201 Comments
User's avatar
mefoolonhill's avatar

This will end up in court, and any halfway competent judge will recognize that since Trump's thugs have taken possession of Fulton County ballots, they are contaminated by partisans and would be inadmissable.

It's Come To This's avatar

From your keyboard to God’s ear. But what’s the definition of a “halfway competent judge” in the era of Pam Bondi, ditzbag Tulsi Gabbard and Moonbat Eyes Kristi Noem? They’re all walking Manson family girls…

Gael MacLean's avatar

Like that—Manson girls. How appropriate.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

But so far, God doesn’t seem give a rip.

patricia's avatar

he/she didn't give a rip about the holocaust either...at first.

free will and all that

Wry Banter's avatar

Since god is mythical you can allow god to care or not.

patricia's avatar

true... I think there is one being he/she is called by many names

Wry Banter's avatar

“And so it goes with god.” One of my favorite quotes from Life of Pi.

June A Sewell's avatar

Yes, who is a half-way competent judge when they had to go to a judge in Missouri to issue the warrant?

Ed Borasky's avatar

The truly scary part of this has already happened - Dominion has been purchase by an actor who may not be nonpartisan.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/meet-the-republican-who-just-bought-dominion-voting-machines/ar-AA1OeLwV

Daniel Solomon's avatar

One of the allegations about our incursion into Venezuela is that the Batistianos convinced hin that Maduro could substantiate his claims about election fraud.

The "Venezuelan Connection": Convicted felon Sidney Powell and others claimed that voting machine companies like Smartmatic and Dominion had ties to the Venezuelan government and were designed to switch votes electronically.

The Alleged Source: These claims were supposedly based on an affidavit from an unnamed "Venezuelan military official" who claimed the 2020 U.S. election was "eerily reminiscent" of the 2013 Venezuelan election, where similar fraud was alleged to have occurred.

Disinformation: These claims were thoroughly debunked by U.S. election officials, cybersecurity experts, and judges as entirely unfounded. News organizations that repeated the claims later paid hundreds of millions of dollars in defamation lawsuits.

Trump doessn't take "NO" as an answer.

MYoung's avatar

Bingo! This is another one of the tools in the Devil's arsenal these days - bargaining with incarcerated criminals, like Ghislaine Maxwell, to lie in exchange for favors from the Trump machine. I've been wondering ever since they kidnapped Maduro what they would try to extract from him. Corroborating the BIG LIE now looks it will be one of those chips the Lizard King will try to cash in. At least they finally found something for Tulsi Gabbard to do, besides complain that nobody loves God anymore.

G.P. Baltimore's avatar

Also, the timing is interesting. Why are they retrieving these voting records today? Why now?

It seems today the Justice just dumped 3 million more docs from Epstein files.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Change “ may not be non-partisan” to is a republican conspiracy theorist.

Susan Ritchie's avatar

Don’t bet on it. They want to pass the SAVE Act which will disenfranchise millions of voters. Barring its passage, they are seizing voter records ( Bondi said they would reduce the number of ICE agents in exchange for MN’s voter records). They want to claim “proof” of voter fraud to justify EO’s to control voting in the mid-terms because they fear a blue wave.

George T's avatar

I’ve been saying/ posting comments about this (passing the SAVE ACT) for a year and got such pushback from other subscribers (one in particular) saying I was deluded that I stopped bothering. Good to see someone else is aware of them wanting to pass it. I’ve also said it wouldn’t be surprising to see them enact it just before the midterms.

Nevoustrumpezpas's avatar

I wouldn't let the pushback bother you. I get pushback from one deluded individual now and then, even though I post infrequently. The majority on this blog are thoughtful individuals, many of whom would agree that measures to restrict voting rights are bad for democracy.

George T's avatar

Thanks.

And now of course it’s becoming clearer. Hopefully that one person in particular wakes up.

