Isaiah's latest THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Kristi Noem Invited MAGA To Follow Her To Hell" went up last night. We're all posting late today. The roundtable for the gina & krista round robin ended up forever and addressing the awful attack on Senator Alex Padilla.
Sir
Bob Geldof delivered a fiery address at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre on
Wednesday evening, branding Elon Musk a “sociopathic loser” and
condemning political leaders in the UK and US for what he described as a
betrayal of the world’s “most vulnerable”.
The
outspoken campaigner appeared on stage following a performance of Just
For One Day, the musical inspired by the 1985 Live Aid concerts he
co-founded.
You can't argue with that, Geldof is exactly right. And let me note Lawrence O'Donnell from Wednesday night.
C.I.
told me I'd like it and I did. Lawrence is exactly right that Musk
destroyed the world for children everywhere. He's a con artist and
nothing more. Bruna Horvath (NBC News) notes:
A
Wisconsin watchdog group has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk claiming
that he unlawfully bribed voters with million dollar checks and $100
giveaways in the state’s latest Supreme Court election.
Wisconsin
Democracy Campaign — a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that
investigates election transparency — along with two Wisconsin voters,
filed the suit against Musk, his super PAC America PAC, and another
Musk-owned entity called the United States of America Inc.. In the suit,
the plaintiffs claimed that Musk and his entities violated state laws
that prohibit vote bribery and unauthorized lotteries. It also accuses
Musk of conducting civil conspiracy and acting as a public nuisance.
Musk and America PAC did not respond to a request for comment.
“In
the context of an election for Wisconsin’s highest court, election
bribery—providing more than $1 to induce electors (that is, voters) to
vote— undermines voters’ faith in the validity of the electoral system
and the independence of the judiciary,” the suit reads.
The
complaint alleges that Musk violated state laws giving away $100 to
voters who signed a petition “in opposition to activist judges” and
handing out million dollar checks to those who signed the petition. and
The suit says that those who had won the checks had voted for candidate
Brad Schimel. At a town hall in Green Bay, Musk gave away million dollar
checks to two different people, both of which the suit claims voted for
Schimel. In a video America PAC posted on X, one of the winners said he
had voted for Schimel and encouraged others to do the same.
He
should never have been allowed to show even the appearance that he was
buying votes. It cheapened us as a country and it cheapened democracy.
It's really past time for Musk to be told he broke the law during his
citizenship processing so his citizenship is revoked. That is what is
supposed to happen and it is what should happen. And we do not need to
be giving citizenship ever again to anyone who already has citizenship
in two other countries (Musk was born and raised in apartheid South
Africa and, via his mother, was also a Canadian citizen). Never
again.
Thursday, June 12, 2025. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears
before the Senate to reveal he can't even call out Hitler because
Hegseth is just that racist and pathetic. protest gear up to send the
message to b-day boy Donald Chump that he is not a king, and much more.
Tuesday, we attended a hearing that did not go well for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (see yesterday's snapshot). As hard as it might be for some to believe, Wednesday saw another hearing where Pete bombed.
He
was as uninformed as he was on Tuesday when he appeared before the
Senate Appropriations Committee and he still tried to run out the clock
on even the most basic questions.
How basic? One
example, yes or no, Senator Jack Reed wanted to know if Hegseth would
authorize force to arrest American citizens in Los Angeles?
Secretary
Pete Hegseth: Senator, every authorization we've provided the National
Guard -- uh -- and the Marines in Los Angeles is under the authority of
the President of the United States is lawful and Constitutional. They
are assisting in defending law enforcement --
Senator Jack Reed: So the answer is yes.
Secretary Pete Hegseth: -- officers and law enforcement facilities
Senator Jack Reed: So the answer is yes.
Secretary Pete Hegseth: -- in the execution of their jobs
Senator Jack Reed: So the answer is yes.
Secretary Pete Hegseth: -- in the city of Los Angeles --
Senator Jack Reed: The answer is yes.
He
repeatedly did that on Tuesday as well when appearing before the House
Subcommittee. One thing learned then is that while he says the assault
on Los Angeles had Constitutional authority, he couldn't cite where in
the Constitution because he doesn't know the Constitution. That's why
the idiot was Chump's choice. Chump wanted to invade US cities in his
first term but people in that administration actually knew the
Constitution and refused to go along with illegal activities. Pete
Hegseth knows nothing, he's a stupid idiot too ignorant to grasp that
his job requires him knowing the Constitution and not just citing what
some unidentified attorney told someone in the administration and they
then went on to tell him.
That is in fact, dereliction
of duty. Everyone serving right now is at risk because Hegseth doesn't
know what is legal and what is illegal and is too worried about keeping
his job to find out.
Hegseth wasn't helped by the fact
that Republican senators on the Committee felt they actually had to do
their job. There was no one yesterday behaving like US House Rep Ken
Calvert in Tuesday's hearing -- no one cuddling and protecting Hegseth,
no one doing everything like Culvert to kiss the boos boos and to pull a
large meaty breast out for Hegseth to suckle on.
The
closest to that would have to be the closest case of the Senate Lindsey
Graham who took a lie we already disputed on Tuesday (about military
recruitment) and advanced it further by insisting military recruitment
was up because men wanted to serve under Hegseth. Go to yesterday's
snapshot, we're not going through it again except to note that
recruitment began climbing in 2024 and that this fiscal year for
recruitment started in November. Hegseth wasn't sworn in until the end
of January.
While Lindsey may want to serve under
Hegseth, at this point that's just Lindsey's hormonal driven desire.
Don't confuse that with any statistics.
Lindsey got
his hair cut for the hearing and it looked like he got a blow out too.
Primped to look pretty for Pete. However, even Lindsey had to bring
down the hammer in that ineffectual way of his when the topic switched
to Ukraine. It was probably egged on by the fact that Hegseth struggled
with answering whether or not Hitler had been underestimated and
answering whether or not Hitler "wrote a book saying he wanted to kill
all the Jews" -- struggled to the point that Lindsey went to General Dan
Caine who was sitting beside Hegseth and who, for the record, was able
to immediately answer the question (unlike Hegseth).
Hegseth
couldn't call out Hitler (remember his tattoos and you shouldn't be
surprised), he also couldn't call out January 6th insurrectionists.
Senator
Chris Coons: Do you support that decision? Do you believe that was
the right decision to deploy the National Guard to defend the Capitol on
January 6th?
Secretary Pete Hegseth:
All I know is it's the right decision to be deploying the National Guard
in Los Angeles to be defending ICE agents who deserve to be defended in
the execution of their jobs.
Senator
Chris Coons: But I think it's important to know if you think it was also
important to have the National Guard defending the United States
Capitol when there were violent protesters here on the president's
behalf to make sure that folks know that you care about protests whether
it's against the president or on behalf of the president.
