Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

By executive order, DACA was born. 

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•  January 6th/Attempted Coup big news for those who care about Democracy:
• We have a wife of a Supreme Court justice who, it now seems clear based upon a new Washington Post story, was a full blown Insurrectionist and who was in it very, very deep. (We already knew she had exchanged text messages with Trump's chief of staff during the coup planning period.)
  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
• And the New York Times, in an unrelated story just released, reports that Eastman was engaged in email correspondence before January 6th with Trump lawyers saying he had information that the Supreme Court justices were in a "heated fight" over the election. How do you think he knew that? Fun fact: Eastman was actually a law clerk to Clarence Thomas.
  
  
  
• Rep. Barry Loudermilk once denied giving any tours on January 5th. Now we know not only that he spent hours doing so when no tours were allowed due to COVID, but that one man in the group was taking pictures of underground tunnels, security areas, and stairwells. The next day that same man would walk towards the Capitol and record himself saying, “There’s no escape Pelosi, Schumer, Nadler. We’re coming for you.”  Thread of all info. 
  
  
  
  

  
  
• In Midland, a guy who was found not guilty of killing a police officer has filed a petition requesting the the DA be removed from office for incompetence and misconduct.  (The actual criminal case was nuts: The acquitted man shot and killed an officer after a malfunctioning silent alarm caused police to enter his home, allegedly without warning.)  This is all pretty interesting. The petition and its exhibits are very detailed (and even includes a grand jury transcript and, oddly, a still photo from inside the grand jury room.)   And this removal case could get really dicey because, if the case goes forwards, it is the elected County Attorney's duty to prosecute the removal petition under a wonky Texas law.  Side note: A Fort Worth lawyer is one of the lawyers filing the petition on the man's behalf. 

  

  D.A. in the grand jury room

  
  
• I've been ignoring poor Odessa. A pipe broke on Monday completely shutting off water to the city. It should slowly start being restored throughout the day today. 
  
  
  
• This is a dumb warning.  It's Tennessee. I'd be disappointed if every dollar didn't test positive for drugs. 
  
  
  
• The "artist" who created a series of wacky Trump paintings has released a new one. Of the many things about it which short circuits my brain, one of them is definitely the Confederate belt buckle being worn by a man who just happens to be black. 
  
  
  
• Uh, yes. 100% yes.
  
  
  
• I'm not sure I had ever heard of an "immaculate inning" before yesterday's Ranger game.