“No one thinks it’s a coincidence,” says Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. “Everyone thinks this was done for intimidation reasons.”
The “this” was a visit by the Internal Revenue Service to the home of journalist Matt Taibbi while he was testifying to Congress about his Twitter revelation research.
Normally, the Regime’s collection wing, the IRS, does not just ‘stop on by’ unannounced.
The timing, Rep. Jordan suggested, is suspicious.
And the condemnations are coming in from more than just the “right.” A journalism professor at DePauw University joined the tide of free speech advocates to note that the “this” indeed “runs contrary to every principle” of the American press freedom as instituted in the First Amendment.
The IRS has not so far clarified the visit, and Jordan is threatening to subpoena all documents related to the event.
Journalist Sharyl Attkisson — who “has long contended the Justice Department during the Obama administration illegally surveilled her while she was at CBS News,” explains Fox News — not unreasonably contends that the “IRS would have to know how their visit to Taibbi’s house would be construed, which suggests that’s exactly as they wanted it.”
The chilling effect is by design.
But why would The Regime be so blatant?
So clear in intent and corrupt in method?
Does The Regime feel impregnable?
Maybe the old lore of deviltry and contracts with the Principalities and Powers is true: evil feels compelled to signal what it is doing, at least nominally. Leaving it up to good people to see the signs.
Which we now cannot unsee.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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26 replies on “The Regime Shows Its Fangs”
Intimidation of opponents is only part of the picture. The leaders of movements with totalitarian objectives mold and shape the wider memberships of their movements by requiring them to embrace ever more absurd or terrible things. Apparently, the leaders of the corporatist left are now on a tight schedule.
As to Republican talk of subpoenas, one should ask why those subpoenas are not already in the works. A failure swiftly to issue such subpoenas would simply amplify the general sense that the Administration can do such things with impunity.
They are impregnable as long as they control the DOJ and one house of Congress. The Obiden cartel doesn’t even have to worry if they lose the next election since the ones pulling the strings and profiting are not the figureheads who would risk being indicted.
Republicans don’t answer to subpoenas, why should anyone else?
Jim Jordan, an unadulterated POS!
“Dec 19, 2022 — Jim Jordan to the House Committee on Ethics for failing to comply with a subpoena. In the Jan. 6 panel’s summary of its final report, …”
No one should comply with any subpoenas from Jordan.
Donald Trump indicted. Whoopee!
Donald Trump indicted! Warms my heart.
Paul has this in common with Trump and the Trump family. NONE of them served in the military!
Pam, your venomous trolling is an expression of your underlying sense of weakness.
The entry isn’t about Trump; it isn’t about draft resistance; it’s about the use of the IRS by the Biden Administration to intimidate those who report on how the state coordinated with social-media firms to silence opposing views.
That story reflects so badly upon everyone aligned with the corporatist left that the lot of you refuse actually to discuss it, either being silent or engaged in insults as a distraction from it.
Donald Trump to be arraigned on criminal charges! The first of several arraignments! Doesn’t it please your when someone who thinks they are above the law is held accountable for his actions?
I am enjoying his peril. Georgia and the Justice Department to follow!
Pam, you’re still not on-topic here. The entry is about the Biden Administration using the IRS to censor exposure of censorship.
Hear, hear Mr. Kiernan. The silliness of the retorts is stunning.
It is about Trump. Paul has ignored everything that Trump has done. So, get over what I say! Your fixation says volumes about your obsession!
Again, buzz off.!
Pam, a fixation would be demonstrated by someone insisting that every discussion become about Trump, not in someone remaining on-topic.
Rather than ignoring Trump or failing to criticize Trump, Paul has repeatedly spoken about Trump, and often been highly critical.
You don’t want to stay on-topic here — to discuss how the Biden Administration has used the IRS to try to suppress discussion of state-coordinated censorship — because any reasonable discussion just makes your tribe look evil.
Evil tribe? Republikooks! Jim Jordan and his henchmen led by the gutless liar McCarthy. Is there a Kook who isn’t a liar? Ada Hutchinson is one.
