Ann's Mega Dub

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Musk the racist cry baby

Baby Cry Baby Musk is whining yet again. Josh Fiallo (The Daily Beast) notes:

Elon Musk is still peeved that people likened him to a Nazi after he made an evocative gesture resembling a fascist salute on President Donald Trump’s inauguration day.

The Tesla CEO said Tuesday that he does not regret going full MAGA. He said it was the “propaganda” legacy media that turned him into a divisive figure and tanked his company’s car sales, not his own words and actions as Trump’s temporary No. 2.

“How many legacy media publications, talk shows, whatever, try to claim that I was a Nazi because of some random hand gesture gesture at a rally where all I said was that my heart goes out to you,” Musk told CNBC. “And I was talking about space travel, and yet the legacy media promote—promoted that as though that was a deliberate Nazi gesture, where, when, in fact, every politician, any public speaker who’s spoken for any length of time, has made the exact same gesture.”

It was a Nazi salute, you liar. Legacy media did not attack you, you liar. They wouldn't even call it a Nazi salute because they were scared you would sue them. So stop lying.

You're a racist and you post racist trash on Twitter and you lets others do it too.

You're a racist who was born in and grew up in apartheid South Africa. Your mother is a racist and that's been reported. Your father is a racist and that's been reported.

You embraced your racism as you wrapped yourself pathetically around Donald Chump and people noticed you were a Nazi.

That's on you, piece of trash. KMBA, as we say, KMBA.

Shane Croucher (Newsweek) reports more whining from Musk:

Elon Musk said he took the backlash against his electric automaker Tesla personally, though he declined to say he regretted the political activity that sparked the "massive violence."

There were largely peaceful protests against Tesla and Musk around the world in response to the billionaire's spearheading of federal spending cuts in the U.S. with DOGE, and his promoting of far-right political parties in Europe.

Musk is a racist. We know, Black people know. Now we know and the smartest thing Tesla could have done is severed ties with him. Retired him. Because we will never forget. Even now he lies on Twitter and claims that a "genocide" is taking place in South Africa. He's a liar. He's never spoken about about apartheid and how Black people suffered in South Africa. But now he makes up a mythical genocide of White people in South Africa. He's a liar. He's a racist and he's a liar. And we know. And we're not going to let him get away with it.

In the words of Stevie Nicks, "I will follow you down till the sound of my voice will haunt you."

That's reality for Musk.

This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot:"

Wednesday, May 21, 2025. It's as though Chump and his appointees set out yesterday to prove over and over just how ignorant of the law they are. Jasmine Crockett lays it out, Patty Murray, Maggie Hassan, Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy expose the ignorance of Chump's Cabinet in a series of questioning at one hearing yesterday after another.

Does it matter? Yes, it does. US House Rep Jasmine Crockett outlined why yesterday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on ICE.

US House Rep Jasmine Crockett: This entire situation could have been avoided if people would just know their jobs and actually do their jobs because the entire chaos that ensued, it ensued because of the unlawful detainment and arrest of the mayor in the first place. But let me get to my actual remarks. The Republicans have called today's hearing for one reason purpose: To help an administration that's already rooted in lawlessness and corruption execute their dangerous assault on American democracy.

The fat and impotent Donald Chump is clearly unbalanced but long before all that, he was just stupid. He remains ignorant to this day. And that explains the losers and liars he's used to assemble a Cabinet. Never has a team of less qualified people been put together and allowed to do so much destruction.

The worst of the worst -- that's the best description for Chump's Cabinet and, goodness, has it been on display.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's 'experience' was pretty much limited to killing her dog and publicly humiliating her husband.

Needless to say, that did not prepare her for the office she currently holds.

Senator Maggie Hassan: Secretary Noem, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff recently said that the Trump administration is actively looking at suspending habeas corpus. Last week, you were asked about this and I want to clarify your position because it's obviously really important to get this right. So, Secretary Noem, what is habeas corpus?

Secretary Kristi Noem: Well, habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country and --

Senator Maggie Hassan: No. No. Let me -- let me stop you, ma'am. Habeas corpus, excuse me, that's incorrect.

Secretary Kristi Noem: President Lincoln used it.

Senator Maggie Hassan: Excuse me. Habeas corpus is the legal principle that requires that the government provide a public reason for detaining and imprisoning people. If not for that protection, the government could simply arrest people -- including American citizens -- and hold them indefinitely for no reason. Habeas corpus is the foundational right that separates free societies like America from police states like North Korea. As a Senator from the Live Free or Die state, this matters a lot to me and my constituents and to all Americans.

We're all aware that Kristi didn't graduate college, not really. In real time, she dropped out. Years and years later, after she was in Congress, she went back and they gave her course credit for serving in Congress at the time. Without those extra breaks and extra credits, Kristi could not have graduated So the point here is, Kristi's not a lawyer. She's taken no classes in the law. She doesn't know the law. If you want a dog shot, Kristi's your killer but if you want someone who understands the law and the Constitution, you'd be better off looking for a fifth grader who even half-assed applies themselves to their studies.

Erin Doherty (CNBC) notes:

Kristi Noem was grilled on the concept of habeas corpus during a Senate hearing, weeks after White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller floated suspending the due process for migrants.

