The Conversation -- August 7, 2025
Marie: You know how some of us like to kid ourselves that Trump will at least mostly adhere to the Constitution? I don't think we can get away with that anymore: ~~~
~~~ Nicole Markus of Politico: “... Donald Trump on Thursday said he was ordering a 'new and highly accurate CENSUS,' saying it will be based on the 'information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024.... People who are in our country illegally will NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,' he wrote in the Truth Social post announcing the move. The census is a constitutionally mandated count of every person in the United States every 10 years, which was last conducted in 2020. A full census has never been conducted mid-decade in this manner, nor has one ever excluded noncitizens from the count. Censuses are immensely important in American governance; each count determines how many House seats every state gets through a process called apportionment, and the results of the census help direct billions of dollars in federal, state and local funding. Trump has been trying to include a citizenship question on the census since his first term, though the Supreme Court struck the effort down on procedural grounds in 2019.” ~~~
~~~ Steve Benen of MSNBC: “The language of the U.S. Constitution is unambiguous when it comes to the decennial census: The government is responsible for counting 'all persons' in the United States as part of a process that’s conducted every 'ten years.' There are no asterisks. There is no fine print. The first census was in 1790, and the count has been conducted every 10 years since, including one in 2020. Donald Trump, however, apparently has a new plan in mind that runs counter to our constitutional system.... The president and his party are so desperate to maintain power at all costs, they are exploring every possible avenue to rig the political process so that Republicans can’t lose, even if voters want them to.”
Marie: One of the oddest things about the Epstein cover-up is that the cover-uppers don't seem to recognize that Trump's conspiracy-centered QAnon base is extremely capable of conjuring up conspiracy theories. It's what they do. The answer to why Trump is hiding the Epstein files is the Occam's Razor of conspiracy theories. Why would you hide information about pedofiles? Because the information implicates you. It's effing obvious! Bill Kristol gets it: ~~~
~~~ Bill Kristol of the Bulwark: “It’s worth recalling that after reviewing the files, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel ordered FBI agents to black out every mention of Trump, according to Bloomberg News. Why did they do that? After all, if Trump only pops up occasionally in the files as an innocent bystander, or as a subject of third-party hearsay with no supporting or corroborating evidence, why the need to blackout the mentions? If Trump did nothing 'concerning' while spending time with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — as Ghislaine Maxwell is reported to have told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche before being moved to a far nicer federal prison facility — then what’s the problem? Why not just release the files, let Trump debunk whatever unverified suggestions may be in there, and avoid accusations of a coverup? Perhaps because the files tell us more about the Trump-Epstein relationship? Perhaps because they suggest Trump has something to hide? That would be the simplest explanation of Trump’s own behavior over the last several months. That would be the simplest explanation of the behavior of Bondi and Blanche and Patel.... [JD Vance's] dinner was canceled. But the coverup is still on.”
Jacob Bogage & David Lynch of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump celebrated the start of his long-awaited tariffs Thursday, declaring that money was “flowing into the USA at levels not thought even possible!” — though economists say the cost of the import taxes will probably get passed on to U.S. consumers and businesses. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the federal government could collect $50 billion a month in tariff revenue, which Trump administration officials hope will be a boon to the U.S.'s dismal financial health. U.S. stocks were mixed in late-morning trading Thursday, as investors appeared unbothered by the new taxes.”
Andrew Ackerman of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump announced of social media on Thursday that he would be nominating his economic adviser Stephen Miran to the Federal Reserve board, in his first bid this term to shape the institution that he has aggressively pushed to lower rates. Miran is the chairman of the Council Economic Advisors and Trump said he would serve just through Jan. 31, through the end of the current vacancy.”
Here's Just One Bribe Donald Trump Accepted. Kenneth Vogel, et al., of the New York Times: In late February 2025, Oliver Burckhardt “donated $5 million to MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump political committee, that paved the way for him to attend the event.” On March 1, he attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where he got face time with Donald Trump & told Mr. Trump about pricey bandages his company Extremity Care makes. Mr. Burckhardt also gave Mr. Trump “a flier urging the Trump administration to reverse a plan to restrict Medicare reimbursement for the bandages and criticizing former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for having 'rammed through a policy that would create more suffering and death for diabetic patients on Medicare.' The next morning, Mr. Trump posted the flier on his social media site.... About one month later, the Trump administration announced it would delay until next year the Biden administration plan to limit Medicare’s coverage of the bandages, known as skin substitutes, saying that it was reviewing its policies.... The February donation by Mr. Burckhardt’s company, which was revealed in a report filed late last week with the Federal Election Commission, was among dozens of seven- and eight-figure contributions to MAGA Inc. from donors, many of whom were rewarded with presidential face time to plead for their causes.”
