Jeff Bezos Blackmailed?

The National Enquirer tried to blackmail Jeff Bezos by threatening to publish some dick-pics he sent to his new flame? And Bezos published their threatening emails?

Well, he has balls. And the National Enquirer has the pictures to prove it.

Comments

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

MM's 9:25 proves beyond a doubt that AOC is bat-shit crazy, as is Ed Markey. Talk about two beans in a pod. If, the GOP cannot make a campaign ad just off of that piece of the #GreenNewDeal, then we are totally lost in the desert.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.wthr.com/article/british-actor-albert-finney-dead-82

I can remember seeing him in "Tom Jones.

[jimmyk]

WHAT could she have said to him to get those pictures?

I presumed she didn't ask, he sent them unsolicited, imagining she'd get excited by them.

[henry]

Breaking News Feed @pzf
7m

Georgia republican representative Rob Woodall has announced he will not seek reelection in 2020.

[jimmyk]

RIP Albert Finney. "Tom Jones" was a classic.

Also RIP Frank Robinson. I'd been thinking about how all the sports greats of my youth are now in their 80s, if they're still alive. Robbie, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Al Kaline,

[James D.]

"Tom Jones" was a classic.

It's actually showing later this morning on TCH.

[jimmyk]

And the NYT was excitedly reporting that they'd finally found a Republican in Virginia connected with racist yearbooks.

[Catsmeat]

Hi, pagar--are you pagar again? I like that better than D (which sounds like someone in the Bond universe).

And hi to beasts who emerged yesterday, if he's still around--we are a little mad, yes, to still be nattering on, but it's a release and a comfort.

[Jane]

Boy the hearing with Whitaker is already amazing. Kudo's to the vice chair for calling the dems what they truly are - assholes.

[pagar]

She has writings? Good Grief, we're reading the writings of imbeciles and pretending they mean something. Why doesn't she just go like Venezuela and eat what ever garbage she can find on the street?

https://www.weaselzippers.us/410464-venezuelans-whove-fled-to-america-have-a-warning-about-socialism/

[Tom R]

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons: Trump's border wall is not immoral — it's a piece of infrastructure

Sounds like the Democrats are caving.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-08/bezos-investigator-believes-texts-were-leaked-government-entity-wapo

Of course. Trump's fault!

[henry]

his new slut had nothing to do with it... sure.

[Extraneus]

I don't think they're caving. They have to be able to say they were negotiating in good faith in order to argue that Trump had no reason to go the emergency route after they pick up Lucy's football.

[jimmyk]

Catsmeat, D is maryrose. Pagar has always been pagar.

[Rocco]

I think D is maryrose

[Rocco]

i wasn't even close

[Tom Bowler]

Yes Jane, you're probably right about Massachusetts colleges affecting the vote in a very liberal way.

Another thing, though I haven't paid attention to it lately, is the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Romney made an unsuccessful effort at imposing some accountability over it. As far as I know, it's still a massive political slush fund, accountable to no one.

[MissMarple2]

https://ilovemyfreedom.org/time-to-cancel-netflix-pays-10-million-for-documentary-starring-socialist-ocasio-cortez/?utm_source=star&utm_medium=twitter

She was one of four women featured in the documentary which Netflix has purchased.

AOC is really getting the star treatment. Earlier I saw Lawrence O'Donnell gushing on Twitter about her performance on a committee to some WaPo reporter, who was also enthusiastic.

[Tom R]

A follow up tweet to Henry’s 8:38

https://twitter.com/kenvogel/status/1093681189901225984?s=21

It says there is documented proof both Manafort and Kilimnik contacted the US State Department. This is being cited by the defense to rebut the claim Kilimnik is a Russian asset. What I can’t figure out is if was during the campaign or after Trump took office.

[pagar]

Catsmeat, I have always been Pagar except when the new signin at JOM started it took me a day or two to get Pagar showing again.

[MissMarple2]

Tom R.,

It says August of 2016.

