Tag Archives: Mike Pence

Oct 27 2023

Speaker Mike Johnson Sits Down with Sean Hannity for Extensive Interview


Posted originally on the CTH on October 27, 2023 | Sundance

Sometimes I just sit and shake my head.  Why these guys keep appearing with Sean Hannity is beyond my understanding.  That said, the platform and host is the first warning sign, the content of the interview is another.

Speaker Mike Johnson, who is a significant upgrade from Speaker Kevin McCarthy, sits down for an extensive discussion on current political events where Sean Hannity can tell Johnson his role and responsibility as Speaker. WATCH:

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Oct 27 2023

RNC Selects Lester Holt, Kristen Welker and Hugh Hewitt as Moderators for NBC’s First-Loser Debate in Miami


Posted originally on the CTH on October 26, 2023 | Sundance

The 2024 GOP primary debate series is a clown show of knuckleheads following the marching orders of the billionaire donors who fund them.  The RNC is the vessel for the illusion of choice game, orchestrated by the same donors.  Watching the remaining candidates try and qualify to be the first loser is, well, pathetic really.

Into this game of nonsense, the RNC delivers the next round of pretentious moderators for the RNC debate in Miami.  I mean, if you are hosting a Republican debate, one might think the RNC would want Republicans as moderators.  Then again, in the era of the professional Uniparty, there’s not much difference.  Condescending pontificating pustule of pomposity, Hugh Hewitt, will rest atop his familiar high horse.  You couldn’t pay me to watch this one.

WASHINGTON – NBC’s Lester Holt and Kristen Welker are set to moderate the third Republican primary debate alongside morning talk show host Hugh Hewitt, NBC announced on Wednesday.

The three will take the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami on Nov. 8, as the remaining GOP presidential hopefuls — those who can qualify — push to break away from the pack in the polls.

So far, five candidates have hit the Republican National Committee’s increasingly stringent requirements to make it onto the debate stage. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have all qualified, as has the current frontrunner, former President Donald Trump — who is set to again skip the debate in favor of his own rally in nearby Hialeah, Fla.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, has met the polling requirements but still needs to hit the 70,000-donor mark. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has yet to hit either threshold, according to POLITCO’s analysis, though his campaign has claimed he has met the polling requirements. (read more)

Eh, how about, NO!

P

Oct 26 2023

Remarkable Details – Matt Gaetz Gives Details of Backroom Machiavelli Tactics Triggered by Kevin McCarthy During House GOP Conference


Posted originally on the CTH on October 25, 2023 | Sundance

This is deep weeds inside baseball, but boy howdy does it tell a story. Representative Matt Gaetz (MAGA, FL) goes through the details of yesterday’s House republican conference assembly as they select a Speaker nominee.

What Gaetz reveals in detail is how Kevin McCarthy has been working the conference to undermine any other Speaker candidate so that McCarthy would be renominated as the only possible alternative. The insight and details are really interesting. This is a must watch.

Oct 25 2023

Special Counsel Jack Smith Continues Lawfare Operation With More Leaks to ABC, This Time Claiming Mark Meadows Warned Trump About 2020 Election Result Being Accurate


Posted originally on the CTH on October 24, 2023 | Sundance 

Too many people continue falling for this Lawfare nonsense.   CTH has been outlining what Lawfare operations are all about since we deconstructed the Trayvon Martin narrative.  Perhaps a reminder is useful.

Lawfare, in its most obvious construct, is not a legal approach per se’, it is the intentional manipulation of the legal system to create the optics around information that is intended to be used by media to influence public opinion. {link}

That’s what Lawfare is all about, manipulating public opinion through leaks to the media.  The leaks do not need to be truthful, accurate or directly in line with the prosecution of the case; they are intended exclusively to manipulate public opinion.

Remember, on August 21st, in another ridiculous Lawfare operation, Special Counsel Jack Smith told ABC that Mark Meadows testified that President Trump never attempted to declassify any information {Go Deep}.   That report was transparently false, yet the media ran with it and multiple alternative media promoted it.  Pure nonsense.

