Political Randomness

[Holman]

Kurdish protester assaulted by Erdogan goons in DC comes forward and asks for justice.

https://twitter.com/CerenBorazan/status ... 7995118592.

[stessier]

They likely had diplomatic immunity, right? While I get the point, it's not going anywhere.

[Max Peck]

US summons Turkey envoy for embassy brawl

The US has summoned the Turkish ambassador after violence erupted between protesters and Turkish security personnel in Washington on Tuesday.

Ambassador Serdar Kılıç met Under Secretary of State Tom Shannon on Wednesday, officials tell the BBC.

Eleven people were injured outside the Turkish ambassador's residence during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit.

Video footage of the clash on Tuesday showed men in suits charging past police to kick and punch protesters.

Washington police called the violence a "brutal attack on peaceful protesters".

The incident drew an outcry among US lawmakers.

Senator John McCain on Thursday called for the envoy to be expelled.

"We should throw their ambassador the hell out of the United States of America..." he told MSNBC's Morning Joe programme on Thursday.

"This kind of thing cannot go un-responded to diplomatically."

Democratic senator Claire McCaskill said she agreed with her Republican colleague, tweeting: "Unacceptable. They were assaulting these people on US soil. Turkish Ambassador should be kicked out of country."

Earlier this week the State Department released a statement saying it was "concerned by the violent incidents" and confirmed Turkish security guards were involved.

Mr Erdogan, who met President Donald Trump earlier in the day, was visiting the Turkish ambassador's residence when the scuffle broke out.

Washington's Metropolitan Police Department said it had arrested two US residents, Ayten Necmi, 49, and Jalal Kheirabadi, 42, over the incident.

It was unclear if they were members of Mr Erdogan's security or protesters.

Police Chief Peter Newsham said on Wednesday the violence was "not something we tolerate in our city".

Several of Mr Erdogan's security personnel, he added, were armed with guns, which made the incident especially "dicey" for local police officers trying to keep protests peaceful.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce also sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging them to take action over the clashes.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said it was "an affront to DC values and our rights as Americans".

[Paingod]

They likely had diplomatic immunity, right? While I get the point, it's not going anywhere.

Research indicates uncertainty that requires a more legally-minded person to delve into it. It seems to depend on where they came from, what their roles are, and if they were contracted.

[Max Peck]

They likely had diplomatic immunity, right? While I get the point, it's not going anywhere.

Research indicates uncertainty that requires a more legally-minded person to delve into it. It seems to depend on where they came from, what their roles are, and if they were contracted.

Turkish citizens with diplomatic immunity can still be declared personae non gratae and get booted out of the country. If they are local hires (i.e. US citizens) then I don't believe they would have diplomatic immunity.

[Max Peck]

Was Erdogan personally involved in his bodyguards’ attacks on protesters in D.C.?

On Thursday afternoon, a new wrinkle: It turns out that Erdogan himself observed the brawl from the driveway of the ambassador’s residence.

If you watch that video closely, though, you’ll notice something else. Right before the brawling starts, a man appears to receive instruction from Erdogan, who then signals to another man who walks down the driveway to the street — and the brawling begins seconds later.

[Combustible Lemur]

Was Erdogan personally involved in his bodyguards’ attacks on protesters in D.C.?

On Thursday afternoon, a new wrinkle: It turns out that Erdogan himself observed the brawl from the driveway of the ambassador’s residence.

If you watch that video closely, though, you’ll notice something else. Right before the brawling starts, a man appears to receive instruction from Erdogan, who then signals to another man who walks down the driveway to the street — and the brawling begins seconds later.

What's a better way to test a leader you are pretty sure is an idiot who just loves alphas. Have your boys kick the shit out of some protesting nerds in his yard and see what he does.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[Max Peck]

Word is that, a few years ago, China provided an object lesson about what happens when you burn an intelligence source.

China killed CIA sources, hobbled U.S. spying from 2010 to 2012: NYT

China killed or imprisoned 18 to 20 CIA sources from 2010 to 2012, hobbling U.S. spying operations in a massive intelligence breach whose origin has not been identified, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

Investigators remain divided over whether there was a spy within the Central Intelligence Agency who betrayed the sources or whether the Chinese hacked the CIA's covert communications system, the newspaper reported, citing current and former U.S. officials.

The Chinese killed at least a dozen people providing information to the CIA from 2010 through 2012, dismantling a network that was years in the making, the newspaper reported.

One was shot and killed in front of a government building in China, three officials told the Times, saying that was designed as a message to others about working with Washington.

The breach was considered particularly damaging, with the number of assets lost rivaling those in the Soviet Union and Russia who perished after information passed to Moscow by spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, the report said. Ames was active as a spy in the 1980s and Hanssen from 1979 to 2001.

