Thank you, Joyce, for your always clear helpful summaries and insights about the latest legal issues! Grateful for your past and present service. And your chicken and pup pics and occasional videos are like sunshine 😊
Stay alert everyone! For instance: does anyone think the SCOTUS win on counting mail-in ballots post marked by election day will slow down the Epstein administration? My personal observations and experience says they have already slowed down first-class mail delivery and I expect them to quietly stop postmarking mail.
November, December and January is probably going to be brutal. Be ready!
Also, whenever possible get your ballot hand stamped by the post office employees. It’s a damn shame it’s come to this but here we are.
I need to find out whether or not I can, as an expat, still e-vet as I did in the last election. Otherwise I’m going to have to think one and hard about how I can vote. It could get very expensive if the rules have changed in my state.
Mail delivery has been delayed since Louis DeJoy was Postmaster General, and is being substantially delayed now in preparation for the November election. Delay is causing bills and payments to be delayed, birthday cards to be very late. Our economy is being adversely affected for no legitimate reason.
Diane - EXACTLY! I had a birthday card take three weeks! And, what I still don't get: WHY did Biden NOT get DeJoy replaced?!?!? Corollary: why did Merrick Garland fail to protect democracy? Unless the D folders are replaced with D fighters I fear for our democracy.
Jason, that is against the law, so that would mean that the postmaster could and should be held accountable, imprisoned until his order to get the mail moving properly was given. We ahve tools, but somehow, we just don't use them!
I thought the Dem leaders and the Biden administration's DOJ would pull out all the stops to prosecute the evildoers from Trump 1. That didn't happen because we "need to look forward, not back."
Trump 2 is Project 2025 Worse, but I there's no reason to believe the same thing won't happen again. DOJ won't have the resources, and the Dems won't have the political will, to hold accountable all those who should be--and even then their convictions will be pardoned by the next GOP president.
SCOTUS is in the hands of MAGA for the foreseeable future, which will make many if not all of Trump 2's institutional damage the new status quo.
Betsy: Some would call your views pessimistic. I call them "Totally Realistic. "
As Ruth pointed out: we have the tools, but we do not use them. So why have them?
Joyce stated that " All in all, the 250th anniversary of our country felt more like a financial opportunity for Donald Trump. . ." And that is exactly what the presidency and the country have become-one big financial opportunity for the malignant narcissist.
Optimism, Betsy!! It's why I capitalized 'We'! Help to make our numbers too big to monkey with; help to get others mobilized; help to get the young people - especially! - motivated to better THEIR futures! It is up to all of US to ensure things get back to where they should be, and that means getting these Nazis out of OUR government. We can only do that with numbers too large for them to 'fix'. Those tools that Ruth, and Mary below refer to, are OUR tools, and we must use them. We will, Betsy; we will.
The male who is the current USPS director has already been making policies that mess up the mail. One is that your mail item will no longer get date-stamped on the day you mail it by using your regular mailbox, or drop it to a post office,,,,, instead, your item will get date-stamped whenever the facility decides to "process" your item! This was put in place I think in February. Imagine how it messed with income tax filings! You can get your item date-stamped the day you take it to a USPS post office.... but you have to go there, then you have to go in and request for them to stamp it for that day. Hassle, huh? But, that's the point!
That's why I fully expect them to just stop postmarking mail in November. Even if this violates some law, Joyce's wheelhouse, there will be no way to undue the damage. Expect MAGA to create all instances of fraud so Trump can point at the fraud and sew doubt. Expect Trump to pardon anyone who commits a crime in support of the coming steal.
Stay alert, indeed. We are up against it, and making sure our ballots get where they're supposed to is priority #1. Take it to a drop box, or have someone do it for you. I'm not counting on the postal service to deliver, sad to say. No one should this time around.
We don't have drop boxes where I live, but when you read what the election office sends out with their mail-in ballots, it specifically says to take your ballot to the post office and have them hand postmark it while you are watching. We've done that twice now, and the post office has been very good at doing that for us.
