The Fine Financial Fortunes of Clarence Thomas

In past decades I looked forward to visiting Washington DC, mostly to see the museums and historic sites. Back in the day, DC brought me good vibes because it reminded me about the genius of the American project and all of the good things the Founders gifted for millions of American people. It was far from perfect, but it was better than what we could see in most other countries and that's why immigrants clamored to join us.

My attitude has soured over the years based on countless revelations of financial conflicts of interests, not the least of which was Nancy Pelosi's surreal ability to know when to buy winning stocks, notably semi-conductor chip stocks. I now think of DC as a cesspool of corruption, not as collateral damage but as its defining attribute. I can no longer look at the photos of the iconic DC architecture without thinking these thoughts. I hear corruption whenever I hear about an acquaintance who has accepted a new job in DC. I think about this whenever a new idealistic politician bursts onto the scene--I shrug and assume it's just a matter of time before their conscience is unburdened by new financial "opportunities." We have so many examples of politicians who choose personal gain over serving the people that it has ceased to be news. More than ever, the job description of politician is this: non-stop fundraising to hire the best PR machine so one can surf the election cycle to accrue more money and power.

That's how I see it, more than ever. Until recently, my concern and distress have been focused on the Legislative and Executive branches of government. But now Propublica has dropped this bomb about the financial fortunes of Clarence Thomas. Follow the full tweet-thread if you dare.

What do you think? Could this lifestyle possibly influence one's judicial mindset? In how many ways could it scramble one's mind and conscience to ride this private gravy-train for years while purporting to serve the public? I wish Propublica had the bandwidth to run deep investigations into the financial and social ties of ALL of our federal judges, as well as all of our federal representatives. I'd like to know this as a mere curiosity, as the U.S. continues its slide toward third world status.

Photos by Erich Vieth

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The Little Sailboat that Destroyed the Nord Stream Pipeline

1. Joe Biden promises he will make Nord Stream pipeline inoperable. Someone then destroys the pipeline. Biden then denies that he had anything to do with this act of war. 2. Next, Seymour Hersh publishes detailed investigative article showing how the U.S. destroyed the pipeline. 3. Germany, co-owner of the pipeline, displays what has got to be the most vivid case of Stockholm Syndrome in human history. 4. U.S. news media ignores the Hersh story. 5. The CIA cooks up an absurd alternative story that not-Joe-Biden destroyed the pipeline. The pipeline was destroyed using "Pro-Ukrainian" group that uses a 49 foot sailboat. 6. The NYT, which has now begrudgingly acknowledged Hersh's blockbuster story, laps up the CIA story. 7. Seymour Hersh destroys the NYT-CIA story with a handful of simple questions.

Excerpt from Hersh's newest story, "THE NORD STREAM GHOST SHIP: The false details in the CIA's cover story":

My initial report received coverage around the world but was ignored by the major newspapers and television networks in the United States. As the story gained traction in Europe and elsewhere abroad, the New York Times on March 7 published a report quoting US officials asserting that American intelligence had accumulated information suggesting that a pro-Ukrainian group sabotaged the pipelines. The story said officials who had “reviewed” the new intelligence depicted it to be “a step toward determining responsibility” for the pipeline sabotage. The Times story got worldwide attention, but nothing more has been heard since from the newspaper about who did what. In an interview for a Times podcast, one of the three authors of the article inadvertently explained why the story was dead on arrival. The writer was asked about the involvement of the alleged pro-Ukrainian group: “What makes you think that’s what happened?” He answered: “I should be very clear that we know really very little. Right?”

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About Two “So-Called” Journalists and the Corrupt Congresswoman who Attacked Them

Russell Brand, as animated as ever, showcases the corrupt history of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz as he simultaneously advocates for free speech. Brand didn't appreciate that Wasserman-Schultz called Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger "so-called reporters." Got him a bit riled up. I had the same reaction when I watched the hearings live . . .

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About the Power of the CIA

How powerful is the CIA? Consider this "Six ways till Sunday . . ." comment Chuck Schumer to Rachel Maddox in 2017:

Maddow: "Let me ask you, I don't know if you've seen this. I don't want to blindside you with this. This is the latest tweet--as you were just saying--the President elect's latest unsolicited pronouncement on the intelligence community. This was his tweet just a little while ago tonight, and as you see the scare quotes there."

The intelligence briefing on so called Russian hacking was delayed until Friday, perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange.

Maddow: "We're actually told intelligence sources tell NBC News since this tweet has been posted, that actually this intelligence briefing for the president elect was always planned for Friday. It hasn't been delayed. But he's taking these shots, this antagonisms, taunting to the intelligence."

Chuck Schumer: "Let me tell you, you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday of getting back at you. So even for a practical, supposedly hard nosed businessman, he's being really dumb to do this."

Maddow: "What do you think the intelligence community would do if they were mad?"

Schumer: "I don't know, but I from what I am told, they are very upset with how he has treated them and talked about them. And we need the intelligence community. We don't know what's gonna--look at the Russian hacking! Without the intelligence community, we wouldn't have discovered it."

Maddow: "Do you think he has an agenda to try to dismantle parts of the intelligence community. I mean, this form of when we talk to hostility . . ."

Schumer: "Let me tell you, whether you're a super liberal democrat or a very conservative Republican, you should be against dismantling the intelligence community."

In the meantime, Seymour Hersh has just released another jaw-dropping story, this one about John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, the CIA and the Mafia. Title: "THE KENNEDYS' SECRET SICILIAN OPERATION: What the CIA didn't tell the Warren Commission."

And I'm slowly working my way through The Devil's Chessboard, by David Talbot. Dozens of sordid tales about the CIA.

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