The CIA declined to comment when asked about the Times report on Saturday.

Totally unrelated fun fact: Edward Snowden worked for the CIA from 2006-2009.

[Max Peck]

Since Trump is slacking off, Erdogan takes up some of the slack in regard to fucking up NATO's shit.

Nato hit by Turkish veto on Austria partnership

Turkey is vetoing Nato's co-operation with Austria, blocking the alliance's partnership activities with 41 countries, the BBC understands.

Turkey is in Nato, providing the most military muscle after the US, while Austria is not. But Austria co-operates closely with Nato, and has more than 400 troops serving in Kosovo.

Austria condemned the Turkish veto, calling it "irresponsible".

Turkey is angry with Austria for trying to block its bid to join the EU.

A well-informed source told the BBC that heightened tensions between Turkey and Austria had essentially blocked Nato co-operation with the government in Vienna for the past year. The veto was affecting all the Western alliance's partnership activities, which include several ex-Soviet states.

[El Guapo]

Oh yeah, it's just Austria standing between Turkey and EU membership.

[malchior]

Turkish entry into the EU would just speed up its eventual destruction. It is inconceivable that they are still being considered but then again NATO and other associated political considerations. Either way the EU needs to find a path forward without accepting Turkey or just give up on legitimacy.

[gilraen]

Democrats flip a NH state house seat in special election

New Hampshire Democrats flipped a state House seat in a district that Donald Trump won by 7% in 2016. No Democrat had ever won the district before and the victory is the first seat in the country at any level to flip from red to blue after the election of Trump.

Baby steps?

[Paingod]

As long as Democrats don't see this as good cause to fold their arms, lean back against a wall, and declare "We got this in the bag" with no continued effort...

[gilraen]

I'll just leave it here.

[Defiant]

Democrats Gain Majority in N.Y. State Senate, but GOP Still in Control

A special election in Harlem on Tuesday gave Democrats a majority in the New York state Senate to match its majority in the Assembly—but the party won’t have more power.

Because of an alliance between nine Democratic senators and the GOP, Republicans will maintain control over the Senate, barring the Democratic Party from a coveted trifecta in Albany—controlling the Assembly, Senate and governorship.

[Defiant]

Two men in Aceh, Indonesia have been caned 85 times after being convicted for homosexuality and homosexual sex.
More than 3000 people flocked to outside the Syahuda mosque to witness a number of people convicted under Aceh’s Islamic Sharia laws, known as Qanun Jinayat.

Reports in the BBC described many in the crowd cheering as the lashings took place.
‘Let this be a lesson to you,’ one man yelled. ‘Do it harder,’ yelled another.
Another eight people were caned today included two women who were accused of showing affection to a man that was not their husbands.

link

[El Guapo]

Presumably 86 canings would have been too harsh?

[Moliere]

Presumably 86 canings would have been too harsh?

it depends

Under the 2003 laws, the maximum number of caning strokes was set at 40, and in practice it rarely exceeded 12, but the 2014 law set the minimum number of strokes at 10 and the maximum at 150.

[Remus West]

‘Do it harder,’ yelled another.

Ironically, the exact same thing the first man had been yelling to the second when they were caught.



I'm going to go sit in time out now.

[malchior]

Another profile in courage from Ryan - knowing that 75% of votes were likely cast before the assault last night...it'll be the will of the people. Ryan suggests an apology should about handle it.

Edit: Bonus shit-baggery from some morally bankrupt GOPers.

[Smoove_B]

Well no wonder Gianforte was all punchy - seems he might have a connection to the Russians as well.

A Republican congressional candidate has financial ties to a number of Russian companies that have been sanctioned by the US, the Guardian has learned.

Greg Gianforte, who is the GOP standard bearer in the upcoming special election in Montana, owns just under $250,000 in shares in two index funds that are invested in the Russian economy to match its overall performance.

According to a financial disclosure filed with the clerk of the House of Representatives, the Montana tech mogul owns almost $150,000 worth of shares in VanEck Vectors Russia ETF and $92,400 in the IShares MSCF Russia ETF fund. Both are indexed to the Russian equities market and have significant holdings in companies such as Gazprom and Rosneft that came under US sanctions in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of the Crimea.

The holdings, while substantial, make up only a small portion of Gianforte’s wealth. The congressional candidate, who made a fortune starting a software company which was later sold to Oracle, has assets estimated to be worth between $65m and $315m, according to his financial disclosure.

I'm beginning to think that maybe there's something to this Russian thing. Maybe we should start looking into it?

[malchior]

Are you fucking kidding me?!? This is not a laughing matter. This was likely an actual crime. I don't think my opinion of the GOP could be any lower but they have some members are really scraping the bottom this morning.