Curious why states have not implemented voting by email. Secure systems do exist — ie DocuSign. My state allows for submitting completed ballots by fax, which is a bit of a hassle (who has fax machines anymore?) but critical for me as I live abroad. In any case, everyone must do what they can to vote securely. Dems must win decisively in November! We’re in this together!
The dysfunction certainly is on brand, and painfully predictable. Thank you, Joyce, for your continued clarity and willingness to shine a light on the lawlessness and corruption.
Hi, Joyce & readers; I have to admit that in my neighborhood Saturday night, we only heard about 9 pops & kabooms, extremely modest ones at that. I was relieved to be honest because that is how we felt. We didn't feel like celebrating the day in which a overfed, golf cheating, Pedo who was on Epstein's Island & in NYC & now hampers that investigation, diaper wearing, $5+ million payment to E. Jean Carroll owing (and adding daily), Mount Rushmore drooling over...., nurse-in-tow perhaps drooling over, warmongering multi-time draft dodging, multiple highly Classified Documents stealing, convicted felon who should've NEVER been allowed to run for office, lying every time he opens his yap donnie trump was going to destroy what July 4th means to all Americans be giving a speech NOBODY cared to hear.
So, instead we watched some Wimbledon tennis matches, episodes of Dark Skies, Military Prosecutor Doberman, Dutton Ranch, and Agent Kim Reactivated. Did that plus watch the Dodgers beat the Padres. So, if anyone can top that rather than being in DC with a mad nincompoop smelly diaper wearing prop of a president, let me hear from you. I yield back my time.
Nevertheless, Meidas Touch reports that early this morning Washington DC had the worst air quality of any city on the planet, due to Trump's fireworks extravaganza. They apparently covered the Reflecting Pool with a layer of ash and people had to be sent to scoop out debris from the show from the Pool.
yes, I'd heard earlier in the day that people were being told not to breathe in the toxic junk the fireworks would emit when blown up. I'd wager a whole lot of ER's in the area were pretty crowded.
trump sucks the life out of every celebration when he makes them all about himself. We'll celebrate his death or his dishonor from Epstein files one day, IF we can win back the Senate & Congress. I fully expect Musk to again help trump steal the midterms or at least try to. Sure wish they could catch Musk at it. I have only been to Hawaii once & that was for an annual Better Business Bureau annual meeting. Had a great time there. Peace.
NYC, Boston, Philly, NJ, VA. These are all places truly connected to 1776. DC came about after it was all over. The tall ships in NYC and fireworks in all cities above were great !! And remember everything trump touches dies...who ever heard of starting fireworks at 12m ..NOBODY
As you wrote: "If ever that was true in a case, it is here. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who failed to indict the sandwich thrower and was handed a humiliating loss in the misdemeanor case against him doesn’t seem to have learned that lesson." Unfortunately, Piro doesn't care about the humiliation because she's already been humiliating herself to Trump and is only trying make him happy.
But he was INDICTED! How in the world does that happen? Did ordinary citizens agree that Hearn had physically pulled the liner from the bottom? What possible evidence could have been presented?
Do you think our weeks will ever start to look normal again? I am trying to keep the faith that after November, we, the people will start to be able to wake up each day with some sense of hope that this regime is on its way out.
I can't have a clear memory of what "normal" was. We can't go back, we must create a new normal. Tear down Trump's "normal" and replace them with cleansing block, diverse blocks, Start your brick stockpile now. Resist!
Joyce, thank you. A reminder to your followers: Norm, etc. are raising money for various lawsuits, including Katie's and the Olympian. https://www.democracydefendersfund.org
Is David Hearn getting free representation by a great lawyer? It's unconscionable that he should even be facing charges from this corrupt regime; he shouldn't need to pay for an attorney to defend himself. Is there crowd-sourcing to help him?
