The level of corruption in Washington, DC, is profound and unprecedented within the lifetimes of anyone who is part of The Warning community. Have a read of this excellent article by superb “The New York Times” reporter Ken Vogel. Jeff Miller, about whom I’ve previously written, is a “bag man.” He collects the cash that pays for special treatment — and gives a license for the most powerful corporations in America to write their own laws. Jeff Miller is the 2023 version of Paul Manafort and Jack Abramoff. It always happens in plain sight.
I'd love to know what connections this mfer has to SC justices and the cases that go up in front of them and also his possible involvement in the money part of Jan 6. This country isn't run by a governmental body it's run by greedy corporations. And the more I watch this new House, I really believe the Rep GOP are planning anouther insurrection from inside the Capitol this time if the election doesn't go their way. Think about what their first move was- fire the Sargent at Arms and allow themselves to carry firearms inside the building/committee rooms and no magnetometers. Who do you think told them to do that?
How do people become criminals? What is the process that leads an innocent child to grow up to be someone who deliberately hurts others? Is Greed enough of an answer? IDK. It seems Greed is more of a symptom, less of a foundational motivator. We all want money and power... but we want the money and power for radically different goals. So, I ask again: How do people become these kinds of criminals?
Has anyone stopped to think that we are living within our own Godfather film, and perhaps we are too comfortable with the plot lines, the corrupt absurdities as we have seen it all before, albeit largely on screen, but now are conflating life with art because it feels so familiar?
Thanks for sharing Ken Vogel's great profile of Mr. Miller, an actor that we should all be aware of. I am a huge fan of Ken's, been following his work for years.
Why do guys like this get to operate with virtually no scrutiny from law enforcement? Where is the DOJ? Of course, the DOJ doesn’t seem motivated to deal with much of anything, imo. Donald Trump is still a free man! Unbelievable…
I'll add a bit more information to the NYT article. This is from a excellent, detailed, and very disturbing report by Jasper Craven in "Politico", 4/4/2019*.
"For former members of Congress, federal rules demand a one-year 'cooling-off period' before personally lobbying Congress. (Former federal agency officials face their own set of more rigorous lobbying restrictions, including a two-year lobbying ban on issues they focused on while in government.) However, CONGRESSIONAL RULES SAY NOTHING ABOUT SOLICITING EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS [the Veteran's Affair office, in this case], and they also EXPRESSLY ALLOW FORMER LAWMAKERS TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION, so long as they stay in a 'background' role. This language granted Miller significant latitude to lobby an agency that is increasingly open to private contracting."
And this from Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: "It’s a bad precedent, in some ways the worst of what Washington can be.”
*Steve, after posting this, I looked back at your article from 11/14 /22 which you mentioned in today's post. In your article, you referred to Politico as "delusional" and accused the author of an 11/8/22 article in "Politico", as well as "Politico" itself, "typical in Washington, DC. The worst and shadiest operators —like Miller — operate in the light of day protected by the media that celebrates them." I didn't perceive Hailey Fuchs's article as "celebrating" Miller; and certainly the complete opposite was the case in Craven's 2019 article. Please help me understand your critique of "Politico". I have trusted them for a long time and want to understand how my trust has been misplaced, in your perception.
Money is the problem! Nothing will change without fixing that. It drives everything. We can elect great people with great character but behind the scenes the money is pushing all the levers. I’m not a pessimist but I’m beginning to see nothing will change until that changes.
Yes, the level of corruption is way out of control! Disgusting? Rampant? Grifting by the entitled ones? Guess who writes the bills and votes for all of it?
This is the terrific article by Jane Mayer (The New Yorker); awesome writing and investigative journalism. Outstanding and it puts all of the myths and cover-up alibis to rest.
How come you often cite the NYX? You’ve been quite dismissive of them. My take is in spite of some failings, they do very well at investigative reporting and comprehensive journalism.
So if Miller is so powerful and his guy H was so tied in to Kevin and Trump, what was the inside story behind Trump blocking the acquisition of Qualcomm? Miller and McCarthy lost that very big deal to whom on the other side??
Any of those governors just mentioned: Whitney, Polis. Pete Buttigieg. Love Cory Booker but he won’t run. Gavin Newsom.. might be too “coastal elite” though. Larry Hogan.
