Blog Betty (Thomas Friedman is a Great Man was an online novel)

Monday, December 22, 2025

Nenko Gantcey

In this morning's snapshot, C.I. noted Nenko Gantchev. He is one of four people who have recently died in ICE custody. Somaiyah Hafeez (THE MIRROR) reports:

"I want people to know what happened to him, a man who lived 30 years here, hardworking, paid taxes, and they treated him like an animal," Gantchev's wife, who asked for anonymity, told ABC7. "They are so rude to him... They treated him like he was a murderer."

Another friend said: "He had real estate here. He had a business here. He was here a very long time," Anna told the I-Team. "He wanted very much to be an American citizen. He was married to an American citizen."

Chicago Congresswoman Delia Ramirez has called for an "immediate, transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Gantchev's death, including an investigation into reports from other detainees that he asked for medical assistance and did not receive it in time to save his life."

"We are aware of at least 30 deaths at ICE detention centers this year, making 2025 the deadliest year for immigrants in ICE custody," Ramirez said in an online statement.

Gantchev and hundreds of others were ordered released by a federal judge in Chicago on bond last month. Federal officials did not consider Gantchev's release a high risk to public safety.

His wife said the order renewed their hope that Gantchev, a diabetic patient, would be released and could seek further medical treatment.

However, the order was blocked by the Circuit Appeals Court, the wife said, leaving Gantchev with a difficult decision. Either voluntarily depart back to Bulgaria, or stay in custody, hoping he would be eventually released on bond.

The worst of the worst? Remember that lie. That man was not harming anyone but was in fact helping the community he lived in. He raised a family, he ran a business, he helped his neighbors. I understand he was diabetic -- I don't know if I read that or if I overheard someone telling C.I. that this morning. When she's dictating a snapshot, she'll call and ask for information. She tries to picture someone -- especially if they've passed away -- if she's covering them in the snapshot and she immerses herself in all the details she can. The details may not pop up in the snapshot but she just feels it's necessary. She's that way if she's performing as well. If she's going to be a character, she does a ton of work. You can even ask her, "How would she brush her teeth?" and she'll answer you -- even though the character doesn't have a scene brushing her teeth.

This morning, she heard nothing but details about how kind and loved Nenko was. At one point, not sure which detail it was, she started crying.

If you're late to the party, we go back to college years, C.I. and I, actually before college, she dated my brother. These days Mike and I stay at her place. We need to get back to Hawaii but not now. So I'm usually getting up early in the morning and work out with her -- Ava and Jess live across the street, sometimes Jess will be up early and he'll come over and work out with us -- and I get to hear the snapshot being dictated. Again, she stops and starts a lot because she'll be told about something like Nenko's death and start calling around to people she knows -- usually journalists and organizers -- in that area that the person lived (or lives, if they're alive) to get information so that she has a feel for them. All she heard back on Nenko was positive, apparently everyone who knew him or knew of him just sang his praises.

Someone like that, again, is a credit to any community they live in. History is going to look at these people who died in detention and even the ones who were put into it and realize that Donald Chump was a monster and a War Criminal.

Joe Ward (BOOK CLUB CHICAGO) reports:

Officials including U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez have called for an investigation into Gantchev’s death, “including an investigation into reports from other detainees that he asked for medical assistance and did not receive it in time to save his life,” Ramirez’s office said.

“While ICE claims he died of natural causes, the circumstances surrounding his death are not yet clear, and we know there have been numerous complaints from family members and advocates about inhumane conditions and inadequate medical care at” the Michigan detention center.

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Monday, December 22, 2025. Chump's war on the economy leaves few survivors, his crowd size dwindles, ICE can't protect those in its custody as evidenced by four recent deaths, Pam Bondi and others release redacted photos of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson at a charity event with former President Bill Clinton, and much more.

As he's learned recently, Chump can no longer attract a crowd. Vendors left an event early last week when the turnout was in the hundreds and not the thousands. In fact, the big rallies these days are the protests against his actions. For example, Minnesota Saturday.

Feven Gerezgiher (MPR NEWS) reports;

Thousands rallied in south Minneapolis on Saturday to protest increased immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

The Trump administration launched “Operation Metro Surge” on Dec. 1, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement effort in Minneapolis, following President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about Somalis.

At least 400 people have been arrested during the operation, according to ICE, though advocates say the majority had no criminal records.

Protestors carried signs reading “ICE out MSP” to denounce the operation.

“Our people are getting snatched every day from the streets. We have people who are missing; we don’t know where they are,” said Nimco Ahmed, an organizer with the Somali American Coalition Action Fund. “We’re here to protect our community, our assets and everything that we stand for.”

