A ton of the money that Trump is raising for his reelection bid is going to legal fees.

I'm like a reverse Robin Hood. I take from the stupid and give to me.

Courtesy of CNN: 

More than one-fifth of the $3.9 million that President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign has spent this year has gone to legal fees, the campaign's latest quarterly Federal Election Commission filing shows. 

About $835,000 in payments for "legal consulting" were made to eight firms and the Trump Corporation, with the most -- $347,000 -- going to Jones Day. Another $185,000 went to the firm Larocca Hornik Rosen Greenberg & Blaha. About $24,000 went to the Trump Corporation. 

The steep legal bills come amid a probe into whether the Trump campaign was involved in Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election as well as a legal battle with adult film star Stormy Daniels. 

In the first two months of 2018, the campaign paid $93,181.25 to the firm of Charles Harder, the attorney representing Trump in the Stormy Daniels case.

Well to be honest, this is probably a good idea since it is really hard to run for office while sitting in a federal prison. 

But don't worry deplorables, Trump isn't just wasting your hard earned money on lawyer's fees, he is also using it to support his various businesses.

Trump's campaign has also spent about $150,000 at Trump businesses, including the legal fees, per the FEC report. That includes about $68,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, to cover costs including event rental space, hotel stays and parking. 

The campaign spent another $58,000 on costs listed as "rent" divided between three recipients: Trump Plaza, Trump Restaurants and Trump Tower.

I am not certain that it is true, but I heard that if you look up the word "suckers" in the dictionary that this is the photo that you see. 

That may not be factually correct, but I BELIEVE it to be true.

Ted Cruz's Democratic opponent raises more than 6 million in first quarter.

Got to meet someone who supposedly represents me today. Not for much longer, though! #BetoForTexas @SenTedCruz @BetoORourke pic.twitter.com/7S4yVR5uAj

— Rebecca (@LazyyMillennial) March 23, 2018

Courtesy of The Hill: 

Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) reportedly brought in more than $6 million during the first quarter of the year in his bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 

The Texas Tribune reported that O'Rourke raised $6.7 million in the first three months of 2018. 

O'Rourke's fundraising haul was far higher than the amount he had raised during previous quarters, according to the Tribune, when he raised between $1.7 million and $2.4 million. 

His campaign told the newspaper that his fundraising haul was higher than that of any Democratic Senate candidate across the country. 

"Campaigning in a grassroots fashion while raising more than $6.7 million from 141,000 contributions, we are the story of a campaign powered by people who are standing up to special interests, proving that we are more than a match and making it clear that Texans are willing to do exactly what our state and country need of us at this critical time," O'Rourke said in a statement. 

The Cruz campaign has yet to release its first quarter report, but in past quarters the O'Rourke campaign had consistently out raised the Cruz campaign.

By a lot.

Which does not bode well for the Republican incumbent.

Devin Nunes' Democratic challenger has raised more than one million dollars in the first quarter.

Courtesy of CNN: 

A Democratic candidate challenging House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes took in more than $1 million in the first quarter of 2018, a sign of Democrats' enthusiasm to oust the California congressman who has allied himself closely with President Donald Trump. 

Andrew Janz, the Deputy District Attorney in Fresno County, is still considered a long shot in his bid to unseat Nunes. CNN currently rates the 22nd District as a "safe Republican" seat. But Nunes' role in running interference for Trump on the investigations into Russia's role in the 2016 election has made him a target for Democrats nationwide. 

According to fundraising figures provided to CNN by the campaign, Janz has raised more than $1 million so far in 2018 with just three days left in the first quarter. The campaign received a huge influx in fundraising cash from donors across the country in the wake of Nunes role in releasing a controversial memo detailing concerns Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee had with the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"We feel like he is the one person that is really standing in the way of the (FBI Special Counsel) Robert Mueller investigation," Janz told CNN. "We think people deserve to know what happened to our elections in 2016 and what is happening in 2018. And every day my opponent is out there trying to undermine federal law enforcement, the special prosecutors probe and really working for Trump instead of the American people."

I think that Devin Nunes is toast.

And deservedly so.

