Tuesday, December 23, 2025

The Crooked Court

The Crooked Court.  It's so depressing. The Supreme Court has been destroyed.  Billionaires bribe the justices, they buy outcomes from the justices.  It's destroyed our democracy.  Carl Gibson reports:

One of the most conservative members of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is now directly speaking out about President Donald Trump's ever-expanding executive powers.

Newsweek reported Monday that during a recent interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra, Justice Samuel Alito – who was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2006 — spoke with disdain about Trump wielding executive power "very aggressively." The longtime conservative jurist observed that Trump's actions have resulted in a significant higher workload for him and his colleagues.
"[There has been] an inclination by presidents to try to do more and more and more, using their own power, or what they believe to be their own power," Alito said.

"And now, under President Trump, it's just gone on like this, and he's used his executive power very aggressively," he continued. "And what we have seen since the beginning of his second term, since January, is that so many of these things that he has done are immediately challenged in court. We have 680 district court judges. A district judge says ‘it's unconstitutional, or it's unlawful’, and then the case comes to us as an emergency matter."

So they cave and give him all this power and then want to act like someone else did it?  Like they're victims?  We see you, Alito. 


The Supreme Court views same-sex marriage rights in a different light than abortion rights, Alito said in a new interview with Italian newspaper Corielle Della Sera published on Monday.

“They are different,” he said. “First of all, those cases decided contraceptives 60 years ago. So it’s a settled matter. Same-sex marriage was decided 10 years ago, but a lot has happened since then. A lot of people of the same sex have gotten married and relied on the decision and it is consistent with what polls show Americans think.”

He added that many Americans believe life begins at conception, and that a fetus would therefore deserve human rights. “There are people that think that life begins at conception and believe that the fetus is entitled to human rights, but in the case of contraception or same sex marriage nobody thinks a being that has human rights is being destroyed,” Alito said in part.

Well maybe there's a heart in there somewhere after all, Alito.  It's not too late for you to start doing the right thing and go out in your last years on the bench as one of the most humane judges.  Don't think it will happen but you could do it, Alito.  And that would be your legacy.


The Supreme Court on Tuesday rebuffed the Trump administration over its plan to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois over the strenuous objections of local officials.

The court in an unsigned order turned away an emergency request made by the administration, which said the troops are needed to protect federal agents involved in immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
In doing so, the court at least provisionally rejected the Trump administration’s view that the situation on the ground is so chaotic that it justifies invoking a federal law that allows the president to call National Guard troops into federal service in extreme situations.

Those circumstances can include when “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion” or “the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”

They could turn their image around.  They could be trusted again.  But they would have to do their jobs.  


"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

 Tuesday, December 23, 2025.  Chump's latest war is on the VA,  how do you compel a Pam da Bimbo Bondi into following the law, why is it that you have to compell the Attorney General to follow the law, Chump creates the impression of another cover up yet again, and much more. 


Starting with these press release from the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee:

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, demanded answers from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to remove the universal recommendation that all infants receive a vaccine against hepatitis B at birth, changing the childhood vaccine schedule without any scientific basis. The letter demands HHS provide any data that was used to inform the vote, documentation on how the ACIP meeting was influenced by conflicts of interest and anti-vaccine activists, and documentation of the expected impacts on the health of American children.

“I am deeply concerned by Secretary Kennedy’s radical takeover of the Department of Health and Human Services, especially the most recent decision to remove the recommendation that all babies receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. It is clear this agency no longer prioritizes the health of the American people, but instead prioritizes uplifting conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxx propaganda. Secretary Kennedy must prove why this decision was made by the ACIP before children across the country face the consequences,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia

In the letter, Ranking Member Robert Garcia wrote, “Removing the universal recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine fuels vaccine skepticism by implying that receiving the vaccine may be dangerous for infants, when the truth is that the universal dose of the hepatitis B vaccine has saved tens of thousands of children’s lives. In light of these deeply concerning changes and Secretary Kennedy’s history of anti-vaccine activism, Committee Democrats have been conducting oversight of HHS and its operating divisions.” 

