Minneapolis City Council Agrees to Give Family of George Floyd $27 Million in Taxpayer Funded Settlement


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 12, 2021 | Sundance | 163 Comments

The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to give the family of George Floyd $27 million in the largest settlement in the city’s history.  The massive civil settlement comes on the heels of congress passing a massive city and state bailout bill under the auspices of COVID.  [Statement from Ben Crump HERE]

It is not a stretch to see a situation where Minneapolis is paying out this $27 million settlement because they now have an influx of federal cash to support or replace it.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The city of Minneapolis on Friday agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd’s family over the Black man’s death in police custody, even as jury selection continued in a former officer’s murder trial.

The Minneapolis City Council emerged from closed session to announce the record settlement, which includes $500,000 for the neighborhood where Floyd was arrested. Floyd family attorney Ben Crump called a news conference for 1 p.m. that was to include family members.

Crump, in a prepared statement, said it was the largest pretrial civil rights settlement ever, and “sends a powerful message that Black lives do matter and police brutality against people of color must end.” (read more)

Pressure Increases on Governor Andrew Cuomo to Resign Following Sexual Harassment Claims, Cuomo Defiant Says He Will Not Resign


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 12, 2021 | Sundance | 198 Comments

Half of New York’s democrats are now asking Governor Andrew Cuomo to resign following six women stepping forward with details of sexual harassment.  However, the New York governor, who is also guilty of killing thousands of elderly residents with his COVID nursing home rules, is defiant in his media statements today.

ALBANY, N.Y. — (AP) — As the Democratic Party turned sharply against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and he faces growing allegations of sexual harassment, he insisted Friday he wouldn’t resign and castigated politicians calling for him to quit as “reckless and dangerous” and engaging in “cancel culture.”

“I did not do what has been alleged. Period,” he said, again calling on the public to let ongoing investigations into his conduct to play out. “Wait for the facts.”  “Politicians who don’t know a single fact but yet form a conclusion and an opinion are, in my opinion, reckless and dangerous,” he added.

With a sprawling coalition of congressional leaders joining dozens of state lawmakers in calling for the embattled governor to step down, the Democrat hit back.  “You need to know the facts before you make a decision,” he said. “People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture and the truth.”

Cuomo’s growing list of detractors now covers virtually every region in the state and the political power centers of New York City and Washington. His allies insist he will not resign, but as allegations of sexual harassment grow, his political isolation has reached unprecedented levels. (read more)

Governor Cuomo press conference today (prompted):

Minnesota Judge Reinstates Third-Degree Murder Charge Against Officer Chauvin as Activists Set Up Autonomous Zone Around George Floyd Memorial


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 11, 2021 | Sundance | 155 Comments

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill reinstated third-degree murder charges against Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on the third day of jury selection.  The trial now includes a set of charges against Chauvin more favorable to the prosecution who may not be able to prove second-degree murder and/or possibly second-degree manslaughter.

Meanwhile the political activists are using the opportunity of the trial to take control over a portion of the city where even the police will no longer patrol.  The leftists have created an autonomous zone, a no-go zone, near the site of the George Floyd memorial. 

MINNESOTA – […] Judge Peter Cahill on Thursday granted prosecutors’ motion to reinstate the third-degree murder charge, which would require a lower standard of proof than second-degree. In order to convict Chauvin of second-degree murder, prosecutors would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Chauvin caused Floyd’s death while committing or attempting to commit a related felony, in this case third-degree assault.

To win a conviction on third-degree murder, prosecutors would need to prove that Chauvin caused Floyd’s death in an act that is “eminently dangerous” to others. The additional count adds another option for jurors to consider as they weigh charges against Chauvin, which legal experts say is a benefit for prosecutors. (more)

Just like the cases of Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Freddie Grey, Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor and many more, the background political activists are attempting to manipulate public opinion to achieve their goals.  This has been the Marxist roadmap and racial division strategy for the past decade.  “Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste”

Nails It, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Discusses The UniParty Process in Washington DC as an Economic System


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 11, 2021 | Sundance | 144 Comments

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has rapidly become one of the most ardent supporters of MAGA policy and political perspectives in Washington DC.  She is opposed by all the correct enemies as to reflect how the UniParty politicians consider her a risk to the DC system.