Senator,
I was in the Washington DC National Guard when that happened and was
initially ordered to go guard the inauguration of Joe Biden but because
of the politicization of the Biden administration, my orders were
revoked.
We're stopping there On the inauguration
of President Joe Biden -- whom Hegseth never called "president" in this
hearing or at Tuesday's hearing -- Will Carless (USA TODAY) reported back in November:
Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense says he was removed from
his National Guard post at President Joseph Biden’s 2021 inauguration
because superiors deemed his tattoos to be connected to extremism.
[. . .]
Peter Hegseth, who was named this week
as incoming President Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of defense,
said in an interview that he was removed from a National Guard
deployment to Biden’s inauguration because superiors deemed his tattoos
were “extremist.”
The revelation comes as the US military has been on a four-year mission to stamp out extremism in the ranks, an effort that USA TODAY has covered extensively.
Please
note the question wasn't about the inauguration. January 6th was about
the official ballot count and the insurrectionists were attempting to
overthrow the vote of We The People. That was January 6th. January
20th is when Joe was inaugurated. As usual, Hegseth tries to run out
the clock.
Senator Chris Murphy: But do you
support the decision made on January 6th to send the National Guard here
to defend the Capitol?
Secretary Hegseth: I support the decision that President Trump made and --
Senator Chris Murphy: You don't -- you do not
support -- You do not support the decision to send the National Guard
in to defend the Capitol. I think that speaks to the worry that many
Americans have that there is a double standard, that you are not willing
to deend against attacks made on our democracy by supporters of the
president but you are willing to deploy the National Guard to protect
against protesters who are criticizing the president.
Ukraine
came up repeatedly. The bribe of the airplane from Qatar came up
repeatedly. So did the destruction of bridges we'd built with allies
over the years that were now just being tossed aside. Senator Chris
Coons was one of the senators bringing up that issue and he also brought
up this:
Mr. Secretary, I'm also concerned that far more of your time so far has
been spent inside the building on culture wars, rather than outside the
building deterring real ones. This administration began by firing a long
list of qualified uniformed leaders without cause: The Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Vice Chief of the Air
Force, the head of the National Security Agency, the U.S. military
representative to NATO, the director of the Defense Health Agency, the
head of the Coast Guard, and all of the Service Judge Advocates General;
continues to push out tens of thousands of civilians who should instead
be repairing our ships, testing equipment, providing healthcare. It's
rooting out fully qualified, combat proven service members solely
because they are transgender to satisfy a petty animus, and it's
censoring service academy libraries so that no future leader of our
military can read Maya Angelou or Janet Jacobs’ book on the Holocaust,
even Jackie Robinson's World War II service photo is not safe from
culture warriors. In January of this year, any patriotic American who
met the qualifications could serve our nation and the Marines at 29
Palms were training for the Indo-Pacific, not the streets of Los
Angeles. We worried then about our enemies, rather than each other, and
we should return to that model.
I mentioned the
bribe that Chump wants to take from Qatar, the airplane. Let's note
that when Senator Jack Reed tries to ask questions about that, Hegseth
insisted that "any specifics about future aircraft that could be Air
Force Once can't be discussed here." As Reed pointed out, the
Appropriations Committee is exactly where the matter should be
discussed. Senator Chris Murphy attempted to ask on this topic as well
He got nowhere as well. Even when asking why the American taxpayers
are supposed to spend "a billion dollars on a plane that would then only
be used for a handful of months and then transferred directly to the
president?"
Hegseth didn't want to answer those
questions. So for those keeping track, Hegseth didn't want to answer
about the bribe, he didn't want to answer about January 6th, he didn't
want to answer about Hitler. These were all topics that Hegseth fears
the general public and he disagree on.
On January 6th,
we also need to note that he kept hiding behind the claim of not wanting
to go back. Yet his hearing before the Senate yesterday and before the
House two days ago is nothing but going back and attacking Biden and
Tim Walz, and Bully Boy Bush and everyone. Grasp that he went back 25
years in one answer to the House to attack everyone that had been
president during that time other than Chump.
He's just a
filthy liar. The make up, by the way, was thicker yesterday than on
Tuesday. It made it very hard to notice the herpes sore that was still
above his lip on the right side, but if you looked, you could still see
it.
We're short on time so let's note this from Senator Patty Murray's office on the questions she pursued in the hearing.
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s exchange with Secretary Hegseth***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned
Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Senate
Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing
on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for DOD. Senator
Murray pressed Secretary Hegseth on firing skilled Navy shipbuilders,
firing qualified and experienced military leaders, Trump’s recent
comments to use “heavy force” on peaceful protesters, and his leaked
Signal Chat.
In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:
“Secretary Hegseth—you oversee one of the largest and most
important organizations on planet earth. More than anything, the
Department of Defense needs stable, competent, and strategic leadership.
And much as I had feared back in January, that is not what we’ve seen
under your leadership.
“In a matter of months, you have lost top aides and
reportedly struggled to hire new ones. You have fired highly respected
top military officials. You shared highly-sensitive attack plans over
Signal—and apparently with people in your own personal circles. And you
have not taken responsibility for these mistakes.
“All the while, the security challenges we face have grown
larger—not smaller. And in the face of these challenges, you have taken a
series of actions that weaken our posture.
“For example: in my home state of Washington, which is home
to many DOD installations critical to our Indo-Pacific strategy, you
have pushed out almost 2,000 highly trained civilian, including at Puget
Sound Naval Shipyard.
“Mr. Secretary, you talk about returning the Department to
its mission of ‘warfighting.’ But I am repeatedly hearing that your
policy and personnel changes at the Pentagon are only undermining–not
strengthening–our military’s preparedness to protect our country.
“You are deploying the American military to police the
American people. Sending the National Guard into California without the
Governor’s request. Sending the Marines—not after foreign threats, but
after American protesters.
“And now President Trump is promising ‘heavy force’ against
peaceful protesters at his D.C. military parade. Those sorts of actions,
and that sort of rhetoric from the President—should stop every one of
us cold. Threatening to use our own troops—on our own citizens—at such
scale is unprecedented, it is unconstitutional, and it is downright
un-American.
“We should all be speaking out against this—and demanding accountability.
“Now Mr. Secretary, I have to say, for people who tout their
commitment to transparency and efficiency, I have never seen an
administration more hell-bent on hiding basic facts from the American
people. Your Department has been unresponsive to Congressional inquiries
and oversight requests. And all the while you are working to muzzle the
free press, denying journalists’ access to the Pentagon.
“Now before I turn to my questions, let me also just note: it
is now mid-June—and we only, just days ago, received some—but not
all—important portions of your budget request.