Adam Goldman, et al., of the New York Times: “The F.B.I. is deepening its purge of employees, forcing out senior agents like a former acting head of the bureau and another whose recent ascent had angered Trump supporters.... Brian Driscoll, who briefly served as the acting director in the early days of the Trump administration, was among those being told to leave by Friday.... Also being ousted this week is the head of the F.B.I.’s Washington field office, Steven J. Jensen.... Mr. Jensen had been a target of conservatives because in overseeing the bureau’s domestic terrorism operations section at the time, he played a key role in responding to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.... Mr. Driscoll ... had become an unlikely champion of the bureau after accidentally being catapulted to the director’s chair on Inauguration Day. He resisted demands to turn over the names of F.B.I. agents who had worked on the investigation into the Capitol attack, fighting off what was seen as a possible purge.... Mr. Jensen’s ouster, in particular, is an embarrassing chapter in Kash Patel’s tenure as director given that he had promoted Mr. Jensen and defended the decision on national television. Other agents being forced out are Walter Giardina and Christopher Meyer, both of whom had worked on cases involving Mr. Trump.... In addition, Spencer Evans, a senior agent who had already been pushed out of his post overseeing a field office in Las Vegas and forced to take a new position in Huntsville, Ala., was dismissed.onavirus vaccine when he worked as deputy assistant director for human resources at F.B.I. headquarters.” ~~~
~~~ ⭐ MEANWHILE. Tom Dreisbach of NPR: "Less than five years after urging rioters to 'kill' police at the Capitol, a former Jan. 6 defendant is working as a senior adviser for the Department of Justice, which has been dramatically remade under the second Trump administration. NPR has obtained police bodycam footage from multiple angles of the former defendant and current administration official, Jared Wise, berating officers and calling them 'Nazi' and 'Gestapo.' NPR located the footage, which has not previously been published, in a review of thousands of court exhibits from Jan. 6 criminal cases, obtained through legal action by a coalition of media organizations. The Department of Justice had introduced the footage as an exhibit in Wise's trial. NPR also obtained the transcript of Wise's testimony, in which he acknowledged that he repeatedly yelled 'kill 'em' as officers were being attacked and tried to explain his actions. Wise was not convicted of any crimes related to Jan. 6, due to ... [Donald] Trump's order to end all Capitol riot prosecutions." It's worth reading the full article.
David Fischer of the AP: “A federal judge on Thursday ordered a temporary halt to construction at an immigration detention center — built in the middle of the Florida Everglades and dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' — as attorneys argue whether it violates environmental laws. The facility can continue to operate and hold detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but workers will be barred from adding any new filling, paving or infrastructure for the next 14 days. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued the ruling during a hearing and said she will issue a written order later Thursday. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe have asked Williams to issue a preliminary injunction to halt operations and further construction. The suit claims the project threatens environmentally sensitive wetlands that are home to protected plants and animals and would reverse billions of dollars’ worth of environmental restoration.”
David Goodman & Julie Bosman of the New York Times: “Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said on Thursday that the F.B.I. had agreed to his request to help track down dozens of Democratic Texas state lawmakers who left the state to prevent a vote on a redistricting plan. The activation of federal agents could create a standoff between the Trump administration and state leaders in Illinois, where many of the absent Democrats have taken refuge. But Mr. Cornyn’s statement was also issued with a political backdrop. Locked in a tough Republican primary fight, Mr. Cornyn and his opponent, Texas’ hard-right attorney general, Ken Paxton, have been competing for days to look tough with the runaway Democrats. By Thursday afternoon, it was still not clear whether federal agents actually planned to take action in the case. 'The reality is that all that he has said is that the F.B.I. has been authorized to locate the House Democrats — nothing more,' Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, told reporters at the Illinois State Fair on Thursday, accusing Mr. Cornyn of 'a lot of grandstanding.'”
