FBI ‘starting to unravel' amid Hunter Biden scandal

It might be wishful thinking that the politicized FBI is ‘starting to unravel.' 

It could be only Timothy Thibault, one of the FBI agents investigating the Hunter Biden laptop, who has been accused of political bias, is a sacrificial lamb. 

We'll see.

My interview with Bradley Laborman, candidate for mayor of Chicago

Bradley Laborman

This morning I interviewed Bradley Laborman, an actor and realtor who lives in Rogers Park on the Far North Side. He is running for mayor of Chicago. This is his first attempt at public office.

Like longtime Chicago radio host Steve Dahl, Laborman has a love of Hawaiian shirts as well as a gregarious nature, but he lacks the causticness of Dahl. On the latter, that's a good thing. The incumbent, Lori Lightfoot, has an acidic personality.

Disclosure: My daughter, Cynthia, heretofore on this blog referred to as "Little Marathon Pundit," is a volunteer for the Laborman campaign.

Despite my daughter's connection with the campaign, I tried to catch Laborman off guard by moving ahead to May of 2023, when Chicago's mayor will be inaugurated. And if it's Laborman who is being sworn in, I queried, "How would you have gotten there?" 

He replied, "I think I would have gotten there by listening to the people of Chicago," adding "I respond to what they have to say."

That's an understandable response. But who is not a good listener? Well in my opinion Lightfoot isn't. And what does Laborman think? He says that he has met people who worked on her 2019 campaign. "And the moment she got in [City Hall]," Laborman said, "they felt like they were abandoned, that they were let down." He continued, "I don't think Lori likes to listen, I think Lori likes to talk." And when Lightfoot receives criticism, which in my opinion is usually well-deserved, Laborman said, "She counteracts with a scenario of 'oh, this person doesn't agree with me because they are racist, they are sexist, or they are homophobic.'" 

I brought up to Laborman my last ride on Chicago's el train, where I was harassed by a creep who entered the car I was riding on, after he and a friend smashed bottles on the waiting platform. When the hooligan entered the car, half of the passengers on it, because they probably had witnessed such a scene on the CTA before, immediately left. I stayed because I am not a coward. I snapped a pic of the offender, who then purposely sat next to me to to ensure that I "behave." 

Laborman's response to CTA mayhem, which has included deadly violence, is to "put more police on the trains." The candidate is an Iowa native but he used to live in New York, where he noticed a regular police presence on the city's el and subway trains--as I did when I visited NYC. Moving on, Laborman mentioned that Chicago might be better served with more police districts. He noted that criminals are quite cognizant of where cops might be--and might not be--and the perps of course gravitate to places, such as CTA, where there is little or no police protection for law-abiding Chicagoans.

Laborman continued by decrying "the various alderpersons who are anti-police." 

What about--and these are my words, not Laborman's--Cook County's state's attorney Kim Foxx, the "catch-and-release" prosecutor? "I want to hold her accountable, [other] people are not holding her accountable," he replied. 

Economically speaking, the heart of Chicago is the Loop, that is, downtown, and excluding Lake Michigan of course, the five mile radius surrounding it. The two rounds of riots in 2020 struck that area hard. Many businesses from that area have closed their doors for good. Yes, some of it is COVID-19 related. "Business owners are leaving," Laborman opined, "because business owners don't feel respected." Of course they don't--the riots were devastating for commerce. "We let these riots happen two years ago," Laborman explained. Then he added, "Peaceful protest I understand, but the right to protest does not mean the right to vandalize- it does not mean the right to steal."

Laborman favors incentives to bring new businesses to Chicago, but wants to ensure there is a payback for taxpayers, such as new jobs, more tourism, and the like. Foreign investment is welcome, but Laborman wants some of that money to remain in Chicago.

We then ventured into Chicago's homeless problem, which we agreed that to a large extent is part of a larger mental health crisis. Laborman works in real estate so he speaks with particular authority here. The candidate denounced the long waits to transform tax delinquent properties, ones "ghosted," is the term Laborman used, back into the private marketplace quickly. "In a normal city," Laborman explained, "it would take 90 days to process one of these--in the city of Chicago it takes two-to-four years to process one of these properties." He favors setting aside some of these parcels for low-income housing. 

