Category Archives: Grifters

Team Kimberlin Post of the Day

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It’s obvious that Brett Kimberlin projects his own motivations on to others, as can be seen in the TKPOTD for nine years ago today.

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This paragraph is from The Dread Pirate Kimberlin’s Kimberlin v. The Universe, et al. RICO lawsuit.BKvUniverse150I wonder where Brett Kimberlin got the idea of using a false narrative for money raising as a business model?

nrawatch dot org
prosecutenewscorp dot com
kochwatch dot org
americancrossroadswatch dot org
indictbreitbart dot org
issaoversight dot org
pussyriotdefensefund dot org

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jtmp.org
prtectourelections.org

What’s Your Reputation Worth?

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Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I ha’ lost my reputation, I ha’ lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial!

—Cassio, Othello, II, iii

My podcasting partner Dianna Deeley has a new post up at her blog. Based on her 25+ years of experience in the not-for-profit world, Dianna’s consulting firm offers practical, early-stage advice for individuals and non-profits who want to operate effectively. I’ve relied on her to investigate not-for-profit organization.

Her post tells the story of how one “charitable” grift took advance of well-meaning donors.

Before long, there was a fundraising campaign to refurbish this property, plus lots of people coming in and donating lots of labor, including removing carpet and refinishing floors, fairly extensive interior repairs, and painting. Other nonprofits and civic organizations donated materials, including appliances and furnishings. Then there was a campaign to raise funds for the roof…and then…

Poof! 

The house was sold! Social media went silent! The website had no more posts! The offices were apparently empty! What of the women relying upon this charity for services? Where could one find the plausible and engaging face of this organization?

Where did the money go?

Read the whole thing.

Team Kimberlin Post of the Day

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While I was reviewing posts for possible recycling today, the TKPOTD for 2 June, 2013, had a link to any earlier post titled Slappy McWingnut’s Surprise. That post begins by quoting a still older post.

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In December, 2011, I posted this brief article.

Christopher Hitchen’s Surprise

Allahpundit posts:

I ask this earnestly, not to troll: If Hitchens is getting a surprise, isn’t it necessarily a nasty surprise according to Christian doctrine?

Christopher Hitchens’ beliefs concerning God were nearly 180 degrees opposed to mine. Either he is in for a big surprise, or I’m not. Either he is meeting a Maker whose existence he denied, or I will pass on into nothingness when my life ends.

I greatly admired Mr. Hitchens’ talents as a writer and debater, but I believe that God is just and that, being just, God will honor the choice Mr. Hitchens took to be separated from Him.

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After listening to some of the recent preaching by Slappy McWingnut (aka Elder William, The Lord of Satire) (No, I won’t link to it.), it seems that his view of God is nearly as far out of line from mine as was Mr. Hitchen’s, but in a different direction.

McWingnut preaches that his god is a “pissed-off” god who hates being interrupted by prayers. Another part of McWingnut’s schtick seems to be that one can keep this god from being angry by giving money to support his ministry. (OK, that’s a fair parody of a lot of “religious” scam artists.) McWingnut preaches his god’s hate.

The God I serve is loving, and because He is, He grants us the freewill to choose to love or not love Him in return. If we choose to enter into a loving relationship with Him, He is delighted. If we do not, He respects our choice.

If you check out the answers in the back of the book, you’ll see that God says that at some point He will gather those of us who choose to be His to live in His presence. You’ll also see that He says that He will honor the wishes of those who have chosen not to love Him.

My God loves everyone, including Slappy McWingnut.

UPDATE—I’ve had a question about describing God’s reaction to our love for Him as “delight.” In the opening section of Ephesians, Paul writes that God’s intention for us is

… εἰς υἱοθεσίαν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς αὐτόν κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ …

which can be translated as

… for adoption as children through Jesus Christ according to the delight of His will …

That word in boldface, εὐδοκίαν, literally means well-seeming or, idiomatically, delight. Most English translations render it as pleasure or good pleasure, but I believe that “delight” better reflects the joy that God says He finds in loving relationships with us.

