The house democrats fucking better. They better stand up for trans people and not throw them under the bus…
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So he has to wear an ankle bracelet, serve White House arrest and a weekly check in with his parole officer?
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There’s not even probation here. It’s just… nothing. I never realized that one of the possible results of being convicted of a felony was the judge saying, “Okay, you’re a felon, we’re all done here, bye.” That is, indeed, a pretty “lenient” alternative to jail or probation…
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I see no reasonable rationale for “no jailtime”. If Merchan was concerned about upsetting a president-elect’s upcoming term in office and the logistics and momentum of the WH turnover, then why not sentence him to jail but with incarceration not to start until after the end of this second term? The numerous threats made to Merchan and his family for over a year now may have something to do with it. Slate magazine’s article hints at Merchan wanting to achieve something out of the mess, and that the timing is a factor. Excerpt: …no jail time or probation, but sentencing would still cement the former and future president as a convicted felon… The implication could be that Merchan is laying down a marker that he will go ahead with the sentencing at this late date to demonstrate that the judiciary will not be intimidated by the incoming president.
Not much of a marker, in my opinion.
One explanation for Justice Merchan’s last-second decision to sentence Trump.
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It sounds like jail time isn’t necessary always involved in such cases, but something is, and there’s a lot of options between “jail time” and “unconditional release.” I could understand, however, if the judge was seeing a lot of options in between as meaningless for someone sitting in the White House, and jail time wasn’t feasible for an elected president, even if he hadn’t taken office yet. But still… The stain of being a convicted felon isn’t much for a guy who is one big (orange) stain.
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Okay, dear Guardian, but I’m actually more worried about a more widespread, deeply entrenched, and newly emboldened form of domestic terrorism, as described here, in an example of the kind of reporting your writers could do:
Williams dropped an envelope with no return address in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. He’d loaded it with a flash drive and a gold Oath Keepers medallion.
It was addressed to me.
The documents laid out a remarkable odyssey. Posing as an ideological compatriot, Williams had penetrated the top ranks of two of the most prominent right-wing militias in the country. He’d slept in the home of the man who claims to be the new head of the Oath Keepers, rifling through his files in the middle of the night. He’d devised elaborate ruses to gather evidence of militias’ ties to high-ranking law enforcement officials. He’d uncovered secret operations like the surveillance of a young journalist, then improvised ways to sabotage the militants’ schemes. In one group, his ploys were so successful that he became the militia’s top commander in the state of Utah.
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Not all heroes wear capes.
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Exactly right… It’s enraging.
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And about to be much more important. As the piece also reminds us,
Federal prosecutors have convicted more than 1,000 people for their role in Jan. 6. Key militia captains were sent to prison for a decade or more. But that did not quash the allure that militias hold for a broad swath of Americans.
Now President-elect Donald Trump has promised to pardon Jan. 6 rioters when he returns to the White House. Experts warn that such a move could trigger a renaissance for militant extremists, sending them an unprecedented message of protection and support — and making it all the more urgent to understand them.
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Yeah… that tracks. They see Trump’s re-election as a signal that they are right and should continue building their movement.
But far too many Americans, even those who aren’t right wingers will only see “terrorism” as violence carried out by scary brown Muslims… 
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The article is worth reading. Fingers crossed this mole’s release of insider info will slow the movement down a lot, or at least some.
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Can you explain this 3 year blank spot on your resume?
I hope they’re broke and can’t financially afford to get involved violence for the rest of their lives.
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That’s quite a read. Among many others, this bit jumped out…
My emphasis.
Something about that health insurance outfit?
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It certainly has been in the news a lot lately. Something about um, especially heinous, well-nigh murderous, business practices? 
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When I read that article the first damn thing that came to mind is: “this should be published on bigger, wider-distribution platforms–it should be headline news” and similar.
I was and still am amazed at the courage of Williams and his depth of commitment. Ye gods. Please let the sunshine of journalistic disinfection quickly illuminate this massive story.
It’s January 6th, today, as I write this in the U.S.
Maybe I’m just a bit jumpy.
Or.
Just aware and alert that history is a helluva thing.
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A point in favor of Ben Wikler for DNC chair: this thread on how Jan 6 was rehabilitated due to Democrats not having the media infrastructure or strategy to win the information war. Plus a detailed plan on what to do about it. Contrast with the other DNC chair frontrunner: one brief post
Here’s the thread referenced above:
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Oh.
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