Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/ ... 1438cf4ef2

After the revelation of the call, many Georgia Republicans have given up all hope that Trump’s visit on Monday night will be a positive contribution to that effort.
“No one has any rational reason to believe it will go well,” said one Georgia Republican. “The likelihood of a total, complete, absolute shit show is off the charts. If disaster is avoided, it will be sheer dumb luck.”

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Monday that he has never thought it was appropriate to speak to President Donald Trump about the 2020 election results and that the conversations Trump has had with him and other elections officials could pose a conflict of interest that warrants investigating.

Ultimately, the call happened after White House staff pushed for it, Raffensperger said, adding that he “preferred not to talk to someone when we’re in litigation,” a reference to Trump’s lawsuit against Georgia over the election results.

“We took the call, and we had a conversation. He did most of the talking, we did most of the listening," Raffensperger said. "But I did want to make my points that the data that he has is just plain wrong." “For the last two months, we’ve been fighting the rumor whack-a-mole,” Raffensperger added. “And it was pretty obvious very early on that we debunked every one of those theories that have been out there, but that President Trump continues to believe them.”

Raffensperger received the call Saturday afternoon after the White House switchboard had made 18 attempts to have him speak with Trump over the two months since the general election, according to a Georgia Republican familiar with the call.

Officials in Raffensperger's office recorded the call, and he made clear to his advisers that he did not want a transcript or an audio recording released unless Trump attacked Georgia officials or misrepresented the conversation, according to the Georgia Republican. Before the audio leaked, Trump attacked Raffensperger on Twitter, saying that they had a call and that the secretary of state was "unwilling, or unable" to answer his questions, to which Raffensperger responded, "The truth will come out."

In response to the phone call, whose audio surfaced Sunday, David Worley, a Democratic member of Georgia’s state election board, which Raffensperger chairs, asked him to open an investigation.
Asked if he would do so, Raffenperger said: “I believe that because I had a conversation with the president, also he had a conversation with our chief investigator after we did the signature match audit of Cobb County last week, there may be a conflict of interest, I understand, that the Fulton County district attorney wants to look at. Maybe that’s the appropriate venue for it to go,” Raffensperger said.

Two House Democrats have sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting an investigation into Trump over the call.


As for whether he would vote for Trump again, Raffensperger said he has always supported Republicans and “probably always will,” but that Trump isn’t on the 2024 ballot, “so we’ll just have to wait and see what would happen.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politi ... k-n1252724
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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featureless wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:55 am Imagine you get the opportunity to have a phone call with a president of the US, and at the president's urging. Now imagine that president is Trump. Poor Raffensperger.
Raffensperger was smart.
Officials in Raffensperger's office recorded the call, and he made clear to his advisers that he did not want a transcript or an audio recording released unless Trump attacked Georgia officials or misrepresented the conversation, according to the Georgia Republican. Before the audio leaked, Trump attacked Raffensperger on Twitter, saying that they had a call and that the secretary of state was "unwilling, or unable" to answer his questions, to which Raffensperger responded, "The truth will come out."
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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US Attorney in Atlanta abruptly resigns citing 'unforeseen circumstances'

Citing "unforeseen circumstances," Atlanta-based U.S. Attorney Byung "BJ" Pak announced that he would be resigning effective immediately, Talking Points Memo reported. Pak had said that he intended to stay on until Jan. 20 when U.S. attorneys are typically rehired or dismissed by the incoming administration's attorney general.

It isn't unusual for a U.S. attorney to step down if there are other opportunities before the incoming administration, but it flies in the face of the promise by Pak to stay. The only thing that has changed since his pledge is that President Donald Trump had a phone call with the Georgia secretary of state and demanded that he commit election fraud.

During the call, Trump complained there was a "never-Trumper U.S. attorney" in Atlanta. But the Associated Press noted that "Pak is a longtime Republican who also served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 until 2017. He was nominated by Trump to become the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia in 2017."

It prompted several legal experts and former federal prosecutors to speculate about the "unforeseen circumstances."

Fordham University Law professor Jed Shugerman tweeted the story, asking if his followers thought that the resignation was a "coincidence."

"Who can bring charges?" asked one of his followers. "It is mind-boggling that Trump can act with such impunity." Shugerman explained that a Georgia state prosecutor would bring such charges. "I can easily foresee the Atlanta area."

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti similarly asked what those "unforeseen circumstances" could possibly be.

I’m “soliciting” your help: Was this just a coincidence? Or a “perfect call” to step down early? EXCLUSIVE: Atlant… https://t.co/hwanP2850X
— Jed Shugerman (@Jed Shugerman)1609783773.0
https://www.rawstory.com/georgia-feder ... tor-quits/

“ unforeseen circumstances" could be a threat of physical damage if he looks into this case?
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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If the US Attorney won’t and resigns the Fulton County DA will.
Fulton County DA prepared to launch criminal probe of Trump's threatening Georgia call

The District Attorney of Georgia's most populous county signaled a willingness on Monday to launch a criminal probe into President Donald Trump.

In a statement posted by NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said her office is ready to investigate Trump over his now-infamous phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

"It is my understanding from news reports that a member of the State Election Board has requested that the Secretary's Elections Division investigate the call, after which the Board can refer the case to my office and the state Attorney General," she said. "Anyone who commits a felony violation of Georgia law in my jurisdiction will be held accountable."

Willis also called Trump's phone call with Raffensperger "disturbing" and vowed that any investigation into the president would be "based on the facts and the law."

In the call, Trump urged Raffensperger to "find" him enough votes to carry the state and to announce that he had "recalculated" the state's voting totals in the president's favor.

Raffensperger, however, refused to go along with the scheme and told the president that he would not alter the election outcome.