He almost single handedly quashed the House Intelligence Commmittee's Russia investigation to protect Putin's White House asset and he deserves to be humiliated in this next election, investigated for obstructionism, and ultimately thrown in jail.

In other words Fuck Devin Nunes!

Today's weather report sees Stormy skies ahead.

Courtesy of CNN:

A hearing date has been set for the lawsuit adult film actress Stormy Daniels filed against President Donald Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen's company to dissolve their non-disclosure agreement. 

The hearing has been set for July 12 at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. 

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, filed suit last week against the President. The lawsuit said Trump never signed a hush agreement to keep Daniels quiet late in the 2016 campaign about an alleged sexual encounter between the two before Trump was president.

The lawsuit said Cohen had signed it on Trump's behalf and therefore the agreement was void. Both Cohen and the White House have denied the allegations of an affair between Daniels and Trump.

The lawsuit also accuses Cohen of continuing the efforts to "intimidate Ms. Clifford into silence and 'shut her up'" by initiating a "bogus" arbitration proceeding last month without notifying Daniels or allowing due process.

Tweet from Daniel's attorney:

The President and Mr. Cohen have purposely ignored our settlement offer, thus doubling down on their efforts to muzzle Ms. Clifford and prevent her from telling the American people what happened. Time to buckle up. #basta

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) March 13, 2018

So despite every effort by Trump's legal team this thing is definitely still moving forward.

They will of course attempt to put this hearing off, but then they have to be careful not to have it take place too close to the 2018 election cycle, or THAT will be at least one of the questions posed by reporters to GOP candidates.

Daniels has also started a fundraising campaign to help pay her legal fees.

So far it has raised more that $121,000, and that is only since yesterday.

What might be perhaps just as troubling for the Trump camp is that according to her lawyer multiple women have been inspired Daniels to consider filing their own lawsuits against Donald Trump.

Courtesy of Buzzfeed News: 

Multiple women are exploring potential legal cases against President Donald Trump, following the lead of an adult film actor who has filed a lawsuit in order to speak out about an affair she says she had with Trump in 2006, her attorney said Wednesday. 

Michael Avenatti, who represents Stephanie Clifford — better known by her professional name, Stormy Daniels — told BuzzFeed News that other women have reached out to him for representation in cases against Trump. Avenatti did not answer questions about the number of women or the nature of their allegations. 

When asked by BuzzFeed News if other women had approached him about potential legal cases, Avenatti replied, "confirmed."

An attorney for Buzzfeed also believes that he has found a way for Daniels to divulge everything she knows about Trump without defying the NDA.

Courtesy of Politico: 

BuzzFeed may have found a legal opening to allow the porn actress Stormy Daniels to discuss her alleged relationship with President Donald Trump and a $130,000 payment she received just before the 2016 election as part of a nondisclosure agreement she is now trying to void. 

The same Trump attorney who brokered the deal with Daniels, Michael Cohen, filed a libel suit in January against BuzzFeed and four of its staffers over publication of the so-called dossier compiling accurate, inaccurate and unproven allegations about Trump’s relationship with Russia. 

Now, BuzzFeed is using Cohen’s libel suit as a vehicle to demand that Daniels preserve all records relating to her relationship with Trump, as well as her dealings with Cohen and the payment he has acknowledged arranging in 2016. 

On Tuesday, BuzzFeed’s lawyer wrote to Daniels’ attorney asking that the adult film actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, preserve various categories of documents. Such preservation letters are often a prelude to a subpoena. If Daniels’ testimony is formally demanded in a deposition, the nondisclosure agreement would likely be no obstacle, legal experts said.

What's more this payoff by Michael Cohen is very much like the allegations in the Steele dossier, which identified him as the one "sweeping things under the carpet" for Donald Trump.

Like I said, Stormy skies ahead. 

Donald Trump used photo of recovering Florida school shooting victim in email asking for campaign donations.

Courtesy of CNN: 

President Donald Trump's re-election campaign used a photo of a survivor of the Parkland, Florida, shooting in an email Saturday that asks its recipients to donate money to the campaign. 

The email contains a photo of 17-year-old Madeleine Wilford in a hospital bed surrounded by her family, Trump and the first lady. The President visited Wilford on February 16, two days after the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which left 17 dead.