Libraries use to host free publication of press articles. Google has since replaced the trip to the institution building itself. Think about it. Are libraries a free institution of books and knowledge guaranteed? This American experience is dying. Free press has been highjacked by Faux news because that garbage is free. Paywalls for press is one thing however when access to knowledge, news or education must be paid for we have just lost the principle of freedom.
Bagging people like Jeff Miller is a complex problem that requires a combination of both systematic and individual approaches. On the systemic level, governments, corporations, nongovernmental organizations, law enforcement, and the public itself all have roles to play in addressing this issue. Governments can work to pass and enforce laws that reduce and punish bagging, as well as offer support for victims. Corporations can improve their hiring practices, increase security measures, and provide training for employees to better identify the signs of bagging and how to report it. Nongovernmental organizations can provide resources to support victims, and also advocate for change. Law enforcement can investigate reports of bagging and pursue prosecution whenever possible. And the public can come together to raise awareness, show solidarity with victims, and call out and report bagging whenever they encounter it.
I unsubscribed from the NYT towards the end of last year. Lamentably, I can not access the article above by Ken Vogel. But I did unsubscribe for one reason. I can not feel confident in a newspaper that has also a reporting that you have highlighted as unacceptable. Because it is. M. Haberman dismisses the devastating events that pummeled America under Donald Trump when she reports about him in a way one would recount personality traits as being those of ordinary people after a mishap and elucidating about it matter of factly. On CNN she comments that, facing now investigations, court cases and criminal liability, he is "not happy about it" and, given his two major concerns, "how much money he spends and whether anyone is facing criminal charges," working on his presidential campaign is "more pleasing to him." This is wrong all over. If a newspaper has good and excellent reporters, why not put pressure upon the paper when a president has done what no other has done before and must never do again? Many stories under her authorship are bylined also by other reporters. Go figure. That one person unsubscribes makes no difference at all. For the paper. To me it does. So, yes, one misses the good and the excellent, but the good and excellent are always found elsewhere. On the Bag Man, in The Warning.
The Bag Man. The Politico article was written on November 8, 2022, in the wee hours of the morning. A guide about how to accept normal political partnerships, with no journalistic guts to confront the subjects of such a recount of personal "achievements" as if McCarthy is a trusted politician that would pursue a conservative agenda like an expected and normal politician would do. No address at all about the Accelerated Access to be given to Special Interests, the interests that literally change the face of a nation to accommodate the business of the few where no trickle down economics seems to exist anymore. Only death from pharma intrusions, climactic disasters accelerated to the Freezing Point before the Hellish Heats, the rape of native land for Chic-to-Chic... chicanery. No interest at all by the reporter to wonder why businesses flip-flopped so suddenly after the House Republican Intervention into the Insurrection and its aftermath were completely dismissed as not important, in a Congress where today a Boebert kid wants guns in the House. I looked at one, two other reports by the reporter. I reread about this provincial man Miller, the effect of President Clinton's ban on assault weapons, and the California fraud case (links to links) that is so compelling because there is fishy stuff involving "dark money" still finding a recipient after the millionary fines descended upon the Bag Man and his business. The Chamber of Commerce threat was that, a threat. A political threat. How much more do we need to know in order to understand how broken politics is under the roof of McCarthy's house?
Jeff Miller: the “bag man”
Keep shining a light on these people. The more attention they receive the less corruption goes unnoticed.
I'd love to know what connections this mfer has to SC justices and the cases that go up in front of them and also his possible involvement in the money part of Jan 6. This country isn't run by a governmental body it's run by greedy corporations. And the more I watch this new House, I really believe the Rep GOP are planning anouther insurrection from inside the Capitol this time if the election doesn't go their way. Think about what their first move was- fire the Sargent at Arms and allow themselves to carry firearms inside the building/committee rooms and no magnetometers. Who do you think told them to do that?
How do people become criminals? What is the process that leads an innocent child to grow up to be someone who deliberately hurts others? Is Greed enough of an answer? IDK. It seems Greed is more of a symptom, less of a foundational motivator. We all want money and power... but we want the money and power for radically different goals. So, I ask again: How do people become these kinds of criminals?