Noem falsely claimed that "habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country."

Instead habeas corpus guarantees a person's constitutional right to challenge, in a court of law, their detention by the government.

Grasp that this idiot doesn't know what habeas corpus is and, worse, she's so stupid, she's convinced herself that the US Constitution says it is a right granted to the president.

Do we all get how stupid she is? She wasn't qualified for the office and she's been in it for months acting under the mistaken belief that habeaus corpus is a right of the US president and that this is via the Constitution. If she were an attorney, that kind of 'error' and the way she has applied it could get her disbarred.

Secretary Kristi is only one of the many idiots in the Chump administration. Billy Long? He's another idiot that Chump's nominated. 69-year-old Billy. Billy. That doesn't give anyone pause, right?

How about this -- like Krsti-with-an-i, Billy is another college school drop out -- woah-woah. But he is a certified auctioneer. Only the worst and the dimest for Donald Chump. But, hey, WIKIPEDIA notes that, in 2023, "he attended a three-day course offered by a Florida tax consultancy."

And this is the fool that Chump wants to head the IRS (someone who has spoken of wanting to abolish the IRS, by the way).

Yesterday, Senator Elizabeth Warren had some questions for Little Billy.

Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So the IRS collects nearly all federal revenue and that means that behind every road we build, every Social Security check that we pay is the IRS, making sure everyone pays what the law says they owe. No politics. But Donald Trump has a different idea. He wants to use the IRS to punish his enemies.

On May 2, Trump said, “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status.” Harvard wouldn’t cave in to other demands Trump made, so Trump said he would hurt them using the IRS. Now, this is about more than Harvard. It is a threat to anyone who might displease the President, including the people or organizations that can’t afford to have an expensive legal battle if Trump sets the IRS on them.

So, Mr. Long, when you and I met, I asked you whether it was illegal for the President to tell the IRS to revoke a taxpayer’s non-profit status. And you said in our meeting that you weren’t sure, but you would take a look and consult with lawyers. I sent you the statute, you’ve had three weeks to talk to the lawyers about it, so let’s jump in.

Mr. Long, is it illegal for the President to direct the IRS to revoke a taxpayer’s non-profit status?

Mr. Billy Long, nominee for Commissioner of the IRS: In the first place, he wouldn’t do that —

Senator Warren: That’s not my question Mr. Long. Please don’t start down this.

Mr. Long: Are we on Section 7212 or 7217?

Senator Warren: I’m at 26 U.S.C. 7217. Do I need to read it to you?

Mr. Long: “Prohibits any member of the executive branch to request the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit on a taxpayer.”

Senator Warren: Alrighty. So is it illegal—

Mr. Long: I’m going to follow the law. And if that’s the law, yes.

Senator Warren: Okay, but I want you—that is the law. So I just want to be clear: is it illegal for the President of the United States to instruct the IRS to remove a taxpayer’s non-profit status?

Mr. Long: “Prohibits any member of the executive branch to request the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit of a taxpayer.”

Senator Warren: Is that a yes?

Mr. Long: I’d have to go to the lawyers at the IRS to tell me.

Senator Warren: No. Come on. You just read it.

Mr. Long: I know, but I don’t see the instance that you’re speaking about in there. Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see—

Senator Warren: Look, it says “it shall be unlawful for any applicable person,” which in this case includes the President, “to request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer.”

Is it illegal for the President to instruct the IRS to remove non-profit status from a taxpayer?

Mr. Long: I'm not going to have the answer you need, and I apologize but like I said—

Senator Warren: Why are you not having the answer? You’ve had three weeks to consult with lawyers, the statute is about as clear as plain English makes possible—

Mr. Long: Well, if I say I’m going to follow the law, why would you need to ask me the question?

Senator Warren: Well, because I want to make sure that you understand what the law says. If you think ‘follow the law' means you just get to make it up on the spot, then bud, you don't get to be the IRS Commissioner. The point here is to follow the law as it is written and I'm asking what I think is a pretty simple question: can the President of the United States legally tell the IRS to change someone's nonprofit status?

Mr. Long: I'm not able to answer—

Senator Warren: You can't read these words and tell what those words say?

Mr. Long: I can read the statute and I did but—

Senator Warren: Alright, then tell me what they mean. What does it mean to say that ‘a person, an applicable person’ here—that’s the President, right?

Mr. Long: Yes.

Senator Warren: Alright, ‘cannot directly or indirectly,’ right?

Mr. Long: (silence)

Senator Warren: ‘Tell any officer or employee,’ that would be you, ‘of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer.’ What part do you not understand here?

Mr. Long: It seems to be a non-profit—I don’t see exactly what it refers to—

Senator Warren: Any taxpayer. To start an investigation of any taxpayer.

Mr. Long: If it’s illegal, I’m not going to allow it to happen at my IRS.

Senator Warren: Is it illegal? That’s the question.

Mr. Long: Me and you will be friends then. I want to be your friend anyway but we will be on the same page. I’m going to follow the law, and if that’s point blank the law—

Senator Warren: What do you understand the law to be saying about the President telling the IRS in his dealings with any particular taxpayer? What do you understand this law to be saying?