“Women Are Going to Die." Jeanna Smialek & Stephanie Nolen of the New York Times: “The Trump administration’s plans to incinerate $9.7 million in birth control pills and other contraceptives stored in a Belgian warehouse have left European governments struggling as they try to prevent the destruction.... The decision to destroy the contraceptives has created alarm in Brussels and France as politicians scramble to figure out if the supplies have physically left the warehouse and how they can prevent their destruction.... 'U.S.A.I.D. was allegedly dismantled to prevent future wastage and to deliver value for money for the American people,' said Sarah Shaw, the associate director of advocacy at MSI Reproductive Choices. 'It’s just egregious that they’re willing to waste $9 million worth of contraceptives that are so desperately needed.'” ~~~
~~~ Marie: European governments are not "struggling." They hate us for our cruelty. As they should.
Adam Rasgon, et al., of the New York Times: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel planned to take control of all of Gaza, bucking the advice of the Israeli military and warnings that expanding operations could endanger the hostages being held there and kill more Palestinian civilians. Mr. Netanyahu made the comments in an interview with Fox News ahead of a security cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss a proposal to expand military operations in Gaza. They came as talks to achieve a cease-fire and the release of the hostages have hit an impasse, with Israeli and Hamas officials blaming each other for the deadlock. When asked whether Israel would take over all of Gaza, he responded, 'We intend to.' Mr. Netanyahu said the move would 'assure our security,' remove Hamas from power and enable the transfer of the civilian administration of Gaza to another party.”
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Tony Romm of the New York Times: Donald “Trump's punishing new tariffs on more than 90 countries snapped into place after the stroke of midnight Thursday, the latest escalation in a global trade war that has started to exact a toll on the U.S. economy. Few of America’s major trading partners were spared under Mr. Trump’s updated slate of duties, which together have sent the average effective U.S. tariff rate to its highest level in nearly a century. In the hours before the import taxes took effect, the president signaled there would be more to come, as he doubled down on a strategy that has rattled markets, driven up prices and spooked consumers and businesses around the world.... Prices have started to climb. The latest monthly measure of inflation showed that appliances, clothing and furnishings became more expensive in June. The economy has grown but at an anemic pace, and some analysts predict little improvement through the remainder of the year. The labor market has experienced its own strains, with hiring sharply slowing in July.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: He's doing this because (a) he's stupid, ignorant, careless & stubborn, and (b) Republicans in Congress let him. ~~~
~~~ Oh, And He's Proud of Raising Prices & Increasing Inflation. David Gilmour of Mediaite: “... Donald Trump boasted that 'BILLIONS OF DOLLARS' are now pouring into U.S. coffers as a sweeping new round of tariffs came into effect against more than 90 countries.... An hour [before the tariffs were to take effect], Trump blasted countries that had 'TAKEN ADVANTAGE' of the U.S. and said they would now be subject to 'RECIPROCAL TARIFFS' and any court that would step in clearly wanted to 'SEE OUR COUNTRY FAIL[.]'”
If you want to purchase something made in India, Trump will punish you for what Putin & Modi did. ~~~
~~ Tony Romm of the New York Times: Donald “Trump announced on Wednesday that he would double tariffs on India, to 50 percent, beginning this month as punishment for the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil. Mr. Trump coupled the new, punishing tariff level with a threat to impose similar penalties on other countries that buy Russian energy as he sought to use trade policies to pressure the Kremlin into resolving the war in Ukraine.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Trump still doesn't understand that he's a big, blundering idiot: ~~~
~~~ Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: “... Donald Trump intends to meet in person with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as soon as next week, and he plans to follow up shortly afterward with a meeting between himself, Mr. Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the plan. Mr. Trump disclosed his plans on Wednesday in a call with European leaders, which included Mr. Zelensky, the people said. The meetings would include only the three men, and would not include European counterparts.... Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, did not respond to a request for comment, but Mr. Zelensky appeared to signal that a direct meeting was possible.... Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday that the Russians asked for the meeting.” MB: If that's true -- and no one, including Leavitt, knows if it is -- that would be Yo Yo Putin, and he's about to play Trump like a cello.
