The big surprise in the latest indictment of Donald Trump is that it actually contained no surprises -- that it was a rehash of the Jan. 6 committee, which was a rehash of the second impeachment trial.
There is still no evidence of incitement; no evidence of sedition; and, crucially, no direct evidence that Trump knew he was lying about the election, though Special Counsel Jack Smith may wish otherwise.
The indictment looks like a political document, rather than a good case. Even commentators inclined to give Smith credit for his other indictments in the "documents" case were shocked at this one.
Smith damaged his credibility -- and, as Jonathan Turley pointed out on Fox News, that of Attorney General Merrick Garland. But why? And why go for charges that even include a potential death penalty?
My speculation is that the DOJ is firmly inside the DC bubble and that most of the staffers do not have a broad diet of news. They read the New York Times and the Washington Post and listen to NPR.
They don't know how the rest of the country feels; they don't even know that things they may believe are facts really aren't. They think they are saving the Republic. They can't see that they are hurting it.
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
