Election 2020: QAnon Disappoints the Media

The fact that QAnon disappointed the QAnon conspiracy theorists by not showing up at the Capitol on March 4 continues to dominate the conversation. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.05.21 (Morning Edition),Twitchy: QAnon Theorists Get It Completely Wrong On March 4 “Insurrection”, Claim It’s Still Happening & LOL. Paul Mirengoff at Power Line, Threat to Capitol was a “mirage” 

Was there a reasonable basis to fear an attack? The Post says that the fear was based on predictions by some Trump supporters that the former president would return to power on March 4, which used to be Inauguration Day.

But was there any reason to believe that Trump supporters would commemorate this supposed event by storming the Capitol? I doubt it.

The January 6 storming occurred after Trump called on his supporters to come to Washington. The idea was to exert pressure on Mike Pence and others as the election results were about to be certified (although I don’t think there’s evidence that Trump envisaged a storming of the Capitol). Trump was in Washington that day and delivered a speech to his supporters.

None of these elements was present yesterday. Trump did not call on supporters to come to D.C. Trump himself was in Florida and gave no speech, as far as I know. Congress was engaged in no activity affecting the outcome of the 2020 election.

Were Trump supporters coming to Washington in large numbers? Nothing in the Post’s report suggests that they were. Thus, it seems that the show of force was a response to an imaginary threat.

At the PM,  Democrats used a March 4 'QAnon attack' to justify a military occupation of Washington DC—it never happened. Ace reports Democrat Sits Bravely on Capitol Steps to "Send a Message" to QAnon and Various Other Groups Which Are Not Planning an Armed Insurrection, "Bravely risking nothing at all, sitting behind tall razor-topped fences and National Guardsmen armed with M-16's.

And speaking of Congressmen who literally sleep with the enemy, Capt. Ed at Hot Hair, “A Direct And Forseeable Consequence”: Swalwell Sues Trumps, Giuliani, Brooks Over Capitol Riot; UPDATE: Discovery, Wonders NYT?. Ace, LOL: Eric Fang-Bang Swalwell Sues Trump, Claiming Trump Gave Him "Severe Emotional Distress" This sashaying ponce also says he's "prepared himself for hand-to-hand combat."

From the Guardian via MSN, A few rightwing 'super-spreaders' fueled bulk of election falsehoods, study says. "The Big Lie" is the new Big Lie. 

Ann Althouse notices an article by Gleen Grenwald, “As the Insurrection Narrative Crumbles, Democrats Cling to it More Desperately Than Ever.”  A new piece from Glenn Greenwald.

Perhaps the most significant blow to the maximalist insurrection/coup narrative took place inside the Senate on Thursday. Ever since January 6, those who were not referring to the riot as a “coup attempt” — as though the hundreds of protesters intended to overthrow the most powerful and militarized government in history — were required to refer to it instead as an “armed insurrection.” This formulation was crucial not only for maximizing fear levels about the Democrats’ adversaries but also, as I’ve documented previously, because declaring an “armed insurrection” empowers the state with virtually unlimited powers to act against the citizenry. Over and over, leading Democrats and their media allies repeated this phrase like some hypnotic mantra... 

And from Gleen's Twitter, 

And predictably -- just as happened during the Cold War, Oklahoma City, & 9/11 attack -- FBI is now using the threat of "insurrectionists" and "domestic terrorism" to justify greater surveillance powers. That's why exaggerating the threat is so dangerous.

Breitbart, National Guard Requested at Capitol for Two More Months. Is two months to flatten the opposition like two weeks to flatten the curve? Via the Wombat's  In The Mailbox: 03.05.21 (Evening Edition), the Victory Girls, Russel Honore Recommends Quick Reaction Force For Capitol Hill. A new Praetorian Guard, properly vetted of course, no conservatives need apply. Jordan Davidson at Da Fed, Pelosi’s Left-Wing Security Czar Demands More Fencing, More Troops, And More Money For Capitol ‘Security’ . Slso from from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.05.21 (Morning Edition), Weasel Zippers FBI’s Wray Bizarrely Claims Conservative Groups Behind ‘Most’ BLM/Antifa Riots…. Natalie Winters at TNP, Petition To Stop Capitol Hill Fence Hits 25,000 Signatures.. also from AIR TV, Peter Strzok Suggests Trump’s ‘Explicit Bias’ Prevented FBI.

Eric Lundrum at Am Great, FBI Confirms No Firearms Were Found During January 6th Capitol Protests, LI, FBI Official Tells Senate No One ‘Recovered’ Guns During Capitol Hill Riots. Worst "armed insurrection" ever. 

Julie Kelly at Am Great tells the story of A Family on Trial for January 6 "The Justice Department, which acts more like a consigliere for the Democratic Party than an impartial enforcer of the rule of law, wants to ruin the Cua family and send a message to others", while the WaPoo whines that Federico Klein, a Trump appointee in the State Department, arrested in Capitol riot probe, FBI says. Meanwhile TNP reports 1 In 3 BLM/AntiFa Rioters Are Having Their Cases Dismissed By Biden’s Dept Of Justice. And from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.05.21 (Morning Edition), Weasel Zippers, Biden* Justice Dept Quietly Dismissing Hundreds Of Cases Against BLM/Antifa Rioters… Sometimes assaulting Federal officers and trying to burn Federal buildings isn't so bad after all. As long as it's done in the name of a dead junky.

And then there's HR. 1, Nancy Pelosi's plan to take over the world. The Big Monkey at Ace's Morning Rant

Let's see what's in this poisonous, 800-page long "For the People" bill, H.R. 1, the House Democrats have succeeded in passing.