"The nation has turned its attention to the senseless school shooting in Parkland, Florida," the email reads. 

"Trump is taking steps toward banning gun bump stocks and strengthening background checks for gun purchasers," it says. "The President has made his intent very clear: 'making our schools and our children safer will be our top priority.'" 

Near the end of the message, there's a link to the campaign's donations page.

If you ever needed evidence that Trump is a classless POS, well now you have it. 

I have heard that this young ladies parents are Trump supporters, so MAYBE he had their permission to use this photo, but even if that is true using a victim of a school shooting to raise money for the NRA's favorite president is simply disgusting.

It is finally official, Roy Moore will NOT be the newly elected Senator from Alabama.

Courtesy of the Washington Examiner: 

After coming up short on Election Day, Judge Roy Moore urged his supporters to keep the faith. Praying for a recount, the Republican reminded his supporters that “God is in control.” But either the Almighty just didn’t hear or the divine decided to vote Democrat in Alabama for the first in more than two decades. 

The Alabama secretary of state’s office just announced that it has received 5,333 overseas and provision ballots well below the number needed to trigger a recount, let alone overcome the 20,715-vote lead of Democrat Doug Jones. It is now numerically impossible for Moore to win. 

Candidates must come within 0.5 percent or less to trigger a recount according to state law, and currently, Jones is ahead of Moore by 1.5 points. 

Hoping that the candidate’s Army service would play well with troops stationed overseas, the Moore campaign pinned its fate to military absentee votes. “A lot of votes are in, but they’re not all in yet,” said campaign chairman Bill Armistead. “There’s a law in Alabama that requires a recount if the vote is one half of 1 percent.” 

That optimism was swiftly dashed Wednesday when the secretary of state announced that just 4,967 provisional ballots had been received and declared that “no additional ballots are eligible to be received.” Those results could be certified as early as the day after Christmas.

You know the funny part is that everybody else had already moved on and Doug Jones was all but sworn in, which left old Roy Moore stomping his feet and cussing into the wind about how unfair it all was essentially almost all by his lonesome.

Of course that did not stop Moore from continuing to fleece the morons.

Roy Moore just sent out this new fundraising email: pic.twitter.com/kqFTc8fVZw

— Lauren Walsh (@LaurenWalshTV) December 18, 2017

Well, what can you say?

He is definitely a Republican.

Yesterday, while the Mueller indictments were being made public, Eric Trump had the audacity to send a campaign fundraising email.

New Trump fundraising email: “Still standing” pic.twitter.com/o8XWo25jkZ

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 30, 2017

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

President Donald Trump’s campaign on Monday blasted out a fundraising email, asking donors to contribute after the indictment of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. 

On the same day that news broke that Manafort had been indicted on 12 counts, Trump voters found a fundraising request from Eric Trump in their inboxes with the subject line “Still Standing.” 

“There’s a new opposition against my father and this Administration every day,” Eric Trump wrote. “But as a loyal supporter, I know you know the truth.” 

“Please make a contribution of just $1 to help us crush our goal this month,” the email pleaded.

I would like to identify the individuals who actually respond to this email with a donation, because I have some magic beans I would like to sell them. 

Simply MUST be the most gullible people on the planet.

Well it's pretty easy to see why Trump did not join those five former presidents at that hurricane fundraiser last night.

.@realDonaldTrump-This is what a REAL president looks like—listen to the crowd roar for @BarackObama#AMJoy #Resistpic.twitter.com/b2VBRcUNDO

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 22, 2017

Listen to that crowd.

That is the sound of overwhelming support.

Here is more courtesy of Politico:  

With the American flag as a backdrop and surrounded by Texas A&M University singing cadets, all five living former presidents stood on stage together in College Station, Texas, on Saturday night to kick off a benefit concert to help raise money for hurricane victims. 

President Donald Trump was not in attendance, but a video of his remarks played.

Former presidents Clinton, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all attended. 

"All of us on this stage here tonight could not be prouder of the response of Americans," Obama said. "When they see their neighbors, and their friends, when they see strangers in need, Americans step up. And as heartbreaking as the tragedies that took place here in Texas and in Florida, in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been, but what we've also seen is the spirit of America at its best." 

