congress members are ranked by the number of terms served. For example, a House representative who served 10 terms as of January 3, 2021, outranks a member whose term began on or after January 3, 2001. According to experts, the capacity for a House member to push more bills through the legislative process increases after seven terms as much as it increases going from minority to majority party.
House and Senate rules give greater power to more senior members, such as what to caucus (which legislation to pursue), better committee assignments, and even better office space. However, rules for Congressional Republicans differ from Democrats. For Republicans, better committee assignments are not strictly associated with seniority. They are also associated with their fundraising and voting records. GOP corruption is a feature, not a bug.
There are currently 434 House seats, (due to a vacancy left by Virginia’s Democratic Rep Donald McEachin, who died in November 2022, special election to be held February 21, 2023). Among Democrats, Benny Thompson ranks 17th, Maxine Waters is 9th, Nancy Pelosi is 5th. Among Republicans, George Santos ranks 424th, Anna Paulina Luna is 406th, Marjorie Taylor Greene is 318th, Lauren Boebert is 302nd. Republican Kevin McCarthy is ranked 77th but ascended to Speaker of the House. This corrupt bunch has a lot of power with little seniority.
Out of 100 Senate seats, Democrats Dianne Feinstein ranks 3rd, Chuck Schumer is 9th. Republicans Chuck Grassley is 1st, Mitch McConnell is 2nd, Susan Collins is 8th, and Mitt Romney ranks 79th. Although considered a junior senator, Mitt Romney is a former Governor and won the Republican primary to run for President of the United States in 2012.
Yet, Romney’s very public confrontation of fraudster George Santos during the SOTU address had little impact. In response, Santos publicly hurled vicious insults at Romney, and the media quickly moved on. It turns out, newly elected Anna Paulina Luna, who won another heavily gerrymandered district from a Democrat in Florida is also a fraud. If high-ranking Congressional Republicans can’t even control who runs for high office, how can they legislate for Americans?
February 8, 2023
Why The Media Just Can’t Help Itself
As Palmer Report has repeatedly warned, beware mainstream media’s intentionally misleading headlines for profits. It’s not just right-wing media either. On NPR last week, in anticipation of the new jobs report, Marketplace’s host emphatically admonished listeners to bear in mind that the 187,000 expected new jobs has a margin of error of 100,000, in either direction.
Then, on Friday when the jobs report was released, in response to the staggering 517,000 new jobs created, 330,000 more than predicted, while calling the U.S. job market “indefatigable,” the Marketplace host remained unapologetically silent about the cautionary “100,000 margin of error.” On the contrary, he tried to tamp down optimism about the stellar jobs report by pointing out that wages did not rise by as large a margin. Refreshingly, in a follow-up question to his guest, the FHN Financial Chief Economist, Christopher Low gave an honest answer, saying the modest rise in wages was the only thing economists got right.
Then on Monday, we saw a flurry of negative media spin against Biden. There was a Washington Post headline, “Biden economy keeps defying predictions. Will it last?” Ugh. Also, a new poll claimed 41% of Americans said they are worse off since Biden took office. The same poll found that if the election were held today, 48% would support Trump, over 44% for Biden, so it’s already fatally flawed. Buried at the bottom of the of the article, ABC News admitted, “Biden’s approval rating is vastly lower among worse-off Americans than others – unsurprising given the disproportionate number of Republicans in their ranks.” The poll questioned 26-25-40 percent Democrats-Republicans-independents.
I’m not an economist, but neither are the Marketplace hosts, with degrees in history and journalism. Speaking of journalism, this pervasive negative spin by mainstream media to generate clicks, viewers, and listeners is dangerous. They shamefully refuse to highlight Biden’s unprecedented accomplishments, or to differentiate between Democrats, who have defended our democracy and international diplomacy by remaining dignified, and upholding the rule of law, and treasonous Republicans.
Is the Fourth Estate really willing to continue lying with dogs for profits? Or will they return to the belief in a positive reciprocal relationship between the free press and the processes of democracy?
January 31, 2023
The Perry Mason Moment
I’m old enough to remember my parents watching Perry Mason after my bedtime, composer Fred Steiner’s hypnotic theme music lulling me to sleep. My husband and I still binge watch the series, the stylish black and white cinematography, sets, and wardrobe are timeless. The genius legal sleuth, with the help of his elegant detective Paul Drake, and smart sultry secretary Della Street always wins against the ever-exasperated Los Angeles District Attorney, Hamilton Burger, (the name evoking Ham-Burger always makes me giggle). Whether during preliminary hearings when the prosecutor and Mason are making a case for the judge to decide to go to trial, or during trial, it’s that “Perry Mason moment,” when Mason traps the perpetrator in a lie, that cements the series as an enduring classic.
The term “Perry Mason moment” trended last August after attorney Mark Bankston caught Sandy Hook mass shooting denier Alex Jones committing perjury during the damages trial. When pathological liar Trump and other mythomaniac Republicans like George Santos eventually go to trial, or perhaps during plea negotiations, those gotcha moments will abound.
