Ruth's Report: 2025

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Chump is an authoritarian

Steve Benen (MADDOW BLOG, MSNBC) points out:

When Republicans complain about Donald Trump’s critics on the left using intemperate rhetoric, they often point to the frequency with which the president’s detractors accuse him of being an “authoritarian.” The complaints, however, tend to miss the point: The problem is with Trump’s actions, not with his opponents noticing those actions.

And then, every once in a while, the president has a day — a single 24-hour period — in which his actions bring into sharp focus just how authoritarian his agenda actually is. Consider this unsettling timeline:

Monday, Sept. 15, in the afternoon: Trump told reporters about his plans to target progressive organizations, adding that he’d already spoken to Attorney General Pam Bondi about bringing racketeering charges against “some of the people you’ve been reading about.” The New York Times noted soon after, “President Trump has begun a major escalation in his long-running efforts to stifle political opposition in the United States.”

Monday, Sept. 15, in the afternoon: Trump boasted about his latest deadly military strike against a civilian boat in international waters, which he claimed was helmed by “narcoterrorists” and carrying “illegal narcotics” headed to the U.S. Asked to bolster his claim with evidence, or to explain how such strikes are legal, the president declined.

Monday, Sept. 15, in the afternoon: Responding to a conservative reporter who said that anti-war protesters near the White House “still have their First Amendment right,” Trump replied, “Yeah, well, I’m not so sure.”

Monday, Sept. 15, in the evening: Trump bragged about having filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of attempting to ruin his reputation by publishing reports he didn’t like. It is the latest in a series of civil suits he’s filed against independent news organizations that have bothered him with accurate reporting.

Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the morning: Asked about his efforts to profit from the presidency, Trump threatened to report an Australian journalist to his country’s authorities.

Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the morning: Trump told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl that the Justice Department will “probably” go after him and his network, suggesting the reporter’s coverage might meet the threshold for “hate speech.”

Read the column in full. Mr. Benen lays it out and documents it.

Some strong reactions to Mr. Benen's commentary:

Thomas Spinrad

5 hours ago

Donald Trump is murderer under international law. His orders for the destruction of civilian boats using air strikes without warning or any attempt at interdiction is murder. How does Donald Trump differ from Tyler Robinson?

Nostracomas X

2 hours ago

A traitor commits his crime but once. The rest/is retribution.

TЯUMP speaks in parentese, AKA child-directed speech, so that the MAGAs can understand what he's gibbering about. Four irrefutable true statements come to mind every time he opens his mouth.

He is neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.

The secret of TЯUMP is to appear as dumb as his audience so that these people can believe themselves as smart as he.

TЯUMP is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.

Now that TЯUMP's demeanor, falsehoods and outright lies have become routine, there isn’t much for the political journalist to do except transmogrify the subjects and report on his moods.

A TЯUMP speech is also known as an imputative accusation altercation based on denigration, conjecture, mendacities and perfidies.

Lee West

6 hours ago

Look no further than the WH to find hate speech stoking fear, lies, racism and division on a daily basis. Fascism is the seed to it all as it flames the destruction of our nation. And the only way to save a nation from burning down is to acknowledge the root cause and hold it accountable.

Mr N

6 hours ago

In a 24-hour window that should have jolted the conscience of any democracy, President targeted political opponents with threats of racketeering charges, ordered a deadly military strike without transparency, and dismissed the First Amendment with a shrug. When a conservative reporter defended anti-war protesters’ right to speak freely, He replied, “Yeah, well, I’m not so sure.” That’s not just cavalier it’s corrosive.

There’s a bitter irony here. MAGA's rise was made possible by the very freedoms he now undermines. Without the protections of free speech, he wouldn’t be president. His provocations, his branding, his ability to dominate the media cycle all of it depends on the constitutional scaffolding he now treats as optional. If he were guided by moral clarity in word, he would not have ascended to power. That’s the conundrum: a system built to protect dissent now enables its erosion.

Reconciliation, if it ever had a chance, has failed. The public remains angry, fractured, and exhausted. And race while central to our history and justice has been hijacked into a culture war that often bears little resemblance to people’s daily lives. It’s become a proxy for pain, a battlefield for identity, and a distraction from the deeper civic rot.

Mary Bradshaw

5 hours ago

Trump spews hate every..single...day! And that's supposed to be ok? No. It is not ok. He should be sued through the roof for the despicable things he says about people. This supreme hate began with Trump in 2016 and is much worse today. It always starts at the top!

This is C.I.s "The Snapshot" foe today:

Wednesday, September 17, 2025. Ka$h Patel disgraces himself before a Senate committee as he whine he's doing the best he can ("But I was doing the best I could!"), Donald Chump is greeted loudly -- if not warmly -- in the UK, Senator Patty Murray is calling for the HHS Acting Inspector General to review Junior Kennedy's dangerous actions at HHS, Chump continues to wreck the economy, and much more.

That's Ben with MEIDASTOUCH NEWS setting up this morning for you.

Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing with the goal of fulfilling their duty to provide oversight on the FBI. Looking hung over and possibly strung out, tiny Ka$h Patel toddled into the hearing in a suit that seemed to swallow his tiny body and plopped down on the chair that left him sitting lower than anyone else in the room. What? No one thought to bring a booster chair for Little Ka$h? There's no way he's five feet and eight inches by the way. The diminutive FBI Director alternated in the hearing between looking bored as he pondered when recess started and being agitated as though he forgot to go pee-pee before he showed up to testify.

Senator Chuck Grassley is the Committee chair, Senator Dick Durbin is the ranking member. It was a loud and combative hearing and when Ka$h finally left the Dirksen Senate Office Building later that morning, there was no juice box in the world big enough to drown his sorrows.

A number of senators noted last week's murder in Utah and how Ka$h seemed lost throughout. Senator Dick Durbin specifically noted, "Director Patel again sparked mass confusion by incorrectly claiming on social media that the shooter was in custody, which He then had to walk back with another social media post. Mr. Patel was so anxious to take credit for funding Mr. Kirk's assassin that he violated one of the basics of effective law enforcement at critical stages of investigation: shut up and let the professionals do their job." At moments like these, Ka$h seemed to turtle and sink lower in his chair and deeper into his too large suit jacket.

But he could neither disappear nor disappear the fact that (a) he got it wrong, (b) the killer was on social media talking about plans ahead of the shooting, (c) the FBI did not capture the killer, the killer walked in and turned himself in.

Senator Peter Welch was among the Committee members raising this point.

Senator Peter Welch: Director Patel, at one point, you made an announcement that the suspect was in custody -- 'we got our man.' It turned out that was not true. In fact, I think that was about 27 hours before the person now in custody was apprehended. Why did you make that statement?

Ka$h Patel: I appreciate you letting me address this. What the FBI does is not just locate and find suspects. We also participate in eliminating subjects. And what we had at the time was a subject custody in relation to this investigation. So, in my commitment to work with the public to help identify subjects and suspects, I put that information out. And then when we interviewed him, I put out the results of that. And could I have been more careful in my verbiage and included a subject instead of subject? Sure, in the heat of the moment. But I was doing the best I could.

