Maybe they DID!
Don’t worry, they can always hold a press conference at the “Four Seasons”…
It could be that they stupidly think no money need be spent on down-ballot races.
Or it could be that they have assurances that GOP candidates will automatically win without any particular campaign expenditures–because the GOP has control over who can vote and over who counts the votes. (Talking red or purple states here.)
The latter is worrisome.
Why would they need to spend any money on those people? If they are sufficiently loyal and have their lips firmly attached to Trump’s ass, that’s all that’s needed. The MAGAs will go ahead and vote for them, too. Trump is the only important vote and down-ballot will follow. Those people just need to understand that they must praise Trump on TV constantly and try to be near him as much as possible. That doesn’t cost anything.
He said that three years ago too. Never happened.
How could it? Hard to pardon them when you’re no longer president.
I remember reading at the time there was speculation that Trump might try to issue a blanket pardon to anyone involved with the Jan 6 insurrection. Similar to how Ford issued a blanket pardon to draft dodgers during and after the war.
I don’t know what the legality of that would have been and I’m not lawyer so I won’t speculate. I will say it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that that was being considered but orange Mussolini most likely rejected it because he couldn’t figure out some way to monetize it in the short amount of time he had.
He was at the time he said it. He didn’t stop being president until January 20, 2021. Point is he could give a shit about anybody other than himself.
Yeah. My feeling is that even if he becomes President, he will care about himself first, and the January 6 rioters last. Namely, “Whaddaya mean, I can still be prosecuted in New York and Georgia in civil suits? I’m the President!”
“Umm, sir, even as President, you have no power over state civil courts. And what about those January 6 rioters you promised to pardon?”
“Screw them. Why am I still in trouble in New York and Georgia?”
Invest in ketchup stocks.
He forgot about the pardon ten seconds after he said it. His pea brain was already on to the next concern about himself.
Or, it could be that they are basic grifters, who will steal as much money as possible for themselves, until the whole house of cards devolves into a circular firing squad with everyone accusing everyone else and prison time for those who don’t cooperate with the DA. My money is on this choice.
(Bolding mine on second sentence–hah!)
There certainly have been many reports of trump smelling bad, from sources as reputable as former (R) Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who said that “the former president has a distinct smell of “armpits, ketchup, a butt and makeup” put into a blender”.
trump has a weird little bit he often repeats at his many speeches and rallies, where he mocks a biological male by birth trans athlete who competes with women. trump mimes lifting weights over his head while grunting and straining. It’s a very odd performance on its own, but I heard Michael Cohen claimed that the bit is a cover so that he can surreptitiously void into his diaper during a speech. I thought Cohen was joking, but maybe not…
Grunting and straining really kicks in after the 1:00 mark:
Video compilation of babies straining to poop.
I watched it be it’s really hard to tell what he is talking about. Other than it’s just stupid bullshit. I guess I have a pretty good ‘just ignore bullshit’ switch.
I think you nailed it. DJT seizes control of the RNC, gains control of all of their money. Of course he’s going to take it. That’s what thieves do. So other candidates don’t get supported. Those are other people and they simply don’t matter.
It’s amazing, because from about 1995 to 2015, the Republican apparatus did an impressive job investing in down-ballot races all across the land, quietly setting things up for state gerrymanders (and judicial appointments) that would lock in power at many levels. And now they’re throwing away (I hope) that massive, long-term effort on a dipshit God Emperor.
I have a theory that they were putting the state gerrymanders and judicial appointment in place to lock in power, JUST SO THEY COULD THEN put some kind of authoritarian in place to solidify their own power for good.
They’ve got Trump, who is indeed a dipshit. However they’re probably thinking “Well, you don’t go with the Authoritarian God Emperor you want, you have to go with the Authoritarian God Emperor you’ve got.”
And he won’t live long anyway, so they can start thinking about which authoritarian Putin-like character (eg. Smart) to replace him with.
I have to admit that the Republicans outfoxed the Democrats in emphasizing the downballot races and grabbing enough state legislatures so they could gerrymander like mad and ensure perpetual power. But- if the RNC is nothing more than Donnie’s private piggy bank, perhaps the Dems can turn the tide this year.
Historical nitpik: That was Jimmy Carter who pardoned the Vietnam draft dodgers.
Very good point.
Maybe not. If there are no more elections because National Emergency and Enemies Within and President-for-Life Because ‘The People’ Demand It, then there need be no further efforts made in the get-the-state-legislatures and get-the-courts arenas.
Sometimes I suspect that pro-authoritarians’ most characteristic and elemental trait is their basic laziness. ‘Once we get the God-King in place, we can relax for the rest of our lives.’
(Which might turn out to be shorter than they anticipate.)