YEAR OF THE RABBIT UPDATES

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit, Hare Hare Hare!

-A fourth set of documents – apparently at least six – have been found in President Biden’s home in DE yesterday. As has been the case throughout the investigation, the documents were found as the FBI conducted the search after the White House VOLUNTARILY allowed the search to occur. Most of the documents – which were IMMEDIATELY RETURNED – came from not only Biden’s time as Vice President but also reportedly while Senator, which again brings questions about document security into question that need to be resolved.

-All of that said, the capitalized notes are important because the Biden documents are not anywhere close to the scandal as the documents scandal surrounding Ex-President Trump, who at various times denied he had them, claimed they were his, claimed he declassified them, lied to investigators for over a year that he had the documents, and who possessed documents that are far more contemporary, sensitive, and were not secured in any way, shape, or form. ALLEGEDLY (eye roll). Trump allies and media reporters who attempt to ‘bothsides’ the documents issue are wrong and/or lying and/or lazy, IMHO.

-One more White House note: Ron Klain, the current White House Chief of Staff, has announced he will step down from that role by March. Klain has by all accounts run a very tight ship in what is continued to be recognized as one of the most legislatively successful first two years of a Presidential term since at least FDR in 1933-34. Right-wing crowing about this being a sign of Biden choosing not to run in 2024 are quite absurd, however, given that a typical turnover for people in that position is about two years or so – exactly what Klain’s tenure will ultimately be. (To contrast, by this point in Ex-President Trump’s term, he was already on his third COS.)

-As for Trump, he spent Saturday in NC at the memorial service for Lynette “Diamond” Hardaway – a service that was livestreamed on the ultra-right “RSBN” feed. The service proved … interesting … with Hardaway’s sister Rochelle “Silk” Richardson insisting her sister died suddenly of a ‘needle’ (Diamond and Silk broadcast misinformation about the COVID vaccine and are reportedly unvaccinated, and Diamond reportedly contracted COVID and was in and out of hospitals since Thanksgiving), a video package played to memorialize them attacking President Biden, Trump sitting cross-armed for over two hours on stage while sitting and asking why the service wasn’t “only 15 minutes” as he was told it would be, Trump insisting that while he will miss Diamond he had “never met Silk” (there are literally hundreds of photos of the three of them together, including in the Oval Office when Trump was President, as Diamond and Silk were a sister act), and eulogized Diamond with what was for him a typical stump speech of grievance, invective, and insistence the 2020 Presidental election was stolen from him (it was not – Biden beat Trump soundly). The event was attended by about 150 people in a hall local papers note could hold 2400 people – reportedly rented by Trump himself (though that has often been claimed at various rallies only to have local authorities be given bills for unpaid rentals and services, so we shall see …)

-Another shift in stories from “Rep.” “George Santos” (“R,” “NY”) after revelations that he had entered drag competitions in Brazil under the name “Kitara Ravache.” While walking through an airport, “Santos” appeared to reverse his earlier claim that he had never been a drag queen, claiming instead that he was “young” and just wanted to “have fun” when pictured in that photo. The continued questions about “Santos” and his real identity is taking on more serious implications, given that “Santos” has been given a security clearance by Kevin McCarthy (SINO-R, CA) and is being protected because of the razor-thin majority Republicans have in the House, and continued questions about whoever he is – and how he has been seated while McCarthy continues to prepare to deny seats for political retaliation reasons to GOP targets Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) – will swirl around ‘him.’

-Heading into the legislative week, look for UltraMAGA Judicial Chair Rep. Jim “Gym” Jordan (OtheR Way, OH) to rail against the Department of Justice after DoJ sent him a letter calmly reminding Jordan that DoJ does not have an obligation to – and in fact has a responsibility NOT to – turn over information and evidence from ongoing investigations to Congressional committees just because the committees say they want them. It is an open secret that Jordan intends to use his committee to try to criticize if not obstruct various investigations into Ex-President Trump – and that DoJ has been aware of his intent for over a year and is likely ready for the battle. This comes as a new documentary, produced by George Clooney, will premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival about Jordan’s role in a scandal in which over 100 wrestlers were sexually abused by a doctor while Jordan was a coach at The Ohio State University (that role being reportedly ignoring the please from those students to help them). No word on whether that film will make Jordan put on a suit jacket.

-On this date in 1905, Russian troops protecting the Tsar fired upon workers protesting working conditions in St. Petersburg – a turning point in what would eventually be the end of Romanov rule in that country. On this date in 1973, women in America were given the right to choose whether to continue a pregnancy or not by the Supreme Court – a right which the current Supreme Court took away last summer. On this date in 1984, Apple’s “1984” ad for their new Macintosh computer premiered during the Super Bowl. And on this date in 1998, Ted Kacynski – aka “The Unabomber” – pled guilty to charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder in Federal court.

-Happy Birthday to Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Byron, August Strindberg, Conrad Veidt, Sergei Eisenstein, George Balanchine, Ann Southern, U Thant, Sam Cooke, Piper Laurie, Bill Bixby, Graham Kerr, Seymour Cassel, Jeff Smith, George Seifert, John Hurt, Malcolm McLaren, Steve Perry, Jim Jarmusch, Chris Lemmon, Charles White, Linda Blair, Michael Hutchence, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Diane Lane, Steven Adler, and Guy Fieri.

-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Queen Victoria, Marc Blitzstein, Duke Kahanamoku, Lyndon B. Johnson, Telly Savalas, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, Craig Claiborne, Bill Mauldin, Ann Miller, Rosemary Woods, Heath Ledger, Jean Simmons, Ursula LeGuin, Hank Aaron, and Thich Nhat Hanh.

-Feed the Worms: notorious pirate “Captain” William Kidd and racist film visionary D.W. Griffith entered Earth on this date. Coach turned pedophile-protector and enabler Joe Paterno bought it on this date (take note, Gym Jordan).