Senator Peter Welch: You know, in all candor, I don't quite get that. Because if we have our man, that would suggest to the public that everybody can rest and relax, and not then continue providing information to local law enforcement and to you. So, that was a mistake.

"But I was doing the best I could."

How sad.

There is no victory for Little Ka$h. Give him a participation trophy if you like -- for incompetence -- but don't pretend he did his job because he didn't and -- Republican or Democrat -- most weren't willing to play along in the hearing for the sake Ka$h's ego.

Let's note some of the exchange between Ka$h and Senator Cory Booker.

Senator Cory Booker: Mr. Patel, I want to start off where we left off last time. I asked you whether you had any knowledge or discussions about removing FBI officials and installing political personnel before you were confirmed to that position. And I wonder did you then understand or have conversations with the White House about the intentions to do so?

Ka$h Patel: Before I was confirmed?

Senator Cory Booker: Yes.

Ka$h Patel: Yes, sir. Did I have discussions with the White House to remove FBI personnel?

Senator Cory Booker: Yes.

Ka$h Patel: No.

Senator Cory Booker: So you're saying that you had no discussions with the White House before you were in the position about the removal of any of the personnel from the agency?

Ka$h Patel: As I was preparing for my confirmation hearing, I had numerous conversations involving the type of people that would be employed and those that were failing to meet the mark at the FBI would no longer be employed if I were --

Senator Cory Booker: And I'm assuming that mark had to do with loyalty to the Trump administration.

Ka$h Patel: No. You're wrong.

Senator Cory Booker: Ok. I'd like to revisit from that hearing. Did you -- did you testify -- Excuse me. You did testify before the Grand Jury that President Trump had declassified the documents at issue in the Mara-Lago classified documents case. Is that correct?

Ka$h Patel: I don't have the Grand Jury transcript. That's why I released it. Whatever it says is the best evidence.

Senator Cory Booker: You know, that's what you said to Senator Whitehouse -- that you're Grand Jury testimony was publicly released. It has not been. In fact, in July, a court denied a news outlet's bid to get that transcript. But you said -- But the court said quite clearly that you are free to discuss your Grand Jury testimony. So I ask you again: Did you testify before the Grand Jury that President Trump to classify the documents at issue in the Mara-Lago classified document case?

Ka$h Patel: And that is why I took your invitation to work with the department in the court -- to have that transcript released. And the transcript is the best evidence of what I said --

Senator Cory Booker: So you're saying right now to this Committee can have access to what you said before the Grand Jury?

Ka$h Patel: To whatever was released under my understanding, Senator, that the department --

Senator Cory Booker: You and I both understand the law. Let me finish. You and I understand under Rule 6 of the Federal Rules of Procedure, a Grand Jury witness -- in this case, you -- is not barred from sharing their Grand Jury testimony. This is an oversight hearing This is germaine to your integrity and your credibility. You know right now whether or not you testified that President Trump declassified the documents at issue in the Mara-Lago classified documents case. Why are you refusing to answer that simple yes or no question right now?

Ka$h Patel: Because the premise of your question is inaccurate --

Senator Cory Booker: There is no premise to my question other than trying to get an order of what is truth or not.

Ka$h Patel: How do you know? How do you know what was asked in the Grand Jury if you weren't there?

Senator Cory Booker: Mr. Patel,

Ka$h Patel: This is a mockery that you're making of this hearing and this simple question. If you have --

Senator Cory Booker: Mr. Patel, during your confirmation, you promised that "all FBI employees will be protected against political retribution." When I ask you: Are you aware of any plans or discussion to punish -- in any way, including termination -- FBI agents or personnel associated with the Trump administration, you specifically said -- under oath -- that you were not aware of any plans to punish FBI agents associated with criminal investigations of Donald Trump. I don't believe you were truthful. Firing FBI employees based solely on the cases that they are investigating -- their case assignments -- is illegal. And you know that. A new lawsuit that's been discussed numerous times -- filed by 3 FBI officials -- alleges that you carried out Donald Trump's "campaign of retribution" against FBI employees for "failure to demonstrate sufficient political loyalty." One of those plaintiffs has been discussed today: Brian Driscoll. Now we know 20 years of distinguished service to the FBI before you terminated him, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Newark field office where he operated with distinction. Medal of Valor winner, Shield of Bravery Award, he's a patriot. You terminated Driscoll via a letter dated October 8, 2025. And in that letter, you said that you were firing him pursuant to Article 2 of the Constitution. Well, you are not President of the United States and so I'm wondering under what authority you were allowed to terminate him?

Ka$h Patel: That matter is under litigation and I'm not able to discuss it.

Senator Cory Booker: Ok. Well discuss this: Did you have discussions with Stephen Miller about firing this particular person or about his continuance in the FBI?

Ka$h Patel: Not that I recall?

Senator Cory Booker: How often do you speak to Stephen Miller?

Ka$h Patel: Frequently on our Homeland Security Task Force.

Senator Cory Booker: You frequently talk with Stephen Miller about subjects other than Homeland Security Task Force Issues correct?

Ka$h Patel: I frequently talk to Mr. Miller about Homeland Security Task Force.

Senator Cory Booker: Has Stephen Miller ever given you his opinions on how to run your agency?

Ka$h Patel: Mr. Miller's inter-agency contributions are invaluable to the FBI. That's what we talk about.

Senator Cory Booker: So you frequently discuss your job and your responsibilities with Stephen Miller and Pam Bondi, I imagine, as well?

Ka$h Patel: Absolutely. She's the Attorney General.

Senator Cory Booker: Ok. Donald Trump promised to make us all safer. You have pushed out senior FBI agents with decades of knowledge and experience. In fact, this is the first time in FBI history that neither the director nor the deputy director have any experience with the FBI. You've shifted the agency's priorities primarily to pursuing Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda. According to ICE data, the Cato Institute -- which is a conservative think tank -- found that 20% of all agents have been diverted from their work to do assist ICE immigration enforcement. 20%. Part of this operation is the work of mass law enforcement who jump out of cars, snatch people off the streets at churches, schools and their jobs and hospitals. Have their been any FBI agents who investigate crimes against children that have been assigned to immigration enforcement? Yes or no?

Ka$h Patel: The premise of what you say --

Senator Cory Booker: Have their been enough FBI agents to investigate foreign or domestic terrorists?

Ka$h Patel: No, no, no! You don't get to say --

And this is where it got tense.

This?

Yes. If all that came before was tense -- and it was -- this is where it really got heated. Prior to this, Ka$h was able to gobble down his water whenever it appeared he was suffering from a case of the vapors. This was the end of it for Ka$h.