Has anyone stopped to think that we are living within our own Godfather film, and perhaps we are too comfortable with the plot lines, the corrupt absurdities as we have seen it all before, albeit largely on screen, but now are conflating life with art because it feels so familiar?
Thanks for sharing Ken Vogel's great profile of Mr. Miller, an actor that we should all be aware of. I am a huge fan of Ken's, been following his work for years.
Sorry cannot read ‘excellent’ articles due to paywall restrictions. The press is not free and it is no accident.
Why do guys like this get to operate with virtually no scrutiny from law enforcement? Where is the DOJ? Of course, the DOJ doesn’t seem motivated to deal with much of anything, imo. Donald Trump is still a free man! Unbelievable…
I'll add a bit more information to the NYT article. This is from a excellent, detailed, and very disturbing report by Jasper Craven in "Politico", 4/4/2019*.
"For former members of Congress, federal rules demand a one-year 'cooling-off period' before personally lobbying Congress. (Former federal agency officials face their own set of more rigorous lobbying restrictions, including a two-year lobbying ban on issues they focused on while in government.) However, CONGRESSIONAL RULES SAY NOTHING ABOUT SOLICITING EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS [the Veteran's Affair office, in this case], and they also EXPRESSLY ALLOW FORMER LAWMAKERS TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION, so long as they stay in a 'background' role. This language granted Miller significant latitude to lobby an agency that is increasingly open to private contracting."
And this from Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: "It’s a bad precedent, in some ways the worst of what Washington can be.”
*Steve, after posting this, I looked back at your article from 11/14 /22 which you mentioned in today's post. In your article, you referred to Politico as "delusional" and accused the author of an 11/8/22 article in "Politico", as well as "Politico" itself, "typical in Washington, DC. The worst and shadiest operators —like Miller — operate in the light of day protected by the media that celebrates them." I didn't perceive Hailey Fuchs's article as "celebrating" Miller; and certainly the complete opposite was the case in Craven's 2019 article. Please help me understand your critique of "Politico". I have trusted them for a long time and want to understand how my trust has been misplaced, in your perception.
Money is the problem! Nothing will change without fixing that. It drives everything. We can elect great people with great character but behind the scenes the money is pushing all the levers. I’m not a pessimist but I’m beginning to see nothing will change until that changes.
Yes, the level of corruption is way out of control! Disgusting? Rampant? Grifting by the entitled ones? Guess who writes the bills and votes for all of it?
What’s this dirt bag doing living in liberal Austin? I’ve lived here since 1973 and I’m sure he doesn’t fit in well.
Thanks for the link.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/27/the-insiders
How Sarah Palin came to be.....
This is the terrific article by Jane Mayer (The New Yorker); awesome writing and investigative journalism. Outstanding and it puts all of the myths and cover-up alibis to rest.
I've always wondered how and why people choose to be criminals and become a menace to the rest of the country. Are people like Jeff Miller born evil?
Thank you Steve for bringing this man and his corruption out in the open.
What is it with conservatives named Miller. Getting hard to sort them out.
How come you often cite the NYX? You’ve been quite dismissive of them. My take is in spite of some failings, they do very well at investigative reporting and comprehensive journalism.
For those blocked because they don’t have a subscription.👇
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/03/us/politics/jeff-miller-lobbyist-kevin-mccarthy.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuonUktbfqIhkSlUbACbIRp8_qRmHmfnE2_s-i3HwaS2UTTJP1aERBIKK6kbWee9gasUy2XGeT9RIKqMvVbpy0upbdQRLejWfn6Glyt4DMjln7sW6RH831JbAGuFgqTHjMmXmbeojnLD64h7cYH3gW_TYzXMiIQ00qcEycAyqimcahfuQSp4D0dl91PclAJ1wVG1AMHHM56-0fk04bNaWbRjc6B00WPVbXFzQmt2b67EGc2ZCGA6MDSM_sStntoQqaJ5AN73_LhUhZMP-nb0bb2RsJ4uqDJAwLJPGMx_nNp_SMyYs2x4IAv4zYg&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
So dirty. They mock us. Smug greed.
His face says it all.
Steve - I'm a subscriber and am signed in but can't read the rest of this substack. Help, please?
