Seven months into Donald Trump’s presidency, the verdict is in: The Supreme Court has greatly eroded separation of powers.
If
there is to be a check on Trump’s unconstitutional and illegal actions,
it must come from the courts, because neither those around him nor
Congress have shown any inclination to rein in the president. But
although the lower courts have frequently stopped unconstitutional
actions, the Supreme Court has repeatedly reversed these decisions to
align itself with Trump’s unprecedented exercises of presidential power.
Trump,
by his words and his actions, has governed as if there were no checks
on his authority. “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,”
he wrote on social media in February. At a televised press conference
last month, the president, when discussing his effort to deploy the
National Guard to U.S. cities, claimed, “the right to anything I want to
do. I’m the president of the United States.”
Trump’s
assertions of presidential power are broader than those of any
president who has come before him. No president before has ever claimed
that he can fire everyone in the executive branch of government. No
president has claimed the ability to eliminate agencies created by
federal statute. No president has claimed the authority to massively cut
off federal spending appropriated by Congress. No president has
attempted to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 except in declared
wars. No president has invoked “emergency powers” in non-emergency
situations, such as for imposing tariffs and ending collective
bargaining for federal employees, to the same extent. He has violated
the Posse Comitatus Act—and signaled that he intends to continue to do
so—through his use of the American military for domestic law
enforcement.
It is against this backdrop that the Supreme Court’s failure to check President Trump is so deeply disturbing.
The
Crooked Court, led by head crook John Roberts, has destroyed our
democracy just as surely as they have ripped down the walls of
separation of powers.
Comments to the article
user-a2sbifv2y2
5 hours ago
We
were all warned about this by the significantly more competent and
qualified candidate on the other side. Those warnings by and large have
become reality. Does anyone even care, because I do. When we are told
"if I don't get what I want, we will not have a country left" by the
current president, you should take out the word don't. We are allowing
one, very likely mentally compromised person, to wipe out centuries of
progress in governance and personal rights. We the people are the only
ones that have any hope of saving ourselves, with our votes in Nov '26.
The gop has shown it's true colors, they are not here to serve us, they
are here to serve the billionaire class. If we are lucky, we'll get
one shot at this next year. Please, please choose wisely.
Blue Light
3 hours ago
Adapt
to the authoritarian regime or resist and fight back! Even MAGA
supporters may eventually face oppression and silencing by the
government they support. This overreach by the current administration
mirrors how Hitler gained control of the justice system, with history
seemingly repeating itself:
In Nazi Germany, Hitler
systematically dismantled the judicial system, turning it into a tool of
totalitarian control. The judiciary was subverted, and the rule of law
was subordinated to authoritarianism. Special courts, such as the
Supreme Court today, were created to handle politically sensitive cases,
bypassing traditional legal procedures. These courts lacked an appeals
process and delivered verdicts aligned with Nazi interests, often
committing "judicial murders" and restricting communication between
defendants and lawyers, similar to the recent Shadow Docket rulings. The
Nazi legal system was restructured to align with Nazi ideology,
enabling the regime’s actions, including atrocities, to be carried out
legally. If this continues, America will become a Fascist Domain.
Trump's
influence over the judiciary draws comparisons to Hitler's strategies
and apparently, history is repeating itself, not just in Trump's
manipulation of laws for his own agenda, but also in ways that echo how
Hitler consolidated his fascist regime.
James Burgin
4 hours ago
I
have no doubt the Supreme Court will check presidential actions should a
Democrat ever take the White House. Until then, they will continue to
be a Republican rubber stamp.
We all see through The Crooked Court and, like Lady Justice, we watch their actions with a tear sliding down our cheek.
Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jimmy Kimmerl's cancelled by right
wing freaks, yes, but also by idiots in the media who can't get their
facts right and who make us all as stupid as they are with their poorly
done jobs.
Let's start with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC last night.
Lawrence is right. He usually is.
That
said, while he can ignore the topic (and should), we can't ignore the
topic even though I sat through two hearings yesterday planning to cover
at least one at length in this snapshot. Now we probably won't.
But
our scope demands we cover this and I can't wait until Sunday when Ava
and I could cover it for THIRD. Too much damage has been done. In
addition, it's our beat. We've always covered the media. And we
especially need to call it when the left keeps promoting stupidity.
Idiots. I'm so sick of this country losing out because of idiots.
Jimmy
Kimmel -- not calling him an idiot -- has lost his job. That's reality
right now. There's a segment of Jen Psaki talking about that. I'm not
seeing it on MSNBC's YOUTUBE page. Which is actually a good thing
because no one ever needs to see that.
She doesn't do a good job.
Her guest is actually much, much worse.
He tells Jen that this could happen to her.
Are
we talking about the FCC and Jen? Because -- as she understands (and
as it actually is), the FCC has no control over this issue because Jen's
on cable not over the airwaves. In the '00s on AIR AMERICA RADIO's THE
LAURA FLANDERS SHOW had an FCC commissioner on one weekend night and
our own Maria got a question to him. But he was too stupid to get it
and I don't think Laura did either. Her question was about the FCC's
control and the FCC commissioner and the idiot from the FCC ignored
that. She was talking about what NYT had called the death of free TV in
an editorial. And her question was, when over the airwaves TV dies
what happens next? Does the FCC have any control over cable.
Preet
Bharara is a f**king idiot and we can't afford his stupidity. We can't
afford him. The country suffers enough without his idiotic mouth.
I
found out the news about Kimmel via Jen's show. We're in DC to attend
some hearings and we're speaking around this area to various groups. I
grabbed a nine o'clock last minute invite because I could squeeze it in
when I should have gone home since I'd have to get up at 4:30 in the
morning. It lasted a little over two hours. When we were headed back
to the hotel, I didn't return any calls, I didn't surf on my phone. I
just yawned and tried to stay awake. (The nine o'clock group, y the
way, was informed and wonderful and I'm not insulting them in any way.)
I get back to the hotel, pose for some selfies and then get to my room
and turn on the TV. Jen's show is just coming on and that was the first
segment. That's when I learned that Jimmy was out of his job and when I
learned that MSNBC needs to stop bringing on analysts who aren't
qualified to speak on the topic.
Yes, Preet's an
attorney. He has no expertise on the FCC. He's a f**king idiot who
should be on the air tomorrow apologizing to viewers who might have made
the mistake of trusting him.
Jen raised it but she's
not the expert. She raised the topic of FOX NEWS letting Brian Kilmeade
go on air and call for the homeless to be executed (Ava and I covered that in our piece at the start of the week) and get away with it Which he did. From Ava and my piece:
Now during that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal
injections. I apologize for that extremely callous remark. I am
obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the
perpetrator did in North Carolina and that so many homeless people
deserve our empathy and compassion.
Scapegoat an
entire group of people -- you know, the way TD did his entire adult life
-- and someone who points that reality out is fired but call for the
homeless to be executed and offer a three sentence "apology"
Do
you see us saying, "Contact the FCC!" No. We didn't and we honestly
wouldn't because we're not right-wing nut jobs promoting cancel
culture. It's funny when you grasp that they are always the one
screaming for someone to be cancelled. But as usual, they lie and
people go along with them. After 9/11, it wasn't left wingers, for
example, calling for POLITICALLY INCORRECT to be cancelled. It was
right-wingers. And they're the reason Bill Maher is on HBO now and not
ABC.
Jen brings up the FOX & FRIENDS host and Preet
rushes to sign off on it and to waste time and to not only demonstrate
his own stupidity but to promote it to the masses.
We can't afford the stupid. Not now. Not ever.
The
FCC has no control of FOX & FRIENDS. Why? Because it's not a
broadcast TV show. It is not broadcast over the airwaves. It's a FOX
"NEWS" -- cable channel -- program. FCC does not hand out a license to
FOX NEWS.
The stupidity is appalling.
We're dropping back to May 2st of 2024 for that day's snapshot.
Before we do, let me just bring you up to speed. Before nasty ass
trash got on TIKTOK in the fall of 2024 attacking Black women for
supporting Kamala Harris, this site covered the assault on Gaza.
Daily. But when that trash told Black women to take Palestinians out of
their mouths? We did as requested. And, no surprise, the country
stopped caring. Because we were the best advocates for Gaza to
America. Not you with your harsh views and pinched faces constantly
bellowing. You divide yourself from the American public. And that's
before you cost Kamala the election. So now you're on your own.