Today MTG appeared on the Steve Bannon podcast to discuss her perspective and experience in Washington DC with Democrats and Republicans.  Ms. Greene notes her experience with the UniParty apparatus, a singular political outlook that surrounds all of the politicians occupying Washington DC.  The Conservative Treehouse has long discussed this exact issue.

MTG succinctly discusses how the Republicans failed to support the MAGA agenda after President Trump was elected; republicans controlled both the House and the Senate chambers yet they did nothing.   MTG is also one of the few voices who understands how DC is a business model, an economic system and industry that is supported by the politicians within it; and she is willing to call them out.  A very rare breed….  WATCH:

CTH often describes the background DC motives with the phrase: “There are Trillions at Stake.”  Expanding on MTG’s explanation of the DC economic business model, below we take another look at what that really means; and how DC politics is not quite based on the ideas that frame many reference points.

With people taking notice of DC politics for the first time; and with people not as familiar with the purpose of DC politics; we end up within two different references. Perhaps it is valuable to reset the larger frames of reference and provide clarity.

Most people think when they vote for a federal politician -a House or Senate representative- they are voting for a person who will go to Washington DC and write or enact legislation. This is the old-fashioned “schoolhouse rock” perspective based on decades past.  There is not a single person in congress writing legislation or laws.

In modern politics not a single member of the House of Representatives or Senator writes a law, or puts pen to paper to write out a legislative construct. This simply doesn’t happen.

Over the past several decades a system of constructing legislation has taken over Washington DC that more resembles a business operation than a legislative body. Here’s how it works right now.

Outside groups, often called “special interest groups”, are entities that represent their interests in legislative constructs. These groups are often representing foreign governments, Wall Street multinational corporations, banks, financial groups or businesses; or smaller groups of people with a similar connection who come together and form a larger group under an umbrella of interest specific to their affiliation.

Sometimes the groups are social interest groups; activists, climate groups, environmental interests etc. The social interest groups are usually non-profit constructs who depend on the expenditures of government to sustain their cause or need.

The for-profit groups (mostly business) have a purpose in Washington DC to shape policy, legislation and laws favorable to their interests. They have fully staffed offices just like any business would – only their ‘business‘ is getting legislation for their unique interests.

These groups are filled with highly-paid lawyers who represent the interests of the entity and actually write laws and legislation briefs.

In the modern era this is actually the origination of the laws that we eventually see passed by congress. Within the walls of these buildings within Washington DC is where the ‘sausage’ is actually made.

Again, no elected official is usually part of this law origination process.

Almost all legislation created is not ‘high profile’, they are obscure changes to current laws, regulations or policies that no-one pays attention to.  The passage of the general bills within legislation is not covered in media.  Ninety-nine percent of legislative activity happens without anyone outside the system even paying any attention to it.

Once the corporation or representative organizational entity has written the law they want to see passed – they hand it off to the lobbyists.

The lobbyists are people who have deep contacts within the political bodies of the legislative branch, usually former House/Senate staff or former House/Senate politicians themselves.

The lobbyist takes the written brief, the legislative construct, and it’s their job to go to congress and sell it.

“Selling it” means finding politicians who will accept the brief, sponsor their bill and eventually get it to a vote and passage. The lobbyist does this by visiting the politician in their office, or, most currently familiar, by inviting the politician to an event they are hosting. The event is called a junket when it involves travel.

Often the lobbying “event” might be a weekend trip to a ski resort, or a “conference” that takes place at a resort. The actual sales pitch for the bill is usually not too long and the majority of the time is just like a mini vacation etc.

The size of the indulgence within the event, the amount of money the lobbyist is spending, is customarily related to the scale of benefit within the bill the sponsoring business entity is pushing. If the sponsoring business or interest group can gain a lot of financial benefit from the legislation they spend a lot on the indulgences.

Recap: Corporations (special interest group) write the legislation. Lobbyists take the law and go find politician(s) to support it. Politicians get support from their peers using tenure and status etc. Eventually, if things go according to norm, the legislation gets a vote.

Within every step of the process there are expense account lunches, dinners, trips, venue tickets and a host of other customary financial way-points to generate/leverage a successful outcome. The amount of money spent is proportional to the benefit derived from the outcome.

The important part to remember is that the origination of the entire process is EXTERNAL to congress.

Congress does not write laws or legislation, special interest groups do. Lobbyists are paid, some very well paid, to get politicians to go along with the need of the legislative group.