The fraud on the court (the Trump v. IRS suit) adjudication being overseen by Judge Williams in the SDFL could move forward anytime this coming week, now having been completely briefed. And her past history indicates Judge Williams tends to move quickly although she, like most judges, also tends to spend more time on rulings almost certainly to be appealed. Whether she goes all the way to vacating the dismissal, versus a narrower finding of some basis of fraud on the court concern or referring pieces to disciplinary authorities, the case will very likely wind up at the 11th Circuit. Also --- and Joyce may have more detail --- the Tuberville Alabama gubernatorial eligibility issue is still hanging fire but, may have some resolution this week as well. Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Holbrook Reid heard oral argument on the motions to dismiss the suit challenging Tuberville's eligibility this past Monday, June 29, but did not rule from the bench. Tuberville's side argues courts lack jurisdiction over the question at all and that it should be left to voters.
“It should be left to the voters” is a crock of sh*t. There are laws that state who is eligible to run for office and tuberville does not meet that criteria. If it should be left to the voters who can seek an office despite laws that say otherwise, then I look forward to Mandami’s run for the presidency.
"Box of wine" Pirro has a long history of humiliation. She has her own personal conduct reasons to want DJT to "win" as she is easily one step from the "bars" with her husband. Always projection and "law for thee, not for me".
Joyce, thanks as always for keeping it real. I started reading your book (finally) on our summer vaca. Am inspired to once again take a month off in Oct/nov to do election protection work where most needed (I’m an CA attorney and former Mayor of Menlo Park, and have volunteered to do election protection many times, most recently fall 2024 In the Atlanta GA area. But one doesn’t need to be a lawyer or political type to be effective as a trained election protection voluntee…)
We all know these midterm elections are so critical…. Given your contacts, could you please help inform all of us what’s the best way to find out where election Protection volunteers will be most needed so we can make plans and get trained in plenty of time? Who’s best to talk to in the coalition on mobilizing to maximize our effectiveness through careful targeting? Perhaps a small army can be recruited from Civil Discourse’s subscribers and then other substacks may follow???!!!???
I too have her book, but I just finished reading, Regime Change and then Lier's Kingdom, by Andrew Weissmann and I'm having to take a rest on political book reads until I finish, Fall of Giants, by Ken Follett. I can only take so much brain damage at one time, but of course I read her column every day and several others. I also wanted to say thank you for the election protection work you are doing, as a poll worker I appreciate your efforts.
Appreciate your kind words about I and others who do election protection - come on in, the waters fine!!! (And we need all hands on deck - there were not enough volunteers in Oct 2024 to cover all key Atlanta area precincts - more are definitely needed this fall!!!!)
Also I agree about “titrating” our important nonfiction political reading with fiction. I read the wonderful novel. “An encyclopedia of fairies” in between.
My Uber driver and I agreed this afternoon that the massive fireworks display appeared from the photographs we've seen to resemble San Francisco's annual fireworks, which can't be seen but only heard due to fog -- of course, in the DC version it was smoke from the fireworks themselves well duh I'm no fireworks expert but even I thought about that issue prior to the 4th. We (my Uber driver and I) decided that they should have considered the use of drones which, iirc, were used during the Biden administration to great effect with no smoke and no cancerous particulate matter.
Thank you, Joyce, for your always clear helpful summaries and insights about the latest legal issues! Grateful for your past and present service. And your chicken and pup pics and occasional videos are like sunshine 😊
Stay alert everyone! For instance: does anyone think the SCOTUS win on counting mail-in ballots post marked by election day will slow down the Epstein administration? My personal observations and experience says they have already slowed down first-class mail delivery and I expect them to quietly stop postmarking mail.
November, December and January is probably going to be brutal. Be ready!
Where possible vote early, in person.
And use drop boxes instead of USPS!
Also, whenever possible get your ballot hand stamped by the post office employees. It’s a damn shame it’s come to this but here we are.
I need to find out whether or not I can, as an expat, still e-vet as I did in the last election. Otherwise I’m going to have to think one and hard about how I can vote. It could get very expensive if the rules have changed in my state.
Mail delivery has been delayed since Louis DeJoy was Postmaster General, and is being substantially delayed now in preparation for the November election. Delay is causing bills and payments to be delayed, birthday cards to be very late. Our economy is being adversely affected for no legitimate reason.