My conversation with Laborman was an enjoyable one--he gives an engaging and entertaining interview. 

What advice do I have for him? Well, while fashion is not my long suit by any means, I recommend that he buy some Chicago-themed Hawaiian shirts. Finding such shirts featuring Chicago's sports teams should be quite easy.

Paul Simon, a longtime US Senator from Illinois, made the bow-tie his trademark. Laborman has his Hawaiian shirts. 

To learn more about Bradley Laborman, visit his website, his Instagram page, his YouTube channel, or you can follow him on Twitter.

FBI agent linked to Hunter Biden probe resigns

There is speculation that Timothy Thibault, a top FBI assistant special agent, was forced out of the bureau after 25 years there. He's gone for sure, and Thibault was a key figure in the agency in regards to the investigation, or lack of, in regards to the Hunter Biden laptop.

From Doug Ross: SPYGATE, THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Chapter 9 - When Lisa Met Pete

Over at Doug Ross' blog, his long suffering intern, Biff Spackle, has produced the MacBeth of comics, SPYGATE, THE GRAPHIC NOVEL: Chapter 9 - When Lisa Met Pete.

Bill Maher rips media over Hunter Biden cover-up

Bill Maher, a liberal, blows the whistle in this clip about the mainstream media censoring and suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story.

From Da Tech Guy: As Van Morrison turns 77, here are his ten best albums

Here is a blog post that was weeks in the making. From today's entry at Da Tech Guy: As Van Morrison turns 77, here are his ten best albums.

Van Morrison - Listen To The Lion (Live at the Hollywood Bowl)

Look for a yuge Van Morrison post by me at Da Tech Guy about Van Morrison over at Da Tech Guy on Sunday. This song, "Listen To The Lion," will figure into it.

Oh, that post is here.

As Van Morrison turns 77, here are his ten best albums

Gov. Ron DeSantis: Truck drivers should not have to pay the loans of gender studies majors

Gov. Ron DeSantis nails it again, this time on student loan so-called "forgiveness."

Joe Biden may have 'sealed the fate' of the Democrats this November

Sky News Australia's James Morrow discusses Joe Biden's vote-buying scheme.

Mark Dice: Zuckerberg finally admits it on Hunter Biden laptop

Facebook suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story in October 2020. Twitter censored it. Both should be charged with election interference. 

Mark Dice has more. 

Revised GDP figures confirm we are in a recession

Until a month ago, the definition of a recession was two successive quarters with declining GDP. 

But the Democrats, who have trouble defining what a man and a woman is, changed that.

From Fox News:

The U.S. economy shrank at slightly slower pace in the second quarter than previously reported, but continued to meet the criteria for a so-called technical recession as raging inflation and higher interest rates weighed on spending.

Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of goods and services produced across the economy, shrank by 0.6% on an annualized basis in the second quarter, the Commerce Department said in its second reading of the data on Thursday. That is below the initially reported 0.9% decline.

GDP already contracted by 1.6% in the period from January to March, the worst performance since the spring of 2020, when the economy was deep in the throes of the COVID-induced recession.

Recessions are technically defined by two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth and are characterized by high unemployment, low or negative GDP growth, falling income and slowing retail sales, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which tracks downturns.

Mark Dice: Bye bye Dr. Fauci

Mark Dice looks at some of the lies and propaganda from Dr. Anthony Fauci, who will be retiring next year, just before, presumably, a Republican takeover of the House and perhaps the Senate. 

Here's my favorite. If you get vaccinated, Fauci said, you won't get COVID-19. Of course this summer Joe Biden, despite being vaccinated and boosted, got COVID. Twice. He's not alone.