In the six weeks since the campaign began, more than $31 million has been raised from some 80,000 contributors, according to David Jones, chief executive of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation.

Man, this photo. pic.twitter.com/q9TQ6iIA5G

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 22, 2017

There is at least one of these men who I actively despise, and two who are very close to the end of their time on earth. And yet I would gladly chose ANY of them over the traitorous POS currently residing in the people's house.

And did you hear that applause for Barack Obama?

That is the kind of enthusiasm we need to harness for the Democrat's next presidential candidate.

While Donald Trump goes golfing for the 74th time since his inauguration, 5 former president's show up to raise money for hurricane relief.

Courtesy of CNN: 

Members of an exclusive club are making a rare joint appearance Saturday. 

All five living former US presidents will take part in a benefit concert in Texas to raise money for hurricane relief efforts, while President Donald Trump will appear in a taped video message to the concertgoers, the White House announced Saturday. 

Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will attend Saturday night's event, named "Deep From the Heart: The One America Appeal," at Reed Arena at Texas A&M University in College Station.

Apparently Trump is going to send a video message, but that is really all he can do right now as he is dealing with more important matters.

Per pool, Trump has arrived at Trump Nat'l Golf Club in VA.

This is his 74th day at a golf club, 94th day at a Trump property as president.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 21, 2017

Priorities.

However the men who took their jobs seriously are showing up to help their fellow Americans whose lives have been devastated by these recent disasters.

The concert won't be the first time the former presidents have joined forces. 

After Hurricane Harvey struck Texas in September, all five started the "One America Appeal" charity effort and filmed a video urging citizens to help out amid the devastating flooding. 

They have since resumed the effort in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

As Americans, we lift each other up. I’m proud to be a part of this night. Hope you’ll tune in. https://t.co/FZLWfNBLw5 https://t.co/Mv6Kg2ZwMZ

— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) October 21, 2017

I am long past hoping that Trump is capable of learning on the job, but just maybe he can be shamed into actually doing his job by the example set by these men.

I mean at this point anything is worth a try. 

Trump fundraising committee uses Mike Pence's NFL walkout to raise money.

Mike Pence walkout 'stunt' at NFL game after players kneel 'cost at least $250,000' #PenceResignhttps://t.co/cVi8ITCxQz

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 8, 2017

Courtesy of Bloomberg: 

President Donald Trump’s joint fundraising committee sent an email Monday asking donors to show support for Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to leave an NFL game in Indianapolis after some members of the San Francisco 49ers kneeled during the national anthem. 

The solicitation from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which jointly raises money for Trump’s presidential campaign committee and the Republican National Committee, asks supporters to give at least $5 to the campaign to receive a “I STAND FOR THE FLAG” sticker. 

“Immediately after the vice president’s honorable display of leadership and patriotism, the Fake News Media relentlessly ATTACKED him,” the email says. “The media is NOT going to win this fight, because we have the AMERICAN PEOPLE standing on our side.”

So the whole thing was a phony ass attempt to get the suckers to pony up more money.

Gee, I so wish I could feign surprise here.

Five former presidents band together to help raise money for Puerto Rico. Because somebody has to do something.

Courtesy of WSVN:

All five living former presidents are joining forces on a fundraising campaign to help with hurricane recovery for the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama have launched the One America Appeal campaign, allowing donors to help with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. 

Organizers say a special restricted account has been established through the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation to collect and quickly distribute donations. Officials say “100 cents out of every dollar” donated will help hurricane victims.

I can only imagine what the conversations between these former presidents must be like. 

I would think there would be a lot of shaking their heads in disbelief and real concern for the future of the country.

Barack Obama will officially return to politics on Thursday.

That's right, I'm coming back to help you!

Courtesy of Politico:  

Barack Obama will make the first official political move of his post-presidency on Thursday, headlining a private fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee at a private home in Washington. 

The event, which will also be attended by NDRC chair Eric Holder and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, is to support the group he’s helping back to coordinate Democratic efforts in state races and lawsuits to push back on Republican success in gerrymandering over many cycles. In many statehouses and Congress, that’s left Democrats at a baked-in disadvantage.