[Catsmeat]

You are completely and of course right--my mistake--morning confusion, and as I don't do caffeine, I may stay this confused all day. My apologies, pagar!

[Tom R]

MM's 9:25 proves beyond a doubt that AOC is bat-shit crazy

I would not be surprised if whoever her handler is providing her with her talking points is really an ally of Pelosi & the Democrat Establishment. They know AOC is an idiot and will repeat whatever they tell her to say. This could be an attempt to marginalize the nutjob Progtards and return control of the party to the Democrat Establishment.

[pagar]

Where is Netscape getting all this money. Aren't they the ones who gave the Obama's a bunch of money for doing nothing? I wouldn't spend a dime to see AOC or the Obamas.

[MissMarple2]

https://twitter.com/RichLowry/status/1093189811609968640

Rich Lowry recommends we forgive the VA governor for youthful mistakes. Twitter users have learned the Trump Way and tell him to forget it.

Warmed my heart.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez IS what the mainstream media THOUGHT Sarah Palin was when she first came on the scene - except she’s considerably less accomplished.

[Tom R]

MM @ 10:19

An earlier tweet says August 2016. I certainly do hope its a provable fact that Manafort and Kilimnik had official contacts with the Obama State Department during the campaign. That opens up multiple plot twists in the movie script I'm writing.

I've long wondered if Manafort, whose shady past as a Swamp creature was well known by the Uniparty Establishment, was a plant by the DC Establishment to infiltrate the Trump campaign. If Manafort and Kilimnik were communicating with the Obama State Department during the campaign that would help support that theory.

[James D.]

I can’t say what I think about Lowry and his latest garbage without emptying the dictionary of profanity.

[Narciso79]

That's netflix.

[henry]

was Manafort still with the campaign in August 16? The Convention was mid July, and Trump canned Manafort right after it. (Aug 19 per wiki).

[Narciso79]

Julianna Glover was the one who created the magnitsky act, because browder was stupid and he allowed his accountant to be arrested. Browder cheered when they took berezovsky company away from him.

[Narciso79]

Apco who also represents uranium one and flacked for the second dossier represents Huawei who is the real threat here?

[Another Bob]

MM, do we know she wrote it?

Sounds like someone playing a gag on her. She can’t be THAT stupid can she?

[Tom R]

Henry @ 10:33

Yes Manafort was still part of the Trump campaign in August 2016. What is unknown is whether this contact with the State Department occurred before or after his firing.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.quodverum.com/2019/02/38/a-challenge-for-adam-schiff.html

This is an article by Thomas Wictor and it is well worth reading.

Thanks to ChiTown Lurker for finding it and suggesting it to me!

[MissMarple2]

Amother Bob,

If, as I think, she was recruited because of her looks, dress, and youth, she is really just an actress type filling a role.

We know she didn't understand how the government works, for one thing. That sort of supports my theory.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

MM,
If you just link the URL I don't think it will post regardless of the sketchiness of the website.
The software sees it as a blank comment until some text is added outside the link.
If you use < /a> and add your own title to the link then it will post with only the text inside the ink.

[Threadkiller]

I believe your theory, MM, and it reinforces my belief that term limits beyond those already in the Constitution will have no effect on brainless regurgitating political actors/actresses. The voters wil merely select another imbecile to replace the previous script reader.

Super term limits will get rid of the Tom McClintocks though.

[Neo]

Attorney General Whittaker: “Mr. Chairman, I see that your five minutes is up I’m here voluntarily I agreed to five-minute rounds.”

[MissMarple2]

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/429106-ocasio-cortez-torches-fox-and-friends-hosts-unlike-these-people-i-actually

AOC attacks Fox & Friends, after Kilmeade pointed out the subway shooter was MS-13 in her district and that she wants to defund ICE, wh are the only people trying to locate gang members and deport them.

Notice again she is given the star treatment by The Hill.

[pagar]

I'm quitting posting for today to try to lower my blood pressure.