There’s no doubt, unlike Hamilton Burger, each prosecutor’s case will be airtight. That’s why the recent Seditious Conspiracy convictions and the arrest of former FBI counterintelligence chief Charles McGonigal are making Trump more unhinged. Or why, after the DOJ asked the Federal Election Commission to stop investigating Santos indicating likely criminal charges, is making him flee reporters’ questions. They both know the big gotcha moment is imminent.
One of my favorite recent “Perry Mason moments” was during Trump’s deposition in E. Jean Carroll’s libel suit when he mistook a photo of his rape accuser for his ex-wife Marla Maples, putting to rest his lie, “she’s not my type.” Gotcha!
But this is not about schadenfreude. For those of us waiting for these monsters to be held accountable, it’s about finally putting an end to the gaslighting that is driving us crazy. It’s about that moment when the irrefutable truth finally comes out.
January 29, 2023
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The Criminal Prosecution Stakes Just Got Even Higher
As Palmer Report has repeatedly pointed out, ethical justice department officials follow the letter of the law, so we usually don’t know what’s happening until it’s announced. This week a lot was made public. Four more Oath Keepers were found guilty of Seditious Conspiracy, including the guy who revoltingly put his feet on Former House Speaker Pelosi’s desk. That makes 10 seditious conspiracy convictions, including Oath Keeper founder Steward Rhodes, his ally Kelly Meggs, and the Proud Boys leader, who pleaded guilty.
There was also the bombshell arrest of the FBI’s former New York counterintelligence chief Charles McGonigalf for colluding with Russia to cover up the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. This is a huge story that implicates former AG Bill Barr and his handpicked Special Counsel John Durham for obstruction that helped derail Hillary Clinton’s presidency in 2016.
Then, there was the January 24th hearing for Fulton County Georgia Judge Robert McBurney to consider releasing the Special Grand Jury’s report on the investigation into Trump for election fraud, conspiracy, and other charges. Although the special grand jury recommended the report be made public, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis asked McBurney not to release the report due to “imminent” charging decisions.
McBurney is still considering releasing the special grand jury report, which may not include recommendations for indictments. That’s because there is precedent in Georgia that prevents a grand jury from making such recommendations without making an indictment, which it doesn’t even have the power to do.
What we do know is, in addition to a recording of an incriminating phone call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger, the special grand jury also obtained testimony from dozens of high-ranking officials. Although they never subpoenaed Trump, which his defense team claims to mean the special grand jury concluded Trump did not violate the law, these other “imminent” charges, arrest, and convictions indicate a Trump prosecution is likely.
It’s a nailbiter. The first indictment of an American President* will certainly create a media frenzy. The MAGA outrage could explode violently. But justice on the horizon.
January 18, 2023
Crooks Incorporated
As a finance exec turned novelist, I write spy thrillers based on real-life international banking scandals. The word BRAZEN comes up a lot in my marketing. These greedy international criminals are just that. They know they can get away with it. No law can control the money that gets laundered into the offshore Underground Economy.
The onset of offshore banking marks when the world’s international balance sheet goes out of whack. One need only consult the Balance of Payments tables that track global deficits and surpluses—a minus in the U.S. balance sheet is matched by a plus in the Japanese ledger, and so forth. By definition, the world must be in balance with itself. Yet from being approximately in balance in the early 1970s, an inexplicable black hole deficit of $20 billion had developed by 1978, and in 1982 the deficit hit $110 billion. In the years 1976 to 1985, $200 billion was transferred offshore, and the rest is history.
In 2011, then director of the FBI, Robert Mueller, gave what is known as the Iron Triangles speech explaining how 21st century international organized crime works. Many experts describe Putin’s Russia as a “Mafia State.” These crooks have now brought this to the USA, and there are no laws to stop it. Getting corrupt snakes like Donald Trump, Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, and now George Santos elected to the highest public offices in the land is next-level.
We can’t really make laws to counter it either, because they will flout the law, then challenge it, unless and until they are voted out. Information is key. These racketeers get installed through Active Measures, misinformation networks that confuse, trick, and exploit voters into installing them.
Greed for greed’s sake is not good. It’s the lowest form of motivation. Honesty, integrity, helping others are the highest forms. They’re also the easiest forms. These criminals work very hard to build their network of lies and remain in power, while keeping us fighting for simple truths. Voting for Democrats is the only option.
January 14, 2023
Two Months
During my 1990s Silicon Valley Dot-Com Era accounting days, a fellow accountant once blurted out, “Math is tough!” At first, I thought he was insulting me, a blond woman, because I was asking about a particular accounting issue. But he quickly explained, he was jokingly quoting the 1980s Barbie Doll that created such a scandal it was immediately removed from the shelves. Now, whenever an accounting or math issue comes up, I blurt out, “Math is tough!” It is so fitting now, as many on the Left rant and rave about how it only took Merrick Garland TWO months to appoint a Special Counsel to President Biden’s classified documents case. So, let us do some math, shall we?
