Flotsam and Jetsam - Bolton to Plead Guilty, More Platner Problems

Ben Whedon at JTN reports John Bolton to plead guilty to retaining classified information: reports, "The FBI searched Bolton's home in August of last year. The investigation began during the Biden administration." From Ace, John Bolton Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty to Mishandling Classified Documents, "But wait I thought Trump was "weaponizing the DOJ to punish his enemies"? No? Or is it more like, as Bolton said many times, "No one is above the law"?" Greg Price @greg_price11, "When John Bolton was indicted last October, he compared Trump to Stalin and said he was the "latest target in weaponizing the DOJ to charge those he deems his enemies." Today, he plead guilty." They clearly had him dead to rights with classified files at home well after he was out of the administration. I assume the deal will require little or no jail time. That's OK. After Trump was charged, a host of others, including Joe Biden and Mike Pence were found to have been more than a little careless with classified information, and managed to skate free. It must be a strong temptation to hold onto it once you have it in your grasp. I once admired Bolton, but apparently when he found he wasn't allowed to call the shots under Trump, he reverted to childish anti-Trump antics.

First, Ace reports Keith Edwards, a Democrat Podcaster and Political Strategist Who Got Advance Word of the Eric Swalwell Sexual Assault Accusations, Now Says the NYT and WaPo Are Racing to Report That Graham Platner Sexually Assaulted "Multiple" Women. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "NYT just dropped a new Platner story." "A couple takeaways...Platner allegedly referred to women as "hatchet wounds" (crude remark re: their physical anatomy) and allegedly said if anyone ever broke into his home he would rape them to assert dominance, but "not in a gay way". Platner campaign doesn't dispute the remarks." Ace, NYT: Ex GF of Platner Says He Knew All About "My Totenkopf," Used Physical Force Against Her, Bragged That He Would Rape His Male Enemies, "Not in a Gay Way," But to Show "I'm Dominant" "Coming soon: Claire McCaskill demsplains that fantasizing about homosexual rape of your enemies to prove your dominance is not psychopathic, but rather "authentic" and "blue collar." Well this is definitely not the sexual assault exposé I was expecting, or that I got you amped for, but... eh, maybe for now, it's enough." At Althouse, "Lyndsey Fifield, 40... recalled [Graham Platner] as 'cavalierly contemptuous of women’s emotions, of our "weakness."'" ""Ms. Fifield, who dated Mr. Platner from roughly 2013 to 2015, said that his offensive online posts 'reminded me of just how much he hated women.' Jenny Racicot, 41... who said she dated him casually off and on between 2019 and 2021, said the posts deepened her belief that he did not respect women. 'When I saw the old comments that he made online,' she said, 'I recognized a version of him that I had experiences with.'... Ms. Racicot also said that in 2021 he arrived at her house drunk, after she had asked him not to come over. She declined to elaborate, but said she cut off contact soon after that episode and found his behavior 'reckless' and 'unsettling.'" Amber Duke @ambermarieduke, "NEW from @dailycaller on the NYT's catch and kill operation: - A source tells @wupton that the NYT had two women prepared to make sexual assault allegations against Platner. - Those details were revealed to Fifield, presumably to make her feel more comfortable coming forward - They never made it into the story, allegedly being removed at the behest of NYT editors and Platner's lawyers. - The Platner campaign was originally only given two hours to respond, but that stretched into 24 hours, contrary to what interview subjects were told." Will Upton at Da Caller, Graham Platner’s Alleged Victims Came Forward. The New York Times Fed Them To The Wolves. "Let me be clear: the New York Times story was not journalism. It was a soft catch-and-kill operation. It was a favor to Platner’s campaign, a disservice to readers, and an insult to the women who say they were hurt by him." Bonchie @bonchieredstate, "This is going just great for Sanders and Warren." Quote Mike Berg @MikeKBerg "Platner campaign admitting he said he would rape men, but “not in a gay way.”"

TownHall's Matt Vespa thinks you should Watch These Two Guests on CNN Absolutely Cook Dems Over Their Support for Graham Platner. Jim Geraghty at NRO wonders Do Senate Democrats Really Buy Graham Platner’s Assurances? Comfortably Smug @ComfortablySmug, "My prediction is that the Democrats remain predictable: Platner doesn't drop out. Senate Democrats continue to support him. They don't "believe all women" or believe in anything, actually, other than power If that means backing the Nazi tattoo guy who abuses women they will." From NYPo, Mamdani guru reportedly working with Graham Platner wanted to put his penis in creepy ‘puberty guide’ for 10-year-olds "Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign guru Morris Katz wanted to feature his penis in a “puberty book” for “curious boys” as young as 10-years-old, but decided against it at the behest of his publisher." Josh Kraushaar @JoshKraushaar, "Democratic strategist, to NY Mag: "Are we going to see pictures of Graham Platner’s penis before this is all over? I think we almost certainly will.""

Then there's the other current Democrat male heartthrob, James Talerico. Chris Queen at PJM thinks The Left’s New Favorite Christian Politician Has a Theology Problem. TownHall's Amy Curtis notices James Talarico Compares Unborn Children to Parasites.

Hat Hair's Dave Strom is suspicious Are They Stealing the Los Angeles Primary? As the late, mail-in vote is counted, it leans improbably Democrat. MJTruthUltra @MJTruthUltra, "Red flag… 39.3% vote in… Karen Bass had 117,579 Spencer Pratt had 86,323 42.4% vote in… Karen Bass 130,429 Spencer Pratt 86,323 Virtually every candidate received votes except for Spencer Pratt. Impossible." Ace, Claim: The Man Stealing the California Mayoral Election Previously Stole the 2004 Washington Gubernatorial Election, "The fear is that this guy is either going to "discover" votes that put Basura over 50%, or "discover" votes to put Nithya Raman ahead of Spencer Pratt. This article says he's done it before. He's very, very good at "discovering" votes in the 5th Quarter of an election, where Democrats really shine." Northern Barbarian @xnoesbueno, ""Without evidence" were the buzz words in every single news report about suspicions of voter fraud in the 20/20 election. The words were in fact inserted without evidence. Claims or suspicions of malfeasance were dismissed without being examined. It was a novel news tactic, outright dismissal rather simply reporting that a claim had been made by parties with standing in the matter. Part of the broader lefty strategy we see from American elections to British murders. There are three basic responses to any crisis that reflects poorly on the left. 1) Shut up. You can't say that. Accusations of racism fall under this category. 2) Denial and dismissal. "Without evidence." 3) Utterly ignore or actively censor. Combinations of those tactics may be applied in any given situation. Actually examining or addressing the claims is not part of the playbook. But when you see any of those tactics at play, as in the Hunter Biden laptop case, you know you're on to something." Quote, "ABC7 Eyewitness News@ABC7, "President Donald Trump, without evidence, is accusing Democrats of trying to "steal" the California gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries. He first called out the use of mail-in ballots in a post on Truth Social. In a follow-up post, he accused Democrats of holding up."