[KDH]

.
.. Republicans claim 1st Amendment right to send you robo-voicemails

GOP asks FCC to exempt direct-to-voicemail messages from robocall rules.

<snip>

A marketing company called All About the Message recently petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for a ruling that would prevent anti-robocall rules from being applied to "the delivery of a voice message directly to a voicemail box" without ringing the recipient's phone. These ringless voicemails are already happening, but their legal status is unclear.

[Isgrimnur]

I imagine that the carriers should be up in arms about the abuse of their networks. Voicemail access number (I forget the term), while not secret, aren't exactly advertised.

[LordMortis]

Cross posted from the FCC thread

Fuck the GOP.

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1051800793 ... tition.pdf

I have one stick up my ass for nearly a decade and it's how ineffective the FCC and donotcall.gov is. I want to know why "xxx from credit services" has been able to call my cell forever from different numbers and how they have not been shut down yet after years of complaints throughout the US. I want to know why PACs and warranty extnesion services have cart blanche to robo dial me me with impunity and now the GOP want to call it protected speech?

Read their 1 to 2 punch for rationale. "If we go direct to your voice mail it's not a phone call and Oh yeah, free speech" Do they really take the 1st amendment that lightly, that it's an after thought to the idea that they want to lawyer what it means to call someone on the phone? Fuck you.

[Isgrimnur]

Texas

Legislation that would make it easier for poor people to satisfy traffic tickets with alternatives to payment cleared the Texas House on Tuesday on a vote of 75-70. The bill needs to be approved by the Senate again before moving to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

Senate Bill 1913, by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would allow courts to ask defendants if they are too poor to pay for traffic tickets; fines for other low-level and fine-only offenses; or court costs. After making that determination, courts would be allowed to reduce or waive fines and costs and offer community service as an alternative.
...
For fine-only offenses, jail time only comes into the picture when someone doesn't pay their fine — a risk borne by thousands of Texans, according to a recently released report by Texas Appleseed and the Texas Fair Defense Project. Those who can't afford to pay often find themselves hit with additional fines or other restrictions, such as being blocked from renewing their driver's licenses and vehicle registrations. Critics call it debtors' prison.

More than 200,000 Texans can't renew their licenses, and approximately 400,000 have holds on vehicle registrations due to unpaid fines, according to the report. In 2015, almost 3 million warrants were issued in cases where the punishment was originally just a fine.

[Max Peck]

If it had been a man raving about how Christians should die, would we be reading headlines about a terrorist attack?

Portland deaths: Two stabbed trying to stop anti-Muslim abuse

Two men have died in the US trying to stop a man abusing two women of Muslim appearance, Oregon police say.

The abusive man turned on the two men and fatally stabbed them in the city of Portland, police said.

The incident happened on a commuter train. Another passenger was wounded before the attacker was arrested.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged President Trump to speak out against increasing Islamophobia in the US.

It accused the president of exacerbating the trend with his statements and policies.

The attack took place at about 16:30 local time (00:30 GMT) on a train at Hollywood Transit Station, police said in a statement. One of the victims died at the scene, the other died in hospital.

Police have identified the suspect as Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35. He has been charged with offences including aggravated murder, attempted murder, intimidation and being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon.

"Suspect was on the train and he was yelling and ranting and raving a lot of different things, including what would be characterised as hate speech or biased language," said Sgt Pete Simpson.

"In the midst of his ranting and raving, some people approached him, appeared to try to intervene with his behaviour. Some of the people that he was yelling at, they were attacked viciously by the suspect, resulting in the two deaths and one injury."

Jeremy Joseph Christian was arrested shortly after he got off the train. The two women he was abusing - one of whom was said by eyewitnesses to have been wearing a headscarf - left the scene before police could speak to them.

However one of the girls' parents later told the Oregonian newspaper that they were teenagers, one black and one Muslim.

Dyjuana Hudson said the attacker "was saying that Muslims should die. That they've been killing Christians for years".

[Holman]

If it had been a man raving about how Christians should die, would we be reading headlines about a terrorist attack?

Trump would be talking about internment camps and bragging about how he called it during the election.

[Holman]

The suspect in Portland attacks is a known white supremacist.

Christian is a known right wing extremist and white supremacist. On April 29, Christian showed up to the right-wing "March for Free Speech" on 82nd Avenue in Montavilla with a baseball bat in an attempt to assault left-wing protesters. The bat was quickly confiscated by Portland police officers. He ranted how he was a nihilist. He'd soon yelled racial slurs ("fuck all you n*****s") and gave the Nazi salute throughout the day. He yelled "Hail Vinland" throughout the day.

