Track Palin plead not guilty today, by phone.

Courtesy of the WaPo:

Sarah Palin’s oldest son pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony charge in the case accusing him of assaulting his father at the family’s Alaska home last month. 

Track Palin’s lawyer entered the plea to a burglary charge on his behalf at his arraignment. The 28-year-old did not attend the hearing in person, but participated by phone. His parents also did not attend. 

During the brief proceeding, Palin said only, “Yes, ma’am,” when the judge asked if he was on the telephone line.

I think this one burglary charge is kind of a stretch, because I don't think that Track took anything, except for Todd Palin's pride of course.

Breaking and entering would seem like a reasonable charge, as does the assault, but I am not sure that burglary will fly.

By the way Dennis Zaki and I had planned to drive out to Palmer for this hearing today, but we learned that a number of media outlets were planing to cover the trial and realized that Track was too much of a pansy to face them by showing up in person.

And that of course also meant that Todd and Sarah would certainly not make an appearance either, so why waste our time?

Track also has a pretrial court date on February 2nd, and his actual trial is scheduled for February 26th.

I do think he has to definitely show up in person to that last one.

P.S. By the way Track is now using Dakota Meyer's old attorney, Kimberlee Colbo, in his battle with Jordan Loewe over her attempts to change the child custody arrangement.

My question is who the hell is paying THOSE attorney fees?

Illinois will no longer allow the "gay panic" defense, when an attacker claims the victim's orientation provoked them, to be used in court. Wait, that's a thing?

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

Illinois has made history by banning the “gay panic defense,” which allows a violent offender to blame his or her crimes on a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. But it’s still applicable in 48 states. 

On Monday, three years after California banned the defense, the bill signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner went into effect, spurring hope among activists that similar measures will be taken nationwide. 

Here’s how the defense is used: A person commits a violent act toward a gay or transgender person, then claims the victim’s sexual or gender identity provoked them to either self-defend, commit a crime of passion, or enter a state of temporary insanity. 

The defense has never been written into law, but according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, since the 1960s gay panic and transgender panic defenses have been used in approximately 25 states in the hopes of having defendants receive reduced sentences.

What a stupid fucking excuse for hurting or killing somebody. 

"They're sexuality forced me to beat them unconscious." Seriously?

To me this seems along the same lines as claiming that you raped a woman because she turned you on.

I have to say that if seeing somebody who seems gay to you makes you feel angry or violent towards them, you probably ought to have a long hard talk with yourself about your own sexuality.

Satanist wins legal victory against Missouri's draconian anti-abortion laws.

Courtesy of World Religion News:  

An anonymous Missouri woman, identified only as Mary Doe in public court documents, has won a significant legal victory in Western District Court of Appeals in her aim to show that her religious beliefs are being violated by state abortion laws. The court said that her constitutional challenge presented a disputed right which includes reasonable space for disagreement and fair doubt as well. Mary Doe is also an adherent of Satanism. 

Doe, an adherent of The Satanic Temple, argued her religion does not harbor the belief that conception is the beginning of life. The prerequisites, due to this belief, for an abortion procedure in Missouri are directly violating her religious freedom. The latter is protected by First Amendment. Her suit names Josh Hawley, the Missouri Attorney General, and Governor Eric Greitens. Incidentally, Doe's claims were at first thrown out by Cole County Circuit Court. She then appealed the decision. 

The Satanic organization regards Satan as a personal autonomy symbol. It promotes 'rational inquiry' and compassion. The Satanists argue that the abortion restrictions imposed by Missouri, including the state's informed consent law along with the compulsory waiting period of 72 hours violate religious belief of one of the organization's members. The complaint against Missouri was filed by the Satanists in May 2015. 

Oh come on, you have to love this!

Using a religious freedom argument to defeat abortion laws informed by a primitive religious world view is almost too sweet to believe.