“It should not have taken this long to get a request—and we
still need to see the justifications, in order for this committee to do
its work. We are missing those. Not having a full budget at this
juncture is unacceptable.”
[CIVILIAN CUTS TO SHIPYARDS]
Senator Murray began her questioning by noting how the Trump
administration’s staffing cuts and attacks on the civilian workforce are
undermining key defense initiatives: “This administration has
put the civilian workforce under attack from day one: encouraging
resignations, firing probationary employees, instituting a hiring
freeze, requiring OPM to approve any new hire one-by-one, and—new last
week—requiring prospective employees to explain how they would, ‘help
support the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities.’ We have
spoken with military installations across our country. Almost all of
them have been forced to fire skilled, civilian employees who are badly
needed. And all of them also have hundreds—in some cases, thousands—of
new hires ready to bring onboard but now have to have individually
reviewed by OPM—apparently to ensure they ‘support the President’s
priorities.’”
Senator Murray asked Secretary Hegseth, “Will you be firing more shipbuilders? Yes or no?”
Despite firing probationary employees at our shipyards, Secretary
Hegseth falsely claimed no shipbuilders have been fired—and dodged
Senator Murray’s question, instead arguing the Department is merely
letting thousands go through its buyout program: “We haven’t
fired shipbuilders. We’ve offered through a right-sizing of our civilian
position, which everyone on this Committee would acknowledge the
Defense Department has had a bloated bureaucracy for a long time. Have
given a voluntary process by – which some people can choose to take a
DRP [deferred resignation program].”
Senator Murray interjected to ask: “Mr. Secretary, do we need more or fewer shipbuilders?”
Secretary Hegseth dodged the question, instead claiming—after letting
go more than 2000 civilian workers at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
alone—that: “We are investing historically in our shipbuilding
industrial base and workforce and ships in this budget—more than
anything the previous administration ever did.”
Senator Murray said, “Well you managed to fire highly skilled
workers, including in my home state of Washington, for no reason, so
let me just say: the Navy needs welders, not people who can recite the
President’s Executive Orders.”
“If the Navy wants to hire a qualified candidate for the
role—but that candidate happened to vote for or donate to
Democrats—would they be hired?” Senator Murray asked, referred
to the administration’s new, first-ever requirements that prospective
employees explain how they would help support the President’s orders and
policies.
Secretary Hegseth replied, “there’s never been a litmus test for hiring welders”—but
did not respond to Senator Murray’s question about whether there would
be a litmus test going forward—or how the new requirements will be
effectuated.
Senator Murray responded: “That is what they are being asked.
Mr. Secretary, I just have to say: we need to drop the politics in our
military. We need to hire the best people—we do not need to force them
out.”
Protests
have spread across America following days of demonstrations in Los
Angeles against immigration raids by the federal government.
Thousands
of troops and hundreds of marines have been deployed to LA by US
President Donald Trump to quell the demos, causing a row with state
politicians.
Days of unrest were sparked after
federal immigration officers arrested large groups of unauthorised
immigrants in areas with large Latino populations.
Rallies have since taken place from coast to coast, with more planned over the coming days.
The
article notes protests have taken place in Austin, Dallas, NYC,
Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, DC. You
can also add Boston to that list.
No tanks have ever rumbled through these streets
and the drone of planes at night has never frightened me
I keep the hours and the company that I please
And we call for the three great stimulants
Of the exhausted ones
Artifice brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence
Oh and deep in the night
Our appetites find us
Release us and bind us
Deep in the night
While madmen sit up building bombs
And making laws and bars
They'd like to slam free choice behind us
-- "The Three Great Stimulants," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on her classic album DOG EAT DOG
This Saturday will see protests as well.
Donald Chump's going to strap on the catheter and bask in his urine and
fascist soaked Depends to have a military parade in his order and, yes,
tanks will rumble in US streets. Counter-protests will take place to
remind him that he is not a king. Or for that matter, not a functioning
president. Khaleda Rahman (NEWSWEEK) reports that the protests will take place across the country but not in DC::
Here's a look at one event happening in each state. To see all the events taking place, visit the "No Kings" website.
Montgomery, Alabama: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Alabama Department of Archives and History, 624 Washington Ave.
Homer, Alaska: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at WKFL (Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith & Love) Park, 580 E Pioneer Ave
Phoenix, Arizona: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Arizona State Capitol, 1700 W Washington St, Wesley Bolin Plaza
Little Rock, Arkansas: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Broadway Bridge
San Diego, California: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza, 1200 Third Ave.
Boulder,
Colorado: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the grassy area along Canyon between the
Boulder Library and Municipal Building, 1777 Broadway
New Haven, Connecticut: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at New Haven Green, Church St. and Chapel St.
Wilmington, Delaware: 9 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. at North Bancroft Parkway & Pennsylvania Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Florida Historic Capitol, 400 S Monroe St
Atlanta, Georgia: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Liberty Plaza, Capitol Ave SW
Honolulu, Hawaii: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hawaii State Capitol, 415 S Beretania St.
Boise, Idaho: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Idaho State Capitol, 700 W Jefferson St.
Chicago, Illinois: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Daley Plaza, 50 W Washington St.
Indianapolis, Indiana: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Indiana Statehouse, 200 W Washington St.
Davenport, Iowa: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at MLK Interpretive Center, 501 N Brady St.
Wichita, Kansas: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at East Douglas Ave. and North Broadway St.
Louisville, Kentucky: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Metro City Hall, 527 W Jefferson St.
New Orleans, Louisiana: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 2400 Decatur St.
Portland, Maine: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park, Pearl St.
Annapolis, Maryland: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Maryland State House, 100 State Cir
Brookline, Massachusetts: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Beacon St. and Harvard St.
Detroit, Michigan: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Clark Park, 1130 Clark Ave.
St. Cloud, Minnesota: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Courthouse Square
Jackson, Mississippi: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Southside, 400 High St.
St. Louis, Missouri: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Kiener Plaza Park, 500 Chestnut St.
Helena, Montana: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Montana State Capitol, 1301 E 6th Ave.
Omaha, Nebraska: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 1 at Tom Hanafan River's Edge Park, 4200 Avenue B
Las Vegas, Nevada: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Federal Courthouse at 333 S Las Vegas Blvd
Concord, New Hampshire: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at New Hampshire State House, 107 N Main St.
Trenton, New Jersey: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at State House Annex, 125 W. State St.
Albuquerque, New Mexico: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mariposa Basin Park, 4900 Kachina St. NW
New York, New York: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Bryant Park, 5th Ave. and East 41st St.
Durham, North Carolina: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at CCB Plaza, 201 Corcoran St.