Donald Trump officially left office almost two years ago. While doing so, he stole thousands of documents. By definition “stealing” means he didn’t tell anyone. It was only after the DOJ had to execute a search warrant in August 2022, after 19 months of obstruction, that another 11,000 documents were recovered from his Mar-a-Lago residence, of which 300 were highly classified. Trump continued to do the ONE thing he’s good at. DELAY. So, from the time Trump left office until Garland appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith on November 18, 2022, because of Trump’s delaying tactics, was 22 months.
Now, let’s look at President Biden’s situation. His own attorneys found 10 documents around November 2, 2022, that they immediately reported to NARA to be properly returned. Furthermore, this was a legal issue, and therefore would NEVER be made public, whether it happened before the 2022 Midterm elections or not. It was only made public now because it was leaked, by whom we don’t know. So, from November 2, 2022, when Biden’s attorneys first reported the documents, until Garland officially appointed a Special Counsel to appease the crazy Right Wingnuts, took just over two months. Math is tough. But in this case, the math is very easy.
January 7, 2023
What Kevin McCarthy Failed To Learn From Nancy Pelosi
In my opinion, Nancy Pelosi is gorgeous, I’m talking Miss United States gorgeous. In the hilarious and smart film, Miss Congeniality, Sandra Bullock plays a scruffy FBI agent who reluctantly goes undercover as a Miss United States beauty pageant contestant. She quickly learns to walk the walk, then proceeds to kick ass in heals and a push-up bra. She doesn’t win Miss United States, but she is crowned Miss Congeniality.
Nancy Pelosi has spent a lifetime kicking ass, as the first woman Speaker of the House in 2006, then again in 2018. Always poised under pressure, even as violent insurrectionists attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021. With a dimpled-cheek smile, and large sparkling eyes, she helped lead House members to safety, uttering the words poo poo more expertly than Robert De Niro drops the F-BOMB.
She is beauty, she is grace, she’s a pro at saving face. In 2021, several House democrats tried to derail Pelosi’s speakership. But she finessed the votes to become only the 6th person ever to win with fewer than 218 votes. She convinced three members previously voting against her, to vote “present” decreasing the voting pool from 435 to 432, lowering the threshold from 218 to 216. This allowed her detractors to save face while keeping Democrats united.
Kevin McCarthy thought he could repeat Pelosi’s maneuver. Instead, he finds himself with only 200 votes, after 11 attempts. Meanwhile presumed Democratic minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries currently has 212 votes. There is no way for McCarthy to convince 13 of the 20 never Kevin Republicans needed to change their votes to “present,” let alone to Speaker.
Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership ended after one of the most successful Congresses in history. Kevin McCarthy can’t even get the 118th Congress started. Although ideally, I wish the DOJ would arrest enough House Republican on the second anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection to disrupt the vote, my prediction is that McCarthy will withdraw, and someone like House Republican Whip Stephen Scalise will become Speaker. Sorry Kevin, it’s just not as easy as Nancy Pelosi made it look. As a consolation, you have won Mr. Uncongeniality.
January 2, 2023
Out With A Bang
As an accountant-turned-writer, it is fitting that Donald Trump’s tax returns were released on the last business day of 2022, giving me the perfect subject for my last Palmer Report piece of the year. Being from Chicago, it is fitting the notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion, after a scrappy Chicago financial sleuth George E.Q. Johnson nailed him for tax evasion.
And now, the Manhattan District Attorney has Trump nailed for tax evasion. According to Pulitzer Prize winning lecturer David Cay Johnston, over the past six years Donald Trump used “fake businesses” to file 26 Schedule C’s to report huge expenses to artificially offset earnings on his other business, allowing Trump to turn $154 million of positive income, into $53 million in losses.
Trump knew those tactics were fraudulent. He was audited and tried civilly in New York City and New York State over his 1984 tax returns when he used the same Schedule C tactic to claim $600,000 in losses on his NY businesses. Two judges wrote scathing opinions against Trump, putting him on notice.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is investigating Trump for tax matters. On December 7th, Bragg got convictions on all 17 counts of tax fraud against Trump Organization, which is 100% owned by Donald Trump. So, conviction for tax evasion seems like a sure thing.
But we must prevent this from happening in the future. Currently, there is no federal law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns. When Congress requested Trump’s tax returns four years ago citing a law that required the records be provided, Trump avoided having his returns released or even audited for the first two years of his presidency because his appointed head of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin defied the law.
In 2019, because of Trump, California passed a state law requiring California presidential primary candidates to release their tax returns. However, the California Supreme Court overturned the law citing the California Constitution makes it clear voters must decide. That is why Congress must pass a federal law requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns. The good news is, 2022 is going out with a bang. The bang of a jail cell slamming on Donald Trump in 2023.