He became a strident, shrieking nightmare that probably only served to remind America that last week's big shooting happened after the FBI had information about it. The louder he shrieked and the more he protested, the more it became obvious he had a lot to cover up. He yapped away like a hysterical poodle and we all know what they say about the guilty dog. And he looked so weird -- for example, when Cory Booker noted he believed that Patel has made the country weaker and less safe -- as Ka$h began to become so excited that he was bouncing up and down in his chair. I think all of us present were afraid Patel was about to piddle on the carpet.

Cory noted, "You've been purging thousands of serious law enforcement professionals who spent their careers keeping us safe only to lower the hiring standards in order to find anyone to replace them. And shockingly you admitted in this hearing -- to Senator Coons -- that it would take 14 years to fill the vacancy at your agency -- many that are the result of your purge. 20% of FBI agents are doing low level immigration enforcement instead of mission critical work."

And that really was the takeaway.

There were many important exchanges in the hearing -- all the Committee members appeared to bring their A game with the exception of southern belle Miss Lindsey Graham.

But the exchange between Cory and Ka$h really got to the heart of the problem: The FBI is not functioning.

That is why the keep missing signals ahead of time -- signals in public -- before shootings. That's why they can't protect the American people.

It's not the fault of the agents, as Cory noted. It's that they've been pulled off the work they're supposed to be doing to work on Chump's deportation scheme, it's that experienced agents have been fired, it's that standards have been lowered to fill empty slots.

This is not the faul of any agent serving in the FBI.

It is the fault of the person overseeing the FBI.

That would be Ka$h.

And he had no experience. As Cory Booker pointed out, this is the first time in our country's history where neither the Director of the FBI, nor the deputy director has any prior FBI experience. None at all.

And this is what incompetence and ignorance results in.

Ka$h Patel was on the hot seat yesterday. But it could have been Junior Kennedy and how he's putting public health at risk because he's not qualified to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Or is could be Kristi Noem and how she's putting the country's security at risk because of her mistaken belief that getting her hair styled and putting on a costume will count towards securing the nation. Or it could be Tulsi Gabbard -- Director of No Intelligence who is 100% unqualified for the job she holds.

The country needs to be paying attention to this. Chump has put TV personalities, nuts and cult members in charge of important agencies that exist to protect the American people. His nominees were never qualified and each day they prove they're not up for the job.

They put the country at risk.

Heaven forbid we have an attack on domestic soil but if that happens we need to be prepared to get honest about how a bunch of idiots should never have been nominated and that they have already demonstrated -- right now, as this point -- that months later they're still not qualified for the positions they hold.

Today, Ka$h Patel appears before the House Judiciary Committee. I don't expect that it will go any better. We've focused on the big issues of safety for today's snapshot but please be aware that the Committee also touched on corruption and abuse. One example, this exchange.

Senator Peter Welch: You were rightly critical of the way that the previous FBI Director used the FBI jet. You said you wanted to, "ground Chris Wray's private jet travel that he pays for with taxpayer dollars to hop around the country." [. . .] On April 5th, you attended a hockey game in New York City -- you don't live there, right?

Ka$h Patel: No, I don't.

Senator Peter Welch: By the way, everyday FBI agents who are assigned in Washington don't get to fly home on a private jet.

Ka$h Patel: Well, this is a great point. Do you know why I have to use a private jet? Because Congress made it mandatory.”

Senator Peter Welch: Well, we didn't make it mandatory that you go to UFC games with Mel Gibson.

Let's turn to the economy that Chump has wrecked. Worth Sparkman (AXIOS) notes:

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Monday that the USDA is evaluating whether farmers may need economic assistance this fall.

Why it matters: Family farms are facing their worst crisis since the 1980s, both Rollins and Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a crowd.

[. . .]

The bottom line: Both touted Trump administration relief programs, new trade deals and biofuel expansion as efforts to stabilize the farm economy, though many changes won't take effect until 2026.

Translation, Huckabee Sanders and Rolling lied. There is no help coming in 2025. This as farmers realize how much help that they need right now. Frank Yemi (INQUISITR) explains:

He voted for Donald Trump three times, but now Pennsylvania dairyman John Painter says the dream has curdled. “The whole thing is screwed up. We need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do,” the organic milk producer from Westfield said, describing a season of sleepless nights, empty milking stalls, and help-wanted signs that never get answered. His frustration mirrors a broader farm-country revolt as the labor crunch worsens under stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Across northern Pennsylvania, producers say they are selling off cattle and letting crops go unpicked because crews have vanished. Dairy farmer Tim Wood, who sits on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau board, put it bluntly, “If we don’t get more labor, our cows don’t get milked and our crops don’t get picked.”

The numbers tell the same story. Agricultural employment fell about 6.5 percent from March to July, a sharp swing from the small gains seen in the same span the prior two years. At the same time, estimates suggest the immigrant share of the labor force dropped by more than 750,000 workers between January and June 2025, a sudden contraction that is rippling through farm towns.

On the ground, farmers connect those losses to on-farm enforcement that has spooked entire crews. Reports detailed actions that left fields idle and produce rotting, with some operations reporting 70 percent of workers no-showing after raids. “We don’t have enough workforce in the United States to do the manual work,” one advocate warned, predicting higher prices and shuttered farms if nothing changes.

Three times he voted for Chump. The same Chump who won't do anything to help the farmers right now. The same Chump who is more interested -- as Mike noted last night -- in playing the whiny cry baby and ignoring the Constitution than he is in helping the American farmers. At THE HILL, Lindsey Granger points out:

Immigration is one of those topics that always gets reduced to soundbites and slogans. But here’s the reality: it’s not just a political debate. It’s a workforce crisis that’s threatening the very foundation of America’s economy.

If you eat food in this country, this issue touches you.

In Pennsylvania — yes, the swing state President Trump won with 50 percent of the vote in 2024 — farmers are desperate for workers. They’re literally watching their livelihoods collapse because they can’t find enough people to milk cows, pick crops or keep farms alive. One farmer, John Painter, told Politico, “The whole thing is screwed up. We need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do.” That’s not coming from a progressive activist; that’s from a lifelong Republican farmer who voted for Trump three times.

And that’s the irony here: the very communities that backed Trump the hardest are now being squeezed the hardest by his immigration crackdown.

Deportations and red tape are slashing the supply of farmworkers. Economists say the U.S. lost 155,000 agricultural jobs in just a few months — and that’s before Trump’s latest promises to deport millions more. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that if he follows through, we’ll lose not only millions of immigrant workers but also millions of jobs for U.S.-born workers whose roles are tied to immigrant labor.

Let's join Rebecca in teaching everyone to sing along with the Cher song we all need to know "When The Money's Gone."

Hugh Cameron (NEWSWEEK) notes, "Ford is planning on cutting up to 1,000 roles in electric-vehicle production in Germany. In a statement released Tuesday, the Michigan-headquartered automobile company said demand for electric cars in Europe 'remains well below industry forecasts'." BUSINESS INSIDER's Ayelet Sheffey,Catherine Boudreau,Sarah Jackson,Sarah Perkel,Grace Eliza Goodwin,Brent D. Griffiths,Nora Redmond,Alex Bitter and Aditi Bharade add:

Ford raised prices in May on some models produced in Mexico, Reuters reported based on a notice sent to dealers.