Mr. Long: I think it sounds like it's saying what you are saying, but I don’t—I've got a little bit of a section here, and I looked at it, I talked to an attorney that used to be at the IRS and now is going to maybe be back at the IRS and I'm sorry if I don't have the answer.

Senator Warren: What? You mean the lawyers told you that they couldn't understand this?

Mr. Long: The what?

Senator Warren: The lawyers told you they couldn’t understand this?

Mr. Long: I didn’t say that.

Senator Warren: Well, then tell me, what part do you not understand? It says ‘no person,’ and you’ve said that includes the President, ‘cannot instruct any officer,’ that would be you, ‘of the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation for any particular taxpayer.’

Mr. Long: I don't intend to let anyone direct me to start an audit for a political reason or any type of reason.

Senator Warren: Does that include the President of the United States?

Mr. Long: Anyone.

Senator Warren: Can you say yes? That the President of the United States cannot tell the IRS what to do.

Mr. Long: I can tell them they’re not going to tell me what to do. I can’t speak for if there’s other agents at the IRS that you’re talking about, but I’m telling you what I don’t want to have happen at my IRS.

Senator Warren: You know, Mr. Long, you’d have a lot more credibility if you would just say yes. It's clear the statute makes it illegal for the President to direct the IRS vis-à-vis any particular taxpayer. And the fact that you want to sit there and dance around about this tells me that you shouldn't be within 1000 miles of the directorship of the IRS.

MURPHY: “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for being here.

“Before I ask my questions, I just ask that after this hearing you go back and reconsider a claim that you made in your opening statement. It would certainly shock Americans to hear that only 12% of our foreign aid reaches needy recipients on the ground– the people who need the help. That is not actually an accurate number. That is the amount of our aid that goes directly to local groups on the ground, but as you know, most of our aid runs through bigger international organizations, like Save the Children. Those entities are getting somewhere around 80%, 85% of the aid we give them directly to recipients on the ground. So I think that what you have done to shutter USAID is illegal, but I also think it is bad policy, and I do think it is important for us to all be operating with the same set of facts. The fact is not that only 12% of taxpayer dollars are ending up in the hands of the people who really need it on the ground.

“Mr. Secretary, I wanted to talk to you about the President’s personal business interests. During his first term he made the decision to not enter into any new business deals during his presidency– that Trump-affiliated businesses would not enter into any foreign business arrangements. And that made sense, because obviously it can be confusing for foreign governments to know how to try to win favor with the U.S. government if they have one route – making concessions that are good for U.S. national security – and they also have another route – which is perhaps helping the President's business interests. The President obviously changed that policy, and in this administration, his business interests are announcing new agreements and new investments into those business interests by foreign governments. And I think it stands to reason that that creates a real problem for foreign policy. It creates a problem for foreign governments in which they don’t exactly know what the best way is to try to get on good terms with the U.S. government and with the White House. Is it to do what’s right for American national security, or might it also be to do a business deal with the President of the United States and the entities he controls? Just to clarify, when the President's businesses are engaged in negotiations, for instance with the UAE on their stable-coin business – there was this big investment announced recently – you are not part of those negotiations. Those are being done by the President's family or those representing the President’s businesses?”

RUBIO: “I am not aware the President is involved in managing any business, other than the presidency of the United States. His family is allowed to make business deals. They continue to operate the enterprises that his family ran. I also don't accept the notion that these deals – for example in Saudi Arabia, or the UAE or Qatar – had anything to do with the President. For example, Qatar bought $200 billion worth of airplanes from Boeing. The President’s not – as far as I know– a shareholder of Boeing. He certainly does not own Boeing. The overwhelming – if you look at the deals that were structured, they were involved with investments in the United States, that’s the deals he signed, and/or investments in, for example, the UAE or Saudi Arabia, involving artificial intelligence.”

MURPHY: “UAE did announce a massive investment in World Liberty Financial, and World Liberty Financial is controlled by the President. And the President does actively engage in these businesses. He uses his social media to market the businesses that are being run by his family. I mean, just go on to his social media feed and you will see him marketing his meme coin. That is the President of the United States, that is not his sons doing it.”

RUBIO: “But just to be clear, that was not an announcement as part of this trade visit that was conducted into the Middle East.”

MURPHY: “Well, whether or not it was made during the time the President was there, there are obviously business deals being done between Trump entities and these countries.

“Let me ask you about the one that is probably most confusing to this Committee, which is the planned gift of a plane to either the United States government or the President. Is it your understanding that this luxury plane that Qatar has offered the President – and the President has announced he is willing to accept – is a gift to the United States government? Or is it a gift, ultimately, to the President himself that he can use in his library?”

RUBIO: “Well you would have to talk to the Department of Defense because this is a replacement, or at least a temporary bridge plane, for Air Force One – the new Air Force One – which is way off of its delivery schedule. And so that would have to be with the Air Force. They operate Air Force One. My understanding of it basically has been from the very beginning that this is a plane that was identified after talking to Boeing about what other planes around the world would fit the bill – that are out there, that could be used now – they identified the ones the Qataris had as an opportunity for one, and the ones the UAE had as an opportunity for one, and that’s how that–“

MURPHY: “And it’s not your understanding that the plane ultimately will belong to the President, or to the President's library, after?”