And
too bad for you, FAIR doesn't do the work required. I do. I Matilda
Joslyn Gage it. Because I learned in college that knowledge is power
and stupidity is a prison.
Today's students face their own
battles. In my day, the biggest one was liars as professors. They'd
flat out lie to promote their prejudices. A foreign born sexist
(mis)teaching one course I took hated women and felt the need to insult
The WACS (Women's Army Corps). He stated, in class, that they were
whores. That the only contribution they made to the US effort in WWII
was to "hop in bed with horny GIs." He said that. And I'm aghast but
everyone else in the room is nodding and taking notes. He co-wrote the
text book for the class. No where in the text did that libel appear. I
got the book the dean wrote which, being a true history book of that
period, and it did not present lies about The Wacs. I documented
everything in a six page typed evaluation and met with the dean to
review it. Though the classes by the foreign born sexist had already
been announced for the next semester, he didn't end up teaching them.
He didn't teach another thing at that college. He administered the
final and that was the only thing he ever did at my university after I
met with the Dean with six page typed evaluation supported by my
classroom notes.
That's sound and basic journalism. Let's zoom in on a 'local' news
report that was, in fact, aired nationally with a liar at each station
pretending that they were the 'reporter' on the piece.
Who's
a whore? So many but let's go to a big market, let's not pick on
someone already struggling in a small one. So let's go to Los Angeles.
KTLA's
Sandra Mitchell is a whore. I get it, I do. When you look like her in
Chicago, viewers might just find you plain. But for Los Angeles TV?
You're butt ugly. You're the one they take up an office donations for
cosmetic surgery. So I get it, Sandra, you'll stoop to anything. But
your decision to pass someone else's report from New York off as your
own on local Los Angeles television?
Well, whore, that means you have to answer for it.
So
she needs to answer for her report yesterday evening (which again she
just narrated and pretended like she had done it herself) when you
featured two people -- each billed solely as "Columbia student" --
praising the violent assault by the police. Onscreen they were just
"Columbia student." And wasn't it, strange, Sandra, how "you" (reality:
some reporter in New York) could only find two students to speak to and
they weren't involved in the protest so they really weren't pat of the
news. But the two you provide for context both hate the protesters and
these two are just students, just two students with no dog in the
battle.
No, they do have dogs in the battle.
Take bow wow Jessica Schwalb who is actually a journalist and is
actually a Palestinian hater who has been Tweeting hatred at the
protesters for as long as it's been going on and this Laura Loomer fan
girl goes back even further on her Tweets attacking the Palestinians and
attacking their supporters -- no links to trash.
She's
not the only nightmare. Playing a right-wing version of the Rupert
Everett to her right-wing Julia Roberts, we get Jonas Du -- known as
Jonas Doo-Doo to his friends? This "Columbia student" who is also the
only other student interviewed by "Sandra" also happens to be a
right-winger.
In fact, he and Jessica are
working with the right-wing press as he noted before he and Jessica
spoke to "Sandra" for "her" "report" -- he Tweeted:
It’s an honor to work with
@bariweiss
and
@TheFP
in collaboration with
@jessicaschwalb7
to cover the madness that has engulfed Columbia
Get it?
It
took me less than two minutes -- while walking on the treadmill to warm
up -- to find the information that "Sandra" should have found herself
before putting a name to a report that she didn't do and couldn't have
done.
But that is what happens thanks to
media consolidation. Like far too many channels in this country, KTLA
is owned by NEXSTAR MEDIA GROUP. They own 197 TV stations throughout
the country.
Shame on Sandra and KTLA and every
other of the 196 that the garbage 'report' got aired on. Sandra now
resumes trying to pose her body seductively while doing hard hitting
topics like dog safety. Does she think this is the pose of a journalist
or a sexpot?
Normal
women don't angle themselves in a chair like that -- nor, and this goes
for her co-host as well -- do they were Joan Crawford f**k-me heels for
a mid-day segment.
They
won't tell the truth about the protesters because the truth hurts their
side. The truth puts the blood on their hands. So they lie about the
protesters and NEXSTAR viewers were under the impression that they were
watching a locally produced segment (how did their local TV favorite get
to New York and back!!!!) with fairness and no distortions. They
didn't know that the students -- the only ones who got to speak on
camera -- were both fright-wingers working with Bari The Transphobe
Weiss. Don't worry, Zac and Gavin will find a way to brag about Bari's
ethics in yet another edition of THE VANGUARD.
Media consolidation hurts us all. Might be something to remember as renewal licenses are sought.
NEXSTAR is brought up by Preet and Jen. And they just don't know a damn thing.
In
fairness to them, we're the only ones who covered it. NEXSTAR could
have lost every broadcast license they had for pretending -- LYING --
that a NYC report was done by a local reporter in Los Angeles, in every
city that NEXSTAR owns a station.
FAIR has noted
NEXSTAR five times in FAIR's history. First in August of 2017 "This Is a
Company That Is Essentially Producing Trump TV" and last July 21, 2023
with "Covering 'Racist State'’ Backlash-- but Not the Reality That
Israel Is a Racist State." That was it. But once student protests
started on campus, NEXSTAR filed one lying 'report' after another. And
FAIR didn't say a word and nobody did.
Your stupidity kills us.
Seriously, shut up.
You are killing our country. Just shut up. You don't know what you're talking about but it never matters to you.
NEXSTAR announced they would stop carrying Jimmy Kimmel.
Now
we have NEXSTAR killing Jimmy's show. And we can't even get reality
there from MSNBC's supposed legal expert who knows nothing about the FCC
or about stations or about anything to do with the topic.
MAUDE
had an episode where Bea Arthur's Maude had an abortion in November
1972 -- some stations refused to air the two-part episode (Champaign and
Peoria's CBS affiliates being two). Later in August of 1973, the two
episodes were not re-run by 39 affiliates. And back then, summer TV was
pretty much nothing but repeats -- the way CBS still programs -- and a
few 'summer replacement shows. Norman Lear (who produced MAUDE) would
have been the first to tell you that you can get away with that as long
as it's just an episode or two. But when a large number of affiliates
refuse to air the show, you cant get away with it.
NEXSTAR
cancelled Kimmel. This was carried out by right-wing TV. And NEXSTAR
is already the nation's largest owner of broadcast TV stations and has
met the cap but it's now attempting to buy even more TV stations which
will require the approval of the FCC.
Now there could be a
miracle that saves Jimmy's show. I don't see it happening and no one I
spoke to at ABC did either. NEXSTAR's actions have pushed us to where
we are now.
I turned my ringer on while watching Jen last night
and the calls poured in. I made a few myself. I talked to three suits
at ABC. Jimmy's dead.
What could change it?
You
could let ABC know how popular Jimmy is and they could try moving the
show to DISNEY+ as an exclusive -- DISNEY+ and HULU are one in the same
and they're phasing out HULU. They could keep it on the air at the same
time if they wanted but with the understanding that half the country
won't be able to see it via the broadcast airwaves. But they do need
product for DISNEY+ and they don't really have a lot.
NEXSTAR
viewers could express their anger to their NEXSTAR affiliates and that
might -- I doubt it -- make NEXSTAR drop the boycott.
Again,
this is a political decision made by a conservative group who right now
wants to buy up even more TV stations and needs FCC approval to do so.
Are you getting why that idiot
A
conservative organization controlling the most broadcast stations in
the US, lying on air (and there were more lies than just that) and
reaching more Americans than watch FOX "NEWS" and FAIR didn't bark. Nor
did THE NATION.
It's not a surprise -- though Jen's show tried to
pretend it was -- that NEXSTAR was the deciding factor. Preet doesn't
know a damn thing. If you asked him about why TURN-ON aired only one
episode in 1969, he'd say, "What?" He's an idiot.
He was presented as an expert and he knew nothing about the topic.
This stupidity harms us all.
Stop
bringing on people presented as experts who don't know a damn thing.
And stop ignoring NEXSTAR and other conservative outlets working to
undermine our democracy. Maybe you won't get as many clicks as when you
call out Laura Ingraham but NEXSTAR has more viewers each day than
Laura will ever have at night on FOX "NEWS."
Your stupidity -- those of you on the left who have ignored NEXSTAR -- hurt us there.
Your
stupidity also accounts for the power of The Demagogue. MSNBC, you
went all in, flooded the one, day after day starting September 11th.
And your first days -- plural -- coverage was appalling. Your appalling
non-stop and fact-free coverage turned him into a folk hero.
Your Whiteness threatens us all.
Fortunately, those of us who are Black, are not playing your game of pretend.