Silvia Ibanez, a Minneapolis teacher, said immigrants feel under attack. She said many of her students are afraid and families are also concerned about sending them to school.

Kyeland Jackson and Susan Du (MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE) offer:

On a frigid, blustery Saturday, Rick Vandendolder stepped outside to follow in his immigrant father’s footsteps.

“My dad was with the Dutch resistance, and he helped hide Jews and others who were fleeing Nazi persecution,” the 73-year-old said. “I met some of the people that he saved, and I never dreamt that I’d be seeing the same thing going on in this country.”

Thousands descended on East Lake Street on Saturday to march against ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.

“It’s cold out, people are hungry, our economy is suffering. Those are things we should be working on,” said Je’taylor Coylewright, 49. “But instead, we’re coming out to have to fight against masked officers taking people off the street. That’s horrible. What a waste of time.”

Ada Duxter (CBS NEWS) adds:

Groups on hand pushed back on the idea that ICE is detaining "the worst of the worst."

"Most of the immigrants here are working very hard," said Silvia Ibanez of the Immigrant Defense Network. "They are here because they are trying to find a better future for their family, and that's not a crime."

Saturday's march ended at Karmel Mall, which organizers said was symbolic of the way the city's Latino and Somali communities have both been targets of the latest DHS enforcement.

The gestapo snatches people off the street. Illegally. ICE doesn't suddenly develop a code of ethics once they've snatched you. Which is why the deaths in ICE custody are not at all surprising. Marianne LeVine and Doublas McMillan (WASHINGNTON POST) report, "Four people in immigration detention have died over a four-day period this month, increasing concern among advocates and some members of Congress over detention conditions. One death took place Dec. 12, another two took place on Dec. 14 and the fourth on Dec. 15, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news releases." I'm sorry, wasn't the sanctimonious liar Todd Blanche just on NBC'S MEET THE PRESS claiming it was his job to guarantee the safety of those who were locked up?

From the transcript:

KRISTEN WELKER:

All right, a couple more and we're almost out of time. I do want to ask you about Ghislaine Maxwell who was of course convicted in 2021 for her role in helping Jeffrey Epstein traffic his victims. In July, you interviewed her in Florida where she was serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison. Just a week later, Maxwell was moved to a more permissive prison camp in Texas. Why was she moved just days after you interviewed her, Mr. Blanche?

DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:

So that's a Bureau of Prison security issue that I will not talk about –

KRISTEN WELKER:

Did you have anything to do with it?

DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:

– but I think it’s fair to say –

KRISTEN WELKER:

Did you have anything to do with it?

DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:

Let me finish. First of all, I am responsible for the Bureau of Prisons. So every decision that they make lands on my desk to the extent it needs to. But just let me talk about the security issue. At the time that I met Ms. Maxwell, there was a tremendous amount of scrutiny and publicity towards her. And the institution she was in, she was suffering numerous and numerous threats against her life. So the BOP is not only responsible for putting people in jail and making sure they stay in jail, but also for their safety. And so she was moved. She is in federal prison. She was in federal prison before. And she's in federal prison now. She's doing 20 years because she was convicted. And the fact that she was moved, she might be moved to another institution tomorrow if security requires it. And that's true of any federal inmate across this country.

A convicted pedophile has more rights to protection in US custody then someone's whose 'crime' was walking on a US street. How telling and how sad.

Tracey Tully and Luis Ferré-Sadurní (NEW YORK TIMES) report:

A 41-year-old man from Haiti who had been detained by immigration officials died last week after a medical emergency, federal officials said, in what is believed to be the first death linked to the troubled, privately run migrant detention facility in Newark where he was held.

The man, Jean Wilson Brutus, was taken to a hospital within hours of arriving at Delaney Hall, a two-story jailhouse where six months ago four men escaped through a flimsy wall during unrest over crowded conditions and a lack of regular meals. He died last Friday, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Mr. Brutus was one of four men detained by ICE and facing deportation to die in custody in the past week across the country. Deaths of migrant detainees have spiked this year as ICE has ramped up its deportation campaign, filling detention centers to record levels. The agency was holding more than 65,700 people as of Nov. 30.

And WLS (ABC7) reports:

A Bulgarian man from Chicago arrested during the recent fall immigration enforcement 'blitz' has died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Michigan private prison.

Nenko Gantchev, 56, died Monday at the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, MI, which is contracted by ICE to hold undocumented migrants.

After multiple inquiries from the ABC7 I-Team, a DHS statement published online said Gantchev's death is "suspected to be from natural causes," but "the official cause of death is still under investigation."

But Gantchev's family and friends tell the I-Team questions are mounting surrounding his deteriorating medical condition the past few months while he was in custody at North Lake, leading up to what happened the day he died.

Next topic . . .

