Been trying to reach you for a while about dropping into my radio/TV show to promote Proof and your latest findings. Please drop me a note, or send one to my producer, Shawn Taylor, at shawn@thomhartmann.com ...
Hi Thom, I really appreciate this invite, and since I promised to give honest replies here I will say that after the CJR hitpiece on me from February I decided to take a break from doing media for the sake of my emotional health. Needless to say I don't in any sense lump you in with an infamous defamer like CJR contracted with to try to take me out, but I just find that right now I'm better able to do my work when I don't think about promotion on media outlets and just think about the research and the writing itself (and the far-less-complicated matter of promotion of the research and the writing via my own channels). I may well return to doing media in 2022, but I think that, barring some unexpected situation, for right now I am focused on content production almost exclusively. It truly is not personal, and I hope you know I've appreciated our conversations. I simply have been not dealing with media queries since February—and that goes for all queries, of which there have been a number.
Right now the fight in the House is to get two ethics-oriented committees to consider the "tour" issue, specifically with respect to Lauren Boebert (who strongly denied ever giving any such tour) and Paul Gosar. Unless Boebert gave a tour, I find it unlikely that her "Today is 1776" tweet, her speaking at a pre-January 6 Stop the Steal event, and her giving Pelosi's location in the negative (indicating that she had been removed from the House chamber on January 6) is enough for a charge, and her floor rhetoric is protected by Congressional rules regarding the scope of constituent representation and the First Amendment.
Paul Gosar is another matter—he will be dealt with primarily by the DOJ and FBI, I believe, and then removed from the House in response to any such indictment. We currently have no information on how far along the probe of him is, but I'm guessing not that far as his co-conspirator Ali Alexander hasn't even been picked up yet. Gosar is a bigger fish, as he directly coordinated with Trump in December 2020 and with other members of Congress like Andy Biggs (AZ) and Mo Brooks (AL). I feel like it could be a long wait for justice for Gosar. But I do *think*—my gut instinct—that it will come eventually.
Seth, Hail, brilliant man! I would like to know where you get your ENERGY?! You post in the morning. You post at night. You post at High Noon. You post at Tea Time. And every post is thick with reporting and facts. HOW DO YOU DO IT? How many assistants are you employing? And .... do you find your readership goes UP on Saturday and Sunday?
E. Jean Carroll - Happy Mother's Day to you. I do hope your case is one of the many that brings the orange treason weasel to justice. Hope you are healthy and happy.
Indeed - Seth has an unlimited energy supply. All the better for us! Stay safe!
Volunteer for Democratic politicians at risk, donate to their campaigns, spread the word among your friends that America is fighting an active insurrection this midterm—a circumstance which we haven't dealt with since the Civil War—call your members of Congress on January 6 issues (like speaking out against the fake Arizona "audit"), do whatever you can to help people vote in November 2022, use your social media to augment stories about the insurrection while also celebrating the Biden administration's successes in fighting COVID-19 and restoring the economy. These would be good starting points.
I think we will eventually see it. I am not convinced the DOJ will return to any Russia-related matters—not because the cases aren't there, but because the internal and external pressures to stay focused (at most) on the insurrection will be extraordinary, and it's clear the Biden White House doesn't think the Russia issue is a "winner" for Democrats because Trump successfully poisoned the well: convinced the entire GOP, and some independents, that "Russiagate" (as they scornfully call it) was a "hoax," even when, in fact, nearly every element of what we believed happened back in 2016 has now been confirmed. I answer your third question elsewhere in this AMA, but the short answer is election interference charges in Georgia.
Hope you won't mind another question... If Cheney is angling for a run for Prez in 2024, how much of a leg up for Democrats would that be? The way I see it, she could pull more moderate Repugnicans over to an "old school" conservative party and diminish the votes cast for the Nazi Party. Could that actually play out?
I saw that Trump may start doing his MAGA rallies soon and also the "Republican president of the United States." It is clear this is not going to end well, and based on his history of being an absolute monster, what do you see happening? I'm convinced law enforcement can stop any large scale madness like 1/6 since they are prepared this time and there won't be delays in calls for the national guard like 1/6. How do you see his rallies ending?