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True: First PolitiFact "Pants on Fire" rating went to Joe Biden in 2007

Contrary to a gazillion charges that I live in a conservative silo, I seek out other news sources. Yesterday there was an online town hall call, or something like that, on Twitter held by PolitiFact, which many years ago was a pretty decent site, but it is now mainly, like other "fact-checking" sources, mainly engaged in protecting the leftist narrative. 

One of the speakers, Bill Adair, was the author of the first "fact-check," which he admitted was "tounge-in-cheek," that received the first "Pants on Fire" rating as false. 

And the first recipient of that Liar-Liar award was none other than Joe Biden, who on July 4, 2007, during his painful second run for the presidency, claimed that then-President George W. Bush was "brain-dead."

From that fact-check. 

During a campaign stop in Iowa on July 4, the six-term senator declared, "This guy is brain-dead."

It's an extreme charge, since brain death is defined as "irreversible unconciousness with complete loss of brain function" (Encyclopedia of Death and Dying).

Was the "fact-check" sarcastic? Of course. But it's nonetheless telling that Biden was the first person to receive this dishonor.

There were many more lies to come. From Biden and PolitiFact.  

Watters bids farewell to Stelter and Fauci

Brian Stelter was finally fired by CNN. And "Science" himself, St. Anthony Fauci of Wuhan, announced his retirement. 

The world is a better place. 

Jesse Watters has more.

Three shot to death over weekend in Chicago, at least 33 wounded, including 6-year-old girl

Christopher Columbus statue at
Grant Park in 2010

Chicago's Summer of Joy gave us yet another violent weekend. As it kicked off, Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Chicago's Monument Project released its report, recommending some statues, including three of Christopher Columbus, never see the light of day. Clearly Lightfoot's priorities are in the wrong place.

Over the past weekend three people were shot to death, a man in Canaryville on the Southwest Side, a man in Gresham on the South Side was fatally wounded, and on the West Side, in Homan Square, a man was shot to death there.

At least 33 others were wounded, including a six-year old girl in Englewood on the South Side.

From Da Tech Guy: Chicago is being devoured by violence, so city looks to removing monuments

The latest from Chicago on woke anger.

From my post at Da Tech Guy: Chicago is being devoured by violence, so city looks to removing monuments,

XTC - Life Begins At The Hop

Here's XTC with their first single that caught any attention, the bouncy "Life Begins At The Hop."

Joe Biden's presidency 'a case of elder abuse' playing out in real time

Senile Joe Biden needs to be placed in a nursing home somewhere in Delaware.

Lightfoot's $1 million reward program for illegal gun tips has paid out only $10,000

Amid glowing headlines last year, Chicago's failed mayor, Lori Lightfoot, pledged $1 million for a rewards program to have illegal guns turned into the police.

How much as the program paid out? Just $10,395.

With liberals, the end result, however, is always about intentions. And Lightfoot means so well. 

Oh, early this morning four people were shot on the Southwest Side in another mass shooting. 

Mark Dice: Goodbye Brian Stelter 🥔

Brian Stelter, CNN's human potato, announced his firing by CNN yesterday. Mark Dice looks back at Stelter's many career lowlights.

Tucker Carlson: Democracy has prevailed in Wyoming

Democracy spoke in Wyoming. And it gave Lynne Cheney a thrashing.

From Wirepoints: Illinois state’s attorneys demand changes to no-bail law

If you think crime in ILL-inois is bad now, just want until 2023 when the Democrats' no-cash bail law goes into effect. From Matt Rosenberg at Wirepoints: Illinois state’s attorneys demand changes to no-bail law.

Mark Dice: Bye Bye Liz Cheney! 😂

Never Trumper Liz Cheney was clobbered by Harriet Hageman in yesterday's Wyoming Republican congressional primary. 

And amazingly she may now run for president. 

 Mark Dice has more.

CBS anchor ripped for 'dishonest' tweet on Trump raid

Norah O'Donnell, CBS News' primetime anchor, claimed in a Tweet that Donald Trump's passports were not seized in the raid of his home at Mar-a-Lago. 

Well, she was wrong. They were.