Of course according to the Right Wing Obama has been engaged in a behind the scenes "shadow presidency" all along.

However for those of us who did not spend our childhoods huffing paint behind the Quik Stop, this is clearly the first time that Obama is officially stepping back into the fray.

And boy we could certainly use his help.

Sarah Palin pretends to be standing up for children, while using her own to hawk crappy merchandise on the internet.

Courtesy of Buy One Get One Free Barbie's Facebook page:  

The left seems to have a "War on Decency". We used to be able to disagree without being disagreeable. The left has turned this into an all out war. A perfect example of this is people like Kathy Griffin attacking innocent children. Who does that?!?!  (Perhaps the same people who use their own children to grift for cash online. Just a thought.)


www.merchful.com/sarahpalin is speaking up to those snowflakes who cry for equality and tolerance but can't even handle the actions of their own consequences.... SUCK IT UP CUPCAKE!!! 

There's only 3 days left to support Operation Heal Our Patriots by purchasing through this campaign.

According to the website a "portion" of the proceeds will go toward Samaritan's Purse.

I would imagine that is a small portion indeed.

After all Palin does not do these things out of the goodness of her heart. (What's in it for us?)

One has to wonder at the decision to attack liberals while supposedly raising money for an organization that claims to be working to "Heal our Patriots," as if only conservatives ever serve in the military, demonstrate patriotism, or come home wounded from the battlefield.

In an earlier post on her rarely visited website the Queen of Hypocrisy made this statement: 

Do you often give someone a piece of your mind? I confess to it – and most of us probably have pieces of our minds all over creation! As we grow in grace, however, we’re to exercise freedom of speech more responsibly – in a manner that uplifts, rather than destroys. Even when we have to correct, even when we disagree, we can speak truth in love.

Not sure how much love is contained in the phrase "Suck it up Cupcake."

And Palin's Facebook page and website are chock full of attacks on progressives, the media, and politicians with whom she disagrees.

Many of those posts are full of inaccuracies, exaggerations, and "fake news."

Is THAT her example of speaking "truth in love?"

Remember it is not simply Palin's opinions that are so disgusting, it's the hypocrisy.

Hillary Clinton to launch new political group to help fund The Resistance.

Courtesy of Politico:

Six months after losing the presidential election, Hillary Clinton is ready to wade back into politics. 

The former secretary of state is building a new political group to fund organizations working on the resistance to President Donald Trump’s agenda, spending recent weeks in Washington, New York City, and Chappaqua, N.Y., meeting with donors and potential groups to invest in, and recruiting individuals for the group’s board of directors, multiple people close to the two-time White House hopeful and people familiar with the group’s planning told POLITICO. 

She is looking to launch the group, expected to be called Onward Together — a nod to her campaign slogan, Stronger Together — as soon as next week, they say. Clinton’s spokesman declined to comment for this story.

This is good news for progressives, and definitely bad news for the Trumpsters.

Hillary has proven herself as a fund raiser, and if she gets her husband involved there is really no limit to the money they can pull in to help fund candidates, ad campaigns, and activist organizations.

Somebody actually had the temerity to compare this to Sarah Palin's "all about me" PAC. As if because they are both women these two people would have ANYTHING in common.

This organization will have a board of directors, and trust me when I say that all of its actions will be aggressively scrutinized by the media, so the possibility that it would be some vanity operation designed to fill Hillary's pantsuit pockets with free cash is ridiculous on its face.

And remember Bernie Sanders and Barack and Michelle Obama are launching similar enterprises and nobody seems to have a problem with that.

So how is Paul Ryan's plan to use Bernie Sanders to scare up more votes for down ticket Republicans working out?

Courtesy of Vox: 

Speaking at an event with College Republicans in Wisconsin earlier this week, Ryan warned that letting the Senate slip back into Democratic hands might give Vermont’s democratic socialist one of the most powerful positions for shaping the federal budget. 

“If we lose the Senate, do you know who becomes chairman of the Senate budget committee?,” Ryan said, according to the Nation. “A guy named Bernie Sanders. Ever heard of him? That’s what we’re dealing with here if we lose control of the Senate.”