And before any of the slack jawed morons come over here and get their panties in a twist over the fact that this woman identifies as a Satanist, remember that the Satanic Temple is really a free thinkers group who shroud themselves in religious trappings in order to defeat these archaic laws drawn up by religious nutjobs.

Donald Trump is rapidly filling the courts with conservative judges who may drive the country dramatically to the Right.

Courtesy of HuffPo: 

“Trump’s speed in nominating judges has been perhaps the most successful aspect of his presidency,” said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond who specializes in judicial nominations. “Trump has easily surpassed Obama, Bush and Clinton at this point in the first year of their presidencies in terms of the sheer number nominated.” 

He has. Ten months in, Trump has nominated 17 circuit court judges and 39 district court judges. That’s far more than former President Barack Obama’s seven circuit court nominees and four district court nominees by this point in his first year of office. Former President George W. Bush had nominated 11 circuit judges and 31 district judges by this point. 

He’s also got more court seats to fill. He inherited a whopping 108 court vacancies when he became president ― double the number of vacancies Obama inherited when he took office. That’s largely due to Republicans’ years-long strategy of denying votes to Obama’s court picks to keep those seats empty for a future GOP president to fill. It worked. 

If Trump’s current judicial nominees are a preview of the kinds of judges he plans to nominate in the coming years, prepare for a significantly more socially conservative group of people shaping the nation’s laws.

LGBTQ rights, employee protections, Roe Vs Wade, could all be in jeopardy once Trump fills the courts with judges who are determined to help Make America Great Again.

Their version of that is giving white males back all of the power, and to put everybody else back in their places. You know, where they belong.

Anybody who voted for Donald Trump because they thought he was a Republican who would not push conservative social values onto the people, should be taken out back an given a sound beating.

Bristol Palin is now using Down Syndrome Day to promote her crappy weight loss product?

Family time with my favorite little guys as we celebrate this World Down Syndrome Day. I'm relying on my @teamiblends Energy tea to give me the energy I need to keep up with these two! Can't wait to start detoxing again once the baby comes 💪🏼 Use my code BRISTOL for $ off your tea! #teamimommi #thankyouteami #teami

A post shared by Bristol Meyer (@bsmp2) on Mar 21, 2017 at 5:47pm PDT

Wow, I think she has even outdone her grifting mother on this one. That is pretty damn low.

Speaking of low, as you may have heard the protective order against Track Palin has been dismissed and the case has been ordered confidential.

As for his child custody case with Jordan Loewe it appears that it has also been settled, and yes the court ordered it to remain confidential as well.

If you are wondering if there was some kind of pay off I think that would be a safe assumption, though it is unlikely that we will ever hear any details.

And finally yes Dakota did say in an online Facebook Q&A that he is moving to Austin, Texas, and yes it appears that Bristol and the kids are going as well.

That is all I know about this right now.

Trump's two day Twitter tirade.

I don't know Putin, have no deals in Russia, and the haters are going crazy - yet Obama can make a deal with Iran, #1 in terror, no problem!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2017

"I don't know Putin." Really?
Remember, the internet knows all.

It is a disgrace that my full Cabinet is still not in place, the longest such delay in the history of our country. Obstruction by Democrats!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

Yeah, perhaps if Trump did not pick unqualified, crazy, or racist people for his cabinet things might go a little quicker. Just saying.

If the U.S. does not win this case as it so obviously should, we can never have the security and safety to which we are entitled. Politics!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

This pertains to the legal challenge to his Muslim ban.

And as you can see Trump is preparing to blame the courts for the next terrorist attack, despite the fact that the ban itself has given the terrorists plenty of incentive to attack the United States again.

My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

"Always pushing me to do the right thing!" Did anybody else pick up on a thinly veiled threat there?

Using the power of the presidency to pressure a business to continue working with your daughter. I guess that's the new normal. #JustTrumpThings.

Such a shame that first his wife can't make money off being the First Lady due to reports on her seedy past as an alleged escort, and now his stand in First Lady cannot make money on her now infamous name because Nordstrom wants to make a profit. 