The information I'm presenting here comes from this tweet thread. If you don't want to give Twitter any direct clicks, the threadreader app version can be read here. He's got screen grabs of the actual text of the bill, so you can check it out for yourself.

Or, alternately, the entire bill can be downloaded as a pdf file.

Here are some of what's in store for us if it is passed:

Automatic voter registration. Did I hear someone say "motor voter"? Well, this is worse. If you change your address, you're automatically registered to vote. Apply for welfare, registered to vote. Register for a college class, automatically registered to vote.

This is a federal law, so it will be in effect in every state.

What about illegal aliens, excuse me, undocumented immigrants? I'm glad you asked. If they try to vote, they're protected from any consequences. Or if they are erroneously allowed to vote, they're Also protected from any consequences.

There will also be nationwide same day registration.

They'll be a boatload of new restrictions on the ability of states to remove ineligible voters from the rolls.

There are provisions regarding registering minors to vote. It effectively lowers the voting age to 16.

States aren't allowed to ask for voter ID, not even for absentee ballots

Mandating that states allow ballot harvesting.

Higher education will be paid and required to register voters and encourage them to vote, as long as they say they're citizens.

Absentee ballot drop boxes will sit out for a month and a half.

Mandatory curbside voting.

And this is just the stuff in the bill about voting. There's also provisions for DC statehood, a federal takeover of redistricting, and stiff penalties for propagating election "disinformation".

News Max, Rep. Scott DesJarlais: H.R. 1 Changed the Rules to Win the Game. From Faye Higbee and Jeff Dunetz at Da Lid, Twenty Attorneys General Send Letter Telling Congress HR 1 Is Unconstitutional "Do The Dems Care? Doubt It!" Given the constitutional primacy of state law over elections, one would think it's and open and shut case, but with our Supreme Court, it could go either way. Don Surber (also from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.05.21 (Morning Edition)) Don Surber tells Republicans Learn to ballot harvest. I believe I've been saying this right along.

And on the widely hoped for split in the Republican party, POLITICO Playbook: McCarthy struggles to manage Trump. I'll bet he does. Regarding this article Sundance responds, President Trump Positioning Resources and Strategy to Destroy DeceptiCons, also, Paul Ryan White-Knights For Liz Cheney, Will Hold Joint DeceptiCon Fundraiser. I'm ambivalent about Ryan; the Republicans need a fiscal conservative voice. I have no use for Cheney, I hate political nepotism and certainly Wyoming could find a more representative representative. 

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links.

Rule 5 Saturday - Hailing from Shanghai - Leah Lewis

I noticed Leah Lewis when I did my "research" for my Rule 5 post on Nancy Drew's Kennedy McCann.

Leah Marie Liang Lewis (born December 9, 1996) is an American actress who began her career as a child actress. She is best known for her roles as Ellie Chu in the 2020 Netflix film The Half of It and as Georgia "George" Fan in The CW series adaptation of Nancy Drew.

Good enough for a Rule 5 post! 

As "George" Fan in Nancy Drew

Lewis was adopted from an orphanage in Shanghai, China when she was 6 months old and raised in Gotha, Florida. Her younger sister Lydia (non-biologically related) was later adopted from the same orphanage.

She discovered performing arts at Thornebrooke Elementary School in Ocoee, Florida; she also attended Southwest Middle School in Orlando, Florida as well as Gotha Middle School and the Crenshaw School in Windermere, Florida. She and her mother moved back and forth between Los Angeles and Orlando during her teen years. At 17, she went back to Orlando to finish high school at Olympia High School and then moved back to Los Angeles by herself at 19.

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier and FMJRA 2.0: I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow awaiting your digital delight. Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly Best of the Web* and at the Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

Beach Report 3/5/21: Meg!

"This sucks!" said Georgia, who beat me to the beach by a few minutes. It was in the mid 30s F, and blowing 15-20 knots from the NW. Nevertheless, we persisted, and I'm sure glad we did.

Way up on the beach above Matoaka, in the bed of the little stream that comes down through the cliffs, I found what will probably be the tooth of the year, this 3 1/4 inch Megalodon tooth. (It might technically be a chubutensis; it has barely noticeable cusps on either side). I only regret I didn't have the presence of mind to take a picture of it lying there in the stream. 

Two cell phone pictures, it actually gets better close ups than my other camera. First, the lingual side.

And then the labial side.

Otherwise, it was a tough day for fossil, only about three little ones each. I don't care though.

Still looking.

Forget It Jake, It's Baltimore

or Balmer, as the natives sometime call it. John Sexton at Hot Air, Baltimore: High School Student With 0.13 GPA Is Near The Top Half Of His Class

This week Fox 45 in Baltimore reported on a 17-year-old high school student who was just told that instead of graduating, he is being sent back to 9th grade. How is this possible? Well, it turns out the young man has only been to school about half the time and when he was there he failed almost every class he took:

His transcripts show he’s passed just three classes in four years, earning 2.5 credits, placing him in ninth grade…

As we dig deeper into her son’s records, we can see in his first three years at Augusta Fells, he failed 22 classes and was late or absent 272 days. But in those three years, only one teacher requested a parent conference…

In his four years at Augusta Fells, France’s son earned a GPA of 0.13. He only passed three classes, but his transcripts show his class rank is 62 out of 120. This means, nearly half his classmates, 58 of them, have a 0.13 grade point average or lower.

So let’s just start with the school here. They knew this student wasn’t showing up for school and was failing nearly all his classes, yet they continued promoting him year after year. And only one teacher ever asked to talk to his family? And the same holds for at least half of the senior class. That explains the performance numbers at the school which Fox 45 published in a separate story. . .