Does any one know a PDF Form filler site that has instructions that can be understood by an old guy who is not a computer expert.

I have one form every year that has to be filled by me in PDF. It takes me hours and hours to get the new form to come up so I can fill it in, which takes about a half hour. It drives me crazy.

[Old Lurker]

Playing fast catchup.

Did I miss out on a discussion of this, which to me, is right smack in the JOM Wheelhouse:

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/roberts-joins-supreme-courts-liberal-wing-in-striking-down-louisiana-abortion-law

[henry]

pagar, maybe Adobe is forcing an update to the PDF reader to load... that might be the delay.

[Captain Hate]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez IS what the mainstream media THOUGHT Sarah Palin was when she first came on the scene - except she’s considerably less accomplished.

Palin had quietly and under the radar been an effective governor of a large state. I'll never understand why those two whores, Schmidt and Wallace, allowed her to energize the otherwise lifeless pathetic campaign of McRINO, who I'll always believe didn't want to win against the first AA major party candidate. Whoever is stage managing AOC wants her to do what Palin did, energize the base against a moribund and lifeless establishment, but she seems to be much less intelligent than even the MFM/entertainment complex's caricature of the Huntress.

[henry]

OL, yes. look for "roberts" and "strange new respect"

[Old Lurker]

And I was also surprised at the lack of attention paid to that DoJ Lawyer who signed the FISA applications without reading them.

If MY lawyer let me sign a set of loan documents that he had not read, if a problem were to arise later I would own that law firm over and above the ceiling of their E&O Insurance.

[Dave (in MA)]

Pretty sure the recycled urine stuff is from a parody--an unnecessary parody, given how ridiculous the real thing is.

[lurkersusie]

Julie Kelly’s take on the girls in white

Julie Kelly on Twitter: "“Their collective mood is so foul and unpredictable that one feels almost compelled to give them a box of chocolate donuts, a dose of Midol, and send them to bed with a heating pad.” My take on the Cycle Sisters for @theamgreat...

https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1093863320749293568

[Narciso79]

He was a lobbyist they contact the state department that's why they hire them, he hired Podesta and Weber to do the work. The former belched on the deal,

[Captain Hate]

OL,

It was discussed yesterday but I'm always ready to attack FISA Court Roberts, another Bush family turncoat.

[Porchlight]

All my conservative NeverTrump friends continue to dump on Trump even though he is more aggressively pro-life than any president in history.

I guess that imaginary decorative Conservative, Inc. candidate that totally could have beaten Hillary would have done a better job.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe this is how it went down...

Schumer & Pelosi to Markey & Cortez about a week ago:
"We need something to divert attention from Virginia. Get on it."

[Old Lurker]

Thanks Cap'n. I have been in computer purgatory since I insulted you for being on the bus to Pebble Beach. :-)

Speaking of Roberts, does that 5:4 abortion vote mean RBG was at the court voting? That seems to be news.

[Buckeye]

Pagar, if you are relying on your browser to provide "fill-in-th-blanks" functionality for a .pdf form, might not work, depending on "add-on" that may or may not be there.

As Henry suggested, be sure you have latest Adobe Reader.

It works. Just download the form and open with Reader.

[Porchlight]

But what possible grounds could there be in the Constitution for the federal government to override a state's regulation of medical practices? If I had a stronger stomach I'd go back and read that Texas case.

jimmyk,

They struck it down mainly because the must-have-hospital-admitting-privileges restrictions would severely limit the number of abortion doctors in the state, and that would place an undue burden on women.

Tells you something about the level of "doctor" who is willing to perform abortions but is unable or unwilling to secure admitting privileges at the nearest hospital.

NYT: "Justice Breyer, writing for the majority in that decision, said courts must consider whether the claimed benefits of laws putting restrictions on abortion outweigh the burdens they placed on the constitutional right to the procedure."

"Constitutional right" - thanks, Roe!

[Old Lurker]

Porch "All my conservative NeverTrump friends continue to dump on Trump"

I am long past the point of understanding how anybody allegedly on our side of the divide can consider themselves to be a "Conservative Never Trumper."