When you are voting for a Congressional Rep or a U.S. Senator you are not voting for a person who will write laws. Your rep only votes on legislation to approve or disapprove of constructs that are written by outside groups and sold to them through lobbyists who work for those outside groups.

While all of this is happening the same outside groups who write the laws are providing money for the campaigns of the politicians they need to pass them. This construct sets up the quid-pro-quo of influence, although much of it is fraught with plausible deniability.

This is the way legislation is created.

If your frame of reference is not established in this basic understanding you can often fall into the trap of viewing a politician, or political vote, through a false prism. The modern origin of all legislative constructs is not within congress.

“we’ll have to pass the bill to, well, find out what is in the bill” etc. ~ Nancy Pelosi 2009
“We rely upon the stupidity of the American voter” ~ Johnathan Gruber 2011, 2012.

Once you understand this process you can understand how politicians get rich.

When a House or Senate member becomes educated on the intent of the legislation, they have attended the sales pitch; and when they find out the likelihood of support for that legislation;  they can then position their own (or their families) financial interests to benefit from the consequence of passage.  It is a process similar to insider trading on Wall Street, except the trading is based on knowing who will benefit from a legislative passage.

The legislative construct passes from K-Street into the halls of congress through congressional committees.  The law originates from the committee to the full House or Senate.  Committee seats which vote on these bills are therefore more valuable to the lobbyists.  Chairs of these committees are exponentially more valuable.

Now, think about this reality against the backdrop of the 2016 Presidential Election. Legislation is passed based on ideology.  In the aftermath of the 2016 election the system within DC was not structurally set-up to receive a Donald Trump presidency.

If Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 election, her Oval Office desk would be filled with legislation passed by congress which she would have been signing. Heck, she’d have writer’s cramp from all of the special interest legislation, driven by special interest groups that supported her campaign, that would be flowing to her desk.

Why?

Simply because the authors of the legislation, the originating special interest and lobbying groups, were spending millions to fund her campaign. Hillary Clinton would be signing K-Street constructed special interest legislation to repay all of those donors/investors.

Congress would be fast-tracking the passage because the same interest groups also fund the members of congress.

President Donald Trump winning the 2016 election threw a monkey wrench into the entire DC system…. In early 2017 the modern legislative machine was frozen in place.
The “America First” policies represented by candidate Donald Trump were not within the legislative constructs coming from the K-Street authors of the legislation.  There were no MAGA lobbyists waiting on Trump ideology to advance legislation based on America First objectives.

As a result of an empty feeder system, in early 2017 congress had no bills to advance because all of the myriad of bills and briefs written were not in line with President Trump policy. There was simply no entity within DC writing legislation that was in-line with President Trump’s America-First’ economic and foreign policy agenda.

Exactly the opposite was true. All of the DC legislative briefs and constructs were/are antithetical to Trump policy.  There were hundreds of file boxes filled with thousands of legislative constructs that became worthless when Donald Trump won the election.

Those legislative constructs (briefs) representing tens of millions of dollars worth of time and influence were just sitting there piled up in boxes under desks and in closets amid K-Street and the congressional offices.  Legislation needed to be in-line with an entire new political perspective, and there was no-one, no special interest or lobbying group, currently occupying DC office space with any interest in synergy with Trump policy.

Think about the larger ramifications within that truism. That is also why there was/is so much opposition.

No legislation provided by outside interests means no work for lobbyists who sell it. No work means no money. No money means no expense accounts. No expenses means politicians paying for their own indulgences etc.

Politicians were not happy without their indulgences, but the issue was actually bigger. No K-Street expenditures also means no personal benefit; and no opportunity to advance financial benefit from the insider trading system.

Without the ability to position personal wealth for benefit, why would a politician stay in office?  The income of many long-term politicians on both Republican and Democrat sides of the aisle was completely disrupted by President Trump winning the election.  That is one of the key reason why so many politicians retired immediately thereafter.

When we understand the business of DC, we understand the difference between legislation with a traditional purpose and modern legislation with a financial and political agenda.

Lastly, this was why -when signing legislation- President Trump often said: “they’ve been trying to get this through for a long time” etc.   Most of the legislation passed by congress and signed by President Trump in his term was older legislative proposals, with little indulgent value, that were shelved in years past.

Sidney Powell Provides Updates on Judicial Challenges: “Constitutional Crisis”


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 11, 2021 | Sundance | 238 Comments

Attorney Sidney Powell continues working with her team to coordinate legal challenges while providing evidence of corrupt election systems and processes.  In this interview with Pete Santilli, Powell discusses the current state of her efforts and the groups she is working with in state legislative offices.