The release of the Epstein files is a joke. The administration is non-compliant and breaking the law with the trickle they provided starting Friday. The release included a photo having nothing to do with Epstein -- but picturing Diana Ross, her son Evan and Michael Jackson with two of his children as they met with Bill Clinton. Katie Francis (THE DAILY BEAST) explains:

The White House has been accused of “having no shame” after a redacted image of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson released in the latest Epstein files wave was found to be a photo of the duo with their own children.

In the photo, which is publicly available unredacted, the iconic musicians and longtime friends stand on either side of Bill Clinton alongside their kids Evan Ross, Michael “Prince” Jackson Jr., and Paris Jackson.

The shot was taken in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 19, 2003, by photographer Jonathan Exley, who took multiple photos of Jackson throughout his career.

Alongside multiple online users identifying the image, Ross’s son Evan clarified that the redactions were not hiding potential victims. “That’s me, not unidentified women,” he commented on an Instagram post.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson was also corrected by a community notice when she shared the redacted image on X on Friday.

“Per the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ was specifically instructed only to redact the faces of victims and/or minors. Here is a picture of Bill Clinton with his arm around Michael Jackson, and redacted individuals,” she wrote alongside the photo.

What? Pam Bondi didn't have access to "We Are The World" footage? Next up, she releases footage from THE WIZ?

Trickery and deceit, it's all Chump has left to offer. On the topic of photos, Alan Feuer, David Enrich and Dylan Freedman (NEW YORK TIMS) report:

More than a dozen photos — including one featuring President Trump — were removed without explanation from the large collection of files connected to the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein that the Justice Department released on Friday.

A total of 16 photos were taken down at some point on Saturday from the website that the department created to house files — among them, one of the few that contained Mr. Trump’s image. It was a photo of a credenza in Mr. Epstein’s Manhattan home, with an open drawer containing other photos, including at least one of Mr. Trump.

The Justice Department did not explain on the site why the images had been removed, and a department spokesman did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee immediately seized on the missing photo of Mr. Trump, reposting it on social media and asking Attorney General Pam Bondi if it was true that the image had been removed.

Here's the photo Bondi apparently decided to remove.

While rushing to protect Chump, they once again didn't give a damn about the survivors. David McAfee (RAW STORY) reports:

Donald Trump's administration committed a "grave and indefensible violation" with a mistake it made in the production of certain Epstein files, according to a survivor of the deceased financier's abuse.

Lawyer and journalist Aaron Parnas flagged the letter from the Epstein survivor on social media. Parnas wrote, "Jane Doe Epstein Survivor, who reported Epstein to the FBI in 2009, sent the following letter to the Department of Justice today after it failed to redact her name in the release of the files. I have confirmed her name is currently not redacted in multiple public files."

The letter itself says in part, "I am a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein. I write to place the Department of Justice on formal notice of a grave and indefensible violation arising from the December 19, 2025 release of records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act."

The White House reduces it all to a political stunt. But there are some things in the release that are news worthy. Edith Olmsted (THE NEW REPUBIC) reports:

Surprise, surprise: President Donald Trump was in Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list.

Buried in the massive trove of documents released by the Department of Justice Friday was Epstein’s 90-page contact book filled with names of high-profile celebrities—including Donald Trump and his family members.

Contact information for “Trump, Donald,” now redacted, was kept separately from the information on how to reach Trump’s daughter Ivanka, his ex-wife Ivana, his brother Robert, and Robert’s wife, Blaine.

A handwritten note indicated the contact book was from Palm Beach, dated 2004–2005.

There also appeared to be contact information for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where Epstein reportedly scouted young women to abuse and traffic, and from where he was supposedly banned in October 2007.

The whole family was connected to him. That's not a casual acquaintance. Not at all. And this wasn't the release ordered. Ordered by an actual act of Congress. "That's going to take an act of Congress." You may have heard that before in your life. Well this had an actual act of Congress and still the administration refused to comply and they got Speaker of the Closet Mike Johnson to send the House home so that Chump could try to escape the outrage of Congress. Will it work? MOTHER JONES' Clint Hendler notes:

According to Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who broke with his party to champion the Epstein Files Transparency Act, what the government has so far provided “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law.”

Epstein’s victims have similar complaints. “They are proving everything we have been saying about corruption and delayed justice,” Jess Michaels told the New York Times. “What are they protecting? The coverup continues.”

The release is being overseen by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the president’s former personal defense attorney, who represented him in the criminal case related to Trump’s attempt to coverup his affair with Stormy Daniels, the adult film star. Blanche has said that the Justice Department remains at work preparing more files for disclosure in the “coming weeks,” in apparent violation of Friday’s deadline.

Moving over to the economy . . .