From Joyce Vance a few days ago (1/25/26)

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-week-ahead-dc5?r=5n3e

“The SAVE Act Is Back

Last year, in April, I wrote to you about the SAVE Act, a massive attack on the ability of eligible American citizens to vote. It passed the House before stalling in the Senate. But now it’s coming back. Last year, we discussed the facts about the Act:

If the SAVE Act becomes law, all Americans will have to provide a birth certificate, a passport, or one of a limited number of documents, such as certain (but not all) military ID cards, every time they register or reregister to vote.

At least 21 million Americans don’t have that kind of proof readily available. Only 51 percent of Americans have passports, which cost adults applying for the first time a $165.00 fee, not to mention assembling the documents you need, getting a photograph of yourself, and making it to an appointment.

The bill would end registration by mail and online because it requires voters to show proof of citizenship to election officials “in person” when they register. That would also make it difficult, if not impossible, to conduct voter registration drives, say, at churches or schools. States that automatically register voters when they turn 18 would no longer be able to do so. And if you move or need to reregister for any reason, this applies to you, too. You’d have to bring your passport or original birth certificate in for inspection every time you do that.

If you’re a married woman who changed or hyphenated her name, you can expect problems if your name doesn’t match your birth certificate.

Trump and his allies are preparing to push Senate Republicans to pass a new version of the SAVE Act. Marc Elias explained last week that although no one knows exactly what will be in the new bill yet, “the idea of a bigger, more aggressive SAVE Act should concern everyone who cares about free and fair elections.”

The SAVE Act doesn’t enhance election integrity. It just makes it more difficult for qualified Americans to vote. It takes on the form of a classic poll tax, forcing people who don’t have it to spend money on more expensive forms of identification as a prerequisite to exercising a right. Public opposition to the bill put an end to it last year. It’s time to gear up again.”

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-week-ahead-dc5?r=5n3e

Lady Emsworth's avatar

"Any halfway competent judge"

Aye, there's the rub. . .

Boomer2026's avatar

Eileen Cannon enters the chat...

Stephen Brady's avatar

I have been saying all year: If we survive this we need a whole raft of Constitutional Amendments. DOJ needs to be out from under the Executive Branch and a separate but equal branch of Government. Same for the Inspectors General. We need to take the Executive down many notches and circumscribe his powers. Obviously, Court Reform is high on the list. This whole Commander in Chief thing needs an intense review and reform. Being able to force any and all Government functionaries to obey Court Orders up to and including the Executive is a must have. We need a mechanism for indicting and trying a sitting President is yet another necessity. Maybe even electing the VP separately from the Prez is worth consideration.

patricia's avatar

electoral college must go first thing !

Daniel Solomon's avatar

WE JUST NEED A FEW CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS.

Jerry Weiss. https://jerryweiss.substack.com/

Started jujitsu the day after the election.

Now, the Epstein issue is our best chance.

George T's avatar

“Release the “Pedophile Papers”!

A phrase inspired by the “Pentagon Papers” but to me more poignant than the label the “Epstein Files”.

Phrasing them as the “Pedophile Papers” also makes it more obvious. Kind of like that guy in the Auto Plant shouting “Pedophile Protector” at Trump. Let’s keep the word “Pedophile” at the forefront of any and everything (spoken, written, etc) when it comes to those Files

LiverpoolFCfan's avatar

"All of these myths have been thoroughly and repeatedly discredited. And while the Fulton County criminal case against Donald Trump never made it to trial, his allies Kenneth Cheesebro, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis pled guilty—they thought the evidence of crimes committed to try and throw the 2020 election for Trump was that compelling."

It takes a special sort of idiot cultist to continue to pursue these fabulist claims that have been disproven SO MANY TIMES.

The Dunning Kruger effect is running rampant in this country.

So glad I got to do my part with high school students, teaching them critical thinking skills.

Mary Stellick's avatar

I hope you mean "high school students..."

LiverpoolFCfan's avatar

Yes. Thanks for the correction!!!

Jen Andrews's avatar

It doesn't matter. Here they have more hysterical headline material for the low information low IQ voters who comprise then Republican Party.

Anyone who remains in it has to be considered criminal at the outset . And isn't it lovely how this orange cocksplat with advancing dementia continues to divide us by this nonsense.?

patricia's avatar

we are also divided by racism

Brooks R Susman's avatar

And when has this felonious administration adhered to judicial decisions?