Tim Apple Comes to Washington, Bearing Golden Gifts & Singing Hosannas. Luke Broadwater & Tripp Mickle of the New York Times: Donald “Trump and Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, announced on Wednesday that Apple would devote $100 billion to additional investment in the United States, the company’s latest move to buy more components from U.S. suppliers and avoid the president’s threat of tariffs on iPhones. The announcement, in the gold-adorned Oval Office, came after Mr. Cook presented Mr. Trump with a 24-karat gold gift and lavished him with praise. Mr. Cook highlighted the creation of Apple’s American Manufacturing Program, focused on bringing more of the company’s supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States.” These shows of fealty to & adoration of the king are comical, made all the more so because Trump assumes they're sincere. ~~~
~~~ Tripp Mickle & Ana Swanson of the New York Times: Donald “Trump threatened on Wednesday to impose a 100 percent tariff on foreign semiconductors, in an effort to bring supply chains for electronics back to the United States. The tariff, which could be unveiled next week, would apply to all countries and companies, unless businesses made a commitment to invest and build in the United States. Mr. Trump pointed to Apple ... as an example of a company that would be spared the levies. 'If you’re building, there will be no charge,' Mr. Trump said. He added that companies that did not fulfill investment promises would be held accountable with fines.... Should Mr. Trump follow through on his promise, it would be a huge relief for tech companies that had been anxiously anticipating an announcement on semiconductor tariffs. Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Micron and other companies could benefit by avoiding huge fees on their businesses because in recent months they have pledged to invest in the United States.” The AP's story is here.
Keith Bradsher of the New York Times: “China’s exports surged even more than expected in July, as Chinese companies raced to ship goods to Southeast Asia and other regions, often for onward shipment to the United States, before President Trump could raise tariffs on imports. China’s overall exports were up 7.2 percent in July from the same month last year, while imports were up 4.1 percent. Its exports to Southeast Asia and Africa, key regions for reshipment to the United States, rose more than twice as fast as its overall exports. China’s exports to the European Union, its main alternative to the American market, were also up very strongly. By contrast, China’s exports directly to the United States were down by more than a fifth in July, as buyers in the United States appeared wary of paying Mr. Trump’s extra 30 percent tariffs. China’s economy relies heavily on exports, in part because a steep fall in apartment prices in recent years has ruined the personal finances of millions of households, leaving them unable to afford the vast quantities of goods pouring out of China’s factories.”
Trump Determined to Wreck 2028 Olympics. Seung Min Kim & Meg Kinnard of the AP: “... Donald Trump on Tuesday established a task force on the 2028 Olympic Games being held in Los Angeles.... Trump will serve as chair of the task force, with Vice President JD Vance as vice chair. Other members include a number of Cabinet secretaries and administration officials, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who appeared alongside Trump on Tuesday.... Trump said that 'we’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe,' adding that could potentially include deploying 'our National Guard or military.'” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: Donald “Trump is making plans to celebrate the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, an event that will draw many thousands of people from around the world, even as he makes it harder than ever for foreign visitors to come to the United States. Mr. Trump has imposed a travel ban and visa restrictions on 19 countries, and the State Department has announced a pilot program that would require some foreign visitors to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to secure a visa. Here’s a look at what Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown means for the Olympic Games[.]... The White House has said it will allow into the country 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics.'”
After Attack on Big Balls, Trump Threatens D.C.'s Home Rule. Olivia George of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump escalated his attacks on D.C.’s right to self-governance Wednesday, saying he was considering federalizing the D.C. police department and bringing in the National Guard 'maybe very quickly' as he continued to cast the Democratic-led capital as a place mired in violence.... Trump also said Congress should explore overturning the Home Rule Act — the decades-old law that gives D.C. residents some semblance of political autonomy with the ability to elect a mayor and council members.... Violent crime has been receding in D.C. the past two years, reversing a generational spike in killings in 2023 that rendered the nation’s capital one of America’s deadliest cities.... [Trump] has long derided the capital as a “dirty, crime-ridden death trap” and pledged to turn it around.”
