SocraticGadfly: #TrumpTrain riders, #Hillbots and the waaahhhmbulance

July 01, 2017

#TrumpTrain riders, #Hillbots and the waaahhhmbulance

Jay Sekulow, constitutional law hack
A former Twitter friend who should know better, and who I thought DID know better, but doesn't, (the now-late, and not so-great, Actual Flatticus) is whining about the Guardian's piece about Trump lawyer friend Jay Sekulow's "Christian" fueled alleged grifting — and possibly grafting, if the IRS chooses to further investigate his brother's work claims. (It's Owl Doctor, mentioned below, not Actual Flatticus, but stand by on that.)

He said it was a hit job because the MSM wasn't writing similar about David Brock. He then claimed it was digging up 17-year-old material.

I had multiple responses to that.

First, while the Guardian's look went back 17 years, it didn't stop there. It said the financial shenanigans are running up to today. So, no, not "digging up old material."

Second, re David Brock, lemme know how many relatives he's paying.

Third, somewhat parallel, USA Today DID report that Bernie Sanders hired relatives for his 2012 Senate re-election campaign. So, the idea that the "liberal media" is attacking Trump is laughable.

Fourth, as I know said person knows, the No. 1 story, on most Google searches, about Frank Giustra and the Clinton Foundation was by the New York Times. And, rightly or wrongly, Camp Clinton complained she had a much rougher ride from the media last year than did Trump.

Fifth, said person has retweeted Prison Planet at least once. And done the same with Zero Hedge. (That also said, I plan on unfriending more "liberal" friends who retweet either one, if they've done it before. And I refuse to use the actual names of either one. And, I have now done so; it was just an unfriending, not a blocking, but I've started doing it.) And, if you want #fakenews, THAT is it. And, in both cases, the specific retweets had specific lies.

Sixth, per my opening paragraph, I think the Christianity façade is as much the story on Sekulow as the Trump connection. Let me know when David Brock invokes Jesus for his fiscal shakedowns. It really looks no different than, say, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker to this pair of eyeballs.

None of this is meant to excuse David Brock. That said, the New York Times has written this about the money he's raked in, The New Republic criticized some of his ethics in his blind Clinton defense. Other MSM articles can be found about his web of agencies.

Besides, it's apples and oranges. If one wants to criticize Brock, there is PLENTY of both Republican-leaning and Democrat-leaning dark money groups to criticize. And, the MSM, and even more, the alternative media, has done that.

Seventh, per me posting that link in response to said person posting Sekulow's wondering, or rather, rhetorical "wondering," why no special counsel is investigating Barack Obama?

The alleged constitutional law scholar (side-slap to Actual Flatticus while I'm here) knows why: We don't have special counsels for cases against private citizens. Therefore, it's a red herring.

It's also a lie. Obama didn't "do nothing," and it's been publicly stated he talked directly to Vladimir Putin about Russia's alleged official government involvement in attempts to hack into U.S. states' election offices. (No word if Putin brought up similar U.S. hacks, and what Dear Leader said back.)

And, no, I don't think Sekulow is a genius. He's been lucky to focus on church-state First Amendment issues at a time when the Supreme Court has drifted ever further rightward, or rather, wrongward. Santa Fe is the only church-state ruling over 30-plus years in the field I find halfway constitutional. Ward's Cove, Town of Greece, Hobby Lobby and many more were wrongly decided, some moderately so, most horrendously so.

We also know he's not such a genyus because he refused to talk to Mueller over trying to untangle some Michael Cohen statements about how he had helped Cohen prepare for testimony before Congress in 2017.

Eighth, Owl saw more than once that I've said that I'm sure Trump didn't collude with Russia. Therefore, he knows, when talking to me, that he's trying to blow smoke up my skirt and failing. (That said, the latest Donald Jr. revelations indicate the Trump team DID ethically collude, if not legally so.)

Ninth, Owl knew at the time that Sekulow is actually under investigation at the state level for his alleged shenanigans. Therefore, the Guardian piece, and others, aren't a "media hit job."

Tenth, said Twitter also either knows, or should know, that many people who aren't Republicans have criticized things like CNN's botched Russian news story.

Oh, and Trump Train and fellow traveler snowflakes? One of the states investigating Sekulow is North Carolina, hardly a hotbed of liberalism.

Eleventh? Paul Waldman notes that Sekulow could get sucked up in the ever-widening vacuum of Robert Mueller's investigation. If Trump Train snowflakes claim this would be unprecedented, I have two words for them: Ken Starr.

Seriously, you Trump Train riders — and Owl Doctor, if you're not one, I'm personally labeling you a "fellow traveler" or something near it — you're as much thin-skinned titty-baby special snowflakes as Hillbots. So, both of you groups, get on the waaahhhmbulance!

As for that particular person? He followed me first, after seeing i was (then) friends with Flatticus, aka Alan Smithee (one of many on Twitter). I followed him back because I found him interesting. I have lots of Dem friends who by being Dems are more conservative than me, and Green or Socialist or unaffiliated left-liberal and beyond friends.

He posted, and retweeted, centrist and some sensible conservative stuff. And, yes, there are "sensible conservatives," at least ones who can often be sensible, and even where I disagree with their economic and other ideas, they present rational thought. Bruce Bartlett immediately comes to mind. Matthew Dowd, who I'd call moderate conservative, not centrist, would be another.

(I've now blocked Owl Doctor.)

Update, Oct. 30: Flatticus later blocked me, when I was getting ready to unfriend him, and is now known as Chris Chopin in real life, after his passing.

Update, Dec. 9, 2020: "Friendly" reminder that Sekulow is also a Seth Rich conspiracy theorist.

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