Bismarck, North Dakota: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Bismarck State Capitol grounds, North 6th St. and East Boulevard Ave.
Akron, Ohio: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 2 S Main St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at City Hall Park, 109 N Hudson Ave.
Portland,
Oregon: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall
Waterfront Park, 221 SW Naito Pkwy and SW Pine St.
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Love Park, Arch St. and North 16th
St., marching to the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Providence, Rhode Island: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Rhode Island State House, 82 Smith St.
Charleston, South Carolina: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Hampton Park, 30 Mary Murray Dr.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 300 N Minnesota Ave.
Memphis, Tennessee: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at North East corner, Poplar Ave. and South Highland St.
Houston, Texas: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Houston City Hall, 901 Bagby St.
Salt Lake City, Utah: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pioneer Park, 350 W Broadway
Montpelier, Vermont: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Vermont State House, 115 State St.
Charlottesville, Virginia: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at The Shops at Stonefield, 2025 Bond St.
Seattle, Washington: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Cal Anderson Park, 1635 11th Ave.
Huntington, West Virginia: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Heritage Station, 210 11th St.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Cathedral Square Park, 520 East Wells
Cheyenne, Wyoming: 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 200 W 24th St.
"We've
been planning the No Kings day" for months, says Ezra Levin, a
cofounder of the progressive grassroots giant Indivisible, which is a
key partner in a protest coalition that includes grassroots groups like
50501, civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties
Union, and many labor and environmental groups. Outside of a few anchor
events - a large event is planned in Philadelphia, for example - the No
Kings protests are organized on a viral, distributed basis, with locals
in each community calling the shots. By last week, the number of planned
events had already surpassed the April total.
Why
not in DC? I don't think there's enough room there for tanks and
Chump's massive ego. (Actually, the organizers of the rallies want to
draw a contrast between We The People versus Chump and his sycophants.)
President
Donald Trump is throwing himself a birthday celebration this weekend –
but while the event honors both the Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump's
own 79th birthday, most congressional Republicans won’t be there to
celebrate.
That’s according to a report in
Politico, which surveyed 50 GOP lawmakers and found only six who said
they plan to stick around Washington for the Saturday spectacle, which
includes warplanes, tanks and a multimillion-dollar military parade on
the National Mall.
The
no-shows include top Republicans in both chambers and many lawmakers who
oversee the military, including the chairs of the House and Senate
Armed Services Committees.
A
few excuses for skipping out on the non-event of the season are given.
I like to think Erik left out the most cited reason: Everyone fears
they'll be handed a broom and told they have to walk behind Chump to
clean up his mess -- the way they do with circus elephants.
Let's note one excuse that's given for skipping out on the party:
Sen. Markwayne Mullin said it’s his wedding anniversary: “I choose to be married,” he told Politico.
Okay, but does your wife? Be sure to check out Mike's "Markwayne, Markwayne, you got no brain." Brian Steinberg (VARIETY) notes, "ABC
News, NBC News and CBS News are unlikely to pre-empt regular TV
programming for coverage of the event, according to people familiar with
their plans. ABC News plans to "cover the parade across programs and
platforms, including 24/7 streaming news channel ABC News Live's
coverage beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 14." At NBC News,
anchors Aaron Gilchrist and Kelly O'Donnell will lead special coverage
of the event on NBC News Now, the news division's streaming outlet." Cameron Adamjs (THE DAILY BEAST) adds,
"Sources
close to ABC News, NBC News and CBS News told Variety the networks
would be unlikely to change their traditional sports-based Saturday
night programming to cover the parade. [. . .] The network has the UFL
championship game airing in primetime on Saturday night."
Alien Musk is a coward. That's a known. He fled
South Africa when apartheid was collapsing. He was afraid to live in a
land where Black people were equal. He may have a ton of money today
but he's still the same coward that he always was. That's behind all
the children. Now Joe Sommerlad (The Mirror) reports:
Elon
Musk has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to express regret over his war
of words with President Donald Trump, backing down after less than a
week and conceding that “some” of his posts attacking the
commander-in-chief had been excessive.
“I
regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They
went too far,” the world’s richest man wrote on the social media
platform he owns in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The
apology comes six days after Trump said he was “very disappointed” in
his former special adviser and campaign donor for criticizing the “Big,
Beautiful Bill” he is attempting to push through the Senate, prompting
Musk to lash out with a series of highly personal attacks against the
president, who responded in kind on his own platform Truth Social.
On
the same day that Musk appeared to extend an olive branch, Trump said
in a pre-recorded podcast interview that reconciliation between the pair
was possible.
Alien
Musk is a coward. Chump bullied him and berated him and Musk caved
like a coward. Go hide somewhere, Musk, no one respected you anymore.
Also losing respect? Kash Patel. Josephine Harvey (The Daily Beast) reports:
Kash
Patel has sued MSNBC columnist Frank Figliuzzi over his unverified
claim last month that the FBI director had been at “nightclubs” more
than he’d been in his office.
Patel filed a
lawsuit on June 2 in Texas against Figliuzzi, a former assistant
director for counterintelligence at the FBI who now serves as a senior
national security and intelligence analyst for MSNBC and NBC News.
[. . .]
Patel has not spent “a single minute inside of a nightclub,” the lawsuit states.
Say
it ain't so, Kash. It was the only cool thing about you. I pictured
you as a latter day Tony Manero just
stay-stay-stay-staying-alive-staying-alive.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Chump's continued attack on Los Angeles
includes physically attacking the press, Pete Hegseth lies repeatedly at
the hearing and goes back 25 years to try to avoid taking the blame for
his own mistakes, hard to play pro-police if, like Chump, you pardoned
the insurrectionists, and much more.
Let's star with a
hearing yesterday. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense held
a hearing that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, though carefully made
up with foundation that almost covered his Psoriasis patches and his
herpes sore above his lip on the right side of his face, was woefully
unprepared for when it came to even basic facts. Hegseth has still not
submitted a spending plan to Congress.
Ranking
Member Betty McCollum noted at the start, "The point of this hearing is
the President's 2026 Fiscal Budget Request and we don't have it. It
was due in February today is June 10th. Four months from now is the end
of the fiscal year and all we have is a very rough draft. The DoD has
failed to submit a complete request."
He still hasn't
submitted the budget request. Again, due in February. And he's still
not come up with it. He's not qualified. And he didn't arrive at the
hearing prepped and ready. He repeatedly attempted to distract from his
lack of knowledge by bulls**ting and by constantly blaming others for
other things.
As he yet again attempted to blame everyone else
for whatever he hadn't done in his five months as DoD Secretary, one
member of the Committee had enough.