RUBIO: “I’m not involved at that level of it. I’ve never heard that before. What I’ve heard is that that plane will replace Air Force One which is an Air Force plane.”

MURPHY: “Let me ask you about the dinner that’s happening this Thursday night. The President has offered access to him to the 200 top purchasers of his meme coin. Reports are that maybe about half or more of those individuals, who will be meeting with him, many in a VIP reception, are foreigners. Do you have a list of those foreign individuals who will be meeting with the President?”

RUBIO: “I don't. I don’t know anything about it. I didn’t even know there was a dinner on Thursday night, so I’m not sure what you're referring to.”

MURPHY: “So you don't know whether any of the foreign individuals who are going to be meeting with the President this Thursday night, for instance, are on our list of sanctioned individuals, or whether any of those individuals have connections to, let’s say, terrorist organizations abroad?”

RUBIO: “Well I think if they had terrorist links the Department of Homeland Security probably would not have allowed them into the country. But, again, I don’t even know there is a dinner on Thursday. You’re asking me about something I don't know about.”

MURPHY: “Listen, this is a dinner that the President is having. It is likely going to involve some very significant foreign interests. You have to be pretty wealthy in order to be able to get inside this dinner. Isn't that a relevant question for the Secretary of State–”

RUBIO: “I’m not the Social Secretary.”

MURPHY: “–which foreign interests are going to be speaking to the President?”

RUBIO: “No.”

MURPHY: “I mean, it’s kind of naive to believe they aren’t going to be in that room talking about national security matters.”

RUBIO: “I don't think that that’s the case at all, because I would be aware if it was the case. The truth of the matter is I interact with government officials and others in governments of other countries. You’re asking about a dinner I don't know anything about. I can’t answer you because I don't know anything about this dinner. It’s the first I heard of it. Like I said, I don’t keep the President's social schedule. It’s not on my phone. It’s not in my pocket. I can’t comment on a dinner I know nothing about.”

MURPHY: “I think that represents a real problem for this Committee, because there is clearly a way around the State Department for foreign individuals of significant influence and wealth, to be able to directly lobby the President of the United States. And so if your answer is that you don't know this is happening, that in and of itself is a problem.”

RUBIO: “I don’t think that’s fair. I don’t know that there’s a dinner, and I don't know what the guest list is, but I can tell you I’ve run into the President of FIFA from the World Cup. He’s here all the time. I see him. He’s a private individual, it’s not a government entity, and he’s met with the President and is friendly with the President. He doesn’t have to go through me to meet with the President. The President has relationships and friends and people he’s known for a long time. Some of them are foreigners. That’s not unusual. But you’re asking me about a specific dinner and implying nefarious impact. I can’t comment on a dinner.”

MURPHY: “Yeah, but those are people that he’s known for a long time. These are individuals who just bought their way into a meeting with the President. I think you should probably endeavor to get your hands on the list to make sure that there aren’t individuals there who are perhaps contravening national security interests that the Department of State is prioritizing.”

RUBIO: “I don’t have any concern about that. I don't have any concern that the President having dinner with someone is going to contravene the national security of the United States.”

MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s outburst during today’s Senate Appropriations hearing, where Secretary Kennedy repeatedly lied, dodged Senator Murray’s questions, and made a number of totally unfounded allegations, in particular relating to Senator Murray’s constituent, Natalie, who is suffering from Stage Four colorectal cancer and whose care was delayed as a direct result of the Trump administration’s staffing cuts across HHS. Senator Murray brought up Natalie’s story to Secretary Kennedy at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing last week; additional background on that exchange is below.

At the appropriations hearing today, Secretary Kennedy claimed to Senator Murray: “You told me two or three days ago, four days ago that we had cut a clinical trial in your state and it turned out what you said turned out to be completely untrue and you knew it was not true because you corresponded.” This was not at all what Senator Murray suggested or what happened. At the HELP hearing on May 14th, Senator Murray laid out how Natalie’s treatment in a trial at the NIH Clinical Center had been delayed by the staffing cuts, according to her doctors at NIH, and then she asked Secretary Kennedy directly how many staff were cut from the NIH’s Clinical Center. Video and transcript of their initial exchange on May 14^th is HERE. A full transcript of their exchange today is available HERE.

“RFK Jr. is a shameless liar and a dangerous conspiracy theorist—he should have never been confirmed. As much as he lies and deflects, I’m not going to stop holding him accountable for the real harm he is inflicting on people in this country.

“Natalie’s care has been complicated, but here’s what’s not: her NIH doctor told her twice that her care was explicitly delayed due to NIH staffing cuts—specifically, that she would have to wait eight weeks rather than four to have her cells re-infused. On the question of credibility, I will trust an NIH doctor over an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist every day.

“After an initial contact with RFK Jr.’s office last Wednesday, it was complete radio silence with no answers until about an hour before today’s hearing. It should not take me raising this issue with RFK Jr. face-to-face to make sure NIH is working the way it’s supposed to.

“I still have no answer about how many NIH clinical staff have been fired. I still have no answer why Natalie was told by her NIH doctor that her care was being delayed due to staffing cuts. For weeks, my staff has been demanding answers about agency staffing cuts.