Trump is infamous for cheating at even casual games of golf. But how about cheating at recreational kayaking? AND getting the Army to abet you. JayDee sets a new bar. ~~~
~~~ Row, Row, Row Your Boat Gently Down the Stream. Stephanie Kirchgaessner & David Smith of the Guardian: “JD Vance’s team had the army corps of engineers take the unusual step of changing the outflow of a lake in Ohio to accommodate a recent boating excursion on a family holiday.... The request from the US Secret Service was made to 'support safe navigation' of the US vice-president’s security detail for an August outing on the Little Miami River, according to a statement by the US army corps of engineers (USACE). Vance was spotted in the south-western Ohio area on 2 August, his 41st birthday, according to social media posts that noted he was seen canoeing on the river, a tributary that Caesar Creek Lake feeds into. One source with knowledge of the matter ... alleged that the outflow request for the Caesar Creek Lake was not just to support the vice-president’s Secret Service detail, but also to create 'ideal kayaking conditions'. The Guardian could not independently confirm this specific claim. The news raises questions about whether Vance’s office was potentially exploiting public infrastructure resources for his personal recreation at a time when the Trump administration has cut billions of dollars in foreign aid, scientific research and government jobs as part of its 'efficiency' drive.” ~~~
~~~ David Gilmour of Mediaite: “Vice President JD Vance is facing backlash from conservatives and liberals alike over his use of government resources after a report claimed his team requested the release of dam water to improve kayaking conditions during a family vacation.”
Alex Gangitano of the Hill: Donald “Trump and Vice President Vance blasted reports on Wednesday that said a group of top administration officials were gathering to discuss whether to publish audio and a transcript of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump was asked if Vance was hosting a gathering to discuss the Epstein issue, after CNN first reported that the meeting at the vice president’s residence was taking place that evening.... Vance then chimed in, bashing the journalists who reported it. '... it’s completely fake news. We’re not meeting to talk about the Epstein situation...,' Vance said. The president added, 'Look, the whole thing is a hoax. It’s put on by the Democrats.' He added that the reporting is a 'way of trying to divert attention to something that is total bulls—.'... The meeting was reportedly expected to include Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Blanche.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: So the Vance-led meeting (other outlets report it was scheduled, then cancelled when news of it leaked) itself was completely inappropriate because political leaders like Vance & Wiles are not supposed to be meeting with DOJ officials like Bondi, Blanche & Patel. And the event in the Oval office was inappropriate because a real POTUS* would not say "bullshit" in the Oval Office. And what's with blaming Democrats for a White House leak? That doesn't make sense unless Trump is asserting he can't keep Democratic moles out of the White House.
Aaron Blake of CNN: “For years, Republicans and MAGA influencers have been keen to rip the lid off a supposed government conspiracy to cover up information related to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and alleged associates. Many key figures who now serve in the Trump administration pledged to do exactly that. The administration’s failures to live up to those promises and its bizarre handling of the situation now have it scrambling.... And that’s in large part because a growing chorus of Epstein’s victims and their allies now suggest there could indeed be a cover-up afoot.... Repeatedly in recent days and weeks, those victims and allies have stepped forward to raise serious questions about the Trump administration’s handling of the matter. They’ve complained about favorable treatment of convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. They’ve objected to the lack of disclosure. They’ve complained about the administration’s treatment of them.” ~~~
~~~ MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace posted a poll yesterday that showed that 81% of those polled thought Donald Trump was responsible for covering up the Epstein files. Lower percentages blamed other players like Pam Bondi & Kash Patel. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Some of you will be familiar with a famous mystery novel in which it turns out that the killer is the narrator of the story (if you know the novel, please do not tell in the Comments). The Epstein scandal looks like the same kind of mystery. The person who covers up the crime, the person who is the deep-state he vilifies -- that person is the accuser, he is the facilitator, he is the accomplice, he is the driver of the plot, he is the narrator.
These voters are paying attention -- and doing something. Thanks to RAS for the lead: ~~~
Dersh Still Can't Get His Pierogi. Charlie Nash of Mediaite: “Former Jeffrey Epstein lawyer Alan Dershowitz was yelled out of a farmer’s market in Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday after he again tried to convince a food vendor into selling him pierogies. One week after he threatened to sue a 'bigoted vendor' for refusing to serve him, Dershowitz returned to the scene on Wednesday in a second failed attempt at securing Polish dumplings.”
