The Special Counsel (Team Mueller) report on Russia and the Trump Campaign should be out soon.

I wonder if Donald Trump, Jr. gets a pass.

While I don't expect that his father will get indicted, I think he will receive the distinct dishonor of being the man who sits at the desk in the Oval Office with the most number of indicted aides during his time there, ever.

My next thought: I wonder if the next person to occupy the office will insist on fumigating it first, and all new furniture. I sure would.

Jussie Smollett has been charged in Chicago with a felony for allegedly falsely reporting a hate crime.

From the article, it appears the prosecutors called brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo as witnesses before the grand jury this evening.

The men had reportedly told investigators that Mr. Smollett had coordinated a faux attack and paid them to participate in it.

Filing a false report in Illinois can be a misdemeanor or felony. The Grand Jury indicted Smollett for the felony version, which carries up to 3 years in prison.

Bernie Sanders has announced he's in it to win it. He will run for President (no link due to autoplay video).

I prefer him to Biden, and I hope Biden pulls out or gets pushed aside early, so I don't have to spend my time writing about his abysmal record on criminal justice issues. Someone needs to tell him for real that his time has come and gone.

As to Sanders, I'll do a wait and see this time around. There are no present runners I find exciting, and his positions are better than most. Maybe America will want someone in 2020 who will walk in on day one and tear up every proclamation and executive order Trump and his underlings pushed through. As for Kamala Harris, her criminal justice record as attorney general of California may be too much for me to get past.

I'm not looking for a candidate who's overly focused on one issue: be it women, jobs for the middle class, taxes. etc. I want someone who promises to focus on protecting the constitutional rights of everyone who is present in this country, from immigrants and refugees to persons accused of crime and persons serving long sentences for crimes. And someone with the stature to repair the damage Donald Trump has done to our national image and standing in the world.

Donald Trump owns no hotels in Venezuela. Could he even find it on a map? And why is Melania Trump speaking at this event in Miami when the podium says "The President"? Was it a fundraiser? (I honestly don't know since I refuse to listen to either one of them.) Why am I writing about this? Because of the comments on You Tube. They are as cruel (and in some cases as apt)as any I can remember since the November, 2016 election results. Some are pretty funny (others are admittedly sexist and xenophobic).

One thing appears certain: A year and a half after the 2016 election, Donald Trump remains the most mocked and vilified person ever to have a desk in the oval office. His wife is now running second, perhaps contending only with Ivanka, Don, Jr. and Jared for that unglorified spot. [More...]

Oh well, at least most people have the day off.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

TalkLeft wishes everyone a Happy Valentines Day, especially El Chapo's lawyers, Eduardo Balarezo, Jeffrey Lichtman and William Purpura, who didn't win, knew they wouldn't win, but relentlessly pounded away at the government's evidence, and despite being ham-stringed by the judge in every cross-examination,were rock stars in the courtroom and did the best they could do for their mythical client.

[More....]

The Grammy's won't be live on CBS for another hour or so, but you can watch what's happened so far at the Grammy site here. The Red Carpet pix are up there as well. Expect a big commotion when Korea's uber-popular boy bandBTS presents. They are the first Korean group to be nominated for a Grammy and to present an award. Here's some good photos of them.

Alicia Keys is hosting. I will miss James Corden, who hosted the show the past two years.

Here is the New York Times "cheat sheet" . The Staple Center has a lot of photos here.

I am stuck in traffic headed up I 70 with all the Skiers —
only I’m going to the jail not the slopes. I’ll be back writing Tomorrow .

This is an open thread all topics welcome

Has anyone thought of taking their blood pressure before and during Trump's State of the Union speech? Mine would rise so much I'm not going to risk it by watching.

If you are watching, please fill us in.

I love Superbowl Sunday because I get a holiday from the whole world. Almost everyone but me watches it. I don't even know who is playing.

But for those of you who watch and feast, here's a place to talk about it -- and anything else you want to. All topics welcome.

Our last open thread is full. Here's a new one, all topics welcome.

The Government gave an all day closing argument yesterday in the trial of el Chapo. Shorter version: We're not asking you to like our 13 dirty snitches, most of whom will get visas to stay in the U.S. permanently, we're asking you to presume they are telling the truth and find El Chapo guilty.

Jeffrey Lichtman, the most bombastic of El Chapo's lawyers, is giving the defense closing. Three themes:

1. Where is Mayo, why isn't he here? While Chapo was being "hunted like an animal," El Mayo was "sitting on his ass, sunning himself, smoking a cigar."

2. Would you want to be put away based on the testimony of 14 lying, thieving snitches, some of whom are admitted murderers and all of whom are being paid for their testimony with promises of leniency for their own misdeeds?

3. It's the corruption. "He's paying everybody from the local beat cops up to the president." Mayo's sons get sweetheart deals, Mayo stays free, and the universe falls on El Chapo to take the blame. [More...]