I heard what @SpeakerRyan said: If the GOP loses the Senate, I'll be the Budget chairman. Sounds like a good idea. https://t.co/9EFfzgimCX

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 19, 2016

Ryan’s hit on Sanders backfired, badly. Citing Ryan’s comments in a fundraising blast, Sanders was able to raise just under $2 million in two days for about a dozen Democratic Senate and House candidates — furthering his chances of actually becoming budget committee chair. 

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the fundraising haul was North Carolina Democrat Deborah Ross, who could unseat Republican Sen. Richard Burr in the state, according to the Washington Post. Sanders has made helping in down-ballot races a big priority since exiting the presidential primary, and he was quick to jump at the opportunity created by Ryan’s remarks.

I would just like to point out that I called this the minute I heard that Ryan was using Sanders in this way, and pointed out that Ryan was messing with forces he clearly did not understand.

It's not that I'm a genius of anything, I am just smarter than Paul Ryan. Or actually ANYBODY who thinks that threatening voters with the idea of putting more power in the hands of Senator Sanders is going to motivate more conservatives than liberals to come out to the polls.

And I would suggest that that is also true of THIS tactic.

We cannot take four more years of Barack Obama and that’s what you’ll get if you vote for Hillary. #BigLeagueTruth

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2016

Let's face it, the majority of Americans know that the country is doing significantly better under President Obama and Democratic leadership than it was under Bush.

But if they want to keep on using these tactics who am I to dissuade them?

So I guess I've been identified as a sucker as well.

This showed up in my e-mail box the other day: 

Do you remember the moment Bernie kicked off the political revolution? 

Bernie Sanders has spent his life fighting against injustice and inequality. But it was his eight-hour long filibuster in 2010 that turned him into a national leader. As Charles Chamberlain explains in the email below, Bernie took to the Senate floor to challenge a deal President Obama had cut with Republicans that included an extension of George W. Bush's tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. 

His speech wasn't just about that bad deal. He used his time to speak about corporate greed, the recently announced Citizens United decision, and the decline of the middle class. His speech laid out his early vision that became the people-powered campaign that rocked the foundations of the Democratic Party. Bernie's vision should still motivate us today -- and that's why DFA is offering a chance to read this amazing document while helping build a political revolution. 

Do you want to read the speech that started the "political revolution"? Pitch in $37 or more now to support DFA and we will send you your very own copy of Bernie's "The Speech: On Corporate Greed and the Decline of the Middle Class" -- we will even cover the shipping charges for you! 

Your donation will not only get you this historic book by Bernie -- it will also help DFA continue the work we began during the primary. We're building the political revolution across the country, and fighting for candidates who share Bernie's values. We're even training thousands of activists to help win in November and beyond. 

Thank you for spreading the word about Bernie's speech -- and helping change America. 

I am not going to bother sharing all of it with you but it goes on to accuse President Obama of "cutting a deal with the Republicans that was filled with goodies for the 1%," smears all "Washington politicians," and of course makes Sanders out to be some kind of modern folk hero.

It also continues to push the meme that Bernie and his supporters are going to change politics in this country and that it can all be done if they just keep donating to the "revolution" and of course buying his books.

Of course all of us here have seen this before, and we know how it ends.

And lines like this, "Every penny of your donation will go toward helping elect Bernie-style truth-tellers to every level of government, from City Council to the U.S. Senate, this November and beyond," should not fool anybody.

I know that the true believers will have difficulty accepting this, but this political grift has been going on for years now.

We have already seen the damage that it can do as evidenced by the Republican party.

We just don't need to see it happen on the Democratic side.

If we want to change how money influences politics we need to overturn Citizens United, which can eventually happen with the help of Clinton selected Supreme Court justices, and work to pass campaign finance reform, for which we need more Democrats.

We don't need a revolution, we just need to keep our eye on the ball and continue making the same kind of progress that President Obama has already helped to put into motion.

Bernie Sanders' wife explains that there will be no financial disclosure. "Why bother?"

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

Sen. Bernie Sanders has pushed hard for transparency on U.S. trade and campaign finance, but has been far less aggressive in disclosing his own personal finances. 

