Oath Keepers leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes, a Yale-educated lawyer, resumes testifying in his own defense on Monday. Rhodes is one of the defendants charged with seditious conspiracy in connection with January 6 and continuing efforts to interfere with the transfer of power to the Biden administration.
So far, the jury trials that have happened, the jurors have had the bullshit detectors turned on full and have come back GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY. Hopefully that continues.
There are tactical and strategic aspects of this trial, but as a reader, I'm frustrated that we readers have no political party that has been in sync with our ethics and values. I'm speaking of the national Democratic party.
In 2016 the party leaders and corporate media told voters that after Bernie Sanders won California but lost in North Caroline, that he was too outrageous to be elected. The machines went to work. The Democrats for Hilary and the Republicans against. But after generations of neglect of rural people by corporate Democrats, many of them in frustration, turned to Trump.
I worked in Lansing Michigan for George McGovern, I worked in Watts for Jessie Jackson and in 2016 for Jill Stein. Over the decades the Democrats had Patricia Schroeder, Gary Hart, Howard Dean, to name a few people that "couldn't be elected" for reasons that echo our National ignorance.
IF the Democrats can defeat the media and Republicans and win next week, a lesson must be digested by National Democrats that the new strategic and tactical realities must be implemented to foster better democracy for 2024 and beyond.
Biodiversity includes all life forms, not just the capitalists.
Amazing how he backs down from riot to protest. If he wasn’t caught would he still be backing down or gearing up for another riot but next time use fire arms?
Thank you, Joyce, for this crystal-clear description of the charges brought against Rhodes. Having lived in a country (so far) not ruled by kings or nobles, I forget sometimes what a "jury of your peers" actually means. Pretty cool that our Founders solidified that idea through the Sixth Amendment!
QRF has to be the most frightening part here. A group of citizens taking on the unauthorized role of using an attack force against the people we elected to government. And all they needed was Trump to give the word. That was all we had standing between our rule of law and insurrection.
Starting in the early 80s most states started requiring prospective attorneys to pass an ethics exam as well as the bar exam. Most law schools teach ethics although those courses might not be required.
as I previously wrote Joyce you have such a measured approach, it’s much appreciated.
I on the other hand am fed up with Elmer Rhodes, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone... I could go on and on. We’re dealing with people who have criminal minds. No sooner does one get put in jail, then we must deal with the next one in line. Whether they are outside of government or (sadly) in government they are aware of right and wrong but they are after the pursuit of power, lying is a way of life for them, and they will resort to any means possible to achieve their objectives.
Sadly, their followers don’t see that and never will.
May the midterm elections bring us some hope and relief.
Can the Government Convict the Oath Keepers?
This criminal and all of his buddies (Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, Right Wing Extremists) must be prosecuted and incarcerated.
There will be a huge outcry if they are not.
We are, indeed, in this together, Joyce, but how fortunate we are to have you as our trusted and admired guide.
How is it that so many lawyers trained at Harvard and Yale seem to be on the radical right?
So far, the jury trials that have happened, the jurors have had the bullshit detectors turned on full and have come back GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY. Hopefully that continues.
Hope the prosecution does better than the Tom Barrack trial. .....just saying
It’s disheartening that he went to law school and still did not know any better
There are tactical and strategic aspects of this trial, but as a reader, I'm frustrated that we readers have no political party that has been in sync with our ethics and values. I'm speaking of the national Democratic party.
In 2016 the party leaders and corporate media told voters that after Bernie Sanders won California but lost in North Caroline, that he was too outrageous to be elected. The machines went to work. The Democrats for Hilary and the Republicans against. But after generations of neglect of rural people by corporate Democrats, many of them in frustration, turned to Trump.
I worked in Lansing Michigan for George McGovern, I worked in Watts for Jessie Jackson and in 2016 for Jill Stein. Over the decades the Democrats had Patricia Schroeder, Gary Hart, Howard Dean, to name a few people that "couldn't be elected" for reasons that echo our National ignorance.
IF the Democrats can defeat the media and Republicans and win next week, a lesson must be digested by National Democrats that the new strategic and tactical realities must be implemented to foster better democracy for 2024 and beyond.
Biodiversity includes all life forms, not just the capitalists.
If there is any justice left to be had, I dearly hope Rhodes gets a taste of it in a number of years along with his co-conspirators.
Thanks again Joyce. You always make mysterious laws easy to understand. Your students are very fortunate to have you.
Does being Yale educated mean anything when accountability is missed?
Amazing how he backs down from riot to protest. If he wasn’t caught would he still be backing down or gearing up for another riot but next time use fire arms?
Thank you, Joyce, for this crystal-clear description of the charges brought against Rhodes. Having lived in a country (so far) not ruled by kings or nobles, I forget sometimes what a "jury of your peers" actually means. Pretty cool that our Founders solidified that idea through the Sixth Amendment!
QRF has to be the most frightening part here. A group of citizens taking on the unauthorized role of using an attack force against the people we elected to government. And all they needed was Trump to give the word. That was all we had standing between our rule of law and insurrection.
Starting in the early 80s most states started requiring prospective attorneys to pass an ethics exam as well as the bar exam. Most law schools teach ethics although those courses might not be required.
I'm waiting for these people to be charged with murder as well... Some of these charges just aren't enough for what took place in January 6th...
as I previously wrote Joyce you have such a measured approach, it’s much appreciated.
I on the other hand am fed up with Elmer Rhodes, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone... I could go on and on. We’re dealing with people who have criminal minds. No sooner does one get put in jail, then we must deal with the next one in line. Whether they are outside of government or (sadly) in government they are aware of right and wrong but they are after the pursuit of power, lying is a way of life for them, and they will resort to any means possible to achieve their objectives.
Sadly, their followers don’t see that and never will.
May the midterm elections bring us some hope and relief.