Wanna bet that the three classes he passed were gym? Or the teacher just wasn't taking taking attendance and gave everybody a pass? At least in 2010, the teachers unions gave him an excuse.

Election 2020: The QAnon Coupe that Didn't Happen

First, Ace with a late report on the media/Democrat generated fear, after I pushed the "publish" button yesterday, Media/Left/NeverTrump Gins Up Panic About "Chatter" About March 4 Coup "Congress voted to make the 2020 election rules permanent -- again ignoring the Constitution's words that state legislatures will make their election laws -- and then went home, claiming the risk of QAnon Shaman raiding the Capitol was just too great." Then, Washington Post: The Panic That We and the Deep State (and Our NeverTrump Gollums) Ginned Up About a March 4 Coup By QAnon Shamanites Proves to be "A Mirage" "You don't say." And finally And Here We Go: Now There Is "Intelligence" That the Coup That Didn't Happen Today Will Instead Happen on March 20th, Or Maybe April 15th, Or... Maybe a Randomly Selected Day Every Month Until The End of Time

Why it's almost as if we're in a state of Permanent Coup, of the Deep State against those outside of the Corporate-Government Complex.

They will keep inventing these "Next Expected Day of a QAnon Coup" days forever, one national emergency flowing smoothly into the next.

Am Mil News, House cancels Thurs. votes over Capitol attack warnings by FBI, DHS; reports. "Thousands of National Guard troops remain in Washington D.C. and an actual attack on the Capitol is unlikely." No shit. And Capitol Police request Nat’l Guard at US Capitol for 2 more months.  Bruce Carroll at PJ Media, U.S. Capitol May Stay Militarized Well Into Spring. Nope, Ace is right, the Praetorian Guard is here to stay, one way or another. At NYPo, Miranda Devine discusses Nancy Pelosi’s Capitol pawns and at Town Hall Leah Barkoukis notices how Tucker Carlson Zeroes in on the Left's 'Biggest Fear'

"A lot of liberals were certain that March 4 was the day the right-wing revolution would finally begin. March 4, they believed, with something called 'QAnon Inauguration Day,'" he said, adding that they have no idea what that means and can guarantee the vast majority of Trump supporters don't either.

"They'd heard about it from Nancy Pelosi, who told her bodyguards to write up a report on the threat of QAnon Inauguration Day. So that's what they did. We never really learned any details, but members of Congress were not taking chances," Carlson continued. "Many of them fled the Capitol Thursday. House leaders rescheduled votes so that the rank-and-file legislators could escape with their lives, if not with their dignity."

What happened was predictable: nothing. More media showed up than anyone else.

This "credible threat" was just the latest in a series of lies to keep D.C. militarized, he argued, because the National Guard is there for political reasons more than anything else.

"This is very strange behavior for a democracy," Carlson pointed out. "In a democracy, leaders are supposed to rule with the consent of the governed. You would think that might have occurred to some people on Capitol Hill. If we're this afraid of American voters, maybe something's wrong. Maybe we're not doing a very good job. Maybe we ought to shut up for a second and listen to the complaints of the people whose lives we control. Maybe then we wouldn't need razor wire around the Capitol.

'Charles Turot' at Am Think, What We Know And Don’t Know About The Events Of January 6th

The unrest of January 6th was the most fortuitous possible event for the Left, whose goal is to marginalize and silence anyone opposing their radical agenda. They will use it as a bludgeon, with the tacit approval of many.

Such events seldom happen by sheer luck. There is far too much we still don’t know about this one.

 Byron York's Daily Memo: Developing some perspective on the Capitol riot

First, the riot is often referred to as an "armed insurrection." A search of the Nexis database of newspapers, websites, and cable news transcripts finds 2,339 times since January 6 in which the riot was described as an "armed insurrection." On many other occasions, the rioters were described simply as "armed." But the description requires an asterisk that is rarely, if ever, applied. A small number of the rioters did indeed have baseball bats or bear spray, and a few used flagsticks or even, in one case, a crutch as weapons to assault Capitol police. But the armed insurrectionists did not use any firearms. Before January 6, if anyone heard the phrase "armed insurrection," he or she might have assumed guns were involved. At the Capitol riot, they weren't. . . .

Ex-Republican Capt. Ed at Hot Air has  “Creating Positive Vibrations”: CBS Interviews The All-Organic QAnon Wonder Shaman For Some Reason (interview is there if you really want it) and never-Trumper Patterico features Mother of “QAnon Shaman” Speaks Out and it sort of explains how he got there.

Tyler O'Neil at PJ Media thinks Americans See Through Democrats' New War on Terror Rhetoric. Well, many of us do. 

Americans can see through the rhetoric, however. According to a new Harvard/Harris poll, most Americans say Democrats are using the Capitol riot “as an excuse to silence political voices on the right.”

“Do you think the Capitol riots are being used as an excuse to silence political voices on the right or is the reaction to them a legitimate response to the violence?” pollsters asked.

Most respondents (59 percent) said the Capitol riot is being used to silence conservative voices, while 41 percent said the reaction was a legitimate response to the violence.

Pollsters also asked a broader question: “Do you think that the events at the U.S. Capitol are being used by politicians to suppress legitimate political movements or do you think there is no such suppression of legitimate movements?”

Most respondents (64 percent) said politicians are using the Capitol riot to “suppress legitimate political movements, while only 36 percent said “there is no such suppression.”

And providing a segue, Sundance at CTH, Democrats Pass HR1 To Federally Weaponize Election, Then Lockdown Capitol and Ask for 60-Day Extension of Military Troops to Protect Them. 