Donald Chump keeps insisting he's save the economy when, in fact, he's wrecked it. And all of his lies are not going to make people deny what they see with their own eyes, the pain they feel in their own pocketbooks. Making tamales this Christmas? Prepare to spend a lot more this year. Rob McMillan KABC logo (ABC 7) notes, "CNN recently reported that a pound of masa, on average, costs about $1.99. That's up about 30 cents from this time last year. Plus, rising business costs across the board aren't making it any easier." The Mexican cuisine staple is consumed year round but, yes, tamales are a Christmas tradition for many in the US. Chump thinks he can out argue people who know what they're experiencing, people who are having to make difficult choices when doing basic grocery shopping. Like that morning coffee but not that morning coffee price? Well doesn't look like coffee prices are going down anytime soon. NEWS.AZ explains, "US consumers — the world’s largest coffee drinkers — are expected to face higher prices well into 2026, limiting the White House’s ability to ease food inflation ahead of the November midterm elections." Nathan Layne and Aleksandra Michalska (REUTERS) notes, "On a recent snowy morning in a Trump-loving part of rural Michigan, three dozen cars idled outside a firehouse-turned-food pantry. Inside, volunteers packaged lettuce, apples and other household staples that have surged or stayed high in price this year." Food pantries at Christmas -- Donald Chump's America. They trusted him. He didn't deliver. He didn't even try to deliver.

He destroyed our economy. He destroyed us as a travel destination. What foreign tourist wants to come to the US when his gestapo attacks foreigners and perceived foreigners on the streets? No one. He's destroyed the travel industry. Christine Chung (NEW YORK TIMES) reports:

The United States routinely tops the list of foreign travelers’ dream destinations. They can’t seem to get enough of Manhattan’s skyscrapers, the mountains of Vermont, the hedonistic nightlife of Las Vegas, Hawaii’s pristine beaches and the dreamscapes of Disney parks.

But that’s changing.

Steep new fees, travel restrictions, visa hurdles, uncertainty at the border, and President Trump’s aggressive language toward Canada and other countries are all taking a toll.

Postpandemic travel growth has stalled and 4.5 million fewer international visits are expected this year compared with 2024, according to industry estimates.

He doesn't know what he's doing and he never has. Hannah Broughton (THE MIRROR) reports, "World-renowned whiskey brand Jim Beam has announced plans to pause production in 2026, amid struggles in the face of the Trump administration's trade wars. Operations at the company's Happy Hollow distillery in Clermont will cease on January 1, while the visitor center will remain open." Chump's destroyed the economy. He continues to believe he can lie about it and get away with it. Diccon Hyatt (INVESTOPEDIA) notes:

On Wednesday evening, Trump took to the airways to defend his economic policies, responding to criticism from Democrats and others that the cost of living has risen too quickly under his administration, and has been exacerbated by his tariff campaign. Trump said he is tackling inflation, blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the problem, and singled out groceries as an example of his success.

"Democrat [sic] politicians also sent the cost of groceries soaring, but we are solving that too," Trump said. "The price of a Thanksgiving turkey was down 33 percent compared to the Biden last year. The price of eggs is down 82 percent since March and everything else is falling rapidly and it's not done yet, but boy, are we making progress."

If you have noticed your groceries have gotten more expensive this year, the government's consumer price surveys back up your gut feeling with hard data.

Chump just doubles down on his lies. Sarah Sharkey (MONEYWISE) adds:

Over the weekend, the president posted to Truth Social that “tariffs have made our Country Rich, Strong, Powerful, and Safe.” Later in his post, he pressed the Supreme Court to rule in his favor relating to emergency tariff powers. (1, 2)

But governors across the country are reporting impacts that differ from the White House’s assessment. Here’s what they’re saying.

[. . .]

But prices aren’t down. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed an inflation rate of 3.0%. Some categories with spiking costs include food, with food at home costing 2.7% more than this time last year and food away from home costing 3.7% more than last year. Electricity prices are also up 5.1% from last year. (7)

A recent survey of Colorado businesses found that the effects of import taxes have had negative financial impacts on their business. Additionally, the governor of Michigan’s office recently found that the state’s residents are facing higher grocery prices, more expensive housing, and uncertain employment due to tariffs. (8, 9)

He keeps lying. And we're supposed to ignore the prices when we go grocery shopping and ignore all the news of closings and layoffs. PENNYWISE notes, "On November 21, 2025, Tyson Foods announced it will close its Lexington, Nebraska plant and cut Amarillo, Texas to one shift by January 20, 2026, eliminating 4,900 jobs." PENNYGEM adds, "Under pressure Wendy’s shuts 300 restaurants—8,000 workers face layoffs." Ash Frost (PENNYWISE) has a report that begs the question of where was the federal oversight: :

Farmers across the Midwest and South faced a sudden financial crisis in late October when payments for their harvested grain failed to arrive. From Nebraska to Texas, producers who had delivered crops to a major grain buyer found themselves waiting for checks that never came. Phone calls to the company went unanswered, and as days passed, concern turned to alarm. By early November, the scale of the problem became clear: thousands of farmers and agribusinesses were owed millions, with no explanation in sight.