From Fox, I'm Ohio's state auditor — Medicaid fraud is not just a Washington problem. "Audits found payments to dead people, prison inmates and residents enrolled in multiple states." At Da Caller, Obamacare Enrollment Fraud May Cost Taxpayers Billions In 2026, New Study Shows. It's a feature, not a bug. Amy Curtis observes Francesca Hong Wants to Control Wisconsin's Budget, but Can't Seem to Manage Her Own Finances. "Francesca Hong wants to be the next Governor of Wisconsin, but it turns out Hong was just sued for more than $30,000 in credit card debt." PJM's Rick Moran wonders Is He Nuts? Sen. Sanders Wants to Take 50% of AI Profits to Create a Sovereign Wealth Fund. I'm surprised he didn't demand it all.

At News Wax, Trump Confirms Mass Rally, Scrapping US 250th Concerts and Trump Unveils Plan to Add 'Trump Promenade' to Lincoln Memorial. "Trump said the walkway would link the huge marble monument, built to commemorate Civil War-era president Abraham Lincoln, to the nearby Potomac River. "They want to call it the Trump Promenade," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he unveiled the project for the first time. "I don't know if I want to do that, but it's going to be beautiful." Reuters whines Trump signs order to make it easier to fire 8,000 federal workers. "The order, released by the White House and the Office of Personnel Management, strips job protections from a mostly senior group of federal workers earning up ​to almost $200,000 a year and who are deemed to be "influencing" government policy." James Thorne at RCP discourses on Bessent and the Hamilton Standard. "Like Hamilton before him, Bessent has stepped into an economy weakened by a long period of policies that, however well-intentioned, failed to serve the enduring interests of the American domestic economy."

PJM's Sarah Anderson approves, The President Endorses the Tiger, in Columbia. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair reads the WSJ: Putin's Losing His Oligarchs And Hawks Over Ukraine. Becky Noble at RedState records that Trump Admin Goes Over the Ayatollahs’ Heads With New Message to Iranians. "a new video put out by the State Department goes over the heads of Iranian dictators and speaks directly to the Iranian people, saying to them, "The Iranian people are not the problem. A leadership that fears openness and chooses confrontation over opportunity is the problem.""

Dave Strom says It Sure Looks Like SPLC Is Cooked, Sliced, Diced, and Served Up on a Platter. Sounds unappetizing, but I know what he means.

Josh Blackmun at the Volokh Conspiracy asks If Judge Ross's "Improper Sexual Activity" "Greatly Damage[s] [Her] Credibility as a Judge," Does That Satisfy the Standard for Impeachment? There are standards for impeachment? I thought it was whatever you could get away with.

From Ace, Black Jurors Struck from Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial Because They Admit They Don't Want to Send a "Brother," Even a Murderer, to Jail "So are we all just now interested in nothing more than advancing the interests of our particular race? Are you sure you want to do that? Because this current situation in which every race except whites gets to act ruthlessly and selfishly in its own tribal interests is unstable and will not last much longer."

The Annapolis Cap Gazette reports ICE barred from using Anne Arundel County-owned facilities. I hope Homan responds appropriately. Campus Reform hears NJ spends $8.2M to defend illegals from deportation, including through university law clinics.

Stephen Kruiser says Bari Weiss Came to Chew Gum and Shake Up CBS News and She Is SO Out of Gum. At Am Spec, Scott McKay sees 60 Minutes Is Burning. Bring Marshmallows. "The establishment journalists who once ruled CBS are suddenly learning what accountability feels like." At his substack Insty notes Scott Pelley Is Out. So What? "The demise of the news anchor as someone who matters." VodkaPundit at Insty responds YOU DON’T HAVE TO SELL ME ON IT, I ALREADY WANTED HIM GONE: Media Reporter: Pelley Firing May Trigger ’60 Minutes’ Exodus.

At Twitchy, Do NOT Forget This. EVER: Seb Gorka Comes Out Swinging at the Woke Right and It's a BEAUTIFUL Thing. Sebastian Gorka DrG @SebGorka, "The Truth about @megynkelly and @ShawnRyan762. They want to “unite” with those who hate America and call MAGA fascists. Do not forget this. Ever." Quote Britta | NoSoup4Knowles @nosoup4knowles, ""The line between LEFT and RIGHT is merging, there's something rising out of the MIDDLE of that" MEGYN KELLY loves Ana Kasparian and says there can be common ground between "the leftists who are not trying to cut off the body parts of our children and people on the right who are willing not to make 'you must fight with me to stop it'" a condition for unity."

Dave Strom sees As More Details Come Out About Nowak Murder, It Only Gets Worse; UPDATE—Konstantin Kisin Explains How Konstantin Kisin shares his thoughts on Youtube. Francis Turner compares The Martyrdom of Henry Nowak And the parallels with St George of Fentanyl. Sarah Hoyt at Insty notes MEANWHILE IN FORMERLY GREAT BRITAIN: "The Hampshire police have bravely decided to hide their entire website for foreigners. This includes the “Race Action PLan 2024-2026” which seems to have some bearing on the Henry Nowak case. Fortunately A FRIEND saved a copy yesterday that lost all the formatting but otherwise contains everything relevant. Click here to read the PDF and shine a light on these “brave” people." Concerned Citizen @BGatesIsaPyscho, "People are accusing the UK Police Force of being infected by Woke ideology. There were signs." Bonchie @bonchieredstate, "You want to know why UK police mocked, arrested, and left to die an innocent student while they treated his murderer’s false claims of “racism” as the highest priority? Because this is the system setup for policing in the UK." John Ʌ Konrad V @johnkonrad, "“Elon Musk is interfering with our politics and inciting division.” I don’t think he is mate." Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Member of Parliament Shabana Mahmood when it’s a black criminal who died of a drug overdose vs an innocent white guy George Floyd: “Regarding protests across the U.S… I share their anger at this unspeakable outrage.” Henry Nowak: “The scenes this evening are completely unacceptable. Those responsible can expect to face the full force of the law.” Unreal."

Herr Professor Jacobson at LI, on DEI discrimination: “trying to get it out is like trying to get soap out of a sponge” “… every time you squeeze it, you find more and more. At the Equal Protection Project, we’re trying to squeeze discrimination out of the system.” Aaron Hanscom at PJM, ‘Jews Eat Children’: Deranged Outburst or Growing Threat? Embrace the healing power of "and." The Chi Trib whines Some Republican governors are rebranding June with conservative alternatives to Pride.

Still more at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.04.26 (Afternoon Edition) and In The Mailbox: 06.04.26 (Evening Edition). The Wombat has and FMJRA 2.0: To The Winter Meetings up on time and under budget at The Other McCain.

