Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Trump Snubs Nobel Winner Who Gifted Him Her Golden Peace Prize The president praised the opponent of the woman who gave him her Nobel Peace Prize. President Donald Trump sang the praises of acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez during a Monday press gaggle aboard Air Force One, inadvertently snubbing the woman who gave him her Nobel Peace Prize. Trump was asked by CNN’s Alejandra Jaramillo about comments Rodríguez made to NBC last week in which she asserted Nicolás Maduro’s innocence and said he remained the legitimate president of Venezuela. “I can tell you President Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate president. I will tell you this as a lawyer, that I am. Both President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the first lady, are both innocent,” Rodríguez told Meet the Press’s Kristen Welker. In response, the president said that Rodríguez—who was Nicolás Maduro‘s vice president and who has led the country since a military raid that saw Maduro captured and flown to the U.S. to face trial—was doing a very good job. “I think we have a great relationship,” Trump said, adding, “I think she probably has to say that. I think politically, maybe she has to say that,” in reference to claiming Maduro is the legitimate president. ”She’s doing a great job and I fully understand that statement.” Trump’s praise for Rodríguez could come as a shock to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who went out of her way to gift the president with the Nobel Peace Prize medal she won for her role in opposing Maduro’s government. When presented, the inscription on the prize read, “in Recognition of President Trump’s Principled and Decisive Action to Secure a Free Venezuela.” The note refers to the Jan. 3 raid in which Maduro was seized. “The Courage of America, and its President Donald J. Trump, will Never be Forgotten by the Venezuelan people.” When asked why she handed the award over to Trump, Machado argued that he deserved it, telling Fox News, “It was a very emotional moment. I decided to present the Nobel Peace Prize medal on behalf of the people of Venezuela.” The gesture prompted the Nobel Institute to issue multiple reminders that prizes cannot be shared or transferred, even going so far as to publish a press release the day after Machado’s visit to the White House titled, “The Nobel Prize and the Laureate Are Inseparable.” The exchange came after months of lobbying from the president that included cold-calling Norwegian diplomats, posting angry rants on social media, and Trump being presented with a consolation prize in the form of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Machado’s gift did not appear to make a significant impression on Trump, who seemed to forget her name immediately after their meeting, telling reporters shortly afterwards that he had a lot of respect for her and that she was a fine woman without mentioning her by name. Despite Machado’s attempts to impress Trump, he has thus far declined to support her bid for leadership of Venezuela, telling reporters shortly after Maduro’s abduction, “I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader.” The president has also said that the U.S. could continue to oversee Venezuela for years, telling the New York Times that it could be “much longer” than a year before the country is ready for democratic elections. Politico has reported that White House advisers are growing frustrated with Machado’s push for elections in her country, with one adviser telling the outlet that her comments could undermine the work the U.S. is doing. The adviser accused Machado of attempting to make herself the “sole star” of the Venezuelan opposition and “undermining the president’s policy success.” “All María Corina Machado does is try to negate all of this … she’s selfish,” the adviser told Politico. “None of this is ‘Operation María Corina Machado.’ It’s ‘Operation U.S. national security,’ which is not tied to her in any way. She’s a spoiler and she’s working against U.S. national security goals.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-snubs-nobel-winner-who-gifted-him-her-golden-peace-prize/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 MAGA Civil War Erupts Over Secret Plot Against Trump in Epstein Files Text exchanges between Steve Bannon and Epstein took place amid concerns over Trump’s erratic behavior. MAGA firebrands are demanding answers from Steve Bannon after bombshell texts suggested he told Jeffrey Epstein that Donald Trump was “beyond borderline” and should be removed from office. The exchanges between Bannon and the child sex predator took place in Trump’s first term, shortly after the Democrats won the 2018 midterms and as speculation emerged about Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior and fitness to serve. In one text message, Bannon, who worked as the president’s chief strategist and remains an influential ally, appears to suggest that Trump ought to be removed via the 25th Amendment–the Constitutional clause that allows presidents to be ousted if they are declared unable to discharge their duties. In one particular exchange, dated December 31, 2018, Epstein notes that it had been a “Hell of. Year” but the following year would be even wilder. “We either own 2019 or it will surely own us,” Bannon replied, later adding: “Going to blow him up right our (sic) of the box– WH has zero plan to punch back– Fort Apache with no cavalry enroute.” “And no soldiers in the fort,” Epstein replies. “He really is borderline. Not sure what he may do.” Bannon then goes even further, telling Epstein: “I think it’s beyond borderline — 25 amendment.” The texts were revealed in the latest tranche of more than 3.5 million documents the Department of Justice released into Epstein’s crimes and networks. But MAGA conservative figures have slammed Bannon, demanding that he explain whether he was part of what appears to be an anti-Trump plot. “I remember all the 25th Amendment talk back in the first term. It was really ugly,” said General Michael Flynn, who worked as Trump’s National Security Adviser. “If Bannon AND Epstein were behind it, Bannon needs to be brought in for questioning. And he needs to address this and all the other sh!t he was doing on behalf of Epstein.” Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who broke ranks with Trump to release the Epstein files, added: “I agree completely.” “Steve Bannon went to jail for Trump (I was there), but back on 1-1-19 (after Dems took the House) he was texting with Epstein about 25th amendment,” she wrote on X. “Also, there is no excuse for having such a friendly relationship with Epstein, post conviction, 2018-19. None.” The Daily Beast has reached out to Bannon about the texts, which are among many showing the conservative warrior’s chummy relationship with the notorious sex offender. Other documents also reveal that he had been advising Epstein on how to handle resurrected allegations that he was a serial pedophile, including which lawyers to hire and how to push his narrative in the media. Some files even exposed the pair’s obsession with the Vatican–including one message in which Bannon suggests he wanted to “take out” Pope Francis, whose progressive ideals he despised. But the text exchanges suggesting Trump be removed under the 25th Amendment are particularly sensitive, given that the MAGA warrior is still regarded as an ally of the president, despite being fired from his first administration in 2017. Towards the end of 2018, reports also began to emerge that people in the administration had been so unnerved by what they viewed as Trump’s erratic conduct that they discussed invoking the 25th Amendment to remove his power. Bannon was fired in 2017 after becoming increasingly isolated in the West Wing. Since then, he has staunchly defended Trump on his WarRoom podcast, went to jail after refusing to testify about the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S Capitol, and has repeatedly talked up the idea that Trump may continue to run for another term despite the constitution preventing this. Earlier this month, after agents seized ballots and other voting material relating to Trump’s defeat in Georgia six years ago, Bannon also revealed what he says was the real reason for the surprise raid: to vindicate MAGA’s longstanding view that Joe Biden was an illegitimate president and seize victory at the next two elections. “Yes, it is about 2026, and it’s about 2028,” he said, warning Democrats: “We’re never going to ever allow you to steal the election like you did in 2020, and you’re not going to use illegal alien invaders.