Bloomberg also reported that the automaker planned to raise prices on new gas and electric cars starting in May unless Trump gives the industry some relief from tariffs.

Ford, in a memo to dealers viewed by Bloomberg, said that the company anticipates "the need to make vehicle pricing adjustments in the future, which is expected to happen with May production." Prices won't change for vehicles in inventory now.

On April 14, Trump told reporters that he was contemplating a temporary tariff exemption for autos to give manufacturers more time to move production to the US — but no blanket exemption has yet been instituted.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Sor (MARKETS INSIDER) reports:

The stock market is flashing a handful of signs that the latest rally may be about to reverse course, one of Bank of America's top technical strategists said.

Paul Ciana, the global chief technical strategist at BofA, said in a client note on Monday that the market looks like it is facing a handful of "key risks" from a technical perspective. Those factors could challenge the recent rally that's pushed the market to all-time highs.

"After reaching our 6,500 summer target, the SPX rose to another new high. Our 6,625 secondary/overshoot target is within striking distance," Ciana wrote.

Nupur Anand (REUTERS) notes, "Some U.S. consumers are showing increased signs of stress as inflation and higher interest rates are affecting affordability and leading to financial strain on borrowers, credit scoring company Fair Isaac Corporation, widely known as FICO, said on Tuesday."

Convicted Felon Donald Chump is in the UK. And they're letting him know they see him.

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

ICYMI: Senator Murray, WA Health Secretary, Doctors Speak Out Against RFK Jr. Blocking Vaccine Access and Wreaking Havoc at CDC, Lay Out State of Vaccine Access in WA

ICYMI: Senator Murray Calls for HELP Committee Hearing with RFK Jr. on Campaign of Destruction at CDC and Beyond

ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Senator Murray Demands Immediate Firing of RFK Jr.: “This Man is Burning Down Our Public Health System from the Inside”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Inspector General Juliet Hodgkins requesting an independent, comprehensive review of recent actions taken at HHS to limit access to vaccines and recent personnel changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the letter, Senator Murray calls for the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to initiate an independent investigation into the events that led to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to fire the newly confirmed CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, and the subsequent departure of four senior CDC career scientists. Murray also requested an OIG analysis of the events that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s recent move to dramatically narrow access to the updated COVID-19 vaccines.

“Access to evidence-based vaccines is one of the best tools we have for preventing disease and death. Until recently, the American people have relied on HHS to evaluate the evidence and issue vaccine recommendations based on science, rather than political agendas,” wrote Senator Murray. “Now, following Secretary Kennedy’s destructive actions, millions of families may struggle to obtain or afford vaccines, given insurance coverage requirements are linked to CDC’s vaccine recommendations. I therefore request that the OIG investigate the events that led to Secretary Kennedy’s effort to fire CDC Director Monarez and his attempted ousting of other top leadership at CDC.”

“In addition, I am extremely concerned by Secretary Kennedy’s changes to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), including the dismissal of all committee members in June, and the lack of transparency around the conflicts of interest and backgrounds of newly installed committee members,” Senator Murray continued. “The committee is scheduled to meet next on September 18 and 19 to review, and vote on, recommendations related to vaccines for COVID-19; Hepatitis B; and measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV). Former CDC Director Monarez alleged that Secretary Kennedy and his leadership attempted to force her to pre-approve the recommendations ahead of any opportunity to review the evidence. This is a serious allegation that would illustrate direct political interference in the vaccine approval process, and indicate that the ACIP’s vaccine recommendations were pre-manufactured based on a political agenda, rather than based on the scientific evidence as reviewed by independent health experts.”

“Undermining public trust in vaccines and vaccine availability will cause more families to suffer from preventable illnesses and deaths. Millions of Americans could also see their health care costs rise, as CDC undermines insurance coverage requirements for lifesaving vaccines, forcing families to pay out-of-pocket. Given the importance of vaccines in protecting our health and safety, I believe it is critical that an independent investigation be undertaken to determine where political interference at HHS has undermined the science and impeded vaccine access,” Senator Murray concluded.

Senator Murray, a longtime congressional leader on health care who has led hearings on addressing vaccine hesitancy, has been a leader in raising the alarm over RFK Jr.’s nomination since the beginning—speaking out on the Senate floor, holding numerous events, raising the alarm after meeting with him, and hammering the threat he poses to Americans’ health nonstop. She led the opposition to the Trump administration’s disastrous plan to dismantle HHS and fire tens of thousands of staff in critical positions across CDC, NIH, FDA, and other agencies, and spoke out forcefully against RFK Jr.’s ousting of the entire CDC vaccine advisory board, including one ACIP member from Washington state. Senator Murray has held countless events across Washington state and in Washington, D.C. with doctors, patients, and former HHS officials to lift up how Trump and Republicans’ attacks on health care will be devastating for families.

Senator Murray recently took to the Senate floor to reiterate her call for RFK Jr. to be fired immediately; she also praised the launch of the West Coast Health Alliance to provide evidence-based public health guidance for Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Last week, Senator Murray called for Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to compel RFK Jr. to testify publicly before the HELP Committee, as well as for the committee to hear from Susan Monarez and other former CDC officials. On Friday, Murray held a virtual press conference with Washington state health leaders on RFK Jr.’s increasingly dangerous attacks on vaccines and America’s public health infrastructure.

The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Acting Inspector General Hodgkins,

I write today to request a comprehensive review of recent actions taken at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to limit access to vaccines, as well as the recent personnel changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In particular, I am requesting that the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) initiate an independent review into the events that led to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to fire the newly confirmed CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, and the subsequent departure of four senior-level CDC career scientists. Further, I am seeking the OIG’s analysis of the events that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issuing a restrictive authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine for this upcoming fall and winter season, and whether that authorization was based on science and evidence, or was due to political pressure from the Secretary or other HHS political appointees.

It has been publicly reported – and Dr. Monarez has verified – that Secretary Kennedy, alongside political appointee Stefanie Spear, attempted to force CDC Director Monarez to resign from her post – less than a month after she was confirmed by the Senate. Secretary Kennedy directed Dr. Monarez to endorse vaccine recommendations before they had undergone scientific review and to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy. After she refused, Secretary Kennedy demanded her resignation. Access to evidence-based vaccines is one of the best tools we have for preventing disease and death. Until recently, the American people have relied on HHS to evaluate the evidence and issue vaccine recommendations based on science, rather than political agendas. Now, following Secretary Kennedy’s destructive actions, millions of families may struggle to obtain or afford vaccines, given insurance coverage requirements are linked to CDC’s vaccine recommendations. I therefore request that the OIG investigate the events that led to Secretary Kennedy’s effort to fire CDC Director Monarez and his attempted ousting of other top leadership at CDC.