So unfair.

Big increase in traffic into our country from certain areas, while our people are far more vulnerable, as we wait for what should be EASY D!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

I don't speak Trumpian but apparently "Easy D" stands for "easy decision." Just more complaining about the courts not letting him discriminate at will.

So as you can see for the last two days Trump has been a little pissy at the courts for not letting him discriminate against those dirty Mooslims, at allegations that he is Putin's puppet (He totally is!), and  at the fact that his daughter cannot prostitute her name to sell Chinese made clothing.

Gee, I wonder what will happen when he sees this?

 Yep, I predict another late night Twitter tantrum.

Radar Online has learned that Track Palin threatened to shoot his new baby mama in the head.

Track "I abuse women" Palin

Courtesy of Radar Online:  

As Radar reported, Track’s ex-girlfriend and baby mama Jordan Loewe filed for custody of the former couple’s newborn son, Charlie, earlier this month, claiming she was “concerned” about her “safety or the safety of her children.” 

But then, she filed for a restraining order against Track, unleashing a barrage of horrifyingly specific allegations: 

On December 3, she writes in court documents obtained by Radar, “I had brought my son over to visit Track and we started arguing and Track pushed me against the wall while I had our 3 month old son in my arms.” 

Just weeks later on December 22, “He put his hand on my head and squeezed as hard as he could while our son was in the room,” she claims. “He also hawked a giant ball of spit in my face.” 

On on January 8, she alleges, “Track had our son for a couple of hours, then asked me to come get him. When I was on my way he found out I was bringing a girlfriend of mine so there was a third party there – He got angry and told me he was going to ‘put a bullet through my head’ and put us both in the ground.” 

But wait, there's more.

“I had my son in my car driving off his property, and he threw rocks at my car, then got in his truck and followed me,” she writes. 

“He was driving recklessly trying to run me off the road – almost causing an accident multiple times.” In describing her injuries, Loewe says, “I had hand prints (and) red marks on my face (and) head.”

Loewe is asking that Track be kept from communicating with her or her son "in any way." And says she is not after money but only concerned with the her child's safety.

And seriously, who could blame her?

I have to point out that Radar Online could ONLY get this information if somebody leaked it to them .

Remember Track's attorney Kimberlee Colbo filed to keep all of these documents confidential.

I certainly cannot get my hands on them, so somebody clearly sent them to Radar.

Which is a VERY smart move for Loewe's team.

As I have said repeatedly, the Palins cannot stand having their personal shit exposed in the press and they will buckle like an under trained boxer in the first round if they keep trying this thing in the court of public opinion.

I should also point out that these stories completely fit in with the stories I have heard about Track over the years.

He is an angry, woman abusing bully, and he should NEVER be allowed to have a firearm in his possession.

Hey look! Track Palin is back in the news.

Courtesy of the Daily Mail:

Track Palin's ex-girlfriend has been granted a short-term order of protection that prohibits him from coming near her or their newborn. 

Jordan Loewe filed for the protection order from Sarah Palin's eldest son on January 12 in Alaska Court, listing the reason as domestic violence, according to The Dirty. 

It remains unclear what exactly Loewe is alleging against Track, but the protection comes just weeks after the mother asked for full custody of their newborn son. 

Loewe will have the chance to plead her case for a long-term protection order at a hearing that has been scheduled for later this month. 

Of course none of this is exactly news to all of you since we have been covering it every step of the way. 

However now that it has made news again, I think it behooves us to broadcast it far and wide just in case Sarah Palin thinks nobody is paying attention to her tribe up misfits anymore.

Besides we do have some new information to share, such as the fact that Dakota's old attorney Kathleen Colbo is now representing Track (Smart move as it might present a conflict of interest if she is already representing the Palin family once things go south between Dakota and Bristol.), and they have filed a motion to make the case records confidential. 

Yeah that is the typical Palin move.

This is how they protect themselves and control their legal adversaries.

