Radio Blue Heart is on the air!

BREAKING! NYT, "Texas Democrats Stymie G.O.P. Voting Bill, for Now" »

From The New York Times just now:
Democrats in the Texas Legislature staged a dramatic, late-night walkout on Sunday night, forcing the failure of a sweeping Republican overhaul of state election laws before a midnight deadline on Sunday. The move, which deprived the Legislature of the minimum number of lawmakers required for a vote, was a stunning setback for state Republicans who had made a new voting law one of their top priorities.
The effort is not entirely dead, however. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, indicated that he would call a special session of the Legislature, which could start as early as June 1, or Tuesday, to restart the process. The governor has said that he strongly supported an election bill, and he was widely expected to sign whatever measure Republicans passed.
“Election Integrity & Bail Reform were emergency items for this legislative session,” Mr. Abbott said on Twitter on Sunday night. “They will be added to the special session agenda.” He did not specify when the session would start.
While Republicans would still be favored to pass a bill in a special session, the unexpected turn of events on Sunday presents a new hurdle in their push to enact a far-reaching election law that would install some of the most rigid voting restrictions in the country and cement the state as one of the hardest in which to cast a ballot.
After a lengthy debate in the state House of Representatives in which Democrats raised numerous objections, staged lengthy question-and-answer sessions and leveraged procedural maneuvers, Democrats left the chamber en masse, leaving the House roughly 14 members short of the required 100-member quorum to continue business. Without the requisite number of legislators, Dade Phelan, the speaker of the state House, adjourned the session around 11 p.m. local time, effectively killing the bill for this legislative session.
Republicans’ inability to pass the measure on Sunday night was the first major stumble for the party in its monthslong drive to restrict voting across the nation, and an embarrassment for G.O.P. leaders in the Texas Legislature who at least momentarily fell short of a top legislative goal for both the governor and the Republican Party. …

The Oath Keeper Plot To Destroy America »

merelygifted:

Earlier this week a Fourth Superseding Indictment was filed against what now totals as 16 members of the Oath Keepers organization. The indictment is noteworthy as one of the few that alleges a conspiracy against the United States by those who assaulted the Capitol.
The indictment spells out a sophisticated plot to effectively takeover the government with the goal of arresting any all members of Congress they could find. Per the indictment “the purpose of the conspiracy was to stop, delay, and hinder the Certification of the Electoral College vote,” but the means they intended to use to achieve this are chilling.
First, the Oath Keepers stocked a well armed “quick reaction force” somewhere just outside of the District of Columbia. They specifically discussed the armament for the Oath Keepers who would assault the Capitol as not including firearms, but including mace, batons, gas masks and armor. This was because firearms were not allowed in D.C. and they were afraid if a cache of it were found in advance this would compromise their plan.
The plan was for the Oath Keepers at the Capitol to get into a conflict with Antifa elements they thought would be there (but ultimately weren’t). The Oath Keepers believed that would give Trump the pretext he needed to invoke the “Insurrection Act” and call forth the militia. Who would that militia be? Why the Oath Keepers of course.
Once called forth the heavily armed, with assault rifles and other weapons, quick reaction force would roll in to do what is necessary to keep Trump as President. You can much of this in ¶ 35 where it quotes “Person One” who is none of than the national leader of the Oath Keepers. His name is Stewart Rhodes and he has not yet been indicted (though I think he will be) because he was not at the Capitol. However Rhodes makes clear the violent nature of their plans:
“We’re going to defend the president, the duly elected president, and we call on him to do what needs to be done to save our country. Because if you don’t guys, you’re going to be in a bloody, bloody civil war, and a bloody – you can call it an insurrection or you can call it a war or fight.”
There is also no doubt as to who was the inspiration for all this. Shortly after Trump tweeted claims of election fraud and “Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there, will be wild!" Defendant Kelly Meggs posted on Facebook:
“Trump said It’s gonna be wild!!!!!!! It’s gonna be wild!!!!!!! He wants us tomake it WILD that’s what he’s saying. He called us all to the Capitol and wants usto make it wild!!! Sir Yes Sir!!! Gentlemen we are heading to DC pack your shit!!” …