Maryland, My Maryland

From Dan Greenfield at Front Page, Maryland Dems Panic After Sex Abuse Lawsuits Threaten to Bankrupt State ""We could never have anticipated the sheer volume of cases"

This is the very embodiment of corruption in the most evil kind of way. 

Maryland lawmakers passed a measure Saturday to try to limit future liabilities from claims of sexual abuse at state and private institutions after thousands of people unexpectedly came forward with allegations of abuse, many of them in youth detention centers, putting potentially billions of dollars at stake for the state.

The wave of cases targeting the state’s juvenile justice system resulted after Maryland eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims two years ago with the Catholic Church abuse scandal in mind.

In 2023, Maryland passed the Child Victims Act that was signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore lifting the time limit on how long people could wait to sue over alleged child sexual abuse by institutions.

“The passage of time will not prevent survivors from seeking justice for sexual abuse they suffered as children. I am proud of the role our office played in defending this landmark statute,” Attorney General Anthony Brown promised earlier this year

Now Maryland is rushing to gut the Child Victims Act because it’s not just the Catholic Church getting sued.

How long did it take Maryland Dems to rush the bill through shielding themselves? Two days.

The rapid-fire passage of House Bill 1378 — it got out of the House, through the Senate, back to the House and to the governor’s desk in just two days…

Two days. That’s how corrupt everyone involved in this.

C.T. Wilson, who introduced the Child Victims Act bill, then introduced a bill gutting the bill because the bill was getting too high.

The measure, which now goes to Gov. Wes Moore, reduces caps on settlements from $890,000 to $400,000 for cases filed after May 31 for state institutions and from $1.5 million to $700,000 for private institutions.

Note that the cap for government institutions is $400,000, but at $700,000 for private ones. Why is that?

I don't see this so much as corrupt as a case of unintended consequences. The intention was to get religion for it's sins of the past, but they couldn't do it without making the remedy available to all. Where they erred was to somehow expect that government workers, school teachers, social workers etc, etc, that come into contact with children were holier that actual priests. I expect someone will challenge the lower cap on government institutions on the basis of equal treatment under the law. They should win, but, then, this is Maryland. 

Flotsam and Jetsam - DOJ Retroactively Revoked Trump's Security Clearance

But first, at the Bay Journal they get around to noticing the Key Bridge salvage raises concerns about stirring toxic sludge. Of course it will happen, but will it matter with the rest of the toxic sludge that's constantly being resuspended in Baltimore Harbor? 

The Supreme Court heard arguments for and against presidential immunity as a shield from Trump's prosecution from Jack Smith in the J6 case, and by most reports reports it went well for Trump. Althouse highlights 6 quotes from today's oral argument in Trump v. United States. "I listened live and took some handwritten notes, so I could find various things in the transcript. Here are the 6 quotes that made the cut for me. All but one are from the Justices." From Twitchy, Justice Brett Kavanaugh Asks Why Barack Obama Was Never Prosecuted for droning an innocent American citizen. Collin Rugg@CollinRugg, "JUST IN: DOJ lawyer Michael Dreeben says it's perfectly fine for Obama to drone strike innocent civilians while arguing in favor of prosecuting Trump for "election interference." Remarkable." Also at Twitchy, Maybe the Supreme Court Should ‘Take a Walk:’ A Deep Dive Into Thursday’s Oral Arguments, a suggestion that the Supreme Court could stall until after the election to let things sort out. From the Victory Girls, Immunity Case – Ketanji Brown Jackson Not A Genius Either. Greg Price@greg_price11, "Justice Jackson gets embarrassed by Trump lawyer John Sauer when she tries to describe America where the president has immunity: “The regime you've described is the one we've operated under for over 234 years.”" Nicole Silvero at Da Caller, notes Turley Says SCOTUS Could Throw ‘Wrench’ Into Jack Smith’s Case Against Trump.

From Da Fed, Brianna Lyman has The 3 Most Shocking Discoveries Just Unsealed In Trump Classified Docs Case. "1. DOJ Allegedly Threatened Lawyer’s Judicial Nomination . . . 2. White House Allegedly Involved From The Start . . . 3. Trump’s Security Clearance Allegedly Retroactively Revoked . . . Biden’s Department of Energy also allegedly revoked Trump’s security clearance after Smith indicted Trump in June 2023, according to a 2024 motion to compel discovery from Trump’s lawyers posted on X by Kelly."

PJM's Vicky Taft thinks Democrats May Regret Trying Trump in N.Y. Court After His Latest Announcement. A rally at Madison Square Gardens? Jim Antle at Am Con, The Bragg ‘Interference’ Allegations Are Business as Usual "The furore (sic) around the case underlines how vague the concept of “election interference” is." It's illegal election interference for a Republican to try to win. At HE, The Trump prosecutors are still trying to litigate 2016. Jack Poso@JackPosobiec "Someone has to say it: The Democrats are putting Trump on trial for 'election fraud' so they can claim the 2016 election was stolen As they have always believed And they have the entire force of the state behind them."

PJM's Matt Margolis want you to WATCH: Roseanne Barr’s Epic Roast of E. Jean Carroll "I would never insult a sexual assault victim,” Barr said in reply to one criticism. "I was talking about E. Jean Carroll."

Hat Hair's KT is teed off that a Watchdog says Biden Administration Used Campaign Slogans in Official Communications. I thought their official communications were campaign slogans. Radar reports President Joe Biden Repeats Claim That He Was Once A Truck Driver, Despite Being Called Out For Fib, but he did drive a school bus for a while. Bob Hoge at RedState thinks it's a Shocker, the NY Times Absolutely Shreds Joe Biden for Hiding From the Media. 

Virginia Kruta at Da Wire notices Biden Rubs Americans’ Noses In The Fact That He’s Done Nothing On The Border Crisis. Leading Report@LeadingReport, "BREAKING: Nearly half of Democrats would support former President Trump’s plan for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants during his second presidential term, according to a new Axios/Harris poll." TNP reports another Illegal Arrested for Fatal Stabbing at Motel. Dave Strom at Hat Hair VIP, Sanctuary Cities Keep Releasing Sex Offenders to Avoid ICE Detainers.

Dave Harsanyi at Da Fed observes Joe Biden Just Promised America A Massive Tax Hike by threatening to repeal the 'Trump tax cut.' Steve Moore at Am Great explains Why Small Businesses Hate Bidenomics. "If the economy is so good, why do small business leaders feel so bad?" JT Young at Am Spec warns Could the Stock Market Burst Biden’s Bubble? "Bad economic policies may catch up with Biden’s elite supporters just in time for November." Ace, Unexpectedly, Dow Drops Over 600 Unexpected Points After GDP Unexpectedly Flatlines to Unexpectedly Low 1.6%. "Bidenomics, baby!"

At Hat Hair, Trump: Working Class King, College Encampments Crushed!