Trump Screws Up N.E.H. Naturally. Jennifer Schuessler & Michaela Towfighi of the New York Times: “The National Endowment for the Humanities abruptly canceled virtually all of its existing grants in April, citing a desire to pivot to 'the president’s agenda.' Now it has announced its largest round of grants since, $34.8 million in funding for 97 projects across the country.... The grants include many focused on presidents, statesmen and canonical authors ... that will support the 'expedited completion' of editorial work on papers relating to the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution and the Founding era. The agency said the awards ... were also a response to ... [Donald] Trump’s call for a 'grand celebration' of the 250th anniversary of American independence next July.... At the humanities endowment, the turmoil began in March when the previous chair, a Biden appointee, was forced out. Employees from the Department of Government Efficiency began scrutinizing its programs soon after.
“In April, the agency canceled most of the grants approved during the Biden administration, and moved to terminate more than half its staff of about 180. It also announced it would dedicate millions of dollars to ... Mr. Trump’s planned patriotic sculpture garden. Those moves have prompted an outcry among historians, along with lawsuits. Last week, a federal judge in New York ruled against the administration in a case brought by the Authors Guild, saying that the cancellation of already approved funding for 1,400 research projects violated the First Amendment.... Another lawsuit concerns the termination of the agency’s funding for 56 state and territorial humanities councils, which by law are entitled to a portion of the agency’s funding....” (Also linked yesterday.)
Nicole Norman of Politico: “UCLA is at risk of losing more than half a billion dollars in federal research funds as the Trump administration continues to pressure the school to address allegations of antisemitism on campus. The $584 million dollars in frozen funds that UCLA officials announced Wednesday is the first official tally of what is at stake for the school. The sum is far more than what was initially estimated when the Department of Justice announced last week it was investigating the school for violations of civil rights laws stemming from allegations it has failed to protect Jewish students and faculty from antisemitism.... .... James Milliken, who recently took over as president of the University of California system, remained tight-lipped about how defiant or conciliatory a posture UC officials plan to take in upcoming talks with Justice officials over the government’s allegations.”
Josh Gerstein of Politico: “The Trump administration is escalating its efforts to punish lawyers whom it sees as obstacles to the president’s agenda. The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to impose 'substantial monetary sanctions' on a California lawyer who briefly halted but ultimately failed to block the deportation of an immigrant from Laos who pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the 1990s. Joshua Schroeder, an immigration and intellectual property attorney based in Los Angeles, appears to be the first target of ... Donald Trump’s vow to discipline lawyers who hit the federal government with lawsuits that the administration deems frivolous. Legal experts described the sanctions motion against Schroeder, which hasn’t been previously reported, as highly unusual.”
Tulsi Gabbard & Donald Trump are acting as if they're the Russian moles some suspect they are: ~~~
~~~ Warren Strobel of the Washington Post: “The Trump administration pushed to unveil a highly classified document on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election after an intense behind-the-scenes struggle over secrecy, which ended in late July when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a minimally redacted version of the report, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Gabbard, with the blessing of ... Donald Trump, overrode arguments from the CIA and other intelligence agencies that more of the document should remain classified to obscure U.S. spy agencies’ sources and methods, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, like others interviewed for this report, because of the matter’s sensitivity. Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Attorney General Pam Bondi have released a slew of intelligence and law enforcement reports over the last month that they claim prove that spy agencies’ finding that Moscow intervened in the 2016 presidential contest to help Trump was a 'hoax' concocted by the Obama administration....
“The document that Gabbard ordered released on July 23 ... contains multiple references to CIA human sources reporting on Putin’s plans. Such sources are among the agency’s most closely guarded secrets. After the report was completed in 2020, it was considered so sensitive that it remained in storage at the CIA rather than on Capitol Hill [where the House Intelligence Committee reviewed it].... Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s ranking Democrat, said in a statement[,] '... Director Gabbard is sending a chilling message to our allies and assets around the world: the United States can no longer be trusted to protect the intelligence you share with us.'” An NBC News story is here.
