A ruling this morning from the Wisconsin Supreme Court (read here), rendered official what observers have long known for a long time:

Wisconsin Democrats did, in fact, launch a massive, multi-county “John Doe” investigation of the state’s conservatives, featuring extraordinarily broad subpoenas and coordinated “paramilitary” raids of private homes; the “crimes” that provided the investigation’s pretext were not crimes at all, but First Amendment-protected speech; and the legal theory underpinning the investigation was bunk, “unsupported in either reason or law,” as the court put it.

[…] On October 3, 2013, multiple Wisconsin conservatives were awakened by a persistent pounding on the door, their houses were illuminated by floodlights, and police — sometimes with guns drawn — poured into their homes. Once inside, the investigators turned the private residences of these innocent conservative citizens “upside down,” seeking an extraordinarily broad range of documents and information. These raids were supplemented by subpoenas that secured for investigators massive amounts of electronic information.

The court was obviously disturbed: (more…)

There has been a considerable response to the recent article: “Why I Support Donald Trump’s Campaign“, which has led to a larger conversation about the current cause of the problem for our body politic.  That expanded conversation deserves further explanation.

However, before going into the details I must thank the fine people at Lucianne for being brave enough to share the original article.

I say “brave enough”, because in today’s modern era when totalitarian government is unbelievably the norm – it takes courage to look at the brutally honest truth. Beyond that it takes bravery to share the truth knowing there are going to be vitriolic opinions against the messenger by those with a vested interest in the status quo.

It is uncomfortable to accept that a substantive part of the oppositional message about the “Citizens United” SCOTUS decision was factually accurate.

Citizens United did not only open the doors for unlimited use of money to be spent in advancement of political messaging and candidate advocacy – it opened the door for unlimited money to be spent protecting the establishment political class.

Most conservatives, including myself, did not initially see that consequence coming over the horizon. (more…)

Judge Jennifer Walker-Elrod, Judge Jerry Smith and Moonbat Judge Carolyn King heard oral arguments Friday from an Obama administration appeal to lift the Judge Hannen injunction blocking implementation of President Obama’s Executive Action on Immigration. (full backstory here)

(via Politico) […] The Obama administration has argued that the executive actions were a standard use of prosecutorial discretion, since the federal government does not have the resources to deport the estimated 11 million immigrants here illegally. But Judge Jerry Smith disputed that contention.

“It puts them one step ahead in terms of being eligible for lots of potential benefits, whether those are Social Security and Medicare, work authorization, earned income tax credits, and on the state level, drivers’ licenses,” Smith said of immigrants who would benefit from Obama’s actions. “Just seems to me that … it really is a lot more than prosecutorial discretion.”

And Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, like Smith a Republican appointee, repeatedly grilled administration lawyers on Friday. (more…)

Late Friday a CCTV video from Don Carlos restaurant next door to Twin Peaks, was obtained by local station KCEN-TV media.

Screen shot of earlier witness video

Apparently the video arrived through email from the law firm of Clint Broden who represents Matthew Clendennen, a local biker arrested in the shooting.  According to KCEN:

The hour-and-a-half long video shows people running, then cops approaching Twin Peaks and crouching behind cars in the Don Carlos parking lot.  There [is] no audio.

Both Mr. Broden and McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna said they could not comment on the video because to do so would be a violation of a gag order in the case.

(more…)

For more than a year we have been asking a simple question:

“How can the DOJ conduct an investigation into unlawful aspects of the IRS targeting of specific 501(c)(4) groups, when the DOJ is the initiating body for the illegality they are seeking to investigate?” (June 28th, 2014)

A few days ago Judicial Watch revealed new FOIA discoveries and posed this:

“These new documents show that the Obama IRS scandal is also an Obama DOJ and FBI scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The FBI and Justice Department worked with Lois Lerner and the IRS to concoct some reason to put President Obama’s opponents in jail before his reelection.

And this abuse resulted in the FBI’s illegally obtaining confidential taxpayer information. How can the Justice Department and FBI investigate the very scandal in which they are implicated?” (link)

The entire scheme is riddled with complexity; almost too complex for the average person to understand, and seriously difficult to summarize.  However, when you boil it down here’s the essential components that are no longer suspicion or supposition, but factually provable: (more…)

On June 22nd we wrote:

[…]  It won’t stop folks.  These same people will tear it all down, and will eventually be telling the people in Massachusetts that Plymouth Rock is a symbol of white oppression and racism.

And so today:

BOSTON – The Christopher Columbus statue in the North End was vandalized yesterday — with red paint dumped on its head and “Black Lives Matter” emblazoned on its base — in a defacing that left one local leader frustrated the cherished site was used for protest.

“For someone who was in the neighborhood, I certainly sympathize with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ discussions,” said state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz. “But, I think there’s a better way to get your point across than to vandalize public property — even with the complexities that surround Christopher Columbus’ history.”

Daunasia Yancey, founder and lead organizer at Black Lives Matter Boston, said her group wasn’t behind it, but “we fully support it.” (more…)

On June 24th we somewhat sarcastically predicted that PGA golfer Bubba Watson would be sucked into the ridiculous vortex that is “confederate flag syndrome”.

Today, that ridiculous prediction has come true.

Golf star Bubba Watson will paint over the Confederate flag on the General Lee, a prop car from the television show “The Dukes of Hazzard,” in light of the brewing controversy over the flag.  (link)

Watson tweeted the news Thursday afternoon:

All men ARE created equal, I believe that so I will be painting the American flag over the roof of the General Lee #USA

— bubba watson (@bubbawatson) July 2, 2015

Oddly enough, when looking back through the Treehouse archives to get the link to the Bubba Watson prediction, we discovered this earlier prediction from April 2014 when spontaneous acts of confederacy were not being nationally reported.

This is what happens when single issue activists are supported by the State and take judicial action against Christians. Not only did this couple lose their freedom of religion, but they also are forced to lose their freedom of speech.

OREGON – Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian finalized a preliminary ruling today ordering Aaron and Melissa Klein, the bakers who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, to pay $135,000 in emotional damages to the couple they denied service.

“This case is not about a wedding cake or a marriage,” Avakian wrote. “It is about a business’s refusal to serve someone because of their sexual orientation. Under Oregon law, that is illegal.” (more…)

There are times when operational entities “react” to events, and then, in hindsight, live to regret their decision.  The decision by Macy’s Department Store to discontinue their relationship with Donald Trump brand merchandise is easily one of these examples.

Have you ever been into a Macy’s?  Have you ever looked at the location of ‘viable’ Macy’s locations?   Ever perused their store or their merchandise?  What you’ll notice is the vast majority of Macy’s customers are socio-economically aligned with Donald Trump’s populist, albeit perhaps unartfully stated, beliefs. (more…)

Confederate Flag Syndrome in hyper-drive. 

BALTIMORE – Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is asking for a special commission to review Baltimore’s Confederate statues and historical assets.

The commission will review of Confederate-era statues in the city to make recommendations for “their future in Baltimore.”

The Mayor said in statement that she believes the review will lead to a more “reasoned approach to these Confederate-era monuments” rather than just taking them down.

(more…)