mark
Raw Story
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 5:47pm
A chaotic town hall for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) on Tuesday ended in the arrests of two men — who were tased by local police — and a woman arrested on a "vulgar language" charge, all spending the night in jail, a protest organizer told Raw Story.Andrew Russell Nelms, 40, and Johnny Keith Williams, 45, were arrested at Greene's town hall at the Acworth Community Center in Acworth, Georgia, on Tuesday, on two charges — simple battery of a law enforcement officer and obstruction of a law enforcement officer — and Kiyana Davis, 28, was arrested on a city ordinance charge for "vulgar language," according to a news release published by the Acworth Police Department. All three were constituents who registered to attend the town hall and were not affiliated with the protest organized by the Cobb County Democratic Party, Essence Johnson, chair of the Cobb County Democratic Party, told Raw Story. Williams remained in jail as of Wednesday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Johnson said. ALSO READ: 'We know where this leads': How Trump’s crackdown puts Jewish people in peril"Kiyana should have never, never spent the night in jail with the type of charges, the nonfactual charges, the inaccurate charges, the fictitious charges, that are brought up, the unlawful arrest," Johnson told Raw Story. "That's a ticket. She should have gotten a citation and released."Mark Cheatham, chief of police for the Acworth Police Department, did not respond to Raw Story's questions about the arrests."Sadly, as soon as the Congresswoman began her presentation, several members of the audience became disruptive and created an imminent public safety threat for all in attendance. Their intentions were clear, to place the members of our beloved police department in a no-win situation in front of numerous media outlets," police said in the news release.Six other attendees were removed without incident, but tasers were required to be deployed in the process of arresting Williams and Nelms as police were "threatened, physically resisted, and harmed in the process," the release said.Greene posted a video and statement on X on Wednesday morning that voiced her "100% support of our heroic police officers" and said video footage "proves the protestors were unruly and fighting and resisting police." "These protestors were deranged and aggressive and lost control of themselves the second the townhall started," Greene posted.For anyone questioning or criticizing the police at my townhall last night, the GREAT police officers conducted themselves in textbook fashion and protected every single person there by keeping the peace!!!!!These protestors were deranged and aggressive and lost control of… pic.twitter.com/O1z1AaK6gj— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) April 16, 2025 Nick Dyer, Greene's spokesperson, did not immediately respond to Raw Story's questions about the town hall."We have seen her disrupt. State of the Union, President Biden, disruption. Disrespect," Johnson said. "They didn’t disrespect her. Mr. Williams was walking out, tasered. Andrew, tasered. Kiyana, a curse word."Johnson said the families of the arrested individuals reached out via the Cobb County Democrats' Facebook page, and she spent the last 18 hours in "constant communication" with the families who are "distraught.""[Greene] is everything that an elected official should not be, and she showed her true colors like we've seen it over and over again," Johnson said. "But yesterday, to actually witness that firsthand and to see how people were treated, I am coming for your seat. Whoever's going to run again for that seat, the power of the Democratic Party and the power of those in CD14, we are coming for your seat."Shawn Harris and Clarence Blalock competed in a June 2024 Democratic runoff to challenge Greene for her congressional seat, and both attended the protest outside of Greene's town hall on Tuesday, which had more than 200 attendees, Johnson said. "Energy was very high, and the energy was also very peaceful," said Harris of the protest held across the street from the community center. "The only place that it was some issues was actually inside with Marjorie." Shawn Harris outside of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Shawn Harris)Blalock said security was "very strict" outside the town hall, but the "vibes were good" at the protest. Blalock estimated that 30 to 40 police cars were present, in addition to police on horses. He only witnessed police give a ticket to a man driving a van who was laying on his horn outside of the town hall. Police on horses in Acworth, Ga., outside of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Clarence Blalock)Blalock already announced that he is planning to run in 2026 as a Democrat for the seat in Georgia's 14th Congressional District. When asked if he plans to run again, Harris said he hasn't made an official announcement, but told Raw Story, "I think so." Greene beat Harris with 64.4 percent of the vote in November. Clarence Blalock protesting outside of Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Clarence Blalock)Greene posted a video on X the morning before the town hall that confirmed attendees needed to be registered in advance, bring their IDs and questions were to be submitted in advance.Greene historically has screened questions for her town halls ahead of time given the number of people who attend the events, Dyer told Raw Story last year.“She goes through personally all of them unless they're offensive,” Dyer told Raw Story in June.Greene also does not share the address of her town halls publicly due to security concerns, Dyer previously told Raw Story. “Due to her popularity, we have people RSVP so we can get constituents in the door. That is critical for the town halls. They are meant specifically for constituents,” Dyer said. “We have people that would travel from hours away to attend a town hall. We do that explicitly to ensure that only constituents are in the location. Due to the security concerns, we only give verified constituents the address to those town halls.”Some of Greene's constituents take issue with her decision not to allow live questions from attendees."To be told to be seen but not heard, that was not a town hall. That was a straight dictatorship," Johnson said. "A town hall, it's a communication. It's a conversation. It’s answering questions. She spoke at the people. That is not someone that's elected."I’m so excited for my Town Hall in Cobb County tonight!To my constituents who have registered and are planning to attend this evening, regardless of your political party, I’m excited to see you and answer your questions.To the paid Democrat protestors planning to show up from… pic.twitter.com/aT6GGV3bpY— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) April 15, 2025 In her post prior to the town hall, Greene claimed "paid Democrat protestors" would be coming from throughout the country."I have one word of warning for you. If you’re planning to act up, scream and protest, you’re going to be thrown out, and that’s the way it goes," Greene said in a video posted to her X account on Tuesday morning.Blalock said protestors came from throughout the district, including "pretty far away" Catoosa County, which touches the Tennessee border. "I'm glad that people came out to it," Blalock told Raw Story. "It's just disgusting how they say, 'Oh, you're a paid protester,' as if everyone is happy with the direction of this country. Trump didn't get 50 percent of the vote. He doesn't have a mandate. He doesn't have a right to be a king."