Diane - EXACTLY! I had a birthday card take three weeks! And, what I still don't get: WHY did Biden NOT get DeJoy replaced?!?!? Corollary: why did Merrick Garland fail to protect democracy? Unless the D folders are replaced with D fighters I fear for our democracy.
Jason, that is against the law, so that would mean that the postmaster could and should be held accountable, imprisoned until his order to get the mail moving properly was given. We ahve tools, but somehow, we just don't use them!
They WILL be held accountable, Ruth, once We overwhelmingly vote the Nazis out of our government this November. Each and every one of them!
I thought the Dem leaders and the Biden administration's DOJ would pull out all the stops to prosecute the evildoers from Trump 1. That didn't happen because we "need to look forward, not back."
Trump 2 is Project 2025 Worse, but I there's no reason to believe the same thing won't happen again. DOJ won't have the resources, and the Dems won't have the political will, to hold accountable all those who should be--and even then their convictions will be pardoned by the next GOP president.
SCOTUS is in the hands of MAGA for the foreseeable future, which will make many if not all of Trump 2's institutional damage the new status quo.
Betsy: Some would call your views pessimistic. I call them "Totally Realistic. "
As Ruth pointed out: we have the tools, but we do not use them. So why have them?
Joyce stated that " All in all, the 250th anniversary of our country felt more like a financial opportunity for Donald Trump. . ." And that is exactly what the presidency and the country have become-one big financial opportunity for the malignant narcissist.
Optimism, Betsy!! It's why I capitalized 'We'! Help to make our numbers too big to monkey with; help to get others mobilized; help to get the young people - especially! - motivated to better THEIR futures! It is up to all of US to ensure things get back to where they should be, and that means getting these Nazis out of OUR government. We can only do that with numbers too large for them to 'fix'. Those tools that Ruth, and Mary below refer to, are OUR tools, and we must use them. We will, Betsy; we will.
The male who is the current USPS director has already been making policies that mess up the mail. One is that your mail item will no longer get date-stamped on the day you mail it by using your regular mailbox, or drop it to a post office,,,,, instead, your item will get date-stamped whenever the facility decides to "process" your item! This was put in place I think in February. Imagine how it messed with income tax filings! You can get your item date-stamped the day you take it to a USPS post office.... but you have to go there, then you have to go in and request for them to stamp it for that day. Hassle, huh? But, that's the point!
That's why I fully expect them to just stop postmarking mail in November. Even if this violates some law, Joyce's wheelhouse, there will be no way to undue the damage. Expect MAGA to create all instances of fraud so Trump can point at the fraud and sew doubt. Expect Trump to pardon anyone who commits a crime in support of the coming steal.
Support Marc Elias's Democracy Docket!!!!
https://www.democracydocket.com
Stay alert, indeed. We are up against it, and making sure our ballots get where they're supposed to is priority #1. Take it to a drop box, or have someone do it for you. I'm not counting on the postal service to deliver, sad to say. No one should this time around.
We don't have drop boxes where I live, but when you read what the election office sends out with their mail-in ballots, it specifically says to take your ballot to the post office and have them hand postmark it while you are watching. We've done that twice now, and the post office has been very good at doing that for us.
Curious why states have not implemented voting by email. Secure systems do exist — ie DocuSign. My state allows for submitting completed ballots by fax, which is a bit of a hassle (who has fax machines anymore?) but critical for me as I live abroad. In any case, everyone must do what they can to vote securely. Dems must win decisively in November! We’re in this together!
The dysfunction certainly is on brand, and painfully predictable. Thank you, Joyce, for your continued clarity and willingness to shine a light on the lawlessness and corruption.
Hi, Joyce & readers; I have to admit that in my neighborhood Saturday night, we only heard about 9 pops & kabooms, extremely modest ones at that. I was relieved to be honest because that is how we felt. We didn't feel like celebrating the day in which a overfed, golf cheating, Pedo who was on Epstein's Island & in NYC & now hampers that investigation, diaper wearing, $5+ million payment to E. Jean Carroll owing (and adding daily), Mount Rushmore drooling over...., nurse-in-tow perhaps drooling over, warmongering multi-time draft dodging, multiple highly Classified Documents stealing, convicted felon who should've NEVER been allowed to run for office, lying every time he opens his yap donnie trump was going to destroy what July 4th means to all Americans be giving a speech NOBODY cared to hear.
