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Culture War Roundup for the week of November 14, 2022

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Can anyone explain Duncan Hunter to me? American greed running an episode on him right now. Seems like he spent $60k of campaign money on personal expenses but was an early maga supporter. I know McConnel has made a ton of money off connections. Pelosi’s husbands trading. Obama had Rezko. Hunter got 630k a year from some Ukranian oligarch for a no show job. How can I not see this as a deep state job? He probably violated an actual law. But seems like a lot of people break laws but if your a Maga supporter a small technical violation makes you an episode of American greed but SBF gets glowing articles in the NYT.

Edit: I like Pelosi and McConnell. Realize their is going to be some corruption. And I’ve had a rum or two while watching this but really $60k gets you a labeled as a monster.

GOP launched their congressional investigation into Joe Biden today. Nail him to the fucking cross. Treat them how they have treated us.

I know McConnel has made a ton of money off connections. Pelosi’s husbands trading. Obama had Rezko. Hunter got 630k a year from some Ukranian oligarch for a no show job.

I am guessing because the other examples are grey areas or hard to prove. Taking money from 'x' under the pretense of 'y' and doing 'z', is strait-cut fraud.

makes you an episode of American greed but SBF gets glowing articles in the NYT.

Little too soon to say he got off.

I am guessing because the other examples are grey areas or hard to prove.

It's not hard to prove; the reality is the DOJ has not only refused to investigate in any meaningful way many redflags of criminal activity, but has actively worked to stop others from doing so either (up to and included them seizing evidence and it disappearing into a blackhole), e.g., the Weiner laptop with evidence of Clinton, as well as witnesses claiming agents implicitly threatened them to stay quiet.

Little too soon to say he got off.

He did "get off" already. And then everything came crashing down.

The SEC allegedly investigated FTX roughly 6 months ago. Not only did they not make any finding about their activity, activity which is so hilariously fraudulent if even 1/2 the claims made by the liquidation CEO are in the ballpark of accurate, but they had multiple meetings in order to discuss the SEC issuing a no-action letter.

The SEC allegedly investigated FTX roughly 6 months ago. Not only did they not make any finding about their activity, activity which is so hilariously fraudulent if even 1/2 the claims made by the liquidation CEO are in the ballpark of accurate, but they had multiple meetings in order to discuss the SEC issuing a no-action letter.

will he avoid jail time or only get a light sentence? seems unlikely. The SEC ignored madoff for over a decade but he still got the book thrown at him.

What about the countless hundreds of people who committed basic fraud with mortgage transfers and bundling before and during the finance crises of 2007 onwards?

I'm not sure what the Gary Gensler and company at the SEC will do; they're comically incompetent, damaging, and corrupt at the same time.

What about the countless hundreds of people who committed basic fraud with mortgage transfers and bundling before and during the finance crises of 2007 onwards?

The vast majority of the fraud happening at that time was done not by evil vampire squids and CEOs, but by parties with full political and media support: ordinary Americans who bought more house than they could afford. The other major party involved was mortgage brokers who colluded with ordinary Americans. "Don't worry, they don't check this. Just say you make $X."

The SBF fraud was even more egregious than 2008. The latter was more about risk management failure, the former seems like deliberate fraud.

I'm not sure what the Gary Gensler and company at the SEC will do; they're comically incompetent, damaging, and corrupt at the same time.

It will go above the SEC. It will likely be referred to criminal prosecution.