However this only keeps folks in the media from directly accessing the records.

If Jordan has a brain in her head she will flatly refuse to sign any confidentiality agreement, and threaten to talk to the press if the Palins don't back the fuck off.

Because THAT is how you beat the Palins.

And trust me, I know.

Former fiancee petitions for restraining order against Track Palin.

So apparently Jordan Loewe requested a short term domestic violence protective order for her and little Charlie to protect them from mean old Track Palin.

There is also a petition for a long term protective order as well.

The short term petition was granted and then today there was a follow up petition filed to extend that order.

The court date for the long term protective order is scheduled for February 2nd.

Well I guess SOMEBODY did not respond well to Jordan filing for custody of their son.

As for THAT case Loewe has now filed papers requesting child support from Track so perhaps that played a part in this need for a restraining order as well. (After all we know that the Palins do not like to part with their own money.)

(Documents available at Court View.)

Gee isn't this always the way?

Sarah Palin gets ready to launch a new money making endeavor, get a job with the media, or receive a cabinet position and the next thing you know one of her kids gets arrested, caught up in a child custody situation, or gets themselves or somebody else pregnant.

Well I guess it's a good thing they are all such hard workers, who were raised with good Christian values, or there is no telling what kind of trouble these crazy Palin kids could get into.

Right?

So Track Palin's case for beating the mother of his future baby boy is over.

As some of you pointed out yesterday it appears that Track's case has been disposed.

After having he hearing continued over and over again apparently Track did whatever the minimum requirement was for having the case disappear.

According to the Anchorage DA that was supposed to involve going through some therapeutic program at the VA.

Did he do that? Beats me, but since he is a Palin you can bet he only did the very least he needed to do to get this behind him.

For those who may have forgotten Track Palin was arrested on January 18th, of this year:Track Palin, 26, was charged yesterday with assault, interfering with a report of domestic violence, and possession of a weapon while intoxicated. All three charges are misdemeanors. Spokespersons with both the Wasilla Police Department and the district attorney’s office confirmed their existence.

Later we got a bit more of the story: 

According to the three-page affidavit, both Palin and his girlfriend called 911 that night. Police Officer Andrew Kappler wrote that he arrived at the Wasilla home and found Track Palin walking outside and talking on a phone. The officer said Palin had an injury to his right eye and surrounding area, smelled strongly of alcohol and acted with escalating hostility, prompting Kappler to put him in handcuffs. 

Police say a breath sample provided by Palin showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.189. 

The affidavit says other officers found the girlfriend hiding under a bed inside the home and crying. 

The argument continued at the home, according to the affidavit, which says Palin struck the woman with his fist on the left side of her head near her eye. She curled up in the fetal position because she didn't know what else he would do, the woman told police. She said he then kicked her in the knee and threw her phone across the driveway, according to the court document. The woman said she went inside after getting her phone. 

Inside, Palin held the rifle, with the barrel just away from his face pointed to the side, the affidavit states. The affidavit adds that the woman told police Palin was yelling "Do you think I won't do it?" 

(We also learned from Gino that Track kept asking Jordan if she thought he was a "pussy," but that did not make it into the police report.)

The case seemed to move slowly for a time and then on July 13th, we thought we heard some good news:

"Defendant remanded to custody." It says it right there in black and white.

And yet by July 15th it had been expunged and replaced with "Hearing Continued."

And that was followed up by this sudden explanation of how the case was going from Track's very expensive attorney: 

Sarah Palin’s son is heading into treatment instead of jail after his January domestic violence arrest — and his own lawyer told RadarOnline.com he needs help for his alcohol problem! 

Track “has been assessed” by the VA, his attorney, Kevin T. Fitzgerald told Radar, and at a hearing later this month, he will receive his proposed treatment plan. 

 “I would expect it has some alcohol component,” Fitzgerald said. “In all candor, Track could be well-served by treatment.”