A few Portland police officers on April 29 appeared to be familiar with Christian, but not threatened by him. They claimed he had a head injury and was mentally ill.

link

Update: Christian has a criminal record that includes a host of felonies going back to 2002, when he was convicted of first-degree robbery and second-degree kidnapping. He also has a conviction for carrying/using a dangerous weapon from 2002.

[Defiant]

If it had been a man raving about how Christians should die, would we be reading headlines about a terrorist attack?

I would think a terrorist attack requires premeditation, no? It sounds like it was a spur of the moment thing, but I suppose he might have planned attacking someone, and they were the first ones he had the opportunity to attack.

[Max Peck]

If it had been a man raving about how Christians should die, would we be reading headlines about a terrorist attack?

I would think a terrorist attack requires premeditation, no? It sounds like it was a spur of the moment thing, but I suppose he might have planned attacking someone, and they were the first ones he had the opportunity to attack.

I was commenting on the nature of the reaction to the act, not the act itself.

[Holman]

If a radicalized Islamist were ranting about hatred of the West at strangers on a train, then pulled a knife and murdered two people who tried to intervene, it would be TERROR ATTACK IN PORTLAND!!

[tjg_marantz]

At least the Portland office is saying something unlike that fucking moron that was elected to represent everyone in the US.

[Smoove_B]

Speaking of the aftermath of the Portland killings, county GOP official offers his opinion on future security:

Multnomah County GOP chair James Buchal, however, told the Guardian that recent street protests had prompted Portland Republicans to consider alternatives to “abandoning the public square”.

“I am sort of evolving to the point where I think that it is appropriate for Republicans to continue to go out there,” he said. “And if they need to have a security force protecting them, that’s an appropriate thing too.”

Asked if this meant Republicans making their own security arrangements rather than relying on city or state police, Buchal said: “Yeah. And there are these people arising, like the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.”

Asked if he was considering such groups as security providers, Buchal said: “Yeah. We’re thinking about that. Because there are now belligerent, unstable people who are convinced that Republicans are like Nazis.”

This is normal.

Regarding the legalities of an arrangement:

Portland police bureau spokesman, sergeant Peter Simpson, told The Guardian that using private security was ambiguous under state law.

“It’s a complex issue. Private security in Oregon needs to be certified by the state. That said, people showing up to assist do not. We don’t advocate bringing in outsiders to police an event.”

[Rip]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/ ... 02284058/#

More than 5%, or one out of every 20, searches seeking upstream Internet data on Americans inside the NSA’s so-called Section 702 database violated the safeguards President Obama and his intelligence chiefs vowed to follow in 2011, according to one classified internal report reviewed by Circa. ...

The normally supportive court censured administration officials, saying that the failure to disclose the extent of the violations earlier amounted to an “institutional lack of candor,” and that the improper searches constituted a “very serious Fourth Amendment issue,” according to a recently unsealed court document dated April 26.

The admitted violations undercut one of the primary defenses that the intelligence community and Obama officials have used in recent weeks to justify their snooping into incidental NSA intercepts about Americans. ... The American Civil Liberties Union said the newly disclosed violations are some of the most serious to ever be documented and strongly call into question the U.S. intelligence community’s ability to police itself and safeguard Americans' privacy as guaranteed by the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful search and seizure.

[El Guapo]

That's so weird that people are comparing a political party that wants to rely on its own paramilitary force to the Nazis.

[Enough]

Hey Rip, watch carefully:

Thanks for sharing that opinion piece. If the underlying premise is correct, it's definitely a bad look. George W started this stuff after 911 and I don't remember you objecting to it when Snowden revealed it, but glad to see your evolving opinion.

You might also know that I vastly prefer Obama over Trump, but yet here I am admitting that Obama abusing 911 powers to spy on ordinary Americans is bad. Try this on one of the next eleventy billion times Trump shows himself to be a repugnant ass. If I can do it, so can you!

Now, let's look at the meat here and see if this is anything more than an attempt at deflection by the Trumperoos re "incidental" communications with Russia that may have been procured via this program. Even though it doesn't come out and say it, your article is basically confirming Edward Snowden's stuff on Bush's Steller Wind program and apparently showing Obama did a poor job of reigning in the big data approach that led to lots of ordinary American's communications getting sucked up. Do you Trust Trump to curtail this routine warrantless surveillance method of the NSA in the post-911 world?

[Zarathud]

Give me a break, Rip. Trump will claim the only way to find the leakers is to pull their upstream data. Trump's "extreme vetting" of traveller's social media will mean more than a 5% illegal pull rate of internet data. And you will no doubt defend that steaming turd on the President's desk anyway.

[hepcat]

When all you've got in defense of your guy is "hey, someone else did something bad too!", you should probably take some time to think things over.

[Grifman]

Oh yeah, it's just Austria standing between Turkey and EU membership.

I guess they're still made about not taking Vienna in 1683.