In this latest Lawfare effort, again from Special Counsel Jack Smith, again to ABC news, again about former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, the claim is the Special Counsel granted Meadows immunity (that’s the hook), and that Meadows told President Trump the 2020 election was not rigged or stolen.

Now remember, Mark Meadows wrote about the rigged and stolen 2020 election in his book, so why would he undermine his own story by saying something completely the opposite to Jack Smith that is only coming out now?   The Occam’s razor answer is, he didn’t.  This lawfare story is all made up, fictitious, anonymous sources, manufactured to create a public impression.

Bolstering the likelihood that Meadows gave no such testimony, Meadows lawyers, when contacted by media, said the story is fake news.   Yet again, everyone falls for it.  This is how Lawfare succeeds, and this is how Trayvon Martin’s fake and fabricated ear-witness girlfriend becomes the key witness and embarrasses the prosecution on the stand.

(Via ABC) – Former President Donald Trump’s final chief of staff in the White House, Mark Meadows, has spoken with special counsel Jack Smith’s team at least three times this year, including once before a federal grand jury, which came only after Smith granted Meadows immunity to testify under oath, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The sources said Meadows informed Smith’s team that he repeatedly told Trump in the weeks after the 2020 presidential election that the allegations of significant voting fraud coming to them were baseless, a striking break from Trump’s prolific rhetoric regarding the election.

According to the sources, Meadows also told the federal investigators Trump was being “dishonest” with the public when he first claimed to have won the election only hours after polls closed on Nov. 3, 2020, before final results were in.

“Obviously we didn’t win,” a source quoted Meadows as telling Smith’s team in hindsight. (read more)

[Source]

See how the Lawfare operation works?

Jack Smith is not prosecuting a case; he’s trying to manipulate public opinion.

Here’s a prior example:

Oct 24 2023

Ha! Rep Tom Emmer Called President Trump Yesterday for a House Speaker Endorsement


Posted originally on the CTH on October 23, 2023 | Sundance 

As noted by Politico in 2021, when asked about Donald Trump getting involved in midterm primaries, head of the National Republic Congressional Committee Tom Emmer told reporter Jacob Rubaskin, “He’s a private citizen, and he’s entitled to his own opinion.”  “I would tell him that it’s probably better for us that we keep these people and we make sure that we have a majority that can be sustained going forward.”

Emmer followed later in March saying Trump getting involved in the GOP congressional primaries was “not gonna be helpful.”

Fast forward to 2023, Emmer is now the House Republican Whip and wants to be Speaker of the House.  Apparently, Emmer called President Trump this weekend seeking an endorsement.  WATCH:

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President Trump says, “I’m trying to stay out of that as much as possible.”   Meanwhile, all the Republicans who threw their name in the hat to become Speaker of the House want his endorsement.  lol

I’m sure President Trump will leverage the “optimal solution.”

Oct 23 2023

The Slate Set – 9 Republicans Meet Deadline to Register for House Speaker Role


Posted originally on the CTH on October 22, 2023 | Sundance 

The slate is set for a Monday evening conference in the Republican House of Representatives as nine GOP politicians have registered by the deadline today to put their names in the nomination process.   After the conference meets on Monday night, there will be a secret ballot vote on Tuesday.

The absolute worst-case scenario is Tom Emmer (R-MN) who has just received the endorsement of Kevin McCarthy.  Emmer wants to abolish the electoral college for presidential races in favor of a national popular vote. Unfortunately, Emmer likely carries around 70 automatic votes from the professionally Republican caucus.

On the opposite side of that spectrum is Byron Donalds (R-FL) who is pure MAGA and also running for the job.

WASHINGTON DC – The House GOP’s enormous speaker field is officially set, with nine Republicans seeking to somehow unify their splintered party after almost three weeks without a leader.

It’s the most crowded field since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s fall 19 days ago. The latest round of candidates includes current GOP leaders — like Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.) — as well as more surprising rank and file members like Reps. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.). Another last-minute addition, Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), who serves as GOP policy chair, raised eyebrows on Sunday.