Ranking Member
Rosa DeLauro: Please. I want your plan. I've-I've had difficulty with
the prior administration and I don't mind calling them out. What is
your plan for the future? Can we get that in writing and on paper so
that we know where you're going? Because we don't have anything today.
We have zip! Nada in knowing where you're going. You can talk
percentages, you can talk whatever you want, but unless this Committee
sees dollars and cents and where you're going and what you're plan is
then we may reconsider what you need to do to go forward. Give us the
details.
Secretary Da Dunce Pete Hegseth: Congresswoman, we have the details We'll provide them.
Ranking
Member Rosa DeLauro: Then let's have them. Before -- My hope is that
we can get them before we go to a mark upin a few hours today.
Yes,
Hegseth blamed Joe Biden and Tim Walz and everyone in the Democratic
Party but the press forgot to tell you in their coverage that he
insulted the Republicans as well. One of his biggest problems that he
has to deal with today?
Bully Boy Bush!!!!!
Hegseth
whined about how DoD was better off 25 years ago (that would be the end
of Bill Clinton's second presidential term) and those that followed
"squandered" money and opportunities. Again, that's a slap at
Republican Bully Boy Bush. Wonder if anyone will come forward to defend
BBB?
Hegseth lied nonstop. DeLauro pointed out that he
was lying about funding levels in the past regarding the submarine
program. He lied about immigrants. He insisted 21 million had come
into the US under President Joe Biden. The fright-wing does love that
fabricated stat but it's not true. GOOGLE the claim and AI's first
sentence is:
Based
on available information, the claim that 21 million illegal immigrants
have come into the US under the Biden administration is inaccurate
. This number has been described as an exaggeration
To
be a Republican in the hearing meant to lie. Such as when the always
laughable Mario Rafael DÃaz-Balart tried to insist that Chump and
Hegseth turned the military around and have increased recruitment which
was doing so, so poorly under Joe Biden. The Fiscal year for
recruitment has months go so we don't know what's going on there. We do
know that recruitment numbers began rising . . . under Joe Biden.
U.S. military recruitment has made a comeback following a downturn caused primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic, low unemployment and stiff competition from the private sector.
Posts
circulating widely on social media give President Donald Trump and
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth credit for this increase, a claim that
has been pushed by the president and others in his administration.
But Defense Department data
shows the uptick began well before Trump’s reelection in November and
experts point to actions taken by the military during the Biden
administration as key reasons for the increase.
Here’s a look at the facts.
CLAIM: President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are causing military recruitment numbers to skyrocket.
THE
FACTS: This is an overstatement and is missing context. Recruitment
numbers for all military branches have been on the rise for the last few
years, according to Defense Department data. Experts cite factors such
as improving recruitment strategies, increased bonuses and new prep
courses that predated the 2024 presidential election as factors in the
change, although they acknowledge Trump’s election could have also
played a role.
Use the link for the full report and grasp that the Fiscal Year is not over yet.
Also
grasp that Diaz-Balart is fake news with his own mouth as he lies and
even accuses the media of covering up a 'fact' that, in fact, is not a
fact.
Let's talk about some of the Republican subcommittee
members. Can we start with Ken Calvert? Early this year, he put his
name to a column whose opening sentence was "The cost of bloated
bureaucracy weighs on everything across the economy." The staffer who
actually wrote that line laughed and laughed with other member of
Calvert's staff. Why? It was a little in joke, a nod to the fact that
Calvert is so morbidly obese. So fat that Tom Cole could almost pass
for nearly stocky merely by sitting next to Calvert. Let's also note
that education is needed. Especially for members of Congress. "Ethos,"
Calvert, ends with an "os" and not an "is" so please either stop using
the term or learn to pronounce it correctly.
Looking
at the assembled Republicans, one's left to wonder if anyone in the GOP
has a single chin? Beyond double chins? Many were sporting rooster
wattles with their chins apparently ending at their collar bone.
A typical sentence from Hegseth in the hearing --
whether speaking off the top of his head or reading aloud from the paper
before him -- would be, "How do we gets hands in -- how do we get
systems, platforms, future capabilities in the hands of war fighters."
A
drive-by to the public account this morning says, "That's just one
example!" And? We're not reproducing a transcript. We gave you an
example. I'll be kind and give you one more. When reading his opening
statement, he offered "these improve - include" as he bounced up and
down. Maybe playing bouncy house in his chair prevented him from
reading correctly? I don't know.
Traditionally, we cover hearing with excerpts.
We
don't usually have so many liars at a hearing. I'm not interested in
repeating the lies so what you get on this hearing is what you get.
One
thing we chose to leave out -- we couldn't figure out how to force it
in -- was US House Rep Harold Rogers. He was in a car accident a few
months back. No one wants to talk about what was at fault but it was
his age and at 87, he shouldn't be driving. But that's not what we were
going to bring up. He's too old to be on the Committee but he's also
in dire need of medical help. I question his support group that he was
allowed out in public -- let alone at a hearing in front of cameras --
with all those sores on both hands.
Let's move on by noting Lawrence O'Donnell from last night on MSNBC.
Former
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hammered President Trump on Tuesday for
tapping the National Guard to help quell protests in Los Angeles,
noting that the president had refused congressional pleas to take that
step when a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“In
a bipartisan way, on Jan. 6 — with violence against the Constitution,
against the Congress and against the United States Capitol — we begged
the president of the United States to send in the National Guard,”
Pelosi told reporters. “He would not do it.”
Trump
sent the National Guard to Los Angeles without the consent of
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who
argued Trump’s actions risked elevating violence. He did so amid
protests against raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The
White House argues local officials did not do enough to curtail
protestors endangering federal property and officials. The Pentagon has
since sent Marines to Los Angeles.
The Jan. 6
riot at the Capitol came after months of Trump making false claims that
he had won the 2020 election, only to have it stolen away by a vast
conspiracy of corrupt election officials, foreign governments and
underhanded software companies. No evidence has emerged to back those
claims.
No one asked for it, no one needed it, Chump broke the law to do it but some outlets struggle with addressing that reality. Elizabeth Urban (LATIN TIMES) notes:
President
Donald Trump was mocked online after declaring that those taking part
in the Los Angeles protests against ICE were "insurrectionists" and
demanding jail time, despite pardoning those convicted in the Capitol
riots.
The president was asked about "the people causing problems in LA" upon returning to the White House by reporters Monday.
"The
people that are causing the problem are professional agitators, they're
insurrectionists, they're bad people. They should be in jail," Trump
stated.
Los Angeles was
home to various protests over the weekend in response to ICE raids
across the city. More than 50 people have been arrested in connection
with the protests, which Trump responded to by deploying 2,000 National
Guard troops to help aid law enforcement.