As Ava and I noted at THIRD:
TD was not well known before his death.
Most
Americans had no idea who he was. Sorry to break it to the political
types -- whether you provide commentary, serve in Congress or work on
campaigns, most Americans don't know who you are and don't care. The
last true political celebrities emerged in 1992 and their names are
Mary Matalin and James Carville. Their couple hood inspired a film
(SPEECHLESS with Geena Davis and Michael Keaton). She worked on George
HW Bush's campaign while he worked on Bill Clinton's campaign and they
fell in love and married (and are still married today). It gave a human
interest quality and it made them famous. No one knows who David
Axelrod is married to -- not even the limited number of Americans who
know the name David Axelrod is.
But damned if the
panty-pissing, flood the zone that MSNBC led on and others followed
didn't canonize TD. Especially when they wouldn't allow reality to be
presented. Only hagiography. And as hour after hour was wasted on TD,
the message became: Here is someone wonderful.
Why else would you be talking about them constantly? Especially when you weren't broadcasting the truth about them.
Chump
saw the reaction, Chump saw it and used it. He and others calling for
leftists to be arrested for remarks. The left's being demonized and
it's a direct result of the coverage supposedly left MSNBC provided.
There were real issues if you were going to cover the death of TD but
MSNBC made clear with the firing of Matthew Dodd that real issues would
not be allowed on air.
Your stupidity brought us to this
point. You display weakness in front of Chump, he will bite your neck
until you bleed out. And to not know that, to not grasp that you have
to stand up to the bully, at this late date is stupidity and, MSNBC and
the rest of you, your stupidity is hurting us yet again.
Let's bring in Ben and MEIDASTOUCH NEWS from this morning.
If
you saw that awful segment on MSNBC that Jen and Preet Bharara I hope
you noticed what Ben did above -- something not done in the MSNBC
segment.
The Maga Gang desperately trying to
characterize this kid who murdered [The Demagogue] as anything other
than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points
from it.
No, Jen, he didn't blame the murder on MAGA.
Who the hell was in charge of that MSNBC segment?
It
mischaracterized what Jimmy said. The idiot expert didn't know how the
FCC worked (Jen is not going to be banned by the FCC, they have no
control over cable nor is FOX & FRIENDS a broadcast show), the idiot
knew nothing about NEXSTAR -- not how many stations they owned, not
that they're conservative, not that they're now trying to buy more
stations and will need FCC approval since they've already met the limit,
nothing.
It was garbage and it was stupidity and we're all a lot worse for it.
The Demagogue was a hate merchant.
Should he have been murdered? Hell no. We don't support murder and that's why we have laws against it.
But
he was not a saint. He was a hate merchant. Repeating, his death did
not change how he lived his life and the hatred he spewed. But MSNBC and
others DISNEY-fied him and said to the country -- again, most of whom
never heard of him -- this is a folk hero and it's why we're going
wall-to-wall with coverage.
That
coverage was offensive to those of us who are Black. And the Whiteness
of media players has still not led to any public reflection. As Rebecca noted last night, Ezra Klein has not apologized or acknowledged he did anything wrong, he's just doubled down:
people were bothered by ezzie klein's nonsense because it only factored in white people.
for ezzie, it was all just words. as a white man, he never knows how racism actually works. it doesn't impact him.
maybe
next time, white ezzie, before you give some 1 a pass for words you
'disagree' with, take a moment, you stupid idiotic fool, to grasp that
what's just words for you often morphs into targeted discrimination
aimed at black people and targeted violence aimed at black people.
you don't know a damn thing you're talking about and you'd be better to shut up.
We can't afford the stupidity. Did you read Kat's "Racist Amber Greene only harms her image further each time she speaks"?
Please read it if you haven't but let's note it in a nutshell: At a
workplace, a White woman states that something was N-word rigged. A
Black employee objects to that term and the supervisor both-sides it --
like Ezra Klein -- and says 'let's call it Obama rigged.' And thinks
she's funny. She's not. She failed to stop racism in the workplace,
she not only failed to stop she encouraged it and spread it. And she
was fired. She's now claiming it's not fair because they really only
listened to one person No, they listened to the person who objected to
Greene's unprofessional and racists response -- something that violated
their written work code.
But this is MAGA. They think they can say and do whatever and then lie about what they said or insist it was a joke so no harm.
And White racists like Green and Klein think because they're White that any debate on an issue begins and ends with them.
The world doesn't work that way.
Jimmy said:
The
Maga Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered [The
Demagogue] as anything other than one of them and doing everything they
can to score political points from it.
There's
nothing wrong with that statement. It doesn't even acknowledge the
hate that The Demagogue regularly spewed. Hate that leaves our children
-- Black people's children -- open to violence, hate that fosters
violence. Jimmy's statement doesn't even shine a light on that truth.
All
it does is rightly note that MAGA has spent days trying to pin the
shooting on other groups -- which they have -- and using it as a
political football -- again, which they have.
And
MSNBC couldn't get that right? Jen and Preet had to mischaracterize
what was said. Couldn't quote it but couldn't even sum it up right.
There was no factual error, Jen.
The stupidity is killing us.
Some of you really need to shut up.
Your actions last week are the reason Jimmy Kimmel's in trouble today. Know the facts and tell them accurately or STFU.
We
don't need you both-sidings racism. It's sad that in 2025, I have to
point out that is not needed, have to point out that both-siding racism
is justifying racism and distorting reality.
We
don't have a lot of room left I'm told by the friend I'm dictating this
to. So we're not covering the House hearing yesterday. We're instead
moving over to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell -- two criminals
that Ka$h Patel wants to protect -- and Epstein's dead. They're
pedophiles who both -- BOTH -- had sexual relations with underage
girls. They sex trafficked those girls. The survivors are demanding
justice.
Guess what?
They shouldn't have to.
Murder
is a crime. The demagogue's family and supporters shouldn't have to
demand legal justice for the murder. Sex trafficking is a crime. The
survivors shouldn't have to demand justice.
Tuesday’s
Senate hearing featuring FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t shed a ton of
light on the substance of the Jeffrey Epstein files. But it was hugely
significant in another way: It signaled a new political effort by the
Trump administration to ascribe blame.
And the target is none other than a former top Trump administration official – one whom Trump very notably once defended.
Testifying
to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patel seemed to make a point to
fault Alexander Acosta, who was US attorney in Florida in the late 2000s
and cut a nonprosecution agreement with Epstein. That deal came during
the George W. Bush administration, years before Trump in his first term
picked Acosta as labor secretary.
Patel twice brought Acosta up unprompted, including in his opening statement, during Tuesday’s hearing.
“I’m
here to testify that the original sin in the Epstein case was the way
it was initially brought by Mr. Acosta back in 2006,” Patel said at the
start of the hearing.
It's
good that they've found their fall guy. They appear to need one now
more than ever. Yesterday, the House Oversight Committee released some
portions of the closed-door testimony former US Attorney General
William Barr gave the Committee back in August. Gabe Whisnant (NEWSWEEK) reports:
Former
Attorney General William Barr told a House committee he spoke twice
with Donald Trump about Jeffrey Epstein during Trump's first term,
including after the financier died by suicide in a New York jail cell.
Barr
said in a deposition released Tuesday by the House Oversight Committee
that he called Trump immediately after learning of Epstein's death. "You
better brace for this," Barr recalled telling him.
Trump, Barr said, reacted with the same shock he felt: "How the hell did that happen, he's in federal custody?"
So,
uhm, it wasn't over? Their friendship -- Chump and Epstein's -- was
over long before then, remember? That's what Chump insists. Epstein
"stole" and employee from Chump eleven years ago and the friendship was
over. And, as we've all seen in the previous Chump administration, when
Chump's cut you loose, you're gone for good. Though many words have
been attached to Chump, sentimentality has never been one.
Keep
that in mind and read it again. Epstein's dead. And Barr has to rush
to Chump -- "better brace for this." And Barr delivered the news and
Chump was shocked.
Can you
picture what Barr's describing? To me, it speaks of a much tighter
relationship than Chump has ever indicated. Certainly much tighter than
'it was over in 2004 or 2005 and he was dead to me.'
4Q So could you tell us about those two conversations?
5 A One was when I heard about the suicide, I called him up and said, "You better brace for
6 this," and I told him words to that effect, and I told him about it and told him we were going to be
7 investigating it very vigorously.