“Any one of those, I think, could get very close to 217. But the question is which one of those can actually cross the finish line,” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) told POLITICO, referring to candidates like Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) and Johnson. (read more) 

Byron Donalds and Mike Johnson appear to be the best options of this field.

Oct 21 2023

The Big Ugly Continues – After 3rd Round House Vote, Representative Jim Jordan Loses Internal Secret Ballot 122 Nay, 86 Yea


Posted originally on the CTH on October 20, 2023 | Sundance

The Big Ugly battle over control of the Republican Party in Congress was always going to be big and ugly.  We are witnessing the professional Republican apparatus fight hard to retain the UniParty business model that affords them all the affluence and indulgence they are accustomed to.

By now we well understand the nature of the DC political system as a business model. Factually, that’s why congressional candidates spend millions to take a job earning a few hundred thousand.  The business of DC political life is filled with background payments to politicians, family and friends. The business of DC politics provides a life of affluence that is disconnected from most understanding.

Jim Jordan lost his third effort to secure the House Speaker role in a floor vote earlier today.  Following the floor vote, the Republican Caucus held a closed-door meeting and another secret ballot to determine if Jordan should continue.  When they didn’t have to put their names in front of the public for scrutiny, 122 professional members of the Republican Party voted against Jordan, with only 86 votes in support of Jordan continuing.   Jim Jordan from Ohio is done.

Within the voting and the turmoil, we see the axiom bell ring true.   Democrats want power, Republicans want money.  Democrats use money to get power, Republicans use power to get money.  Democrat donors support ideology.  Republican politicians chase donor money.  This is the essential difference in the two wings of the UniParty apparatus.

♦ What becomes visible…. Threaten the power of Democrats, and you receive the weaponization of government.  Threaten the money of Republicans, and you get this Big Ugly outcome.  That’s what we are witnessing.

On the positive side, with each passing example more American voters are starting to understand the nature of the UniParty apparatus.  Within this painful understanding you find the reason why support for Donald J. Trump grows.  Trump threatens the Democrat power structure; so, they weaponize the full weight of government against him (Main Justice, FBI, IC, FISA, the works).  However, Trump also threatens the Republican structure of affluence; so, we see them step aside and willfully watch the weaponization of government against their common enemy.  That’s also what we are witnessing.

WASHINGTON DC – In a shocking turn, Jim Jordan on Friday lost an internal GOP vote that was intended to show confidence in him remaining as his party’s speaker designee.

The Ohio Republican is now no longer his party’s pick to lead the House, a demise sealed by a GOP secret ballot just after his third failed floor vote as a speaker hopeful.

It was an unexpectedly fast end to the Ohio conservative’s candidacy to lead the chaos-ridden Republican conference — and a sign that the flailing party is fed up on its 17th day without a speaker. Lawmakers now plan to leave Washington for the weekend as the next round of ambitious Republicans decide whether to mount their own speaker bids.

But most Republicans acknowledge that even with new faces to consider, they still have no clear path to uniting their splintered conference. They have already rejected two speaker candidates — Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise — as well as former Speaker Kevin McCarthy during this month alone.

McCarthy gave voice to a sentiment that’s growing within the GOP: The party’s inability to run the half of Congress that it narrowly won doesn’t bode well for its broader future.

“I’m concerned about where we go from here,” said McCarthy, who had been backing Jordan. “It’s astonishing to me, and we are in a very bad position as a party.”

Jordan’s loss of the speaker nod from his party came as something of a surprise, since he had sought the internal vote with allies preparing to cite it as a show of continued support for his candidacy. Instead, the secret ballot revealed that while Jordan’s public opposition never topped 25 votes, scores more House Republicans wanted to see him out of the race.

[…] In all, 122 Republicans voted to boot Jordan as their party’s nominee, while 86 said he should remain their choice, according to two people familiar with the private discussions. Five members voted present.  (read more)

Wall Street, the multinational corporations, the billionaire donors, the people who control the ‘illusion of choice’ mechanisms within the Republican Party apparatus, are all smiling.   Meanwhile, Main Street USA is once again furious.  But remember, the Wall Street group just doesn’t care.  As long as they retain full control over the puppets in DC, including at least 122 Republicans in the House, the multinationals are happy.