The future of voting against the UniParty begins with first securing the processes of elections: paper ballots, limited election days, limited and controlled absentee ballots, no computer systems for electronic manipulation, voter ID requirements, and one citizen – one vote.

Visit DefendingTheRepublic.Org Here

A Young Aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo Becomes The Sixth Woman to Allege Sexual Harassment – Details of Groping Under Her Blouse


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 10, 2021 | Sundance | 64 Comments

A sixth woman has come forward with details of sexual harassment by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The Times Union – A female aide to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo alleges he aggressively groped her in a sexually charged manner after she had been summoned to the Executive Mansion late last year, according to a person with direct knowledge of the woman’s claims.

The staff member, whose identity is being withheld by the Times Union, had been called to the mansion under the apparent pretext of having her assist the governor with a minor technical issue involving his mobile phone. They were alone in Cuomo’s private residence on the second floor when he closed the door and allegedly reached under her blouse and began to fondle her, according to the source.

The person, who is not authorized to comment publicly, said the woman — who is much younger than Cuomo — told the governor to stop. Her broader allegations include that he frequently engaged in flirtatious behavior with her, and that it was not the only time that he had touched her. (read more)

FBI Rleases New Video of Suspect Planting Pipe Bombs in DC on January 5th – But Wait for it….


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 9, 2021 | Sundance | 128 Comments

According to the FBI: …”The FBI’s Washington Field Office has released new information and video regarding the pipe bombs placed in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on January 5, 2021, and is seeking additional information from the public. Identifying the person responsible for placing these pipe bombs is a priority for the FBI’s Washington Field Office and our partners at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Capitol Police; and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Accept the statement at face value and then ask yourself:  what is wrong with this picture?

(Screengrab Source)

Seeking your help.  Comments turned off.

See the problem?

Actually, it’s not a problem… it is just an affirmation of intent.  The FBI is in the business of creating, engineering and supporting political narratives.  The FBI is a political institution, that’s why the request doesn’t align with the system… they don’t really want the public’s help; because it is pushing and promoting the investigation itself that is the goal.

Once you accept the FBI is a political organization with political interests, expectations and objectives, then everything makes sense.

On the evening before the violence at our nation’s Capitol, between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., two pipe bombs were placed near the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters. One device was placed in an alley behind the RNC headquarters, located at 310 First Street Southeast, and the other was placed next to a park bench near the DNC headquarters, located at 430 South Capitol Street Southeast #3.

“The American people have provided invaluable assistance in this investigation, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners are very grateful for that cooperation,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “We still believe there is someone out there who has information they may not have realized was significant until now. We know it can be a difficult decision to report information about family or friends—but this is about protecting human life. These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death. We need the public’s help to identify the individual responsible for placing these pipe bombs to ensure they will not harm themselves or anyone else.”

[…]  The FBI is asking the public to watch the videos of this person—you may recognize their gait, body language, or mannerisms. We are asking the public to come forward with any information that could assist us, including any odd or out-of-character behavior you noticed in a family member, friend, or coworker, leading up to or after January 5. Regarding the evening of January 5, we are asking for information about an individual who you may have observed matching this description in the vicinity of North Carolina Avenue SE and Folger Park between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.. This person may have entered a vehicle or taken an item from a vehicle and placed it into the backpack. (more)

.

Battered Conservative No More


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 9, 2021 | Sundance | 434 Comments

The headline here is a twist on a great book about how to not be a participant in your abuse called “Codependent No More“.  The message directly relates to something CTH discusses frequently in both articles and in the comments section.

In order to stop being abused, you must first stop making excuses for your abuser.  Accept things as they are, not as you interpret them to be.  This tweet by Robert Barnes is a great example:

At first blush Barnes is saying something we can all agree with.  Yes, Liz Cheney is toxic to the base of support within the republican party; and yes, the GOP putting Cheney into a very visible position of leadership tells us something.  However, the visiblity of Liz Cheney is not because the GOPe are stupidly disconnected from their base, Liz Cheney is purposefully visible because the GOPe wants her there.  She is a feature not a flaw or mistake; and the GOP totally gets it.

The Republican party believes the conservative voter base of the party is the problem, not the leadership.  Please accept that as an empirical fact or we will continue to have discussions that are misinterpretations of motive.  From the mindset of the institutional Republican party YOU are the problem, not Liz Cheney.