“Meanwhile, my staff has been in constant touch over the past three weeks with dedicated career staff at NIH and FDA—the same people the Trump administration is trying to push out the door—to address Natalie’s case. But it has been no thanks to RFK Jr. or HHS political leadership.”

“If RFK Jr.’s mass firings weren’t having an impact on clinical care at NIH, he would provide those details and tell us which positions he’s eliminated. He’s not—because he knows that if he did, he would be caught lying. This isn’t just about Natalie, this is about the millions of Americans like her who are already being harmed by the destruction Secretary Kennedy is causing at HHS, or will be soon.”

We'll note the senator's statement in full in a post later today we do not have room in The Snapshot, sorry. On the transcripts above, I did the first one. The other three I'm taking from official press releases.

We saw the incompetence of Chump's administration of full display. The worst and the dimest.

You can see the same ignorance in Chump himself. Brett Samuels (THE HILL) reports:

President Trump on Tuesday lambasted Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) over allegations she assaulted an officer in a clash outside an immigration detention facility.

“Oh, give me a break. Did you see her? She was out of control,” Trump told reporters during a visit to the Capitol.

“The days of woke are over. That woman — I have no idea who she is. That woman was out of control,” Trump added. “She was shoving federal agents — she was out of control. The days of that crap are over in this country. We’re going to have law and order.”

Yet again, Fat Boy doesn't know the first thing about being a president. He has no intelligence so let's use artificial intelligence. This is now a criminal case. And Chump's commenting.

Generally, presidents are not supposed to comment on individual criminal cases. The judiciary and prosecutor's office should be free from presidential interference in the conduct of individual cases. However, the president may comment on criminal justice policy in general, and may even have the authority to pardon individuals convicted of federal crimes.

We used AI because we know Chump's an idiot with no intelligence of his own. So next time before he speaks, maybe he can Google first and let AI explain it to him.

LaMonica broke no laws. I'm low on space and we're short on time but Elaines covered this topic so we'll just swipe from her:

If you missed today's primary lesson, it may be do not waste your money sending your children to Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Their graduates are apparently remedial level as evidenced by. Alina Habba. The deluded fool is charging a member of Congress, LaMonica McIver, with assault because Alina's a racist. Matthew Chapman (RAW STORY) reports:

"That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties," wrote Habba. "I have persistently made efforts to address these issues without bringing criminal charges and have given Representative McIver every opportunity to come to a resolution, but she has unfortunately declined."

In a statement, McIver called the charges politically motivated and an effort to impede congressional oversight.

"We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short," wrote McIver. "This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right. I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court."

Further complicating the issue, legal analyst Lisa Rubin noted on X that the charges Habba has supposedly filed against McIver are not currently available on the public docket.

Michael Luciano (MEDIAITE) notes, "McIver, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) and Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NJ)and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) visited the center on May 9. Baraka was arrested on that day, and shortly afterward, Habba hailed his arrest. But on Monday, Habba announced she is dropping the charges against the mayor and will proceed with the prosecution of McIver, alleging the lawmaker 'assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement'." Alex Woodward (INDEPENDENT) adds, "Criminal charges against a sitting member of Congress escalate threats from the Trump administration under an emboldened Justice Department to target his political enemies. Last week, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called federal law enforcement agencies targeting members of Congress a 'red line'."

Habba's eager to go through the rest of her life without a law license. She may be able to bully and intimidate and break the law while the overweight and impotent Donald Chump occupies the White House. But he's out the door January 2029 and Habba will be 44 years old. No law degree. Maybe she'll go back to Iraq where her extended family's known to have attacked Black Iraqis repeatedly over the years?

If you're confused about the law on this, maybe Habba is, US House Rep Jason Crow outlined it recently in a letter to Homeland Security's Secretary Kristi Dog Killer Noem and the acting and faking director of ICE Patrick Lyons:

Members of Congress possess explicit statutory authority to conduct unannounced oversight visits to facilities operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security. This was outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-93), Division D – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2020, Sec. 532 and re-affirmed in each year since, including Section 527(a) of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118–47), which stipulates:

None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Homeland Security by this Act may be used to prevent…a Member of Congress…from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland

Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens… [nor] to make any temporary modification at any such facility that in any way alters what is observed by a visiting Member of Congress… compared to what would be observed in the absence of such modification.

Furthermore, subsection (b) clarifies that nothing in this section requires a Member of Congress to provide prior notice of intent to enter such a facility for oversight purposes.

Such a sad site to see idiots placed in jobs they can't grasp as they struggle to pretend they're qualified.

Yesterday was Chump and his appointees and would be appointees demonstrating over and over how they do not understand the law.

The following sites updated:

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Little Liar Marco

Little Marco. Is that Chump's nickname for lapdog Marco Rubio? Alex Griffing (Mediaite) reports:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparred with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) during a Senate hearing on Tuesday as Murphy fumed at Rubio for not being aware of a dinner President Donald Trump is hosting with the top investors in his crypto coin, which critics worry is a way for foreign entities to buy facetime with the president.

“Let me ask you about the dinner that’s happening this Thursday night. The president has offered access to him to the 200 top purchasers of his meme coin. Reports are that maybe about half or more of those individuals who will be meeting with him, many in a VIP reception, are foreigners. Do you have a list of those foreign individuals who’ll be meeting with the president?” Murphy began.

