It’s Hump Day! Today is Wednesday, September 27, 2023, and here are the topics for today’s commentary:

• The List
• Robert Menendez
• Campaign Signs
• Trump Committed Fraud
• One More Thing

THE LIST:

The Great Falls Tribune is reporting that on Monday, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office issued a news release warning Cascade County residents that if they don {sic} not complete and return their previously issued jury selection questionnaires by Oct. 12, they may be subject to a visit from a Cascade County sheriff’s deputy and a citation, and if they continue to fail to respond they could be subject to a contempt of court charge.

I am shaking in my boots.

The Cascade County Sheriff’s Department issued a list of residents who have not responded to the Clerk of District Court Jury Selection Questionnaire. It has around 1,100 names according to the Tribune.

I was not on the list.

“If a person fails to respond to the notice, the clerk shall certify the failure to the Sheriff, who shall serve the notice personally and make reasonable efforts to require the person to respond,” the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) news release states. “All persons who have not responded will be notified by phone, their name will be published publicly, and a deputy will serve the notice.”

I am still shaking in my boots because the ultimate law enforcement person in the county (Jesse Slaughter) is on the hunt for people who don’t return the questionnaire.

The Tribune says the fine for failing to respond to a jury selection questionnaire is just $50.

Can I pay $50 per year to not fill out their silly questionnaire? By the way, the questionnaire appears to be written by a third grader, which may be why the jury selection process in this county is so effed up.

As I sit here writing this post, I see that I received a questionnaire from the Justice Court a few days ago. In big bold letters, it informs me that I must “Fill out and return the following within seven (7) days.”

What if I wait eight (8) days?

As many of you know, I’ve written to the clerks of the courts (Federal, State District, and Justice) asking them to remove me from jury selection because I am listed twice and have been subjected to more notices than most. They never responded. That’s my taxpayer money at work.

You can read the Tribune article HERE. You can see the Facebook post from the Sheriff’s office HERE.

U.S. SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ:

In case you missed it, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez (D) was federally indicted in a corruption scheme. This is the second time the New Jersey Democrat has been indicted, but a separate 2015 corruption case ended in a mistrial in 2017 and the government opted not to retry him. (Source).

Some people think it is amazing that several Democratic senators are saying Menendez should resign. I’ve always thought that in these cases, the person should have their day in court and if found guilty resign.

Cory Booker the other Senator from New Jersey, made the call for Menendez to resign yesterday. Montana Senator Jon Tester said via a press release:

“I’ve read the detailed charges against Senator Menendez and find them deeply disturbing. While he deserves a fair trial like every other American, I believe Senator Menendez should resign for the sake of the public’s faith in the U.S. Senate.”

These calls by Democrats for Menendez to resign are not because these people are as pure as new-fallen snow. They know that they won’t lose the majority in the U.S. Senate because the Governor of New Jersey is a Democrat, and he would appoint another Democrat to fill out the remainder of Menendez’s term.

Plus, the senators (like Tester) who are up for reelection find it easier to call for his resignation than face scrutiny back home.

In D.C., it’s all about the next election.

CAMPAIGN SIGNS:

I am seeing a few campaign signs while out and about in Great Falls. Some are really good, and some are really bad. I think the basic rule for campaign yard signs should be that you should be able to read the candidate’s last name from several yards away. There are a few that don’t meet that requirement.

Thanks to all the candidates for running.

TRUMP COMMITTED FRAUD:

The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House, and he ordered some of the former president’s companies removed from his control and dissolved.

Trump will appeal.

ONE MORE THING:

“I think that Donald Trump is the most grave threat we will face to our democracy in our lifetime, and potentially in American history.” – Cassidy Hutchinson, former White House aide and assistant to the former Chief of Staff.

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