8 And the second one, I can't say for sure whether it happened before his suicide,
9 during -- meaning around the time of his arrest or whether it happened after his suicide during the
10 continued developments there.
11 But the topic of Epstein came up in the conversation. Multiple people were there. And,
12 sort of, the news of -- it was commented on being the news of the day.
13 And the President said something to the effect that he had broken off with Epstein long ago
14 and that he had actually pushed him out of Mar-a-Lago.
15 Q Okay. And just to clarify, those were both conversations with President Trump?
16 A Both involved with President Trump, yeah. Those are the only two conversations I can
17 remember where Epstein came up with the President.
18 Q And when you say that you told President Trump who the news of the suicide would
19 affect, what did you mean by that?
20 A Who it would affect? Did I say that?
21 Q I'm sorry. Unless I'm misunderstanding your characterization.
22 A I didn't mean to say that.
23 Q Okay.
24 A I said that I told him that he committed suicide and that he suspected it was apparently
25 suicide. And he had the same reaction I did, which was, "How the hell did that happen, he's in
26 Federal custody?" And the last everyone knew, he was being carefully watched precisely for that
27 reason.
28 And I think I conveyed to him that it was appalling and that we were going to investigate it
29 vigorously and I -- and he had the same reaction I did, which is this is going to certainly generate a lot
30 of conspiracy theories.
31 These are not his exact words, but that's what I remember about the conversation being
32 effectively -- maybe words to the effect, yeah.
33Q Did President Trump say anything else in that conversation?
34A That's all I can recall.
And
before we leave the topic of Epstein and Maxwell, let's go back to the
August questioning of Bill Burr to note this exchange during US House
Rep Jasmine Crockett's questioning:
8 Ms. Crockett. Okay. Just to be clear for the record.
9 And, really quickly, I'm going to jump in just before we have to wrap.
10 Because we are talking about the investigations, Maxwell was investigated during your
11 tenure, not necessarily taken to trial, while you were still at the DOJ. She is someone that was
12 involved in this SDNY situation.
13 You are aware that Maxwell was not born in this country, correct?
14 The Witness. Yes.
15 Ms. Crockett. Okay.
16 You are also aware that a jury of her peers found her guilty of five out of six counts that were
17 brought against her by SDNY, including child sex trafficking and conspiracy, correct?
18 The Witness. Yes.
19 Ms. Crockett. In addition to that, have you been made aware through public reports -- well,
20 let me clarify this. Child sex trafficking is not considered to be a low-level offense in the Federal
21 Government, correct?
22 The Witness. I'm not sure what "low-level" means, but it's a serious offense.
23 Ms. Crockett. It's definitely a felony, correct?
24 The Witness. Oh, yes.
25 Ms. Crockett. And a person can face up to life imprisonment for it, correct?
1 The Witness. I haven't looked at the statute, but it wouldn't surprise me.
2 Ms. Crockett. Okay.
3 And typically when someone is classified by the time that they enter into the Bureau of
4 Prisons, their classification is usually based upon a multitude of things, one of them being how
5 serious of an offense a person has been found guilty of, correct?
6 The Witness. That's one of the factors.
7 Ms. Crockett. Okay. In addition to their criminal history and other things. But, long story
8 short, they are looking at whether or not a person is potentially a danger to the community, correct?
9 The Witness. That's another factor.
10 Ms. Crockett. When you are reading your public things, I'm assuming you've heard that
11 there has been a transfer approved for Ms. Maxwell to a minimum-security prison camp. Are you
12 aware of that?
13 Mr. O'Callaghan. You're referring to press reports, Congresswoman?
14 Ms. Crockett. Yes, because that --
15 The Witness. I've seen --
16 Ms. Crockett. -- that would be the only way that --
17 The Witness. I've seen those press reports.
18 Ms. Crockett. During your tenure as Attorney General, during either time, I'm curious to
19 know, are you ever -- is it ever within your recollection that there was someone who had been
20 convicted, finally convicted -- well, I guess it's not final; she's still on appeal -- convicted of five counts
21 of child sexual trafficking and they somehow ended up transferred to a minimum-security prison
22 camp?
23 The Witness. I mean, off the top of my head, I can't remember a situation like that.
24 Ms. Crockett. In fact, you'd agree with me that, in order for someone to be transferred
25 under those type of circumstances, it would actually take a higher level of approval. That is not
75
1 something that just any old low-level BOP person would be able to do, correct?
2 The Witness. I wish that were correct. You never know.
3 Ms. Crockett. Because mistakes happen.
4 The Witness. Yeah. Sometimes you wake up and you find that something's happened, like
5 taking someone off suicide watch.
6 Ms. Crockett. But you'd would agree with me that the policy in general is not to put
7 someone who's been convicted of those types of crimes into a minimum-security camp?
8 The Witness. I think -- actually, I think the way the system works is, the political level usually
9 allows the Bureau of Prisons broad leeway in determining how people are handled under their
10 structure and using their criteria, and if they disagree, they might intervene.
11 Ms. Crockett. Understood.
12 The Witness. That's how I think the system generally operates.
13 Ms. Crockett. Understood.
14 To the best of your knowledge, whether it's during your tenure or during reports, she's never
15 been in that type of facility in the last 4 years of her incarceration until now, correct?
President
Donald Trump and Department of Justice officials have faced scrutiny
after convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a
minimum-security federal prison following a multihour interview with
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The transfer has prompted
criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates who argued it raises
questions about whether Maxwell received a benefit tied to cooperation
and has increased calls for the release of Epstein-related records.
Maxwell was moved after nine hours of questioning by Department of
Justice (DOJ) officials and the transfer is being examined for any link
to her cooperation.
When speaking
on CNN regarding the case, Maxwell attorney Arthur Aidala stated, "When
anybody who’s represented by a lawyer who knows what they’re doing goes
in and meets with the government, there’s always a quid pro quo."
Aidala
added, "You don’t just take your client in and say, ‘Let me talk to you
about something.’ They wanted information from—hypothetically, anytime
the government wants information from a citizen, the citizen says,
‘Well, I have a right to remain silent. If you want me to give up that
right, I need something in return.’"
Former
Biden administration adviser Neera Tanden said, "You just admitted to a
quid pro quo with the Trump administration," to which Aidala stated,
"But that’s how the whole system works!"
We
need answers. We The American People are owed answers. Our government
works for us, not the other way around. If we worked for them, we'd
have to vote. There'd be a law demanding that we vote. We don't work
for them. They work for us and that -- nd free speech -- is why we can
and do criticize our public officals.
And
let's tie this all together. You can't both-sides it. You're a nut
job if you think you can. We have free speech or we don't, our
government is answerable to us or it isn't, you're doing your job or
you're not. And if you're not, get the hell out of the way because the
country can't afford you or your 'reporting' that's incomplete and
incorrect but didn't it fill up a TV segment for you.
We're winding down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:
ICYMI LAST NIGHT:
Senator Murray Calls for Inspector General Investigation into RFK Jr.’s
Ousting of Top CDC Officials and Restrictions on Vaccine Access
ICYMI:
Senator Murray, WA Health Secretary, Doctors Speak Out Against RFK Jr.
Blocking Vaccine Access and Wreaking Havoc at CDC, Lay Out State of
Vaccine Access in WA
*** VIDEO of Senator Murray’s Q&A with witnesses HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing with former
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez
and Dr. Deb Houry, former CDC Chief Medical Officer, U.S. Senator Patty
Murray (D-WA)—a former chair and senior member of the HELP
Committee—pressed the public health experts on whether parents can trust
the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)’s vaccine
recommendations after U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s purge
of the entire panel of experts. Murray also questioned Dr. Houry on how
she, as Chief Medical Officer, learned that CDC was no longer
recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for most pregnant women and
children—to which Dr. Houry revealed that she found out through a social
media post. Dr. Houry also shared that no scientific evidence has been
provided for this vaccine guidance change by the Secretary to date.
Last night, Senator Murray requested
an independent, comprehensive review by the HHS Acting Inspector
General of recent actions taken at HHS to limit access to vaccines, and
recent personnel changes at the CDC.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS ON VACCINE GUIDANCE]
Senator Murray began by questioning Dr. Houry on the CDC’s recent
guidance no longer recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for most children
and pregnant women—and how she found out about the change: “In
May, Secretary Kennedy announced in a video on social media that the
COVID vaccine was no longer going to be recommended under CDC guidelines
for most children and pregnant women. The fallout was actually
immediate, I heard from a nurse in my state who was pregnant, she was
trying to get the vaccine, she was turned away from several pharmacies
and ended up calling my office and saying, ‘what am I going to do?’
“Dr. Houry, I want to ask you, how did you learn about CDC’s new COVID-19 vaccination guidance?”
“The same as you, on social media,” Dr. Houry replied.
“What was your title at CDC when this happened?” Murray asked.
“I was the Chief Medical Officer of the agency,” Dr. Houry answered.
“It’s unthinkable to me that the Chief Medical Officer at CDC
was left in the dark about such a consequential public health decision
that affected real people,” Murray said. “Dr. Houry, how was this change in guidance supported by the scientific evidence?”
“We have not seen the data yet. In fact, after the tweet came
out, we asked for a written memo from HHS, because I couldn’t provide
guidance off of a tweet. The written memo didn’t say the same as the
video. There was a difference between healthy versus all,” Dr. Houry replied.
“You can’t provide guidance off of a tweet,” Murray replied.
Dr. Houry replied, “I didn’t think that was prudent. And then we
did ask for the data to back it up, and we have not received the data to
date.”
Murray continued with her questioning: “To date, no evidence.
Okay, well, the Secretary has made clear he wants to change the
childhood vaccine schedule for measles and chickenpox and for Hepatitis
B, as well as changes to COVID vaccine recommendations. And as we all
know, the ACIP will meet starting tomorrow to consider these
recommendations.
“Dr. Monarez and Dr. Houry, I want to ask you both, are you
aware of any scientific evidence to support changing the age of which
children should receive these vaccines that’s being considered by this
advisory committee?” asked Murray.
“I am not. I was certainly open if there were scientific data
sets or evidence associated with anything that would help keep our
children safe, I was open to seeing it. I have not seen that data,” Dr. Monarez replied.
“We’ve asked for the data and asked for the modeling to support any decision that is done,” Dr. Houry responded.
“Are either of you aware of any scientific evidence to support changing eligibility for COVID vaccinations?” asked Murray.
“I have not seen any evidence, no,” Dr. Monarez responded.
“I think what’s pretty alarming here is that if there was
such data [that] existed, the CDC Director and Chief Medical Officer
would absolutely be aware of it. And apparently, there is none,” Murray replied.
[ACIP RECOMMENDATIONS]
Senator Murray continued her questioning by asking Dr. Monarez and
Dr. Houry about CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) and the meetings that have taken place this year, both before and
after RFK Jr. fired the slate of 17 experts who previously sat on the
board and replaced this with vaccine skeptics: “I want to
continue asking about the ACIP, Dr. Monarez, you mentioned that
Secretary Kennedy asked you to pre-approve the September ACIP
vaccinations a month before the committee was scheduled to meet—without
knowing what they were, or what evidence that was based on, correct?
“Correct,” responded Dr. Monarez.
“I find that troubling—and ironic, given what Secretary
Kennedy said in June when he fired all 17 members of the ACIP without
cause and called them, quote: ‘little more than a rubber stamp.’ That’s
exactly what he wanted you to be—for his new board of unqualified
vaccine skeptics. The former members of the ACIP actually met in April.
“Dr. Monarez and Dr. Houry, would you feel confident telling
parents they could trust the recommendations of the Advisory Committee
that were made back in April?” asked Senator Murray.
“The individuals who were participating in April had the
commensurate skill sets and background to be able to evaluate the
decisions before them,” Dr. Monarez replied. “The
processes were regular in terms of using the evidence to recommend.
There was working groups that substantiated this, the information, there
was robust liberation during the ACIP meeting I would, I would say that
it comported to the standards where the Americans could trust them.”
“Agreed, the data was presented, and the committee was filled with experts with experience,” Dr. Houry added.
Murray continued: “The newly chosen ACIP members met in June and will meet again starting tomorrow.
Would either of you feel confident telling parents they can trust the
ACIP recommendations that come out of this week’s meeting?”
“I’d feel very nervous about it,” Dr. Monarez responded. “I
don’t know. They haven’t met yet. I know that the medical community has
raised concerns about whether or not, again, they have the commensurate
backgrounds to be able to understand the data and the evidence and to
evaluate it appropriately. I have to pre-judge. I don’t know what will
happen, but I certainly will be watching.”
“I have significant concerns,” Dr. Houry replied.
“The public hasn’t been able to weigh in. The general vote should have
been posted two weeks ago, so the public knew what was being discussed
other than high-level things. There haven’t been work groups other than
for COVID, and there haven’t been, as of yesterday, the data hadn’t been
posted yet, so it’s unclear to me what decisions are being made.”
Senator Murray, a longtime congressional leader on health care who has led hearings on addressing vaccine hesitancy, has been a leader in raising the alarm over RFK Jr.’s nomination and handling of HHS since the beginning—speaking out on the Senate floor, holding numerous events, raisingthe alarm after meeting with him, and hammering the threat he poses to Americans’ health nonstop. She ledtheoppositionto the
Trump administration’s disastrous plan to dismantle HHS and fire tens
of thousands of staff in critical positions across CDC, NIH, FDA, and
other agencies, and spoke out forcefully against RFK Jr.’s ousting of the entire CDC vaccine advisory board, including one ACIP member from Washington state. Senator Murray has held countlessevents across Washington state and in Washington, D.C. with doctors, patients, and former HHS officials to
lift up how Trump and Republicans’ attacks on health care will be
devastating for families. Senator Murray recently took to the Senate
floor to reiterate her call for RFK Jr. to be fired immediately; she also praised the launch of
the West Coast Health Alliance to provide evidence-based public health
guidance for Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Last week,
Senator Murray called for RFK
Jr. to testify publicly before the HELP Committee and for Director
Monarez to be given the opportunity to testify publicly alongside other
former senior CDC officials. Last Friday, Murray held a virtual press conference
with Washington state health leaders on RFK Jr.’s increasingly
dangerous attacks on vaccines and America’s public health
infrastructure.
I can never remember whether
Ronny Jackson is the the downlower who's gay or he's the politician who
cheated on his wife or what. Texas GOP is a bunch of hypocrites always
pretending to be more moral than they truly are and forever hiding who
they really are. Justin Baragona (INDEPENDENT) reports:
Rep.
Ronny Jackson (R-TX) is now proposing that transgender people be mass
institutionalized because “this is a cancer that's spreading across this
country” and we “have to get them off the streets,” all while claiming
that trans women “have an underlying level of aggressiveness.”
The
MAGA lawmaker’s remarks come as conservatives are ramping up their
anti-transgender rhetoric in the wake of the assassination of right-wing
activist Charlie Kirk, whose alleged shooter has a roommate and
romantic partner who is currently transitioning genders.
Oh,
this is Chump's doctor. The little freak and cry baby who thinks he's
something because Chump just overturned Ronny's military demotion.
Ronny's
confused because he grew up feeling like he was supposed to be a girl.
Ronny -- like they say -- is a girl's name or a gay name. So that
confused him. But his parents gave him the middle name "Lynn" which
convinced him he was really a little girl.
So
he's gone through life hating transgender people because they didn't
seem to struggle the way he did. By the way, "gay face"? Look it up in
your ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANICA and you'll see photo of Ronny Lynn Jackson.
He's a known liar and a hideous jerk. Check out his WIKIPEDIA page if you want to read what sort of person goes to hell and rots there for eternity.
He should be put into an institution -- and a girdle.
Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Ka$h Patel disgraces himself before a
Senate committee as he whine he's doing the best he can ("But I was
doing the best I could!"), Donald Chump is greeted loudly -- if not
warmly -- in the UK, Senator Patty Murray is calling for the HHS Acting
Inspector General to review Junior Kennedy's dangerous actions at HHS,
Chump continues to wreck the economy, and much more.
That's Ben with MEIDASTOUCH NEWS setting up this morning for you.
Yesterday
the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing with the goal of
fulfilling their duty to provide oversight on the FBI. Looking hung
over and possibly strung out, tiny Ka$h Patel toddled into the hearing
in a suit that seemed to swallow his tiny body and plopped down on the
chair that left him sitting lower than anyone else in the room. What?
No one thought to bring a booster chair for Little Ka$h? There's no way
he's five feet and eight inches by the way. The diminutive FBI
Director alternated in the hearing between looking bored as he pondered
when recess started and being agitated as though he forgot to go
pee-pee before he showed up to testify.
Senator Chuck
Grassley is the Committee chair, Senator Dick Durbin is the ranking
member. It was a loud and combative hearing and when Ka$h finally left
the Dirksen Senate Office Building later that morning, there was no
juice box in the world big enough to drown his sorrows.