I don't see the rallies themselves as an immediate problem—unless they attract large crowds of counter-protestors, and then I could see some Proud Boy-antifa clashes and significant police presence—but more the likelihood that these rallies will be breeding grounds for live and digital discussion (pre- and post-rally) of MAGA rallies at state houses and other federal buildings, which is when you start seeing attempted occupations, vandalism, and the risk of something becoming a wider conflagration if it's in a major urban area. I do believe that DOJ should monitor all Trump's public statements, rally or no, as any claim he makes to being the rightful president of the United States could potentially constitute a federal crime and be an immediate national security issue. He is riding that line already every time he speaks.
It's kind of mind boggling that Dems have control of the House, a 50:50 split in the Senate, as well as the WH... yet... there is still a lot of bullying by the GOP going on. Any thoughts on Democrats finally getting their act together and forming a strong coalition?
More importantly, what safeguards can be put in place to stop another, more crafty tyrant from coming into power and truly destroying democracy as we know it in the U. S.?
Do you think the Georgia investigation, since they have former person on tape, like the infamous tape of his call to Ukraine, will be the first to actually get him indicted? Since first hand evidence? No middlemen. And is Ga. SOS office cooperating or not?
I think the Georgia case seems likely to go forward. Gabriel Sterling certainly seems like he is a truth-teller no matter what, so he will "cooperate" in that sense, whereas Brad Raffensperger is a bit more of a political player. That said, he's on tape too, and has already made statements about this, and if he doesn't know his political career is often will know it the second an election interference case issues from Fulton County, so it's hard to see why he would do anything but cooperate fully if and when he is asked to do so. The fact that the Fulton County DA has the evidence and the witnesses suggests to me this could actually be a significant risk to Trump. That said, I'm sure Georgia would rather not "go first"—they'd probably love for the DCAG (the DC Attorney General, who is considering incitement charges) or the DOJ to go first, especially if it's DOJ getting inculpatory information on Trump that is far-ranging as a result of Giuliani possibly cooperating in the future. But I think that wish will be in vain, and Georgia may have to proceed first.
Don't you think that the federal courts have been too passive and have been "played" by the Republicans public disinformation in conjunction with bad-faith court cases? Don't the courts need to step up to the challenge here?
Agree. Loved that series... but if you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to see a great spy series... The Bureau, on Sundance Now. (yeah yeah, I know, yet ~another~ streaming service, but Daniel Dale, Fact Checker Extraordinaire mentioned this series on Twitter, I checked it out and am hooked. It has sub-titles, which I detest, but I'm totally enthralled by this series. So Much SPYING! 5 seasons, of 10 episodes each.
Hi did you see the mostly pointless Secret Service hearing and what did you think? Also, do you have any specific hopes for the upcoming Oversight hearing this Wednesday with Rosen and Christopher Miller on the insurrection?
I have not been able to see that hearing yet. The people they need under oath on live TV from the Pentagon are Kash Patel, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, and Charles Flynn. It is hard for me to see Miller as anything but a helpless moron. The main thing I want to know is why he was *not* immediately warned, as he'd required beforehand, when the crowd size at the Ellipse swelled over 30,000. (Also, why it was set at that level rather than at the level set out in the permit.)
Hi Seth, Why haven't the Dems and the Billionaire or Pacs done a PR campaign combating the BIG LIE--there is not push back and why aren't Dems trying to convince those Trumpites who may reconsider the BIG LIE if there is more truth instead of just FOX and the other right-wing news media? People won't change their minds if they don't hear the truth.- and sometimes it must be a constant drum beat!
How optimistic should we be that there will actually be consequences for the puppet masters of 1/6? And isn’t it mostly a race between the DOJ and the insurrectionists trying again?
I believe there will be consequences. I also think it could take 1-3 years. I also think the insurrectionists will try again, at least at the state level (Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, or Pennsylvania) before 1-3 years. I think federal targets in DC will be much, much harder for them to access than ever before so more likely are far-flung federal targets or state houses. But remember, too, that "trying again" relates *also* to "trying to steal an election again," which they are already doing with unconstitutional voter-suppression bills, fake "audits," the Big Lie, and more.
Been trying to reach you for a while about dropping into my radio/TV show to promote Proof and your latest findings. Please drop me a note, or send one to my producer, Shawn Taylor, at shawn@thomhartmann.com ...
Hi Thom, I really appreciate this invite, and since I promised to give honest replies here I will say that after the CJR hitpiece on me from February I decided to take a break from doing media for the sake of my emotional health. Needless to say I don't in any sense lump you in with an infamous defamer like CJR contracted with to try to take me out, but I just find that right now I'm better able to do my work when I don't think about promotion on media outlets and just think about the research and the writing itself (and the far-less-complicated matter of promotion of the research and the writing via my own channels). I may well return to doing media in 2022, but I think that, barring some unexpected situation, for right now I am focused on content production almost exclusively. It truly is not personal, and I hope you know I've appreciated our conversations. I simply have been not dealing with media queries since February—and that goes for all queries, of which there have been a number.