When the creditor list finally surfaced, it revealed the breadth of the disaster. Kansas alone had 128 unpaid creditors, Nebraska 87, and Texas 72. The list included both small family farms and agricultural giants—Cargill was owed $2.6 million, while Viterra Canada awaited $4.7 million. Beyond the largest claims, there were dozens of pages of smaller operations, all left in limbo after trusting the wrong buyer. In total, court documents would later show liabilities between $100 million and $500 million, with as many as 5,000 creditors affected.

The following sites updated:

Saturday, December 20, 2025

There's only one Diana Ross -- a 2025 hero

Diana Ross performing the Supremes classic "Love Child." Diana's my hero for 2025. She was on the road spreading love. In this Time Of Hate that Chump encourages across the nation, we need someone spreading love and hope. And that's the legendary Diana Ross who's been there for us time and again.

Her most recent US hit single is "Turn Up The Sunshine" with Tame Impala which made it to number 19 on BILLBOARD's AC chart.

Since 1970, she's had 29 ac hits. And they're not just the big hits on the pop charts. "Last Time I Saw Him" for example? Made it to number 14 on the pop chart and number 15 on the R&B chart but it was a number one hit on the AC chart. Or take 1975's "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" which didn't even make the top 100 on the pop or R&B charts but made it to number 17 on the AC chart.

When people talk about Diana's hits, too often they focus only on the pop charts. That's what they do with Black artists. Remember when Natalie Cole died? The media tried to pretend in their obit coverage that she returned to the charts in 1987 with hit singes from EVERLASTING. It was left to C.I. to say, "No, no, no. She had two top forty hits two years prior in 1985 -- 'Dangerous' went to number 16 and 'A Little Bit of Heaven' when to number 28. This was on the R&B chart and she was an R&B artist, so why are you acting like she didn't have a hit record after 1980 until 1987." She's landed 27 songs in the top forty of the BILLBOARD dance chart. 68 top 40 R&B hits. 53 top forty pop hits. And she put 72 songs into BILLBOARD top 100 pop charts.

She's delivered time and again. When that awful book CALL HER MISS ROSS came out, the author wanted to do a hit job on Diana and he insisted that her career was over. If she were a White woman, maybe. He ignored her success on the R&B charts during the RCA years. He did the same with her AC success and Dance chart success. He, a White man, could only see a hit if it was a pop hit.

That's limited and he was limiting Diana's career and success. She is an all around entertainer who has scored repeatedly on multiple charts. She's a jazz singer, she's a pop singer, she's adult contemporary singer, she's a dance singer and she's an R&B singer.

But if you want to focus on the pop charts alone, great. Find me a list of how many other artists charted 72 songs on the top 100 pop chart.

And don't say Dionne Warwick. I love her as a singer but she's always lied. Her Wikipedia insists, " She has charted 56 times on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making her the second-most charted female vocalist during the rock era (1955–2010), after Aretha Franklin.^[1] "

No, she's not. She may be third. But Diana's 72 times is greater than Liar Dionne's 56. Diana's behind Aretha who has 73.

She's delivered for us time and again and inspired us and comforted us. There's only one Diana. And she toured all this year spreading joy

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Friday, December 19, 2025. As the release of the Epstein documents finally is upon us Republicans in Congress scurry off like roaches.

MS NOW's Ali Vitali notes this morning, "And today is the deadline for the Justice Dept to release its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."

Jeffrey Epstein was a “terrific guy” and “a lot of fun to be with.” He and Donald J. Trump also had “no formal relationship.” They went to a lot of the same parties. But they “did not socialize together.” They were never really friends, just business acquaintances. Or “there was no relationship” at all. “I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.”

For nearly a quarter-century, Mr. Trump and his representatives have offered shifting, often contradictory accounts of his relationship with Mr. Epstein, one sporadically captured by society photographers and in news clips before they fell out sometime in the mid-2000s. Closely scrutinized since Mr. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell during Mr. Trump’s first term, their friendship — and questions about what the president knew of Mr. Epstein’s abuses — now threatens to consume his second one.

The controversy has shaken Mr. Trump’s iron hold on his base like no other. Loyal supporters have demanded to know why the administration has not moved more quickly to unearth the convicted sex offender’s remaining secrets. In November, after resisting months of pressure to release more Epstein-related documents held by the federal government — and facing an almost unheard-of revolt among Republican lawmakers — Mr. Trump reversed himself, signing legislation that requires their release beginning this week.