###



Moving over to some shocking news.  Kate Plummer (NEWSWEEK) reports:

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s approval rating has declined by 47 points in 10 months, recent polls show.

According to polling by AtlasIntel, the proportion of people who approve of Bondi has dropped from net +6 percentage points in February to net -41 in December.

The latest survey was conducted in the week before Bondi’s Department of Justice (DOJ) released redacted files associated with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

[. . .]

The AtlasIntel polling of 2,315 respondents was conducted between December 15 and 19. It had a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points.

It found that her popularity peaked in February when 49 percent of people approved of her and 43 percent disapproved. In the months to follow it steadily declined and by August she had a net approval rating of -27 points, with 63 percent disapproving of her and 26 percent approving.

It's shocking.  To think that her polling was ever in the positive numbers, it's shocking.  Pam da Bimbo Bondi has been the worst Attorney General the country has ever had.  

On MS NOW's MORNING JOE today, they discussed how "tens of thousands" of documents were posted yesterday on the Justice Dept webpage . . . for a moment.  It disappeared.  


da Bimbo is the Attorney General, she's over the Justice Dept.  So this reflects poorly on her.  She was never qualified to practice law let alone to be the Attorney General.  


 

At one point, you may remember, Pam claimed she had the Epstein files on her desk and was about to release them.  That was months ago.  She never did release them.  Se's lied to the American people but mainly she's just sported her lack of training and lack of skills.  She's a joke.  da Bimbo is a joke.

She's not the only one. 

Himani Ediriweera (NEWSNER) noted  yesterday:


Newly released images from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate show women with eerie messages inked on their skin – quotes taken from a controversial novel centered on the sexualization of a young girl – exposing another layer of control and exploitation within Epstein’s network.

As the Department of Justice approaches its deadline to publicly release the full Epstein files, a newly unsealed cache of photographs has revealed disturbing new details about the late financier’s alleged sex trafficking operation.


We can't afford this kind of stupidity.  The documents?  "Approaches its deadline"?  Do the damn job or sit your tired ass down.  Last Friday was when everything was supposed to be released.  Last Friday.  The deadline is not approaching, it has passed.

Not only has it passed but on Friday politicians were calling Pm out for her inability to follow the law.  Here's the press release fro Senator Adam Schiff's office

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace to discuss the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to follow the law by not releasing the full Epstein Files. Schiff demanded Attorney General Pam Bondi testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee to explain the administration’s willful and illegal delay of the full release of files in DOJ’s possession. 

Schiff highlighted that all possible remedies should be explored, including litigation if necessary, and reiterated his request for an independent audit into the DOJ’s handling of these files to ensure accountability for the Trump administration’s continued stonewalling of information. 

Earlier this month, Schiff and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin requested an independent review of the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation’s handling of the Epstein files to ensure they were not tampered with ahead of their release.  

View the full interview here.

Key excerpts:  

On demanding Pam Bondi testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and requesting an independent audit into the handling of the Epstein Files:  

[…] I think we ought to bring Pam Bondi before the Senate Judiciary Committee demand answers as to why the Department has violated the law. It’s not just that they had 30 days to go through this, to do the production they’ve had the whole year to do it. They promise to release the files. They haven’t done it. They could have been completely ready for this moment, and they’re not, or they’re just simply, willfully withholding the materials. I think the Judiciary Committee should do its real oversight and bring her in and demand answers. I also think we need an Inspector General’s investigation of what they’ve done, and to ride shotgun on this, to make sure that they’re producing everything they’re required to. We should consider other remedies, including litigation, if necessary, but there needs to be accountability here.  