Now his wife and campaign confidante, Jane O'Meara Sanders, is defending the senator's decision not to file a candidate personal finance disclosure and talking about the purchase of a new vacation home. 

Sanders and his campaign asked the Federal Election Commission for two 45-day extensions, in mid-May and late June, on filing the personal finance disclosures candidates are usually required to produce, and then decided not to file at all once he dropped out of the race and endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, Jane Sanders confirmed Thursday. 

"I guess our campaign just said 'why bother'," said the wife of the Vermont independent senator who challenged Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Jane Sanders went on to explain that there was really no new information about their finances to share anyway.

Speaking of no new financial information Jane also talked about that new house they purchased.

On another financial matter, Jane Sanders said she and her husband paid cash — $575,000 — for the four-bedroom summer house they recently bought in North Hero, Vermont, on the Lake Champlain shore. She said she sold her share of her family's long-time vacation home in Bridgton, Maine, to her brother for $150,000, added some money from her retirement account and from an advance her husband got on a book he is writing to come up with the money to buy the couple's third home. 

They also own property in Burlington, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.

Oh so their share of the family vacation home only came to $150,000. Interesting.

In other, completely unrelated news Sanders is still accepting donations for "Our Revolution" which is scheduled to launch next week: 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will address supporters on Aug. 24 to tout "Our Revolution," a new organization intended to harness the energy of his supporters and help progressive political candidates across the country.

The independent senator also wants to empower “the next generation of progressive leaders by inspiring, recruiting and supporting progressive candidates across the entire spectrum of government – from school board to U.S. Senate.”

Damn, I am getting such a feeling of deja vu here.

A failed campaign, a new house, a PAC dedicated to "changing politics in America." Hmm, where have I seen all of this before?

Bernie Sanders buys $600,000 summer home in Vermont, while continuing to accept donations for his "revolution."

Courtesy of The Hill:  

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has purchased a nearly $600,000 summer retreat on Vermont’s Champlain Islands, the Vermont newspaper Seven Days reported Monday. 

“We’ve traveled up to the islands many times over the years — almost always on day trips,” Jane Sanders, the former White House contender's wife, said in a statement. "The entire family is very excited about it.” 

The Sanders family also owns a row house on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and a house in Burlington, Vt..

Well for a Democratic Socialist Bernie does pretty well for himself.

But where does this kind of money come from?

(Update: According to Snopes the money for this house came from the sale of a house they inherited. That information was not readily available when I wrote this post several hours ago, and I apologize for anything misleading I may have insinuated. However instead of deleting it I will leave it here as I think the second part down below is still worthy of conversation.)

 Courtesy of the Washington Post:

When he endorsed Hillary Clinton and spoke on her behalf at the somewhat-contentious Democratic convention last month, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pledged "to do all that I can" to make sure she defeated Donald Trump this fall. Since the convention, his new group, "Our Revolution," seems to be devoting its energy to … defeating the Democratic Party establishment that backed Clinton. 

Sanders has sent at least two emails to his army of grass-roots supporters since the convention ended, asking for money to continue his "revolution," a critical element of his primary-season pitch. The emails mentioned the Democratic National Committee, former committee chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the Democratic Party, and the Democratic establishment multiple times. They did not mention Clinton, Trump or the Republican Party (which would need to suffer a crushing defeat for Democrats to gain the majority Sanders would need for his progressive priorities to make it through Congress.)

I'm just going to leave this here without comment.

After all I wouldn't want to be accused of being a "Bernie Sanders hater" now would I?

Update 2: By the way if the Sanders' sold a house they inherited why did that money not go towards funding his "revolution" rather than use the money toward the purchase of a third house?

After all how many houses does a socialist Senator from Vermont need anyhow?

So is Bernie Sanders following in the footsteps of Ron Paul or Sarah Palin?

Courtesy of USA Today: 

Sen. Bernie Sanders began fundraising Wednesday for his new political organization, tapping supporters in an email for contributions to “continue our critical work to take back our country from the billionaire class.” 