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 5:24pm
Maryland senator denied visitation with wrongly deported man in El Salvador by Shauneen Miranda, Daily Montanan April 16, 2025 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen Chris Van Hollen said Wednesday he was denied a meeting with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador-born Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to a mega-prison in his home country notorious for human rights abuses. The Maryland Democrat met with El Salvador Vice President Félix Ulloa in the Central American country in an effort to help bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States. Abrego Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador, but a U.S. immigration judge issued a protective order in 2019 finding that sending him back to his home country would put him in grave danger. ALSO READ: 'We’ve made a mistake': Trump’s trade war sends GOP into frenzyAfter meeting with Ulloa, Van Hollen briefed reporters on the visit and said the Salvadoran vice president rebuffed his requests for contact with Abrego Garcia. “I asked the vice president if I could meet with Mr. Abrego Garcia and he said, ‘Well, you need to make earlier provisions to go visit CECOT (Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo),’” Van Hollen told reporters in El Salvador, referring to the mega-prison. “I said, ‘I’m not interested, at this moment, in taking a tour of CECOT, I just want to meet with Mr. Abrego Garcia,’” Van Hollen said. “He said he was not able to make that happen. He said he’d need a little more time. I asked him if I came back next week, whether I’d be able to see Mr. Abrego Garcia. He said he couldn’t promise that either,” the senator added. Van Hollen said he was also denied a phone or video call with Abrego Garcia to ask how he was doing and report that information to his family. The senator said he would contact the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador and request they ask the government of El Salvador to connect the two of them via phone, following a suggestion from Ulloa. Van Hollen’s visit came a day after a federal judge in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to offer evidence on how it has sought to help with Abrego Garcia’s release from CECOT. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration must “facilitate” — but did not require — his return to the United States. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele also said Monday that he would not bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States. The Trump administration has acknowledged in court that Abrego Garcia was deported due to an “administrative error.” The administration accused him of being a member of the gang MS-13. He has not been charged or convicted of any criminal offenses, including gang-related crimes. Van Hollen, noting that the Trump administration “illegally abducted” Abrego Garcia, said he “won’t stop trying” to get the wrongly deported man out of the prison and back to Maryland and predicted others would follow. “I can assure the president, the vice president that I may be the first United States senator to visit El Salvador on this issue, but there will be more, and there will be more members of Congress coming,” he said. Administration responds Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security posted on social media Wednesday a copy of a restraining order Abrego Garcia’s wife sought against him in 2021 “claiming he punched, scratched, and ripped off her shirt, among other harm.” In response, Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, told Newsweek she had a disagreement with him, but that things did not escalate and she did not continue with the civil court process. Late Wednesday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a statement on the case, displaying the restraining order, repeating the accusation Abrego Garcia is a gang member and objecting to media references to him as a “Maryland father.” “There is no Maryland father,” she said. Patty Morin, the mother of a Maryland woman slain by a Salvadoran immigrant in the country without legal status, also appeared at the briefing and spoke in favor of the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation actions. Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 5:02pm
Republicans who once had their hair on fire over the use of the IRS as a political weapon are completely silent as Trump is openly doing just that, longtime Republican pollster Sarah Longwell noted in a thread posted to X on Wednesday.President Donald Trump is moving to revoke the tax-exempt status of Harvard University in retaliation for the institution refusing to change its hiring practices and other policies in line with Trump's rescission of research funding. Trump made similar threats against Columbia University, which ultimately bowed to his political demands. But Longwell noted that last decade, Republicans stamped their feet and vowed to raise hell when it was alleged, ultimately incorrectly, that the IRS under former President Barack Obama was targeting conservative groups for tax-exempt status review based on their politics.ALSO READ: Violent J6er who broke into Capitol announces run for Congress in East Texas"Because Republicans believed the IRS under Obama was targeting conservative groups, there are tons of clips of R elected officials passionately arguing that the government targeting the tax exempt status of groups because of their political beliefs is un-American and illegal. FYI," wrote Longwell, who is widely known for her focus groups seeking to get a finger on the pulse of what Trump voters are thinking.For instance, she noted, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) proclaimed that the IRS targeting political adversaries is "as wrong as things can be in this country." Vice President JD Vance, at the time not in political office, told Fox News' Laura Ingraham, "This is about whether we have functional constitutional government in this country. If the IRS can go after you because of what you think or what you believe or what you do, we'd no longer live in a free country.“Then there was Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who, Longwell showed in a brief clip, said, "I can also assure you that were this a Republican president, a Republican Attorney General, and a Republican IRS that were targeting Democrats, I at least would speak out just as vigorously against it because if we are going to respect rule of law, the apparatus of the federal government cannot and should not be used as a partisan tool to bludgeon your enemies."She ended with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, when he was serving as the senator for Florida, had a similar message. "Great news folks. @SecRubio will not stand for the federal government or its agencies targeting institutions or organizations because of their political beliefs. That’s third-world stuff that can’t be allowed to happen here. You still believe all this, @marcorubio, right? Right?"