On the administration’s continued stalling on releasing the full Epstein files:   

[…] The only one they really serve is Donald Trump, so they must see something in those files that they don’t want to share with the American people. Now it may not be evidence of criminality on Trump’s behalf, but it may be evidence that embarrasses the president, reflects poorly on the president, and of course, written into that legislation is very explicit prohibition on withholding anything for reasons of reputational harm to any elected official. So that is not a legal basis for them to withhold information. But I wouldn’t be surprised if, as a practical matter, they have promised the president they won’t release anything that makes him look bad, even if it comes at the cost of the victims getting the full information. And that’s just not going to cut it. If we’re going to do serious oversight, frankly, unlike what we’ve done so far, you know, Bondi needs to come in and actually answer questions, not just use her time to try to insult or attack members of the committee, but we need this on a bipartisan basis. The legislation passed on a bipartisan basis, both parties ought to insist on answers, and if not, I think the public needs to hold them accountable for this continuing cover up. 

On the reasoning behind breaking of the law by the Trump Justice Department:  

[…] I’m surprised by the magnitude of it. I’m not surprised that they’re withholding information. Part of this is a consequence, I think, frankly, of Chief Justice Roberts giving the President absolutely, absolute immunity when it comes to his instructions to the Justice Department so he can pretty much order them to do what he wants, and knows that he will never be held, at least criminally liable. So I’m not surprised that they’re withholding, I am surprised at the magnitude of it, the audacity of it, the plain statement by Blanche that they’re withholding hundreds of thousands of documents, and indeed, that might be just the tip of the iceberg. So yes, that does surprise me. It’s a kind of in your face. We will ignore the law as we choose. We will go at our own pace. Whether we provide things at all will be up to us. It’s a kind of arrogance, a kind of drunkenness with power, that believes you can ignore the law without any peril.  

###

As we noted yesterday, Pam da Bimbo is not in compliance with the law.  And that's why people are considering other actions to compel her to follow the law.  Alexandra Marquez (NBC NEWS) notes:

Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Sunday said they are committed to holding Justice Department officials accountable for their failure to release all eligible Epstein files by Friday’s deadline, saying they're speaking with members of Congress about holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt.
"The quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims, is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi," Massie told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday when asked about how Congress can force the Justice Department to release the rest of the files they have related to Jeffrey Epstein.

His comments come after Kaine, D-Va., on Sunday told NBC News' "Meet the Press" that calls to impeach Justice Department officials for their handling of the release of the Epstein files are "premature," after Khanna, on Friday floated the possibility of impeachment.

On Sunday, Kaine pointed to other mechanisms Congress has for prompting the Trump administration to release certain information.

"We have tools in appropriations bills and other tools to force compliance if somebody is dragging their feet, and I'd rather focus on those tools than get into discussions about contempt and impeachment," Kaine said. 




Attorney General Pam Bondi will be fined every day that the Justice Department fails to release all the Jeffrey Epstein files if a bipartisan effort to hold her in contempt of Congress proves successful.

Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna—who authored the legislation forcing the DOJ to release all Epstein-related files—say they plan to pursue legal action against Bondi for failing to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed by President Donald Trump.

After a 30-day grace period, she would face daily punishment under their plan.

While the DOJ did release a trove of documents on Friday, potentially hundreds of thousands of Epstein-related records remain unreleased. Of the material made public, hundreds of pages were heavily redacted, including documents tied to a grand jury investigation that were entirely blacked out. The DOJ also removed at least 16 files that had initially been available online, including one that featured photographs of Trump.



 

 


 




Pam da Bimbo has failed the American people yet again.  Farrah Tomazin (DAILY BEAST) notes:

Jeffrey Epstein’s victims have torched Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files, accusing the justice department of unlawfully keeping the public in the dark over the sex trafficker and his powerful networks.

Days after the department only partially released the information it holds on Epstein and what the government did to stop his heinous crimes, a group of 19 women abused by him have hit out at the department for botching the issue and violating the law.

In a joint statement released on Monday, the women pointed to the litany of missteps they say Bondi and her department have made, from failing to release all the files by Friday’s deadline, to putting out swathes of documents that were entirely blacked out while leaving some victims’ names un-redacted.