Tristan Justice at Da Fed, is pissed that After Selling Out GOP Voters On The Border, Mike Johnson Courts Democrats At Columbia University. At TNP Reheem Kassam wonders  What the Fuck is Mike Johnson Doing?  “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” At Da Fed, Shawn Fleetwood reports a North Carolina Democrat Claims County Officials Bribed Voters To Support His Primary Opponent and MD Kittle warns One Word In Your State Constitution Could Open Up Your Elections To Foreign Nationals.

Ace, Of Course: One of LA Soros DA George Gascon's Top Employees -- the Attorney "For Ethics and Integrity Operations" -- Illegally Accessed Police Files on Political Opponents. "How much degradation and brutalization by evil communists can this country withstand?" At CJ, The Deep-State Virus, "A recent book chronicles how critical theorists captured American intelligence agencies."

Capt. Ed at Hat Hair leery as Big Sister Returns: Criticism of My Work Is a Dire Threat to Democracy. At Hat Hair, Stephen A. Smith Forced Into Apology Over Pro-Trump Comments. "ESPN, Disney, or some other rogue actors have gotten ahold of Stephen A. Smith after his comments praising Donald Trump for telling the truth — and now he's been pressured into issuing a groveling apology to appease the powers that be."

Someone, likely George Soros and his get, appear to have decided to make the Isreal/Hamas war the the excuse for this year's long hot summer of protest. I think it's a poor choice, but it's what they have. Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair sees Pro-Hamas Protesters Attack NYPD Chief. Nick Arama at RedState has a Wild Video of NYU Protesters Chasing and Surrounding NYPD Shows How Out of Control Things Are Getting. Commissioner Reagan wouldn't allow it. At the Free Bacon, NYU Encampment Organizers Encourage Protesters To Join Pro-Hamas ‘Resistance Network’ "Resistance News Network functions as an unofficial mouthpiece for Hamas and other terrorist organizations." and Lawmakers Ask IRS To Probe Chinese Funding to Anti-Israel Protests  Capt. Ed comments A Hamas network? Wouldn't that make these groups affiliates of a State Dept-listed terror network? One has to wonder why the DoJ and DHS begun to deal with this as a national security/counter-terrorism issue. And for that matter, it sounds like a conspiracy of sorts, too, which would allow prosecutors to use RICO statutes to prosecute everyone involved. Hugh Fitzgerald at Front Page, At Yale, ‘Peaceful Protesters’ Hit Jewish Student in the Face with a Flagpole. Hahvahd Crimson reports Dean Dunne Warns of ‘Disciplinary Consequences’ for Participants in Harvard Encampment. Capt. Ed "Will this be a red line like Minouche Safik's at Columbia? I suspect so, given Harvard's lack of response to this nonsense over the last six months. But via Twitchy, they may be signaling a change . . . " Olivia Reingold at Freep is Camping Out at Columbia’s Communist Coachella "Ivy League activists, armed with melatonin gummies, gluten-free bread, and friendship bracelets, stand up against ‘the violent Zionist settler entity.’ "Insty cites RICH LOWRY: It’s Columbia 1968 — the antisemitic version. Bob Graboyes at Bastiat's Window says Columbia Delenda Est, "Destroy one university to salvage the rest." At Campus Reform, PERJURY? Pro-Hamas Columbia prof says he was never fired, claims President Shafik 'lied on the stand' "Pro-Hamas Columbia University Professor Mohamed Abdou says he was never fired and accused the school's president of lying." Capt. Ed, "Well, someone's lying. Congress should immediately subpoena the personnel records to determine who's lying and who's telling the truth. If Shafik lied, then Congress can issue a contempt citation and demand that Merrick Garland prosecute it, as well as a perjury charge. At that point, though ...." Spencer Brown at TownHall, Pro-Hamas Students Set Up Another Camp... but This Jewish Student Isn't Cowering. Hat Hair's KT, Chaos: Pro-Hamas Protesters at Emory University Clash with Police. Sarah Dogon at Front Page, UIUC’s Department of Latino Studies Endorses ‘Jew Hatred.’ “We know a free Palestine is only possible through queer, racial, gender, reproductive, and environmental justice.” From Breitbart, Elite Universities Breed the New Hitler Youth and Netanyahu Blasts Antisemitism on U.S. Campuses: ‘Like Germany in the 1930s’. Ilya Shapiro at CJ says Abolish Anti-Semitic Student Groups. "The government may prohibit even nonviolent “material support” for terrorist organizations, including legal support and other advice, without violating the First Amendment." Insty, TOM COTTON IS RIGHT. AGAIN: The Russian word “pogrom” refers to an organized effort to displace Jewish populations from the spaces in which they reside by force. That is precisely what we’ve seen on far too many college campuses since the October 7 attack." At his substack, Insty writes Education Apocalypse Now? "The Ivy League Hits An Iceberg." Finally, from the The Babylon Bee@TheBabylonBee, "Palestine Protester Tries To Argue With Skinhead But They Just Agree On Everything https://buff.ly/40lMpHa."

Mike LaChance at LI is outraged when a MA Middle School Responds to Trans Student’s Threats of Violence With Anti-Bias Training, ‘Empathy’ for the Student. “The district placed a higher priority on the transgender student’s comfort than the safety of 40 other individuals.” Beege Welborn calls it the Face of Farcical Wokeness: Respecting a 16-Year-Old Runaway's Pronouns. Misty Severt at JTN reports DeSantis says Florida will not abide by new Title IX changes aimed at transgender inclusion. "The Department of Education expanded the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity and pregnancy on Friday, and reinstituted protections for students who have survived sexual assault." The Free Bacon, At 'Women for Sherrod Brown' Event, Progressive Hosts Slam Trump and 'Heteronormal Men'. So, he's queer? From Da Wire, How The Biden Admin Enables Government Employees To Change Genders. "Biden admin publishes guides on how to help workers 'transition,' warns that misgendering could be fireable offense." Kay Hymowitz at CJ discourses on The Pyrrhic Victory of “Gender Identity”. "By obscuring the definition of “women,” the Biden administration’s new Title IX rules undermine the very people whom the law was intended to help."

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: No Joy In The North up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Maryland, My Maryland

At the Balmer Sun  Maryland approves $4M UMBC sexual abuse, harassment settlement

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved a $4.1 million settlement to former University of Maryland, Baltimore County student-athletes who were sexually abused and harassed by the school’s former swim coach.

The U.S. Department of Justice will determine the settlement amount allotted to each individual. UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby said that the former athletes will receive either $60,000 or $180,000, and that no student activities, services or academic programs will be affected by the settlement.

“Students at UMBC today will not pay for the misconduct of the past,” Sheares Ashby said at Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting.

Rignal Baldwin V, an attorney representing six former UMBC swimmers who filed suit together against the school, told The Baltimore Sun in a phone interview that he signed up to speak on behalf of his clients before the Board of Public Works on Wednesday, but was not provided the opportunity.

Baldwin also said that he only learned of how the $4.1 million would be split between his six clients at Wednesday’s meeting. It’s now up to his clients to decide whether they want to move forward in the courts or accept the settlement.