All good, Seth. Just know the door’s always open at our place for you…
YES!!!!! Love to have Seth on your show Tom!
How close is DOJ to charging any Congressional Insurrectionists?
Right now the fight in the House is to get two ethics-oriented committees to consider the "tour" issue, specifically with respect to Lauren Boebert (who strongly denied ever giving any such tour) and Paul Gosar. Unless Boebert gave a tour, I find it unlikely that her "Today is 1776" tweet, her speaking at a pre-January 6 Stop the Steal event, and her giving Pelosi's location in the negative (indicating that she had been removed from the House chamber on January 6) is enough for a charge, and her floor rhetoric is protected by Congressional rules regarding the scope of constituent representation and the First Amendment.
Paul Gosar is another matter—he will be dealt with primarily by the DOJ and FBI, I believe, and then removed from the House in response to any such indictment. We currently have no information on how far along the probe of him is, but I'm guessing not that far as his co-conspirator Ali Alexander hasn't even been picked up yet. Gosar is a bigger fish, as he directly coordinated with Trump in December 2020 and with other members of Congress like Andy Biggs (AZ) and Mo Brooks (AL). I feel like it could be a long wait for justice for Gosar. But I do *think*—my gut instinct—that it will come eventually.
How is Ali Alexander still at large and what does that say about the ability of RW militants to hide pretty public people away effectively?
Seth, Hail, brilliant man! I would like to know where you get your ENERGY?! You post in the morning. You post at night. You post at High Noon. You post at Tea Time. And every post is thick with reporting and facts. HOW DO YOU DO IT? How many assistants are you employing? And .... do you find your readership goes UP on Saturday and Sunday?
E. Jean Carroll - Happy Mother's Day to you. I do hope your case is one of the many that brings the orange treason weasel to justice. Hope you are healthy and happy.
Indeed - Seth has an unlimited energy supply. All the better for us! Stay safe!
Thanks, Mike!!
What can we--ordinary citizens--do now (and keep dong) to save the House and Senate?
Volunteer for Democratic politicians at risk, donate to their campaigns, spread the word among your friends that America is fighting an active insurrection this midterm—a circumstance which we haven't dealt with since the Civil War—call your members of Congress on January 6 issues (like speaking out against the fake Arizona "audit"), do whatever you can to help people vote in November 2022, use your social media to augment stories about the insurrection while also celebrating the Biden administration's successes in fighting COVID-19 and restoring the economy. These would be good starting points.
Where do we stand with seeing Mueller’s mostly unredacted report?
Do you think it will be enough to get the DOJ to start an investigation into obstruction of justice charges against Trump?
What litigation effort do you think has the best chance of bringing charges against Trump?
I think we will eventually see it. I am not convinced the DOJ will return to any Russia-related matters—not because the cases aren't there, but because the internal and external pressures to stay focused (at most) on the insurrection will be extraordinary, and it's clear the Biden White House doesn't think the Russia issue is a "winner" for Democrats because Trump successfully poisoned the well: convinced the entire GOP, and some independents, that "Russiagate" (as they scornfully call it) was a "hoax," even when, in fact, nearly every element of what we believed happened back in 2016 has now been confirmed. I answer your third question elsewhere in this AMA, but the short answer is election interference charges in Georgia.
Thanks, I bought the Proof trilogy, disappointed Trump will not be held accountable.
Hope you won't mind another question... If Cheney is angling for a run for Prez in 2024, how much of a leg up for Democrats would that be? The way I see it, she could pull more moderate Repugnicans over to an "old school" conservative party and diminish the votes cast for the Nazi Party. Could that actually play out?
I saw that Trump may start doing his MAGA rallies soon and also the "Republican president of the United States." It is clear this is not going to end well, and based on his history of being an absolute monster, what do you see happening? I'm convinced law enforcement can stop any large scale madness like 1/6 since they are prepared this time and there won't be delays in calls for the national guard like 1/6. How do you see his rallies ending?