However,
users online were quick to point out the president's choice of words to
describe the protesters, given that he had pardoned the rioters who
participated in the insurrection on January 6, 2021.
"It
loses all meaning after he pardoned the insurrectionists," one user
remarked. Another added, "And yet, he pardoned everyone who attacked the
capital. So evil."
"The insurrectionists should be in
jail you say?" another user chided. One person said, "Imagine if he said
that about [January 6]."
Chump pardoned those who attacked the police. He can stop trying to grandstand now.
There
has been some vandalism and violence in LA, but the protests have
mostly been peaceful, especially before Trump decided to call in the
National Guard. And they’ve been pretty limited in scope; the
apocalyptic images of, for example, burning cars that have been splashed
across the media reflect reality, but don’t represent the broader
picture in LA, however many administration officials might take to Fox
News to slam the city as a Third World–esque hellhole full of criminals.
Over the weekend, CNN’s Stelter noted that he’d received messages from
friends on the ground telling him: “I’m sure you know this, but 99.9
percent of LA is going about their Sunday normally.” David Dayen, the
executive editor of the American Prospect, who has lived in the city for
over twenty years, wrote yesterday that protests “abbreviated in the
media as ‘unrest’…were actually a cry of hope.”
As
usual, he's the one who lit the match that started the fire. But he
won't take accountability for not bringing down egg prices -- he won't
even admit that he's failed at that. He never takes accountability.
Toby
Canham, who shared a photo of his painful-looking injuries on social
media, is among more than 20 journalists who have reportedly been
injured in the protests
On
Sunday, June 8, Toby Canham, 59, was reporting on the protests for the
New York Post near the 101 freeway when a California Highway Patrol
(CHP) officer fired a bullet at him from around 100 yards away, per the
outlet.
Following the incident, Canham posted a
selfie on his Instagram Stories showing followers his painful-looking
head injury. He also shared a photo of what appeared to be the moment
the officer reportedly fired his weapon toward him, writing, "Incoming."
Reporting
matters. On the spot reporting matters. It's important for We The
People to see what is being done in our name. There is no excuse for
the targeting of journalists. Chiara Fiorillo (THE MIRROR) notes:
A CNN anchor said she was pushed around by police while reporting on the ongoing protests in Los Angeles.
During
a tense stand-off between law enforcement and protesters, Erin Burnett
said officers were urging her and her team to move from the area. After
being asked by her colleague in the studio to describe the scenes
unfolding on Monday night, the journalist said, "What we're seeing here
right now, we've got a stand-off on this line as well."
She
then added, "The officers are also pushing us ... They're just saying,
move the area." Erin said there was "tension" in the area and noted that
despite being aware that she is part of the media reporting on the
protests, officers were "just as happy to push me as to push anybody
else." She added, "They want everybody out of here."
CNN
National Correspondent Jason Carroll narrated his interaction with
police in Los Angeles on Monday night, as cops escorted him away from
where he had been reporting.
The network was
reporting on the ongoing protests and subsequent police and military
response in Los Angeles, which has been the scene of several
demonstrations over the last four days. On Friday, U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement agents carried out raids in the city’s garment
district to scoop up migrant workers. They also conducted a raid outside
a Home Depot to look for undocumented laborers there as well. The
actions are part of President Donald Trump’s nationwide mass deportation
effort.
On Monday night,
Carroll reported from a protest during an extended edition of Laura
Coates Live, and wrapped up his report without incident. However,
moments later, host Laura Coates, who was in the studio, suddenly went
back to her colleague on the scene.
“Wait one
second, John,” she said, interrupting CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst
John Miller. “Hold on. I wanna– Jason, what’s going on? I hear you. Am I
seeing Jason Carroll being– what happened? Jason?”
“I am being detained,” Carroll answered. “I’m being detained, Laura.”
Carroll then addressed the cops.
“I’m not being arrested, correct, officers?” he asked.
“Did you hear what he told you?” one of the officers asked Carroll.
“No,” Carroll replied.
“We’re
letting you go, but you can’t come back,” the officer responded.
“Because then if you come back in, then you go. Ok, please?”
“Ok, thank you, officer,” Carroll replied before addressing Coates again.
“If you guys can still hear me, what happened was, I was–” Carroll said before being interrupted by a witness.
“I’m
Chris with The New York Times,” a man told Carroll. “We got video of
you guys. If you need it later, call The New York Times.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Carroll said before returning to his conversation with Coates.
“So
here’s what happened, Laura,” he said. “I was called over, and the
officer told me to put my hands behind my back. I said, ‘Am I being
arrested?’ He said, ‘You are being detained.’ I was walked out of the
area. They took down my information.”
CNN
subsequently disclosed that although Jason was ultimately let go, two
individuals on his camera crew were detained by the police. Expounding
on the tumultuous moments after vacating the demonstration site, the
reporter expressed, "I was walking over to the officer, tried to explain
who I was, who I was with. He said, 'I'd like you to turn around.' I
turned around, I put my hands behind my back. They did not put me in zip
ties, but they did grab both my hands as I was escorted over to the
side, they said, you are being detained."
Jason's
experience is not an isolated case among journalists in LA covering the
protests. On Sunday, 9News' US correspondent Lauren Tomasi appeared to
get hit by a rubber bullet during a live shot, while British
photojournalist Nick Stern reportedly required urgent surgery following a
leg injury sustained amidst the weekend's violent events.
On
Monday, a group of 27 press and civil liberties organizations penned a
letter to US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sounding the alarm
over potential First Amendment rights violations by federal officers
against journalists reporting on recent protests and unrest tied to
immigration enforcement in Los Angeles. The coalition expressed their
concern, stating, "The press plays an essential role in our democracy as
the public's eyes and ears. The timely reporting of breaking news is
necessary to provide the public with complete information, especially
about controversial events."
They reported, "A
number of reports suggest that federal officers have indiscriminately
used force or deployed munitions such as tear gas or pepper balls that
caused significant injuries to journalists. In some cases, federal
officers appear to have deliberately targeted journalists who were doing
nothing more than their job covering the news."
Reporters Without Borders issued the following:
At
least 27 attacks on journalists covering protests in Los Angeles took
place between June 6 and June 8. The assaults have been carried out by
both law enforcement and protesters. Violence against journalists while
they are reporting is unacceptable under any circumstances, and
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the authorities to protect
journalists’ First Amendment right to cover matters of public interest.
The
protests began in Los Angeles on June 6 in response to raids on
workplaces by federal authorities targeting immigrants. Police have used
tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, at times
indiscriminately striking members of the media.
According to information verified by RSF with the
help of its local partner, the Los Angeles Press Club, at least 27
separate incidents of violence against journalists have been recorded at
the protests since June 6. These include 24 by law enforcement and
three by individuals. The indiscriminate wave of violence has touched
all parts of the media, including legacy outlets, freelancers, local TV,
foreign correspondents, and journalist security teams.