Further, I am seeking the OIG’s analysis of all actions Secretary Kennedy has taken to-date to limit vaccine access and whether or not those decisions were based on the best available science and evidence. On May 27, 2025, Secretary Kennedy announced on social media that the COVID-19 vaccine had been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. Several months later, on August 27, 2025, the FDA released a much narrower authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine than in previous years, since the vaccine’s initial development under President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed. This decision limits access to the updated COVID-19 vaccine and removes individual and provider choice in determining who can be vaccinated. As part of its investigation, I ask the OIG to examine the decision making around recent changes in vaccine authorizations and recommendations, with a particular focus on the basis for such decisions. I request the OIG examine whether these decisions were based in changes in science or were based in political or ideological interference from Secretary Kennedy or any other political leadership in the Trump Administration.

In addition, I am extremely concerned by Secretary Kennedy’s changes to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), including the dismissal of all committee members in June, and the lack of transparency around the conflicts of interest and backgrounds of newly installed committee members. The committee is scheduled to meet next on September 18 and 19 to review, and vote on, recommendations related to vaccines for COVID-19; Hepatitis B; and measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV). Former CDC Director Monarez alleged that Secretary Kennedy and his leadership attempted to force her to pre-approve the recommendations ahead of any opportunity to review the evidence. This is a serious allegation that would illustrate direct political interference in the vaccine approval process, and indicate that the ACIP’s vaccine recommendations were pre-manufactured based on a political agenda, rather than based on the scientific evidence as reviewed by independent health experts. I also ask the OIG to review the firings of the former ACIP members, who were dismissed before their terms ended, and to investigate the vetting process used for installing the new ACIP members and whether all federal laws and regulations were adhered to. Additionally, I request the OIG examine whether there were efforts by Secretary Kennedy and other political leadership to pre-determine the ACIP recommendations and to bypass scientific review.

The Department plays a critical role in securing the health and safety of the American people. Families and health care providers need to be able to trust the guidance coming from the FDA, CDC, and all HHS agencies. Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, access to vaccines has been restricted, without regard for the evidence or the consequences for American families. Undermining public trust in vaccines and vaccine availability will cause more families to suffer from preventable illnesses and deaths. Millions of Americans could also see their health care costs rise, as CDC undermines insurance coverage requirements for lifesaving vaccines, forcing families to pay out-of-pocket.

Given the importance of vaccines in protecting our health and safety, I believe it is critical that an independent investigation be undertaken to determine where political interference at HHS has undermined the science and impeded vaccine access. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

###

The following sites updated:

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Chump -- fat in the butt, fat in the brain

Fat in the butt, fat in the brain. That is Convicted Felon Donald Chump. His latest attempt to share just how vast his stupidity is? Jack Dunn and Ellise Shafer (VARIETY) report:

Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times for defamation and libel, alleging the publication caused him reputational damage.

According to Reuters, the president sued the New York Times, four of its reporters and publisher Penguin Random House in documents filed on Monday in a U.S. district court in Florida. Reuters reports that Trump cites a series of New York Times articles in the suit, including an editorial from before the 2024 election that said he was unfit for the presidency, as well as a book Penguin published last year with the title "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success."

"Defendants maliciously published the Book and the Articles knowing that these publications were filled with repugnant distortions and fabrications about President Trump," the filing states, according to Reuters.

They go on to quote his social media post where he whines like an ignorant baby about the paper having endorsed Kamala Harris and put it on the front page!!!! He calls that a "campaign contribution"!

He is so stupid. He is so whiney.

How miserable he must be.

And how sad is that?

At our age, we should appreciate more. We should realize that we do not have many years left and we should celebrate and be happy.

I really believe he is going to die in office of a stroke -- his rages are going to do him in -- but should he survive all four years, I hope he grasps that his family is not going to put up with that. They are not going to indulge his rages. I do not know where he thinks he will be after the White House but my bet is his family will put him in a home.

And I do not see how Attorney General Pam Bimbo Bondi thinks the Convicted Felon's lack of sleep is a good thing. Alex Croft (INDEPENDENT) reports:

Nobody knows when Donald Trump actually sleeps, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, casting further mystery over the president’s peculiar nocturnal habits.

Trump’s bedtime has long been a topic of discussion; his reputation for operating on very little sleep is supported by his regular posting sprees on Truth Social in the early hours.

That is not normal and it is not a good thing. Considering his age and his weight, he needs to be getting six to eight hours a night of sleep. If anyone cared about him, this would have been addressed long, long ago. But clearly, no one cares enough to urge him to get sleep. I guess his entire family is just wanting to get their hands on the money and maybe that will be easier to do when he is gone?

I do not like you, Mr. Chump. But I will still tell you, Get some sleep. In fact, here is Google AI on the issue:

No, it is not normal for a 79-year-old to not sleep, as adults of all ages need 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and sleep problems like insomnia are common but not a necessary part of aging. Frequent sleeplessness at this age is often a sign of an underlying issue, such as stress, anxiety, chronic medical conditions, certain medications, or a sleep disorder like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. If a 79-year-old is experiencing significant sleep issues, it's important to consult a doctor to identify and address the root cause.

And Reanna Smith (IRISH STAR) notes:

While Bondi suggested Trump's lack of sleep was a positive trait, critics were quick to raise concerns.

"It’s a sign/symptom of dementia, Pam, in which their days/nights get switched around. At his age and medical issues, well anything could happen," one X user responded.

Studies have found that individuals with persistent sleep difficulties were 40% more prone to developing dementia or cognitive decline. Brain imaging from an extensive Mayo Clinic investigation revealed that insufficient sleep triggered brain alterations associated with Alzheimer's disease.

"Insomnia doesn't just affect how you feel the next day-it may also impact your brain health over time," study author Diego Z. Carvalho, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, said in the report. "We saw faster decline in thinking skills and changes in the brain that suggest chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a contributor to future cognitive problems."

Nearly 7 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer's dementia. Dementia refers to a group of symptoms that includes confusion and memory loss, which are caused by diseases that damage the brain.

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

Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Pam Bimbo Bondi attacks the First Amendment, Chump journeys overseas to do more damage to the US economy and image, Democrats need to pay better attention and to fight better, and much more.

By the way, I support free speech and always have. So when Ben goes off, in the video above, about "would I personally," it's not helpful. It's weak, it's defensive and it helps the attack on free speech. And by the way, you can have a religious objection to racism. That's established in the US going back to the 1800s. Don't step away from free speech or issue qualifiers.

Charlie Nash (MEDIAITE) notes:

Conservative talkshow host Erick Erickson tore into “moron” Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday after she claimed “hate speech” did not count as “free speech” and would be targeted by her office.

During an interview with former White House official Katie Miller, Bondi said, “There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society.”

She warned, “We will absolutely target you, go after you if you are targeting anyone with hate speech, anything, and that’s across the aisle.”

Erickson responded to Miller’s comments in a social media post, writing, “Our Attorney General is apparently a moron. ‘There’s free speech and then there is hate speech.’ No ma’am. That is not the law.”

Don't know who this right-wing Erick Erickson is but he's correct and I stand with him on that point. This is not Canada. We have not criminalized hate speech.