I don't see the rallies themselves as an immediate problem—unless they attract large crowds of counter-protestors, and then I could see some Proud Boy-antifa clashes and significant police presence—but more the likelihood that these rallies will be breeding grounds for live and digital discussion (pre- and post-rally) of MAGA rallies at state houses and other federal buildings, which is when you start seeing attempted occupations, vandalism, and the risk of something becoming a wider conflagration if it's in a major urban area. I do believe that DOJ should monitor all Trump's public statements, rally or no, as any claim he makes to being the rightful president of the United States could potentially constitute a federal crime and be an immediate national security issue. He is riding that line already every time he speaks.
It's kind of mind boggling that Dems have control of the House, a 50:50 split in the Senate, as well as the WH... yet... there is still a lot of bullying by the GOP going on. Any thoughts on Democrats finally getting their act together and forming a strong coalition?
More importantly, what safeguards can be put in place to stop another, more crafty tyrant from coming into power and truly destroying democracy as we know it in the U. S.?
Do you think the Georgia investigation, since they have former person on tape, like the infamous tape of his call to Ukraine, will be the first to actually get him indicted? Since first hand evidence? No middlemen. And is Ga. SOS office cooperating or not?
I think the Georgia case seems likely to go forward. Gabriel Sterling certainly seems like he is a truth-teller no matter what, so he will "cooperate" in that sense, whereas Brad Raffensperger is a bit more of a political player. That said, he's on tape too, and has already made statements about this, and if he doesn't know his political career is often will know it the second an election interference case issues from Fulton County, so it's hard to see why he would do anything but cooperate fully if and when he is asked to do so. The fact that the Fulton County DA has the evidence and the witnesses suggests to me this could actually be a significant risk to Trump. That said, I'm sure Georgia would rather not "go first"—they'd probably love for the DCAG (the DC Attorney General, who is considering incitement charges) or the DOJ to go first, especially if it's DOJ getting inculpatory information on Trump that is far-ranging as a result of Giuliani possibly cooperating in the future. But I think that wish will be in vain, and Georgia may have to proceed first.
Do these cases require extradition. Do you think DeSantis would block any state that tries to extradite Trump?
Don't you think that the federal courts have been too passive and have been "played" by the Republicans public disinformation in conjunction with bad-faith court cases? Don't the courts need to step up to the challenge here?
Agree. Loved that series... but if you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to see a great spy series... The Bureau, on Sundance Now. (yeah yeah, I know, yet ~another~ streaming service, but Daniel Dale, Fact Checker Extraordinaire mentioned this series on Twitter, I checked it out and am hooked. It has sub-titles, which I detest, but I'm totally enthralled by this series. So Much SPYING! 5 seasons, of 10 episodes each.
Why hasn’t Trump been indicted for the 11 Obstruction of Justice crimes in the Meuller report.
Politics.
Those are slam-dunk cases and DOJ would win them—either all of them or nearly all.
Hi did you see the mostly pointless Secret Service hearing and what did you think? Also, do you have any specific hopes for the upcoming Oversight hearing this Wednesday with Rosen and Christopher Miller on the insurrection?
I have not been able to see that hearing yet. The people they need under oath on live TV from the Pentagon are Kash Patel, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, and Charles Flynn. It is hard for me to see Miller as anything but a helpless moron. The main thing I want to know is why he was *not* immediately warned, as he'd required beforehand, when the crowd size at the Ellipse swelled over 30,000. (Also, why it was set at that level rather than at the level set out in the permit.)
Hi Seth, Why haven't the Dems and the Billionaire or Pacs done a PR campaign combating the BIG LIE--there is not push back and why aren't Dems trying to convince those Trumpites who may reconsider the BIG LIE if there is more truth instead of just FOX and the other right-wing news media? People won't change their minds if they don't hear the truth.- and sometimes it must be a constant drum beat!
How optimistic should we be that there will actually be consequences for the puppet masters of 1/6? And isn’t it mostly a race between the DOJ and the insurrectionists trying again?
I believe there will be consequences. I also think it could take 1-3 years. I also think the insurrectionists will try again, at least at the state level (Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, or Pennsylvania) before 1-3 years. I think federal targets in DC will be much, much harder for them to access than ever before so more likely are far-flung federal targets or state houses. But remember, too, that "trying again" relates *also* to "trying to steal an election again," which they are already doing with unconstitutional voter-suppression bills, fake "audits," the Big Lie, and more.
If there is one meeting that you wish you could have been a fly on the wall - trump or non-trump related, what would it be?
Without any question whatsoever, this one: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html
A close second would be the January 5 war council at Trump International