“The
wave of violence against journalists on the streets of Los Angeles this
weekend is unacceptable. These protests are a matter of huge public
interest and the public has a right to know exactly what’s going on. The
only way that can happen is if journalists are allowed to do their jobs
freely. This is inherently dangerous work, but it’s made more dangerous
by authorities who are unable or unwilling to distinguish press from
protestors, and by private actors who attack members of the media.
Authorities in LA must do more to ensure press freedom is respected
during these protests.
Clayton Weimers
Executive Director, RSF USA
At least 24 acts of violence by security forces against journalists
Almost immediately after the protests erupted,
journalists were under physical attack. Multiple media workers reported
being shot by police with “less-than-lethal munitions” (LLM) such as
pepper balls, rubber bullets, and tear gas canisters, including Southern California News Group’s Ryanne Mena, freelance journalists Anthony Cabassa and Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, The Southlander’s Ben Camacho, British photojournalist Nick Stern, and LA Taco’s Lexis Olivier-Ray. Disturbing footage shows Australian TV reporter Lauren Tomasi being shot with LLM by police while reporting live on the air. A video posted by NBC LA shows police in military-style gear aggressively pushing reporter Mekahlo Medina. Another video shows police firing on a KCBS/KCAL TV crew.
On June 8, President Donald Trump announced he was
calling up 2,000 National Guard troops to assist local police, a move
that contributed to the violence against journalists already being
perpetrated by law enforcement. RSF urges all authorities — local,
state, and federal — to show respect towards members of the media in
recognition of their constitutionally-protected duty to report on these
protests.
The California Penal Code 13652(b)(6) requires state
and local officers to "minimize possible incidental impact" of these
weapons on journalists, and federal law enforcement officers are bound
to uphold the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees the
rights of journalists to cover matters of public interest, including
recording officers in the course of their work.
Violent demonstrators also target members of the media
There have also been at least three alleged incidents
of violence by individual protesters against journalists trying to
cover the protests. In an online video, demonstrators appear to threaten
and chase away a TV crew for KTTV Fox 11, as well as independent journalist Aldo Buttazzoni. A KTTV Fox 11 news van was also broken into and vandalized.
The United States ranks 57th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index. It has dropped 12 places in the past five years, and seen an alarming uptick of press freedom violations since President Donald Trump took office for the second time in January 2025.
And we'll wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:
Fit to Serve Act would
enhance national security, prohibit Trump, Hegseth from attacking
members of the military based on gender identity
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.), the top Democrat for the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee
on Personnel, introduced the Fit to Serve Act, a bill to
support our military readiness and national security by prohibiting
discrimination against transgender service members.
Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), all also members of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, along with Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker
(D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim
(D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Ron Wyden
(D-Ore.) joined as co-sponsors of the bill.
Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House
Armed Services Committee, led the introduction of the bill in the House
of Representatives with Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Joe
Courtney (D-Conn.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.),
Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.), Robert Garcia
(D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Sara
Jacobs (D-Calif.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.),
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Delia Ramirez
(D-Ill.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Eric
Sorensen (D-Ill.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.),
and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).
In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order banning
transgender individuals joining and continuing to serve in the military.
The Department of Defense (DoD) is forcing service members in
active-duty to self-identify for voluntary separation by June 6, 2025;
service members in the Reserves have until July 7, 2025.
Banning transgender service members undermines our military’s
readiness. The administration’s actions hurt our national security and
dehumanize the thousands of transgender service members who have made
meaningful contributions to our armed forces.
While the ban continues to be litigated in federal court, the Supreme Court has allowed the DoD to begin to implement the ban, threatening the careers of thousands of
service members who serve as test pilots, Navy divers, intelligence
analysts, weapons specialists, combat aviators, and other critical
national security roles. The ban also threatens to waste billions of
taxpayer dollars invested in training these troops, who have spent
decades in the military, deployed multiple times, and commanded large
numbers of troops.
Former Pentagon officials have testified that
allowing transgender service members to openly serve “fosters openness
and trust among team members, thereby enhancing unit cohesion” and that
“transgender service members who meet the standards required for their
positions serve effectively and contribute positively to unit
readiness.” To ensure the United States can continue to benefit from
the service of transgender individuals, who have raised their hand to
defend and protect their country and meet the same rigorous standards as
their peers, the Fit to Serve Act prohibits DoD from:
Banning transgender service members from the military;
Prescribing qualifications for service on the basis of gender identity;
Denying necessary health care for service members on the basis of gender identity;
Forcing a service member to serve in their sex assigned at birth; or
Otherwise discriminating against service members on the basis of gender identity.
“We recruit and train the best and bravest to protect our country –
losing highly qualified service members, who meet strict standards to
join the military, makes us less safe,” said Senator Warren.
“While Trump plays politics with our troops, I'm fighting back to make
clear that anyone who is qualified to serve should be able to regardless
of who they are.”
“Banning transgender Americans from serving in our military, and
forcing current service members to quit serving, is a cruel attack on
the very people who have dedicated their lives to defending our
country,” said Senator Booker. “Transgender service
members meet the same rigorous standards as their peers and have served
our country with honor for years. The Fit to Serve Act is critical
legislation to prevent the Department of Defense from discriminating
against our troops on the basis of gender.”
“If you are willing to risk your life for our country and you can do
the job, it shouldn’t matter if you are gay, straight, transgender,
Black, white or anything else,” said Senator Duckworth.
“Every transgender servicemember earned their role through rigorous
training and is more qualified to serve in those roles than Pete Hegseth
is to be Secretary of Defense. I’m proud to join Senator Warren and my
Democratic colleagues in working to reverse the Trump Administration’s
offensive transgender military ban, which is disruptive to our military,
hurts readiness and not only does nothing to strengthen our national
security—it actively makes things worse.”
“Attacking people based on who they love or how they identify does
nothing to make America safer. Our LGBTQ+ servicemembers put their lives
on the line to keep our nation safe, and I’m always going to have their
backs,” said Senator Fetterman. “Since day one, I’ve
called on Secretary Hegseth to reverse course, and he’s failed to act.
Now, I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce legislation to end
this disgraceful, illegal ban.”
“Transgender service members serve our country honorably, dedicating their lives to protecting our nation,” said Senator Hirono.
“Yet, Trump continues attacking the transgender community,
disrespecting these individuals, discriminating against them, and
undermining our military readiness. By prohibiting this discrimination
on the basis of gender identity, this legislation will help to ensure
transgender individuals who are qualified to serve may do so.”