“I don’t. I don’t even know there was a dinner on Thursday night, so I’m not sure what you’re referring to,” Rubio replied.

“So you don’t know whether any of the foreign individuals who are going to be meeting with the president this Thursday night, for instance, are on our list of sanctioned individuals or whether any of those individuals have connections to, let’s say, terrorist organizations abroad?” Murphy pressed.

“Well, I think if they had terrorist links, the Department of Homeland Security probably would not have allowed them into the country. But again, I don’t even know there is a dinner on Thursday. You’re asking me about something I don’t — I don’t know about,” Rubio replied.

Little Marco's name should be Liar Marco. Foreign people are coming in to dine at the White House and our Secretary of State -- who is over foreign relations -- does not even know about it? Either he's a liar or he's even more inept at his job than anyone could have guessed. I'm going with liar because I don't follow the White House dining schedule but even I've heard about this dinner several times in the last two weeks.

This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot:"

Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Rachel Maddow identifies a democracy's superpower, Chump's insanity, the hateful attacks on trans military members, and much more.

We'll open with this from Senator Cory Booker's office:

May 19, 2025

Newark, N.J. – This evening, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:

“These charges are clearly unfounded. Representative McIver was exercising her legally protected authority as a member of Congress to conduct oversight of a detention center that receives millions of taxpayer dollars. Federal officials unnecessarily escalated what should have been a run-of-the-mill inspection of the facility. In fact, Representative McIver’s actions were so unremarkable that she was invited back inside to finish her tour that day, after these events took place.

“Pursuing this case against Representative McIver will divert considerable resources away from serious matters of public safety. The Department of Justice should drop these charges immediately.”

Last night on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow noted the superpower that a democracy has: The will of the people.

We use that super power because we love our country and I think most Americans love this country. But I also think we'd all agree that there are times that pop up when it is hard to be proud of the actions some foolish American politician is taking. Nikki McCann Ramirez (ROLLING STONE) reports:

El Salvador's National Civil Police have arrested Ruth Eleonora López, a renowned human rights and anti-corruption attorney who has become one of the nation's most prominent critics of President Nayib Bukele's regime.

According to representatives from Cristosal, the human rights group where López serves as Chief Legal Officer for Anti-Corruption; members of López's family; and reports in Salvadoran media, López was taken from her home late Sunday night. In the time since her arrest, she has reportedly been refused access to her attorneys, and has not been able to contact members of her family. The arrest also came on the heels of a particularly tumultuous week for the Bukele government, which is facing growing public backlash amid a spate of repressive actions against civil society and Salvadorans alike.

On Monday, Amnesty International and a coalition of U.S. and international human rights groups condemned the arrest, and called on Salvadoran authorities to immediately release Ruth López," and "guarantee her physical safety and due process rights.

"We also urge U.S. policymakers and the diplomatic community at large to urge President Bukele to cease all attacks against human rights defenders," the group wrote.

This is who Donald Chump dragged America into bed with because he relates to the country's despotic leader Nayib Bukele. Human Rights Watch notes:

Since taking office, the administration of President Nayib Bukele has launched an assault on democratic institutions, including by summarily replacing the attorney general and all the judges in the Supreme Court’s constitutional chamber.

In March 2022, pro-Bukele lawmakers adopted a state of emergency, suspending a range of constitutional rights in response to a peak in gang violence. Security forces arrested tens of thousands of people, including hundreds of children, and committed widespread human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and torture and other ill-treatment of detainees.

Dozens have died in prison. At the same time, authorities report a significant decrease in gang violence, including a drop in homicides. Severe restrictions on access to abortion, harassment and arbitrary criminal proceedings against journalists and civil society organizations, and poor accountability for human rights violations remain serious concerns.

That's not someone America should be in bed with and we certainly shouldn't be kidnapping people in the US and sending them -- as part of some slave trade -- to El Salvador.

But that's what Chump's 'accomplished.' And we're all a little sadder and a little worse for it.

At MEIDASTOUCH NEWS, J.D. Wolf observes:

In a Truth Social post [Mon]day, Trump shared screenshots of news articles from media outlets highlighting coverage of his recent Middle East trip. Each post prominently features the article titles, publishers Fox News, Washington Examiner, CBS News, and NewsNation, and writers Anders Hagstrom, Haisten Willis, Kaia Hubbard, Kellie Meyer, and Anna Kutz, giving an appearance of transparency and broad media acknowledgment of his diplomacy.

However, a closer examination reveals a pattern of selective omission. Trump’s posts systematically cut away significant portions of the articles that contain criticisms and concerns about his trip, effectively sanitizing the narrative presented to his audience.

This propaganda technique makes it appear that the pieces from these outlets are only glowing and positive. MeidasTouch uncovered several omissions when comparing the original articles to Trump's screenshots.

Key omissions include detailed reporting on human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, including references to the CIA’s conclusion that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an issue that has long clouded U.S.-Saudi relations. Trump also leaves out scrutiny of his family’s business dealings in Saudi Arabia, such as plans for Trump-branded real estate developments in Jeddah and Riyadh.