The Big Ugly battle continues.

It’s a BIG CLUB, and we ain’t in it….  YET!  

Oct 20 2023

The House Will Hold a Third Vote for Jim Jordan as Speaker Nominee Tomorrow, Friday, at 10:00am ET


Posed originally on the CTH on October 19, 2023 | Sundance

After a lengthy and often combative GOP conference earlier today, Jim Jordan’s office has announced there will be a 3rd vote for House Speaker Friday at 10:00am.

“The House will vote Friday at 10 a.m. on a third speaker ballot, according to Jordan’s spokesman.” {link}

The UniParty Republicans had earlier floated an interim proposal to grant temporary House Speaker Patrick McHenry with additional authorities which would gain Democratic vote support.  The concept was to get the House through a round of funding for Israel and Ukraine aid and avoiding a shutdown, until January.  However, that effort fell short as the non UniParty Republicans would not agree to the plan.

Jordan spoke briefly about that issue following the conference meeting.  WATCH (46 secs):

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(Via Politico) – […] Republicans are split. Jordan, for now, isn’t ready to call it quits, and some of his backers are gearing up for trench warfare.

“I can tell you, nobody in our conference can get to 217 on two rounds, and three legislative days. So I think he deserves more time,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a Jordan ally, told reporters. “I’m in favor of trying. For Jordan, I would go at least another week.”

Yet his opponents insist there is no negotiation to be had that would result in him winning the gavel. They’ve already detailed death threats and intimidation efforts that they say have only hardened their anti-Jordan stance. (read more) 

The House GOP Speaker’s race is a system of conniving and positioning for a cushy committee assignment, indulgences from the lobbyist control apparatus, office locations and Machiavellian influence for the best junkets and largest leadership PAC deposits.  That’s the truth, the non-pretending truth about the system at work behind the GOPe House Speaker vote.

This internecine professionally Republican stuff has nothing to do with principle centered leadership, and everything to do with self-indulgences and personal affluence.

Here are the 22 professional Republicans who would prefer to see a Democrat House Speaker:

♦ Don Bacon: (202) 225-4155; @RepDonBacon (voted McCarthy) ♦ *Vern Buchanan: (202) 225-5015;@vern Buchanan (voted Donalds) ♦ Ken Buck: (202) 225-4676; @RepKenBuck  (voted for Emmer) ♦ Lori Chavez-DeRemer: (202) 225-5711; @RepLCD (voted McCarthy) ♦ Anthony D’Esposito: (202) 225-5516; @anthonydespo (voted Zeldin) ♦ Mario Díaz-Balart: (202) 225-4211; @MarioDB (voted Scalise) ♦ Jake Ellzey: (202) 225-2002; @JakeEllzey  (voted Garcia) ♦ *Drew Ferguson: (202) 225-5901; @RepDrewFerguson (voted Scalise) ♦ Andrew Garbarino: (202) 225-7896; @RepGarbarino (voted Zeldin) ♦ Carlos Giménez: (202) 225-2778; @RepCarlos (voted McCarthy) ♦ Tony Gonzales (TX): (202) 225-4511; @TonyGonzales4TX (voted Scalise) ♦ Kay Granger: (202) 225-5071; @RepKayGranger (voted Scalise) ♦ John James: (202) 225-4961; @repjames (voted for Moolenaar?) ♦ Mike Kelly (PA): (202) 225-5406; @MikeKellyPA (voted Bainer?) ♦ Jen Kiggans: (202) 225-4215; @JenKiggans (McCarthy) ♦ Nick LaLota: (202) 225-3826; @nicklalota (voted Zeldin) ♦ Mike Lawler: (202) 225-6506; @lawler4ny (voted McCarthy ) ♦ *Marianette Miller-Meeks: (202) 225-6576; @RepMMM (voted Grainger) ♦ John Rutherford: (202) 225-2501; @RepRutherfordFL (voted Scalise) ♦ Mike Simpson: (202) 225-5531; @CongMikeSimpson (voted Scalise) ♦ Steve Womack: (202) 225-4301; @rep_stevewomack (voted Scalise). 