... the world has been a better place [for two centuries] because America has strived to defend these fundamental human rights both at home and abroad.... The United States will stand with freedom-seeking people around the world and will not tolerate violations against their rights. -- Senator Marco Rubio, 2012
Crickets. -- Secretary of State Marco Fausto Rubio, 2025 ~~~
~~~ Adam Taylor, et al., of the Washington Post: “Leaked drafts of the State Department’s long-delayed annual human rights reports indicate that the Trump administration intends to dramatically scale back U.S. government criticism of certain foreign nations with extensive records of abuse. The draft human rights reports for El Salvador, Israel and Russia, copies of which were reviewed by The Washington Post, are significantly shorter than the ones prepared last year by the Biden administration. They strike all references to LGBTQ+ individuals or crimes against them, and the descriptions of government abuses that do remain have been softened. The draft report for El Salvador ... states that the country had 'no credible reports of significant human rights abuses' in 2024. The State Department’s previous report for El Salvador, documenting 2023, identified 'significant human rights issues' there — including government-sanctioned killings, instances of torture, and 'harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.'” ~~~
~~~ Marie: Apparently, Marco Rubio never had any principles whatsoever. There is no reason to move from a top job in the U.S. Senate to a very temporary job in a madman's Cabinet without demanding that your own principles have primacy. Obviously, Marco agreed to do Trump's ever-more wanton bidding, no matter how immoral & inhumane. And for absolutely nothing. Marco did not really sell his soul to the devil, as I've implied; he could not have had a soul in the first place.
Brianna Sacks of the Washington Post: “The Department of Homeland Security has reassigned dozens of Federal Emergency Management Agency employees to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help vet and process new hires for the government’s mass deportation initiative. DHS maintained that the moves are temporary and won’t hinder disaster readiness, but six current and former FEMA officials said losing that many people, even for a few months, will greatly slow operations while the already much-reduced agency is juggling multiple ongoing disaster declarations, including the historic Texas floods.... FEMA had already lost about 2,000 people in recent months.... Then, over the past week, DHS transferred more than 100 people to ICE — half of FEMA’s human resources department and about 50 people from its security team....”
Superman Is on the Case. Sian Cain of the Guardian: “Former Superman actor Dean Cain has announced he has signed up to join US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), in order to support Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.... Speaking on Fox News on Wednesday night, Cain told host Jesse Watters..., 'I’m actually a sworn deputy sheriff and a reserve police officer.... So now I’ve spoken with some officials over at Ice, and I will be sworn in as an Ice agent, ASAP.' Asked what inspired him to join, Cain said: “This country was built on patriots stepping up, whether it was popular or not, and doing the right thing. I truly believe this is the right thing.” MB: Cain is 59 years old. ~~~
~~~ Fortunately for Superman, 59 is not too old to be an ICE recruit: ~~~
~~~ Rebecca Santana of the AP: “The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it is removing age limits for new hires at the agency responsible for immigration enforcement, as it aims to expand hiring after a massive infusion of cash from Congress. The department said in a news release that it would waive age limits for new applicants so 'even more patriots will qualify to join ICE.'... Currently, ICE applicants must be 21 years old and no older than 37 or 40, depending on what position they are applying for.”
Jesus Jiménez & Orlando Mayorquín of the New York Times: “Federal agents in Los Angeles on Wednesday conducted the most high-profile immigration sweep in the area since a court order barred the authorities from stopping people for immigration checks without 'reasonable suspicion.' Whether the raid violated the court order is a question the judge in the case could be asked to consider in the coming days. The Department of Homeland Security said that the operation, named Trojan Horse, was a 'targeted raid' that led to arrests of 16 undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua. Videos circulating on social media showed agents in tactical vests jumping out of a Penske rental truck in a Home Depot parking lot and then running onto the streets of the Westlake neighborhood, which is home to many Latino immigrants.... The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said on Wednesday that it was reviewing information about the raid to assess whether agents may have violated the court order.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: Let's say for argument's sake that the court finds that the raid was lawful. Still, is this a good use of your tax dollars? I would guess DHS took days & days of man-hours to plan and execute this raid, caused havoc on Wednesday and did nothing more than nab 16 people seeking work. If these people are treated lawfully, this will mean uncountable hours of processing time, housing & food, legal services, transportation, etc., before the people can be removed from the U.S. (if they can be removed at all). WTF is the point? To chalk up maybe 12 deportations, where maybe one or two of the deportees have committed petty crimes?