[James D.]

Here’s the argument for term limits:

https://reformclub.blogspot.com/2019/02/on-john-dingell-jr-and-our-democracy.html?m=1

I don’t care if it’s what the voters want. And I don’t care if we’d just end up with someone equally bad with a different last name. This country is not supposed to be a goddam heridetary monarchy!

[MissMarple2]

Betsy Woodruff
‏Verified account @woodruffbets

!!!

Nadler asks Whitaker if he's been asked to approve any of Mueller's moves.
Whitaker: “Mr Chairman, I see that your five minutes is up I’m here voluntarily I agreed to five-minute rounds”

Gasps in the room

================================

Ha! Took a page from the Boss!

[Porchlight]

NYT doesn't mention RBG at all in the article on the Louisiana case except in noting how the court voted in December on an unrelated case:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/us/politics/louisiana-abortion-law-supreme-court.html

[henry]

David Frum
@davidfrum

"My client, the world's richest man and owner of the Washington Post, asks if you would be so good as to put your blackmail demands in writing."

"Sure! But don't share this with the US Attorney office, because that might contravene our immunity deal with them."

"You don't say."

[Porchlight]

I can't understand it, either, OL. It makes me furious. Much of it is just plain snobbery if I had to guess.

[Old Lurker]

Porch, by that logic they will uphold NY and VA if VA goes there with the current court.

One would be hard pressed to find an issue more foreign to the founding principles of State's Rights and Federalism than telling TX to stand down on that law.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

As to the subject of TM's thread topic,
I read the emails and find the claim of extortion or blackmail close to laughable.
There was an on going dispute that the parties were attempting to settle. There was contemplated litigation so almost certainly all the communications are covered by the litigation privilege. It doesn't cover criminal acts but it seems pretty hard to demonstrate criminal intent on the part of a tabloid that says, "have your client stop defaming my client about the pictures we have of your client or we will go ahead and publish them".
The actual proposed settlement is in no way extortionate.
The fact is Bezos had his pet poodle paper attack another one simply to avoid or mitigate his public embarrassment about what a dick he is.

[James D.]

And David Frum continues to be a total ass. What a shock.

[jimmyk]

the must-have-hospital-admitting-privileges restrictions would severely limit the number of abortion doctors in the state, and that would place an undue burden on women.

That seems like exactly the sort of weighing of costs and benefits that state and local governments ought to be allowed to do. And even if they make the "wrong" decisions, there are 49 other states that can run their own experiments.

[Tom R]

I know the popular opinion here is to trash Chief Justice Roberts but I have a serious question. We criticize justices like RBG, Sotomayor, Kagan for always toeing the leftwing party line. The conservative side of the bench has a couple of justices as well who always vote on party lines.

Do we want a judicial system where the Constitutionality of a law is predetermined by whichever side has the SCOTUS majority? Would it be better for the country if all nine Justices were like Roberts and you never knew which side they would rule in favor of?

We have 240+ years of history that show sometimes the conservative position is the best thing for the country and sometimes the liberal position is the best thing for the country. If a justice appointed by a GOP president thinks the liberal position on a law is the Constitutionally correct decision, aren't they ethically obligated to rule in favor of the liberal position?

[Jane]

Tom B. I didn't know that about the Pike!

1) By the end of the Green New Deal resolution (and accompanying fact sheet) I was laughing so hard I nearly cried. If a bunch of GOPers plotted to forge a fake Democratic bill showing how bonkers the party is, they could not have done a better job. It is beautiful. #GreenNewDeal

Kimberly Strassel

[jimmyk]

Most of the die-hard NeverTrumpers, like Kristol, Frum, Rubin, have revealed themselves to be not very conservative at all.

Offhand I can't think of any strong conservative NeverTrumper public figures that haven't at least given Trump some credit, and maybe warmed to him somewhat. I mentioned Michael Medved the other day lavishly praising Trump's SOTU, for example.