“Every willing and qualified American deserves the chance to serve
and defend our country, and many transgender individuals have done so
for years with dignity and honor. This legislation will ensure these
patriots can continue to serve freely and openly, now and in the
future,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“As President Trump continues to denigrate and target transgender
servicemembers, we must stand up for what is right and what makes our
military strongest,” said Senator Kim. “We cannot build
a united, incomparable force by alienating brave Americans ready and
proud to serve their nation. This legislation honors our transgender
troops' service and anyone who is willing to put their life on the line
for our freedoms and serve our nation in uniform.”
“The
persistent dehumanization of trans people by the Trump
administration hurts many and helps no one. Trans members of the
military – just like anyone else in service – have dedicated their lives
to public service, and, in return, this administration dismisses them
from service,” said Senator Ed Markey, “I am proud to stand with my
colleagues to say this is wrong. Trans rights are human rights.”
“Service members sign up to protect our country with patriotism and bravery,” said Senator Merkley.
“Banning highly-skilled transgender service members endangers the
safety and security of our nation, and takes us backward in our march
towards equality.”
“There’s no reason other than blatant
discrimination for trans service members to be barred from serving in
our military,” said Senator Schatz. “If someone is willing and meets the
high standards to serve, they should be allowed to – it’s as simple as
that.”
“Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military puts Americans’ safety last,” Senator Wyden said.
“Fitness for military service has nothing to do with how a person
identifies. The Fit to Serve Act will keep our military strong by
ensuring that anyone who can do the job can join and serve.”
This bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Human Rights
Campaign, Minority Veterans of America, SPARTA, Out in National
Security, Advocates for Trans Equality, Modern Military Association of
America, National Women’s Law Center, and National Center for LGBTQ
Rights.
"Transgender servicemembers are trusted and effective warfighters. At
a time when the United States faces growing threats around the world,
banning them from the All-Volunteer Force will make Americans less
safe," said Luke Schleusener, CEO of Out in National Security (ONS),
a professional association for LGBTQIA+ people across the national
security enterprise. "This legislation underscores that the fight to
honor the service of thousands of transgender Americans in uniform—and
to strengthen America's national security—is far from over."
“The Fit to Serve Act is a necessary step to ensure our military
reflects the values it claims to defend—honor, courage, and integrity.
Banning transgender troops based on prejudice weakens our national
security, erodes morale, and wastes taxpayer dollars. Transgender
service members have always served with pride, even when denied
recognition, and they deserve to serve openly in our armed forces and
for leadership that is rooted in facts—not fear. This bill sends a clear
message: Patriotism isn’t defined by gender identity, but by the
selfless act of serving one’s country,” said Lindsay Church, MVA (Minority Veterans of America) Executive Director.
“The Fit to Serve Act is vital to stop the current unnecessary and
cruel purge of trans troops, which weaponizes a gender dysphoria
diagnosis. It would ensure our leaders cannot turn their backs on those
fully capable and willing to serve, for no reason other than
discrimination,” said Cathy Marcello, Modern Military Association of America’s Interim Executive Director.
“The policy’s vague wording of 'exhibits symptoms of gender dysphoria'
will undoubtedly be misused against anyone who military leadership wants
to push out, similar to the ways Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was used to
target individuals.
“Trangender service members have already taken an extraordinary step
most Americans never will: volunteering to risk their lives in defense
of our nation. These thousands of patriots have already served openly
and honorably around the world for nearly a decade, meeting the same
standards as everyone else. Suddenly separating them and finding and
training replacements will cost taxpayers billions over decades — while
destroying the careers and livelihoods of thousands of military families
and leaving units with critical operational and talent gaps.
“Despite three federal courts deeming the policy unconstitutional and
top military leaders noting no evidence of negative impacts of open
trans service, the executive and judicial branches have failed to
protect these service members. They are already experiencing the first
steps of a novel and undignified separation process. We are truly
thankful that Senators Warren, Duckworth, Gillibrand, Baldwin, Markey,
Wyden, Hirono, Merkley, Fetterman, Van Hollen, Sanders, Kim, Booker,
Schatz, and Smith are addressing this injustice by introducing the Fit
to Serve Act to codify what so many of us know to be true: transgender
service members are fit for service and don’t deserve to live with the
uncertainty of ever-changing executive orders and litigation with each
new administration.”
“The Fit to Serve Act is a declaration that we will not stand by
while our courageous troops are under political assault. Transgender
servicemembers meet the same rigorous standards, deploy worldwide, put
in the same hard work and demonstrate the same dedication as any of
their colleagues. They have valiantly embraced the weighty
responsibility of protecting our country and should not have their
careers arbitrarily ended. Instead, President Trump and Secretary
Hegseth are taking away their jobs, cutting off their health care
benefits, and disregarding the immense sacrifices these servicemembers
and their families have made. It's a slap in the face to all who serve
and puts our military readiness at risk. We thank Sen. Warren for
introducing this important legislation, and we urge every Member of
Congress to support it and uphold this nation’s promise to support all
of our servicemembers,” said Jennifer Pike Bailey, Government Affairs Director of the Human Rights Campaign.
“We are grateful to lawmakers for standing up for our nation’s troops
and ensuring that every American has an equal opportunity to serve.
Military service is about whether you can do the job, not who you are,”
said Shannon Minter, Legal Director, National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR).
“Transgender people have long served in our military with honor,
integrity, and courage. Efforts to ban them from service undermine the
humanity and contributions of those who have risked their lives for our
country,” said Gaylynn Burroughs, vice president for education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center.
“We strongly support the Fit to Serve Act and applaud Senator Warren’s
leadership in defending the rights and dignity of trans service members.
Everyone, regardless of who they are, deserves the right to work with
dignity and without fear of harassment or other forms of discrimination,
including in the military.”
“SPARTA Pride supports the Fit To Serve Act introduced by Senator
Elizabeth Warren that aims to prohibit discrimination in the military on
the basis of gender identity. This legislation represents a critical
step toward ensuring that all who are willing and able to serve their
country can do so with dignity, authenticity, and fairness—regardless of
their gender identity,” said SPARTA Pride.
“The United States military is as diverse as our country, and trans
people have always been a part of the military, serving honorably and
meeting the same rigorous standards as their peers. For nearly a decade,
trans servicemembers have been able to serve in the military openly and
authentically as themselves," said Olivia Hunt, Advocates for Trans Equality Director of Federal Policy.
"Trump's ban on trans servicemembers betrays the trust of the thousands
of trans people who have come out and transitioned while serving, with
the full support of their unit members and chain of command. It also
jeopardizes their access to critical benefits such as healthcare,
education, and retirement, essential for their well-being and stability.
We applaud Senator Warren and her cosponsors for introducing this
important legislation and joining us in standing up for
servicemembers.”