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:54pm
Harvey Weinstein's lawyers asked Wednesday he be allowed to spend the night in the hospital during his retrial on rape charges, saying the movie mogul's health was deteriorating rapidly because of "mistreatment" in New York's notorious Rikers prison.In papers filed with the court, a lawyer said 73-year-old Weinstein had received lacking care in prison while suffering from a number of "serious medical conditions," including leukemia, diabetes, thyroid problems, obesity, back pain, sciatica and other health woes."He is consistently mistreated for serious infections, medication is given incorrectly, or not at all, he is experiencing unhealthy and atypical weight gain, and he is forced to endure freezing temperatures while not even being provided clean clothing," said lawyer Imran Ansari.ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'All this justifies transferring Weinstein for observation to Bellevue Hospital where he has already been taken in recent months for urgent health care, the attorney said.Weinstein is back in court because his 2020 conviction by a jury was overturned last year by an appeals court that ruled that the way witnesses were handled in the original New York trial was unlawful.The voiding of the jury's verdict by the New York Court of Appeals was a setback to survivors of the #MeToo movement against sexual violence and the promotion of justice for them.Looking feeble, Weinstein is attending the retrial from a wheelchair and his lawyers have complained repeatedly that in prison he does not get proper medical care.Situated in the East River between the Bronx and Queens boroughs, Rikers Island prison has long had a reputation for overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and violence.High profile prisoners have included John Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman, rapper Tupac Shakur, Sex Pistols musician Sid Vicious and ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.- Conviction overturned -The onetime Miramax studio boss was charged with the sexual assault of former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006, the rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013, and a new count for an alleged sexual assault in 2006 at a hotel in Manhattan. In 2020, a jury of New Yorkers found Weinstein guilty of two out of five charges -- the sexual assault of Haleyi and the rape of Mann.But the conviction and the 23-year prison sentence were overturned in April 2024.In a hotly debated four-to-three decision, New York's appeals court ruled that jurors should not have heard testimonies of victims about sexual assaults for which Harvey Weinstein was not indicted.Since his downfall, Weinstein has been accused of harassment, sexual assault or rape by more than 80 women, including actors Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lupita Nyong'o and Ashley Judd. Weinstein has never acknowledged any wrongdoing and has always maintained that the encounters were consensual.Accusers describe the movie mogul as a predator who used his perch atop the cinema industry to pressure actors and assistants for sexual favors, often in hotel rooms.Jury selection continued on Wednesday.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:48pm
Attorney and author Shan Wu is writing in the Daily Beast that President Donadl Trump is demanding the power to prosecute individuals and whole groups of people alike without either the benefit of court or legal language.Trump is using executive orders at “a record-breaking” pace to “further personal grievances” that are untethered to the law,” says Wu. This includes his presidential memoranda accusing his own former officials, Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs, of crimes including, in the case of Taylor, treason — which carries a potential death sentence.The president, who is himself a convicted felon, accused Taylor of treason in an order entitled “Addressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods.” According to Trump, Taylor “illegally published classified conversations,” and claims it is forbidden for “a government employee to improperly “discloses sensitive information for the purposes of personal enrichment and undermining our foreign policy, national security, and Government effectiveness" to sow chaos and distrust in Government.ALSO READ: 'We know where this leads': How Trump’s crackdown puts Jewish people in perilTrump adds this sort of conduct “could properly be characterized as treasonous and as possibly violating the Espionage Act,” although Wu claims Trump’s use of the word “treason” has “about as much legal precision as someone flipping off another driver in a fit of road rage.”The definition of treason “shall consist only in levying War against [the United States], or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort,” which Wu says is nowhere near the way Trump wants to use it. But when government authorities refuse to address the abuse of the Presidential office to press personal grievances, they’re saying the president “is free to indict, adjudicate and impose punishments for criminal accusations against a group of people—or a single person like Taylor or Krebs—through a mere decree.”To be specific, Taylor wrote an opinion piece for a newspaper, like many New York Times and local newspaper guest writers. Wu says this does not count as “levying War,” however badly Trump may want it to.“Trump’s accusations against (Taylor and Krebs) appear nonsensical because they don’t fit the law. But maybe that’s the very point, namely that the Trump administration wants to change the law by any means possible,” Wu warns.Read Wu's full op-ed in the Daily Beast here (subscription required).
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:35pm
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell told a court this week he's broke and won't be able to write a check for all of the sanctions he's been ordered to pay. Lindell claimed in court Wednesday that he and his company had "a combined $70 million in debt." He said the IRS is also garnishing him. “Nobody will borrow me anymore. Not one dime,” Lindell said. “I’m in ruins.”"Last month, the voting systems company Smartmatic asked a federal judge in D.C. to hold Lindell in civil contempt over his failure to pay more than $50,000 in sanctions for filing a frivolous counterclaim in a defamation suit brought by a separate company, Dominion Voting Systems," the report said. ALSO READ: I experienced Russian corruption firsthand — and Trump is importing KGB thuggeryDominion and Smartmatic have both sued Lindell for defamation. In the Dominion suit, the lawyers alleged that Lindell continued to say that the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald Trump "because the lie sells pillows.""Lindell has said in court filings that at one point his company was generating as much as $300 million in annual revenue," WUSA said. Lindell told the court he's living off just $1,000 a week. “I don’t have $5,000 or 5 cents,” Lindell said.Presiding over the Dominion case is U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols, who was appointed by Trump in 2019. In court, the judge told Lindell he would need to see financial documents proving the claim before he decides the case. He asked that those documents be given to him by the end of the week in a "sealed filing." Lindell has already been held in contempt for failing to turn over documents in the Smartmatic defamation case. Read the full report here.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:26pm