Bill Maher is a practitioner of hate speech. Ava and I have covered the media for 20 years now at THIRD. We have noted Bill several times. We have not siad the answer is for HBO to fire him. We have said that the answer is for HBO to bring in other shows with other hosts -- especially from communities that Bill marginalizes. I believe in free speech and I support free speech. In 2012, I was not among the idiots -- many who were on the left -- I think all of them were, in fact -- calling for a film to be boycotted -- I was not WORLD CAN'T WAIT's Debra calling for a film I hadn't seen to be censored. Some of us do believe in free speech. And, no, the way to fight for free speech is not to to do so weakly.

It's the First Amendment -- it's the most important amendment. And how sad that the right is willing to fight for the Second Amendment harder than the left is willing to fight for the First Amendment.

Chump will never get the Nobel Peace Prize but Donald Chump's already earned the title War Criminal. Chump has yet again attacked a Venezuelan boat. As with the previous attack, he's insisting the speedboat was carrying drugs. AP notes:

Trump said the strike was carried out Monday, nearly two weeks after another military strike on what the Trump administration says was a drug-carrying speedboat from Venezuela that killed 11.

The Trump administration justified the earlier strike as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

But several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, have indicated their dissatisfaction with the administration’s rationale and questioned the legality of the action. They view it as a potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military was used for law enforcement purposes.

The elderly dunce has destroyed our image around the world. I find it hilarious that DEADLINE, VARIETY and THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER are coming up with every reason they can to explain the poor showing of SUPERMAN and THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS overseas. Of course they didn't do as well overseas as previous superhero films did. The film audiences overseas aren't willing to celebrate the US when the menace that is Donald Chump is in the White House.

How do you miss that? VARIETY, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER and DEADLINE, how do you miss that? US income for foreign travelers is down and has been down. People don't want to come in 2025. What changed? Chump. So, yes, US films are not going to do as well overseas as they did before Chump was sworn in for this second term.

Yoolim Lee (BLOOMBERG NEWS) notes:

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Sunday expressed regret over the recent detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia.

Landau, in Seoul for a Korea-US vice foreign ministerial meeting, said that the 316 South Koreans who returned home Friday on a chartered jet after being detained in Georgia will face no disadvantage when re-entering the US, according to South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Earlier this month, US immigration authorities carried out a sweeping raid on a Hyundai Motor Co.-LG Energy Solution Ltd. battery plant under construction in Georgia. Images of detained workers being lined up and restrained sparked public outcry in South Korea, as the workers had been dispatched to help get the plant up and running.

Regrets? You've had a few, have you? And Chump as well as he took to his social media to insist this was wrong -- this raid. But this raid was carried out by his gestapo. If they got it wrong, heads should be rolling.

Karishma Mehrotra (WASHINGTON POST) notes:

As diplomatic tensions between Washington and New Delhi spiked in recent months, a long-buried mistrust of the United States has surged back to life in the world’s most populous country.

For older Indians, the barrage of abrasive remarks from President Donald Trump and his allies has revived painful memories of past slights, analysts said; for younger generations, it has called into question a relationship many had come to take for granted. The harsh rhetoric from U.S. officials has dovetailed with escalating hate speech online targeting Indians and Indian Americans, according to researchers, hardening the divide.

In recent days, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have signaled a possible reconciliation. The president said on Sept. 5 that the United States and India have a “special relationship” and that there is “nothing to worry about.” On Tuesday, he announced that stalled trade talks would resume; Modi expressed confidence on X that the negotiations would unlock “the limitless potential of the India-US partnership.”

But real damage has already been done, according to analysts and former officials.

This is how Chump interacts with the world and how he's seen. Other than despots, no one likes him.

Let's note Rachel Maddow from last night on MSNBC.

And, by the way, as Rachel noted in the program, next Monday her guest will be former Vice President Kamala Harris.

While Chump continues to threaten and harm allies, casualties continue to mount in Donald Chump's war on the economy. For example, Candice Featherhold (BUzz60) reports:

Kroger has thousands of supermarkets across the U.S. and is a daily stop for millions of families. With more than 2,700 stores in early 2025, it remains one of the country’s largest grocery operators. Its size makes any changes ripple far beyond individual locations.

WALKING WITH RECIPES notes:

Inflation impacts various sectors of the economy differently, with groceries often experiencing the most significant price hikes. As basic necessities, food items are subject to a complex web of factors that exacerbate inflationary pressures, making grocery shopping a growing challenge for consumers.

One of the primary reasons groceries are particularly susceptible to inflation is the intricate nature of their supply chain. As fuel prices climb, the expense of transporting goods from farms to grocery stores increases. This cost is inevitably transferred to consumers, making everyday items more expensive. For instance, the logistics involved in transporting fresh produce from California to the East Coast are heavily influenced by fluctuating fuel prices, meaning that any spike in oil prices can quickly ripple through the system.Logistical challenges further complicate the supply chain. Shortages of truck drivers, as experienced during the pandemic, and shipping delays contribute to increased costs and product scarcity. These disruptions can lead to empty shelves, forcing consumers to buy alternative, often more expensive brands. Additionally, the global nature of food supply chains introduces vulnerabilities. Many grocery items depend on international suppliers, and any changes in trade policies or global market fluctuations can cause significant price shifts.

The factors influencing grocery prices extend back to the farms where food is produced. One critical concern is the increase in input costs. Fertilizers, feed, and other necessary agricultural inputs have risen, which, in turn, affects the cost of production for farmers. Rising input costs mean that farmers must charge more for their products to maintain profitability. This increase is then reflected in grocery store prices, affecting consumers directly. Climate impacts further exacerbate the situation. Unpredictable weather patterns and natural disasters can significantly reduce crop yields, driving up prices for affected products. Farmers are at the mercy of climate variability, and when a drought hits major agricultural areas, the ripple effect can lead to significant price hikes in grocery stores. Labor costs also play a role. With rising wages and labor shortages in the agricultural sector, the cost of farm-produced goods continues to climb, further adding to the inflationary pressures on grocery items.

Steve Benen (MADDOW BLOG, MSNBC) observes:

When Americans learned last week that inflation inched higher in August, despite Donald Trump’s demonstrably false claims to the contrary, it was the latest in a series of discouraging economic developments. In recent weeks, unemployment claims, job growth and the manufacturing sector have all moved in the wrong direction amid sluggish economic growth.

[. . .]

The latest national Fox News poll found that a 52% majority of Americans believe Trump has made the economy worse rather than better, while only 30% believe the opposite.

During a Fox News appearance last week, the president boasted, “We have the best economy we’ve ever had.” The claim was plainly ridiculous, and if the White House intends to persuade the public, it will have to do far better than this.

Let's move over to campaign politics. These days, it seems like the two parties are "the liars" (GOP) and "the stupids" (Democrats). If that seems harsh, it should. Democrats need to stop letting Chump dance circles around them. They've already allowed him to put them on the defense over last week's shooting because, say it with me, they're so damn stupid. He's attacking the left as terrorists and calling us all sorts of names and idiots on YOUTUBE and MSNBC are happy to help him with that. He's laying the ground work for 2028 and is apparently -- and sadly -- smarter than Dems.