“Their choice is to be fair to these kids or subject themselves to years of our scrutiny, and I’m happy either way,” Baldwin said of the university. “But my clients aren’t. They want this to be over.” 
. . .
The Department of Justice conducted a three-year investigation, ultimately finding last month that UMBC had violated Title IX, a federal law prohibiting gender discrimination in education, in its handling of former swim coach Chad Cradock’s behavior. Cradock died by suicide in 2021.

Comptroller Brooke Lierman, who said at Wednesday’s meeting that she survived sexual assault while in college, read excerpts from the report, detailing unwanted sexual touch and inappropriate sexual comments made to male students by Cradock between 2015 and 2020, as well as several instances where members of the university’s athletic department — including Cradock — neglected to report intimate partner violence between male and female teammates to the university’s Title IX office.

“As one student stated: ‘It became clear he would rather let a woman die than report up one of his favorites,’” Lierman read.

FWIW, our younger son Alex graduated from UMBC. But he was never involved in athletics there. 

Flotsam and Jetsam - Bad News Biden

 Stacy McCain on electoral Viagra, ‘If You Experience an Erection Lasting More Than Four Hours …’ ". . . blame the latest New York Times poll." Insty, DON’T GET COCKY, but W. Joseph Campbell@ wjosephcampbell "Two new national #polls show Trump up +4 in prexy election matchup w/Biden @NYTimes-Siena has Trump ahead, 48-44 (980 likely voters); @Forbes-HarrisX has Trump in lead, 52-48 (3,021 registered voters) Biden not led @RCPolitics poll avg since Sept." Roger Kimball at Am Great gas an Election Countdown: Trump Surges in Swing States Amid Legal Turmoil "The election is eight months away. The Democrats will not be sitting by idly.  They have a country to ruin and power to maintain, and they are not going to let up on Trump." At Fox, Trump leads Biden among Hispanics, registered voters overall: poll "46% of Hispanics said they would vote for Trump, while 40% said they would support Biden." From Althouse,  "Voters Doubt Biden’s Leadership and Favor Trump, Times/Siena Poll Finds." and Batya Ungar-Sargon was terrific on Bill Maher's "Real Time" last Friday. Corey Uhden@CACoreyU. "The best part of @bungarsargon analysis is it gives the working class their own space, separate from the base of each party. The Democrats lost the white working class, and could be losing nonwhite voters, but Republicans are only renting that support themselves." I heard someone say, and I forget where, that minorities support Trump, not Republicans in general. That might be true. At Breitbart, Maher: Trump’s Abortion, Immigration Stances Are What Democrats Used to Support. Da Caller,  ‘It’s Class Warfare’: Newsweek Editor Says Biden Is Hemorrhaging Blue Collar Votes. 'Bonchie' at Red State reports Desperate Libs Go Full Cross-Tab Truther After Major Poll Shows Disaster for Joe Biden. "It's hilarious to see the tables turned like this. It wasn't that long ago that it was Republicans who were trying to "un-skew" polls, insisting that because of weighting biases and sampling errors, victory was still around the corner. How do I know? Because like most conservative commentators (and probably many of you), I fell victim to the same cope."

NEWSMAX@NEWSMAX, "BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump has won Missouri's Republican caucuses, one of three events Saturday that will award delegates for the GOP presidential nomination. MORE: https://bit.ly/4bSInLT" AP has the sads as Trump wins caucuses in Missouri and Idaho and sweeps Michigan GOP convention. Yahoo! Key takeaways from Trump's Saturday wins in Missouri, Michigan and Idaho. ET has 5 Takeaways From Trump’s March 2 Triumphs. Hat Hair's Jazz Shaw claims to know What Nikki Haley Should (Could) Have Said. If I were in the hypothetical position of advising her, allow me to queue up a proposal of the approach she should have taken. "I offered the voters an alternative, but it's clear that the base has made its choice. And yet, this is an uncertain situation. Given the frontrunner's age and pending legal issues, things may not go as expected. And while I'm suspending my campaign, I will stand by and be available to lead the party to victory if he is unavailable." That's all it would have taken." Never-Anybody-but-Trump sundance at CTH says that Facing Irrelevance David McIntosh and Club for Growth Reverse Course, Now Support MAGA and Trump. So they know which way the wind blows.

Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN reports on how Election lawsuits from both left and right are shaping the 2024 presidential election "A Delaware court has ruled that state laws allowing for permanent absentee voting and early voting violate the state constitution. Lawfare has become a nationwide political tactic." Great, but Republicans won't win Delaware. Kari Lake to Newsmax: Basic Voting Laws Imperiled in US. "A federal judge ruled a new Arizona law requiring voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship is not discriminatory, and Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake told Newsmax it’s absurd it takes a court ruling to affirm that only American citizens can vote in elections."

Mark Halperin to Newsmax: No Secret Plan to Replace Biden. I assume that means there is one. Mediaite reports Dr Phil Challenges Joe Biden To Take a Cognitive Test And Prove He Has ‘Nothing To Hide’. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair comments "Depending on the poll, somewhere between two-thirds and nine-tenths of the American public think Biden's already too old for the job. An independent cognitive test would settle the question ... and that's why Biden and the White House would never agree to it." Jazz Shaw at Hat Hair notes Biden Fails to Distinguish Ukraine From Gaza. Fox Business reports McCarthy details what Biden's really like behind closed doors: 'Sticks to the cards'. From Da Caller, ‘Americans Hate That Sh*t’: Bill Maher Says ‘Nobody’s Buying’ That Biden Is Fit For Office, but many Democrats don't care. “Just admit it. Say, ‘Yes, I’m bad with names and I walk like a toddler with a full diaper. But I believe in democracy.'”  Althouse says Bill Maher makes an effort to satirize Joe Biden. It's not very funny, but it happened.

 At RedState Mike Miller hears Biden Campaign Co-Chair Make Incredibly Insensitive Comments About Laken Riley Murder, Illegal Aliens and Biden's Intentional Illegal Alien Invasion Set to Surpass 8 Million People by October and Bob Hoge hears a Former Border Patrol Chief Drops Reality Bomb: ‘President Biden Completely Destroyed Border Security’. Charlotte Hazzard at JTN, Ted Cruz says Democrats see illegal immigrants as potential voters, won't shut down border "The only way to change this is to elect Donald Trump as president, to elect a Senate majority," Cruz said." Sarah Arnold at TownHall, notes Eric Adams Says Giving Pre-Paid Credit Cards to Illegal Migrants Is 'Smart' and a 'Real Win.'

Jazz Shaw again, Biden: I 'Did Not Interact' With Hunter and Jim's Foreign Business Partners. PJM's Matt Margolis thinks it's Huge: Joe Biden Contradicts Hunter Biden's Testimony. Will the FBI go after Hunter for perjury? 