President Donald Trump on Wednesday continued his assault against the American judicial system in a social media post where he strongly criticized a federal judge who handed the White House a legal defeat yesterday. “Can you believe it? A Judge ruled against us on 530,000 Illegal Migrants (that Joe Biden flew over the Border in his program to transport Illegals into the Country by airplane) saying that they can’t be looked at as a group, but that each case has to be tried individually,” Trump wrote Wednesday in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.“Based on the Court System, that would take approximately 100 years,” he added. “What is going on with our Courts? They are totally OUT OF CONTROL. They seem to hate ‘TRUMP’ so much, that anything goes!”Trump went on to tell his followers that his MAGA administration is “trying to bring our Country back from the destruction caused by the Democrats and Crooked Joe Biden.”ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'“I won on a Policy of Common Sense, and what Common Sense do we have when we have to have 530,000 trials? This Radicalized Judge is saying that Sleepy Joe Biden can fly more than half a million Illegals into America, IN ONE DAY, but we have to hold many years of long and tedious trials to fly each and every one of them back home," he wrote. "Where is the JUSTICE here???”Trump fired off his latest grievance at the federal court system nearly 24 hours after U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, issued an emergency order temporarily blocking the administration from suddenly cancelling the legal status work permits for over 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who were legally allowed into the United States.The judge found that each migrant was entitled to an individualized, case-by-case review, according to media reports.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:23pm
by Elodie SOINARDMeta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday denied in court that his company bought rival services Instagram and WhatsApp to neutralize them, as his testimony in a landmark antitrust case came to a close.The case could see the Facebook owner forced to divest of the two apps, which have grown into global powerhouses since their buyout.During his third and final day on the stand in a federal courtroom in Washington, Zuckerberg took aim at the Federal Trade Commission's main argument -- that Facebook, since renamed Meta, devoured what it saw as competitive threats.ALSO READ: 'We’ve made a mistake': Trump’s trade war sends GOP into frenzyThe co-founder of Facebook responded "No" when asked by Meta attorney Mark Hansen if his intent was to eliminate rivals with the purchases of photo sharing app Instagram and messaging service WhatsApp.He explained that Instagram, purchased in 2012, was attractive for "its camera and photo sharing experience" but added that he "didn't view it as a broad network really competitive with where we were."As for WhatsApp, bought two years later, Zuckerberg testified that he saw the app as technically impressive but its founders as "unambitious" in terms of "maximizing the impact that they could potentially have.""I basically ended up pushing to add things," he told the court.Zuckerberg testified that Facebook put its scale and resources to work building Instagram and WhatsApp into apps now used by billions of people.- TikTok as new threat -A key part of the courtroom battle is how the Federal Trade Commission convincingly defines Meta's market for the judge.The US government argues that Facebook and Instagram are dominant players in apps that provide a way to connect with family and friends, a category that does not include TikTok and YouTube.Meta's defense attorneys counter that substantial investments transformed these acquisitions into the blockbusters they are today. They also highlight that Meta's apps are free for users and face fierce competition.The case was originally filed in December 2020, in the last days of President Donald Trump's first administration.Zuckerberg, the world's third-richest person, has made repeated visits to the White House as he has tried to persuade the president to choose settlement instead of fighting the trial.As part of his lobbying efforts, Zuckerberg contributed to Trump's inauguration fund and overhauled content moderation policies. He also purchased a $23 million mansion in Washington in what was seen as a bid to spend more time close to the center of political power.Zuckerberg wrapped some 12 hours of testimony on Wednesday with an assessment of TikTok, which he said has emerged as perhaps the biggest competitive threat for Instagram and Facebook.Meta has seen the growth of its apps slow as the China-based video-snippet sharing sensation has boomed, so the US tech titan added a TikTok-like Reels feature to fire back in the marketplace, according to Zuckerberg."That said, TikTok is still bigger than either Facebook or Instagram, and I don't like it when our competitors do better than us," he told the court.And as video has evolved into a favorite form of online media, particularly on smartphones, YouTube has become serious competition for Meta, the chief executive testified.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:21pm
California is suing the federal government over Donald Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs, the governor and attorney general said Wednesday, claiming the American president does not have the right to impose them.The move marks the strongest pushback yet against a tariff roll-out that has sent global stock markets into meltdown, and left businesses across the US fretting about uncertainty."It's the worst own-goal in the history of this country," California Governor Gavin Newsom said. "One of the most self-destructive things that we've experienced in modern American history."ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'With 40 million people and a large, outward-facing economy that accounts for 14 percent of US GDP, California looks set to bear the brunt of the economic damage forecasters expect from recent gyrations.Newsom's office says California -- which would be the world's fifth-largest economy if it were an independent country -- could lose billions of dollars in revenue if Trump's tariff policies shrink international trade.Trump has long prized tariffs as a tool to achieve what he says is the urgent need to rebalance America's trading relationships, and pledged on the campaign trail that he would hit imports with extra levies.Initial punitive tariffs against Mexico and Canada were built on with his self-declared "Liberation Day," which saw onerous charges imposed on scores of countries, including allies and partners.Many of those duties have since been paused, but their chaotic announcement sent global stock markets into spasms, wiping out trillions of dollars of value.Newsom said Trump's economic mismanagement was costing everyday Americans -- including many who voted for Trump -- dearly, all while feathering the nests of billionaire donors and friends.The United States, he said, has gone in a matter of weeks "from free capitalism to crony capitalism, just like that.""This is the personification of corruption...this is smash-mouth, in-your-face, every minute of every day, every hour."How in the hell are we sitting by and allowing this to happen?" said Newsom, who is widely expected to put himself forward as a candidate for the presidency in 2028.The legal action launched Wednesday argues that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which Trump has used to impose levies as high as 145 percent, does not grant him the authority to impose tariffs on goods coming into the United States."We're asking the court to rein in the president...and uphold the Constitution," Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters."The president is yet again acting as if he's above the law, he isn't."Bonta said the power to impose tariffs rests with Congress, and the suit sought to ensure his actions were rolled back."It's simple, Trump does not have the authority to impose these tariffs. He must be stopped."The case is the latest of more than a dozen lawsuits that California has filed against the Trump administration.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 4:07pm
