Dem
51
GOP
49
Here's a story where everyone involved is worthy of some schadenfreude. Donald Trump Jr., as you may know, conducts speaking tours where he sells tickets for a sum that is rather princely, especially given that he's more like a court fool. We're talking $100+ per person, which is quite a lot for blather you could just as easily hear by watching any of 500 Trump Jr. YouTube videos.
Last year, Trump Jr. was supposed to take the show to Australia, and to that end his operation sold many thousands of tickets to Aussie fans of his. Then, the trip was postponed due to alleged "visa problems," and then it was postponed again. Now, ticket holders want their money back, and Trump Jr. and his people have gone incommunicado. The ticket holders may have to get in line behind New York State, at this point. It's a situation where you kinda hope that Trump Jr. doesn't get to keep the money, but where you also hope that the people who paid to hear his hateful rhetoric don't get their money back.
That's a pretty small shot of schadenfreude, however, so let's round it out by moving on to another presidential son. Hunter Biden got grilled for 6 hours yesterday in front of the House Oversight Committee and House Judiciary Committee (transcript here). The GOP members were trying desperately to dig up some dirt and, by all indications, they were not successful. Certainly, all the coverage was about the various embarrassments suffered by Republican members.
Most obviously, and most schadenfreude-ish, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) decided to ask Biden: "Were you on drugs when you were on the Burisma board?" Biden reportedly looked directly at Gaetz and replied: "Mr. Gaetz, look me in the eye. You really think that's appropriate to ask me?" The Representative, who was obviously trying to look away, mumbled that he thought it was OK, and Biden said: "Of all the people sitting around this table, do you think that's appropriate to ask me?" Shades of Joseph Welch and Joe McCarthy.
Meanwhile, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) came to the hearing prepared to do a little trolling. So, for example, he asked the First Son a series of questions, including: "Did your father ever employ in the Oval Office any direct family member to also work in the Oval Office?," "While your father was President, did anyone in the family receive 41 trademarks from China?," and "Has your father ever in his time as an adult been fined $355 million by any State that he worked in?" In case you need a cheat sheet, the answer to all questions is "no," though it would be different if certain other presidential sons were answering.
The bon mot of the day for Swalwell, however, was not addressed to Hunter Biden. No, it was a question for Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY). During an exchange over the Committee's transcripts, and when they would be released, Swalwell wondered if Comer would be issuing them "in English or Russian?" Game, set, and match for the Californian. (Z)