Nick Arama again, Closing Arguments in Fani Willis Disqualification Hearing Do Not Go Well For Her and Fani Willis and Nathan Wade Now Facing Trouble With the Georgia State Bar. At Althouse, "The legal arguments of Mr. Trump and his allies were advanced by a lineup of veteran defense lawyers who seemed quite at ease..." "... while [Adam Abbate, a prosecutor in District Attorney Fani Willis’s office] had a more halting, and at times fumbling, presentation, relying more on his recitation of precedent and case law. Regardless, Judge McAfee will be more interested in the substance of the legal questions, rather than the delivery style. He said after the arguments that he would rule within two weeks...." Twitchy, 'OH MY GOD!' Trump Roasts DA Fani Willis in Campaign Speech (You've GOTTA Watch This). Da Caller, Judge Indicates He Will Rule On Fani Willis Disqualification Within 2 Weeks. 

Sundance is disgusted that Jack Smith Asks DC Judge Boasberg to Decide What Trump Classified Doc Evidence to Show Florida Judge. Boasberg is head of the FISA court, has appeared numerous time here in regard to various "Russiagate" aspects, and gives every indication of being strongly prejudiced against Trump. "If you ever needed a good point to highlight the nature of political Lawfare, this is a great example. Julie Kelly essentially notes that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is asking DC Judge James Boasberg to decide what evidence should be given to Florida Judge Aileen Cannon. Julie Kelly (Via Twitter) – “It appears that records related to the grand jury proceedings in DC on the classified docs case remain under seal and have not been transmitted to Judge Cannon or defense."

Jazz Shaw isn't the only person to wonder Will J6 Defendants Have Their Sentences Reduced? after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against one of the ways J6 prosecutors sought enhanced sentences.

From Da Wire, Left-Wing Ex-Federal Prosecutor: First Amendment Makes U.S. ‘Vulnerable’, Harder To ‘Regulate Speech’ "The Friday remarks from former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade on MNSBC came while she was discussing a book that she wrote about “disinformation.”" From Bastiat's Window, A.I. and Community (Double) Standards "Political bias? What political bias?"

I mentioned in last week’s article that I enjoy introducing anachronism into my artwork. Hence, I sought to see how a long-dead Victorian caricaturist might handle Donald Trump and Joe Biden. So, I asked the AI platform Midjourney to do both. First, I requested, “Donald Trump pen-and-ink caricature, drawn in the style of John Tenniel.” The result, shown here, was quite good. It employed a reasonable facsimile of Tenniel’s cross-hatched, pen-and-ink style and produced four immediately recognizable and highly expressionate renderings of Donald Trump in different moods. “Success,” I thought.

Then, I issued an identical request to Midjourney, replacing “Donald Trump” with “Joe Biden”: “Joe Biden pen-and-ink caricature, drawn in the style of John Tenniel.” The image didn’t appear in my feed, so I figured I had done something wrong. I tried again. Still nothing. Then, I noticed that no images appeared because Midjourney had, instead, sent me a message titled: “Banned prompt detected”  . . . 

 Stacy McCain, again, Let’s Talk About Things That Never Happen, According to Mainstream Media

Why will you never hear April Bradford’s name mentioned on CNN? Because she is something that the liberal media wishes us to believe is non-existent. April Bradford is a lesbian child molester:

A former Floyd County educator was sentenced Thursday to three-and-a-half years in prison for crimes involving the sexual assault of minors while she was their coach and teacher, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced. April Bradford, 51, of Weeksbury, pleaded guilty on November 30 to eight counts of sodomy third degree and 11 counts of sex abuse first degree, a news release from Coleman said. Coleman’s office prosecuted the case. As part of her guilty plea, Bradford admitted to sexually abusing two minors between 1997 and 2007, both of whom she held a position of authority over as their coach and teacher during the victims’ middle and high school years.

 Hat Hair's John Sexton is happy to reports University of Florida Fired All of Its DEI Staff "As a result of the changes, 13 full-time positions were eliminated, administrative appointments have ended for 15 members of faculty and $5M in funds will be reallocated, the university confirmed to CNN." It's a start. 

Flotsam and Jetsam - FBI Raided Biden Center, Hunter Demanded Nude Facetime with Aide

Another thing they "forgot" to tell us. Even Sauron's Eye now admits FBI searched the Penn Biden Center in mid-November "The FBI searched the Penn Biden Center offices in mid-November, according to two sources familiar with the investigation, after lawyers for President Biden had found about 10 documents marked classified there on Nov. 2. The material originated from Mr. Biden's time as vice president. It is not clear whether FBI personnel found any additional classified or presidential material during the mid-November sweep." Remember, when they "swept" the Delaware house, they found documents they lawyers had missed, so it's likely they did." At PJ Media Matt Margolis calls it a BOMBSHELL: White House Misled Public About FBI Search of Penn Biden Center, as does 'Bonchie' at Red State, BOMBSHELL: FBI Searched the Penn Biden Center in November, White House Misled the Public. Spencer Brown at Town Hall, Biden Caught in Another Classified Document Cover-Up. Diana Glebova at Da Caller, FBI Searched Biden’s Think Tank After Discovery Of Classified Docs. Capt. Ed at Haut Hare, Surprise! FBI searched Penn Biden Center in November. "So much for all the “transparency” that the White House keeps claiming in Joe Biden’s classified-material scandal." Ace, Biden Cover Story on Classified Documents Blows Up; FBI Searched His Penn Offices Back in November, Not Just His Lawyers As He's Claimed. "Apparently Biden's search of his offices wasn't entirely a matter of his own doing, as he's repeatedly claimed. He and his paid liars keep claiming that Biden is making disclosures voluntarily. But when the FBI is going through your stuff, most would say that you're not acting entirely according to your own whims."

And more leakage  Hunter's business life. Across da pond at Da Mail claims an EXCLUSIVE: 'Set phone up so I can spy on you showering.' Hunter Biden threatened to withhold cash-strapped assistant's pay if she didn't FaceTime him naked, texts show - as it's revealed she's the FOURTH employee with whom he had a sexual relationship. Classy guy, a chip off the old block! At PM, REVEALED: Hunter Biden paid assistant for virtual sex shows. "If we FT the rule has to be no talk of anything but sex and we must be naked and we have to do whatever the other person asks within reason." And just what is within reason to Hunter? From Twitchy, Daily Mail: Hunter Biden threatened to withhold assistant’s pay if she didn’t FaceTime him naked. 

More seriously, via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 01.31.23 the The Geller Report: EMAIL BOMBSHELL – Hunter Biden Offered to Sell Intelligence on Russia To Alcoa Inc. for $55,000. Seriously, is that something you think a crack-head might do? The Victory Girls think Hunter Biden E-mail Raises More Suspicion. And from Ace, Hunter Biden's ChiCom-Connected "Art Dealer" Lawyers Up, Won't Commit to Testifying Before Congress. "The most corrupt family in America." WaPoo worried about poor Hunter's growing legal bills, Hunter Biden’s allies weigh legal-defense fund for president’s son, "With Hunter Biden facing GOP investigations and financial challenges, his circle contemplates an option that carries risks and sensitivities."