Getting the domestic violence assault charge dropped was “not an insignificant dismissal,” he said, insisting that the possession of a weapon while intoxicated charge “really more accurately tracks what went down” when Track was accused of drunkenly attacking his girlfriend in January. 

 Still, Fitzgerald said they weren’t altogether pleased with the final charge that stuck. “I believe it’s got constitutional infirmities because it precludes people form possessing firearms, even unloaded firearms, in their own homes if they’re under the influence,” he insisted. “We weren’t going to make a big constitutional issue of it, but that’s what the situation was.” 

Fitzgerald went on to claim that if Track finished his "therapeutic treatment" those final charges would be dropped.

So according to what Court View is saying today that means that Track finished his therapy despite not leaving his parent's home in Wasilla.

Gosh it's good to have powerful friends in the state, don't you think?

But have no fear justice seekers, after all this IS Track Palin we're talking about, so how long can it really be until his next brush with the law?

A round up of news stories dealing with Track Palin's plea deal to avoid facing justice for punching his girlfriend in the face.

So I figured I would let a day or so go by and then gather up the majority of the news coverage over the dropping of charges in the Track Palin case.

First thing to note is that it was covered quite extensively. And most of them did not let Track off very easily.

Almost all of them include an account from the original police report describing Track's alcohol intake and exactly what he did to Jordan.

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

Track Palin, 27, was arrested back on Jan. 18 at the Palin compound after a woman said he had punched and kicked her during an argument over an ex-boyfriend. According to the woman, Palin punched her in the face, then threw her phone away before pulling a gun and threatening to commit suicide. 

When police arrived, Palin had marks on his face and claimed the woman hit him with her elbow. According to police, Palin was given a breathalyzer test that measured his blood alcohol level at .189.

Alaska Dispatch is the source many of the papers used to describe the plea deal:  

"As a condition of his entry into that court the state dismissed the first two counts," Fitzgerald said. "Track pled to misconduct involving weapons (in the fourth degree), concerning being under the influence and having a firearm." 

Track Palin will have to complete a regime of "alcohol-related" treatment under the terms of this week's agreement, Fitzgerald said. Upon successful completion of the treatment, the weapons-misconduct charge will be expunged from his record. But if that doesn't happen, Palin will receive a 180-day suspended jail sentence and be placed under informal probation for two years.

It should be noted that almost all of the news coverage shied away from giving Track a free pass.

In fact the Daily Mail wrote this right below their headline: 

Track Palin agrees to rehab and avoids jail for 'punching his girlfriend in the face and drunkenly threatening to shoot himself dead with an AR-15' 

Yeah, no free pass there.

The Mail also added this:

The charges were filed on the same day his mother Sarah Palin, who was the GOP vice presidential candidate in 2008, endorsed Donald Trump before primary voting began with the Iowa caucuses. 

As media covered her son's arrest, she told reporters her son returned from Iraq 'a bit different' and blamed the incident on post-traumatic stress disorder. 

She also used the opportunity to criticize the Obama administration's policies towards veterans for her son's problems. 

Other news outlets which covered the story included Radar Online, USA Today, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, and a handful of others. (By the way if you want to see what people really think about Sarah Palin, and her violent drunken offspring these days just spend a little time at the comment sections on those sites. To put it bluntly they are no longer buying her shit.)

However it should be noted that only here on IM, and over at Joe My God, did the story of the changes on Court View receive coverage.

Though we were the only ones to note that the remanded portions was removed, and the July 11th additions did not show up, until July 14th, only as the story of Track's incarceration started to spread across the internet.

Which means that for all intents and purposes Sarah Palin was able to change the narrative again.

And that is really too bad because as all of us here know Track Palin has a long history of violent behaviors, predating his time in the military, and he really DOES need to face some consequences and to get professional help.

Because the next time it might be a whole lot worse than simply punching his girlfriend in the face and kicking her while she lay at his feet.

Next time somebody could be killed.

And I don't think that even Sarah Palin can snap her fingers and make that go away.