Little Sister Resister: How do you plead this time?

Does anyone else feel energized? That's not quite the feeling. I am not sure how to name this emotion. Energy, vindication, sadness, pride, happiness, patriotism, anticipation, stirred up with a heaping cup of schadenfreude.

More than the other cases, this one gives me big feelz. djt is finally forced to face his accusers for the ultimate in crimes against the nation. This is a huge moment for our county.

He appeared in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse yesterday, steps away from the United States Capitol where the blood of his crimes lies. If he cared to look up as he arrived, he might have spotted the Capitol Dome. If he listened real close, he might have heard echos of the screams of law enforcement officers being beaten.

After he was arrested and fingerprinted for the third time in five months, he made his way from the basement to the courtroom. It was there that he appeared before the judge.

He was arraigned in front of Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya. This woman, an immigrant from India, held power over him. After making him wait 15 minutes past the scheduled start time (yummy!), she read him his rights and the charges against him.

He awkwardly stated his name, in response to her questions. "Donald J. Trump — John — Donald John Trump," and his age, "seven seven... 77."

He answered other of the judge's questions, among them, "Have you taken any medications which would make it difficult for you to understand today’s proceedings?" ("No"), and he heard the possible 20+ year jail sentences (extra yummy – how many of you believe that his lawyers ever made him aware of the range of possible jail time?). He also made a plea ("Not guilty" in case there was a question).

Some of the best moments was when she referred to him as "Mr. T****." He is just another private citizen, in court to face charges for January 6 like a thousand thugs before him. Apparently he was "irked" at her calling him "Mr.," and it put him in a foul mood. Good! Let him stew and boil.

Judge Upadhyaya also made him aware of the conditions of his release. As in the previous arrests, the prosecutors didn't request that he be restricted in travel, and he wasn't required to surrender his passport. But the conditions that were placed were pointed. In effect: 1. Do not commit a crime, and 2. Do not try to influence a witness. In addition, the judge required that T**** not retaliate against witnesses or obstruct the administration of justice. She warned him that he could be arrested if he does so.

He signed a document agreeing, but these conditions will be difficult for him. Coercion, retaliation, obstruction, and criminal acts are his bread and butter. Not influencing a witness will tie him in knots.

In addition, the judge took up a couple of scheduling matters. She ordered the parties to come up with a requested date for a trial start date, and she set the next hearing for August 28. That hearing, and everything after, will be before Judge Tanya Chutkan, an immigrant from Jamaica. Another powerful woman, she will rule over him and the rest of the proceedings, in this, the most important case in the history of the United States. How sweet our system!

Unfortunately, we aren't able to see any of this for ourselves, as cameras aren't allowed in Federal cases. By all accounts from those who were there, he was a small man, all alone, very much un-powerful. You might even say impotent.

We are able to understand the arraignment hearing only through the eyes of the few journalists who get seats in the courtroom. Here are a few of the accounts:

Reading others' words is all we got, but wholly inadequate. We need to bear witness to these proceedings with our own eyes and ears. We deserve to witness this trial and not have a handful of journalists and sketch artists describe it or have to skim a dry transcript. It's important for the world to see, especially all Americans, including the MAGAt crowd. There is no spinning when it is in front of the American people live and in bright full-color Justice-O-Rama.

Law professor Neal Katyal, writing in The Washington Post agrees with me. One way to get cameras in the courtroom is to have Congress pass a statute allowing it. How does that happen? By We the People asking. Demanding. Go to Resistbot and write to your Members of Congress (it works across messaging apps or regular text), and ask that they pass a law to allow for cameras to be in the federal courthouse for this case, at least. Send the word "Resist" to 50409 and the bot will take you through the process.

A note about his behavior: He seems to think this is a game. Hours before his arraignment, he truth-socialed, "“I need one more indictment to ensure my election!" Just wait, Mr. T****. It's coming this month!

And a note about more feelz: though we didn't see the inside of the courtroom, we saw the outside. I was moved by the protesters holding signs, signs they held in my stead. If I could be in Washington, I would be, protesting alongside as afforded by our First Amendment.

How Sweet the Art

Cameras weren't allowed in the courtroom, and the Defendant was escorted in and out of the building through back doors, so there are no photographs or video of yesterday's hearing.

This was the first sketch that emerged from the arraignment. That bearded guy on the left? That's Jack Smith. Apparently the two made eye contact at least once.