“We are told that there are hundreds and thousands of pages of documents still unreleased. These are clear-cut violations of an unambiguous law,” their statement says.

“There has been no communication with survivors or our representatives as to what was withheld from release or why hundreds of thousands of documents have not been disclosed by the legal deadline, or how the DOJ will ensure that no more victims are wrongly disclosed.

“While clearer communication would not change the fact that a law was broken, its absence suggests an ongoing intent to keep survivors and the public in the dark as much as possible and as long as possible.”




The criticism is not dying down.  The criticism is not going away.  Donald Chump and company have taken what was for them an embarrassing situation and made it even worse.  Now people are really wondering what's being hidden?  We've now got yet another cover-up and people are wondering.  Taiyler S. Mitchell (HUFFINGTON POST) explains:


Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) argued that the redactions in the Epstein files released on Friday are nonsensical and most likely indicative of a cover-up.

“If you read the statute, the only things that are allowed to be redacting are related to child *** abuse, physical abuse, ongoing investigations, which they say there are none, and national security. So how can you block out an entire document? It makes no sense,” Raskin told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on an episode of “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“And, remember, Trump opposed the legislation up until the very end, when he could read the writing on the wall. Then he said, ‘Oh, I’m for it,’” Raskin said, reasoning that Trump’s switch-up came after Trump’s followers decided that they would work to “obstruct the implementation of the legislation.”


They supposedly want to move on to a different topic but their actions necessitate that America continues to focus on this issue.  

Sarah Fortinsky (THE HILL) reports:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on Sunday he thinks it’s a “big mistake” for the Trump administration to release heavily redacted files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying the issue could now “plague them for months.”

“I think it’s a big mistake,” Paul said in an interview on ABC News’s “This Week,” when asked about concerns over the Justice Department’s partial release of files on Friday.

“I mean, look, the administration has struggled for months and months with something they initially ginned up and then sort of tried to tamp down. So, any evidence or any kind of indication that there’s not a full reveal on this, this will just plague them for months and months more,” he continued.

“So, my suggestion would be: Give up all the information … be transparent and release everything the law requires of you,” Paul added.

This all comes as bad news continues to roll in for Chump.  Giulia Carbonaro (NEWSWEEK) reports:

President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped among the least educated Americans over the past three months, according to the latest poll released by Quantus Insights on Thursday. 

It is yet more bad news for the president, whose popularity has tanked in recent weeks as Americans grow more concerned over the U.S. economy and more frustrated about the ongoing affordability challenges they are facing.



A new CBS News/YouGov poll found that less than 2 in 10 respondents believe President Trump’s policies are improving their current financial situation. 

The poll, released Sunday, found that 18 percent of respondents believe the president’s policies are making them financially better off now, while 27 percent believe his policies will improve their financial straits next year. 
Meanwhile, half of the respondents said Trump’s policies are making them worse off right now, with 45 percent saying his policies will worsen their financial situation in 2026. 

Americans face reality -- the bulk of Americans -- as Chump's lies grow, like him, tired and old.  Jennifer White (SACRAMENTO BEE) reports economists aren't falling for Chump and Propaganda Pig proclaiming 'economic turnaround' as they cite DoorDash as proof:

DoorDash noted the data reflects real-time local trends across 100 cities. Economists argued it likely fails to capture full household spending patterns.

Economists have cautioned that app-based datasets provide timely snapshots but cannot replace the methodological rigor of the Consumer Price Index or Personal Consumption Expenditures index.

American Institute for Economic Research Director of Economics and Economic Freedom Dr. Peter C. Earle said, “In a pinch, private-sector data like DoorDash’s can be a handy real-time snapshot when official reports are delayed.” Earle added, “Food-delivery prices represent a pretty-narrow part of household spending—mostly higher-income, urban consumers ordering prepared meals. That data doesn’t capture the full picture of inflation across housing, energy, durable goods, and other services.”


