Etiquette



DP Etiquette

First rule: Don't be a jackass.

Other rules: Do not attack or insult people you disagree with. Engage with facts, logic and beliefs. Out of respect for others, please provide some sources for the facts and truths you rely on if you are asked for that. If emotion is getting out of hand, get it back in hand. To limit dehumanizing people, don't call people or whole groups of people disrespectful names, e.g., stupid, dumb or liar. Insulting people is counterproductive to rational discussion. Insult makes people angry and defensive. All points of view are welcome, right, center, left and elsewhere. Just disagree, but don't be belligerent or reject inconvenient facts, truths or defensible reasoning.

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

We are constantly being lied to

This ABC News report quotes djt as saying that federal prosecution of a corrupt sheriff in Virginia was political and part of Biden's weaponized DoJ. djt pardoned the criminal. djt said: "Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ. In fact, during his trial, when Sheriff Jenkins tried to offer exculpatory evidence to support himself, the Biden Judge, Robert Ballou, refused to allow it, shut him down, and then went on a tirade."

I asked Pxy to fact check djt's characterization of the situation.
Q: How true are Trump's allegations that the trial discussed here https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-pardons-virginia-sheriff-convicted-federal-bribery-charges/story?id=122206606, was partisan and flawed?

A: President Donald Trump's allegations that Scott Jenkins' trial was politically motivated and legally flawed lack substantive evidence when examined against the factual record 3 5.

1. Claim: "Biden DOJ weaponization"

Reality: The prosecution occurred under Trump’s administration. Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee, who led the case, was appointed by Trump and remained in his role during the trial and sentencing 3. The Justice Department’s press release explicitly states Jenkins violated federal law by accepting bribes for badges, with evidence including undercover FBI recordings and financial records 3 6.

Contradiction: Trump’s claim that the Biden DOJ targeted Jenkins is factually inconsistent, as sentencing occurred in March 2025. The DoJ prosecution team consisted of Trump-era holdovers until the new administration formally took over in Jan. 2025. The lead DoJ prosecutor was a djt appointee.

2. Claim: Judge Robert Ballou blocked exculpatory evidence

Reality: While Trump accused the Biden-appointed judge of suppressing evidence, trial records show:
  • The jury convicted Jenkins based on overwhelming evidence, including $75,000 in bribes, audio recordings, and testimony from FBI agents 3 6 8.
  • Judges routinely exclude evidence deemed irrelevant or inadmissible under federal rules. No specific details about the excluded evidence have been disclosed to validate Trump’s unsupported assertion 5.
So there we have it. djt pardons criminal loyalists, falsely claiming the DoJ was weaponized by Biden. djt is an arrogant, insulting liar and a criminal tyrant.