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Here endeth the lesson.

Team Kimberlin Post of the Day

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The TKPOTD for eight years ago today dealt with the legal expenses reported on the 2012 IRS 990 forms filed by Justice Through Music Project and Velvet Revolution US. JTMP is Brett Kimberlin’s 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity. Velvet Revolution US was renamed Protect Our Elections/EMPR Inc. in 2017. The IRS has revoked its 501(c)(4) status.

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According to paperwork filed with the IRS, The Dread Pro-Se Kimberlin’s not-for-profits spent $34,625 on legal expenses in 2012.

This is from page 10 of the Form 990 filed by Justice Through Music Project.2012JTMP990-p10This is from the Schedule O attached to the Form 990-EZ filed by Velvet Revolution US.VRUS2012SchedOThe only lawsuit involving those entities was Walker v. Kimberlin, et al. which was dismissed shortly after the not-for-profits were added as parties. Furthermore, they were represented in the matter by Jeffrey Cohen, the Executive Director of both organizations. Even if he billed for his services and all the expense was borne by JTMP, it would be unlikely that his fees would have justifiably amounted to over $11,000.

The only other “legal” activity during 2012 seems to be some frivolous bar complaints filed on behalf of VRUS by Kevin Zeese. Again, the apparent level of effort for that work does not go a long way in explaining over $23,000 in expense.

‘Tis a puzzlement.

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JTMP’s Form 990 for 2020 has still not been posted at its dot gov.

A Return to Normalcy

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That was Harding’s successful campaign slogan in 1920. He was running in a country turned upside-down by the Wilson’s wartime proto-Fascist government. Wilson, who was no friend of the Constitution, had stuck the government’s nose into too many corners of American life, and the people pushed back against his overreach.

I’ve been writing about the overreach the Democrats have been engaging in since the 2020 election. They’ve sought to impose abnormality on the public, and the public is starting to push back. And the trigger seems to have been what is happening to kids while they are in school.

Forced cosmetic masking and coverups of crimes against students were issues that swayed the election in Virginia last year. Racist propaganda in the form of so-called Critical Race Theory, inappropriate sexual topics in kindergarten, and hidden efforts to promote and enable “gender” transitions have sent parent lobbying at state legislatures this year.

For the most part, it seems their pushback is winning. Several states have outlawed teaching racism. This week, Florida passed a ban on inappropriate class related to sexuality.

Of course, the media and the Democrats (BIRM) are howling, and it looks as if many of them are willing to go into this November’s elections without letting go of their overreach.

Meanwhile, the public is beginning to notice that inflation is at its highest in over 40 years, that the world is tending toward WW3, and that they can’t afford to buy $55k EVs. Things are about to get uglier.

Stay tuned.

Everybody Blog About Mass Formation Psychosis Day

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My podcasting partner Stacy McCain has declared today to be Everybody Blog About Mass Formation Psychosis Day with the following objectives—

1. Call attention to the censorship campaign by which COVID-19 panic brigades are attempting to suppress criticism.
2. Explain what “Mass Formation Theory” really means.
3. Most critics of COVID-19 policy are not “anti-science.

Now, I suspect that most of Gentle Readers of this blog are aware of the various forms of censorship that have been deployed against people raising questions about or objections to the alleged public health measures imposed on us over the past two years. Some of those measures have been well intentioned. Some have been the result of petty tyrants trying to hang onto control. Some have been virtue signaling.

Today, I’d like to point, laugh, and mock at one example of virtue signaling: Neal Young. It’s been years since I actively listened to any of his music, and now, I won’t have to worry about stumbling across it on Spotify.

I’m not going to attempt to get into a definition of “Mass Formation Theory.” It’s a subject that’s well outside my expertise. (In spite of our experience over the past couple of years, it’s still smart to listen to the experts sometimes.)