The Jane Mayer article on Sarah Palin - how Palin was chosen by a cabal of Republican leaders... was published in 2008, so no paywall
Nice. More articles needs to be written for public consumption. And more often.
Prescient of your father. Yes. I agree entirely. I was a full adult with critical thinking skills and could see what was clearly happening.
This is behind a pay wall. I am reading your comments and getting the gist of it.
So if Miller is so powerful and his guy H was so tied in to Kevin and Trump, what was the inside story behind Trump blocking the acquisition of Qualcomm? Miller and McCarthy lost that very big deal to whom on the other side??
Sounds like Miller is the brains behind the operation(s). Miller can play 3-dimensional chess while McCarthy struggles at checkers.
Any of those governors just mentioned: Whitney, Polis. Pete Buttigieg. Love Cory Booker but he won’t run. Gavin Newsom.. might be too “coastal elite” though. Larry Hogan.
Oh, got it. Thanks for the clarification.
Free Press vs. Paid Press
Libraries use to host free publication of press articles. Google has since replaced the trip to the institution building itself. Think about it. Are libraries a free institution of books and knowledge guaranteed? This American experience is dying. Free press has been highjacked by Faux news because that garbage is free. Paywalls for press is one thing however when access to knowledge, news or education must be paid for we have just lost the principle of freedom.
Bagging people like Jeff Miller is a complex problem that requires a combination of both systematic and individual approaches. On the systemic level, governments, corporations, nongovernmental organizations, law enforcement, and the public itself all have roles to play in addressing this issue. Governments can work to pass and enforce laws that reduce and punish bagging, as well as offer support for victims. Corporations can improve their hiring practices, increase security measures, and provide training for employees to better identify the signs of bagging and how to report it. Nongovernmental organizations can provide resources to support victims, and also advocate for change. Law enforcement can investigate reports of bagging and pursue prosecution whenever possible. And the public can come together to raise awareness, show solidarity with victims, and call out and report bagging whenever they encounter it.
I unsubscribed from the NYT towards the end of last year. Lamentably, I can not access the article above by Ken Vogel. But I did unsubscribe for one reason. I can not feel confident in a newspaper that has also a reporting that you have highlighted as unacceptable. Because it is. M. Haberman dismisses the devastating events that pummeled America under Donald Trump when she reports about him in a way one would recount personality traits as being those of ordinary people after a mishap and elucidating about it matter of factly. On CNN she comments that, facing now investigations, court cases and criminal liability, he is "not happy about it" and, given his two major concerns, "how much money he spends and whether anyone is facing criminal charges," working on his presidential campaign is "more pleasing to him." This is wrong all over. If a newspaper has good and excellent reporters, why not put pressure upon the paper when a president has done what no other has done before and must never do again? Many stories under her authorship are bylined also by other reporters. Go figure. That one person unsubscribes makes no difference at all. For the paper. To me it does. So, yes, one misses the good and the excellent, but the good and excellent are always found elsewhere. On the Bag Man, in The Warning.
The Bag Man. The Politico article was written on November 8, 2022, in the wee hours of the morning. A guide about how to accept normal political partnerships, with no journalistic guts to confront the subjects of such a recount of personal "achievements" as if McCarthy is a trusted politician that would pursue a conservative agenda like an expected and normal politician would do. No address at all about the Accelerated Access to be given to Special Interests, the interests that literally change the face of a nation to accommodate the business of the few where no trickle down economics seems to exist anymore. Only death from pharma intrusions, climactic disasters accelerated to the Freezing Point before the Hellish Heats, the rape of native land for Chic-to-Chic... chicanery. No interest at all by the reporter to wonder why businesses flip-flopped so suddenly after the House Republican Intervention into the Insurrection and its aftermath were completely dismissed as not important, in a Congress where today a Boebert kid wants guns in the House. I looked at one, two other reports by the reporter. I reread about this provincial man Miller, the effect of President Clinton's ban on assault weapons, and the California fraud case (links to links) that is so compelling because there is fishy stuff involving "dark money" still finding a recipient after the millionary fines descended upon the Bag Man and his business. The Chamber of Commerce threat was that, a threat. A political threat. How much more do we need to know in order to understand how broken politics is under the roof of McCarthy's house?