'Obvious cognitive decline': Joe Biden 'back on the bike' and preoccupied with 'bathing suits'

Rita Panahi at Sky News Australia discusses  cognitively-declining Joe Biden, again, struggling with a handshake, talking about bathing suits, and there is a bonus helping in this clip of another Kamala Harris word salad.

Eight killed and at least 38 others wounded over weekend in Chicago, as well as one mass shooting

Cooler weather has arrived during Lori Lightfoot's Summer of Joy but tempers sadly remain hot.

Over this past weekend, eight people were shot to death and at least 38 others were wounded. 

And there was a mass shooting, in Gresham on the South Side, where one person was fatally shot and four others were wounded. 

Apologists for Chicago like to mention that shootings are down compared to the last two years but much higher still than in 2019. 

Overall crime is higher. 

From Da Tech Guy: Biden presidency drenched in incompetence yet no one has been fired

Today's lesson in idiocy, my post at Da Tech Guy: Biden presidency drenched in incompetence yet no one has been fired.

The Divine Comedy - The Best Mistakes

Here's one of my favorites, The Divine Comedy, with "The Best Mistakes."

From Wirepoints, Chicago crime statistics: Even worse than you think

Matt Rosenberg at Wirepoints sheds some light--and bad news--for those within Chicago government, celebrating the "decline" in crime. For starters, the numbing regularity of crime infects the mindset.

Here's that post: Chicago crime statistics: Even worse than you think.

Beto drops 'F bomb' while discussing Uvalde shooting during Texas governor candidate's town hall

Watch the Democrat nominee for governor of Texas Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke--warning, not safe for work--call someone who doesn't share his views on gus, "a motherf*cker."

Democracy dies in darkness: WaPo retracts headline calling out AG Garland over Trump raid

Attorney General Merrick Garland promised to de-politicize the Justice Deparment, which was mentioend in a Washington Post headline. 

Then the Post changed a headline calling out Garland on that. 

Democracy dies in darkness, as the Washington Compost says.

Donald Trump 'clearly didn't' hide FBI-raided documents on Hunter Biden's laptop

Yes, a Sky News Australia pundit quipped about the raid at Donald Trump's home. If the former president hid any files on Hunter Biden's laptop, the FBI would have conducted another raid.

Inflation dipped to 8.5% in July but remains near 40-year high

The inflation news is a little bit good only because it was so bad last month.

From CNBC:

Inflation reached 8.5% in July, compared with a 40-year high of 9.1% in June, providing a measure of relief to consumers as gas prices fall. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had projected inflation in July to fall to 8.7%. 

On a month-to-month basis, the July Consumer Price Index reading was unchanged from June — meaning no price growth was registered. That compares with June's month-on-month increase of 1.3%. One key force driving inflation has been the price of gasoline. But last month, prices fell 7.7%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. While gas prices are still up 44% from a year earlier, the recent, multiweek decline helped cool off overall price growth in the economy. 

As of Wednesday, the national average price was $4.01 per gallon, according to AAA — about a dollar less than it was in June.

Jean-Pierre repeatedly refuses to say if Biden Is weaponizing DOJ, FBI against political opponents

Karine Jean-Pierre, Joe Biden's pathetic press secretary, refused to answer Fox News' Peter Doocy his question to her inquiring whether under her boss, Joe Biden--or is it Ron Klaine?--the FBI and the Department of Justice has been weaponized. 

My answer: Yes. Biden is politically--and economically--turning American into a banana republic. 

The left, by the way, loves Venezuela. Just saying.

Mark Dice: Trump to be arrested?

The Democrats' thug state attacked freedom last night then the politicized FBI raided Donald Trump's Florida home last night.

Summer of Joy weekend in Chicago: 7 killed and at least 46 others wounded over weekend

Lori Lightfoot's Summer of Joy is winding down.

Seven people were shot to death over the past weekend and at least 46 others were wounded.

Among the fatalities:

Crime on Chicago's el trains is a now a major problem, on Saturday a man was shot to death on the Red Line on the South Side at Chatham.