CNN conservative Scott Jennings sparked an on-air clash with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) as the two found themselves on opposite sides of the brewing debate over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia – and the Democratic efforts to retrieve him.The heated exchange unfolded Wednesday on CNN’s “The Arena” as Jennings, a longtime GOP strategist, continued to insist that the Maryland father deported to an El Salvadoran mega-prison by President Donald Trump last month did not have a legal right to remain in the United States.Jennings also jabbed Democrats, whom he claimed are on the losing side of a political battle. He offered the congressman a piece of unsolicited political advice after Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led an unsuccessful trip to El Salvador to make contact with Abrego Garcia.“I think for Republicans, this just confirms what we have believed about the Democratic Party and why it currently has a 21% approval rating in Congress,” Jennings said. “Look at where the energy in the Democratic Party is – it's around retrieving illegal aliens from El Salvador, it’s around fighting for these college campuses that have been rife with antisemitism, it's around biological males who want to play in girls’ sports.”He added: “This is why they are losing to Donald Trump every day, because the energy that Democrats feel comes on all these issues that are fundamentally not where the American people are.”ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'Garcia immediately pounced on Jennings as the California Democrat argued it was Trump who is “losing the support of the American people” by “deporting people that have legal status to be here…” “He doesn't have legal status to be here, Congressman,” Jennings blurted out as he interrupted Garcia mid-sentence. “He has a deportation order.”The two continued to talk over each other as their exchange grew into a fiery back-and-forth, with Jennings continuing to jab Democrats for their position in the international firestorm.“You're going to go to El Salvador? Maybe go to the grocery store,” Jennings said. “Like there's an issue here where you could possibly win on, but you're going to El Salvador instead?”Watch the video below via CNN or at the link here:
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:58pm
President Donald Trump is hoping that Republicans in Congress will pass a "big, beautiful bill' sooner rather than later and get it onto his desk for signature.But within House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-Louisiana) caucus, there are some major differences over what should or shouldn't go into the bill. And Senate Republicans don't necessarily see eye to eye with House Republicans on the megabill that Trump envisions.One source of contention among House Republicans, according to The Hill's Emily Brooks, is Medicaid. A group of House Republicans in swing districts, Brooks reports, are making it clear that they will vote "no" to any bill that includes major cuts to the program.READ MORE: 'There will be blood': JPMorgan hikes odds of Trump-triggered recession to 60 percentOn Monday, April 14, Brooks reports, a group of 12 "vulnerable and moderate" House Republicans in "competitive" districts sent a letter to Johnson, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) also voicing their concerns.The letter read, "We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations…. Balancing the federal budget must not come at the expense of those who depend on these benefits for their health and economic security."The letter was sent by Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Rep. David Valadao (R-CA), and other GOP lawmakers who signed it included three in New York State (Nicole Malliotakis, Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino), one in New Jersey (Jeff Van Drew), two in Virginia (Jen Kiggans, Rob Wittman), one in Pennsylvania (Rob Bresnahan) and one in Arizona (Juan Ciscomani)."Cuts to Medicaid also threaten the viability of hospitals, nursing homes, and safety-net providers nationwide," the GOP lawmakers also warned in their letter. "Many hospitals — particularly in rural and underserved areas — rely heavily on Medicaid funding, with some receiving over half their revenue from the program alone. Providers in these areas are especially at risk of closure, with many unable to recover. When hospitals close, it affects all constituents, regardless of healthcare coverage."READ MORE: 'Economic downturn': Financial experts outline ways to survive Trump’s 'fiscal hell'The House Republicans continued, "To strengthen Medicaid, we urge you to prioritize care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations. Our constituents are asking for changes to the healthcare system that will strengthen the healthcare workforce, offer low-income, working-class families expanded opportunities to save for medical expenses, support rural and underserved communities, and help new mothers."Read The Hill's full article at this link.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:57pm
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave a speech in which he called autism "preventable" and vowed to prioritize a hunt for environmental causes, drawing ire and condemnation from researchers into neurodivergence, reported The New York Times on Wednesday.Kennedy has long pushed conspiracy theories linking autism to vaccination, an idea based on a long-discredited, fraudulent study that has no evidence to support it. He has halfheartedly tried to show his support for vaccination, in the midst of a deadly Texas measles outbreak, and did not mention vaccines at his autism speech, but still pushed a number of ideas scientists dispute."Mr. Kennedy made his comments at a news conference, responding to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that rates of autism had increased to one in 31 among 8-year-olds, continuing a long-running trend," said the report. "Blaming environmental risk factors for the uptick, he accused the media and the public of succumbing to a 'myth of epidemic denial' when it came to autism. He also called research into the genetic factors that scientists say play a vital role in whether a child will develop autism 'a dead end.'" He added. “Genes don’t cause epidemics. You need an environmental toxin.”Researchers studying the issue have pointed out that much of this is wrong.ALSO READ: 'We’ve made a mistake': Trump’s trade war sends GOP into frenzyArizona State University researcher Dr. Joshua Anbar, who helped gather autism data for the CDC, called Kennedy's claims "ridiculous," and said, “Autism is not an infectious disease. So there aren’t preventive measures that we can take.” Meanwhile, University of Wisconsin-Madison Dr. Maureen Durkin, a pediatric and population science professor, said contrary to Kennedy's denials, screening and better recognition played a large role in the uptick, and “The more you look for it, the more you find.”Outside of screening, genetics is known to play a factor, as shown in fraternal twin studies, and the age of the parents also seems to play a role.Meanwhile, other experts pointed out Kennedy's push for environmental cause research could divert funding away from initiatives to support people with autism in schools and the workplace. “We are being set up to look up in the wrong place, to put our money in the wrong place,” said psychiatry professor Dr. David Mandell of the University of Pennsylvania.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:45pm
With no debate, the House voted 111-1 on Wednesday to prohibit unelected state employees from conducting campaign-type activities during working hours and require agency heads to live in Tallahassee. Similar legislation is advancing in the Senate, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he will veto the proposal if it reaches his desk. The governor has targeted Melbourne Republican Rep. Debbie Mayfield’s bill, HB 1445, during press conferences this week, saying it would become law “over his veto pen.” State employees couldn’t participate in political campaigns, solicit contributions, or use their authority to influence people’s votes under the bill. Those prohibitions would apply both to candidate and issue campaigns, and employees could face first-degree misdemeanor penalties if they do so. The sole vote against HB 1445 came from Delray Beach Republican Rep. Mike Caruso, the only House lawmaker standing with the governor this year. Mayfield referred to her proposal on the House floor as good public policy. HB 1445 makes “several changes with the goal of ensuring that our elected officials and our appointed officials are fully committed and focused on their primary duties of serving the state of Florida,” the sponsor said. DeSantis hasn’t publicly addressed the anti-politicking aspect of the legislation. Instead, he has focused on the requirement that his appointees live in the state capital by Oct. 1, the location of all agency headquarters. “They’re pulling it out of their rear ends and trying to jam it through this process. Over my veto pen,” DeSantis said, likening Tallahassee to the D.C. swamp. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. SUPPORT State employees’ involvement in politics The involvement by state officials in DeSantis’ campaign against the ballot initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana and restore abortion access prompted legal challenges last year and has come under renewed scrutiny this legislative session. State House deepens probe of Hope Florida Foundation’s political activity A House panel is investigating the transfer of legal settlement money through the Hope Florida Foundation to campaign against the marijuana initiative. Then-DeSantis’ chief of staff, now state attorney general, James Uthmeier organized the money transfer to the anti-pot committee, Keep Florida Clean, which he ran, according to evidence unearthed by reporters and a House committee. Uthmeier played down any suggestion of wrongdoing during a press conference Monday, saying there’s “not a problem.” Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo appeared in press conferences against the marijuana constitutional amendment and got sued over the health department’s letters threatening broadcasters that aired ads on behalf of the pro-abortion-rights campaign, Amendment 4. Additionally, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s creation of a webpage stating that Amendment 4 “threatens women’s safety” and its then-secretary Jason Weida’s promotion of it prompted a complaint to the Florida Supreme Court, which ultimately sided with the DeSantis administration because the plaintiff lacked standing to sue. Aside from the DeSantis administration’s use of state resources against the ballot initiatives last year, state employees in the governor’s office called lobbyists to request donations for a political committee aligned with DeSantis as he and First Lady Casey DeSantis hinted that she was considering a run for governor, according to NBC News. The Senate version, SB 1760, doesn’t include the provision against state employees’ involvement in campaign activities, and needs to go through one more committee before it could be eligible for a floor vote. Both bills would require university trustees and members of the Board of Governors that oversees public universities to be U.S. citizens and live in Florida, unless they graduated from a state higher education institution. Mayfield, sponsor of the House bill, won a suit against the Florida Department of State Secretary Cord Byrd, a DeSantis appointee, after Byrd attempted to block Mayfield from appearing on the ballot for a special election in the state Senate district seat she previously held. The Republican representative won the primary for the Brevard County district with 60.81% of the vote on April 1. The general election is June 10 and Mayfield has resigned from the House effective June 9.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:41pm
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday suggested the Justice Department is considering legal action against Minnesota for allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls’ and women’s sports. The Trump administration on Wednesday sued Maine over policies that allow some trans athletes to compete in women’s sports. Bondi said Maine is violating federal law intended to prevent discrimination based on sex. The administration is asking the court to bar Maine trans athletes from participating in women’s sports and asking the court to “have the titles returned to the young women who rightfully won these sports,” Bondi said. “We’re looking at Minnesota. We’re looking at California. We’re looking at many, many states but they are the top two that should be on notice because we’ve been communicating with them,” Bondi said during a news conference. In February, Trump signed an executive order barring trans athletes from playing girls and women’s sports. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a formal legal opinion that states barring trans athlete participation would violate the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which supersedes Trump’s executive order. Bondi in February warned Ellison that the Justice Department is prepared to sue the state over its trans athlete policy. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the Minnesota State High School League for publicly announcing it would not comply with Trump’s executive order because it’s subject to state anti-discrimination laws, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. The Trump administration has threatened to cut off funding for Maine’s public schools and school lunch programs, and the Justice Department clawed back $1.5 million in grants from Maine’s Corrections Department for allowing a trans prisoner in a women’s prison. Maine Gov. Janet Mills defiantly told Trump in a heated exchange back in February that she would “see you in court” after he threatened to pull funding. Minnesota House Republicans last month attempted to pass a law barring trans athletes from girls sports, but all 67 House Democrats voted against it and the bill didn’t meet the 68 vote threshold needed to pass.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:40pm
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt flatly rejected a reporter seeking to ask a question after the mother of Rachel Morin finished delivering emotional remarks during a news briefing at the White House.Patty Morin gave a deeply emotional and graphic account of her daughter's brutal killing at the hands of an undocumented immigrant. She recounted the evidence presented at the trial, including the physical injuries Rachel endured."This person took my daughter. So violently and gruesomely and so graphically that they sealed the pictures because I don't want my granddaughters to see these pictures. These are the kinds of criminals President [Donald] Trump wants to remove from our country. These are the kind of criminals we need to remove from our country."ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'Morin called for protecting both families and borders."Why are we not protecting the American citizens? It is common sense. Why are we not protecting our children?" she asked.After her remarks, Leavitt took the podium and thanked Morin, who teared up, for her comments. "I just want to say that as a mother and American citizen, the president and our entire team — and I hope people in this room—are grateful for your willingness to come here and your request to share your daughter's story. And I think the country hears you loud and clear," said Leavitt. She then asked, "Does anyone have questions for Patty or me?" "No?" asked Leavitt. "I have a question," a reporter can be heard replying. But Leavitt refused to hear it."No. Anybody?" she replied, looking at the reporter before looking around and walking away. "We'll see you all later."Watch the clip below or at this link.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:39pm