John Podhoretz at NYPo, Biden’s base: Why he won’t end the COVID ‘emergency’ for months "So what gives here? What’s with the three months? It’s simple. This is not about an emergency, and it hasn’t been for more than a year. This is about the people who have actually gained things from the emergency and who need to be weaned off the unhealthy and society-killing benefits they have reaped since March 2020." Sundance at CTH, says Biden Continues Playing Politics with COVID Emergency – House Votes to End it, Senate will Ignore. Need a new emergency? Da Caller reports Biden Admin Considers Declaring A Public Health Emergency Over Abortion. "The HHS believes it has the authority to declare a public emergency, but it is only one of many options on the table, according to Becerra, who argued there was an ongoing “reproductive health crisis” since Roe v. Wade was overturned." Ben Whedon at JTN McConnell derides Biden judicial nominee for failing to answer basic legal questions, a "judge" who didn't know what Article 2 of the Constitution was, for example. Matt Vespa at Town Hall notes A Top Dem Offered This Defense for a Biden Nominee Stumped By Basic Questions. It's Not Good. “The honest answer is, there aren’t many members of the Judiciary Committee who can answer all those questions,” Durbin said. Kennedy's response to all of this was on point: "If you want to be an auto mechanic, you gotta know what a spark plug is.” 'Bonchie' again, Joe Biden Goes Full Creeper on a Reporter, Makes Absolutely No Sense. He's just a touchy-feely guy, like his son. Fox, Biden mocked for repeating debunked Amtrak story once again: 'This is disturbing stuff' "President's factually impossible Amtrak tale repeated at least half a dozen times during his presidency." It's not a lie if you believe it! John Hinderacker at Power Line notes Biden wants to Electrify Everything, But Without Copper as he shields 225,000 of acres of potential copper and nickel ores from use. At Victory Girls, Democrats Worried They’re Stuck With Kamala. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. 

Capt. Ed cites NBC: Trump 2024 fundraising off to a *really* slow start. At Althouse "Mr. Bragg’s decision to impanel a grand jury focused on the hush money — supercharging the longest-running criminal investigation into Mr. Trump..." "Over the course of the investigation into Mr. Trump, the hush money payment was discussed within the district attorney’s office with such regularity that prosecutors came to refer to it as the 'zombie theory' — an idea that just won’t die.... " Dana Loesch observes Trump Attacks DeSantis For Following His Advice, *UPDATE: DeSantis Responds. KT at Haut Hare, Judge dismisses lawsuit over DeSantis migrant flight to Martha's Vineyard. WaPoo whines DeSantis aims to cut college diversity efforts; New College ousts president and Hide your books to avoid felony charges, Fla. schools tell teachers.  From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 01.31.23 at Legal Insurrection, Oklahoma State Superintendent Wants to Know What Public Universities are Spending on DEI, and DeSantis Takes Wrecking Ball To “Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion” Bureaucracy In Florida Public Universities Rod Dreher at Am Con calls DeSantis the Scourge Of Wokeness "It's on! Florida governor announces plan to defund DEI and CRT bureaucracies at state universities." WaPoo, Haley plans to announce presidential run, as GOP race starts slowly. She ticks their boxes.

Jazz Shaw at Haut Hare has a poll, Gallup: the biggest problem facing America is its own government. About right. KT, Mitch Daniels takes a pass on running for the Senate in 2024. Dan Chaitin at Da Wire, Senate Democrats Threaten ‘Hard Look’ At Durham Inquiry. They must think he's still a danger. 

Nice Deb at Am Great reports Arizona’s Democrat Secretary of State Asks Democrat AG to Investigate Republican Kari Lake For Campaign Violations, for publishing unmatched signatures. WaPoo whines GOP report shows plan to ramp up focus on disproven election fraud claims "The report prepared by the Republican National Committee proposes expanding ‘election integrity’ activities in response to perceptions of a rigged process."

At LI, Mary Chastain, Jury Acquits Pro-Life Activist Mark Houck of Federal Assault Charges at Abortion Clinic, "I also wondered what happened with the juror dismissed this morning. Houk’s attorney said the juror didn’t participate in the deliberations, so they brought in an alternate. An hour later…not guilty. Suspicious juror right there." At Fox, Pro-life activist Mark Houck details shocking Planned Parenthood encounter following acquittal. "A SWAT team raided the Houck's home in front of his wife and 7 children." Nice Deb, Pennsylvania Jury Finds Pro-Life Activist NOT GUILTY on Biden Regime’s FACE Act Charges. Sundance, Must Watch – Mark Houck Recounts the Story of His Fight Against Evil Enterprise and the DOJ. Jazz Shaw notes a Judge rules on people who posted SBF's bail, but not anytime soon. 

At Da Signal, Missouri Schools Took Kids to a Drag Show Without Informing Parents. AG Bailey Is Working to Prevent It From Happening Again. Victory Girls think Woke Salon at Stage II over “Grooming”. Matt Margolis at PJ Media, Still Need Proof of LGBT Grooming in Schools? No, not really. At Twitchy, Ryan Long stunningly and bravely reveals ‘the harassment men have to deal with at the gym.’ David Strom at Haut Hare notes GAO going after school dress codes. Making a federal case of it.

Cutie Pavlich at Town Hall, Biden Sent McCarthy a Staff Memo to Negotiate the Debt Ceiling. It Did Not Go Well.  Fox, Speaker McCarthy responds to Biden's debt ceiling jab ahead of their meeting. Kevin McCarthy@SpeakerMcCarthy "Mr. President: I received your staff’s memo. I’m not interested in political games. I’m coming to negotiate for the American people." Rusty Weiss at PI observes CNN Gives Schiff, Swalwell, and Omar an Entire Panel to Continue Their Committee Removal Whining Tour. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 01.31.23  Weasel Zippers, Ilhan Omar Insinuates GOP Is Racist For Attempting To Remove Her From Committee. At Da Fed, Dave Harsanyi snarks Local Congresswoman Accidentally Spends A Decade Being An Antisemite. John Sexton at Haut Hare notes Rep. Santos will recuse himself from committee assignments, for the sin of trying to outdo Joe Biden at self-serving lies.