So, instead we watched some Wimbledon tennis matches, episodes of Dark Skies, Military Prosecutor Doberman, Dutton Ranch, and Agent Kim Reactivated. Did that plus watch the Dodgers beat the Padres. So, if anyone can top that rather than being in DC with a mad nincompoop smelly diaper wearing prop of a president, let me hear from you. I yield back my time.
Nevertheless, Meidas Touch reports that early this morning Washington DC had the worst air quality of any city on the planet, due to Trump's fireworks extravaganza. They apparently covered the Reflecting Pool with a layer of ash and people had to be sent to scoop out debris from the show from the Pool.
yes, I'd heard earlier in the day that people were being told not to breathe in the toxic junk the fireworks would emit when blown up. I'd wager a whole lot of ER's in the area were pretty crowded.
everything trump touches...
Thank you, Mother Nature!
Our neighborhood was also uncharacterically quiet. Most people were watching soccer.
trump sucks the life out of every celebration when he makes them all about himself. We'll celebrate his death or his dishonor from Epstein files one day, IF we can win back the Senate & Congress. I fully expect Musk to again help trump steal the midterms or at least try to. Sure wish they could catch Musk at it. I have only been to Hawaii once & that was for an annual Better Business Bureau annual meeting. Had a great time there. Peace.
NYC, Boston, Philly, NJ, VA. These are all places truly connected to 1776. DC came about after it was all over. The tall ships in NYC and fireworks in all cities above were great !! And remember everything trump touches dies...who ever heard of starting fireworks at 12m ..NOBODY
I remember when The Boston Pops July 4th program was the one to watch!
As you wrote: "If ever that was true in a case, it is here. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who failed to indict the sandwich thrower and was handed a humiliating loss in the misdemeanor case against him doesn’t seem to have learned that lesson." Unfortunately, Piro doesn't care about the humiliation because she's already been humiliating herself to Trump and is only trying make him happy.
But he was INDICTED! How in the world does that happen? Did ordinary citizens agree that Hearn had physically pulled the liner from the bottom? What possible evidence could have been presented?
I think it’s time for the judge to look at the grand jury transcript.
I posted the same question before reading comments, so didn't see that you had made this point. Thank you!
Do you think our weeks will ever start to look normal again? I am trying to keep the faith that after November, we, the people will start to be able to wake up each day with some sense of hope that this regime is on its way out.
I can't have a clear memory of what "normal" was. We can't go back, we must create a new normal. Tear down Trump's "normal" and replace them with cleansing block, diverse blocks, Start your brick stockpile now. Resist!
I was just thinking the exact same thoughts. How will I (we?) get through the next couple of years with our sanity intact?
Joyce, thank you. A reminder to your followers: Norm, etc. are raising money for various lawsuits, including Katie's and the Olympian. https://www.democracydefendersfund.org
As of 2024, this was Orange's debt clock in terms of interest. https://donaldsdebt.com/about/
Is David Hearn getting free representation by a great lawyer? It's unconscionable that he should even be facing charges from this corrupt regime; he shouldn't need to pay for an attorney to defend himself. Is there crowd-sourcing to help him?
Yes. Norm Eisen has taken the case. From commenter Lauren: https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/
Go, Norm!
Thanks for this info, Ann!
The fraud on the court (the Trump v. IRS suit) adjudication being overseen by Judge Williams in the SDFL could move forward anytime this coming week, now having been completely briefed. And her past history indicates Judge Williams tends to move quickly although she, like most judges, also tends to spend more time on rulings almost certainly to be appealed. Whether she goes all the way to vacating the dismissal, versus a narrower finding of some basis of fraud on the court concern or referring pieces to disciplinary authorities, the case will very likely wind up at the 11th Circuit. Also --- and Joyce may have more detail --- the Tuberville Alabama gubernatorial eligibility issue is still hanging fire but, may have some resolution this week as well. Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Holbrook Reid heard oral argument on the motions to dismiss the suit challenging Tuberville's eligibility this past Monday, June 29, but did not rule from the bench. Tuberville's side argues courts lack jurisdiction over the question at all and that it should be left to voters.