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-civil-war-erupts-over-secret-plot-against-trump-in-epstein-files/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Trump Exploits Civil Rights Leader’s Death to Take Petty Swipe at Obama The MAGA president is making claims about the late Rev. Jesse Jackson that he is no longer around to dispute. Donald Trump has seized on the passing of a Civil Rights icon to take cheap shots at America’s first Black president. In a Truth Social post early Tuesday, Trump paid tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson—but then quickly used his death as an opportunity to trash talk former President Barack Obama without Jackson being able to set the record straight. “Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him. He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand,” Trump wrote. Trump framed his own relationship with Jackson, who died Tuesday at the age of 84, as one of mutual respect and admiration. “Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way,” he said. “He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” His largely self-directed tribute to the late reverend, and in particular his comments about being branded a “Racist” by his detractors, follows after he posted an online video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Critics universally slammed that post—which remained online for more than 12 hours before the White House eventually, quietly took it down. Jackson historically enjoyed a relationship with Obama that was occasionally marred by frustration but broadly characterized by support and respect—a far cry from Trump’s claims of intense dislike. In 2008, while Obama was running for president, a hot mic caught the Civil Rights leader saying he wanted to “cut his nuts off” after the then-candidate made comments about absentee fathers in the African-American community. Jackson later apologized for the remark, expressed pride in the Democratic leader’s campaign, and famously cried with joy at Obama’s 2008 election victory, acknowledging that Obama was running “the last lap” of the struggle for Black political empowerment. Trump, meanwhile, has long been accused of racism. In 1973, more than five decades before the MAGA president’s ape post about the Obamas, the Justice Department sued one of Trump’s companies for allegedly refusing to rent to Black tenants and lying about apartment availability. In 1989, Trump took out newspaper ads urging the death penalty for five Black and Latino teenagers accused of assaulting a white female jogger in Central Park. He continued to defend his stance even after they were exonerated. Throughout the 1990s, several former employees alleged discriminatory treatment of Black workers at casinos owned by Trump, including claims of managers being told to remove Black staff from the floor when particular high-profile clients visited. Trump also spent years pushing baseless conspiracy theories that Obama had not been born in the United States, and was therefore not eligible to be president. Obama was born on Aug. 4, 1961 in Hawaii. His mother was an American citizen. On the campaign trail in 2016, Trump further described Black neighborhoods as “violent hellholes,” and after assuming office in 2017 suggested there had been “very fine people on both sides” of a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on this story. https://www.thedailybeast.com/president-donald-trump-exploits-jesse-jacksons-death-to-take-petty-swipe-at-barack-obama/? ps:What a piece of work!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Trump Blows Off Vance While Gushing Over Little Marco It was the second time in almost as many weeks that Trump declined to fully endorse his VP. Donald Trump has once again refused to endorse Vice President JD Vance as his preferred successor while he gushed about Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s performance on the world stage.For the second time in less than two weeks, the president declined to give Vance his wholehearted backing for the next presidential race, instead opting to sidestep a firm commitment while he still has three years in office. Speaking aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington, a reporter asked Trump about the positive reviews Rubio received at the Munich Security Council over the weekend—and whether there was any scenario in which he would support him at the top of the Republican ticket in 2028. “That’s something I don’t have to worry about now,” Trump said. “I’ve got three years to go, so it’s something I don’t have to worry (about). JD is fantastic, and Marco is. They’re both fantastic, I think, really. And I think Marco did a great job in Munich.” The comments underscored the ongoing rivalry between Vance and Rubio, both of whom are seen as the likely frontrunners for the White House when Trump’s second term ends. But while the vice president has been a loyal ally, Trump’s response once again avoided a wholehearted endorsement as MAGA’s heir apparent, paving the way for a potentially hard-fought contest between the pair when jockeying for the 2028 election begins in earnest after November’s midterms. Rubio, meanwhile, has played an increasingly prominent role in Trump’s cabinet, not only as secretary of state but also as the president’s national security adviser and the acting head of the National Archives. He has helped to spearhead Trump’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy, and is the person the president bizarrely declared would be “running” Venezuela following the capture of dictator Nicholas Maduro earlier this year. Rubio’s appearance at Munich also stood in stark contrast to Vance’s contentious speech at last year’s conference, when the vice president accused Europe of suppressing freedom of speech and democracy. It also struck a more measured tone than Trump’s aggressive speech at the World Economic Forum, when he riled world leaders by pushing his bid to seize Greenland. “We belong together,” Rubio said over the weekend, eventually receiving a standing ovation. “For us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.” However, some observers also noted that he proclaimed a “golden age” in U.S. relations—not with America’s traditional allies, Germany or France, but with Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban, who is closely aligned to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump was nonetheless full of praise for the performance, unlike his assessment of Democrats who also appeared at the conference, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “Marco was fantastic in Munich!” Trump wrote on Truth Social this week. “AOC and Newscum were an embarrassment to our Nation. For one thing they shouldn’t be talking badly about the U.S.A., especially on ‘foreign soil.’ They made fools of themselves, and always will,” he added. “Crooked Hillary merely showed her anger and Trump Derangement. Really bad representatives of our now very successful Country!” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-blows-off-vance-while-gushing-over-little-marco/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Pentagon Pete Creates New Chaos With Revenge Against Ally of Trump Target The defense secretary has made a habit of punishing anyone associated with President Trump’s critics. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has forced out a widely respected Army colonel who worked as a spokesperson for one of President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies. Col. David Butler was a senior spokesperson for former Gen. Mark A. Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023 and later described Trump as “fascist to the core” during the 2024 election. More recently, Butler was a spokesperson and media strategist for Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a close personal friend of Vice President J.D. Vance who has played an increasingly prominent role in the Trump administration after a series of missteps and scandals on Hegseth’s part. Last week, Hegseth demanded that Driscoll fire Butler, according to The Washington Post. It was the second time since September that the defense secretary had raised the issue, sources told the paper, and Butler’s prior work for Milley appeared to be a key factor in the effort to oust him. Driscoll had resisted Hegseth’s demands for months, Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin reported. But several months ago, Butler was included in a list of about three dozen promotion-eligible Army officers that was supposed to be sent to the White House. It was never relayed in part because Butler appeared on the list, according to the Post. Hegseth reportedly has concerns about a handful of the officers selected by the Army board, but by law he can’t remove them, Griffin reported. After Hegseth told Driscoll to fire Butler last week, the colonel decided to retire so his colleagues’ promotions would not be held up any longer. Sources told both the Post and Fox News that Butler was a gifted professional who was an asset to the Army. “We greatly appreciate Col. Dave Butler’s lifetime of service in America’s Army and to our nation,” Driscoll said in a statement to the Post. “Dave has been an integral part of the Army’s transformation efforts. He will be missed and I sincerely wish him tremendous success in his upcoming retirement after 28 years of service.” Butler and Hegseth declined to comment. The Daily Beast has reached out as well. The forced retirement was just Hegseth’s latest effort to punish Trump’s political opponents with military connections. The former Fox News host suspended Milley’s security clearance, revoked his security detail, and ordered a Pentagon inspector general to review his past actions. He also took down Milley’s official portrait at the Pentagon, just as Trump took down former President Joe Biden’s White House portrait, and has targeted other nonpartisan military officers who worked for Milley on the Joint Staff. Gen. James Mingus and Lt. Gen Douglas Sims were both passed over for promotions because of their ties to Milley. Hegseth also sought to strip Sen. Mark Kelly of his rank and pension after Kelly and five other Democratic members of Congress released a video citing the Military Code of Justice and reminding service members that they had a duty to disobey illegal orders. A federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush issued a blistering opinion blocking Hegseth’s effort to censure and demote Kelly, a combat veteran and former astronaut who retired in 2011 with the