Mr. Epstein had a talent for acquiring powerful friends, some of whom have become ensnared in the continuing scrutiny of his crimes. For months, Mr. Trump has labored furiously to shift himself out of the frame, dismissing questions about his relationship with Mr. Epstein as a “Democrat hoax” and imploring his supporters to ignore the matter entirely. An examination of their history by The New York Times has found no evidence implicating Mr. Trump in Mr. Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of minors.

Beginning in the late 1980s, the two men forged a bond intense enough to leave others who knew them with the impression that they were each other’s closest friend, The Times found. Mr. Epstein was then a little-known financier who cultivated mystery around the scope and source of his self-made wealth. Mr. Trump, six years older, was a real estate scion who relished publicity and exaggerated his successes. Neither man drank or did drugs. They pursued women in a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency.

Over nearly two decades, as Mr. Trump cut a swath through the party circuits of New York and Florida, Mr. Epstein was perhaps his most reliable wingman. During the 1990s and early 2000s, they prowled Mr. Epstein’s Manhattan mansion and Mr. Trump’s Plaza Hotel, at least one of Mr. Trump’s Atlantic City casinos and both their Palm Beach homes. They visited each other’s offices and spoke often by phone, according to other former Epstein employees and women who spent time in his homes.

At THE NEW REPUBLIC, Hafiz Rashid covers another photo release:

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released new photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate Thursday, and in some of them, handwritten lines from the book Lolita are visible on the bodies of unidentified girls or women.

One of the photos shows “Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth” written on someone’s collarbone, above her chest. A passage on a foot reads, “She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock.” “She was Lola in slacks” is visible on another person’s body, and a message written on someone’s neck reads, “She was Dolly at school.” And visible, written vertically along a person’s back, is the line, “She was Delores on the dotted line.”

The photos were released through a Dropbox account, and nothing in the upload indicates who the photos are of or when they were taken. Lolita, written in 1955 by Vladimir Nabakov, is about a professor who kidnaps and sexually abuses a 12-year-old girl, which seems on the nose for a convicted sex offender and trafficker like Epstein.

Also covering the photos is THE NEWSHOUR's Liz Landers:

Around 70 photographs come from Epstein’s computer and email accounts, and shed more light on his lifestyle and social circles. The photographs, among 95,000 handed over by Epstein’s estate last week, were provided to the committee without context.

One image shows former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates standing next to a woman, whose face is redacted. Another shows Noam Chomsky seated next to Epstein on a plane. Several images show a social gathering over a meal and several faces of powerful or public figures, including Epstein. A separate image that appears to be from the same room shows Google co-founder Sergey Brin and New York Times columnist David Brooks, who is a regular contributor to the PBS News Hour. The photos are undated.

A New York Times spokesperson said in a statement, “As a journalist, David Brooks regularly attends events to speak with noted and important business leaders to inform his columns, which is exactly what happened at this 2011 event. Mr. Brooks had no contact with him before or after this single attendance at a widely-attended dinner.”

This photo release is the latest from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, not from the Justice Dept. Why are they releasing this? Is it helpful? Those are the sort of questions we got yesterday when we were speaking.

Is it helpful?

I don't know that yesterday's release of photos was? There's enough to cover and curate from the last release. And to do a release before the Justice Dept does their own seems a bit of a distraction and possibly overwhelming the news cycle.

But there's a possibility that the Committee members are signaling to the Justice Dept what they have access to. Pam Bondi asks, for example, "Do we have to release this?" An underling replies, "They've probably got it already AG Bimbo, they've released photos and documents in the surrounding timeline."

Something like that would be a good reason for yesterday's release.

Otherwise, you risk overwhelming people with information.

It gets to be too much to process.

Bondi's madly censoring documents as we speak -- refer to this video.

..

Which is why, if Bondi had a brain, she'd be releasing everything. A massive data dump would overwhelm outlets and commentators. A selective trickle only allows them to focus more sharply on what is released.

Robert Tait (GUARDIAN) explains:

After months of delay and stalling, the Trump administration is legally obliged to publish a massive archive of documents that could shine fresh light on Epstein’s misdeeds and his connections with key public figures, including Donald Trump himself.

Under the terms of the Epstein Files Transparency Act – passed by Congress in November following months of resistance from the White House – Pam Bondi, the attorney general, must release by midnight on Friday “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” linked to Epstein, his jailed associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and individuals named in connection with his criminal activities.