Also on Saturday, two men were fatally shot in parking lots, one in West Chatham and another in the South Loop. 

From Doug Ross: The Amazing Adventures of FBl Director Wray

 Chris Wray is a fraud. Doug Ross has more. 

From Da Tech Guy: When the Biden White House calls on “experts” to support its agenda, watch your wallet

I hate experts, especially Joe Biden's experts. From my post at Da Tech Guy: When the Biden White House calls on “experts” to support its agenda, watch your wallet.

Cold Wind in August - Van Morrison

There aren't many songs about August, but leave it to Van Morrison to come up with one. Here's "Cold Wind In August" from A Period Of Transition.

Related post of mine at Da Tech Guy: 

Van Morrison continues his attack on lockdowns and government overreach on his tremendous new album

‘Rapidly vanishing audience in the post-Trump era’: CNN’s rating, profits fall

Yes, you would think that CNN could recognize a recession, as one Tweeter quipped. After all, all they need to do is take a look at their declining profits.

As always with the left, CNN can blame Donald Trump for its problems.

From Wirepoints: Illinois officials ignore mass-shooting risks: 1,800 Cook County residents deemed “clear and present danger” still hold FOID cards

A FOID card in Illinois is the Firearm Owners Identification card. And as Matt Rosenberg at Wirepoints tells us, some people here in Cook County, where Chicago is, should have one. What is being done about it? Here's that article: Illinois officials ignore mass-shooting risks: 1,800 Cook County residents deemed “clear and present danger” still hold FOID cards.

New poll reveals Joe Biden's approval rating tanks to 31 percent

Megyn Kelly talks about Joe Biden's approval ratings free fall on Australia's Sky News.

Paul Pelosi arrest details revealed

The ruling class, particularly those who are Democrats, are answerable, if they are at all, to much different rules than the peasants.

Gutfeld: Fact-checkers say Biden didn't chase the ice cream truck

The increasingly detached from reality "fact-checkers" have embarrassed themselves again by "fact-checking" an obviously doctored video posted for satirical purposes. Gutfeld gives us more on Reuters and their Biden fact-check. 

Read the link below for my take-down of these fools.

Related post of mine from Da Tech Guy: 

Fact-checkers are gaslighting Americans over definition of a recession.

Ron DeSantis rejects invite from 'The View'

Ron DeSantis, likely because he wants to avoid an ambush from the hags on The View, declined an invitation to appear on the show.

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Jean-Pierre can't produce any evidence the Bidenflation scam will lower inflation in short term

How fitting. The worst White House press secretary ever represents perhaps America's worst president ever. For now, I rank James Buchanan lower than Brandon. For now. 

Oh, Karine "Binder" Jean-Pierre is incapable of explaining what the Dems are promoting as an anti-inflation bill will lower inflation. 

Yes, she looks at her binder here.

This is the perfect symbol of the Biden era: Gutfeld

To protect from theft, spam is being locked behind a case in some New York City stores. Welcome to Biden's America.

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From Wirepoints: Skip the glitz: economic development for Chicago starts with core academic skills, intact families and parenting

Over at Wirepoints, Matt Rosenberg looks at the two root causes of Chicago's problems. The lack of two-parent families and public schools that cannot produce many students who possess basic academic skills

Here is that article: Skip the glitz: economic development for Chicago starts with core academic skills, intact families and parenting.

Four dead, including a 16-year-old boy, and at least 40 others wounded over weekend in Chicago

Over this past weekend, as Lollapalooza was held downtown in Grant Park, the carnage in Chicago continued. During the weekend, four people were shot to death and at least 40 were wounded. 

The weekend's youngest fatal shooting victim is a 16-year-old boy who what shot early Sunday morning in the Brighton Park neighborhood on Southwest Side while he was a passenger in a car. 

There were two deadly drive by shootings early Saturday. A man was killed as a he stood on a sidewalk in Bucktown on the Northwest Side. And in Gresham on the South Side another passenger in a car shot to death. 

Shortly after dawn on Sunday, a man was discovered dead from multiple gunshot wounds in Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side.