Let's start with his attack on an NYC candidate. Kathy Hochul is the Governor New York. On Sunday, Democratic Party member Hochul endorsed Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani to be the next mayor of NYC: ""In the past few months, I've had frank conversations with him. We've had our disagreements. But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family. I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support."

Alexander Willis (RAW STORY) offers a take on what then happened:

President Donald Trump lashed out on social media Monday after Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, scored a key endorsement.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday that she would be endorsing Mamdani for mayor, an announcement that comes amid hesitancy from many establishment Democrats to publicly back the Democratic Socialist mayoral hopeful in his bid for office.

Daniel Orton (NEWSWEEK) offers his own take on what happened and it's a similar take:

President Donald Trump slammed New York Governor Kathy Hochul after she publicly endorsed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City, calling the move "a very bad one for New York City" and suggesting that federal funding to the city could be in jeopardy.

In a Truth Social post early Monday, the president wrote: "Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has Endorsed the 'Liddle' Communist,' Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York. This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad! President DJT."

Is that what happened? Kind of but maybe not.

Zohran is Chump's whipping boy for the Democratic Party and, as usual, Dems are too damn stupid to see what's going on.

I will vote for the 2028 presidential nominee from the Democratic Party no matter who it is. If it's AOC, I'll vote for AOC. I'm not committed to anyone at this point. Donald wants it to be AOC. He's laying the groundwork for it to be her. And he's using Zohran to do it. His attacks on Dems at the end of last week -- attack Dems enabled -- was about that. He's calling Zohran a Communist. He's attacking Socialists. This is all to prepare the country should AOC win the nomination.

Any reasonable person knows that the president of the United States, no matter who it is, should shut their damn mouth when it comes to races for mayor. Know your lane. But Donald can never pass up the chance to attack. So he "scandalized and criticized" and taught his minions to despise (not to Ashford & Simpson who wrote Diana Ross' "No One Gets The Prize"). This is about destroying the Democrats chances.

So we shouldn't nominate AOC!!!!

I'm not saying that. I'm saying we need to be smart about what's going on. We're not though. We've given how much attention now to TD? And everytime we do that, we tell the country -- most of whom didn't know the guy until he got shot dead last week -- this is someone important, this is someone you need to know about. And we do this as Donald uses TD to attack the Democratic Party -- see what I mean about us being "the stupids"?

We don't help the part when we let the media identify the governor of New York as a Democrat and Zohran as a Democratic Socialist. It makes it sound like they're the same thing. They are not the same thing. And we need to be educating on that. There are people who are Democratic Socialists. And there are people who are Democratic Party members. They are not the same thing. DS is to Democratic Party members what the Libertarians are to the Republicans.

I noted after the 2024 elections that we needed to educate. We still need to. Your obsession with politics and my obsession with politics? It's not the norm. Not for most Americans. Which is why we have to educate and why we have to work on turn out the vote.

As I noted then, Socialists needed to be honest about what they were or AOC had no real chance in 2028.

It's taken forever, but a lot more people get it and a lot more people of come about being DSA or whatever.

Chump is demonizing Zohran all the time now and doing that to harm AOC and to try to make the Democratic Party seem radicalized and out of touch with the American people.

So before the next YOUTUBER wants to bore us all with their thoughts about how TD was really, really cool or repeat yet again that murder is wrong -- something our laws already note -- they might try educating their audiences on Democrats, Socialists, Democratic Socialists and much more because while they're being silent on that topic, Chump's already laying the ground work for 2028. And that's what his attacks on Zohran are about.

Last night, on MSNBC, Lawrence O'Donnell noted how Chump has spent the last days attempting to distract from reality.

And also addressing the Epstein-Maxwell scandal last night was MSNBC's THE WEEKNIGHT which featured US House Rep Roberto Garcia discussing where the House Oversight Committee's investigation into this matter currently stands.

Staying with the topic of sex traffickers Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein -- close friends of Donald Chump, Alexander Bolton (THE HILL) reports:

Some Republicans now say privately that it’s inevitable Congress will pass legislation directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all files the Department of Justice (DOJ) possesses related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

President Trump has repeatedly tried to wave aside calls from Republicans and MAGA activists to make all the Epstein files public, but GOP lawmakers say privately that Trump is losing the battle to move on from the controversy that has been a White House annoyance since earlier this summer.

One Republican senator who requested anonymity to comment on the sensitive topic told The Hill that Congress will sooner or later pass legislation directing Bondi to release all unclassified files related to Epstein.

The senator pointed out that many Republican lawmakers who followed Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) instructions and declined to sign a discharge petition to bring the Epstein matter to the House floor for a vote have nevertheless been “very vocal” in demanding the Justice Department release all Epstein-related materials.

“Whole bunches of them have been very vocal about this. Most of the Freedom Caucus has been,” the senator said. “The problem for some of these folks is that this has been an issue for years.”

The senator observed that when Bondi said in February that a list of Epstein’s clients “is sitting on” her “desk right now to review,” she created a huge expectation that the administration would reveal the names of the well-connected and wealthy men who participated in Epstein’s sexual exploitation of girls and teenagers.

“That was really unwise,” the lawmaker said.

Unwise? There's a reason they call her Pam Bimbo Bondi. Now for a dumb Bondi joke: Why can't Pam Bondi dial 911? Because she can't find the button for eleven.

And unwise is everything that Chump and his administration have done including dispatching AG Todd Blance to play footsie with Maxwell for two days and to agree to transfer her to a lower level prison (one she's not qualified for because she's a convicted pedophile) in exchange for her answers and/or silences. We really don't know because they lied to everyone about the meet up insisting no deal was made -- just lying to our faces. It's outrageous and it's impeachable -- grasp that. It's an abuse of office. Laura Mitchell (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER) reminds what we learned last week:

President Donald Trump and Department of Justice officials have faced scrutiny after convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security federal prison following a multihour interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The transfer has prompted criticism from lawmakers and victims’ advocates who argued it raises questions about whether Maxwell received a benefit tied to cooperation and has increased calls for the release of Epstein-related records. Maxwell was moved after nine hours of questioning by Department of Justice (DOJ) officials and the transfer is being examined for any link to her cooperation.

When speaking on CNN regarding the case, Maxwell attorney Arthur Aidala stated, "When anybody who’s represented by a lawyer who knows what they’re doing goes in and meets with the government, there’s always a quid pro quo."

Aidala added, "You don’t just take your client in and say, ‘Let me talk to you about something.’ They wanted information from—hypothetically, anytime the government wants information from a citizen, the citizen says, ‘Well, I have a right to remain silent. If you want me to give up that right, I need something in return.’"

Former Biden administration adviser Neera Tanden said, "You just admitted to a quid pro quo with the Trump administration," to which Aidala stated, "But that’s how the whole system works!"