Stephen Fowler (NPR's MORNING EDITION) adds:

More specifically, the law targets the release of information about individuals affiliated with Epstein's criminal activities, any decisions not to charge Epstein and his associates and "entities (corporate, nonprofit, academic, or governmental) with known or alleged ties to Epstein's trafficking or financial networks."

The files include "more than 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence" in the FBI's custody and internal Justice Department records from criminal cases against Epstein. Some files include photos and videos of Epstein's accusers, including minors, and other depictions of abuse that will be withheld.

The text of the law that passed Congress with near-unanimous support also reads that "no record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."

Ahead of the release, Congressional Republicans tended to scatter like roaches. One who didn't is US House Rep ThomasMassie.

Complicating matters is Epstein's partner in crime Ghislaine Maxwell who is still alive and is desperate for attention.

Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister (AP) report:

Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell asked a federal judge on Wednesday to set aside her sex trafficking conviction and free her from a 20-year prison sentence, saying “substantial new evidence” has emerged proving that constitutional violations spoiled her trial.

Maxwell maintained in a habeas petition she has promised to file since August that information that would have resulted in her exoneration at her 2021 trial was withheld and false testimony was presented to the jury.

She said the cumulative effect of the constitutional violations resulted in a “complete miscarriage of justice.”

Robert Alexander (NEWSWEEK) adds:

Maxwell’s filing comes at a politically sensitive moment, as the Justice Department faces a congressional deadline to release records related to federal investigations into Epstein.

Courts in New York and Florida have recently authorized the unsealing of some grand jury materials connected to those cases, increasing public scrutiny of how prosecutors handled evidence over many years.

[. . .]

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and related offenses for helping her former partner, Jeffrey Epstein, recruit, groom and transport underage girls for sexual abuse between the mid-1990s and early 2000s.

The filing marks Maxwell’s latest attempt to overturn a sentence that has already survived multiple appeals.

Maxwell, who is representing herself, argues that the evidence now available demonstrates that “no reasonable juror would have convicted her,” citing alleged juror misconduct, undisclosed government materials, and contradictions in witness testimony that she says were not fully explored at trial.

Maxwell who is representing herself?

On those grounds alone it should be denied. She's been on trial, she's been convicted. With legal help multiple appeals have been filed. She comes from money and her trashy family still has money. So if this was important to her -- this countless appeal -- she should spring for an attorney. Our overtaxed legal system doesn't have time to humor rich people who are too cheap to pay for their constant appeals.

And that's before you look at the items she's listed which supposedly count as 'new evidence,' sorry, most of that will be tossed right out of court. And should be. Then she should be told that she has exhausted the system and wasted the court's time. If she wanted to talk, she should have taken the stand at her trial. She's trash, she's garbage and she's a criminal who has been convicted for her crimes and keeps trying to find a loophole. She had her day in court. 20 years was a generous sentence for her crimes. She's now blackmailed her way into a cushy Club Fed prison. Rules have been repeatedly broken to make her more comfortable. It's time for her to shut up and stop adding stress to an already clogged court system.

You're a pedophile, Ghislaine. The only thing that can maybe change that is a time machine that lets you go back and alter your evil ways.

You granted no appeal from any of the girls and women you tried to destroy so have a lot of nerve pretending yet again that you're the injured party.

If videos aren't showing above, I'm sorry. I dictate the snapshot but I have gone in and done ten minutes of HTML work trying to get them to work. I don't know what's going on there. It looks like, and I could be wrong, whatever's effecting it is not impacting GOOGLECHROME browser.

Okay, let's note this from Senator Patty Murray's office:

***LETTER HERE***

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and 18 of their Senate colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to immediately address and reverse the staffing crisis at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which has lost the capacity to properly manage most of America’s wildlife refuges — putting in jeopardy the ability to protect endangered wildlife species under the Service’s care.

In their letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and FWS Director Brian Nesvik, the Senators highlight the direct impacts cuts in staffing are having on the 573 national wildlife refuges across the country — with almost 60 percent of them lacking the resources and staff needed to fulfill their missions.

“Americans of all backgrounds love their public lands, and protecting wildlife refuges is a bipartisan cause that brings together environmentalists, sportsmen, and all who enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities provided by America’s National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge System is the only federal network of public lands that is primarily dedicated to the conservation, management, and restoration of fish, wildlife, and plant species and their habitats,” the senators wrote.

The senators also emphasized that operating with few or no employees has also hurt disaster resilience because FWS employees carry out projects to control flooding and prevent catastrophic wildfires. “This downward trend did not begin under the Trump administration. Yet the current administration has not only shown an unwillingness to address the problem—it has made the situation far worse. The President’s Fiscal Year 26 budget request slashed funding for FWS’s overall Resource Management account, which included a proposed 22 percent cut to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Moreover, the administration has indicated that it is planning more firings for public land agencies,” the senators continued. “The consequences of slashing the FWS workforce are already being felt across the nation. The collapse of staffing capacity within the Refuge System leaves refuges open to damage, vandalism, flooding, fire, and loss of protection and conservation measures for threatened and endangered wildlife species who rely on these refuges for survival. FWS staffing losses also hurt resilience because FWS employees carry out projects to control flooding and prevent catastrophic wildfires.”