A dismayed Chris Servheen is raising the alarm about what’s become of federal scientists who have kept watch over the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s grizzly bear population for the last 55 years. The group of research biologists and technicians, known as the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, are being hamstrung at best and arguably dismantled, he told WyoFile. For decades, until his retirement in 2016, Sevheen worked closely with the study team while coordinating grizzly bear recovery for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “It’s functionally destroying the organization,” Servheen said. “The study team has been in place since 1970 — over 50 years of work and experience and knowledge. It’s going to just disappear and die.” Servheen’s perplexed about what the Trump administration has to gain. “How could anybody be so negligent and vile that they’re trying to destroy something that has brought grizzly bears back from the edge of extinction?” he said. “Why would you do that? It’s just so destructive.” Led by Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency’s dismantling started with a hiring freeze. Longtime supervisory wildlife biologist Mark Haroldson retired, and his position is not being filled, according to Servheen. Then, the team’s longtime leader, Frank van Manen, announced an earlier-than-desired retirement. “He didn’t want to leave,” Servheen said of van Manen, who declined to comment. According to Servheen, van Manen’s departure was related to the federal government’s ongoing upheaval. “They’re putting fear into people,” Servheen said. “That’s basically evil, to do that to hard-working people who have been civil servants for decades.” The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team is part of the U.S. Geological Survey, and its website lists four other employees. Three are technicians, which are often seasonal, entry-level employees. The remaining staff biologist has been in the job about three years. If any of the study team’s employees opt to stick it out amid a second wave of buyouts, they’re likely to be out of an office space come fall. The Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, described by its director as “one of the nation’s key laboratories to study the ecosystems and species of the Northern Rockies,” is one of hundreds of federal facilities being shuttered by DOGE. Although located in Bozeman, many of the federal facility’s researchers do work in Wyoming. “They do all kinds of other stuff: brucellosis and chronic wasting disease and aquatic species,” Servheen said. “It’s a huge science center.” The planned closure has elicited protests. According to Yellowstonian.org, 42 retired or active biologists petitioned Montana’s congressional delegation to use their influence to “protect (the science center) and its employees from these unwarranted attacks by DOGE.” Federal offices located in Wyoming have not escaped the closures. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s tribal-focused Lander conservation office and a USGS Cheyenne water science station are among those that have been marked for the chopping block. WyoFile could not officially confirm impacts to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. Federal agencies under the Trump administration have declined or not responded to WyoFile’s requests for more information on downsizing and office closures. An inquiry to a USGS public affairs officer on Thursday yielded no information about the matter. The Center for Biological Diversity has been pressing the federal agency for details as well. On Thursday, the environmental advocacy organization publicized a Freedom of Information Act request to gain more insight into the future of the federal grizzly team. Both recently departed veteran study team members — van Manen and Haroldson — are staying engaged in grizzly science in pro-bono emeritus roles, according to a source familiar with the situation. Nevertheless, Servheen worries that the hit to the science team could trickle down to the grizzly population — estimated at 1,000 or so bears in the Greater Yellowstone — that it’s charged with studying. During the decades, federal researchers have played a pivotal role in improving understanding of the region’s bruins, including completing studies that have helped make the case that grizzly bears are fully recovered and no longer require Endangered Species Act protection. They’ve also amassed mortality and other demographic datasets and compiled an annual report. “The foundation of Yellowstone grizzly bear recovery has been built on science,” Servheen said. “Removing that science eliminates our ability to maintain Yellowstone grizzly bears.”
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:21pm
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is repairing connections with liberal allies by blocking the confirmation of Trump’s nominees for top New York federal prosecutors.“Donald Trump has made clear he has no fidelity to the law and intends to use the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney offices and law enforcement as weapons to go after his perceived enemies,” Schumer said in a statement. “Such blatant and depraved political motivations are deeply corrosive to the rule of law and leaves me deeply skeptical of … Donald Trump’s intentions for these important positions.”Politico reports Schumer will not return the blue slip for Trump’s picks to serve as New York attorney Jay Clayton to head the Southern District of New York office and Joseph Nocella Jr. to run the Eastern District of New York. If approved, Clayton would oversee Wall Street and be in a position to prosecute (or ignore) many high-money white-collar cases, while Nocella would likely prosecute MS-13 gang cases and immigration matters stemming from the John F. Kennedy International Airport.ALSO READ: 'We’ve made a mistake': Trump’s trade war sends GOP into frenzyBlue slipping is an old, sometimes controversial tradition that allows lawmakers to disapprove of administration appointees from their own state. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) used the process to block the nomination of African American attorney Scott Colom to the federal judiciary, despite the lack of African-American presence. For decades, racist senators abused the process in the service of segregation, such as when U.S. Sen. James Eastland of Mississippi used it to block federal judges sympathetic to school desegregation.Today Schumer became the first Democrat to use blue slip power against a Trump nominee, and it looks like both sides of the aisle wish to preserve the process. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told the New York Times he would continue to honor blue slips from senators so long as they represent the state the nomination applies to.Schumer's sudden recalcitrance may reverse some of the damage he drew from the liberal wing of his party when his pivotal vote helped pass President Donald Trump’s controversial government funding bill.Read the full Politico story here.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 3:08pm
The savings that have come from cuts in government staff and funding were being tracked online, but there was a substantial change in the numbers overnight, a new report said. Before President Donald Trump was sworn into office, he and tech billionaire Elon Musk promised Americans they would cut $2 trillion in government spending to reduce the deficit.When he came into office, Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency initiative by executive order and tasked Musk with finding government reductions. That initiative has been behind the upheaval and dismantling of government agencies. Websites, grants, programs, and employees have been cut or frozen under the promise that Trump will save taxpayers trillions.ALSO READ: They've just signed Social Security's death warrant — are you ready?The DOGE website deleted about "$962 million in previously claimed cuts," reported NOTUS on Wednesday, characterizing the edit as "disappear[ing] overnight."The website has been the only public accounting of what Musk and Trump say they're doing to save money. NOTUS said that the site "is in constant flux and riddled with errors. That includes revisions that suggest DOGE was previously overstating its savings by hundreds of millions of dollars."Not only was $962 million in "savings" slashed, the site "altered hundreds of others to boost individual items’ purported 'savings' values," the report said. Musk had initially promised that they would do weekly updates and share "contract cancellations on social media." However, the report said, nothing was updated from the end of March through Monday. Just after midnight on Tuesday, there were "scores of new cancellations" with "hundreds of others" removed. There were "hundreds more" altered. The researchers found "nearly 650 grants and a few dozen contracts and leases that were scrubbed from the DOGE website over the past several weeks, almost all of them during a two-hour window between midnight and 2 a.m. on Tuesday."There are a number of grants that are listed as "redacted" with no information at all. NOTUS pointed out previous reports that DOGE was taking credit for cancellations that came before Trump was inaugurated. The report said it helps "further overstate the scope of its cuts."Before Trump was inaugurated, Musk cut in half the $2 trillion pledge made during the 2024 campaign."If we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting one," Musk said in an interview streamed in January. “And if we can drop the budget deficit from $2 trillion to $1 trillion and kind of free up the economy to have additional growth — such that the output of goods and services keeps pace with the increase in the money supply — then there will be no inflation. So that, I think, would be an epic outcome.”Last week, that number changed again. During a Cabinet meeting, Musk told the president that by fiscal year 2026, he will have cut $150 billion, Forbes reported. Read the full analysis here.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 2:55pm
