Have you seen the film “And Justice for All” released 45 years ago, starring Al Pacino? You’ve had nearly half a century, but I’ll try not to spoil it for you, anyway. It is a must-see, if for no other reason than to witness the great actor’s monologue “you’re out of order” in the film’s context. The clothes are dated, but the topic remains relevant. My spoiler is that the reason the movie is still pertinent because our legal system and political arena remain as corrupt as they were then.
What has changed in that time is that we have the internet bombarding us with information and disinformation. We get minute by minute updates, details of the frequency and depth of corruption.
Are we numb to it? I can only speak for myself. I’m resigned to the fact that unless we run for office (pshh, not even then), we can’t do much of anything to change the system, apart from voting. So we wait for the next election… again. I hope what will differ this time is the republicans’ attacks on women, threats of stealing our retirement to give the rich another tax cut, and losing democracy that Trump has promised if he wins. That should motivate us all to vote.
Okay. We can survive this. So why am I having an existential crisis? I dunno, but I’d like to address the Hunter Biden verdict.
“Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time.” ~ Hunter Biden’s statement following his verdict.
President Joe Biden’s only surviving son was found guilty on all three charges tied to lying on a federal form to purchase a gun. Two of the counts carry maximum prison sentences of 10 years, while the third has a maximum of five years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika (appointed by Trump) said she will set the sentencing date at a later date.
Some jurors have spoken out, and this is what they shared:
- The initial vote taken when they began deliberations was 6-6.
- They realized there was no choice but to convict, and felt bad about it.
- They think the decision to bring the case to trial was wrong, a waste of tax dollars.
- They sensed they were missing information.
In fact, Hunter Biden had reached a plea deal months ago, but GOP Trump operatives in Congress revoked it. Revenge is Trump’s life now.
A few points that corroborate the jury’s suspicions:
It is not a Justice Department practice to prosecute anyone for lying on the federal firearms form unless they operated a gun in a crime or, if other rare extenuating factor exists — known involvement in a criminal gang, for example. Hunter Biden doesn’t have a record. He possessed his handgun for all of 11 days and never used it.
Fewer than 1% of charges of this nature are prosecuted. In fact, Hunter had reached a plea deal, but pressure by the vocal minority who have been out for Hunter’s blood resulted in its revocation.
Prosecutors did not give the jury all the information, and this is enough cause to file an appeal. The judge would not allow the defense to show them this gun form. The jury couldn’t see the phrasing of the question, or decide for themselves if the application was filled out with three different inks. Did the gun dealer complete the form after Biden left the store?
Hunter Biden is an attorney. He graduated from Georgetown University and received his Juris Doctor in Law from Yale School. Yes, he should have checked yes. Maybe he thought he was done with drugs for that fleeting moment, or it could be he could not focus on the words because he was high. The jury found him guilty, that’s the bottom line. It is unclear why he bought the gun.
The thing about Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict, and possible 25-year sentence, is that Kyle Rittenhouse was 17 years old when he had a friend, who was of statutory age, purchase an AR-15 style rifle for him. (That is illegal.) Kyle crossed state lines to get the gun, then took it to a Black Lives Matter protest to counterprotest. He murdered two people and injured a third, and faced no legal consequences because the judge they assigned him was a white supremacist freak.
Don’t tell me there is justice for all. We have a a court system for white Republican men, and another for everyone else.
But you know what the worst thing about Hunter Biden’s conviction is? It’s that Jared Kushner received $2 billion from the Saudi government for information that led to the brutal assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who had been writing a story about the Saudi Crown Prince of picnic table head coverings. Of course, it could be coincidental and unrelated that the homicide took place shortly after Kushner ended his visit to Saudi Arabia.
Another thing about Hunter… Kushner, who could not get security clearance for the life of him, went from nearly $2 billion in debt because he’s bad at real estate and overpaid for the building at 666 Fifth Avenue. The New York Times reported in April, Kushner now has $3b in his investment fund. It “is financed almost entirely from overseas investors with whom he worked when he served as a senior adviser in the Trump White House.” ~NYT Miracles happen. My question is: How many secrets did Kushner sell?
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles aren’t over. He faces a trial in September in California on charges of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes. That was part of the plea deal that fell apart. And congressional Republicans have indicated they will keep going after him because Trump said so, and their impeachment effort against the president failed. Prosecutors have not attached any crimes to President Biden by investigating his son.
The best thing that could happen to Hunter Biden would be assignment into a continuing rehabilitation program. I wish they’d leave him alone. It has been a relentless six-year attack. Are they hoping he’ll relapse? With Trump and his GOP minions, cruelty is the point, so maybe.
The result of the guilty verdict has been, according to some Republicans, a major blow to one of Trump’s favorite talking points. “Joe Biden has politicized the DOJ against me.” The justice system is working, so we can confirm Donald Trump is a convicted felon. Don’t vote for convicted felons, Hunter or Donald.
And, contrary to what the GOP is saying now, Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict has added a boost to Biden’s case because he respects the rule of law. Normal humans understand Hunter and Joe are two different people.
“I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome. Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time.” ~Hunter Biden reacting to verdict.
https://apple.news/AGWY_I_s6RjqPKXPl1H56QA
On another note, have you wondered why no jurors have spoken to the media after Trump’s two civil jury cases (in the E. Jean Carroll trials) and the Manhattan DA’s criminal trial? They have been warned for their safety to never identify themselves as part of these juries. Trump continues to threatened the lives of every prosecutor, judge witness, and their families.
So I’ll end with this:
- Hunter Biden’s struggle with addiction is a story millions of American families understand and sympathize with. The man has been sober for four years.
- Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony counts and he has no remorse. He will never reform. He will not stop threatening people. He is out for revenge.
- Kushner and Ivanka made millions while volunteering as unqualified aides in Trump’s White House. Let’s look into that.
- Watch “And Justice for All.”
https://www.newsweek.com/jared-kushner-investigation-senate-democrats-1911988
A lot from Lydia 