Let us not mince words. (1) Late last night the hardline leftists occupying the majority position, by a slim four vote margin in the House of Representatives, passed a bill on a party-line vote HR1 which fully codifies and weaponizes all opportunities for election fraud throughout the U.S. (2) Immediately after passing the election usurpation bill, the same House leaders then locked-down the capitol under the auspices of a fraudulent “threat”, and then; (3) requested a 60-day extension for the military to maintain their protective isolation behind fences and barbed wire.

LLoyd Billingsley at Front Page, FBI Goes Totally Comeytose "Christopher Wray will spearhead Dems’ offensive against Trump supporters in the wake of January 6." But Antifa is "just an idea".

Tyler O'Neil, House Passes Bill Gutting Election Integrity, Free Political Speech, Joseph Klein at Front Page, The Dems’ Voting Fraud Encouragement Bill,  Betsy McCaughey at NYPO,  Pelosi’s election ‘reform’ would make 2020’s chaos the norm, Andrea Widburg at House Democrats pass bill to change American voting forever

John Fund says H.R. 1 "is the worst piece of legislation I have ever seen in my 40 years reporting from Washington." According to him, the bill, if it becomes law, "would cement all of the worst changes in election law made in blue states in 2020 and nationalize them." He quotes Hans von Spakovsky, who summarized some of the worst aspects of the bill. (The link Fund gives for Spakovsky is here, but it goes to a dead page. [Update: This page contains the same summary.])

WSJ whines (via Hot Air) that Trump Is Rewriting History By Passing The Buck On The Georgia Runoffs echoed by Joseph Curl at JTN, Trump makes new claims about why GOP lost U.S. Senate races in Georgia ""Republicans did not turn out to vote because they were so angry and disappointed ..." the former president said. Isn't he really saying what they said? Why the fact check tone?"

Natalie Winters at TNP, Massive 78% Of Mail-In Ballots Proved Fraudulent, Judge Orders Election Do-Over. WCBI, Notary Arrested, Charged With Voter Fraud In Connection With Aberdeen Alderman Election Democrats will risk jail to cheat in their own primaries, but they would never lower themselves cheat against Republicans, am I right?

Linked at The Daley Gator in More Leftist BS about “threat to Capitol”.

Fish Pic Friday - Cherlyn Arnold

Cheryln Arnold aka slayherlyn

Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly  Best of the Web* and at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier awaiting your digital delight. 

Beach Report 3/4/21

A 15 knot NW wind made it much less pleasant today than it was yesterday, but Skye said we had to go, so we did.

A good low tide and lots of shell hash made for decent fossil hunting; lots of small teeth, and a couple good ones.

Broken dreams, 2/3ds of a nice, sharp White Shark tooth, and a broken shark vertebra.

Not a laughing gull, but I think he was laughing at me.

Got the Trump Shot!

Today was our day to get the vaccine, at a CVS up the road in Dunkirk MD, one of the closest sites we could get. The process went about as smooth as you could hope. Upon getting inside the door they were already to check our ID and confirm we were registered, and marched us to the waiting for the shot section; upon which time I decided it was a good time to go pee. By the time I got out, Georgia was already in the booth getting her temperature taken prior to the shot, and I was ushered into the next booth. 

The shot itself (the Moderna vaccine) was relatively painless, a very small volume (0.5 ml), which seemed much less than the annual flu shot. After the shot, we went to the post vaccine waiting area to wait for 15 minutes to be sure we didn't keel over. So far, other than turning orange, no side effects, although I wouldn't be surprised to get a sore arm (or even worse) later today. We were out before our scheduled times. The second shot is already scheduled for early April.

Incidence of coronavirus infection from patients who received placebo vs. vaccine. Via FDA

It's a little hard to see, but it looks like immunity starts to kick in around day 10.

We treated ourselves to a lunch at 5 Guys, eaten in the car, and a trip through to carwash.

I suppose Skye is going to expect a walk regardless. 

UPDATE: Entirely expectedly, somewhere during the afternoon walk, my arm started to get sore, and by night it was hurting. This morning it seems to be calming down. I typically react to flu vaccines this way, but it was not as bad as the second. I would not be shocked to have a reaction like Rick's (see comment below) after the second shot.

Election 2020: March 4 2021

Supposedly the day the QAnon conspirators and their right minded allies attempt to take over the Capitol again. LI, U.S. Capitol Police Obtain Intelligence of ‘Possible Plot’ By a Militia to ‘Breach the Capitol’.  All the news shows were full of it last night, so I expect next to nothing will happen. Insty, THE ARMED CAPITOL HILL INSURRECTION — THAT WASN’T: FBI Official Says No Guns Were Recovered During Capitol Riot Arrests. Worst insurrection ever. FBI Director Wray Refuses To Disclose Brian Sicknick’s Cause Of Death (Da Caller). One suspects to do so would deflate the agenda. From NYPo, FBI Director Christopher Wray didn’t read memo warning of attack before Capitol riot. He was too busy covering up crimes by the FBI regarding Russiagate. 

Wray admitted to senators that he didn’t see the warning — reportedly describing preparation for “war” with “glass breaking, doors being kicked in” — until after the violence that disrupted certification of President Biden’s victory.

Da Caller reports a poll that claims POLL: Americans More Concerned About Violence Over The Summer Than Capitol Riot. Most Americans live closer to a city affected by the BLM insurrection than Washington D.C. We even had a minor incident in Prince Frederick. Only a little tear gas. Also from Da Caller, Here’s How Kayleigh McEnany Reacted During The Capitol Riot. Horrified, but not horrified enough for liberals. 