And that's the only way America will not be embarrassed by Chump when it comes to human rights is if the entire topic is just edited out.

That's what happens when you put an unethical criminal into the White House. Human rights no longer matter. They make a mockery out of human rights, they make a mockery of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Wiccans, et al. Anyone whose faith maintains respect for human rights is spat on by con artists like Donald Chump. The Politics of Destruction are never about lifting people up, it's about greed and hatred only. Someone should have told Chump long ago: To get back is to go back. That's where he lives: In the past, nursing his grudges and seeking retribution. The pettiest of all takes no pride in our country and doesn't believe in human rights or, for that matter, in humanity.

But waive a $400 million plane his way and watch him leap to his feet and slap on his whore's make up as he runs out the door. struggling to step into his crotchless panties without ripping them.

Chump's really excited about his upcoming parade. James Liddell and Joe Sommerlad (INDEPENDENT) report:

For years, Donald Trump has mused about grand plans of soldiers marching and tanks rumbling down the streets of Washington, D.C., as aircraft whizzed overhead.

When Army officials and local politicians warned in 2018 of a $92 million price tag and the risk of extensive damage to roads, Trump decided to scrap his previous attempt for a grand parade of armed forces.

But earlier this month, details emerged about another enormous military spectacle in the works, which is set for the capital.

The president had ordered an elaborately choreographed military parade to celebrate the Army’s 250th anniversary on June 14th with the cost of the day’s festivities estimated to be a more modest $45 million, according to Reuters.

It also happens to be his 79th birthday.

Up to 7,500 soldiers could be expected to march in a parade that runs from Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River and into D.C.

He wants the military to honor him.

That's the same military he refused to honor his whole life.

Chump became an adult as the US was at war with Vietnam. Some men protested the war. Some men enlisted in the war. And some were too chickn to protest and too chicken to serve. That would be the Donald Chumps. He invented bone spurs as an excuse to avoid service.

He weighs what now, 340 pounds? And he can stand up to take a golf swing.

Guess those bone spurs were some sort of allergic reaction to the Vietnam War itself and, when US troops were brought back home, Donald's bone spurs just dissolved.

He didn't honor the military as a young adult.

He didn't honor it when he made fun of disabled veterans.

And he doesn't honor it now as he attacks those who made the choice to serve -- they weren't drafted -- but he wants to kick them out.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court refused to rule on the issue of transgender troops; however, as they wait to possibly rule at some point in the future (or not), they're allowing Chump to purge transgender members of the US military. Alex Bollinger (LGBTQ NATION) explains, "Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that the administration could start forcing transgender people out of the military, while several legal challenges to the trans military ban are being heard by lower courts." Back on May 6th, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issued the following:

SCOTUS Failed Transgender Troops and America

Washington, D.C. — Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration that bans transgender military service to proceed.

“Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court doesn’t just fail transgender Americans who’ve volunteered to serve their country, but a nation that depends on volunteers to serve in the ranks of its military and fight its wars,” said IAVA CEO and Iraq War veteran, Allison Jaslow. “The just thing to do would have been to allow the actions by the Trump Administration to be litigated in the courts, while also allowing committed Americans to still serve their country as they’ve been allowed to for nearly a decade. Instead, the brave Americans who’ve been senselessly targeted by their Commander-in-Chief for the sake of scoring political points got dealt another blow by the Court, and U.S. military readiness will suffer as a result.”

IAVA stands in support of our nation’s transgender troops and veterans–and in support of equality always. As the leading post-9/11 generation veterans advocacy organization, IAVA is proud of its record of standing – often alone – on the right side of equality issues. After getting input on the policy change from our membership, IAVA supported the 2016 announcement by DoD to allow transgender troops to serve openly without threat of discharge. We also opposed the 2017 action by the previous Trump Administration to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military, and supported a reversal of the ban by the Biden Administration.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the leading voice of the Post-9/11 generation of American veterans. We represent over 425,000 members, and our best-in-class, non-partisan advocacy on behalf of the post-9/11 generation of veterans has chalked up big wins for our community – and America – for 20 years and counting.

###

There's nothing honorable about Donald Chump and there's nothing honorable about his treatment of those serving.

Grasp that. Republicans want to strip trans vets of their security clearances. That's the same group of Republicans who repeatedly look the other way as make up queen Pete Hegseth publishes one top secret item after another on unsecured chats using Signal.

This is not a one time security slip for Pete. It's happened over and over. And yet the GOP in the House continues to look the other way and leave the country at risk; however, they're more than happy to attack every transgender person that's ever served. It's not about actions, it's not about reality, it's about hate. That's what motiavted the House GOP.

At ROLLING STONE, Michael Embrich explains:

Commander Emily Shilling served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Navy as a combat aviator with over 60 missions. Fighter pilots are very hard for the military to find, nonetheless. Shilling will be removed from service by Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. So will many others, like former Navy SEAL Kristin Beck, who served 20 years in Naval Special Warfare, including with SEAL Team Six. She earned the Bronze Star with Combat “V,” the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.

Shilling and Beck are heroes the military will never get back, and the absence of service members like them will make America less ready, endanger troops, and hurt recruiting efforts.