A
number of senators noted last week's murder in Utah and how Ka$h seemed
lost throughout. Senator Dick Durbin specifically noted, "Director
Patel again sparked mass confusion by incorrectly claiming on
social media that the shooter was in custody, which He then had to walk
back with another social media post. Mr. Patel was so anxious to take
credit for funding Mr. Kirk's assassin that he violated one of the
basics of effective law enforcement at critical stages of investigation:
shut up and let the professionals do their job." At moments like these,
Ka$h seemed to turtle and sink lower in his chair and deeper into his
too large suit jacket.
But he could neither disappear
nor disappear the fact that (a) he got it wrong, (b) the killer was on
social media talking about plans ahead of the shooting, (c) the FBI did
not capture the killer, the killer walked in and turned himself in.
Senator Peter Welch was among the Committee members raising this point.
Senator
Peter Welch: Director Patel, at one point, you made an announcement
that the suspect was in custody -- 'we got our man.' It turned out that
was not true. In fact, I think that was about 27 hours before the
person now in custody was apprehended. Why did you make that statement?
Ka$h
Patel: I appreciate you letting me address this. What the FBI does is
not just locate and find suspects. We also participate in eliminating
subjects. And what we had at the time was a subject custody in relation
to this investigation. So, in my commitment to work with the public to
help identify subjects and suspects, I put that information out. And
then when we interviewed him, I put out the results of that. And could I
have been more careful in my verbiage and included a subject instead of
subject? Sure, in the heat of the moment. But I was doing the best I
could.
Senator Peter Welch: You know, in
all candor, I don't quite get that. Because if we have our man, that
would suggest to the public that everybody can rest and relax, and not
then continue providing information to local law enforcement and to you.
So, that was a mistake.
"But I was doing the best I could."
How sad.
There
is no victory for Little Ka$h. Give him a participation trophy if you
like -- for incompetence -- but don't pretend he did his job because he
didn't and -- Republican or Democrat -- most weren't willing to play
along in the hearing for the sake Ka$h's ego.
Let's note some of the exchange between Ka$h and Senator Cory Booker.
Senator Cory Booker: Mr. Patel, I want to start off where
we left off last time. I asked you whether you had any knowledge or
discussions about removing FBI officials and installing political
personnel before you were confirmed to that position. And I wonder did
you then understand or have conversations with the White House about the
intentions to do so?
Ka$h Patel: Before I was confirmed?
Senator Cory Booker: Yes.
Ka$h Patel: Yes, sir. Did I have discussions with the White House to remove FBI personnel?
Senator Cory Booker: Yes.
Ka$h Patel: No.
Senator
Cory Booker: So you're saying that you had no discussions with the
White House before you were in the position about the removal of any of
the personnel from the agency?
Ka$h Patel: As I was preparing for my confirmation hearing, I had numerous
conversations involving the type of people that would be employed and
those that were failing to meet the mark at the FBI would no longer be
employed if I were --
Senator Cory Booker: And I'm assuming that mark had to do with loyalty to the Trump administration.
Ka$h Patel: No. You're wrong.
Senator
Cory Booker: Ok. I'd like to revisit from that hearing. Did you --
did you testify -- Excuse me. You did testify before the Grand Jury
that President Trump had declassified the documents at issue in the
Mara-Lago classified documents case. Is that correct?
Ka$h Patel: I don't have the Grand Jury transcript. That's why I released it. Whatever it says is the best evidence.
Senator
Cory Booker: You know, that's what you said to Senator Whitehouse --
that you're Grand Jury testimony was publicly released. It has not
been. In fact, in July, a court denied a news outlet's bid to get that
transcript. But you said -- But the court said quite clearly that you
are free to discuss your Grand Jury testimony. So I ask you again: Did
you testify before the Grand Jury that President Trump to classify the
documents at issue in the Mara-Lago classified document case?
Ka$h Patel: And that is why I took your invitation to work with the department in
the court -- to have that transcript released. And the transcript is
the best evidence of what I said --
Senator Cory Booker: So you're saying right now to this Committee can have access to what you said before the Grand Jury?
Ka$h Patel: To whatever was released under my understanding, Senator, that the department --
Senator
Cory Booker: You and I both understand the law. Let me finish. You and
I understand under Rule 6 of the Federal Rules of Procedure, a Grand
Jury witness -- in this case, you -- is not barred from sharing their
Grand Jury testimony. This is an oversight hearing This is germaine to
your integrity and your credibility. You know right now whether or not
you testified that President Trump declassified the documents at issue
in the Mara-Lago classified documents case. Why are you refusing to
answer that simple yes or no question right now?
Ka$h Patel: Because the premise of your question is inaccurate --
Senator Cory Booker: There is no premise to my question other than trying to get an order of what is truth or not.
Ka$h Patel: How do you know? How do you know what was asked in the Grand Jury if you weren't there?
Senator Cory Booker: Mr. Patel,
Ka$h Patel: This is a mockery that you're making of this hearing and this simple question. If you have --
Senator
Cory Booker: Mr. Patel, during your confirmation, you promised that
"all FBI employees will be protected against political retribution."
When I ask you: Are you aware of any plans or discussion to punish -- in
any way, including termination -- FBI agents or personnel associated
with the Trump administration, you specifically said -- under oath --
that you were not aware of any plans to punish FBI agents associated
with criminal investigations of Donald Trump. I don't believe you were
truthful. Firing FBI employees based solely on the cases that they are
investigating -- their case assignments -- is illegal. And you know
that. A new lawsuit that's been discussed numerous times -- filed by 3
FBI officials -- alleges that you carried out Donald Trump's "campaign
of retribution" against FBI employees for "failure to demonstrate
sufficient political loyalty." One of those plaintiffs has been
discussed today: Brian Driscoll. Now we know 20 years of distinguished
service to the FBI before you terminated him, Special Agent in Charge of
the FBI's Newark field office where he operated with distinction.
Medal of Valor winner, Shield of Bravery Award, he's a patriot. You
terminated Driscoll via a letter dated October 8, 2025. And in that
letter, you said that you were firing him pursuant to Article 2 of the
Constitution. Well, you are not President of the United States and so
I'm wondering under what authority you were allowed to terminate him?
Ka$h Patel: That matter is under litigation and I'm not able to discuss it.
Senator
Cory Booker: Ok. Well discuss this: Did you have discussions with
Stephen Miller about firing this particular person or about his
continuance in the FBI?
Ka$h Patel: Not that I recall?
Senator Cory Booker: How often do you speak to Stephen Miller?
Ka$h Patel: Frequently on our Homeland Security Task Force.
Senator
Cory Booker: You frequently talk with Stephen Miller about subjects
other than Homeland Security Task Force Issues correct?
Ka$h Patel: I frequently talk to Mr. Miller about Homeland Security Task Force.
Senator Cory Booker: Has Stephen Miller ever given you his opinions on how to run your agency?
Ka$h Patel: Mr. Miller's inter-agency contributions are invaluable to the FBI. That's what we talk about.
.
Senator
Cory Booker: So you frequently discuss your job and your
responsibilities with Stephen Miller and Pam Bondi, I imagine, as well?
Ka$h Patel: Absolutely. She's the Attorney General.
Senator
Cory Booker: Ok. Donald Trump promised to make us all safer. You have
pushed out senior FBI agents with decades of knowledge and experience.
In fact, this is the first time in FBI history that neither the
director nor the deputy director have any experience with the FBI.
You've shifted the agency's priorities primarily to pursuing Donald
Trump's immigration enforcement agenda. According
to ICE data, the Cato Institute -- which is a conservative think tank
-- found that 20% of all agents have been diverted from their work to do
assist ICE immigration enforcement. 20%. Part of this operation is
the work of mass law enforcement who jump out of
cars, snatch people off the streets at churches, schools and their jobs
and hospitals. Have their been any FBI agents who investigate crimes
against children that have been assigned to immigration enforcement?
Yes or no?
Ka$h Patel: The premise of what you say --
Senator Cory Booker: Have their been enough FBI agents to investigate foreign or domestic terrorists?
Ka$h Patel: No, no, no! You don't get to say --
And
this is where it got tense.
This?
Yes. If all that came before was tense
-- and it was -- this is where it really got heated. Prior to this,
Ka$h was able to gobble down his water whenever it appeared he was suffering from
a case of the vapors. This was the end of it for Ka$h.