More on what may be the attempted poisonings of National Guard in Washington. Fox, Michigan National Guard members complain of undercooked, contaminated meals while in DC "National Guard spokesman says 50 members have been treated for 'gastrointestinal complaints'" Natalie Winters at TNP, ‘Metal Shavings & Raw Beef’: Whistleblower Reveals National Guard Troops Sent To Hospital From Meals. I presume they know who made the meals, but nobody seems to be holding them accountable. 

Sundance at CTH, DeceptiCon Dealing, DOJ Declined to Take Up Chao Ethics Probe After Meetings With McConnell, Which Led to Chao Departing To Assist Insurgency Narrative

I’m not saying Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao resigned after the January 6 Capitol Hill riot just because she owed the DC team a favor following the post-election meeting between her husband, Mitch McConnell, and Attorney General Bill Barr; who just happened to *not* take up the ethics probe of Chao following the same meeting (noted below left), but….. It sure does look sketchy.

When looked at in the proper light, everything in DC looks sketchy, and they mostly are.

Nick Stehle at Am Spec,  Federal Election ‘Reform’ Threatens Anti-Fraud Efforts Across the Country "Voters’ rights should instead be protected by state-level efforts to shore up election security."

I’m not going to mince my words here. This legislation, the poorly named For the People Act, is an assault on free speech and representative government that could effectively silence half the country and lead us to one-party rule for generations. It would strip power away from the states to run their own election process. By forcing states to take on early voting, no-fault absentee balloting, and wide-sweeping voter registration changes, Congress would be wiping away years of hard work on the local level to ensure every eligible vote is counted and every eligible vote counts.

The other Spectator, HR 1 must be stopped "This Democratic ‘reform’ will undermine democracy far more than anything Donald Trump has done" Stacey Lennox at PJ Media, Voting Rights Are Enhanced—Not Destroyed—by Laws That Make Elections More Secure. Da Signal, Election Integrity Is a National Imperative. 

NewsMax, Mike Pence Breaks Silence: Dems' Election Bill 'Unconstitutional Power Grab', Sundance, Mike Pence Discovers the Need for Election Integrity, Jumps into MAGA Ship Before it leaves DeceptiCon Dock

Tilting at Windmills, Why The Freakout Over Georgia Voting Bill Is Telling

See, while they argue that voter fraud had no meaningful impact in the 2020 election, they can’t say there was no fraud at all. We’ve seen a number of incidents that raised red flags for a lot of people. Especially here in Georgia.

Yes, Democrats won here, but they did it in a way that cast a pronounced shadow on the election overall.

If Democrats believe they won fair and square, absolutely nothing in the Georgia bill will really stop eligible voters from being able to cast their ballots. What it will do, though, is make things more difficult for fraudsters.

The fact that the left is losing it over this tells us that they don’t actually want secure elections. They want the rules so loose they might as well not exist.

In other words, many of them suspect they only won in Georgia due to voter fraud and they don’t want anything to get in their way if they have to do it again.

 Wa Free Bee, Supreme Court Poised to Reject Democratic Challenge to Arizona Election Laws

The Supreme Court seemed likely to uphold a pair of disputed Arizona election laws on Tuesday, teeing up its biggest decision about race and voting rights since 2013.

At issue are two election rules: one that disqualifies votes cast outside a polling place and another that limits the ability of third parties to turn in ballots for others, a practice known as "ballot harvesting." The Democratic challengers say both laws disproportionately affect minority voters in Arizona, like Native Americans in remote parts of the state who lack reliable mail service and easy access to polling places.

Thursday Tanlines

 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier awaiting your digital delight. 

Beach Report 3/3/21

Sunny, mid 40's and not very windy (7 knots SE) at the beach today. A pretty nice day.

Must have been some weird atmospherics going on over the bay, as the Fata Morgana mirage kept coming and going, making the eastern side look like a bridge.

Some detail with the maximum zoom on the camera.

The best of 22 sharks teeth, a 1 5/16ths inch Mako, with some unusual banded coloration. This is the "lingual" side, the side facing the tongue.

And the labial (lips) side.

Almost back to the car!

Election 2020: Wray Says Nay

Althouse, "FBI Director Christopher Wray resoundingly said Antifa and other leftists were not part of the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6. "

"'We have not, to date, seen any evidence of anarchist violence extremists or people subscribing to Antifa in connection to the 6th,' Wray told the Senate on Tuesday. 'We're coming after it' if there's violence from both the left and the right, he added, but in the Capitol, there wasn't evidence of leftists adding fuel to the insurrection... Wray said the bureau is seeing 'quite a number of what would we call militia violent extremists' as the FBI builds its cases agains the rioters. He specifically mentioned the groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. He added that they have seen in their investigations instances of 'racially motivated violent extremists' who advocate for White supremacy.

WaPoo whines that FBI director says domestic terrorism ‘metastasizing’ throughout U.S. as cases soar. Ex-Republican Capt. Ed at Hot Air, Wray: FBI Investigators Have Not Seen “Any Evidence” Of Antifa, Leftist Involvement In Capitol Riot This, despite the fact that at least two well known Anifa figures, John Sullivan and his girl friend/photographer were involved and were loudly calling for violence at the site of Ashli Babbit's shooting. Don't piss on us and tell us it's raining. Sundance at CTH, FBI Director Chris Wray Tells Congress Antifa Not Involved in Capitol Hill Riots, After FBI Literally Arrests Antifa Leader, John Sullivan, for Participating in Capitol Hill Riots. Insty, WELL, IF FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY SAYS IT: “FBI Director Christopher Wray resoundingly said Antifa and other leftists were not part of the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6.” "Then you can be pretty sure it happened the exact opposite way, because he’s utterly untrustworthy." My thoughts exactly. 