Oct 20 2023

Report – Peter Thiel Is FBI Confidential Human Source


Posted originally on the CTH on October 19, 2023 | Sundance

I have no idea whether this report is accurate, but given the nature of events and revelations in the past several years – this seems plausible, possibly likely.

In the aftermath of the 2020 election outcome, several people on the more libertarian/conservative side of the political spectrum, were concerned about being targeted by an Obama third term. As the rather revelatory story is told today, that provided the motive for Peter Thiel to cozy up to the FBI and avoid being a target.

Business Insider is reporting that Billionaire PayPal founder Peter Thiel became a “confidential human source” for the FBI in 2021. The outline claims that known FBI informant Charles Johnson brought Thiel into the relationship. The exact specifics of what Thiel did for the FBI are unknown.

[READ FULL STORY HERE]

Overstock founder Patrick Byrne was/is also an FBI asset, using his money in conservative circles to support entities of interest to the government. Byrne provided the seed money for Dave Rubin’s Locals platform. Robert Mercer did the same with Breitbart, and Rebekkah Mercer did the same thing with Parler.  Billionaire Paul Singer did the same thing with The Washington Free Beacon.

Interestingly, Peter Thiel has a networked relationship with several people of “conservative” influence – including Tucker Carlson. It is strongly suspected that Thiel is one of the financial backers of Tucker Carlson’s new media venture. {Go Deep}

People often ask me why CTH viciously protects our independence, enjoys staying small and refuses to take lucrative offers for platform expansion. The reality is, The Truth Has No Agenda – but the majority of the characters you run into within the information space generally do. lol.

Eyes of a Mouse…. Ears of an Elephant.

Keep living your best life.

Oct 20 2023

On Eve of Trial Georgia Drops Felony Charges and Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanors


Posted originally on the CTH on October 19, 2023 | Sundance 

Against the backdrop of Douglass Mackey (aka Ricky Vaughn) being sentenced to seven months in prison for a Twitter meme, and with the state having unlimited financial resources to drag the Lawfare trial out for months, and with a stacked jury likely in Fulton County, GA, lawyers representing Sidney Powell negotiated a misdemeanor plea deal which Powell has accepted.

The Fulton County DA drops all seven felony charges and with the plea Ms. Powell will serve probation, no jail time.

(VIA AP) – […] Powell, who was charged alongside Trump and 17 others with violating the state’s anti-racketeering law, entered the plea just a day before jury selection was set to start in her trial. She pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors accusing her of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties.

As part of the deal, she will serve six years of probation, will be fined $6,000 and will have to write an apology letter to Georgia and its residents. She also recorded a statement for prosecutors and agreed to testify truthfully against her co-defendants at future trials.

Powell was initially charged with racketeering and six other counts as part of a wide-ranging scheme to keep the Republican president in power after he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. Prosecutors say she also participated in an unauthorized breach of elections equipment in a rural Georgia county elections office.

[…]  She was about to go on trial on with lawyer Kenneth Chesebro after each filed a demand for a speedy trial. Jury selection was still set to begin Friday for Chesebro to go on trial by himself, though prosecutors said earlier that they also planned to look into the possibility of offering him a plea deal.

Jury selection was set to start Friday. Chesebro’s attorneys didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment Thursday on whether he would also accept a plea deal.

A lower-profile defendant in the case, bail bondsman Scott Graham Hall, last month pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced to five years of probation and agreed to testify in further proceedings.

Steve Sadow, the lead attorney for Trump in the Georgia case, expressed confidence that Powell’s plea wouldn’t hurt his own client’s case.

“Assuming truthful testimony in the Fulton County case, it will be favorable to my overall defense strategy,” he said.  (read more)

I am sure that Ms. Powell did what she feels is in her best interest.

After all, the scales of Lawfare justice always tilt left.