He
became a
strident, shrieking nightmare that probably only served to remind
America that last week's big shooting happened after the FBI had
information about it. The louder he shrieked and the more he protested,
the more it became obvious he had a lot to cover up. He yapped away
like a hysterical poodle and we all know what they say about the guilty
dog. And he looked so weird -- for example, when Cory Booker noted he
believed that Patel has made the country weaker and less safe -- as
Ka$h began to become so excited that he was bouncing up and down in his
chair. I think all of us present were afraid Patel was about to piddle
on the carpet.
Cory noted, "You've
been purging thousands of serious law enforcement professionals who
spent their careers keeping us safe only to lower the hiring standards
in order to find anyone to replace them. And shockingly you admitted in
this hearing -- to Senator Coons -- that it would take 14 years to fill
the vacancy at your agency -- many that are the result of your purge.
20% of FBI agents are doing low level immigration enforcement instead of
mission critical work."
And that really was the takeaway.
There
were many important exchanges in the hearing -- all the Committee
members appeared to bring their A game with the exception of southern
belle Miss Lindsey Graham.
But the exchange between Cory and Ka$h really got to the heart of the problem: The FBI is not functioning.
That
is why the keep missing signals ahead of time -- signals in public --
before shootings. That's why they can't protect the American people.
It's
not the fault of the agents, as Cory noted. It's that they've been
pulled off the work they're supposed to be doing to work on Chump's
deportation scheme, it's that experienced agents have been fired, it's
that standards have been lowered to fill empty slots.
This is not the faul of any agent serving in the FBI.
It is the fault of the person overseeing the FBI.
That would be Ka$h.
And
he had no experience. As Cory Booker pointed out, this is the first
time in our country's history where neither the Director of the FBI, nor
the deputy director has any prior FBI experience. None at all.
And this is what incompetence and ignorance results in.
Ka$h
Patel was on the hot seat yesterday. But it could have been Junior
Kennedy and how he's putting public health at risk because he's not
qualified to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Or is could be
Kristi Noem and how she's putting the country's security at risk because
of her mistaken belief that getting her hair styled and putting on a
costume will count towards securing the nation. Or it could be Tulsi
Gabbard -- Director of No Intelligence who is 100% unqualified for the
job she holds.
The country needs to be paying attention
to this. Chump has put TV personalities, nuts and cult members in
charge of important agencies that exist to protect the American people.
His nominees were never qualified and each day they prove they're not
up for the job.
They put the country at risk.
Heaven
forbid we have an attack on domestic soil but if that happens we need
to be prepared to get honest about how a bunch of idiots should never
have been nominated and that they have already demonstrated -- right
now, as this point -- that months later they're still not qualified for
the positions they hold.
Today, Ka$h Patel appears
before the House Judiciary Committee. I don't expect that it will go
any better. We've focused on the big issues of safety for today's
snapshot but please be aware that the Committee also touched on
corruption and abuse. One example, this exchange.
Senator
Peter Welch: You were rightly critical of the way that the previous FBI
Director used the FBI jet. You said you wanted to, "ground Chris Wray's
private jet travel that he pays for with taxpayer dollars to hop around
the country." [. . .] On April 5th, you attended a hockey game in New
York City -- you don't live there, right?
Ka$h Patel: No, I don't.
Senator Peter Welch: By the way, everyday FBI agents who are assigned in Washington don't get to fly home on a private jet.
Ka$h Patel: Well, this is a great point. Do you know why I have to use a private jet? Because Congress made it mandatory.”
Senator Peter Welch: Well, we didn't make it mandatory that you go to UFC games with Mel Gibson.
U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Monday that the USDA is
evaluating whether farmers may need economic assistance this fall.
Why
it matters: Family farms are facing their worst crisis since the 1980s,
both Rollins and Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a crowd.
[. . .]
The
bottom line: Both touted Trump administration relief programs, new
trade deals and biofuel expansion as efforts to stabilize the farm
economy, though many changes won't take effect until 2026.
Translation,
Huckabee Sanders and Rolling lied. There is no help coming in 2025.
This as farmers realize how much help that they need right now. Frank Yemi (INQUISITR) explains:
He
voted for Donald Trump three times, but now Pennsylvania dairyman John
Painter says the dream has curdled. “The whole thing is screwed up. We
need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do,” the organic
milk producer from Westfield said, describing a season of sleepless
nights, empty milking stalls, and help-wanted signs that never get
answered. His frustration mirrors a broader farm-country revolt as the
labor crunch worsens under stepped-up immigration enforcement.
Across
northern Pennsylvania, producers say they are selling off cattle and
letting crops go unpicked because crews have vanished. Dairy farmer Tim
Wood, who sits on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau board, put it bluntly,
“If we don’t get more labor, our cows don’t get milked and our crops
don’t get picked.”
The
numbers tell the same story. Agricultural employment fell about 6.5
percent from March to July, a sharp swing from the small gains seen in
the same span the prior two years. At the same time, estimates suggest
the immigrant share of the labor force dropped by more than 750,000
workers between January and June 2025, a sudden contraction that is
rippling through farm towns.
On
the ground, farmers connect those losses to on-farm enforcement that
has spooked entire crews. Reports detailed actions that left fields idle
and produce rotting, with some operations reporting 70 percent of
workers no-showing after raids. “We don’t have enough workforce in the
United States to do the manual work,” one advocate warned, predicting
higher prices and shuttered farms if nothing changes.
Three
times he voted for Chump. The same Chump who won't do anything to help
the farmers right now. The same Chump who is more interested -- as
Mike noted last night -- in playing the whiny cry baby and ignoring the
Constitution than he is in helping the American farmers. At THE HILL, Lindsey Granger points out:
Immigration
is one of those topics that always gets reduced to soundbites and
slogans. But here’s the reality: it’s not just a political debate. It’s a
workforce crisis that’s threatening the very foundation of America’s
economy.
If you eat food in this country, this issue touches you.
In
Pennsylvania — yes, the swing state President Trump won with 50 percent
of the vote in 2024 — farmers are desperate for workers. They’re
literally watching their livelihoods collapse because they can’t find
enough people to milk cows, pick crops or keep farms alive. One farmer,
John Painter, told Politico, “The whole thing is screwed up. We need
people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do.” That’s not
coming from a progressive activist; that’s from a lifelong Republican
farmer who voted for Trump three times.
And
that’s the irony here: the very communities that backed Trump the
hardest are now being squeezed the hardest by his immigration
crackdown.
Deportations and red tape are
slashing the supply of farmworkers. Economists say the U.S. lost 155,000
agricultural jobs in just a few months — and that’s before Trump’s
latest promises to deport millions more. The Economic Policy Institute
estimates that if he follows through, we’ll lose not only millions of
immigrant workers but also millions of jobs for U.S.-born workers whose
roles are tied to immigrant labor.
Let's join Rebecca in teaching everyone to sing along with the Cher song we all need to know "When The Money's Gone."
Ford raised prices in May on some models produced in Mexico, Reuters reported based on a notice sent to dealers.
Bloomberg also reported
that the automaker planned to raise prices on new gas and electric cars
starting in May unless Trump gives the industry some relief from
tariffs.
Ford, in a memo to dealers viewed by
Bloomberg, said that the company anticipates "the need to make vehicle
pricing adjustments in the future, which is expected to happen with May
production." Prices won't change for vehicles in inventory now.
On
April 14, Trump told reporters that he was contemplating a temporary
tariff exemption for autos to give manufacturers more time to move
production to the US — but no blanket exemption has yet been instituted.
The
stock market is flashing a handful of signs that the latest rally may
be about to reverse course, one of Bank of America's top technical
strategists said.
Paul
Ciana, the global chief technical strategist at BofA, said in a client
note on Monday that the market looks like it is facing a handful of "key
risks" from a technical perspective. Those factors could challenge the
recent rally that's pushed the market to all-time highs.
"After
reaching our 6,500 summer target, the SPX rose to another new high. Our
6,625 secondary/overshoot target is within striking distance," Ciana
wrote.
Nupur Anand (REUTERS) notes, "Some
U.S. consumers are showing increased signs of stress as inflation and
higher interest rates are affecting affordability and leading to
financial strain on borrowers, credit scoring company Fair Isaac
Corporation, widely known as FICO, said on Tuesday."
Convicted Felon Donald Chump is in the UK. And they're letting him know they see him.
Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:
ICYMI:
Senator Murray, WA Health Secretary, Doctors Speak Out Against RFK Jr.