NYPo, FBI Director Wray won’t share Officer Brian Sicknick’s cause of death with senators and TNP, FBI Director Won’t Disclose Capitol Hill Officer Sicknick’s Cause Of Death. This has Sarah Hoyt at Insty on a tear: TRANSLATION: THEY’RE STILL TRYING TO MAKE LIES STICK: FBI Director Wray: Agency ‘Can’t Yet Disclose’ Sicknick’s Cause of Death. and “THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING”: FBI Director Wray won’t share Officer Brian Sicknick’s cause of death with senators.

What investigation? The man was cremated. Are they sifting the ashes?
And why is it anyone would trust Wray or ask his opinion? Or really do anything but glare at his smug face and maybe yell “Aristo, aristo, a la lanterne”?

In support of Wray's statement however, WaPoo offers  “I’ll Look Just Like ANTIFA. I’ll Get Away With Anything.” from A Capitol rioter said he posed as antifa, feds say, then boasted he beat police who ‘got exactly what they deserved’ From Sundance, Senator Mike Lee Questions FBI Director Chris Wray About Domestic Surveillance, and Geolocation During Their January 6th DC Protest Investigation

Senator Mike Lee questions FBI Director Chris Wray about the FBI using tenuous legal authorities to identify people who attended the DC protest rally on January 6, 2021.

Senator Lee specifically asks FBI Director Wray if they are using cell phone geolocation and under what legal authority this is being done: National Security Letters? FISA Court? Search warrants based on probable cause? Wray’s respons is disingenuous… 

Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.02.21 (Evening Edition), Twitchy, Investigation underway after photos of undercooked meals served to the Michigan National Guard in DC go viral. Sundance, Whistleblower Points Out National Guard Troops Intentionally Targeted Via Undercooked Food and Metal Shavings. Negligence or sabotage? 

Also via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.02.21 (Morning Edition) from the Shark Tank: Roger Stone Fends Off Another Witchhunt

We contacted Stone for comment on multiple reports that he was now under investigation in connection with the January 6 riot ”

Any statement, claim, insinuation, or report alleging, or even implying, that I had any involvement in or knowledge, whether advance or contemporaneous, about the commission of any unlawful acts by any person or group in or around the U.S. Capitol or anywhere in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021, is categorically false.” was Stone’s reply.

Stone requiring private security is unquestionable. Since the time of his indictment Stone and his family have been plagued with death threats as well as public altercations when the Republican strategist is recognized. Only weeks before we reported on an incident where Stone’s 72-year-old wife was assaulted in a politically motivated attack outside their home.

There is little doubt that the current mainstream media drumbeat smearing Stone is based on liberal fury that Stone escaped death in a federal prison once the fabrication of the charges against him became clear and the epic corruption of his DC trial was evident., Stone has no choice now other than to vigorously rebut the new baseless charges against him.

How ironic that the very same news organizations that insisted repeatedly that Stone was a traitor in league with WikiLeaks and then refused to report the conclusion of the Mueller investigation that there was never any evidence found to support this charge against Stone are the very same people now insisting that he was involved in the January 6 riot without a shred of corroborating evidence.

John Sexton at Hot Air VIP,  Supreme Court Appears Inclined To Uphold Arizona Voting Laws, or as WaPoo opines, Justices seem to favor hard path for voting law challenges and Democrats take fight for voting access to Congress. Da Blaze, Texas judge and three others arrested on 150 counts of voter fraud. "Justice of the Peace Tomas Ramirez is accused of ballot harvesting at assisted living centers in the 2018 primary election." Don't mess with Texas. 

Also from the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 03.02.21 (Evening Edition), At Da Lid, a News Flash: Democracy Has Already Been Undermined By The Left’s Behavior Since 2016

What sparked this current article was another one by Michael Anton at American Greatness, published on 23 February.

Entitled “Why Do the Election’s Defenders Require My Agreement?”, it poses the question of the hour. Why do those whose political stance is based on believing the 2020 election was overwhelmingly fair and produced a valid outcome require a catechistic confession of belief by skeptics in the validity of the electoral result?

It’s quite absurd to suggest that it’s because people who know the skeptics think the skeptics will storm into the streets and commit mayhem. That thinking would be insane. It would be to harbor paranoid fantasies that have no basis in reality. Michael Anton’s friends, and even his casual interlocutors, know perfectly well he’s not going to do any such thing.

Anton expresses my sentiments about the 2020 election pretty well. I don’t “believe,” based on assumptions, that Trump won the election. I don’t “believe,” without investigation, that the piles of evidence that it was rife with irregularities are meaningless and not worth investigating. What I “believe” is precisely that they should be investigated.

Some More Wednesday Wetness

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier awaiting your digital delight. 

3/2/21 Beach Report

After 2 days of rain and storms, we finally got back to the beach today. It was about 40 F and a bit windy from the north, as it often is after storms, but the sky was clear and the sun bright.

A blow out tide allowed us to get past the big fall:

And up to the next beach. I think the little white dots near the pier at Western Shore were Tundra Swans, but I wasn't able to make it out for sure, even with the zoom on the camera.

Despite the blowout tide, fossil hunting was only so-so, with a total of 10 sharks teeth, none remarkable.