Obviously Porch's friends may be a different matter. I also have a couple of friends in that category.

[Porchlight]

jimmyk, you're right, but the pre-existing Roe guarantee changes this particular equation, I think. Until it is overturned, it seems that a woman's "right" to an abortion will trump all restrictions.

They knew what they were doing in 1973.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/02/08/kellyanne-conway-details-alleged-assault-in-maryland/

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Well that SCOTUS decision where Catholic Roberts went with the majority, should give pause to HIrono & her Inquisition cell mates, on how Catholics don't rule by the Pope's beliefs. I believe Byers and Sotomayor are Catholic also.

[MissMarple2]

rse,

Please note that the Breitbart post above is just the link, as were a couple I posted earlier in the morning.

It is NOT if you post a link by itself. It is only some solo links which don't go through.

[Extraneus]

Rosenstein did not want to write memo justifying Comey firing – new book

McCabe wrote a book.

[MissMarple2]

Dr.Darrell Scott
‏Verified account @PastorDScott
13m13 minutes ago

I guess the “all the Democrat racists from the 60s switched parties” narrative has been shot to hell. #Coonman #VirginiaPoliticians

[Jane]

The dems in favor of the new Green policy must start living it immediately - to show how easy it will be. No planes, no gasoline, no whatever else is in it. Lead by example - starting now.

[jimmyk]

If a justice appointed by a GOP president thinks the liberal position on a law is the Constitutionally correct decision, aren't they ethically obligated to rule in favor of the liberal position?

That's not what's happening here, IMO. Roberts sees himself as keeping the court from undoing precedent in any major way, at least if it means moving the country in a more conservative direction. "Constitutionally correct" appears to have nothing to do with it. It's "stare decisis," except that between Roe v Wade and Obergefell v Hodges, Kelo, etc., the status quo somehow keeps moving to the left.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

Frederick wrestles in a tournament at Avon Old Farms School. 160lb class. Lost 9-8. Says he ran out of time:)

[Captain Hate]

Thanks Cap'n. I have been in computer purgatory since I insulted you for being on the bus to Pebble Beach. :-)

To be clear, I was volunteering there to raise money for the Hater Tot's school, scanning tickets of people coming in at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club, one of the four courses used for the tourney. I don't think I saw any celebs although plenty of well maintained trim. I saw Phil on an adjoining tee and then DJ. Everyone was very friendly and I had fun. I had a chance to go on the course after the work was done but I was tired (I got up at 4:10) and wanted to avoid rush hour traffic going back to Santa Cruz as much as possible, even though the traffic going southbound is much worse.

A young guy working for the PGA was with us; I think he was a former Ticketron employee because he answered all my questions on how the scanner was updating a database. Some of the other volunteers were very knowledgeable about the local courses (private schools and country clubs; what are the chances) and told me the US Open is at Pebble Beach this year to celebrate its 100 anniversary. I'm not sure how, despite the USGA's best efforts, the big bombers won't obliterate par like at Congressional but we'll see.

[Account Deleted]

((They struck it down mainly because the must-have-hospital-admitting-privileges restrictions would severely limit the number of abortion doctors in the state, and that would place an undue burden on women.))

So will that apply to ALL outpatient surgery centers & their doctors?

The abortion industry is such a protected business. It's ridiculous.
Every other business on the planet can be regulated until they're chokin' on regulations....but not abortion businesses. They can do ANYTHING they want.

[Tom Bowler]

Sounds great, Tom R. But one party has historically viewed the constitution as an obstacle to its unquenchable thirst for power, while the other has recognized it as a last best hope for limiting government power over the individual. We all know which party is which, and that's what makes Supreme Court appointments such bitter partisan fights.

[Porchlight]

The friends I'm thinking about are super Catholic. They also have to defend the Church (and the Pope) a lot and that makes their logic even more pretzel-like.