“Our Revolution,” the former Democratic presidential candidate writes, aims to bring “millions” of working and young people into the political system; recruit and support the “next generation of progressive leaders” running for office, from school board to U.S. Senate; and educate the public about “the most pressing issues confronting our nation” that he says the “corporate media” fails to emphasize. 

“Our goal will be the same as in our campaign: we must work to transform American society by making our political and economic systems work for all of us, not just the 1 percent,” wrote Sanders.

Okay now I know that Bernie Bros are already hyperventilating over the fact that I would dare to compare their hero to Ron Paul or (Gasp!) Sarah Palin.

However the comparisons are viable.

Now according to this USA Today article the "Our Revolution" organization is supposed to launch later this month, but right now they are soliciting and receiving donations that go through Act Blue, a Democratic PAC that was established in 2004.

If Bernie is going the Ron Paul route we can expect to see him have some impact on the Democratic party in certain places around the country (Remember the Paulites, led by Joe Miller, took over the Alaska Republican party for a short while in 2012.), but no real noticeable impact on national politics.

However if he is going the Sarah Palin route then he will simply be giving lip service to the idea of political change while pocketing the money for himself to pay for things like air travel, "consultants," and of course keeping his family members flush with cash.

And before anybody scoffs at that last paragraph remember there is precedent since Sanders illegally used campaign money to visit with the Pope during his campaign.

All I am saying is that if you have ever mocked those who contribute to SarahPAC, and then turn around and give money to this Sanders "revolution," you might want to have a serious conversation with yourself in the mirror.

As promised this is my Monday post about the Johnston's Go Fund Me page.

So there is a slim possibly at this point that there are some of you who do not know that on Friday Levi and Sunny started a Go Fund Me account.

In just over an hour they had raised a $1,000.

By the end of the day Alaska time they had met their initial goal of $5,000.

So with the urging of myself and a whole lot of IMers they raised the amount to the one that I had suggested earlier, $10,000. And by the time yesterday was over they had met that goal as well.

News of the account has now been covered by TMZ, Raw Story, International Business Times, and the Washington Post.

There is still quite a bit of misinformation in the comment section of those sites, but I noticed some stalwart IMers waded in to correct the record. (Thanks for that by the way.)

Today Sunny withdrew some of that money to pay off the lawyers, and is preparing to take out more soon to pay off a number of other debts.

As you can imagine both she and Levi and extraordinarily grateful and touched by the outpouring of support and goodwill.

In fact Sunny sent me this message today to share with all of you:

We just want to say thank you, and to share with you that around this time last year we had been forced to sell everything we could think of just to make ends meet, and Levi was away working on the slope while I had a brand new baby to care for and no real place to call home (I don't know if that's too much information, but it's true.) 

But life has really turned around since then... I'm still surprised we reached our goal so quickly.

This, what you have done, will take a lot of pressure off of us. We are already planning to use any money that is not needed immediately for lawyer fees, or to pay outstanding debts, to pay down some of the back child support that Levi still owes.

Like most families we have a number of plans for our future and hope to become successful enough to one day give back to others like all of you have given to us.

Maybe we can help other fathers fighting for their kids. Or help children who cannot afford a good education.Things of that nature.

We have already started to pay it forward by giving away everything for free at our garage sale this weekend. So you all have already inspired us a lot. 

It feels good to know there are people on our side when so many out there have such a terrible image of who Levi is because of the Palin's misinformation for so many years. 

It's good to know that some people do their homework and can look past a negative headline, instead of immediately jumping to a false conclusion based on lies put forward by those trying to destroy Levi's reputation and credibility. 

Let me just remind you that standing up for yourself against the Palins here in Alaska is no easy feat, and it is infinitely worse when you live in the same small town. So you may judge Levi and Sunny however you wish, but I know the courage that it took to make their situation public and to stand up for their family, knowing the kinds of repercussions coming their way.

Remember the Palins never let a slight go unchallenged, and if payback is a bitch, well you know what she looks like.

P.S. I thought I would take a moment to say that what you guys have done for these two young people is something for which all of you should be extremely proud.

I know that I am both proud of you, and humbled by the response.

Kind of hard to call ourselves the Immoral Minority when there are so many selfless and inspiring people hanging out here isn't it?