Ed Weber's avatar

I dearly hope that you are right and that it ends in court, but I fear that it ends in violence. Is that what the Republican Party wants? Does the GOP really want millions of those who believe in free and fair elections (and proven reality) to be purchasing guns and ammunition?

MYoung's avatar

Oh, haven't you heard? Ever since they murdered Alex Pretti, Big Brother now believes citizens should not be allowed to buy guns - unless they are Party members, of course. It just get more Orwellian every day!

teresafbrooks's avatar

Are there Aileen Cannon's in reach?

Douglas N Cooper's avatar

I keep hearing in my head tonight "The Devil Went Down to Georgia".

Eleanor Duffield's avatar

Are Democrats fiddlin' on?

Daniel Solomon's avatar

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

Sioux Fleming's avatar

If it weren’t so dangerous, it would be laughable. Today he also filed a $10B lawsuit against the IRS and the treasury department for allegedly leaking his tax records from when he was in office in the first term. He claims it hurt his reputation and might have cost him the election.

It’s like he’s living in a loop of Groundhog Day except the date is November 3, 2020 and there aren’t any good actors.

Ann P's avatar

That tax return leak actually happened. It was an IRS contractor named Charles Littlejohn who leaked the Trump tax returns and those of several other wealthy and famous people to various media outlets.

“Prosecutors [in the Biden administration] charged Littlejohn in September 2023 with leaking tax records of Trump and thousands of other wealthy Americans to the media, saying he was motivated by a political agenda.

Littlejohn, 40, pleaded guilty the following month to disclosing income tax return information without authorization, and was sentenced in January 2024 to five years in prison.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/29/trump-sues-tax-return-leak?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Noorillah's avatar

Thank you for filling us in on that important piece and how it's already been addressed.

patricia's avatar

yet hump saw no jail time for trying to overthrow the government. the biden justice dept should have spent some time on that crime...

Mary's avatar
Jan 30Edited

Imagine a corrupt executive branch suing a corrupt judicial branch with an illegitimate lawsuit against a corrupt IRS-to essentially steal from the American tax payer. You don’t have to imagine too much.

Jen Andrews's avatar

The bf's son in law worked for the IRS prosecuting tax cheats, and loved it. Until recently, when he couldn't bear it anymore.

It didn't used to be corrupt. Idk if it is now, theirs foul crowd probably hasn't funded it and no one wants to work there, corrupt or not. It simply has to not do its job, so no reason to staff it, lack of people takes care of the problem of letting rich tax cheats off the hook.

Mary's avatar

Yes. That’s partially what I was getting at. I wasn’t trying to bad mouth the IRS. This administration is the cause of corruption.

Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

Like a petulant toddler whose toys were taken away from him.

Noorillah's avatar

And unlike the protagonist in Groundhog Day, DJT learns nothing.

Jen Andrews's avatar

More looting of the taxpayer while he still can.

Ed Borasky's avatar

The President of the United States of America is suing his direct reports? Can't he just tell them to hand the goods over? And don't we already know who leaked them?

Marlene Lerner-Bigley (CA)'s avatar

This is Cleta Mitchell’s wet dream, Joyce. And why is Gabbard there? Is she assigned to as many jobs as Rubio? It stinks…stinks to high heaven!

On another note, it’s galling to see another female, Pam BonDEI, make an appearance in Minnesota? Funny how she has time to go there instead of giving us the TRUMPSTEIN FILES!

Jen Andrews's avatar

You can call her Pam Fake Blondi, or Pamela Jo, as some do.

JK's avatar

or just plain "whore"

Louise L.'s avatar

I wrote my state representatives today and asked them to sponsor or support legislation to protect the 2026 midterm election. We will need our governors to have their national guard troops guard the election. Imagine that!

Mitchell Zimmerman's avatar

The N Y Times' framing of the warrant as another instance of Trump's lies about the "stolen election" disturbed me, because this has become such a standard way to discuss Trump and the 2020 election.