In addition to Senators Murray and Schiff, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Edward Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Senator Murray is a leading voice pushing back against the Trump administration’s attacks on federal agencies. In February, she released a fact sheet on how staffing cuts at federal agencies under the Trump administration would jeopardize critical functions of agencies, including the 2,300 employees laid off at the Department of the Interior and FWS at the beginning of this year. She and U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D, WA-02) led the Washington Democratic Congressional delegation in a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in August, urging him to reverse the Trump administration’s disastrous decision to eliminate funding for Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs), a blow to widely supported salmon recovery and habitat restoration efforts that also impacted FWS staffing. As Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray has consistently fought to secure funding for fish and wildlife conservation projects in Washington state and across the country.

The lawmakers’ full letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Burgum and Director Nesvik:

We write to sound the alarm on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) staffing crisis, which is causing particular harm to the National Wildlife Refuge System. A startling amount of staff and expertise needed to manage the Refuge System and protect America’s wildlife have been lost due to the administration’s firings, early retirement programs, and other efforts to push staff out of FWS. The agency is losing the capacity to manage America’s wildlife refuges and struggling to even keep them open. We ask that you provide Congress with your plan to address FWS’s staffing crisis and immediately act to ensure that FWS and the Refuge System have the staff and resources needed to guarantee a safe, quality experience for visitors to the Refuge System and to protect the invaluable wildlife species under the agency’s care.

Americans of all backgrounds love their public lands, and protecting wildlife refuges is a bipartisan cause that brings together environmentalists, sportsmen, and all who enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities provided by America’s National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge System is the only federal network of public lands that is primarily dedicated to the conservation, management, and restoration of fish, wildlife, and plant species and their habitats. There are 573 national wildlife refuges across the country, with a footprint in every state. The Refuge System also utilizes a unique conservation approach through community-based initiatives that provide recreational and sporting opportunities and other localized needs. According to FWS, wildlife refuge recreation generates $3.2 billion in local economic activity each year. Every dollar that is invested in the Refuge System generates $3.12 in U.S. economic activity, a tremendous return on investment for the American taxpayer.

However, according to recently released internal agency documents, almost 60 percent of the nation’s wildlife refuges lack the resources and staff needed to fulfill their missions. FWS has experienced a staggering 29 percent loss of employees who work for the Refuge System. This downward trend did not begin under the Trump administration. Yet the current administration has not only shown an unwillingness to address the problem—it has made the situation far worse. The President’s Fiscal Year 26 budget request slashed funding for FWS’s overall Resource Management account, which included a proposed 22 percent cut to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Moreover, the administration has indicated that it is planning more firings for public land agencies.

Staffing reductions have negatively impacted national wildlife refuges across the country, forcing multiple wildlife refuges to operate with few or no employees. FWS’s internal estimates indicate that 9 percent of wildlife refuges are now classified as “shuttered.” It appears that FWS has abandoned these refuges, as there may not be a single employee on the ground to manage the refuge.

The consequences of slashing the FWS workforce are already being felt across the nation. The collapse of staffing capacity within the Refuge System leaves refuges open to damage, vandalism, flooding, fire, and loss of protection and conservation measures for threatened and endangered wildlife species who rely on these refuges for survival. FWS staffing losses also hurt resilience because FWS employees carry out projects to control flooding and prevent catastrophic wildfires.

It has also become more difficult for the agency to meet deadlines to list species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, an already challenging but essential obligation. This delay in work pushes endangered species closer to extinction and prevents infrastructure projects from moving forward, as they may encounter difficulties with acquiring needed permits amid such regulatory uncertainty.

Considering the alarming scale of FWS’s staffing crisis, we request answers to the following by January 2, 2026:

1. Will you commit to reversing the staffing losses at FWS? What is your plan to address FWS’s debilitating loss in capacity?

2. Has the Administration considered the impact of decimating the FWS workforce on the economics of gateway communities?

3. Does the Administration still plan on moving forward with firing more FWS employees, even as those firings are being stopped by federal courts?

4. How is FWS planning to meet deadlines to list species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act?

Protecting natural resources for Americans has always been a bipartisan effort and it is important that FWS has the workforce required to meet its core mandates. Thank you, and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely, 

###

And let's note this from THE BLACK COMMENTATOR:

The Black Commentator

Issue #1068

is now Online

December 18, 2025