The international trade war unleashed by Donald Trump’s massive set of tariffs on China is starting to present a growing dilemma for U.S. soybean farmers – and it could come at a political cost to the president.That’s according to a new report in the Atlantic, which detailed Wednesday how Trump’s tariffs not only have the ability to weaken soybean production in the U.S., but also could “turbocharge deforestation in the Amazon” in the process.“Now global-trade tensions threaten to further accelerate the ecological destruction,” Atlantic climate journalist Sarah Sax told readers. “President Donald Trump’s 145 percent tariff on imports from China and China’s 125 percent reciprocal tariffs on U.S. goods could reroute a significant share of China’s demand for American commodities.”If the tariffs on soybeans stick, China is likely to purchase more of the product from Brazil, which experts fear could lead to further deforestation, according to The Atlantic. It could also bring blowback from soybean farmers in states that voted overwhelmingly for the MAGA leader.ALSO READ: 'We know where this leads': How Trump’s crackdown puts Jewish people in peril“Growing frustration from American soybean farmers and industry associations, who operate primarily in red states, could prove to be politically damaging, especially given that soybean farmers were hard-hit by tariffs in Trump’s first term, and many are still recovering,” according to The Atlantic. “But if the tariffs stick, their most lasting effects for Brazil—taxed at only 10 percent even under the original plan—will likely be not geopolitical, but environmental.”But behind the political ramifications at home that the tariffs could have on Trump, Sax wrote that a surge in soy exports from Brazil “could undermine the very climate goals that world leaders will gather to discuss” as the country gears up to host a global climate conference later this year.That, she concluded, “would be a dilemma for Brazil—and for the world.”
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 2:40pm
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has the tools to proceed with criminal contempt charges against President Donald Trump's administration — and can also enforce a sentence if they are found guilty, a legal analyst said Wednesday.Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern addressed Boasberg's ruling regarding the government's response to his court order.The issue involved deportation flights to El Salvador that the judge ordered to turn around and return to the United States. The judge said at the time that the individuals deported did not have the due process to which they were entitled. They, however, landed in the Central American country, and the occupants were transferred to the infamous CECOT megaprison.In his 46-page opinion, Boasberg found that "probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt."Writing about the matter, Stern explained that the only way out is that the government could "purge" the contempt by “asserting custody of the individuals” taken to the country without allowing them due process. ALSO READ: 'We know where this leads': How Trump’s crackdown puts Jewish people in peril"The Supreme Court unanimously agreed that migrants have a right to file these challenges, called habeas petitions, just last week," Stern pointed out. In a different case, a Maryland man was deported to El Salvador. The government acknowledges that doing so was its mistake. The government has said that they have no control over anyone once they arrive in El Salvador. "Boasberg is, in effect, calling the government’s bluff," wrote Stern. "He will forgo contempt proceedings if officials let CECOT detainees vindicate their rights. But by doing so, these officials will have to acknowledge that they do exercise constructive custody over these individuals. And this acknowledgment would puncture the fiction that they have no practical authority to bring Kilmar Ábrego García, or anyone else, back from El Salvador."If the Justice Department refuses the offer, Stern said that Boasberg will "'proceed to identify the individual(s) responsible' for defying his orders, through 'live witness testimony' if necessary."MSNBC legal analysts Lisa Rubin and Barbara McQuade said on Wednesday that there is precedent for a judge appointing an attorney to prosecute the government if the Justice Department refuses to do so. "If Boasberg orders the defendants arrested and jailed, federal marshals are responsible for carrying out the task," wrote Stern. He cited a recent report from Democracy Docket saying, "If the Justice Department instructs marshals to stand down, Boasberg can appoint other law enforcement officers, including state police, to seize and detain the federal officials who defied him."The U.S. Supreme Court could intervene, however. "Simply as a matter of preserving the judiciary’s independence, the justices should back him up and decline to condone such brazen defiance of judicial authority," Stern asserted. "But this Supreme Court keeps dodging conflicts with Trump at the expense of its own power."Another possibility, he said, is that Trump could pardon anyone accused of criminal contempt, even preemptively. Read the full report here.
[*] [-] [-] [x] [A+] [a-]  
[l] at 4/16/25 2:23pm
President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted that his tariffs are collecting $2 billion in revenue per day — but that doesn't appear to be true, reported NBC News, and his own officials are contradicting the claim.U.S. Customs and Border Protection told CNBC in a statement, “Since April 5, CBP has collected over $500 million under the new reciprocal tariffs, contributing to more than $21 billion in total tariff revenue from 15 presidential trade actions implemented since Jan 20, 2025,” per the report.This is despite the fact that the president has used the figure of $2 billion a day multiple times. “We’re taking in almost $2 billion a day in tariffs. Two billion a day,” he said at an executive order signing on April 8. He echoed the claim during a dinner function of the National Republican Congressional Committee.ALSO READ: 'Alarming': Small colleges bullied into silence as Trump poses 'existential threat'Trade experts have doubted Trump's claim was accurate even before CBP came forward with differing figures.This comes after a report last week that a "glitch" caused by an exemption code for ships that had already set sail for U.S. ports before the tariffs were put into effect forced many port officers to let tariffs go uncollected and simply take IOUs for vessels to pay the amount later.CBP noted that even with this glitch interfering with the collection process, "CBP’s average $250 million/day revenue stream remained uninterrupted."Trump's tariffs include new import duties of 10 to 49 percent imposed on virtually every other country's goods, with the rates depending on the size of the trade deficit the United States has with each country. Following outcry from business leaders and some lawmakers in his own party, combined with catastrophic stock market drops, Trump instituted a 90-day grace period in which all countries except China will only face the minimum of 10 percent.

As of 4/16/25 6:43pm. Last new 4/16/25 6:13pm.

Next feed in category: Open Democracy