• Bronzebeard@lemm.ee
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    3 days ago

    Lock the child rapist up.

    Why is this even an argument? Republicans are disgusting sickos, letting this piece of shit roam around, actively protecting him.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldOP
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      3 days ago

      I mean, he paid minors to cross state lines for sex…

      That’s a federal thing and Biden’s AG could bring charges.

      We have another month before Republicans are the only ones who can hold him accountable. But I’m not expecting much, even tho child trafficking should be an obvious charge and evidence already uncovered.

      I just don’t think Biden’s admin has it in them to do anything about this. They’ll ignore it and then later complain when Republicans do the same thing.

      Neither party is really interested in politicians ever being held accountable, if not, Biden would have done something about trump in the last four years.

      • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I just don’t think Biden’s admin has it in them to do anything about this. They’ll ignore it and then later complain when Republicans do the same thing.

        Really going to both-sides this? Merrick Garland is a heel-dragging clown, but even if Biden replaced him with the most aggressive and seasoned prosecutor on Earth today, how the absolute fucking fuck would you expect them to try this case in 28 days?

        That is a federal thing, and Biden could bring federal charges; good job, cookie for you. What would he be doing by bringing these? Oh, just casually getting him indicted and either not having enough time to start the trial or, if the trial does somehow start, creating jeopardy and thereby disallowing future prosecution when Trump inevitably drops the case. Good thinking. Too bad you’re not running the country with this 5D political calculus.


        Edit: so actually, there’s technically no risk of double jeopardy, because what the OP is describing is completely impossible anyway:

        “Unless the defendant consents in writing to the contrary, the trial shall not commence less than thirty days from the date on which the defendant first appears through counsel or expressly waives counsel and elects to proceed pro se.”

        Thus you’ll never reach a jury being impaneled or a witness being sworn, because the trial will never happen. So bravo, I guess; that risk isn’t there. What you have instead is a DOA case that simply goes absolutely nowhere.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldOP
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          3 days ago

          Merrick Garland is a heel-dragging clown,

          And Biden appointed him after Trump tried to steal an election…

          Do you think Biden is stupid and thought Merrick wouldnt be a “heel dragging clown”? Or do you think he knew and that’s why he was picked?

          Is Biden incompetent or intentionally maintaining the status quo where the rich and politically connected are above the law?

          Like…

          even if Biden replaced him with the most aggressive and seasoned prosecutor on Earth today, how the absolute fucking fuck would you expect them to try this case in 28 days?

          Is this the first time you noticed Merrick was a waste of a pick? Do you think up until now he’s been doing a fine job?

          • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            You’re completely ignoring the point of my comment. To answer your side-stepping question, I suspected Garland would be a heel-dragging clown the second Biden appointed him. Now back to our regularly scheduled program: you seem to be implying that the DoJ should prosecute Gaetz because they can. What exactly does that accomplish except to risk double jeopardy? Because I know you know this can’t be tried in 28 days, and it could barely even be brought to trial in 28 days.

            • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldOP
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              3 days ago

              What exactly does that accomplish except to risk double jeopardy? B

              Double jeopardy doesn’t prevent state and federal charges for the same crime…

              So unless you think Trump’s DOJ will prosecute them, I don’t understand why you’re talking about double jeopardy. I mean, you seem to think Biden has to charge and finish?

              Like, you have some basic misunderstandings about our legal system (and other stuff) but you’re very opinionated about this and openly antagonistic to people trying to assist you…

              I’m not going to explain basic legal concepts while you try to have a slap fight over God knows what.

              • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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                3 days ago

                You’re correct that double jeopardy applies separately to state and federal charges. Literally nobody in this thread was disputing that; this is a strawman.

                I mean, you seem to think Biden has to charge and finish?

                Yes. For a successful federal prosecution started under this term, Biden has to charge and finish. Else you risk double jeopardy at the federal level while accomplishing absolutely nothing. Are you seriously suggesting that the DoJ assemble a case and attempt to bring it to trial in 28 days, then when that does fuck-all, hand this case off to a state AG which would presumably be Florida? You’ve still refused to answer what possible benefit Biden’s DoJ charging Gaetz at the federal level today confers, which tells me that your answer is “I have no good answer and I’ve backed myself into a corner, so I’m going to refuse to say that and double down instead.”

                • oyo@lemm.ee
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                  3 days ago

                  You think all federal charges just disappear every time there is a new administration?