Focusing on Trump's dishonest claims and disproving them is defensive and an error. The reality is simply and undisputably that Trump tried to steal an election, first through lies and various frauds, and then through insurrectionary violence. To speak every time about his phony claim is to give them life, and to evade the reality that election theft was the issue -- but the obvious point that it was Trump who tried to steal an election.

Perhaps if the Times had started with that perspective, they could have focused on how Trump's current move wasn't about history but about another effort to steal an election.

teresafbrooks's avatar

Oh, the New York Times. I canceled my subscription when their entire editorial board called on Pres. Biden to get out of the race and failed to say the felon should get.

When they decide to provide headlines that aren't mis-direction, I'll renew.

Nraecohen's avatar

This makes me so sick and angry. Trump will go to any and all lengths to destroy or distort the results of the 2026 elections if we even have them. Every time I read more news the sicker and angrier I get

Thank you Joyce for being so clear and informative.

Dale of Green Gables's avatar

In another head-scratching event, but far less onerous, the so-called documentary "Melania" is being officially released Friday (30). Managed to get a preview, free of course. Although I “paid” by now not being able to unsee it. The reviewer who said forget about a theater, if it were shown on planes, people would leave, is on the mark.

JaKsaa's avatar

#shorts - Stop the mass incarceration (today 1/29/26 there are 73,000 people held in For-Profit-Private Facilities) 🆘

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUG4pViEwdY/?igsh=NWI4Nml6ODl0amVr

Thank you Sen Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) for bringing your voice to our communities. ✅ New Data: 73% of ICE Detainees Have No Criminal Record

Nonpublic Immigration and Customs Enforcement data leaked to the Cato Institute reveal that nearly three in four people booked into ICE custody this fiscal year had no criminal conviction—contradicting the Trump administration’s claims about deporting “millions and millions of criminal aliens.”

✅ Cato Institute’s David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies and The Selz Foundation Chair in Immigration Policy, obtained the data showing that nearly half of detainees had neither criminal convictions nor pending charges. Only 5 percent had violent criminal convictions. (11/25/25)

Dale of Green Gables's avatar

Fulton County will no doubt be going to court over what is very likely an illegal seizure of state records with no probable cause to back up the associated warrant.

Carolyn T's avatar

And all this is happening while the Senate Judiciary Committee, that has oversight authority over the Justice Department, is chaired by the non-lawyer farmer from Iowa, Senator Chuck Grassley. Grassley claims to be anti-weaponization of the Justice Department but doesn’t seem to see such deviance in this current Justice Department.

The complicity and hypocrisy is staggering.

Bob's avatar

As I read about the 2020 election issues, as a non lawyer, I am curious about applicable statutes of limitations and how there can be any remaining valid actions. Is there some undisclosed continuing crime?

Doc Blase''s avatar

It's 5 years, they missed it by 2 months. Too late. Not that the law matters to the now-ironic "Justice Department."

Douglas N Cooper's avatar

The Devil went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal

He was in a bind, 'cause he was way behind, he was willing to make a deal

Noorillah's avatar

The Devil does lose that one...

Patricia Miller's avatar

Joyce, I’m serious, do you and your family have plans set up where you can go to a safe country in case this really blows up and goes bad. You are one of the leading voices out there speaking the truth and I’m afraid your family will be a target. Please make plans to be safe in the future. Much love and thanks.

SPW's avatar

I understand that Sydney Powell is now back in this ugly picture now too. As for the judge who signed the search warrant, what is her story? This entire event stinks to high heaven. How sweet would it be if Gabbard’s presence would get anything they try to pull, tossed to the moon?

Phillip T Stephens's avatar

On CNN Fulton County election officials wondered why the DOJ seized files the civil suit had already given them access too. I suspect it's the same reason for the show of force in Minnesota. Collecting records isn't newsworthy. Sending in armed law enforcement agents with warrants to seize what was already theirs intimidates local officials, creates the image of unstoppable force, and gives Trump more press coverage to distract from the bad coverage. That's always been a key strategy. Distract voters from their outrage by doing something even more outrageous, and if that blows up in his face, do something even more outrageous.