However, I will talk to the point that many critics of COVID-19 policy aren’t “anti-science,” Indeed, I’ll start by noting that many of us do Science for a living and that it’s the scientific method that underlies our questioning of policy. When an experiment produces the “wrong” result, the scientific method directs us toward at different approach. Continuing a demonstrably incorrect or ineffective approach and expecting a different result is crazy, and as Stacy has noted, Crazy People Are Dangerous™.

Meanwhile, Florida has been free for a year, and masks are being eliminated in the UK schools. There are even free counties inside of blue states like Maryland. Perhaps the body politick is getting over its psychotic episode.

Team Kimberlin Post of the Day

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This Episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Atsign first ran six years ago today.

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Johnny Atsign Logo 2ANNOUNCER: From Westminster, it’s time for—

SOUND: Skype phone rings once.

JOHNNY: Johnny Atsign.

LT. BRADSHAW: (Telephone Filter) Atsign, it’s Bradshaw.

JOHNNY: Why, Lieutenant, to what do I owe the honor once again?

LT. BRADSHAW: (Telephone Filter) Cut the sarcasm, Atsign. Look, I called to say, “Thanks,” for that help last week.

JOHNNY: Oh. Well, in that case, “You’re welcome.”

LT. BRADSHAW: (Telephone Filter) If you’re headed down to Annapolis and Baltimore any time soon, I’d like to ask for another couple of favors.

JOHNNY: As a matter of fact I am. What’s on your mind?

MUSIC: Theme up and under.

ANNOUNCER: The Lickspittle Broadcasting System presents W. J. J. Hoge in the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed Twitter account, America’s fabulous free-lance Internet investigator …

JOHNNY: Yours Truly, Johnny Atsign!

MUSIC: Theme up to music out. Continue reading →

A Letter and a Memorandum

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AG Garland has testified it was the NSBA’s letter suggesting that parents protesting at school board meetings should be investigate as domestic terrorists that provided the basis for his memorandum directing the FBI and US Attorneys to investigate and prosecute parents for protesting against school boards and teachers who insist on indoctrinating children with critical race theory. Now, that the NSBA has apologized for their letter (see below), it would make sense for the Attorney General to withdraw his memorandum. Given that he has also testified that he sees no ethical problem with ordering such an investigation even though his son-in-law is founder of a business selling critical race theory teach materials, I doubt that he will do the right thing.

False Charge Against Christina Pushaw Dropped

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The first order of business this morning in Courtroom 513 at the District Courthouse in Rockville, Maryland, was the entering of nolle prosequi motions by the State’s Attorney’s Office. The false charge of failure to obey a temporary peace order filed by Rebekah Jones against Christiana Pushaw was among the cases dropped. According to a spokesman for the State’s Attorney, there was no evidence to support the charge.

UPDATE—The only other people who were in the courtroom other than me when I witnessed the charge being dropped were an Assistant State’s Attorney, Judge Moffett, the clerk, and a bailiff. Rebekah Jones was not there. The case was not going forward, so her “testimony” was not necessary.

UPDATE 2—The State v. Pushaw case has been expunged.

The Democrats and a Boutique Liberal Issue

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Democrat politicians and pundits have been all-in on the position that requiring photo ID for voting is racist. The support their position is overwhelming in certain zip codes, but the vast majority of voters support photo ID for voting—even most black and other minority Democrats support voter ID (roughly 3:1).

It appears that some Democrat pols are beginning to understand that opposition to voter ID isn’t playing well with independent voter or their own base outside of Twitter. Stacy Abrams, for example, wants us to believe that she’s never been against voter ID.

OTOH, the big money comes from those few zip codes, so it’s important to please those donors, but the votes … ah, there’s the rub. While the 2020 election may have been a pilot run for the use of technology to manage electoral outcomes, it clear that the Democrats’ system still has some bugs, and appeal to actual voters may still be necessary for some time to come.