When you finally accept that the RNC wing of the UniParty hates you, literally hates their base of voters, only then can you begin to break the cycle known as “Battered Conservative Syndrome.”

However, to break this toxic mindset we must stand firm against the abuser.  THEY are the problem, not you.  THEY work for you, not vice-versa.

The GOP leadership is supposed to represent your priorities, not carry out their priorities while managing your angst.

We The People are being abused by them.

Everything they are doing – they are doing because what they are doing is exactly what they want to do.

The institutional republican leadership are not making mistakes.  Accept who they are.

Battered Conservative No More!

If you are a regular reader of this site you are generally a person who engages in intellectual discussion on daily events and more than likely a root cause thinker. Meaning you are able to grasp events at their cause and not at their consequence.

However, for some reason, many of those who understand big picture dynamics are still comfortable sticking their heads in the sand about “motive”.  Many people are still clinging to actual beliefs around a principle of ‘rule of law’ that applies to National Leadership.

You’d better change that thinking quickly – or you’ll be asking ‘what happened’ far too late.

There seems to be a willful blindness on the part of the American people, a chosen refusal to acknowledge the implications of the unAmerican and unConstititional behaviors, actions and outcomes we are being served on a daily basis.

It can no longer be presumed to be a matter of “I can’t see what’s happening” because a whole lot of normal Americans really are clean and articulate.

I can’t see it” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

DeceptiCon Senator John Barrasso Vows to Back Lisa Murkowski


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 8, 2021 | Sundance | 135 Comments


Following in the footsteps of Mitch McConnell, Decepticon Senator John Barrasso vows to support DeceptiCon Senator Lisa Murkowski (U-DC, via Alaska) if she seeks re-election.

Murkowski voted to impeach President Trump and Trump has vowed to campaign against Murkowski in the 2022 GOP primary.

WASHINGTON DC – Sen. John Barrasso said Sunday he’d back Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski for reelection, breaking with former President Donald Trump not long after he vowed to campaign against her.

“I want to always make sure we nominate somebody who can win in November,” Barrasso, the No. 3 Senate Republican, said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” of the 2022 midterm elections. “Lisa Murkowski knows Alaska better than anybody, and she’s an incredible fighter for American energy.” The Wyoming Republican cautioned that Murkowski — who has held her seat since 2002 — has not officially declared she would seek another term, but “if she does, I’m going to support her.”

[…] Murkowski is one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial but is the only one of that cohort to face reelection next year. […] Murkowski, who succeeded her father, Frank Murkowski, in the Senate, has also proved a difficult person for Republicans to unseat. She managed to win as a write-in candidate after losing a GOP primary in 2010, and Alaska has since switched to a ranked-choice voting system that will pit candidates of all parties against one another in an open primary, with the top four vote-getters advancing to the general election.

Barrasso also said he stood by Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney (read more)

FOIA Release Showcases FBI Small Group Coordinating With Media To Push Russia Narrative in 2017 Exactly as Suspected


Posted originally on the conservative tree house March 8, 2021 | Sundance | 88 Comments

HatTip FOIA FAN who continues digging on the Sypgate operation, to keep the historic record accurate.

This latest affirmation of 2017 coordinated activity with media comes amid new text releases from internal conversations of the FBI small group.  Peter Ztrzok, Lisa Page, Mike Kortan (PIO), Jennifer Boone, Andrew McCabe and others.  Essentially it confirms what we previously outlined on January 10, 2017, immediately after CNN broadcast their false narrative about Trump Russia collusion.  (source):

Jim Sciutto, Evan Perez and Carl Bernstein were coordinating the attack against Trump through Jake Tapper’s show on CNN.  The FBI small group were well aware of what the CNN crew were planning.  FBI Spokesperson Mike Kortan was coordinating the narrative on behalf of the FBI team.  The FBI knew the underlying premise was entirely false and likely so too did the CNN crew as we outlined in “The Anatomy of a Political Smear.”

I’m not going to waste time going over the issues again.  {Go Deep Here – Go Deep Here}  At this point highlighting the accuracy of the past holds no value.  Suffice to say the larger American electorate, ‘We The People’, just need to train ourselves how to spot this stuff when it happens.  As long as people continue to believe in the U.S. media apparatus, it will be more difficult to break the cycle of abuse.

Our nation deserves better.  We deserve better.