Blocking Vaccine Access and Wreaking Havoc at CDC, Lay Out State of
Vaccine Access in WA
ICYMI: Senator Murray Calls for HELP Committee Hearing with RFK Jr. on Campaign of Destruction at CDC and Beyond
ICYMI:
On Senate Floor, Senator Murray Demands Immediate Firing of RFK Jr.:
“This Man is Burning Down Our Public Health System from the Inside”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter
to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Inspector
General Juliet Hodgkins requesting an independent, comprehensive review
of recent actions taken at HHS to limit access to vaccines and recent
personnel changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). In the letter, Senator Murray calls for the HHS Office of the
Inspector General (OIG) to initiate an independent investigation into
the events that led to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to
fire the newly confirmed CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, and the
subsequent departure of four senior CDC career scientists. Murray also
requested an OIG analysis of the events that led to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)’s recent move to dramatically narrow access to the
updated COVID-19 vaccines.
“Access to evidence-based vaccines is one of the best tools
we have for preventing disease and death. Until recently, the American
people have relied on HHS to evaluate the evidence and issue vaccine
recommendations based on science, rather than political agendas,” wrote Senator Murray.
“Now, following Secretary Kennedy’s destructive actions, millions of
families may struggle to obtain or afford vaccines, given insurance
coverage requirements are linked to CDC’s vaccine recommendations. I
therefore request that the OIG investigate the events that led to
Secretary Kennedy’s effort to fire CDC Director Monarez and his
attempted ousting of other top leadership at CDC.”
“In addition, I am extremely concerned by Secretary Kennedy’s
changes to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),
including the dismissal of all committee members in June, and the lack
of transparency around the conflicts of interest and backgrounds of
newly installed committee members,” Senator Murray continued. “The
committee is scheduled to meet next on September 18 and 19 to review,
and vote on, recommendations related to vaccines for COVID-19; Hepatitis
B; and measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV). Former CDC Director
Monarez alleged that Secretary Kennedy and his leadership attempted to
force her to pre-approve the recommendations ahead of any opportunity to
review the evidence. This is a serious allegation that would illustrate
direct political interference in the vaccine approval process, and
indicate that the ACIP’s vaccine recommendations were pre-manufactured
based on a political agenda, rather than based on the scientific
evidence as reviewed by independent health experts.”
“Undermining public trust in vaccines and vaccine
availability will cause more families to suffer from preventable
illnesses and deaths. Millions of Americans could also see their health
care costs rise, as CDC undermines insurance coverage requirements for
lifesaving vaccines, forcing families to pay out-of-pocket. Given the
importance of vaccines in protecting our health and safety, I believe it
is critical that an independent investigation be undertaken to
determine where political interference at HHS has undermined the science
and impeded vaccine access,” Senator Murray concluded.
Senator Murray, a longtime congressional leader on health care who has led hearings on addressing vaccine hesitancy, has been a leader in raising the alarm over RFK Jr.’s nomination since the beginning—speaking out on the Senate floor, holding numerous events, raisingthe alarm after meeting with him, and hammering the threat he poses to Americans’ health nonstop. She ledtheoppositionto
the Trump administration’s disastrous plan to dismantle HHS and fire
tens of thousands of staff in critical positions across CDC, NIH, FDA,
and other agencies, and spoke out forcefully against RFK Jr.’s ousting of the entire CDC vaccine advisory board, including one ACIP member from Washington state. Senator Murray has held countlessevents across Washington state and in Washington, D.C. with doctors, patients, and former HHS officials to lift up how Trump and Republicans’ attacks on health care will be devastating for families.
Senator Murray recently took to the Senate floor to reiterate her call for RFK Jr. to be fired immediately; she also praised the launch
of the West Coast Health Alliance to provide evidence-based public
health guidance for Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Last
week, Senator Murray called for
Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to compel RFK Jr. to testify publicly before
the HELP Committee, as well as for the committee to hear from Susan
Monarez and other former CDC officials. On Friday, Murray held a virtual press conference
with Washington state health leaders on RFK Jr.’s increasingly
dangerous attacks on vaccines and America’s public health
infrastructure.
The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Acting Inspector General Hodgkins,
I write today to request a comprehensive review of recent actions
taken at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to limit
access to vaccines, as well as the recent personnel changes at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In particular, I am
requesting that the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) initiate
an independent review into the events that led to HHS Secretary Robert
F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to fire the newly confirmed CDC Director, Dr.
Susan Monarez, and the subsequent departure of four senior-level CDC
career scientists. Further, I am seeking the OIG’s analysis of the
events that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issuing a
restrictive authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine for this upcoming
fall and winter season, and whether that authorization was based on
science and evidence, or was due to political pressure from the
Secretary or other HHS political appointees.
It has been publicly reported – and Dr. Monarez has verified – that
Secretary Kennedy, alongside political appointee Stefanie Spear,
attempted to force CDC Director Monarez to resign from her post – less
than a month after she was confirmed by the Senate. Secretary Kennedy
directed Dr. Monarez to endorse vaccine recommendations before they had
undergone scientific review and to dismiss career officials responsible
for vaccine policy. After she refused, Secretary Kennedy demanded her
resignation. Access to evidence-based vaccines is one of the best tools
we have for preventing disease and death. Until recently, the American
people have relied on HHS to evaluate the evidence and issue vaccine
recommendations based on science, rather than political agendas. Now,
following Secretary Kennedy’s destructive actions, millions of families
may struggle to obtain or afford vaccines, given insurance coverage
requirements are linked to CDC’s vaccine recommendations. I therefore
request that the OIG investigate the events that led to Secretary
Kennedy’s effort to fire CDC Director Monarez and his attempted ousting
of other top leadership at CDC.
Further, I am seeking the OIG’s analysis of all actions Secretary
Kennedy has taken to-date to limit vaccine access and whether or not
those decisions were based on the best available science and evidence.
On May 27, 2025, Secretary Kennedy announced on social media that the
COVID-19 vaccine had been removed from the CDC recommended immunization
schedule for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. Several months
later, on August 27, 2025, the FDA released a much narrower
authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine than in previous years, since the
vaccine’s initial development under President Trump’s Operation Warp
Speed. This decision limits access to the updated COVID-19 vaccine and
removes individual and provider choice in determining who can be
vaccinated. As part of its investigation, I ask the OIG to examine the
decision making around recent changes in vaccine authorizations and
recommendations, with a particular focus on the basis for such
decisions. I request the OIG examine whether these decisions were based
in changes in science or were based in political or ideological
interference from Secretary Kennedy or any other political leadership in
the Trump Administration.
In addition, I am extremely concerned by Secretary Kennedy’s changes
to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), including
the dismissal of all committee members in June, and the lack of
transparency around the conflicts of interest and backgrounds of newly
installed committee members. The committee is scheduled to meet next on
September 18 and 19 to review, and vote on, recommendations related to
vaccines for COVID-19; Hepatitis B; and measles, mumps, rubella,
varicella (MMRV). Former CDC Director Monarez alleged that Secretary
Kennedy and his leadership attempted to force her to pre-approve the
recommendations ahead of any opportunity to review the evidence. This is
a serious allegation that would illustrate direct political
interference in the vaccine approval process, and indicate that the
ACIP’s vaccine recommendations were pre-manufactured based on a
political agenda, rather than based on the scientific evidence as
reviewed by independent health experts. I also ask the OIG to review the
firings of the former ACIP members, who were dismissed before their
terms ended, and to investigate the vetting process used for installing
the new ACIP members and whether all federal laws and regulations were
adhered to. Additionally, I request the OIG examine whether there were
efforts by Secretary Kennedy and other political leadership to
pre-determine the ACIP recommendations and to bypass scientific review.
The Department plays a critical role in securing the health and
safety of the American people. Families and health care providers need
to be able to trust the guidance coming from the FDA, CDC, and all HHS
agencies. Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, access to vaccines has
been restricted, without regard for the evidence or the consequences for
American families. Undermining public trust in vaccines and vaccine
availability will cause more families to suffer from preventable
illnesses and deaths. Millions of Americans could also see their health
care costs rise, as CDC undermines insurance coverage requirements for
lifesaving vaccines, forcing families to pay out-of-pocket.
Given the importance of vaccines in protecting our health and safety,
I believe it is critical that an independent investigation be
undertaken to determine where political interference at HHS has
undermined the science and impeded vaccine access. Thank you for your
prompt attention to this matter.