We'll wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:


Senators: “At a time when veterans are already facing widespread cuts in their access to health care from H.R. 1, skyrocketing health insurance premiums from expiring enhanced premium tax credits, and forced closures of rural hospitals, VA needs to be expanding its capacity and staffing levels, not reducing them.”

ICYMI: VIDEO FROM SENATOR MURRAY: “Exactly zero veterans think the problem with the VA health care system is that there are *too many* staff providing care. But Trump’s VA has now decided it won’t fill thousands of open positions. We need answers about what this will mean for veterans.”

***LETTER HERE***

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and 36 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter demanding answers about the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate as many as 35,000 jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This follows recent reporting from The Washington Post detailing the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate tens of thousands of unfilled mission-critical health care positions at VA, including for doctors, nurses, and support staff.

“We write to express our concern following the December 13, 2025, Washington Post article ‘VA plans to abruptly eliminate tens of thousands of health care jobs,’ which spotlights the Department’s plan to cut as many as 35,000 vacant positions from its workforce rolls before the end of the calendar year,” the senators wrote in a letter to VA Secretary Collins. “Compounded by the exodus of more than 40,000 Department employees in fiscal year (FY) 2025, any unjustified cuts to existing vacancies would further disrupt a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workforce that is already stretched dangerously thin and under assault.”

The senators pushed back on Secretary Collins’ claims that cutting these jobs will have “no impact” on VA health care, pointing to data that even if cuts were focused on non-clinical and administrative vacancies, VA would still have to cut 18,000 vacancies from essential, veteran-facing positions to meet their 35,000 number. They pressed Collins to provide additional information on VA’s plans to eliminate these positions, including asking for the list of positions removed; the names and titles of staff involved in making this decision; what evidence VA used to support this removal of vacancies; and what data was used to inform individual facility staffing baselines.

The senators concluded, emphasizing the gravity of this plan amid Republicans’ health care-cutting agenda across the government: “Unfilled positions are not reflective of unnecessary positions, and the length of time a position is vacant is not a suitable data point for determining need. At a time when veterans are already facing widespread cuts in their access to health care from H.R. 1, skyrocketing health insurance premiums from expiring enhanced premium tax credits, and forced closures of rural hospitals, VA needs to be expanding its capacity and staffing levels, not reducing them. Veterans deserve a VA staffed according to their needs and a Secretary who works to fill needed positions, not abolish them.”

VA already lost more than 40,000 employees between January and September of this year as a result of President Trump and VA Secretary Collins’ hiring freeze, deferred resignations, early retirements, and the significant number of VA staff who have quit since the Trump administration took office due to draconian workforce policies. In addition, VA had at least 42,000 vacancies across the Department as of March 31, 2025, and that number is estimated to have grown significantly since then. The removal of these positions would put VA at pre-PACT Act staffing levels. More than one million veterans newly enrolled in VA health care as a result of expanded eligibility under the PACT Act, and millions more have increased reliance on VA because of toxic exposure-related illnesses and injuries.

These continued cuts of VA health care follow widespread health care cuts initiated by Republicans across the government. Senate Republicans have failed to join Democratic efforts to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, which 267,000 veterans rely on to afford health care. Coupled with Medicare and Medicaid cuts from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that go into effect next year, Americans, including millions of veterans and veteran family members, are facing skyrocketing premiums and a looming health care crisis. 

In addition to Senators Murray and Blumenthal, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elisa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has been outspoken in standing up for veterans, VA employees, and VA researchers against Trump and Elon Musk’s indiscriminate mass layoffs that will undermine critical services our nation’s veterans rely on every day. In January, Murray called on President Trump to exempt all VA employees from the hiring freeze issued as part of his Day One Executive Orders. Senator Murray, was among the first to raise the alarm about the layoffs of VA researchers and called on President Trump to immediately reverse the firings. She pressed VA Deputy Secretary nominee Dr. Paul Lawrence on the firings of VA researchers at the hearing on his nomination, and held multiple press conferences with VA employees and veterans in Washington state who were abruptly laid off for no reason as part of the Trump administration’s mass firings at VA. Earlier this year, Senator Murray forcefully denounced the Trump administration’s initial plan to fire 80,000 employees at VA.