Any criticism of Trump by Paul is half-hearted because he doesn’t want to offend the idiots from the right.
Everything that Trump touches turns to ….
Pam, the evil of the Bolsheviks didn’t vindicate the Mensheviks, nor vice versa; the evil of the Communists didn’t vindicate the Fascisti nor the National Socialists, nor did the evil of those socialists vindicate the Communists. And you cannot vindicate your evil tribe by calling attention to the sins of the Republicans. Neither will you be successful in distracting from the evil of your tribe by shrieking about Trump.
Paul has shown, with his past behavior — including his willingness to endure one imprisonment and to risk another, that whatever may be his fear his courage is still greater. And Paul is smart enough to see that Trump’s supporters would take umbrage at even half-hearted criticism.
In any case, the reason that you keep trying to turn away from the actual sibject of the entry — the attempt by your tribe to censor even discussion of censorship — is that you lack the strength to face it.
Neither Paul nor you have condemned the January 6th insurrection. Your pathetic stance is that there was no insurrection. Anyone who denies the insurrection is an IIDIOT or a FOOL. Or maybe both. I don’t have a TRIBE other than to oppose deniers and anyone associated with January 6th. The courts are convicting and jailing many who participated in Jan 6th. That is a good start. Now to convict Trump!
Pam, Paul and I have both condemned various things done by some of the 6 January demonstrators. In more than one podcast, Paul has explicitly said that those who broke-and-entered or otherwise acted to damage the Capitol should be charged, prosecuted, and punished.
I have simply explained that what your tribe keeps calling an “insurrection” was not an attempt to overthrow the state, and hence not an insurrection. Moreover, even before release of the video that the House Democrats censored, the evidence showed that much of what happened in the Capitol was stage-managed by the authorities. With release by the Republicans of the suppressed video, we’ve seen even more evidence, which is why that fool in the faux-indigenous costume had to be released; he was clearly led into the center of things by a pack of police officers.
You clearly have a tribe; your only political principle is loyalty to that tribe and hostility to any other. You lump everyone outside your tribe as in just one tribe, which is why you keep claiming that Paul and I support Trump.
And you’re still trying to turn attention away from the subject of the entry, which is the attempted use of the IRS to suppress discussion of prior censorship by your tribe.
Insurrection: “A violent act of revolt or rebellion against an established government or governing authority”
The insurrection was an attempt to stop the joint session of congress from certifying Joe Biden as president.
Your tribe is on the run! Justice.
Don’t have to do anything. Donald Trump’s arrest and arraignment are center stage. Thanks to your tribe leader. Many thanks!
Insurrection: “act of revolt or rebellion
insurrection, an organized and usually violent act of revolt or rebellion against an established government or governing authority of a nation-state or other political entity by a group of its citizens or subjects; also, any act of engaging in such a revolt.“
You really are an IDIOT or can’t read!
Pam, you are glossing over the word “revolt”. If any violent clash with the authorities were an insurrection, then every riot would ve an insurrection, and when Ruth Barcan Marcus kicked a cop she would have been an insurrectionist. An insurrection is a violent attempt at revolution.
Now, deal with the subject of the entry, instead of trying to keep people from thinking about the attempted use of the IRS to censor discussion of censorship.
Why would anyone believe Jim Jordan?
“Ohio congressman and former Ohio State assistant wrestling coach Jim Jordan has been accused of participating in the cover-up of widespread sexual abuse in OSU’s wrestling program. Jordan was accused by Adam DiSabato, who was the team captain in the late 1980s and early 1990s.“
Pam, you’re still trying to turn attention away from the subject of the entry, which is the attempted use of the IRS to suppress discussion of prior censorship by your tribe.
Your unwillingness to face what your tribe has done is bad enough, but your attempts to distract others from discussion is a form of participation in the evil.
Trump charged with 34 felony accounts of falsifying business records. Justice for all!
Rupert Murdoch required to testify in Dominion voting machine trial. Will he testify or settle with Dominion for 1.6 billion dollars?