ChiGoose

Maybe now conservatives will support ethics reform for SCOTUS... Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor’s staff prodded colleges and libraries to buy her books Sotomayor’s staff has often prodded public institutions that have hosted the justice to buy her memoir or children’s books, works that have earned her at least $3.7 million since she joined the court in 2009. Details of those events, largely out of public view, were obtained by The Associated Press through more than 100 open records requests to public institutions. The resulting tens of thousands of pages of documents offer a rare look at Sotomayor and her fellow justices beyond their official duties. In her case, the documents reveal repeated examples of taxpayer-funded court staff performing tasks for the justice’s book ventures, which workers in other branches of government are barred from doing. But when it comes to promoting her literary career, Sotomayor is free to do what other government officials cannot because the Supreme Court does not have a formal code of conduct, leaving the nine justices to largely write and enforce their own rules. “This is one of the most basic tenets of ethics laws that protects taxpayer dollars from misuse,” said Kedric Payne, a former deputy chief counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics and current general counsel for the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan government watchdog group in Washington. “The problem at the Supreme Court is there’s no one there to say whether this is wrong.

Some good news: Ukraine making progress in push to retake Bakhmut from Russian forces Kyiv’s offensive push for the city began in mid-June, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. The British Ministry of Defence assesses that Kyiv has made “steady gains” to the north and south of Bakhmut. In the south, Ukrainian troops have seized positions on the high ground to the immediate west of the village of Klishchiivka, putting the Russian troops in the settlement in the unenviable position of taking fire from elevated positions. In the north, Ukrainian forces made “tactically significant gains,” according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, as they pushed the Russian forces back toward the village of Yahidne. On Monday, Syrskyi announced that Kyiv had put all of Bakhmut under “fire control,” meaning Ukrainian forces are now within striking range of all Russian targets. Both Russian, Ukrainian and Western sources point to the deteriorating morale situation among Russian forces in the area, which has led to several instances of localized mutinies as groups of Russian soldiers refuse to fight. Videos of multiple groups of insubordinates have circulated on Russian Telegram, usually with the Russians complaining about heavy losses, inadequate artillery support and meager pay — all criticisms, it bears noting, that Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin leveled against Moscow in the lead-up to his mutiny last month. “We asked our commanders to bring us food and water,” one group of Russian conscripts from Altai Krai in Siberia complained. “They responded to us with swear words.”

Totally agree. This guy just cannot stop himself from posting about how much he thinks about me. Day after day after day. It’s seemingly all he does! The board would probably be a lot better off if he had a real life with real people to spend time with instead of spending all his time thinking about us, but I guess we shouldn’t hold our breaths.

I was on the fence about the cluster bombs until it was pointed out that Russia has been using them in the war, including in civilian areas. Therefore, even if Ukraine doesn’t use them, they will still have a problem with UXO after the war. It’s not like Ukraine will be introducing cluster munitions into the war zone, they are already there. So as long Ukraine’s use of them is reasonably restricted to avoid civilian casualties (and it’d be their civilians so I imagine they also want to avoid civilian harm), I think it’s probably the right call.

It’s a day ending in “y” so you’re thinking about me. Very flattered! 🥰🥰🥰🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Still can’t stop thinking about me, huh? Poor thing! 🥰🥰🥰🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Ukraine is giving them all they can handle because the West is supplying Ukraine with the weapons it needs. If we stop supplying them like so many here want, that ends any chance of a Ukrainian offensive. The war either devolves into a many year grind or Russia’s numbers eventually prevail as Ukraine runs out of weapons. As to who’s next, look to any former Soviet Bloc countries that Putin might want to bring back into the fold. Russia already occupies parts of Georgia and Moldova. If they capture Ukraine, that puts them on the border with Transnistria.

Which is what?

Got it. So just go full on Neville Chamberlain and let a power hungry country eat up its neighbors while pretending everything will work out juuuuust fine.

I do not believe that asking what the impacts of the outcome of the war is a dumb question. It honestly seems incredibly dumb to not consider it. The biggest problem with this war is that a revanchist authoritarian state is trying to determine the fate of its neighbor by force against the will of the people.

Well for one, I think that be bad since they very much don’t want to be part of Russia. Maybe the US should go back to being part of the UK like we used to be. Do you think Russia stops with Ukraine if they win?

Asking a very simple question to someone who seems to think it’s ok for Ukraine to lose. What happens if Ukraine loses? What’s your ideal outcome here?

What do you think happens if Russia wins the war? If they take out the Ukrainian government and install their own puppet government?

And here I thought you blocked me… Just can’t stop thinking about me, huh? Even on a Saturday night? Miss me too much? Do you dream about me at this point? Because I don’t think of you at all. I’m only reminded you exist when I see I’ve been tagged in something with the coherence and understanding of someone who has spent their entire life huffing glue. Sorry!

I don’t lie. I’ve been wrong, but I don’t see the point in lying on a message board. Also, are you so triggered you just cannot stop thinking about me? Flattering, but very sad.

Ok, honest question here: What is he trying to say? This tweet seems poorly worded Is it: 1. The FBI found NO state secrets, but just personal effects in the boxes; or 2. The FBI found state secrets but also in the boxes were personal effects? Because those are two WILDLY different things in terms of Trump’s legal exposure

Poor Tuck. At least he can always fall back on his frozen dinner inheritance.

Still wake up thinking about me? So sweet! 🥰🥰🥰🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

So much copium in here

Generally, targeting civilians is off limits but I suppose aggressors can always claim the civilians were actually engaged in combat or assisting fighters. The issue with cluster bombs is that there is a percentage of the small bombs that don’t explode when dropped (duds). These often are found years later and can then explode when found by people. That’s why using cluster bombs in civilian areas is especially egregious.

Still can’t stop thinking about me, huh? I thought Pride Month was over… 🥰🥰🥰🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

“Ha! I should have known I was misrepresenting the article if I had just read the headline or the article but apparently I cannot read at all! Libs = owned!”

It’s really not fair to compare GOP and Dem presidents this way. GOP presidents taking over from Dems are at a disadvantage since the economy is already doing well so there isn’t much room for growth. Meanwhile, Dem presidents taking over from GOP presidents have an advantage because the economy is in tatters and it’s easy to run up the score on jobs. Oh wait…

Literally the first time I’m hearing of this.