Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

Ted Cruz entered the presidential race. 

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• Wise County Criminal News Yesterday: Robert A. Moriarty pled guilty to the capital murder of his 11 year-old daughter and was sentenced automatically to life in prison without parole. The way I read this, he pled to the maximum sentence due to the fact that the only thing worse, the death penalty, wasn't available because of this law passed in 2019.  It both giveth to the State and taketh away.
  
  
  
• In a shocking breach of security, the top people in Trump's administration, in a group chat within unsecured commercial app Signal, discussed in detail the plans for the bombing in Yemen which took place a few days ago. If that wasn't bad enough, the accidentally included the editor of The Atlantic to the chat and no one even noticed. They are going to get soldiers killed with this kind of recklessness.
  
  
  
  
  

  

  
  
• And when secrets weren't being revealed, they texted like teenagers.
  
  
  
  
  
• As the Administration was confirming the story, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth -- whose qualification was being a Fox News host -- got off of a plane in Hawaii and lied to us all. And he did what MAGA always does: Attack the media. Even Fox News' Brit Hume couldn't believe it. 
  
  
  
• Trump attacked the media as well and has since seemed disinterested in the security breach. As long as those involved are loyal to him, nothing else matters.
  
  
  
• You won't believe the way Fox News handled the story last night.  Or maybe you will. Here's the quick video intro which almost has to be seen to be believed.
  
  
  
• Elon was at another cabinet meeting yesterday and, as always, was dressed to kill.
  
  
  
• This silly threat to take over Greenland continues to get ramped up.  The visit by Usha Vance is not at the invitation of Greenland and, in fact, its prime minister said it was a "very aggressive" provocation.  Despite this, Trump told us all yesterday she was "invited." (Video.)
  
  
  
• Trump doubled down on his authoritarian attack on law firms yesterday: "Behave yourself,"  he warned. This comes on the heels of his memo on Friday to the Justice Department to, in essence, target "despicable firms" who challenge his actions.  This is only going to get worse, and he'll move on to the media next.  It's over. 
  

  

  
  
  
  
• In the Alien Invasion Act case (where the alleged gang members were summarily rounded up and shipped off in planes without the right for innocent people to say they were picked up by mistake), the judge wants to know when those planes were in the air since he had ordered the deportations to temporarily stop. Last night, Trump's Justice Department refused to answer the judge by invoking a privilege that doesn't apply.  This is just defying the court order.
  
  
  
• Seems like a big deal. And he hasn't been seen since. Edit: Reportedly free this morning. 
  
  
  
• An Amber Alert was issued last night for a 15 year old Rowlett boy (who was found a few hours later), but it didn't sound like an abduction.  Aren't those alerts supposed to be limited to abductions?

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

This blog has certainly changed over the years. 

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• Texas Numbers
• Average cases over last seven days:
  
  
  
• People in hospital:
  
  
  
• Wise County positive cases have doubled from 700 to 1400 in the last week. 
• Expert Weather Prediction From Revamped Liberally Lean Weather Department: Around 9:45 p.m. this evening the cold front will hit hard. The temperature will then drop to 32 overnight but not get over 36 on Saturday.  And the winds will incredibly strong making it all worse.  
• Boom! We have our first January 6th indictments for Sedition. We are finally getting serious.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• You've heard of the Oath Keepers. 
  
  
  
• The facts of the Sedition cases are insane.  The indictment, which every American should pull up a chair and read, is here. But since you won't, let me break it down for you . . . 
• This was not a spur of the moment, emotional driven invasion. The plan began two days after the election. "We aren't getting through this without a Civil War. Too late for that. Prepare your body, mind and spirit." It then continued.
  
  
  
• These guys, plain and simple, planned to stop the counting of electoral votes. Intimidation at first and then force if necessary. It's the very definition of Sedition. 
  
  
  
• They did a recon mission of the Capitol.
  
  
  
• They knew what they were planning was illegal.
  
  
  
• Here is the leader: Stewart Rhodes of Granbury (he is a different guy than the Oath Keeper who served as constable in Hood County.)  Here's a profile of him in The Atlantic from 2020.
  
  
  
• While on his way to the Capitol, he spent $6,000 on his arsenal even before he got outside of Texas:
  

  

  
  
  
  
• Wait! Let's buy more!
  
  
  
• Important: The Oath Keepers had the bevy of weapons and ammo at a Comfort Inn hotel right outside of D.C. where men were waiting for a signal to deliver them after the invasion. And they were prepared to deliver them by boat on the Potomac if necessary. Here's when that idea of a "Quick Response Force" was first hatched:
  
  
  
• Once gathered outside the Capitol, they were mad at Trump for not giving them a direct signal to attack.  So they are taking it all "into their own hands."
  
  
  
• Outside the building, let's go boys!
  
  
  
• They send in "Stack One."

  

  
  
• They are in!
  
  
  
• The boys in the hotel are ready with the ammo. Just give them the signal.
  
  
  
• Back inside the Capitol, "They can't hold us!" Uh. oh. They can hold us. We got maced.
  
  
  
• While regrouping, they learn that members of Congress are grabbing for face masks. Should they rethink this plan? Nope. 
  
  
  
• They need help. Send in "Stack Two" of the Oath Keepers! 
  
  
  
• Then it all fizzled out because the National Guard arrived and all the Congressmen and women were safely ushered out. Let's back out. 
  
  
  
• But let's do it again tomorrow!
  
  
  
• That plan didn't work out, either. Remember when some of you thought is was silly to have the National Guard in the building on the 7th?
  
  
  
• Yesterday, Fox News Brit Hume had the worst timed tweet in the history of ever.
  
  
  
• The Supreme Court was busy yesterday: The vaccine mandate for private employers of over 100 employees is unconstitutional.  But it is legal for hospitals (if they receive Medicare or Medicaid which means 100% of hospitals.)
  
  
  
• The big Messenger news is that publisher Kristen Tribe is leaving (the job, not the area.)
• The City of Keller was promoting an official Republican campaign event on its home page before they stopped yesterday.
  
  
  
• They were even promoting it on Twitter:
  
  
  
• Legal nerd very odd stuff: A federal appellate judge on the Fifth Circuit, who now finds himself in the minority on a conservative court which will remain that way for years and years to come, quit at the age of 49 despite having a lifetime appointment. 
  
  
  
• D.A. says that the guy in charge of ruling on Open Records request in Texas has violated the Open Records Act by not responding to an Open Records request directed to him. (The largest papers in Texas has asked for all of his documents related to his appearance at the Trump rally in D.C. on January 6th.)
  
  
  
• Time which has passed since the Wise County Sheriff's Office has failed to solve the murder of Lauren Whitener in her home at Lake Bridgeport: 924 days.
• Messenger: Above the Fold