God uses non-perfect people to do his work all the time. Since they are Catholics who believe that saints live and work among us, saints which in many cases did not lead saintlike lives prior to conversion, you would think they could be a little more creative in imagining ways that God could be using Trump for good.

But no, it's black and white with them. His personal life and blustery style means he can't be a good president, period. Honestly I think they're the kind of people who are never happy.

[henry]

CNBC Now @CNBCnow
1m

BREAKING: Amazon reconsidering New York part of HQ2, which would bring 25,000 jobs to the region, amid local opposition - Washington Post

[President-Elect Jim,SunnyvaleCA]

New

[Tom R]

jimmyk @ 11:39

IANAL nor a judge so have no technical expertise to determine if Roberts decision is legally justified or not. What I do know is that the "must have hospital admitting privileges" legislation was brought before the courts long before this Louisiana law.

Alabama: https://reason.com/blog/2016/03/28/no-admitting-privileges-for-alabama

Texas: http://reason.com/blog/2016/03/03/hints-that-scotus-may-overturn-the-texas

[Tom Bowler]

P.S. Roberts, with his ObamaCare decision, has not been stellar in his defense of the individual against the power of government.

[Porchlight]

So will that apply to ALL outpatient surgery centers & their doctors?

No, because there is no Constitutionally-enshrined "right" to those types of surgeries.

It would seem to me that if the abortion industry can't produce enough abortion doctors with admitting privileges, that would be the industry's problem, but apparently the current number of doctors is the exact right number, because the abortion industry says so.

Some woman should sue PP and say they don't have enough clinics and therefore are placing an undue burden on her when she wants to get an abortion. I mean what is the correct amount of clinics? How close to they have to be to every single woman in America to clear the "undue burden" bar? Within 100 miles? 50 miles? 10 blocks? How late do they have to be open? Is eight hours/day enough?

[Dave (in MA)]

Re: The Mass. Turnpike...

It was paid off back when the current administration in Virginia was still running around in minstrel show getups, but they're still collecting tolls from motorists who use it.

[Old Lurker]

Jimmy, I am just hard pressed to think of an issue more relevant to local (county level) interests than, knowing everything they do about the capabilities that exist on the ground in their county, than establishing minimum acceptable standards for cutting into a human body. Hell, they get to say what standards exist for haircuts and nail salons for God's sake.

[Porchlight]

What I do know is that the "must have hospital admitting privileges" legislation was brought before the courts long before this Louisiana law.

Tom R, I think that is the question we are asking in this thread. Why did Roberts vote to strike down the Louisiana law after having voted to uphold the nearly-identical Texas law? Did he think that since the Court struck down the Texas law, it must therefore strike down the Louisiana law?

[henry]

WI has an admitting privileges law hung up some where in the courts too.

[Jack is Back (Again)!]

I'm not sure how, despite the USGA's best efforts, the big bombers won't obliterate par like at Congressional but we'll see.

CH,

Correcto Mundo! Only if they get lots of wind, the greens dry out, and they grow the rough, narrow the fairways. But I don't see that happening, it being right on the Pacific.

[Extraneus]

I don't think the vote was to strike down the law. It was to allow an injunction to stay in place while the case proceeds.

NEW THREAD

[Tom Bowler]

Dave (in MA), Back in the day when I would often make the drive between New Hampshire and Connecticut, I found that 10-mile stretch between Sturbridge and 290 to be the spot where I'd encounter the most traffic delays. It was the only part of the journey that was over a toll road.

Since the advent of EZ-Pass and removal of the toll booths, travel over pike has improved quite a bit. But no question, the tolls are here to stay.

According to Wikipedia the pike is now under the control of MassDOT, so presumably there is some oversight where before it seemed there was none.

[Dave (in MA)]

If there's one thing that gov't does well over anything else, it's improving the efficiency of its taking your money away.

[Account Deleted]

((If there's one thing that gov't does well over anything else, it's improving the efficiency of its taking your money away.))

SO true. Arlington politicians had a ribbon cutting event for their improved parking meters. It was a damn CELEBRATION.