Election 2020: Trump Confirms He Asked for 10 K Nation Guard Troops for Jan. 6

First, from Stacy McCain, Trump Approved 10,000 National Guard for Jan. 6, But Pelosi Rejected Troop

This should be huge news:

President Donald Trump has confirmed reports he requested 10,000 National Guard troops ahead of the January 6th rally in Washington, D.C., only to be rebuffed by authorities.
Speaking [to] Steve Hilton on “The Revolution,” the former president outlined how he knew in advance of the crowd size:

“Everyone said we’ll be at the rally. It was, I think, the largest crowd that I have ever spoken to before. I have spoken to big crowds, hundreds of thousands of people, more than that, but hundreds of thousands of people.”

In response, Trump said he “gave the number” to the Department of Defense, insisting that 10,000 members of the National Guard would be needed.
“They took that number, from what I understand, they gave it to people at the Capitol, that is controlled by Pelosi, and I heard they rejected it because they didn’t think it would look good,” added Trump in the interview after his Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) speech.
Trump’s comments follow reports that Pelosi discouraged the Sergeant at Arms from deploying the force and an implausible timeline whereby Pelosi approved a request for the National Guard before it was even received by former Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving.
The news confirms reporting from Vanity Fair, mostly ignored by the mainstream media . . .

Read the whole thing. Don’t expect to see this on CNN.

or at WaPoo where the story of the day is  As Jan. 6 smoke clears, GOP is blowing its own. Matt Marholis at PJ Media, Trump Said He Requested 10K National Guard Troops at Capitol Prior to Riot But Was 'Rejected', Capt Ed at Hot Air,  Trump: Hey, I Requested 10,000 National Guard Troops For The January 6 Rally — But “Capitol Leaders” Said No,  PM, WATCH: Trump confirms he requested 10,000 National Guard troops ahead of Jan 6, was shot down by Pelosi

Megan Fox at PJ Media, Anti-Voter ID Activists Storm Georgia Capitol. Has Anyone Called the National Guard? Insurrectionists! Vodka Pundit, Your Daily Dose of Mostly Peaceful Protest  From Ed Driscol at Insty, DISPATCHES FROM THE “IT’S DIFFERENT WHEN WE DO IT” PARTY: Tweet apology:

ID for absentee ballots are now required in Georgia. Angry leftists react by storming the state capitol. pic.twitter.com/xt92xcDGwW

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 1, 2021

J.M Waller at Da Fed, No, Sen. Ron Johnson Didn’t Promote A ‘Conspiracy Theory’ About The Capitol Riot "Sen. Ron Johnson was one of the first senators to suspect the riot had been planned. In a Federalist article, I identified four groups that appeared to have planned for violence in advance." News from behind the barb wire curtain at the occupied Capital, CNS News, Pelosi Offers No Response to GOP Congressmen Urging Her to Remove Barbed Wire Fencing Around Capitol

Julie Kelly at Am Great, As Trump Blasts 2020 Election, Democrats Move on a ‘Monster’ Election Bill

"Democrats, shrewdly describing election fraud as a “Big Lie,” are emboldened to get their way." Yes, I've noticed the term "Big Lie" being thrown around by WaPoo too. Ace, Flashback: Democrat Operative Whistleblower Admits He's Forged Tens Of Thousands of Fake Ballots\\d Tens of Thousands of Fake Ballots 

"Whoops! This story is from last August. Apologies. Hey everybody make sure you vote. Your vote really "counts." Your Swampy Frenz in the GOP are really determined to make your vote "count."

Also from Ace, They Have Enough Signatures to Force a Recall Election Against Newsom

Well, they have enough signatures, but they're still collecting them.

See, because Newsom will attempt to disqualify many signatures for having an erroneous address or for the signature not matching the voter signature on file.

Weird how now we're checking that again, huh? Seems that even though we still have a pandemic on, we check addresses and signatures when there's a Democrat incumbent.

So while they've got more than the 1.5 million signatures they need for a recall, they have to get extra when the Democrats crank up the signature-verification threshold to 115%. (Up from 0% in the last election.)

Capital Research Center names names, The Groups and Persons Mentioned in Time’s “Shadow Campaign” Article so you know who really determines who runs this country (now).

CRC staff drafted a memo listing the 24 groups and 23 persons mentioned in the article, along with some additional information. The entries are organized by group and then person, roughly in the order of appearance. Each entry includes, if available:

• A link to the group or person’s InfluenceWatch entry, which usually has additional information,
• A paraphrase of the Time article’s description of the group or person, and
• Bullet points that highlight facts of interest about the group or person.

A Tuesday Tune - Starlight

Raycheal Winters:

Houston audio/video engineer by day, songwriter and performer by night, I create tasty synth pop delights with a bent toward R&B. "If Halsey & Thundercat had a love child in the middle of the desert."

When not in stage makeup, a fairly normal looking young woman, if somewhat quirky: 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier awaiting your digital delight. 

WuFlu Alters Chesapeake Oyster Industry

Forever, according to WaPoo, Pandemic could change Maryland oyster industry for good

The pandemic-affected oyster season has been difficult for the industry in Maryland, causing farmers and watermen to rethink how they sell their product and changing how programs conduct oyster restoration.

After restaurants reduced their capacity and a stay-at-home order was issued last spring, restaurant sales essentially went to zero within a matter of a week, said Scott Budden, founder of Orchard Point Oyster Co. headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland.

Pre-pandemic, Orchard Point Oyster Co. would primarily sell to restaurants, either directly to the chef or through regional distributors and wholesalers. Since April, they have transitioned to directly selling to the public, through local pick-ups and cold shipping, Budden said. 

While the 2020 harvest numbers are preliminary, as of December, there were 39,913 bushels of oysters sold in Maryland in 2020 from leased beds, compared to 54,903 bushels sold in 2019, according to the Department of Natural Resources. This is more than a 25% decrease in the number of oyster sold off of Maryland shellfish aquaculture leases, which includes harvests from farmers and some watermen.

