I guess I'm supposed to introduce myself ...

[nealr]

I completed my 10th post a few minutes ago and I got an email suggesting I introduce myself.

I guess I should say ... I am THAT Neal Rauhauser.

Remover of Bart Stupak and Baron Hill via primaries, defender of Raúl Grijalva during the 2010 election cycle, pursuer of Mike Grimm & Mike Rogers during the 2012 cycle. And by that I mean I moved to their districts that year to better dig for dirt.

Andrew Breitbart dropped dead from a heart attack in the middle of a fight with me back in February of 2012. The precedent setting 1st Amendment case in Texas with my name on it has to do with that episode, but it's been a long, strange trip.

There's lots more where that stuff came from, my literary agent told me I need to do more than just the rauhauser.net Substack, that's a big part of why I'm here. I'm waiting to see how the election turns out before I get serious about writing though, one of my codefendants in the Texas case was murdered three years ago, and the #1 suspect is former Proud Boys counsel Jason Lee Van Dyke. I'm hoping post election they get serious about rounding up all the DVE (Domestic Violent Extremists) out there.

So ... hi, hello, how are you?

[lark]

1. Hello! Glad to have you aboard this bus.

I love DU and hope you like it here too.

[nealr]

4. after years of links

I have an associate who sends me links from DU about specific issues, things where I've been involved in investigating, or they're suggesting I take a look. I think I did have an account here ... maybe in ... 2012? I disappeared from many places for a long time, it just wasn't safe to be visible. Now things are ... escalating, but things have changed as far as me keeping my head down.

[blm]

38. We know the feeling.

Welcome. We get it.

[beveeheart]

2. Welcome.

[brewens]

3. IMPOSTER! Everyone knows Breitbart accidentally swallowed a gagball and choked to death! Nice try

Skippy! Just kidding. My hat's off to you and welcome to DU! LOL

[mercuryblues]

20. I heard he and VD Vance

had a throw pillow fight before that happened.

It's on the internet, so it must be true.

[NoSheep]

31. BAM!

[FalloutShelter]

5. Welcome.

Come on in the water’s fine.
BTW the electric sharks here are your friends.

[BoRaGard]

6. Whoa, look out Leroy. It's getting gnarly around here

?feature=shared

[nealr]

8. funny

I actually AM a Chicago boy, but that ended when I was in preschool. My personal domain, rauhauser.net, listed 1060 West Addison as its mailing address for years, till some ankle biter complained and I had to chance it to a PO box

[Brother Buzz]

50. Jeez Louise, having Elwood Blues as a neighbor must have been interesting

[solara]

19. Welcome!

Glad to meet ya.. hope you enjoy your stay here. Looking forward to reading your posts!

[BoRaGard]

7. Incidentally, nealr

The repubes have been saying aloud that they have "secret" plans to steal the elections.

Can you use your sleuthing skills to uncover what evil plots they have?

[nealr]

13. pretty much

If you Google my name and Figshare you'll find an academically citable recording of the influence op that led to the Capitol Siege - some 220 million tweets and user profiles. The start of that set was the group of people at the White House Media Summit in July of 2019.

Last month Washington Post ran a story and quoted me - there was nothing good on TV, so we got the payroll files and phone logs from Iran's PressTV, exposing that The Grayzone was on their payroll. A few weeks ago Washington Spectator credited me on a preservation job - some wingnut minister in Michigan violating all sorts of IRS rules about nonprofits.

We cold caught a well known right wing U.S. think tank spending $1M+ pushing Russian propaganda. Finally got a reporter to take it, but without being able to sort out who funded it that story is kinda stuck.

Trump's self appointed "Secretary of Retribution", Ivan Raiklin, has a leaky ship, I've had some things on him since 2020 that are of public interest. His operation was just one aspect of a little treasure chest, pieces have been doled out to various reporters. I was hoping the first piece would be out this month, but the world has been a little crazy. Maybe the intro comes out in August, and then the follow on articles start.

But you don't need to be an internet super spy to figure out what they're up to ... there's Project 2025 stories all over the place.

[Prairie_Seagull]

21. "there was nothing good on TV"

Love this line.

Welcome nealr and nice to have you with us.

[BoRaGard]

45. All that is stuff that is public, more or less. But...

what about the secret stuff the Heritage Foundation has been bragging about?

What's up with that? That sneaky secret "already in place" shit strikes me as both important and underhanded. Not in the interest of the American people and our beloved democracy.

https://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2024/07/kevin-roberts-cryptic-warning

[wordstroken]

9. Love your introductory blurb, nealr!

As a life-long author of law school texts, nonfiction, fiction (medical-legal thriller/expose’ novels), plus my history of much political clatter, I hear you about the risks of publishing right now and waiting before moving forward.

Hopefully, things will turn out strongly in Dems favor and we can write what we want.