rank of captain. Hegseth also reportedly has a special dislike for Driscoll partly because he’s the one person the secretary can’t fire, thanks to his close relationship with Vance, and in part because he’s been repeatedly floated as a potential replacement for Hegseth, Puck reported last year. Both men have denied any tension or conflict between them. But in November, Hegseth was passed over in favor of Driscoll to attend peace talks in Kyiv, Ukraine, as part of Trump’s failed effort to end Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pete-hegseth-creates-new-chaos-with-revenge-against-trump-target-mark-milley-ally/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Marjorie Taylor Greene Hits Back at Trump’s Insult With Scathing Epstein Post The president has labeled the former congresswoman a “traitor” for daring to defy him. Marjorie Taylor Greene has owned the derogatory nickname Donald Trump has branded her with, while eviscerating the president for an Epstein files “cover-up.” The former Georgia congresswoman put her MAGA cred on the line when she began to clash with the president over issues including the handling of the Epstein files, and his propensity to get involved in foreign conflicts despite campaigning on an “America First” agenda. The battle ended with Greene, once a Trump loyalist, quitting Congress, and Trump labeling her a “traitor” for daring to oppose him. Speaking on board Air Force One on Monday about the void left by Greene in Congress, Trump couldn’t resist a jab. “We have a lot of people that want to take Marjorie Traitor Greene’s place. Many, many candidates,” he said, eliciting a typically firebrand response from Greene. She replied to Trump’s sly dig on X, owning the label and reminding the president of a protracted saga that has haunted his second term. “Him calling me that has become a badge of honor because I’m not in his cult, I refused to bow to his demands to cover up the Epstein files to protect his friends, and I stopped fighting the hardest for a team that intentionally refuses to win,” Greene wrote. Trump has spent recent weeks trying to move the national conversation away from the Epstein files after, he says, he was totally exonerated by the most recent Department of Justice document dump. However, interest in the case has persisted, especially after it was revealed that the FBI interviewed a Jeffrey Epstein victim who alleged that Trump sexually abused her when she was a teenager. No evidence was provided in the email chains or FBI presentation to support the allegation. Reached for comment about the allegation, the White House referred the Daily Beast to a Justice Department statement that pointed out the allegation may be flawed as the recent dump “may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production that is responsive to the Act.” The “Act” probably refers to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law, signed by Trump, that created a legal obligation to release the files. Greene, meanwhile, has continued to trumpet the issue since leaving Congress. Issuing a warning to her former party ahead of the midterms in November, Greene wrote on X Sunday: “All of you MAGA influencers and the rest mocking the seriousness of women who were trafficked and raped as teenagers and young women look like cult fools. “Good luck trying to get women to vote for Republicans in the midterms you insensitive clowns.” She continued: “The Republican Party already has a woman voting problem. Keep mocking those of us who take rape and pedophilia seriously and demand accountability for corruption.” It comes after Hillary Clinton also accused the administration of a “cover-up” over its handling of the files. Trump’s 2016 election rival said that she and her husband, Bill Clinton, are being made to testify about the late pedophile to “divert attention” away from the president’s associations with him. “I have nothing to hide. I’ve been exonerated. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. They went in hoping that they’d find it, and found just the opposite. I’ve been totally exonerated,” Trump responded aboard Air Force One on Monday. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast: “President Trump is the unequivocal leader of the Republican Party. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a former congresswoman, traitor, and a quitter.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-hits-back-at-trumps-insult-with-scathing-epstein-post/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Zelensky pushes back on Trump Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Getty Images It's "not fair" that President Trump has repeatedly called on Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions for peace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios' Barak Ravid in a wide-ranging interview. Zelensky added that it might be easier for Trump to pressure Ukraine than the much larger Russia — but the way to create a lasting peace isn't "to give victory" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said twice recently that the onus was on Zelensky to make concessions. Zelensky, in response: "I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision." Data: ISW/CTP. Map: Axios Visuals 🇺🇦 Zelensky also said that Ukrainians would reject a peace deal that involves withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and turning it over to Russia. U.S. mediators have proposed that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the parts of the Donbas they currently hold, and allow that area to become a demilitarized "free economic zone." Zelensky is prepared to discuss withdrawing. But he has called for Moscow to pull its troops back an equivalent distance — and has rejected Russia's claim to sovereignty over the zone. 🇷🇺 Zelensky said U.S. mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have told him Russia genuinely wants to end the war. But Zelensky made clear he's much more pessimistic. He also told Witkoff and Kushner that they shouldn't try to force him to sell a vision of peace his people would see as an "unsuccessful story." 🇨🇭 What's next: Trilateral talks in Geneva are set to continue tomorrow. Go deeper. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Federal judge rules Kilmar Abrego Garcia can’t be re-detained by immigration authorities U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot re-detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia because a 90-day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The Salvadoran national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year. Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ BREAKING: Strikes on 3 more alleged drug boats kill 11 people, US military says New subpoenas issued in inquiry on response to 2016 Russian election interference, AP sources say Stephen Colbert says CBS lawyers pulled James Talarico interview as early voting begins in Texas Warner Bros reopens takeover talks with Paramount after receiving a waiver from Netflix Driver fleeing ICE officers crashes, killing a Georgia teacher, authorities say Pennsylvania man cleared after 43 years in prison for murder denied bail during deportation fight Trump is recruiting thousands of local officers to aid immigration effort. Some states are saying no Minnesota shooting of Venezuelan man is the latest where video evidence contradicts ICE accounts 4 indicted after Minneapolis clashes, including a woman accused of biting off an officer’s fingertip Live updates: Partial government shutdown over DHS oversight seems poised to drag on TSA agents are working without pay at US airports due to another shutdown Trump family business files for trademark rights on any airports using the president’s name Memo says White House was ‘excellently preserved’ during East Wing demolition for Trump’s ballroom Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 17 Author Members Posted February 17 Thomas Pritzker steps down from Hyatt board saying he deeply regrets association with Epstein Hotel magnate Thomas Pritzker will step down as the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels after details of his affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein were revealed in documents related to the burgeoning investigation of ties between the notorious sex trafficker and the elite and powerful. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Some US schools cancel class pictures after online claims surrounding Epstein How Jeffrey Epstein used the glamour of the Nobel Peace Prize to entice his global network of elites Gifts and soup from ‘Uncle Jeffrey': The Epstein ties that ended Kathy Ruemmler’s run at Goldman ps:All these guys seem to be obsessed with the Nobel Peace Prize?? Why? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Carr Trouble (Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Samuel Corum / Sipa USA / Reuters) View in browser Stephen Colbert’s Late Show ends in May, and he’s in almost open warfare with his soon-to-be ex-bosses at CBS. Last night, he had planned to broadcast an interview with James Talarico, a member of the Texas state House who is running in a heated Democratic primary for United States Senate. But it was not to be. At the start of his show, Colbert told viewers that CBS had barred him from airing the interview, citing threats from Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission. (You may remember Carr as the guy who sounded like a cartoon mobster while trying to get Jimmy Kimmel fired—“We can do this the easy way or the hard way”—drawing a rebuke from Senator Ted Cruz.) Colbert savaged CBS. He said that the network had told him not to talk about it, which he defied in dramatic fashion. “I want to assure you, ladies and gentlemen—please—I want to assure you, this decision is for purely financial reasons,” he joked, a sly reference to the rationale that CBS gave for ending his show. Colbert posted the interview on his show’s YouTube channel. CBS said in a statement that The Late Show “was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.” I wrote in July that CBS’s leadership had lost the benefit of the doubt, and the network’s actions since its parent company’s merger with Skydance and the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor in chief of CBS News have reinforced that. CBS deserves plenty of criticism for cowardice. But that doesn’t mean it’s incorrect to fear FCC action. Last month, the FCC issued a notice about the equal-time rule, a century-old regulation that says that a broadcast station that provides time to one candidate must provide an equal forum to a rival. The rule has an exemption for “bona fide news”—basically, producers can decide what to cover in their programming, because anything else would constitute government interference in the free press. In 2006, the FCC determined that interviews on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno fit under the exemption even if they are not strictly news programming, a precedent that shows have relied on since. But the new notice states that “the FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify for the bona fide news exemption.” (Carr has not extended this reasoning to talk radio, which conservatives dominate.) This is not just bluster. Earlier this month, Fox News reported that the FCC was investigating ABC’s daytime talk show The View, which has become an important stop for politicians seeking to reach the show’s heavily female audience, for violating the equal-time rule. The reported object of Carr’s ire? An interview with one James Talarico. The Talarico dustups are among several incidents in the past few days that show the Trump administration’s enthusiasm for censoring speech by both the press and ordinary citizens. One year ago, I wrote that Donald Trump and his allies were free-speech phonies who, having campaigned against censorship, were eager to impose it. The threat to First Amendment rights has gotten worse since then. Earlier this month, The Washington Post’s John Woodrow Cox reported on a retiree who used a publicly available email address to encourage an attorney at the Department of Homeland Security to have mercy on an asylum seeker. In response, DHS sent federal agents to the man’s door and demanded access to his Google accounts, using a tool called an administrative subpoena that doesn’t require a judge or grand jury to approve. On Friday, The New York Times reported that Google, Reddit, Discord, and Meta in recent months have received “hundreds” of administrative subpoenas from DHS seeking access to information about the accounts of people who have criticized the government. (DHS told both papers that it was acting within its authority but didn’t give any detailed response.) The goals of both DHS and the FCC in these cases are to intimidate critics and stifle dissent. This is staggering hypocrisy. During the presidential campaign, Trump accused the Biden administration of undermining free speech by asking—though not demanding—that social-media companies remove misinformation about COVID. On day one of his administration, Trump issued an executive order that charged, “Over the last 4 years, the previous administration trampled free speech rights by censoring Americans’ speech on online platforms, often by exerting substantial coercive pressure on third parties, such as social media companies, to moderate, deplatform, or otherwise suppress speech that the Federal Government did not approve.” This is a good description of what Trump’s administration is doing now. Some repression efforts fail. Last week, the federal district-court judge Richard Leon, a President George W. Bush appointee, temporarily blocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from punishing Senator Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran, for a video in which he and other members of Congress remind current service members that they can and should refuse illegal orders. “This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,” Leon wrote. The ruling is a welcome defense of Americans’ freedoms, but it can’t reverse all of the damage. Kelly is unusually well positioned to fight back and take the administration to court. Not every would-be critic is. And censorship, once established by a president, has ways of spreading its tendrils to other institutions. At one state university in Texas, for example, a philosophy professor was forced to remove passages of Plato from his syllabus because of new policies passed by governor-appointed regents, and an art exhibition critical of ICE was abruptly canceled at another Texas university. These attacks are clearly partisan: They all target speech by critics of the president, his party, or his policies. But they should be scary even if you feel that Colbert doesn’t deserve a news exemption, The View is too liberal, or Kelly was out of line. Crackdowns on speech by prominent figures pave a way for the government to regulate speech more broadly, which should be concerning for people of any political leaning because the party and people in power can change. During a Senate hearing last week, Senator Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, accused Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, of being responsible for the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good because he supported protests. Johnson began, “Did you ever encourage people to go out there and exercise the First—” “I freely admit being in favor of the First Amendment,” Ellison shot back. This position is apparently not as common among elected officials as you might hope. Related: The free-speech phonies Is Colbert’s ouster really just a “financial decision”? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 George W. Bush Subtly Trashes Trump in Presidents Day Message The former president praised George Washington for his very un-Trumpian traits. George W. Bush has penned a Presidents Day essay that made some pointed observations about power, humility, and presidents who refuse to step down from office. The essay was published Monday by More Perfect, a bipartisan alliance working to “protect and renew” American democracy in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The piece, which pays homage to George Washington, is the inaugural entry in a new history project called “In Pursuit,” and while it does not name President Donald Trump, it does seem to shade him, The New York Times reported. “Our first president could have remained all-powerful, but twice he chose not to,” Bush wrote. “In doing so, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to.” The first president’s decision to relinquish control of the U.S. Army after the American Revolution and to step down from the presidency after two terms “ensured America wouldn’t become a monarchy, or worse,” Bush added. His words seemed heavy with subtext, considering the current occupant of the White House tried to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, and is now threatening to run for a third, illegal presidential term. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. Elsewhere in Bush’s essay, the 43rd president also praised Washington’s other non-Trumpian traits, describing how the nation’s first president made a point of cultivating self-control, courteousness, modesty, and diplomacy. “Few qualities have inspired me more than Washington’s humility,” he wrote. “Washington modeled what it means to put the good of the nation over self-interest and selfish ambition… he carried himself with dignity and self-restraint, honoring the office [of the president] without allowing to become invested with near-mythical powers.” The Times noted that despite participating in the “In Pursuit” series—which will also feature contributions from former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as Republicans such as Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts—Bush is not giving interviews. His essay speaks for itself, former National Archivist Colleen Shogan told the Times. Shogan was abruptly fired by Trump in February 2025 and is now overseeing “In Pursuit.” The project’s goal is to make history “relevant” but not overly narrow, she told the Times. “We are taking the long view of things,” she said. “The lesson of presidential humility transcends time.