Racism in America

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During his speech last night, Tim Scott said that America is not a racist country. He’s correct. It’s interesting that many Leftists are acting as if he claimed there is no racism in America. He didn’t say that, and if he had, he would have been wrong. It’s clear that there are still some individuals, most of whom seem to be on the left side of politics, who judge others on the color of their skin rather than the content of their character. But America, the country as a whole, has moved away from much of its racism over my lifetime.

Racism isn’t dead; it’s on life support, kept alive by politicians in need of an issue, professional do-gooders in need of a clientele to serve/manage, and grifters running new plays on an old con. The Gentle Reader should note that it was after minority unemployment reached a record low and minority incomes achieved massive growth, that the current round of unrest popped up. Note also that its the woke grifters who have bought nice houses while properties such as an affordable housing project were burned by rioters.

The real issue isn’t racism per se. Racism is just a tool used to acquire and manipulate power. As we get closer to a full implementation of Martin Luther King’s vision of seeing each other based on our character, the more we will understand how those who would divide us are poisonous to our society and should be kept from positions of leadership and authority.

That’s what they’re afraid of.

How Confident Are They?

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During last year’s elections, the Democrats managed to get their guy into the White House, just barely flipped control of the Senate, and maintained a slim margin of control of the House. OTOH, they did not do well in state races, and they will not be in control of the reapportionment of House districts coming before the next election. Moreover, many states are reforming their election laws to improve election integrity. 2022 could be a challenging election year for the Democrats.

Looking at the Democrats’ legislative agenda, it appears that they are trying to ram as much of their wish list through as quickly as possible, regardless of the political cost. For example, their pending “infrastructure” bill spends a couple of trillion dollars with less than half going to actual infrastructure projects. The bulk of the bill simply directs government spending into the pockets of favored businesses and not-for-profits.

They’re proposing the biggest tax increase in almost 30 years to pay for their schemes. Now, Joe Xiden was in the Senate in the 1990s, and if his mental faculties were intact, he should remember that tax increases and gun control were what caused the Democrats to lose control of the House in the 1994 midterm elections. Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi managed to keep their House seats in ’94, but they should remember that loss and what caused it. So why are they pushing legislation that’s likely to ensure a similar loss in 2022?

It could be that they don’t remember or that they discount the possibility of an electoral backlash because they believe America has changed. They thought that was the case when they rammed Obamacare through on a party line vote, and they lost the House in the next election, but they may think that this time will be different.

Perhaps, but I believe that Xiden (78), Pelosi (81), and Schumer (70) see this Congress as their last chance. They see handwriting on the electoral wall for 2022, and they want to get as much of their agenda passed while they still can.

Whether because of arrogance or desperation, we should expect the Democrats to act recklessly.

Is it 2023 yet?

Sanctioning America’s Allies

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Last week, the Xiden Administration threatened to impose sanctions against Germany and India. Germany has been a key NATO ally for decades, and India is a member of the Quad (with America, Australia, and Japan) seeking to constraint Chinese aggressiveness in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Why?

It seems that the Germans are on the verge of completing a natural gas pipeline from Russia that will provide 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, mostly at the expense of the 87 billion cubic meters now flowing through a Ukrainian pipeline.

India is planning to purchase a Russian S400 air defense system which would increase its ability to defend against Pakistani or Chinese aircraft.

Now, a reasonable argument can be made for opposing those deals because of their benefits to Russia. OTOH, another common denominator between them is their potential adverse effects on Xiden family allies—Ukraine and China.

Hmmm.

Nothing to See Here. Move Along.

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The NY Post reports that the Xiden family is already cashing in. Joe’s little brother Frank appeared in a Florida law firm’s ad using the family name to draw attention to the Berman Law Group’s class-action suit against sugar cane growers. The ad, which ran on Inauguration Day, says, “The two Biden brothers have long held a commitment to pushing environmental issues to the forefront. The president-elect has vowed to rejoin the Paris Agreement and wants to set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets.”