Welcome to DU.

[nealr]

17. violence

Back in the spring of 2009 I agreed to help Chet Uber get Project VIGILANT going, and my specific concern was right wing extremists who were all activated by our first black president. I didn't care for the direction the organization took, so I went idle in the fall of 2009 and cut ties completely in the winter of 2010, but I've never stopped being worried about that stuff.

In the fifteen years since then two people I had dealings with have been murdered, two others have had their homes fire bombed when they weren't there (RIP pets tho), and one guy's wife was kidnapped/sex trafficked, with their teenage daughter just barely escaping. I've prevailed in four frivolous lawsuits and I have an open OIG complaint against the Dallas FBI field office - one of their paid snitches filed the last frivolous suit against me and it's turned into a precedent setting 1st Amendment case.

There are people who have more extreme threat models than I do, but they're elected officials, whistle blowers, celebrities, and so forth.

I am very much looking forward to President Harris removing Merrick Garland and replacing him with someone who will clean house. He's got good principles, but they need to be backed up with vigorous action, and for whatever reason he can't manage that.

And maybe then I'll feel comfortable sharing about half of the stories from the last fifteen years ...

[Katcat]

32. I, for one,

Love stories from the good guys where the bad guys end up in prison. Or worse

[onecaliberal]

10. Welcome!

[AltairIV]

11. Interesting.

"Andrew Breitbart dropped dead in the middle of a fight with me..." that's quite a item to feature on a resume. I'm intrigued. Welcome aboard!

[Ninga]

12. Welcome neair! I am just an average, 81 yr old, grassroots activi that loves to,read smart OP's. Looking

forward to yours!

[debm55]

14. Welcome

[AllaN01Bear]

15. welcome abord

enjoy your stay in du.

[KS Toronado]

16. Welcome to DU!

[Native]

18. Glad to have you with us again!

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

22. Well, then...

... Welcome! Things look interesting... eom.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

23. Welcome.

[aggiesal]

24. Welcome to DU ...

You'll find that this forum has some of the smartest & funniest scenes of humor.
Again, Welcome

[sarchasm]

25. Welcome!

That’s one explosive resume! Excited to hear what you have brewing!

[Emile]

26. Welcome aboard Neal.

[magicarpet]

27. Plenty of room for one more,...

..... welcome aboard. Sword/pen,... scribble to your heart's content,.. but carry a sharp machete. Figuratively speaking,... of course.

[MiHale]

28. Happy travels on our crazy train...glad to have ya aboard

[gab13by13]

29. Welcome, Nice Introduction.

I like it.

[pandr32]

30. Nice to meet you. Welcome.

[c-rational]

33. Welcome (back) to DU neair.

[NoSheep]

34. So glad to meet you...

Your vibe reminds me of the old DU I joined 20 years ago. A big hearty welcome to the substantive

[Bobstandard]

35. Did that really ha?

Andrew Breitbart dropped dead from a heart attack in the middle of a fight with me back in February of 2012.

I gotta hear more about this

[nealr]

42. wait for the book

If you go look at the @AndrewBreitbart Twitter account you can see some of what happened. It was sanitized after he died, I've still got the original screen shots around here somewhere ...

[Bobstandard]

47. Ooh, no!

I’d like to know the story but not bad enough to go to Xitter for the Brietbart archives

[Cirsium]

36. Stupak

Stupak leaving was a great loss for northern Michigan. Stupak voted with the Democrats in Congress 96% of the time. This is a conservative rural district, yet he enjoyed 68% support. The inevitable alternative, the result of Stupak being driven from office has been an extreme right winger and very little interest or support nationally for Democratic party candidates in this district.

We think we have a realistic chance of winning back this seat and tossing Jack Bergman. We are supporting Callie Barr. Her opponent in the August 6th primary is Dr. Bob Lorinser, a good man and a solid progressive. However, he performed poorly against Bergman in the last cycle ad we think Barr is the better choice to unseat the Republican.

https://callieforcongress.com/

Who’s running against Jack Bergman in Michigan’s 1st Congressional District?

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/whos-running-against-jack-bergman-michigans-1st-congressional-district

[nealr]

41. unfortunate

We ousted Stupak in the primary, Connie Saltonstall had broad support, but the state party is always ready to shortchange candidates with grassroots support, once they've done the heavy lifting. Stupak's anti-abortion stance put him right at the top of the list of Blue Dogs that had to go.

Today Michigan has the spectacle of Mike Rogers running for Senate, when he was fired from the Chicago FBI organized crime squad because an informant he was handling was fabricating evidence against union business agents. He's got lots of union support, doesn't he?

[Cirsium]

48. Yep

It was a mess. Connie Saltonstall withdrew and then refused to support the other Democrat in the race. I call that unfortunate.

