Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures. ― Lovelle Drachman

Today’s column takes a quick look at these people/issues:

• State Auditor Troy Downing
• The Phone Call
• Vandalism
• Speaker Pelosi
• Amen & A-woman

STATE AUDITOR TROY DOWNING:

It was a rough start on Monday for the new Montana State Auditor, Troy Downing.

Lee Newspapers reported that Eric Jacobs, a reverend and electrical contractor from Bozeman, delivered the invocation at Downing’s swearing-in ceremony:

Jacobs referred to the coronavirus pandemic as “false” and meant to induce fear, called for members of the “deep state” to be arrested and prayed that the presidential election be overturned based on unfounded claims of election fraud.

“In many states, our ability to cast a vote and know it will be counted has been compromised and stolen,” Jacobs said in reference to accusations of voter fraud in swing states. “The corruption in our government is rampant and goes from the workers in the street all the way to the Supreme Court.”

It’s “shocking” that someone in Montana believes in the “deep state” and that the pandemic is “false.”

I guess he forgot about the lizard people.

It was reported that Downing denounced the remarks.

Pro-Tip for Team Downing: Always read and approve any remarks, even prayers.

At least the reverend did not copy a prayer from Ricky Bobby:

Dear Lord Baby Jesus, or as our brothers in the South call you: ‘Hey-suz’. We thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Dominos, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell. 

Tuesday is day two – onward and upward.

THE PHONE CALL:

So look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state. – President Donald Trump during an hour-long phone call to the Georgia Secretary of State.

After listening to the call and reading the transcript, I think Dan Rather may have said it best:

The audio of Trump with the Georgia secretary of State. Wow. It’s like telling the Nixon tapes to “hold my beer.”

I would hope the strongest Trump supporters would see that Trump’s actions were wrong. Sadly many don’t. I was hoping the Senators and Representatives who are planning on objecting to the Electoral College vote count Wednesday would announce they were not going to object.

Imagine if Barack Obama was recorded saying the same things.

We can’t have our President acting like a Godfather. That’s how Trump has acted from the beginning. Thankfully it’s about to end.

VANDALISM:

In case you missed it, CNN and other news organizations are reporting that the homes of the two highest-ranking members of Congress — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — have been vandalized, police said, after the Senate stalled Friday on increasing stimulus checks to $2,000 for millions of Americans.

If you cheered because one person’s home was vandalized and disliked that the other person’s home was vandalized, then you are part of the problem.

As Americans, it should bother us that this happened to Pelosi and McConnell. Vandalism and violence are not the answers. We have the freedom to voice our opinions through peaceful protests, through letters to the editor, by voting, by blogging, by helping our favorite candidates, and in many other ways.

SPEAKER PELOSI:

Nancy Pelosi was elected Speaker of the House on Sunday. The vote was 216-209. (AP)

I know some people who in hearing she was elected Speaker probably went over the edge (again). Pelosi plays the political game well. She easily wins reelection in her district term after term.

For those who have a hatred for Pelosi, before you send out the weekly meme on Facebook saying she needs to be impeached, you are making a fool of yourself. She can’t be impeached. She can be expelled.

AMEN & A-WOMAN:

The Kansas City Star reported that U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), a Kansas City Methodist minister serving in his ninth term, delivered the opening prayer as the U.S. House began a new session Sunday. He ended his prayer with the words “Amen and ‘A-woman.’”

The righties went berserk.

Cleaver told the Star that the pun was meant as a tribute to his female colleagues and to Rear Adm. Margaret Grun Kibben, the new House chaplain and first woman to hold the role. “I concluded with a lighthearted pun in recognition of the record number of women who will be representing the American people in Congress during this term as well as in recognition of the first female Chaplain of the House of Representatives whose service commenced this week.”

At least he did not mention the deep state…

## WEAR A MASK ##