        • ubergeek@lemmy.today
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          3 days ago

          but even if Biden replaced him with the most aggressive and seasoned prosecutor on Earth today, how the absolute fucking fuck would you expect them to try this case in 28 days?

          We’ve known about Gaetz’ child sex trafficking ring for about 18 months now.

          • Miles O'Brien@startrek.website
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            3 days ago

            Lol the people arguing about “evidence” and “investigations” are completely missing the real point, IMO.

            If you or I were up on these charges, investigation, trial, and sentencing would be carried out in less than a month without hesitation or issue as far as the government is concerned.

            The ONLY reason it’s taking longer than that is because of who it is.

            Full stop.

            • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              What you’re describing is literally impossible under federal law.

              Edit: For those downvoting without reading the link, here’s why you’re completely, categorically wrong:

              “Unless the defendant consents in writing to the contrary, the trial shall not commence less than thirty days from the date on which the defendant first appears through counsel or expressly waives counsel and elects to proceed pro se.”

              Biden has 28 days, so this is moot in that case, but we’ll run with “a month” to mean “31 days”. We’ll also assume we’re in fairytale land where pretrial discovery for a case involving several different federal crimes over a period of 4 to 7 years ago can find all relevant evidence and witnesses within a span of 30 days, that the defendant opts for a bench trial instead of a jury and the prosecution agrees, that all of the witnesses can miraculously be scheduled on the same arbitrary day, and that the defense can’t successfully petition to delay the trial (30 days is extremely hasty for this sort of thing, so they probably could in the real world), then @SARGE@startrek.website still needs to explain how, in the span of one day, the trial is supposed to have opening statements, presentation of witnesses and evidence, direct and cross-examination of witnesses, closing arguments, the judge’s deliberation, and somehow sentencing??? in the span of a single day.

              • TrickDacy@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Just dropping in here to say once again: it’s fucking absurd you’re getting downvoted while the fraudulent dipshit is getting upvotes. This is a large reason Democrats lose. People who pretend to be leftist are actively helping Republicans win the propaganda war.

          • a9cx34udP4ZZ0@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            We’ve known about Gaetz’ child sex trafficking ring for about 18 months now.

            Initial reports, and rock-solid evidence to bring to court to try an elected sitting congressman are two VERY different things. 18 months is rarely enough time to do discovery and complete a trial for a murder with multiple eye-witnesses.

            Hell, the Parkland Shooting, where he admitted to doing it and pleaded guilty took over 3 YEARS to come to conclusion. Gaetz would have been fighting tooth and nail to ride it out to the next administration who would promptly try to drop the case.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkland_high_school_shooting

            The Parkland high school shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on February 14, 2018 On October 20, 2021, Cruz pleaded guilty to all charges and apologized for his crimes. The prosecution sought the death penalty, and a four-month death penalty trial was expected to commence in January 2022.

            • ubergeek@lemmy.today
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              3 days ago

              Initial reports, and rock-solid evidence to bring to court to try an elected sitting congressman are two VERY different things. 18 months is rarely enough time to do discovery and complete a trial for a murder with multiple eye-witnesses.

              We literally saw the venmo transaction lol

              I’ve seen people charged, tried, and prosecuted for soliciting sex in a weekend.

              • shalafi@lemmy.world
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                3 days ago

                How odd! The courts operate on the weekends where you live? Go to jail around here on a Friday and you’re sitting until Monday, at least.

          • shalafi@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            child sex trafficking ring

            Are we just making shit up now?! FFS, the report is out and plenty fucking damning.

          • TheTechnician27@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Yup. Biden and Garland are still shit. If you think I’m excusing their overall conduct, you’re wrong, although I do at least agree with some of the points that a9 makes above which temper my criticism. What I’m calling out specifically is the OP’s asinine idea to federally prosecute Gaetz at the 11th hour. They’ve (correctly) pointed out in order to defeat a strawman they constructed that double jeopardy is distinct between state and federal prosecution. What they’ve failed to point out, however, is that federal double jeopardy is catastrophic for the case because the jurisdiction which would have the authority to prosecute otherwise is the state of Florida. At this point, the damage from Biden’s and Garland’s decision not to prosecute is done and dusted; their idea makes no sense and only makes things worse. It’s like accusing a surgeon of waiting too long to operate (a potentially fair criticsm) and telling them that therefore the best option is to open up the patient and leave them on the table to die.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          This was all well known years ago. Waiting on a congressional report was always a cop out.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        They could have charged him any time in the last several years. Don’t hold your breath.