Law professor Kim Wehle, of the University of Baltimore, told NPR on Monday that it's "a crime to request, solicit or ask someone else to say falsify returns or falsify reports of votes, and arguably that's what we heard on the call."
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-call-2649732034/

I hear that Georgia Prisons are as bad if not worse as Texas prisons.

I read that Trump is going to Georgia to campaign. This news brought up a thought of an old song

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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TrueTexan wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:40 pm
US Attorney in Atlanta abruptly resigns citing 'unforeseen circumstances'

Citing "unforeseen circumstances," Atlanta-based U.S. Attorney Byung "BJ" Pak announced that he would be resigning effective immediately, Talking Points Memo reported. Pak had said that he intended to stay on until Jan. 20 when U.S. attorneys are typically rehired or dismissed by the incoming administration's attorney general.

It isn't unusual for a U.S. attorney to step down if there are other opportunities before the incoming administration, but it flies in the face of the promise by Pak to stay. The only thing that has changed since his pledge is that President Donald Trump had a phone call with the Georgia secretary of state and demanded that he commit election fraud.

During the call, Trump complained there was a "never-Trumper U.S. attorney" in Atlanta. But the Associated Press noted that "Pak is a longtime Republican who also served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2011 until 2017. He was nominated by Trump to become the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia in 2017."

It prompted several legal experts and former federal prosecutors to speculate about the "unforeseen circumstances."

Fordham University Law professor Jed Shugerman tweeted the story, asking if his followers thought that the resignation was a "coincidence."

"Who can bring charges?" asked one of his followers. "It is mind-boggling that Trump can act with such impunity." Shugerman explained that a Georgia state prosecutor would bring such charges. "I can easily foresee the Atlanta area."

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti similarly asked what those "unforeseen circumstances" could possibly be.

I’m “soliciting” your help: Was this just a coincidence? Or a “perfect call” to step down early? EXCLUSIVE: Atlant… https://t.co/hwanP2850X
— Jed Shugerman (@Jed Shugerman)1609783773.0
https://www.rawstory.com/georgia-feder ... tor-quits/

“ unforeseen circumstances" could be a threat of physical damage if he looks into this case?
If he doesn’t investigate Trump’s blatant attempt at election perjury, he’d be in trouble. If he investigates it, he’ll receive death threats. He’s smart to resign now, the trouble is not worth 16 days of his federal salary.
Glad that federal government is boring again.

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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After Trump attacked Pak, I started to realize that this is probably coordinated by the Doug Collins/authoritarian wing of the GA GOP (AKA Gainesville Mafia). Trump is attacking everyone associated with the less-authoritarian Country Club Republican "Athens wing" of the party here. I now understand why they are called "Gainesville Mafia" by the rest of the GA GOP.

If Trump got Raff and Kemp to violate the laws, the Gainesville Mafia wins. If they don't violate laws, Trump trashes them and the Gainesville Mafia wins. I assume this is happening in other red states, too.
It is an unfortunate human failing that a full pocketbook often groans more loudly than an empty stomach.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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None of us should rest until all the wrong-doers are brought to justice. Work in your own area. Ferret out the supporters of the orange spirochete, write letters to the editor, call in to news programs. get bumper stickers.

Vote them out of office; expose them as racists, traitors, McCarthy wanna-bes. Show them to be unworthy of serving the public because they cannot understand the meaning of "persons" in the 14th Amendment.

YMMV

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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This does add a wrinkle to the 2022 Governor race in GA. The AG and Gov candidates on one side will make Trump Investigations a campaign promise, I bet. The GOP candidates will be running to "protect Trump" from criminal investigation no matter what.

This crap will never end, will it?
It is an unfortunate human failing that a full pocketbook often groans more loudly than an empty stomach.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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House members are now actually calling for a 2nd Impeachment trial. But finding 17 to 19 GOP Senators who will convict Trump even tho he's blatantly and clearly engaging in Sedition and Election Tampering.
Why? Because there's a 2nd vote that is held when a person is convicted in an Impeachment. And that vote is whether the convict is barred from EVER holding public office again. Only 3 have faced that 2nd sanction, and it would keep Trump from running ever again.
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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YT is right. Trump's call to Raffensperger should be used to impeach him and bar him from holding public office ever again. The evidence is clear and convincing. He is not fit for office and something like this should disgrace him to prevent his toxic influence in American Politics ever again.

Yeah, I know... I'm probably dreaming.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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President Donald Trump has replaced the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta with another Trump-appointed prosecutor from southern Georgia, bypassing a top career prosecutor.

Trump’s move came after the U.S. attorney in Atlanta, Byung “B.J.” Pak, abruptly resigned Monday. Justice Department officials have declined to say whether Pak resigned voluntarily or was asked to do so.

U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Georgia Bobby Christine said on his office’s website that he was named as the acting U.S. attorney in Atlanta on Monday “by written order of the President.” Christine, a former state prosecutor and magistrate, has served as the senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, which includes the cities of Savannah and Augusta.

In tapping Christine, Trump bypassed the prosecutor who would normally take over on an acting basis in the event of an emergency or sudden vacancy, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine.

A White House spokesperson referred questions about the shuffle back to the Department of Justice.

Trump’s installation of a new leader in the U.S. attorney’s office in Georgia’s largest city comes as he continues to rail against the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for failing to move aggressively against what he has baselessly alleged was rampant fraud in the November election in Georgia and in other swing states.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/0 ... nta-455053
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: Hour-long call released: Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor

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featureless wrote: Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:25 pm Bypassing norms to appoint loyalists? This fuck can't depart soon enough.
What do you want to bet he wants this guy to arrest Raffensperger, Gabriel Sterling, and Kemp?

ALWAYS expect the worst from Trump.
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

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