 

Many people only see oysters as something they enjoy at a restaurant, said Karis King, public relations and event manager at the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

“With restaurant closures and events being pretty much non-existent, oyster farmers are left with a ton of supply with oysters that need to be harvested right away or else they are going to grow larger than the desirable market,” King said.

There’s a sweet spot for oysters to be harvested — between three to four inches from one tip to the other. Beyond that, the meat becomes too large, King said.

“Oysters don’t stop growing because of a pandemic amongst humans,” Budden said.

We used to get oysters that were collected as part of a stock survey; since then we've been spoiled and almost never buy oysters, although I'll occasionally order an oyster sandwich at a sea food restaurant.  

Carla's Hubby Headed to the Hoosegow?

Fox, France's Sarkozy convicted of corruption, sentenced to jail

A Paris court on Monday found French former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced him to one year in prison and a two-year suspended sentence.

The 66-year-old politician, who was president from 2007 to 2012, was convicted for having tried to illegally obtain information from a senior magistrate in 2014 about a legal action in which he was involved.

As I said when he was charged back in 2018, "Nicholas Sarkozi is only of interest to me because he is married to Carla Bruni, one of the most beautiful and talented women on the planet. Imagine Melania Trump with hit music. If Dos Equiis had a world's most interesting women, she would be it."

The court said Sarkozy will be entitled to request to be detained at home with an electronic bracelet.

The court said the facts were "particularly serious" given that they were committed by a former president who used his status to help a magistrate who had served his personal interest. In addition, as a former lawyer, he was "perfectly informed" about committing an illegal action, the court said.

I wonder what the appeals process in France is like? 

Sarkozy's two co-defendants were also found guilty and given the same sentence as Sarkozy.

Sarkozy will face another trial later this month along with 13 other people on charges of illegal financing of his 2012 presidential campaign.

At the same time, I can't escape the nagging feeling that he has been pursued by his left-wing enemies with an axe to grind, the same way I fully expect Democrat attorney generals to continue to harass President Trump for the rest of his life.

Previous posts on Carla Bruni (and sometimes Nikolas Sarkozi):

Carla's Hubby in the Dock
G20 Wizards Fall for Carla Bruni Honey Trap
Carla Bruni's First Lady Prospects Looking Up
Carla Bruni to Leave Fance for Tax Haven
It's (almost) Final! Carla Bruni Out in France!
Say It Ain't So, Carla!
Carla Bruni Can't Wait to Get it Over With
Take A Smoke Break, Carla!
Putting Carla On a Pedestal
Powerful Men and Pretty Women - Rule 5 - Carla Bruni
Somebody thinks Bella Hadid is a Carla Bruni wannabe.

Election 2020: A Slow Monday

Not too much coming down the pike. From Natalie Winters at TNP, Pelosi’s ‘Conversations’ With Sgt At Arms Responsible For Lack Of National Guard On January 6. Did she or did she not want a riot that day to use against Trump. I don't know for sure, but I could be convinced. 

The article’s sources – three individuals “with direct knowledge of Irving’s talk with House Admin” – also revealed the discussions centered around “optics” and “occurred in the months prior to the Jan. 6 riot.”

The article also discredits the timeline provided by Pelosi’s office, which alleges that she approved the deployment of the national guard around 1:43 pm despite Paul Irving saying he was contacted about the matter after 2:00 pm.

“If you believe Irving’s timeline that he testified under oath to, how could he ask for permission from the Speaker 20 minutes before he got the request?” a source questioned.

“Also if you believe his sworn testimony that he never had to run the request up the chain, why did the Speaker’s office confirm he did just that?” they continued.

AP thinks ‘Blame Trump’ defense in Capitol riot looks like a long shot. I think so too, Jazz Shaw at Hot Air, “Blame Trump” Defense Not Working Out Well For Rioters

I would first note that there’s something rather strange about a group of people so dedicated and loyal to Donald Trump that they would travel across the country to attend his rally outside the White House, now turning around and trying to throw him under the bus. People so dedicated to the idea of “stopping the steal” that they were willing to risk injury or death (in at least one case) to defend the President are now casting the blame on him in an effort to avoid jail time.
. . .
Prosecutors shouldn’t have too tough of a job ahead of them in terms of swatting that argument down. All they’ll need to do is play the tape of the latter portion of Donald Trump’s speech where he says, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

As a closing side note, I will just point out that the emphasized excerpt from Trump’s speech that I just quoted has probably been the least-heard portion on cable news since the day of the riot. I wonder why that is, don’t you?

Speaking selective press coverage, Julie Kelly at Am Great wants to know Where Are All the Retractions of the Brian Sicknick Story?

WaPoo reports Most House Republicans voted not to certify some election results. Democrats are still seething. Something they did in every election in this century. 

At his Sunday talks, Sundance has Sunday Talks, Devin Nunes Disusses Capitol Hill Fencing and Expectation ‘The Dirty Cops Will Be Held Accountable’

At Politico, David Siders wish casts Trump’s baseless election claims march GOP into ‘policy wasteland’

Trump at CPAC, Trump: I’m Not Starting A New Party. I’m Still Running This Party says Jazz Shaw. But Yahoo found Rick Scott saying GOP is ‘voters’ party,’ not Trump’s. True, of course, but to have a party you need someone to lead.

Your Monday Morning Stimulus

Going for a threepeat of Krista Kemp. And I may have expanded the idea of stimulus slightly:

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Irina Meier awaiting your digital delight.