Uh oh. There’s a run on fainting couches at Wayfair.
The kerfuffle du jour is the incredibly phony “scandal” of Joaquin Castro tweeting the names and occupations of Trump donors in San Antonio. Through what nefarious plot did Joaquin get this information?
The Internet — where anyone can. That’s the purpose of the campaign finance laws and everyone who has donated through Act Blue or “Give Fascist” (or whatever it’s called) knows you have to give your name, occupation and place of business, and that it’s public.
“Doxxing” is defined by Merriam-Webster as to publicly identify or publish private information about (someone) especially as a form of punishment or revenge.
Got that? It’s not doxing if it’s already public information.
Public disclosure is the fucking purpose of the fucking law.
And yet the “kids chasing the new soccer ball” media runs panting after the faux Republican outrage over this, as though it were the equivalent of “send her home.”
Fortunately, Joaquin is doubling down, not backing down:
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic congressman from Texas and chairman of the presidential campaign of his twin brother, Julián, fired back on Tuesday after being castigated on social media for tweeting the names and occupations of his constituents who’d maxed out their donations to President Donald Trump.
His tweet contained a graphic titled “Who’s funding Trump?” and listed the names of 44 people who purportedly contributed the maximum amount allowed by campaign finance laws. Their occupations, which, like donor names, are public record, were also listed. Close to a dozen of the donors shown are retirees.
Driftglass tweets
Consider that, in one day using public records, Joaquin Castro has given the good guys more useful, actionable intel that can be used to help drive the American fascist party out of power than all the grandiose talk from all the Never Trumpers combined.
Even NY Timers reporters are shocked, shocked, yet:
The NY Times published a searchable database and 4870 pages of donor names, all 146,000, all the way down to donors who gave $1 to the Clinton Foundation. From amicable stationery helper.
You’d think Maggie et al would know that.
There’s so much bad about this it’s astonishing.
- Castro is doing what the law allows and is its very purpose
- The Media is outraged over legal, helpful activity.
- Republicans are demanding the other Castro apologize for his brother.
- The real issue is dark money, where hundreds of thousands are given with no disclosure. (Thanks Justice Kennedy.)
- Why is it so shameful to have it revealed you are a Trump donor? (rhetorical question)