Last week, Senator Murray released a video slamming the Trump administration’s plan not to fill thousands of open positions at VA, and demanding answers.

The lawmakers’ full letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Collins:

We write to express our concern following the December 13, 2025, Washington Post article “VA plans to abruptly eliminate tens of thousands of health care jobs,” which spotlights the Department’s plan to cut as many as 35,000 vacant positions from its workforce rolls before the end of the calendar year. Compounded by the exodus of more than 40,000 Department employees in fiscal year (FY) 2025, any unjustified cuts to existing vacancies would further disrupt a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workforce that is already stretched dangerously thin and under assault. 

Based on data mandated by Section 505 of Public Law 115-182, the VA MISSION Act of 2018, as of quarter two of FY 2025, the Department had a total of 42,518 vacancies. These vacant positions included 7,560 nurses, 4,400 schedulers, 2,800 physicians, 1,900 social workers, 1,650 nursing assistants, 1,630 practical nurses, 1,230 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, 1,080 health technicians, 860 veterans claims examiners, 760 police, and 710 psychologists – totaling more than 24,500 of the 42,500 vacancies. If the Department cut every other vacancy outside of these roles – which would still include cuts to various clinical and veteran-facing roles – VA would still have to cut 18,000 vacancies from essential, veteran-facing positions in order to meet the 35,000 number. These cannot all be “COVID-era roles,” as VA has claimed, nor can these cuts be downplayed because some have been vacant for longer than one year.

We request the following information regarding VA’s elimination of these positions:

  1. Please provide a list of vacant positions removed, disaggregated by facility and job series.
  2. Please provide a list of positions removed, disaggregated by job series and then by length of time since they were last encumbered or the position was created based on these categories of time: less than 30 days, greater than 30 days, greater than 90 days, greater than 180 days, greater than 365 days, and greater than 730 days. 
  3. Please provide the titles of VA Central Office staff and the offices or departments involved in making this decision.
  4. VA already regularly adds and removes positions based on need as part of its normal recruitment and budgeting processes. What evidence was there to support this significantly larger removal of vacancies?
  5. Memos from the Department planning for this removal of vacancies reference a baseline number of positions used to inform individual facility staffing numbers. What is that baseline, and how was that number decided upon? How were individual facility baselines calculated based on that number?
  6. Why did the Department choose to use number of positions instead of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to establish these baselines? How were positions that typically do not occupy one FTE for each individual staff member, such as researchers, accounted for in the baseline and the cuts?
  7. Please detail the approval process for a facility or hiring manager to request new vacancies, roles, or recruitment processes beyond the new baseline.
  8. Based on what criteria can a facility or hiring manager request a new position or vacancy above the baseline?
  9. In VA’s FY 2026 budget request, the Department requested funding for 396,000 total FTE. As such, Congress provided $167 billion for the treatment of 7.7 million patients and 162.6 million outpatient visits to VA for FY 2026. Please provide an updated staffing and workload projection for FY 2026 that accounts for these vacancy cuts.
  10. How did the Department account for minimum staffing ratios when making these cuts, especially those required for nursing, long-term care, spinal cord injury and disorder teams, and mental health care?

Unfilled positions are not reflective of unnecessary positions, and the length of time a position is vacant is not a suitable data point for determining need. At a time when veterans are already facing widespread cuts in their access to health care from H.R. 1, skyrocketing health insurance premiums from expiring enhanced premium tax credits, and forced closures of rural hospitals, VA needs to be expanding its capacity and staffing levels, not reducing them. Veterans deserve a VA staffed according to their needs and a Secretary who works to fill needed positions, not abolish them.

Sincerely,

###

The following sites updated:

Posted by at

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.

 
Someone like Nenko, 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.


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.





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