“It should be left to the voters” is a crock of sh*t. There are laws that state who is eligible to run for office and tuberville does not meet that criteria. If it should be left to the voters who can seek an office despite laws that say otherwise, then I look forward to Mandami’s run for the presidency.
Absolutely. That phrase is just like McConnell and his reason to block Garland from Obama's SC nomination from even getting a hearing.
The gop uses "voters" as a ruse to block - not to actually listen to the voters.
tupperville is a stupid racist, how does he not qualify ? ha ha
The regime is overtly ignoring a court order. If that isn't a Consitutional crisis, I don't know what is.
everything about the trump crowd is a crisis !!
How long until Pierro loses all credibility with the court?
Like Bondi, Blanche, Pulte and others, Pirro is happy to make a fool of herself pursuing Trump's retribution agenda.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/26/politics/pirro-grand-jury-alleged-fbi-agent-attacker
The 'sandwich guy' will not be the last of her humiliations.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/06/politics/sean-dunn-dc-sandwich-thrower-verdict
I thought she repeatedly humiliated herself on Fox so nothing new here.
"Box of wine" Pirro has a long history of humiliation. She has her own personal conduct reasons to want DJT to "win" as she is easily one step from the "bars" with her husband. Always projection and "law for thee, not for me".
Pulte is a very dangerous man!
Joyce, thanks as always for keeping it real. I started reading your book (finally) on our summer vaca. Am inspired to once again take a month off in Oct/nov to do election protection work where most needed (I’m an CA attorney and former Mayor of Menlo Park, and have volunteered to do election protection many times, most recently fall 2024 In the Atlanta GA area. But one doesn’t need to be a lawyer or political type to be effective as a trained election protection voluntee…)
We all know these midterm elections are so critical…. Given your contacts, could you please help inform all of us what’s the best way to find out where election Protection volunteers will be most needed so we can make plans and get trained in plenty of time? Who’s best to talk to in the coalition on mobilizing to maximize our effectiveness through careful targeting? Perhaps a small army can be recruited from Civil Discourse’s subscribers and then other substacks may follow???!!!???
I too have her book, but I just finished reading, Regime Change and then Lier's Kingdom, by Andrew Weissmann and I'm having to take a rest on political book reads until I finish, Fall of Giants, by Ken Follett. I can only take so much brain damage at one time, but of course I read her column every day and several others. I also wanted to say thank you for the election protection work you are doing, as a poll worker I appreciate your efforts.
Appreciate your kind words about I and others who do election protection - come on in, the waters fine!!! (And we need all hands on deck - there were not enough volunteers in Oct 2024 to cover all key Atlanta area precincts - more are definitely needed this fall!!!!)
Also I agree about “titrating” our important nonfiction political reading with fiction. I read the wonderful novel. “An encyclopedia of fairies” in between.
My Uber driver and I agreed this afternoon that the massive fireworks display appeared from the photographs we've seen to resemble San Francisco's annual fireworks, which can't be seen but only heard due to fog -- of course, in the DC version it was smoke from the fireworks themselves well duh I'm no fireworks expert but even I thought about that issue prior to the 4th. We (my Uber driver and I) decided that they should have considered the use of drones which, iirc, were used during the Biden administration to great effect with no smoke and no cancerous particulate matter.
Will the Files ever come out? I have said all along that this could be the final nail in Ts regime.
I wish there was a legal way to undo his pardons!!!
Or coffin!
If you haven't yet watched or read through the latest instance of 'The Drey Dossier', I would like to urge you all to do so:
https://thedreydossier.substack.com/p/trump-is-lying-about-the-reflecting
Yet another busy week. Thanks, Joyce, for keeping us all informed!