At Da Fed, Emily Jashinsky reiterates New Emails Suggest Twitter Misled Public On ‘Hamilton 68’ Data Pushing Russia Hoax. Mike Dougherty at NRO (cited at Haut Hare) wonders Where is the conservative outrage over Hamilton 68?. Capt. Ed, "I’d guess that the conservative reaction is just beginning. Republicans have control of the House and are likely to include this in their probe of the weaponization of government. We should see a more robust reaction at that point. Also, there may be some caution to make sure the Right doesn’t get too far out over its skis first." Roger Kimball at Spec World (also cited at Haut Hare), takes on The fake think tank that fueled the Russiagate narrative "Hamilton 68 marks a new chapter in politically motivated disinformation." Capt. Ed, "Here we are indeed, and with the same media mouthpieces still trying to breathe life into corpse of that fraud. Don’t believe me? Take a look around and see how many mainstream media outlets are correcting previous reporting that relied on Hamilton 68. If it takes more than one hand to count, I’ll eat mushrooms — and you know how much I hate mushrooms." From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 01.31.23, at Twitchy,  WHOA: #GoogleLeaks tells #TwitterFiles to hold its beer with bombshell-filled thread. "Could Google be even worse than Twitter?" Of course they're worse than Twitter was. At Da Caller, Major News Outlets Say They’re Ditching Objectivity In The Name Of ‘Diversity’. That ship sailed a long, long time ago. At Your Daily Don Surber, Tinfoil hat media. 

KBJ Nomination Hearings In the Books

The final day did not feature the famous black woman(?) herself, it was given to the committee to call experts to praise or damn her. NPR, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings: What happened Thursday. It appears to be all over but the grumbling (and actual voting) as, from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.25.22, Mary Chastain at LI reports Manchin Will Vote to Confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to SCOTUS, "Haven’t heard from any Republicans who will vote for her but I bet Mitt Romney will do it." and Herr Professor Jacobsen notes Ben Sasse a “No” On Ketanji Brown Jackson, "All eyes turn to Murkowski, Collins, and Romney as to whether there will be a 50-50 split, with resulting constitutional chaos as to whether VP Harris can cast a tiebreaker vote on a Supreme Court nomination." Fox, McConnell says he will oppose Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court, "McConnell said he made the decision after watching Jackson's 'performance this week'", but not do everything in his power to block it.  So, as Althouse declares "Unless Sinema wigs out..." "Unless Sinema wigs out, that's it. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be joining the Supreme Court. The only question is whether Collins, Murkowski, Romney and maybe a couple of others will do the right thing.". Fox, Manchin backs Biden Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, "Senate could confirm Jackson as soon as early April."  I think the Republicans could hold her in the committee, as long as the Senate remains 50:49 Republican thanks to the temporary? loss of the Senator from New Mexico to a stroke, and even when he's back, it's an open question if the Veep can cast a tie breaking vote on a nomination. But we probably won't find out due to Collins, Murkowski and Romney. 

The grumbling continues. At USA Today, Scott Gerber The Constitution won't interpret itself. Ketanji Brown Jackson owes us an answer on her judicial philosophy. I suspect she'll bend to however she needs to get to the 'progressive' goals. For I&I it's a A Big ‘No’ On Ketanji Brown Jackson. At Am Think Anthony Mee thinks Ketanji Brown Jackson is a Trojan Horse. Joe Klein at Front Page says Judge Jackson is A Big Win for the Radical Left. Ken Sondik at Am Spec, Ketanji Brown Jackson Misstates the Law — Again, "During her testimony, the nominee doubled down on her bogus Make the Road New York argument." Breitbart finds a Law Professor who says KBJ’s Vague ‘Judicial Philosophy’ Leaves Door Open for Expansion of ‘Governmental Power,’ Erosion of ‘Liberty.’ At Am Spec Jeff Lord asks buwudif  If Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Were Judge Candace Owens, "The liberal plantation would be enraged." News Max, GOP Opposition to Jackson on Supreme Court Grows. Rick Moran at PJ Media, Cruz Calls Out Durbin for Running Interference for Judge Jackson, by preventing Republicans from seeing pre-sentencing reports on the pedophile offenders.

Ace's Quick Hit

The hearings highlight moment, of course, was when Sen Marsh Blackburn asked KJB if she could define  "woman" and KJB responded, no, "not it this context. I'm not a biologist." Byron York at WaEx does a pretty good job of explaining her dilemma, in  Democrats, Judge Jackson, and the 'woman' problem. Who does she offend, most women or progressives?

Blackburn was ready for Jackson's dodge. "So you believe the meaning of the word 'woman' is so unclear and controversial that you can't give me a definition?" she asked. "Senator, in my work as a judge, what I do is I address disputes," Jackson explained. "If there's a dispute about a definition, people make arguments, and I look at the law, and I decide, so I'm not — "

"The fact that you can't give me a straight answer about something so fundamental as what a woman is underscores the danger of the kind of progressive education that we are hearing about," Blackburn responded. Her point was made.

Mike Davis, who has taken part in a lot of confirmations, wondered why Jackson didn't say something like this: "Of course I understand what the word 'woman' means in everyday life and meaning, but there are legal issues that could come before the court, Title IX or Title VII cases, so I just have to be careful." Instead, Jackson balked at giving any definition of "woman" and suggested that only academically trained experts could do so.

This, of course, is a dynamite issue for Republicans, who can now expect to ask every Democrat running for office, and some that aren't "Can you define woman?" Roger L. Simon at ET,  Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Big Lie to Sen. Blackburn Exposes Progressivism. Via the Wombat, Transterrestrial Musings:  What Is A Woman?, and Coffee Again and Victory Girls: Judge Jackson & The Progressive War On Women. At NYPo, ‘Disqualifying’ words from Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kyle Sammin at Da Fed wonders How Can Ketanji Brown Jackson Rule In Sex Discrimination Cases If She Can’t Define ‘Woman’? At Da Caller, Nicole Silverio  observes Tulsi Gabbard Rips ‘Hypocrisy And Absurdity’ Of SCOTUS Nominee’s Inability To Define ‘Woman’. Spencer Brown at Town Hall highlights a Hot Mic Catching School Board Member Asking to 'Set Marsha Blackburn on Fire', presumably for asking KJB such a loaded question.

Everything is going swimmingly

Other issues include her apparent softness on crime as evidenced by her defense of Gitmo detainees and her light sentences for child porn offenders. At Am Great, Josh Hammer On Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Terrible Judgment, "There is not much worse than a Supreme Court justice with a soft spot for mollycoddling pedophiles—a position Jackson has actually held since law school." Matt Margolis at PJ Media, Child Porn Offender Who Got Lenient Sentence From Ketanji Jackson Continued to Seek Images of Children. WaPoo, Wesley Hawkins, talk of the Jackson hearings, describes life after pornography sentence, a very sympathetic profile. At Twitchy, Washington Post looks into man’s life after his child pornography sentence from Ketanji Brown Jackson, viewers aren't as kind. 

Dan Greenfield at Front Page, Ketanji Brown Jackson's Favorite Critical Race Theory Book Rejects the Constitution, "A judge who does not believe in the Constitution, but believes in critical race theory, is unfit.

And some good news on Justice Thomas, Clarence Thomas released from hospital after week of absence from high court. JTN, Clarence Thomas released from hospital after week-long stay