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/george-w-bush-subtly-trashes-donald-trump-in-presidents-day-message/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 MAGA Senator Panics About Trump’s Plan for Key Issue as Midterms Loom The Louisiana Republican fears his party’s strategy ahead of elections amounts to telling voters: “Don’t believe your own lying checkbooks.” A top GOP senator says the party is setting itself up for disaster in this year’s midterm elections by focusing solely on President Trump’s agenda and ignoring ordinary Americans. “What you’re basically arguing to people is: don’t believe your own lying checkbooks,” Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy told The Hill Monday. “It’s their checkbooks. They’re looking at it. They don’t like what they see, so you’ve got to deal with it.” “I really think that that’s what we ought to be focused on right now,” he went on. “I just want to do something. Doing nothing is very hard.” “We’re not gonna win the midterm by going to the American people and saying, Look, we passed 11 out of 12 appropriations bills and we confirmed all of President Trump’s nominees,” he said, adding that “moms and dads” lie awake at night worrying “about the cost of living.” “In their minds, they’re tired of selling blood plasma to go grocery shopping,” he added. His comments fly in the face of Trump’s claims that he established the “greatest economy in history.” The president’s assessment has so far failed to find evidence of that from any established metric of fiscal performance. At 2.4 percent, inflation remains persistently high, with the consumer price index disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income families in the form of higher costs on groceries, energy, and utilities. At $1.1 trillion, U.S. households are currently carrying record levels of credit debt, indicating widespread financial stress and an overreliance on borrowing to make ends meet. Credit interest rates also hover at around 23 percent, making those debts significantly expensive and harder to repay, while mortgage rates of 6-7 percent have put buying a home out of reach for even middle-income earners. Voter polls have increasingly reflected these and other figures. A December survey by The Harris Poll found that 45 percent of Americans believe their financial security is getting worse, that 57 percent believe the country has been hit with a recession, and that more than half of even Republican voters think it’s Trump’s fault. A November poll by NBC found those anxieties have further translated into voter intentions ahead of this year’s battle for the House and the Senate. The numbers suggest Democrats hold an eight-point lead on the GOP, marking the largest pre-poll advantage for either party since 2018. Kennedy wasn’t the only top Republican to raise the alarm over MAGA’s message on the economy in comments to The Hill. Sen. Tommy Tuberville told the outlet: “Are we doing enough? We’re not doing anything.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment on this story. https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-senator-john-kennedy-panics-about-president-donald-trumps-plan-to-address-key-issue-as-midterms-loom/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Even Republican Election Officials Are Refusing Trump’s Demand The Trump administration has launched an effort to obtain personal information about tens of millions of voters. Republican election officials in multiple states are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s demand for detailed voter data. According to CNN and research from the Brennan Center for Justice, at least six Republican-led state election offices have declined to hand over non-public voter information, including Social Security numbers, driver’s license IDs, and addresses. It comes as the Trump administration has launched an effort to obtain personal information on tens of millions of voters across the country ahead of the 2026 midterms. The information includes voters’ names, birthdates, addresses, and driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. In recent weeks, state election offices have received letters from Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, seeking unredacted copies of voter registration databases. The Department of Justice has insisted that the requested voter information is critical to ensuring compliance with federal law, which requires states to maintain accurate voter registration lists. Many state election officials argue the DOJ is overstepping, saying elections and voter-roll maintenance are handled at the state level—and that giving detailed personal data could let the federal government identify and remove voters the state hasn’t flagged. Several election offices have refused to provide the sensitive data, citing concerns over protecting voters’ personal information. Since September, the DOJ has filed lawsuits against 24 primarily Democratic-led states that declined to share the records. Yet resistance is not limited to Democratic jurisdictions—Republican-led states are increasingly pushing back against the administration’s demands as well. West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner told CNN last month: “They can have the voter rolls. They’re gonna pay for it like everybody else,” referring to the public list available in his state for $500. “They’re not going to get our personal information.” “If we could legally comply, we would promptly do so,” Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said in a letter to the DOJ this month, first reported by Oklahoma News 4 and obtained by CNN. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins similarly told state lawmakers that he would not provide the data without a court order, citing state privacy laws. A Republican election official, speaking anonymously to avoid White House backlash, told CNN the data could be used for immigration enforcement or to cast doubt on midterm election results. “If states don’t give this information and then Republicans lose and they can go back and say, ‘See, it’s because they didn’t give us this information, so they cheated and all these illegal people that shouldn’t have been voting voted,’” the official said. Other Republican officials have provided some voter information but resisted signing the agreement, according to CNN. Concerns have also arisen over a proposed 45-day deadline for states to correct issues identified by the DOJ. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, who ultimately provided the data but refused to sign the DOJ’s agreement, said the timeframe conflicted with state law and the decentralized nature of voter roll maintenance. “You can’t expect to send me a 45-day window to get this done or else,” Watson said. “We were adamant on the idea that maintaining voter rolls should be done on the state level.” Dhillon has dismissed concerns about the request. “Some of the goofy responses that I have gotten from secretaries of state have included, ‘Oh, my goodness, this is highly confidential Social Security information. We can’t possibly give that to the federal government,’” Dhillon recently said on Just the News. “That’s just silly because the federal government of course issues the Social Security numbers, and people routinely give it out on a daily basis when they go to the doctor or the DMV… that’s very silly.” According to DOJ correspondence obtained by CNN, only Alaska and Texas have signed the memorandum so far. The Daily Beast has contacted the DOJ for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/even-republican-election-officials-are-refusing-trumps-demand-for-secret-voter-data/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Trump’s Minions Begging Companies for U.S. Birthday Party Funds Trump-appointed ambassadors across the world are pleading with companies to fund their splashy bashes for the U.S. 250th birthday. President Donald Trump’s ambassadors are begging companies to fork over millions for lavish blowouts in honor of the U.S.’s 250th birthday. U.S. embassies across the world are scrambling to outdo each other and raising eye-popping sums for splashy birthday bashes, with U.S. ambassador to Singapore Anjani Sinha telling executives at a fundraising dinner, “I need your money,” according to The New York Times. Trump has dreamed up “the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen” for America’s 250th—a months-long spectacle that is set to include an Ultimate Fighting Championship match on the White House lawn on his 80th birthday in June, the construction of a $100 million towering arch, and an IndyCar race tearing through the capital. Embassies in Japan, Hong Kong, and other countries are heeding Trump’s call for over-the-top celebrations, pleading with companies for donations. A person familiar with the matter told the Times that the Japanese embassy had already raised $35 million. In Singapore, Sinha hosted a group of executives for a five-course meal at one of the city-state’s priciest hotels, urging them to out-raise another U.S. embassy in the region that he claimed had already collected $37 million, according to The Times, which obtained an audio recording of the dinner. “Singapore is a better country than that,” Sinha, whom Trump appointed ambassador after he contributed $1 million last year to a Trump-backed super PAC, reportedly told the room. He added, “There are better people here making more money.” The gathering reportedly drew executives from American giants such as Citibank, Coinbase, Harley-Davidson, and 3M. Sinha is reportedly planning a rodeo and a Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting.Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass wrote a letter to donors saying he was seeking “significant financial support for Mission Japan’s America 250 celebrations,” according to the Times. “President Trump has tasked me with ensuring this celebration in Japan is the greatest celebration in the world outside of the United States.” Sinha’s dinner displayed logos for Freedom 250, a Trump-aligned group that is orchestrating Trump’s splashy birthday events in the capital and offering donors who give $1 million or more access to the president and other perks, according to the Times, though Freedom 250 denied being involved in Sinha’s fundraiser. A spokesperson for Freedom 250 told the Times that it is not soliciting or accepting foreign funding. The embassies’ bold fundraising push has surprised some executives and raised alarm among career diplomats, the Times reported. “I wonder if that is helpful for the image of the United States, given that it feels like you may be buying access,” said Ted Osius, a former diplomat who served as United States ambassador to Vietnam from 2014 to 2017. “We certainly avoided in the past any hint that we might be treating people differently based on how much money they contributed.” The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House, as well as the U.S. Embassy in Singapore and the Consulate General in Hong Kong for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-minions-begging-companies-for-us-birthday-party-funds/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Brink of war An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares to launch from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea late last month. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/U.S. Navy The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weekslong campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than last month's pinpoint operation in Venezuela, sources say. The sources noted it would likely be a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign that's much broader in scope — and more existential for the regime — than the Israeli-led 12-day war last June, which the U.S. eventually joined to take out Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Such a war would have a dramatic influence on the entire region, and major implications for the remaining three years of the Trump presidency. With the attention of Congress and the public otherwise occupied, there has been little public debate about what could be the most consequential U.S. military intervention in the Middle East in at least a decade. 🖼️ The big picture: Trump came close to striking Iran in early January over the killing of thousands of protesters by the regime. Instead, the administration shifted to a two-track approach: nuclear talks paired with a massive military buildup. By delaying and bringing so much force to bear, Trump has raised expectations for what an operation will look like if a deal can't be reached. And right now, a deal doesn't look likely. Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for three hours in Geneva yesterday. While both sides said the talks "made progress," the gaps are wide, and U.S. officials aren't optimistic about closing them. Vice President Vance told Fox News the talks "went well" in some ways, but "in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through." Vance made it clear that while Trump wants a deal, he could determine that diplomacy has "reached its natural end." A Pentagon photo of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea earlier this month. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jesse Monford/U.S. Navy ⚓ Zoom in: Trump's armada has grown to include two aircraft carriers, a dozen warships, hundreds of fighter jets and multiple air defense systems. Some of that firepower is still on its way. More than 150 U.S. military cargo flights have moved weapons systems and ammunition to the Middle East. In the past 24 hours, another 50 fighter jets — F-35s, F-22s and F-16s — headed to the region. Between the lines: Trump's military and rhetorical buildups make it hard for him to back down without major concessions from Iran on its nuclear program. It's not in Trump's nature, and his advisers don't view the deployment of all that hardware as a bluff. With Trump, anything can happen. But all signs point to him pulling the trigger if talks fail. ps:This coming from the "I'm not a president of war!!" Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 📱 WATCH: New "Behind the Curtain" video Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Getty Images Jim & Mike are out with a new "Behind the Curtain" video, based on Barak's reporting on why the risk of war with Iran is higher than most Americans realize. 👉 Watch it here ... Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Rubio's secret squeeze on Cuba Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Getty Images Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been holding secret talks with the grandson and caretaker of Cuba's aging de facto dictator, Raúl Castro, as the U.S. puts unprecedented pressure on Havana's regime, three sources tell Axios' Marc Caputo. Why it matters: The talks between Rubio and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro are bypassing official Cuban government channels. They show that the Trump administration sees the 94-year-old revolutionary as the communist island's true decision-maker. 🔎 Zoom in: Rubio and his team see the 41-year-old grandson and his circle as representing younger, business-minded Cubans for whom revolutionary communism has failed. "Our position — the U.S. government's position — is the regime has to go," the senior official said. "But what exactly that looks like is up to [President Trump] and he has yet to decide." Called "Raulito," the younger Castro is known in political circles by his nickname "El Cangrejo" ("The Crab") because he has a deformed finger. The big picture: After 67 years of U.S. sanctions and Cuban mismanagement, the totalitarian government appears closer than ever to collapse as the island teeters on the edge of a humanitarian crisis. The power grid is failing. Hospitals are limiting surgeries. Food and fuel are increasingly scarce. Tourism is drying up. Uncollected garbage is piling up on some street corners. The troubles accelerated after Trump ordered the abduction and extradition of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, who essentially supplied free oil to Cuba. Trump then threatened sanctions on the island's other large oil supplier, Mexico. 👓 Between the lines: The U.S. decision to keep Maduro's governing partners in power — notably his vice president, Delcy Rodríguez — signaled to Cuban insiders that the U.S. is willing to make deals with rivals. "They're looking for the next Delcy in Cuba," a source familiar with the talks said. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Boat strikes The US military has struck three more suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, killing 11 people, US Southern Command said Tuesday. The latest operation brings the death toll from the US campaign against international drug trafficking — launched in September — to at least 135. Prior to September, alleged cartel members and drug smugglers were treated as criminals with due process rights. Democrats and legal experts argue the strikes amount to murdering civilians since the US is not in a declared, congressionally authorized war with drug cartels. ps:Why? I thought we cut the head off of the drug cartel?? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 What to know about the ‘equal time’ rule Stephen Colbert says led CBS to pull his Talarico interview Stephen Colbert’s comments that network executives pulled his interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico over fears it would violate regulatory guidance from the Trump administration has prompted a conversation about the rules governing how media outlets treat political coverage. Read more. Why this matters: The concern about the interview stems from a requirement that broadcast stations give equal time to political candidates when they appear on-air. Although there are multiple exemptions to the provision, the Trump administration through the Federal Communications Commission has been moving to clamp down specifically on programs like Colbert’s, which the agency has suggested may be “motivated by partisan purposes.” The Communications Act of 1934 includes a provision that applies specifically to coverage of political candidates. If a station gives airtime to one candidate, then the same station must offer comparable time to other candidates competing in the given contest, should they ask for it. There are exceptions to this rule, including newscasts, “bona fide” interview programs, coverage of live events or documentaries. Equal time only applies to broadcast television and radio. So pieces on cable, streaming services or social media aren’t included. In a statement issued Tuesday, CBS said Colbert’s show “was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates” in the March 3 Democratic primary, “and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.” Thereafter, the network noted, it was decided “to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.” Talarico, a critic of President Donald Trump, posted a nearly minute-long clip of his interview with Colbert on X and called it “the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump administration backs Kalshi, Polymarket as states move to ban prediction markets Police arrest man who ran toward the US Capitol building holding a shotgun Trump administration is erasing history and science at national parks, lawsuit argues Judge blocks deportation of Palestinian activist who led protests at Columbia FBI, St. Paul police probing ICE arrest that resulted in skull fractures Minnesota’s Legislature braces for a federal immigration fight as the enforcement surge winds down Bernie Sanders and Gavin Newsom become adversaries over push to tax California billionaires White House names new pick for Nevada top federal prosecutor after confirmation trouble Prosecutors drop racketeering case against New Jersey Democratic power broker, co-defendants Lawsuits challenge renewed push for oil drilling in Alaska petroleum reserve and upcoming lease sale Key quotes from the Rev. Jesse Jackson that define his politics and legacy California regulators decide not to suspend Tesla sales in the state Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Pope Leo Joins U.S. Allies in Major Trump Snub The Chicago-born pontiff has been a fierce critic of President Trump’s signature policies. Pope Leo XIV has joined the U.S.’s long-standing allies in turning down an invitation to join President Donald Trump’s dubious peace initiative. The Vatican will not join the president’s so-called “Board of Peace,” a United Nations knock-off that gives Trump the power to handpick the organization’s members, approve the group’s agenda, and manage its finances, the Vatican’s top diplomatic official said Tuesday. The board was ostensibly created to oversee reconstruction in Gaza, but Trump has made it clear the real scope will be much wider, leading to concerns among Western allies that the organization could undermine the U.N. Cardinal Pietro Parolin cited those concerns Tuesday as one of the reasons Pope Leo turned down the invitation he received in January. “At the international level, it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations,” he told reporters, according to Reuters. A White House official declined to discuss the details of diplomatic conversations. “The Pope and Vatican are welcome to join the many other nations who are committed to the Board of Peace and its guiding principles promoting stability and securing enduring peace,” the official told the Daily Beast. The Chicago-born Pope Leo has been a fierce critic of Trump’s foreign policy, including his invasion of Venezuela, and has condemned the administration’s mass deportation efforts. Trump launched his Board of Peace in January during a lackluster ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that was snubbed by representatives from the G7, the original BRICS countries, and most of the G20. Instead, the president was joined on stage by a group of strongmen and minor global players, including leaders from Eastern Europe, South America, and several Gulf States. After Canadian Prime Minister Mark Garney issued a stark warning in Davos about the “rupture in the world order,” Trump announced on social media that he was withdrawing his invitation to Canada to join the board. At the same time, Trump has invited dictators such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Belarusia’s Alexander Lukashenko. The board is holding its first meeting Thursday in Washington to discuss Gaza, where Israeli attacks have killed more than 72,000 people, sparked a widespread hunger crisis, and internally displaced the entire population. Israel says it acted in self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 more hostages in a late 2023 attack. A ceasefire that was coordinated by the U.S. in October has been repeatedly violated, with hundreds of Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers killed. Pope Leo has repeatedly decried conditions in Gaza and called for peace. Italy and the European Union are sending representatives to attend Thursday’s meeting as observers but have not joined the board, which is free for the first three years of membership but costs $1 billion for a permanent seat. Trump is serving as the board’s inaugural chairman and will choose his own successor. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-joins-us-allies-in-major-trump-snub/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Egomaniac Trump Closes In on Having Another Building Named After Him The president’s MAGA allies are poised to slap his name on yet another piece of public infrastructure. Donald Trump could soon be touching down at “Donald J. Trump International Airport” en route to his frequent Mar-a-Lago golf getaways. The GOP-controlled Florida House voted 81-30 on Tuesday to rename Palm Beach International Airport after the president, a day after Trump’s company filed trademark applications for “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” A corresponding measure moved to the Senate floor after clearing a committee on Tuesday. Republican lawmakers have eagerly lined up behind the name change, with the bill’s co-sponsor, Republican state Rep. Meg Weinberger, noting that Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort lies just five miles from the airport. The 79-year-old president decamps in Palm Beach nearly every weekend to play golf and throw tacky parties. During a bitter debate between Republicans and Democrats on the House floor on Tuesday, GOP state Rep. John Snyder claimed that Trump has transformed Palm Beach into “one of the most desirable and important locations in the world” and called Mar-a-Lago the “winter White House” and “a symbol of the power of the United States,” Florida Phoenix reported. Democrats countered that Trump’s legacy is far from pristine, pointing to his two impeachments and 34 felony convictions for falsifying business records in New York. If signed into law, the name change would cost the airport $5.5 million to remake signs, uniforms, promotional products, equipment, and more, according to Palm Beach County’s department of airports. Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell noted that Trump’s holding company, DTTM Operations LLC, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “intent to use” the names “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” “Donald J. Trump International Airport,” and “DJT,” which may be the airport code Trump hopes “PBI” will change to. “It feels like the grift is happening,” Driskell said. But Trump’s trademark attorney, Michael Santucci, said the president would waive any trademark claim to his name for the airport and is deeply honored by the proposed renaming. “To be clear, the president and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming,” Santucci told USA TODAY. “The Trump Organization is, and always has been, willing to provide this right to his hometown county at no charge.” Still, trademark attorney Josh Gerben writes that Trump’s trademark application is “completely unprecedented” in the history of the presidency. “The move raises unusual questions about the intersection of public infrastructure and private brand ownership,” he writes. “While presidents and public officials have had landmarks named in their honor, a sitting president’s private company has never in the history of the United States sought trademark rights in advance of such naming.” Trump, who slapped his name on the Kennedy Center in December, lost Palm Beach County, typically a Democratic stronghold, to Kamala Harris by less than 500 votes in 2024. The Palm Beach County Commission has not had the chance to weigh in on the effort to rename its airport, according to Florida Phoenix. The airport handles around 8.6 million passengers per year, according to The Palm Beach Post. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/egomaniac-trump-closes-in-on-having-another-building-named-after-him/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Florida House votes to rename Palm Beach airport after Donald Trump An intense and at times vitriolic debate erupted on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives Tuesday over a bill (HB 919) that could result in a more than $5 million tab to rename Palm Beach County International Airport after President Donald J. Trump. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/17/florida-house-votes-to-rename-palm-beach-airport-after-donald-trump/? ps:What an ego and what's wrong with people that they'll actually rename an airport or anything for that matter to trump????? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 18 Author Members Posted February 18 Manic Trump, 79, Unleashes Deranged Conspiracy Posting Rampage The president seems to be panicking about Republicans’ chances in the midterms. President Donald Trump has unleashed a bombardment of debunked election conspiracy theories as he pressures Senate Republicans to do whatever it takes to pass new voting restrictions. The president shared a flurry of posts on his Truth Social platform pushing false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and demanding that Senate Republicans pass new legislation that experts say would disenfranchise millions of Americans. After sharing one final post late Tuesday demanding the state of Georgia “take over” elections in Fulton County, the president apparently went to bed, only to fire up Truth Social a few hours later and post more baseless claims. “In the 2020 election, states using Dominion voting machines allegedly switched 435,000 votes from Trump to Biden and deleted 2.7 MILLION Trump votes, including 1 MILLION in Pennsylvania,” read one of the false posts that Trump shared. Another post included a video of Sen. Chuck Schumer from 1996 and said, “PASS THE SAVE ACT!!!” Last week, House Republicans passed the SAVE America Act, an updated version of a bill that stalled last year in the Senate that would put onerous new requirements on voters and county election officials. Voters would be required to appear in person and present proof of their citizenship when registering to vote, including providing a passport or a physical copy of their birth certificate, along with proof of residency in the state where they’re voting. Women who changed their last names after getting married would need to provide additional documents, such as a marriage certificate, to prove their citizenship. The law would take effect immediately, even though about 21 million Americans don’t have ready access to the necessary documents, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. Most voting by mail would be banned, and voters would have to present a photo ID when casting a ballot. Photo IDs are already required in 36 states, but the latest version of the Act imposes even stricter ID requirements by prohibiting student IDs and many tribal IDs. It further requires states to run their voter rolls through a citizenship verification tool created by the Department of Homeland Security. Many states already use that system, which returned just 0.04 percent of voter verification cases as noncitizens last year, the Bipartisan Policy Center reported this month. Other states, however, have refused to turn over their voter files to the Trump administration over concerns that the data could be misused—concerns that were validated when news broke in January that Elon Musk’s DOGE team had provided private data to an election denier group, according to the Brennan Center. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota announced this week that 50 Republican senators supported the Senate version of the bill. That’s enough to bring the measure to the floor for debate but not enough to overcome the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to end debate on most legislation and move to a final vote. During his election posting spree, Trump—who is facing record-low approval ratings—boosted calls for Thune to end the filibuster in order to pass the SAVE Act. The president shared a post speculating that he would soon “unveil evidence that foreign powers meddled in the 2020 election,” forcing Thune to “cave” on the filibuster and pass the legislation. “Crooked Elections cannot be allowed in the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote cryptically above the post. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. On Tuesday, Thune said he didn’t have the support needed to end the filibuster. But he plans to open debate on the SAVE Act and force Democrats to explain their opposition to the bill so that Republicans can campaign on the issue during the midterms, Fox News reported. Democrats say the burdens created by the bill far outweigh the scope of the problem that it claims to solve. For example, when Utah performed a citizenship review of its entire 2 million-person voter registration list, it found just one confirmed case of a noncitizen registering to vote, and zero cases of noncitizen voting. https://www.thedailybeast.com/manic-donald-trump-79-unleashes-deranged-conspiracy-posting-rampage/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 19 Author Members Posted February 19 Franchise Player (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty) View in browser Any legislation titled with a backronym is automatically suspect, and the SAVE America Act—that’s Safeguard American Voter Eligibility—is no exception. A version of the bill languished last year, but President Trump is now pressuring Senate Republicans to pass it, among his other attempts to subvert the midterm elections. Although the bill seems unlikely to become a law, it could still create chaos and confusion about the race. The SAVE Act is relatively simple to understand: It requires that anyone wishing to vote provide documentation to prove they are a U.S. citizen. On an intuitive level, this might make sense, because noncitizens aren’t permitted to vote. But the bill is a solution in search of a problem. States already have methods of verifying citizenship, and illegal voting by noncitizens is very rare. The bill also threatens to disenfranchise eligible voters. Although some of the bill’s supporters may be sincere, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem committed a classic Kinsley gaffe on Friday, inadvertently revealing the truth of the administration’s push: It’s a ploy to help Republicans win elections. “When it gets to Election Day,” she said at an event boosting the bill in Arizona, “we’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country.” Many states have enacted laws that require photo identification for voting. (Most election laws are made at the state level, though Congress has occasionally passed nationwide laws, such as the 2002 Help America Vote Act.) Studies have found that voter-ID laws have a relatively minor effect on turnout; they are generally popular with voters, but they also disproportionately affect older voters, poorer voters, and minority voters. Politicians who support them like to point out that people need ID to board a plane or buy alcohol—but neither of those is a constitutional right, and violations of alcohol laws are very common. The SAVE Act would go a step further, not only by mandating ID at the federal level but by requiring voters to present proof of citizenship, most likely a passport or a birth certificate. Noncitizen voting simply isn’t a major threat to election integrity, and it’s already punishable under existing laws. The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank that supports the law, maintains a very helpful database of election fraud. The database contains 99 instances of ineligible voting by noncitizens since 1982. For comparison, more than 150 million votes were cast for president in 2024 alone. Experts warn that requiring proof of citizenship would shut many Americans out of the polls. Only about half of the population holds a passport. Not all Americans have access to their birth certificate, and even that would not be sufficient for, say, a woman who changed her name at marriage, who would also have to produce proof of marriage. The congressional scholar Norm Ornstein argues that given the cost of establishing proof, the SAVE Act is in effect “a poll tax, a parallel to what Jim Crow laws used to suppress black votes, which the Supreme Court ultimately outlawed.” If the law passes, Votebeat’s Nathaniel Rakich reports, “there are serious questions about whether it’s even practically possible to implement” by the midterms. Among other problems, the law would require cross-checking state voter rolls against a federal database, also called SAVE (though in this case it stands for Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements). But ProPublica reports that the tool is a mess, often turning up inaccurate results. All that said, the bill seems unlikely to pass. Republican Susan Collins of Maine last week became the 50th senator to back the bill, but because Democrats will filibuster, passing the bill requires 60 votes, which it doesn’t have. Some senators are demanding the end of the filibuster (or the introduction of a “talking filibuster”), but there doesn’t appear to be enough GOP support to make that happen. Yet Trump doesn’t seem ready to accept defeat. “There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday. The president promised to issue an executive order, but he has no power to mandate voter-ID requirements—indeed, he has no control over elections, and a previous order requiring proof of citizenship to register has been partially blocked by federal courts. Trump insisted, however, that he has “searched the depths of Legal Arguments not yet articulated or vetted on this subject, and will be presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future.” (No one seems to know what he’s talking about, and keeping expectations low is probably wise. The legal proof will surely be coming right after his health-care plan and Infrastructure Week.) The president may just be posturing, trying to get Republicans in the Senate to act. But he has shown little interest in stopping where his legal limitations end. And he’s testing other methods of subversion: He has tried to tell states when they can accept ballots and dictate what machines they use, and he recently called for Republicans to “nationalize” elections. Many of his actions seem motivated by a cynical calculus: Even if he loses the battle to enact the SAVE Act or put it into effect via executive order, he may be able to sow doubt about the results of the elections, which he can use if his party fares poorly in November. For his purposes of subverting elections, creating uncertainty may be nearly as effective as a real policy change. Related: Donald Trump’s plan to subvert the midterms is already under way “The trust has been absolutely destroyed” Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted February 19 Author Members Posted February 19 A ‘clown’ who wouldn’t go away: Inside the Obama team’s blind spot on Trump For eight years, President Barack Obama’s aides marveled that no amount of mockery, dismissal or scandal could make Donald Trump go away. Their bewilderment is threaded through hundreds of interviews with administration officials released Tuesday in a far-reaching oral history of the Obama presidency. They admit in the project that they misread Trump’s resilience. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Many Democrats are still down on the Democratic Party, a new AP-NORC poll finds Late-night host Stephen Colbert isn’t backing down from public dispute with CBS bosses Moderna says the FDA will consider its new flu shot after resolving a public dispute Public health and green groups sue EPA over repeal of rule supporting climate protections Following Trump’s lead, some GOP states seek to limit environmental regulations Trump administration appeals order to restore George Washington slavery exhibit in Philadelphia Trump wants his Board of Peace to solve world conflicts. It still has a lot of work to do in Gaza Why Trump’s comment on discussing Taiwan arms sales with China has raised concerns Somalia renews its US-backed fight against al-Shabab militant group. Here is why it matters Fishermen in the eastern Caribbean fear for their lives following a deadly US strike Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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