      • shalafi@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        he paid minors to cross state lines for sex

        The report specifically says he did not. One minor and he didn’t move her across state lines. However, 17 is statutory rape in Florida.

        • DrunkEngineer@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Paying a minor for sex alone is a violation of the Federal sex trafficking statute, no transportation across state lines required.

        • TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com
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          3 days ago

          Because the FBI can only bring charges to the office of the attorney general. And the AG are divided into regions that do not map to the political maps of the states.

          And the AG has more people to please than just the FBI. And the FBI, right now, is under pressure to submit to the incoming Trump presidency.

  • JovialMicrobial@lemm.ee
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    2 days ago

    I genuinely wish someone could get funding to conduct a large scale study with a statistically relevant sample size of individuals examining why there are so many pedophiles, rapists, and generally sexually violent individuals affiliated with the republican party and conservatism. Then have multiple unaffiliated research groups replicate it and aggregate the results.

    Like wtf is going on there? It’s clearly a huge social problem and I genuinely want to know, I’m sure others do too.

    Also Matt Gaetz is soulless husk being kept moist and alive by his own shit. Please go back to the abandoned septic tank you came from.

  • tired_n_bored@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    🤯🤯🤯 raping a minor is against the law now? And what will be punished after? Murder? That’s very inconsiderate.

  • snekerpimp@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    And nothing will happen, and he will spend the next ten years being the “special guest speaker” at colleges all over the country making hundreds of thousands per speech. And the pieces of shit win again.

    • gsfraley@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Unfortunately you’re probably right. Anything even remotely connected to politics has gotten so cult-like that “nuh uh” has become a valid defense for most.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Won’t matter unless he’s got hella damning evidence, maybe not even then. Anything he says going forward will look like petty revenge.

    • danekrae@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      If you live in america, you can/should arrange a protest.

      People seem to equate commenting with protesting these days. More cozy I guess.

      • snekerpimp@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Great idea, I’ll go protest after I’m done working my 12 hours so I can afford to feed and shelter my family.

        • danekrae@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          It seems like you have a connection to the outside world somehow. Maybe you can still arrange something…

          But it might be easier to be upset about a foreigner, whom is trying to get americans to stop being so docile.

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    So turns out the child-fucker is indeed a child-fucker. I could give a shit about the drug use, other than the typical qon hypocrisy there.

    People with those “Pedophiles for Trump” signs need to update it to “Pedophiles for Republicans” to be more accurate and more inclusive.

    • zephorah@lemm.ee
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      3 days ago

      Not for these guys.

      Remember, there’s lots of images with Trump and Epstein over time. There’s reports of Trump walking into the dressing room during Miss Teen USA. And Trump is convicted of sexual assault.

      The press did bring up the Miss Teen USA thing but back in 2016. They’ve largely ignored both that piece and the Epstein & Trump connection. Though that kid from his base tried to shoot him because of the Epstein thing. Again, largely ignored by the press.

      Here’s my conspiracy theory. Gaetz didn’t play ball with someone over in DC so he’s been thrown to wolves by simply revealing the truth about him.

      • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        The last time he was threatened with release, he resigned. The threat was to leave the government or the report is released. When he planned to become AG, the report release was on the table. Then he dropped his Attorney General position so they weren’t going to be released. Then he said he was going to take the vacated Senate seat so it was released.

        • zephorah@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          Still raises the question of why him? Being a smarmy asshole isn’t the reason, there’s lots of that going around in DC.

      • Nougat@fedia.io
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        3 days ago

        Not convicted. He was found to have committed sexual assault as a finding of fact in a civil defamation case.

        • zephorah@lemm.ee
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          3 days ago

          Fiddly is where he needs to be. Trump is still in DC. Presumably because the snake pit hasn’t turned on him yet, unlike Gaetz.

  • TomMasz@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    He’s threatened to expose more creeps in the GOP if the report was released, so I guess we’ll see if he follows through.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldOP
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    3 days ago

    “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the 37-page report concludes.

    Also US and state laws…

  • Empricorn@feddit.nl
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    3 days ago

    “Victim A said that she did not inform Representative Gaetz that she was under 18 at the time, nor did he ask her age.”

    Ignorance ( *cough* willful) of the law isn’t a valid defence especially a legal adult vs a minor. Even if she had been legal, the vast difference in ages is gross.

  • Th3D3k0y@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Color me surprised, illegal things break laws? What is this county coming to?!? What is next, greed causes suffering?