Yet, these folks aren’t good enough to serve for Trump, who just banned transgender service members for the second time. His first effort was reversed by Joe Biden; this time, the Supreme Court allowed the ban to take effect as the matter winds its way through the courts. A Trump ally, Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) has introduced legislation to codify Trump’s executive order and ensure no Democratic president can undo the damage he has caused.

Hegseth’s service could never compare to that of Shilling or Beck, even though Hegseth likes to pretend to be a Navy SEAL as he sycophantically follows them around the country during special events. Trump never served a day in his life. That is why it is odd to me and to many others that they are so adamant about preventing transgender troops — and likely, before his term ends, gay Americans — from serving in the armed forces.

Trump’s disdain and disrespect for veterans will go down in history as reprehensible, as will Moore’s, who voted against the bipartisan PACT Act, which expanded health care and benefits to millions of veterans, and numerous other bipartisan veterans’ legislation.

Transgender Americans have served with honor — from the decks of aircraft carriers to combat zones around the globe. They fly missions, lead teams, and complete the same rigorous training as everyone else in the military.

Now, Trump and Hegseth are reportedly planning to direct military commanders to identify troops who are transgender or have gender dysphoria, so they can undergo medical checks and then be purged.

This policy is an ethical failure and will be a logistical one, too. Removing thousands of trained service members during a recruiting crisis makes us weaker, not stronger. Forcing out skilled troops, pilots, linguists, mechanics, medics, because they sought medically necessary care or live authentically doesn’t protect national security. It undermines it.

That is not about readiness. That is about hate. If Trump cared about military readiness, he would invest in veterans’ programs and bolster rewards for service — not dismantle the Department of Veterans Affairs, as Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency have done.

Hate will be the death of Chump and his stooges. Speaking of . . .

I had an e-mail about the ridiculous Jerry Jones. I don't follow football, sorry. And the only thing I'd say about Jerry Jones is that someday his investments will be looked at -- as will those of his attorneys like BP. I can't imagine how it's going to look when their efforts to 'help' young people are examined. A certain treatment center for adolescents, for example. Where a young adult male was regularly given 'weekend passes' not to be with his family but so that his pimp could take him out to turn tricks and then said patient would be told he couldn't discuss the weekend -- be told by his main counselor -- discuss the weekend activities with anyone. "Secrets keep us sick"? Isn't that the motto for recovery? Or a female tech initials MW who slept on the premises with a male patient and skated away when all the details came out because KE was her supervisor . . . and her relative. And they fooled the licensing agency by redoing the charts. They also had this thing where they'd force patients to go to a Christian church service by bringing donuts but only allowing those who went to the Christian service to have donuts. I think that passes for Republican compassion; however, I don't believe Jewish people, Muslims or many others would see that as anything but attempting to force religious conversion on kids in a treatment center -- many of whom were court ordered. Do we want to talk about the staff member that slept with everyone -- patient and staff -- and managed to hold onto the job by claiming they were a sex addict when they were caught? How about the attempted teen suicide that was hidden from the child's family? I could go on and on and on. But, like I said, I don't know a thing about football. Scandals? I usually know several scandals on anyone in the news.

If Jerry Jones comes up again in e-mails and I have to respond, we'll move closer to his inner circle of disgust. And, by the way, I do a spot-on imitation -- vocally -- of his closest attorney. I can actually fool his office staff over the phone because I can do that impersonation so well. Can -- and on a dare from another of Jerry's lawyers -- have done.

We'll wind down with this from Senator Tammy Duckworth's office:

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed Congressional Republicans for continuing to enable Donald Trump’s harmful cuts to VA services and its workforce, undermining the VA’s ability to keep up with new demand for care and benefits for our nation’s Veterans under the bipartisan PACT Act. During her remarks at a forum today, Duckworth called out Republicans for defending Trump slashing our VA while failing to exercise their own oversight and accountability for the proven deterioration of PACT Act implementation since Donald Trump returned to office. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.

“The PACT Act was a historic, overwhelmingly bipartisan victory that changed millions of Veterans’ lives,” said Senator Duckworth. “But just like other critical services for our Veterans, Donald Trump has taken a sledgehammer to PACT Act care and benefits as well as the dedicated workforce that provides these services for our nation’s heroes. Meanwhile, instead of holding Trump accountable for the damage done to Veterans as these cuts continue to delay services and care, Republicans are wasting time pointing fingers and placing blame on literally anyone else except Donald Trump. If Republicans really cared about our Veterans, they’d grow a spine and condemn these cuts immediately.”

Duckworth has been a fierce leader and advocate for Veterans and the VA staff who serve them in the wake of the disastrous Trump-Musk layoffs. Recently, Duckworth slammed a senior official from the VA after he failed to publicly commit to rehiring VCL workers who were wrongfully fired in Trump-Musk layoffs. After the first VA purge laid off workers with the VCL—including several Veterans—Duckworth successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reinstate these devoted public servants that work to support our Veterans in their darkest moments.

Additionally, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) are leading the push for the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, legislation that would reinstate the thousands of Veterans who were fired in the Trump-Musk layoffs. Duckworth and Kim subsequently introduced their legislation as an amendment to Republicans’ slush fund continuing resolution. Republicans shamefully blocked it from passing.

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The following sites updated: