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LetMyPeopleVote

LetMyPeopleVote's Journal
LetMyPeopleVote's Journal
February 3, 2025

The Borowitz Report - Musk Declares Social Security Recipients Can No Longer Work From Home

https://bsky.app/profile/gjabberbox.bsky.social/post/3lhbl2iidkk27
https://x.com/larryodean/status/1886414263775875272
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/musk-declares-social-security-recipients

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Asserting that “this is what we do at all my other companies,” Elon Musk announced on Monday that, henceforth, Social Security recipients will no longer be permitted to work from home.

“When I started running the Treasury Department and saw all those checks going out, I was like, ‘Wait, where are all these people?’” Musk told reporters. “It turns out that they were all remote, which is insane.”

Musk said that, if those on Social Security want to continue receiving benefits, “they can haul their asses down to the U.S. Treasury offices in Washington and get to work—no exceptions.”

Across the country, Social Security recipients protested that the new requirement was inhumane because it would force them to come into contact with Musk.
February 3, 2025

As DOJ probes FBI's Jan. 6 work and weighs firings, agents told to detail roles

This is part of a purge of our government. Hitler would approve of this purge
https://x.com/ShaunaCDaly/status/1886218482473398302
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/02/fbi-firings-jan-6-trump-cases

FBI officials sent out a questionnaire over the weekend to determine the involvement of thousands of FBI personnel in cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to multiple people who reviewed the document and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it.

The online questionnaire landed in inboxes a day after the FBI’s acting director said the bureau would conduct a broad examination, at the request of the Justice Department, of anyone who touched the sprawling Jan. 6. investigation.

It is the latest sign that the Trump administration aims to deliver on its promises to make dramatic changes in the FBI and root out people who President Donald Trump or his allies claim acted inappropriately. Acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove has asked for a list by Tuesday of all current and former FBI personnel assigned to investigations and prosecutions related to the Capitol attack and a separate terrorism case......

Mark Zaid, a lawyer who specializes in federal employment law, said he and other attorneys have been contacted by numerous Justice Department and FBI personnel who believe that they’ll be fired in coming days. Zaid said such firings would violate protections for the career employees and deny them due process.

“We’re planning on taking any and all legal steps and remedies to support and protect them,” Zaid said

Any mass firings would come despite assurances that Kash Patel — Trump’s nominee for FBI director — gave last week at his confirmation hearing. Patel vowed to follow standard bureau procedures before disciplining or dismissing any personnel and told senators his chief priorities would be investigating threats to public safety and expanding partnerships with state and local law enforcement partners.
February 2, 2025

JD Vance's skirmish with Catholic leaders isn't over just yet

The vice president made some rather pointed comments about Catholic Bishops on national television. The rhetoric did not go unnoticed.
https://bsky.app/profile/sandboxpete.bsky.social/post/3lh4z2mvbmk2t
https://x.com/simulator8/status/1885437529677087115
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/jd-vance-catholic-leaders-immigration-rcna190215

But the vice president — the first Republican Catholic ever to serve in this office — instead went after the administration’s detractors in a surprisingly pointed way. “I think that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to actually look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?” Vance replied.

As The Washington Post reported, the comments did not go unnoticed.

With his criticism of U.S. Catholic bishops for supporting immigrants, Vice President JD Vance has reignited years of GOP attacks on the Catholic Church as both sides navigate an issue that has divided the nation and the faithful. Catholic leaders expressed dismay after Vance, who is Catholic, questioned whether the church’s substantial, decades-long work with migrants is driven by a desire for money.


Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York hosts his own program on SiriusXM and told listeners, in reference to Vance, “I was really disappointed with what he said. ... I don’t mind telling you, somewhat hurt. This was not only harmful, this was inaccurate.”

Dolan — whom the public might’ve seen delivering prayers at both of Trump’s inaugurations — went on to say, again referring to the vice president’s on-air comments, “That’s just scurrilous. It’s very nasty. And it’s not true. You want to come look at our audits, which are scrupulously done? You think we make money caring for the immigrants? We’re losing it hand over fist.”

The Post’s report also noted that John Carr, the former head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ office on social justice efforts, said Vance’s criticisms “showed an unprecedented lack of respect for the work of the Catholic community, lack of restraint in promoting false and outrageous claims that the Church does this for the money and promotes human trafficking, and a lack of knowledge of Catholic teaching and ministry with refugees.”

Carr added, “It seemed like an effort to intimidate instead of a call to seek the best way forward.”
February 1, 2025

New York doctors have legal protection to prescribe abortion pills across state lines

The indictment of a New York doctorand the civil lawsuit by Texas AG Ken Paxton are attempts to nationalize abortion bans across state lines. New York has a protection law that will be tested.
https://x.com/CraigRozniecki/status/1885459815691927596
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-doctor-indicted-prescribing-abortion-pill-louisiana-rcna190214

Friday’s indictment could be the first direct test of New York’s shield laws, which are intended to protect prescribers who use telehealth to provide abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned.

“We always knew that overturning Roe v. Wade wasn’t the end of the road for anti-abortion politicians. That’s why I worked with the Legislature to pass nation-leading laws to protect providers and patients,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a prepared release.

Attorney General Letitia James, who would enforce the shield law, called the indictment a "cowardly attempt" to "weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American."

James added, "we will not allow bad actors to undermine our providers’ ability to deliver critical care. Medication abortion is safe, effective, and necessary, and New York will ensure that it remains available to all Americans who need it.”


I will be watching this case. I support the NY legal protection law

https://apnews.com/article/abortion-new-york-doctor-protection-shield-161fc73174a04f68e93c4312b3b21ea0
— A law to protect doctors in New York who prescribe abortion pills to patients in states where the procedure is outlawed was signed Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said the measure would serve women living in states with bans.

Coming a year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the nationwide right to abortion, the law bars New York officials from cooperating with certain legal actions initiated in states where abortion is banned, such as arrests or extraditions. New York joins several other states with similar telehealth “shield laws.”

Extremist lawmakers in other states can stop their health care providers from supplying abortion pills. If that’s your state, I feel sorry for your constituents. But they can’t stop us. They can’t stop our providers,” Hochul, a Democrat, said at a bill signing ceremony.....

Also Friday, Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a sweeping executive order to protect anyone involved with a legally obtained abortion from prosecution.

The order bans local prosecutors from bringing abortion-related charges and state agencies from assisting in any criminal investigations without a court order. In addition, Arizona will not honor any extradition requests for people wanted for assisting, providing or seeking an abortion.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, is the only official who can oversee abortion-related prosecutions.
February 1, 2025

The Borowitz Report- Mexico, Canada, and China Cut off Elon Musk's Supply of Ketamine

https://bsky.app/profile/sharyn420.bsky.social/post/3lh4wcll4ys27
https://x.com/Cathy2NotToday/status/1885703007360233827


https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/mexico-canada-and-china-cut-off-elon

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In retaliation for Donald J. Trump’s threatened tariffs, on Saturday Mexico, Canada, and China cut off Elon Musk’s supply of ketamine, “effective immediately.”

The decision drew howls of protest from Musk, who said that the ketamine embargo would interfere with his effort to make the federal government as efficient and profitable as X.

But the leaders of the three nations seemed unmoved, telling the American people in a joint statement, “You’ll thank us for this.”

February 1, 2025

Trump's latest executive action made post-crash blame game even worse

The president's response to the American Eagle Flight 5342 crash was, by any fair measure, obscene — which he made worse with an ugly executive memorandum.
https://bsky.app/profile/mifd327.bsky.social/post/3lh2p6qxsmk2z
https://x.com/RaulEHernandez6/status/1885451977577943341
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-latest-executive-action-made-post-crash-blame-game-even-worse-rcna190135

What should’ve been a straightforward exercise — update the public and extend his sympathies — proved too challenging for the Republican president. While the recovery effort was ongoing in the Potomac River, and first responders pulled victims of the crash from the water, Trump decided to blame the disaster on Joe Biden. And Barack Obama. And Pete Buttigieg. And the FAA. And unnamed pilots. And perhaps most importantly, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs within the government.

To be sure, the president had no idea what he was talking about. The investigation was just getting started; he had few relevant facts; and he didn’t even try to substantiate his rantings with evidence. But as families mourned, Trump used his White House platform to put on an ugly, partisan, cheap and racist show.

It was, by any fair measure, obscene......

Asked by a reporter about whether he intends to visit the site of the tragedy, the president responded with sarcasm.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:h7qtoo7nxqxarrsijohjhbw4/post/3lgyhi34av22z?ref_src=embed&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fiframe.nbcnews.com%252FudyT60e
https://x.com/factpostnews/status/1885077600965472312

....It’s also possible that Trump is hoping to distract the public with nonsense, hoping that people won’t notice that he waited until after the crash to appoint a new FAA director and gutted the Aviation Security Advisory Committee immediately after his inauguration.

Whatever his motivations, there’s no reason to believe the president will improve anytime soon. The morning after his revolting antics, Trump turned to his social media platform to make yet another assessment of the disaster that’s still being scrutinized.

“The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot,” the Republican wrote. “It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”

It’s going to be a long four years.
February 1, 2025

The problem(s) with Trump's new plan for Guantnamo Bay

The president has instructed officials to “begin preparing” a 30,000-person “migrant facility” at Guantánamo Bay. The list of concerns is not short.
https://bsky.app/profile/stevebenen.com/post/3lgxqlcvoxs2c

The administration apparently intends to transport tens of thousands of migrants to a military facility on an island — but we're apparently not supposed to see them as "the camps."

https://x.com/cooleyrj/status/1885086155420418127

At the least, that was the plan. Evidently, Donald Trump has an entirely new vision for Guantánamo Bay’s near future. NBC News reported:

President Donald Trump signed a memo Wednesday that sets in motion preparations for a facility to house thousands of migrants at the U.S. military camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which he said was an effort to ‘halt the border invasion.


He went on to say that this facility would detain “the worst” undocumented immigrants, adding that it would be “a tough place to get out of.”

The Republican has taken an interest in the base before. On the campaign trail in 2016, for example, Trump suggested he’d try to expand Guantánamo’s prison population, rather than try to shrink it. “We’re gonna load it up with some bad dudes, believe me, we’re gonna load it up,” he boasted at the time......

Nevertheless, newly sworn in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sat down with Fox News — the former television personality’s previous employer — for his first interview since joining the White House Cabinet, and he insisted that Guantánamo Bay “is a perfect place” for migrants.

He also clarified that the mass detention facility would be separate from the high-security prison used to house terrorism suspects.

It was also of interest, however, when Hegseth took a moment to claim, “This is not the camps. ... This is a temporary transit.”

Of course, if the administration intends to transport tens of thousands to a military facility on an island, officials shouldn’t be too surprised if the word “camps” comes up from time to time.






January 31, 2025

Trump administration funding freeze blocked by federal judge

TFG's attempted to take over the power of the purse has been enjoined. This litigation is headed to the appellant courts and I hope that the SCOTUS does not permit this abuse of the constitution
Trump administration funding freeze blocked by federal judge
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-funding-freeze-blocked-federal-judge/story

A federal judge in Rhode Island has formally blocked the Trump administration's spending freeze, saying in an order this afternoon that the funding freeze is likely a violation of the Constitution.

"During the pendency of the Temporary Restraining Order, Defendants shall not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate Defendants' compliance with awards and obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the States, and Defendants shall not impede the States' access to such awards and obligations, except on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms," Judge John McConnell Jr. wrote.

"The Court finds that the record now before it substantiates the likelihood of a successful claim that the Executive's actions violate the Constitution and statutes of the United States," he added in the 13-page decision in the lawsuit filed by 22 state attorneys general.

Earlier this week, McConnell signaled he would issue a temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from freezing federal loans and grants, raising concerns the White House would try to enact the same policy described in the now-rescinded Office of Management and Budget.
January 31, 2025

Trump administration funding freeze blocked by federal judge

Source: ABC

A federal judge in Rhode Island has formally blocked the Trump administration's spending freeze, saying in an order this afternoon that the funding freeze is likely a violation of the Constitution.

"During the pendency of the Temporary Restraining Order, Defendants shall not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate Defendants' compliance with awards and obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the States, and Defendants shall not impede the States' access to such awards and obligations, except on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms," Judge John McConnell Jr. wrote.

"The Court finds that the record now before it substantiates the likelihood of a successful claim that the Executive's actions violate the Constitution and statutes of the United States," he added in the 13-page decision in the lawsuit filed by 22 state attorneys general.

Earlier this week, McConnell signaled he would issue a temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from freezing federal loans and grants, raising concerns the White House would try to enact the same policy described in the now-rescinded Office of Management and Budget.



Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-funding-freeze-blocked-federal-judge/story?id=118326148&cid=social_twitter_abcn



https://x.com/ABC/status/1885443152506413400
January 31, 2025

Federal prosecutors withdraw from investigation targeting GOP's Andy Ogles

Last week, the congressman unveiled a proposal to allow Trump to run for a third term. This week, he’s no longer under investigation.
https://bsky.app/profile/stevebenen.com/post/3lh2l2ioeis2c

Last week, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles unveiled a proposal to allow Trump to run for a third term.

This week, prosecutors withdrew from Ogles' criminal investigation.

That's quite a coincidence.

https://x.com/CedarsDeby/status/1885401717744832921
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/federal-prosecutors-withdraw-investigation-targeting-gops-andy-ogles-rcna190197

In other words, it was possible that Ogles introduced an absurd proposal to empower Trump to run again in 2028 because of his affection for the president, knowing full well it will never become law. But it was also possible that he was trying to flatter Trump and get his attention amid an investigation that might lead to a criminal indictment.

Just eight days after Ogles unveiled his measure, it appears there’s some news out of Tennessee. WTVF, the CBS affiliate in Nashville, reported:

Federal prosecutors based in Nashville have withdrawn from the criminal investigation of Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles, an unprecedented move that could signal plans by the Trump administration to drop the case against a Republican ally. With no explanation, Acting U.S. Attorney Brian McGuire filed a notice late Thursday to withdraw Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Levine and J. Christopher Suedekum from an on-going legal dispute over the FBI’s access to evidence seized from Ogles last year.


.....The investigation was ongoing when there was a dispute between Ogles’ lawyers and the U.S. attorney’s office over access to evidence on his phone. That matter ended up in court, but before it could be fully adjudicated, federal prosecutors withdrew from the case, raising questions about whether the investigation will continue as Trump and his team take control of federal law enforcement.

Of course, if the investigation does collapse, there will be no shortage of questions about how much partisan politics might've played a role.

We’ll learn soon enough what becomes of the Ogles controversy, but it’s worth emphasizing that the president has already demonstrated an unnerving affection for Republican members of Congress who have been accused of corruption. In his first term, Trump pardoned two former GOP lawmakers who’d already been convicted, and this week, he celebrated the demise of the case against a different former Republican congressman who’d been found guilty by a jury.

The new trump DOJ will reward trump's friends and punish trump's enemies.

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