Todd Blanche is Chump's personal shyster and never should have been sent to question Maxwell to being with as Rachel Maddow pointed out last week.

Maxwell notes that Epstein clients are in Chump's current administration and, as Rachel notes, Blanche doesn't ask for their names. What does he instead say?

"Uhm . . . so . . . when's the last time you think you were with Mr. Epstein when he got a massage."

Just completely ignores it because that's what Chump sent him to do.

The person who should have been questioning Maxwell? Maurene Comey who had worked on both the Epstein and the Maxwell cases. But Chump fired her July 16, 2025 when he discovered her father was his mortal enemy James Comey. Kevin Breuninger (CNBC) reports:

Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor involved in criminal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, sued the Department of Justice on Monday to get her job back after she was fired from the Trump administration in July.

Comey, a daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, received no explanation for her "unlawful and unconstitutional" termination, her attorneys wrote in the lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan.

"In truth, there is no legitimate explanation," they wrote.

"Rather, Defendants fired Ms. Comey solely or substantially because her father is former FBI Director James B. Comey, or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both."

The lawsuit names the Department of Justice, the Executive Office of the President and their respective leaders as defendants, along with the Office of Personnel Management and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.

In related news, Leigh Kimmins (INDEPENDENT) reports:

President Donald Trump has been trolled with a giant image of him and Jeffrey Epstein together, ahead of the president’s U.K. state visit.

Activist group Everyone Hates Elon crowdfunded the equivalent of $40,000 from the British public to commission a 4,300 square-foot photograph of the men together at Mar-a-Lago in 1997.

And, in a bid to “ruin Trump’s U.K. visit,” it was placed on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where Trump will meet the British king and queen on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon said: “It’s time to celebrate the special relationship-the relationship between pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump. Trump’s supporters are tearing themselves apart over the Epstein files. Now he’s hoping to escape it all to have tea with the King.

“But there’s no way we’re letting him use our country to polish his image. Most people here hate what he stands for.” They added: “We’re ready to make sure Epstein haunts him everywhere he goes.”

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

ICYMI: Murray, Wyden, Senate Colleagues Slam Social Security for Improperly Declaring Thousands Dead, Call for Watchdog Investigation

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, and 10 other senators in a letter to the Office of Inspector General (OIG), criticizing the Social Security Administration’s watchdog office for declining to launch an investigation into the Trump administration’s efforts to use the Death Master File (DMF) to purge thousands of legal immigrants’ Social Security numbers in order to make them leave the country.

The senators raised concerns about the OIG’s ability to act as an independent agency safeguarding the Social Security programs that millions of people rely on. The watchdog agency relied on previous statements made by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to forego addressing serious concerns about laws that the Trump administration may have broken by declaring thousands of legal immigrants as dead.

“SSA OIG appears to have taken SSA’s word as fact instead of conducting an independent review,” the senators wrote to SSA Acting Inspecting General Michelle L. Anderson. “This decision is a stark departure from the office’s history and mission of conducting independent oversight of the Social Security Administration and its programs.”

Instead of reviewing Social Security’s recent actions, OIG instead announced its decision to review incorrectly recorded deaths from the previous administration that excludes the past seven months. This new audit by OIG raises serious questions on whether its oversight work has been politicized in light of Social Security’s unlawful use of the DMF. SSA OIG has long served as an agency that conducts oversight of SSA, especially if possible laws, regulations, or policies were violated.

“If federal laws were not followed, or if an individual’s constitutional rights were violated due to an agency action, the public needs to know. These instances may result in ongoing harm, regardless of whether an action or initiative is still operative,” the senators concluded.

Senators joining the letter in addition to Murray and Wyden include: Peter Welch (D-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

OIG’s response to the senators’ initial request is available HERE.

The senators’ full letter to OIG is available HERE and below.

Michelle L. Anderson

Acting Inspector General

Social Security Administration

6401 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21235

Acting Inspector General Anderson:

We write in response to your letter dated August 18, 2025, in which the Office of Inspector General (OIG) declines our April 30 request to conduct a full investigation into reports that the Social Security Administration (SSA) placed living noncitizens on the Death Master File (DMF) in an effort to have them “self-deport.” Based on your response, it appears your office did not conduct a thorough and independent review in response to our request. Consequently, we are concerned about the independence of the OIG and its ability to safeguard the Social Security programs and the millions of beneficiaries who rely on them.

In your letter, you write that your office had requested information from SSA regarding reports that it has placed noncitizens who are “lawfully present in the United States; have lawfully obtained Social Security numbers; are authorized to work in the country; and are not known to be deceased” in the DMF. However, based on your response, we are concerned that your “review” was not done thoroughly or independently. Instead, it appears SSA OIG relies primarily on a statement from SSA summarizing its actions and does not address any of our serious due process concerns or concerns related to possible violation of federal laws. In other words, SSA OIG appears to have taken SSA’s word as fact instead of conducting an independent review.

This decision is a stark departure from the office’s history and mission of conducting independent oversight of the Social Security Administration and its programs. As you know, SSA OIG has regularly initiated and completed audits of initiatives and actions that are no longer active. Lessons can still be obtained from investigating an inactive initiative or action as SSA may resume, either in whole or in part, the reviewed action or initiative in the future. Indeed, as your letter acknowledges, after it removed those individuals from the DMF, SSA implemented an alternative approach a few weeks later to manipulate its records of the same individuals to achieve the same outcome: rendering their SSNs unusable in an effort to have them self-deport.

Second, instances in which federal laws, regulations, or SSA policies were potentially violated should be investigated, regardless of whether the action or initiative is no longer active. As our letter noted, numerous federal laws may be implicated by this action as well as individuals’ due process rights. If federal laws were not followed, or if an individual’s constitutional rights were violated due to an agency action, the public needs to know. These instances may result in ongoing harm, regardless of whether an action or initiative is still operative. In such cases, actions that are not thoroughly investigated for their adverse impacts threaten to recur. There is no statute of limitations for an Inspector General to investigate wrongdoing.

Finally, rather than investigating this current, ongoing process, you instead announced a review of incorrectly recorded deaths during the previous administration and excluding the past seven months, during which time the Trump administration used the DMF to effect the “financial death” of SSN-holding immigrants in this country. We agree that the accuracy and reliability of SSA’s death master file is critically important, which is why we requested the investigation in the first place. However, this audit seems somewhat duplicative, as OIG already continuously audits death records submitted by federal agencies and States. Since January 2020, OIG audited the death records submitted by the State Department, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Puerto Rico, New York City, and 18 states. The timing of this new audit and its review period raises questions about whether this audit was made due to political considerations rather than independent oversight, especially in light of significant action to unlawfully corrupt the SSA’s DMF by this administration warranting immediate and thorough review.

We resubmit our April 30 request for the OIG to investigate SSA’s decision to place living individuals on the Death Master File and to review the current process to apply special indicator codes to certain individuals.

We look forward to your prompt response to our request.

Sincerely,

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