“While I think Gary MacDowell is a very nice person, I cannot support his anti-choice politics, and I cannot support a party that endorses candidates who vote to restrict women’s legal rights and access to health care. It is time for Democrats to stop compromising on this issue. I am proud that my campaign has raised the dialogue on health care and choice, and I will continue my leadership role concerning these issues.”

Stupak voted with the Democratic party 96% of the time, Bergman 0%. I call that unfortunate.

[AmBlue]

37. Welcome!!

Look forward to your posts. It is indeed an interesting time... look forward to your posts.

[DoBW]

39. Tally ho ....

[Alliepoo]

40. Hi! So glad to meet you!!

Welcome back to DU- We are happy to have you!

[Different Drummer]

43. Welcome to DU, nealr!

[h2ebits]

44. Welcome! And thank you so much for being here on DU

I use Democratic Underground as my source for news but, although I have been lurking here for a long time, I hardly ever post. I genuinely appreciate your contribution to truth and justice in our world for such a long time.

From my own experience, I know that it is a tough road. I am now happily retired and out of the rat race of the business world war on women. Never silent, I was galvanized into more action by the overturning of Roe vs Wade and have come back roaring to meet the threat of Project 2025, which I consider to be a war against all people. Project 2025 is an attempt to gain total power and control over all of us, as well as, an attempt to overthrow our government and our democratic principles.

Knowledge is power. I'm looking forward to reading your comments and seeing your work in process. So happy that you have introduced yourself and will be a contributing member of DU.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

46. Welcome to DU

[Skittles]

49. I am curious, did you lurk on DU before joining?

we need all the help we can get

[nealr]

53. nope

I had an account here and I spent maybe a week with it, had to be 2011 or 2012. I have no idea what it was called or which email I used. Since then there's a guy I know who periodically sends me threads from here, but never had an account until this last week or so.

[Skittles]

56. I think you will like DU

we are very diverse but we all believe in democracy

[nealr]

58. I think so, too

My experience with DU has always been receiving links about stories that broke, or people doing stuff about some problem. That's kinda nice, it's the thing I've missed most during my years of exile.

[Bayard]

51. Glad you could join us!

[Figarosmom]

52. Welcome

It's too bad Brietbart has so many clones that feel quite safe publishing their propaganda while so many like you are endangered species.

[nealr]

55. law enforcement

The Breitbart trolls are bad enough, but it's the corrupt law enforcement that really got under my skin. I hope we can see an end to qualified immunity in President Harris's first term, and maybe deal with some of the structural racism angles of it. Wouldn't benefit me directly, but it would be nice to not have to see news about gangs with badges any more.

[Figarosmom]

57. Yes thats how a country

Gets taken over by gangs like in the southern hemisphere. Starts with law enforcement and moves up in the government. If Trump wins we can count on local street goons like Rittenhouse or the proud boys or militia groups patrolling in a town near you.

[nealr]

59. November is our civil war referrendum

I've been saying "We're gonna fight" publicly since 2017. If you read Barbara F. Walter's How Civil Wars Start you'll find we have both of the indicators - anocracy, which is the space between democracy and dictatorship, and factionalization to the point of not mixing. The only cure is doubling down on democratic participation, and the GOP is having none of that.

So this November is a referendum - do we want the rule of law, with religious para-states in the rural areas, or are we gonna have some crappy theocracy and who knows what actual resistance to that would look like?

I've walked point on this stuff for fifteen years, now we're down to the last hundred days. If we survive this election with democracy intact, and I do mean IF, we MUST get some answers on why the DOJ couldn't manage to do more than chase the groundlings around after the J6 attack.

[Figarosmom]

60. Im sure he was threatened

In one way or another. And I do hope Harris replaces him first thing.

[nealr]

62. I'm not sure

I wonder if Garland has been as aggressive as possible, given the condition of the DOJ ... I mean, I think he could have done more, but what I just said MIGHT be a possibility ... it's just too scary to consider for very long.

[spicysista]

54. Welcome! Glad to have you!

[PufPuf23]

61. Welcome. Could you add a link to your Substack in your profile?

Read several of your Substack articles just now. Checked to see if your profile had the link.

[nealr]

63. no obvious place to put it

Did I do the right thing with my profile? There's no obvious (URL goes here) in the editor.

[PufPuf23]

64. How about in the "About Me" section of the profile?

Also could be in signature line but some have signature lines shut off (I do because of internet connection and older pc and resistant to change as older).

Not an expert. Have had same profile since updated to current account years ago.

[nealr]

65. organic

I did put it in the about me box.

but It'll happen organically, I think I will go through and post stuff about some of the work I've done, and people will pick up on the link from there.

I'm gonna do the donation thing after payday, then maybe I will have new profile features to try.

[underpants]

66. Welcome

[nealr]

67. tyvm

I should have done this years and years ago