Geoff Bennett & Karina Cuevas of PBS News: "Many public health experts and scientists say they are stunned by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s decision to cancel nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding for future vaccine development. MRNA technology was central in the battle against COVID and can be developed more quickly than traditional vaccines. Geoff Bennett discussed the implications with Dr. Michael Osterholm.... [From the transcript: Dr. Osterholm:] 'I have been in this business for over 50 years on the front lines of public health. I have served seven different presidential administrations advising them, and I have been through several pandemics. And I can say unequivocally that this was the most dangerous public health decision I have ever seen made by a government body.'"
This Is So Wrong! Tommy Christopher of Mediaite: “... Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was interrupted by hackers who heckled her and played clown music over the sound system during her Q&A at a conservative conference.... As she sat for a Q&A with former Governor and Young America’s Foundation President Scott Walker at the YAF conference..., a voice on the sound system began heckling McMahon as 'a corrupt billionaire donor who knows nothing about education.' Walker reacted by accusing Democratic senators of joining forces with the Chinese Communist Party in an attempt at humor. The disruptions continued, including more heckling, a few bars of the Curb Your Enthusiasm music, and the well-known clown anthem Entry of the Gladiators....”
Mr. Potato Head: Stupid AND Nasty. Alex Griffing of Mediaite: “Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) sparked controversy on Wednesday when he took to social media to immediately blame 'the Radical Left' for the tragic shooting of 5 soldiers on a Georgia Army base earlier in the day. Tuberville shared a breaking news report on the shooting from Fox News and wrote, 'Praying for the safety of everyone in Fort Stewart. This is the DIRECT RESULT of the Radical Left’s constant demonization of law enforcement and our military service members.' The alleged shooter was later identified as 28-year-old Army Sergeant Quornelius Samentrio Radford, an automated logistics sergeant assigned to the Second Brigade Combat Team.... Tuberville was quickly put on blast for his comment. 'This is a reprehensibly irresponsible statement to make by a sitting US senator when we know almost nothing about the shooter’s motive and background other than he was a fellow active duty soldier,' replied Amy McGrath, the former Kentucky U.S. Senate candidate.”
John Sakellariadis & Josh Gerstein of Politico: “The electronic case filing system used by the federal judiciary has been breached in a sweeping cyber intrusion that is believed to have exposed sensitive court data across multiple U.S. states, according to two people with knowledge of the incident. The hack ... is feared to have compromised the identities of confidential informants involved in criminal cases at multiple federal district courts, said the two people....”
David Goodman of the New York Times: “... pressure [is] mounting on [Texas Democratic] lawmakers since they left their state on Sunday to prevent Republicans from passing an aggressively redrawn congressional map at the behest of ... [Donald] Trump. Illinois, a Democratic state, was supposed to be a haven, but Texas Democrats have been unable to escape escalating legal and political threats that have gone further and come faster than many of them had anticipated, based on earlier walkouts in 2021 and 2003. Now they are wondering just how long they can hold out — and hoping to make it to the end of the special legislative session they left behind, which is set to end Aug. 19.” ~~~
~~~ Patrick Marley, et al., of the Washington Post: “Democratic state lawmakers who left Texas to block a Republican plan to redraw the congressional map were evacuated from a suburban Chicago hotel Wednesday morning because of what police called a potential bomb threat. The St. Charles, Illinois, police responded to a potential bomb threat at approximately 7:15 a.m. Central time at a hotel in the Chicago suburb, according to a statement by the department. The police, joined by the fire department and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad, conducted a search of the hotel and no device was found.... 'This is what happens when Republican state leaders publicly call for us to be “hunted down,’” [Texas State Rep. John] Bucy [D] said.” ~~~
~~~ Owen Dahlkamp of the Texas Tribune: “Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into whether Beto O’Rourke’s political group, Powered by People, is breaking laws by funding Texas Democrats’ out-of-state travel attempting to stop the passage of the new Republican-favored congressional maps. In a press release, Paxton cited The Texas Tribune’s reporting on Tuesday that O’Rourke’s group is funding the travel and fines for the more than 50 Democrats who left Texas this weekend to shut down the Legislature by depriving the House of a quorum. The attorney general accused the organization of running a financial influence scheme that convinced Texas Democrats to leave the state, and vowed to investigate 'any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe.'”
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