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Trump's team announces new target in sanctuary city skirmish

As it turns out, no amount of ass-kissing could save beleaguered New York City Mayor Eric Adams from President Donald Trump’s wrath.  Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that the Department of Justice is suing the Big Apple and its mayor fo
Daily Kos

Trump's team announces new target in sanctuary city skirmish

As it turns out, no amount of ass-kissing could save beleaguered New York City Mayor Eric Adams from President Donald Trump’s wrath.  Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that the Department of Justice is suing the Big Apple and its mayor for protecting immigrants. This is the latest in a string of lawsuits filed against cities which the feds claim are obstructing immigration enforcement. “The Department of Justice is suing New York City and Mayor Eric Adams for continuing to obstruct law enforcement with sanctuary city policies,” she wrote via X. “If New York’s leaders won’t step up to protect their citizens, we will.” All of this follows the shooting of an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent in the Bronx over the weekend. Two undocumented immigrants were taken into custody for shooting the agent during what appeared to be an attempted robbery. Despite the tragedy, he is expected to survive. And while Adams basically opened the door to the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans earlier this year in an attempt to avoid his own corruption scandal, that doesn’t seem to be good enough for Trump’s team any longer.  Even flirting with a party switch to join them on the GOP side wasn’t enough to keep Adams out of the hot seat.  Related | Trump's team throws NYC Mayor Eric Adams under the bus Now, despite numerous one-on-one meetings between Adams and so-called border czar Tom Homan, he and his city are facing a 37-page lawsuit.  Homan stood alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Monday as she accused Adams during a press conference of “protecting criminals who go out and murder, rape, rob.” Of course, the Trump administration’s overstepping of power when it comes to sanctuary cities seems to be commonplace these days.  Just last month, they were activating thousands of National Guard members and deploying hundreds of active-duty Marines to Los Angeles not only to quell protests by shooting at journalists, but to assist in snatching up undocumented immigrants.  Then again, the administration’s stance, according to the lawsuit, is that if you just let these violent and masked immigration agents do their job, no one will get hurt—except immigrants.

Jailed Russian-Armenian tycoon wins lawsuit against Yerevan

A Stockholm tribunal has blocked an Armenian government plan to nationalize Samvel Karapetyan’s energy firm Read Full Article at RT.com
RT Russian politics

Jailed Russian-Armenian tycoon wins lawsuit against Yerevan

A Stockholm tribunal has blocked an Armenian government plan to nationalize Samvel Karapetyan’s energy firm Read Full Article at RT.com

‘Ukrainian agent’ caught in Russia was recovering explosive device – FSB

A suspected Ukrainian agent has been arrested in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Federal Security Service has reported Read Full Article at RT.com
RT Russian politics

‘Ukrainian agent’ caught in Russia was recovering explosive device – FSB

A suspected Ukrainian agent has been arrested in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Federal Security Service has reported Read Full Article at RT.com

Premier league soccer star investigated for ‘liking’ AI video – Bild

Influencer Pascal Kaiser has reportedly filed complaint after Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno liked a violent clip targeting a gay parade Read Full Article at RT.com
RT Russian politics

Premier league soccer star investigated for ‘liking’ AI video – Bild

Influencer Pascal Kaiser has reportedly filed complaint after Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno liked a violent clip targeting a gay parade Read Full Article at RT.com

South African parliament passes controversial appropriation bill

The largest opposition party in Pretoria’s coalition government had threatened to block the legislation but later voted in favor Read Full Article at RT.com
RT Russian politics

South African parliament passes controversial appropriation bill

The largest opposition party in Pretoria’s coalition government had threatened to block the legislation but later voted in favor Read Full Article at RT.com

Watch GOP lawmaker get caught BS-ing about Jeffrey Epstein

GOP Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri appeared on CNN with Kasie Hunt Tuesday, and it was certainly something to behold.  When asked if he would consider using his position as House Ways and Means Committee chair to investigate Jeffrey Epstein, Smith pretend
Daily Kos

Watch GOP lawmaker get caught BS-ing about Jeffrey Epstein

GOP Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri appeared on CNN with Kasie Hunt Tuesday, and it was certainly something to behold.  When asked if he would consider using his position as House Ways and Means Committee chair to investigate Jeffrey Epstein, Smith pretended like the very idea was absurd. “Well, you may use subpoena powers at any point,” he replied. “That is not a common thing that I have utilized within the Ways and Means Committee. But if I felt like that it was a priority for Americans, then of course.” “But you did use subpoena power with Hunter Biden,” Hunt said. “Exactly. We have the authority to use it, but that is the only time that I have used it,” he responded. “Epstein is not the priority of the everyday American who's working 9 to 5, just trying to put food on their table, clothes on their backs, and gasoline in their cars.” x x YouTube Video A couple of years ago, Smith used that same subpoena power in one of the many dead ends in the GOP’s quixotic search for proof of a Biden crime family—a crusade that Republicans like House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer refuse to abandon. Congressional Republicans are scrambling to shut down for summer break, dancing around questions about why—after years of vowing to release the Epstein files—they have suddenly decided it’s “not a priority.”

Lawmakers on both sides are sick of Musk’s dangerous AI

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is reportedly demanding answers from right-wing billionaire Elon Musk after his AI chatbot, Grok, repeatedly parroted antisemitic hate speech on X, his social media site. Led by Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republ
Daily Kos

Lawmakers on both sides are sick of Musk’s dangerous AI

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is reportedly demanding answers from right-wing billionaire Elon Musk after his AI chatbot, Grok, repeatedly parroted antisemitic hate speech on X, his social media site. Led by Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the lawmakers slammed Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, for failing to prevent Grok from spitting out hate speech, including Holocaust denial, praise for Adolf Hitler, and use of the antisemitic meme “every damn time,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by Axios. “xAI’s failure to take reasonable measures to mitigate against its AI models from engaging in hate speech is reckless, unacceptable, and antisemitic,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter, which they sent on Tuesday. But the antisemitism scandal is only one of Grok’s many ugly episodes recently.  Just days after that firestorm erupted online, Grok rolled out two animated characters who pushed users into sexually explicit and violent conversations. One, a flirty anime woman named Ani, promised to make users’ lives “sexier.” The other, a red panda named Bad Rudi, insulted users with vulgar language and tried to recruit them into a gang. Musk has become so affiliated with far-right extremism that Americans took to protesting his Tesla vehicle dealerships, like this one in Decatur, Georgia, in March. According to NBC News, Bad Rudi said it wanted to bomb banks, spike a town’s water supply with hot sauce and glitter, spike baby formula with liquor, and kill billionaires, among other chaos. In other encounters, it reportedly claimed inspiration from a notorious Russian anarchist. Musk brushed it off, saying, “Just wanted to do a soft launch to make sure things are stable and working well.” Meanwhile, the backlash to Grok’s antisemitic speech has only intensified. Musk admitted earlier this month that Grok was “too eager to please and be manipulated,” and Grok’s X account claimed that xAI had since taken steps to prevent hate speech from making it onto X. “We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,” the chatbot’s account posted on July 8. But that’s not reassuring to lawmakers. Their letter tells Musk to explain how Grok’s antisemitic responses made it past internal testing, and whether any red flags were raised before its latest updates were deployed. So far, more than a dozen lawmakers have signed on, including Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Reps. Dan Goldman of New York and Chris Smith, a Republican. The timing of the letter is striking: It lands just as xAI secured a Pentagon contract worth up to $200 million. It also hits as Musk announces plans to develop a kid-friendly version of Grok, after the adult version went so well. And while Musk has floated the idea of being done with the federal government—especially after his public falling-out with President Donald Trump and sliding Tesla sales—he’s clearly not out of the political arena.  Lawmakers are deep in debates over how to regulate AI. But Grok’s behavior, paired with Musk’s willingness to personally steer how his chatbot answers controversial questions, is adding urgency—and ethical red flags—to the conversation. Musk may dream of building an empire on his own terms. But for now, the federal government isn’t done with him. And with Grok’s growing list of scandals, it looks like they have plenty of reasons not to be.

The Recap: 'Border czar' explains why ICE act like Nazis, and the Trump team's latest failure

A daily roundup of the best stories and cartoons by Daily Kos staff and contributors to keep you in the know. ICE is paying retirees big bucks to come back and terrorize immigrants It takes a heartless person and a lot of money to do this awful job. Senat
Daily Kos

The Recap: 'Border czar' explains why ICE act like Nazis, and the Trump team's latest failure

A daily roundup of the best stories and cartoons by Daily Kos staff and contributors to keep you in the know. ICE is paying retirees big bucks to come back and terrorize immigrants It takes a heartless person and a lot of money to do this awful job. Senate candidate shows Democrats how to run on Trump’s Epstein scandal Sometimes you just have to be direct. White House offers new shiny objects to distract from Epstein scandal From assassination files to Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, Trump is willing to try anything. Trump's tariffs are wrecking this key industry Big Auto is losing billions. Cartoon: Can't touch this Trump just can’t escape. Top House Republican will never stop investigating Biden Rep. James Comer is a dog with a bone when it comes to Biden. ‘Border czar’ makes ridiculous excuse for ICE goons acting like Nazis Sure, rhetoric is the real problem here. Trump team fails to get lax sentence for cop involved in Breonna Taylor raid For once, justice is (kind of) served. Here’s how Trump wants to weaponize the DOJ next When in doubt, use a conspiracy theory. FEMA official quits after Trump cuts hobble Texas flood response Cuts to federal agencies are doing more and more damage. Click here to see more cartoons.

Is Trump preparing to pardon Epstein's notorious accomplice?

Don't look now, but Ghislaine Maxwell's time in federal prison for aiding and abetting accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein could be cut short. In an effort to distract from the fact that President Donald Trump is refusing to release all of the files the g
Daily Kos

Is Trump preparing to pardon Epstein's notorious accomplice?

Don't look now, but Ghislaine Maxwell's time in federal prison for aiding and abetting accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein could be cut short. In an effort to distract from the fact that President Donald Trump is refusing to release all of the files the government possesses about Epstein, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Department of Justice to speak with his known accomplice Maxwell to see if she has any information that implicates third parties, as Epstein died by suicide while in custody before going to trial. Maxwell has a whole lot to gain in this situation. The former British socialite is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for helping Epstein carry out “heinous crimes against children,” as the Department of Justice said in 2022 when she was sentenced for “conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor.”  That means Trump—who wished Maxwell «well» in 2020 after she was arrested for her role in Epstein's sex-trafficking schemes—has the power to pardon her and set her free.  And that gives Maxwell motive to tell federal prosecutors lies that could exculpate Trump from Epstein's sordid deeds. Related | White House offers new shiny objects to distract from Epstein scandal «The Epstein files don’t have an incentive to lie for a coverup. A convicted sex trafficker in search of a pardon does,» New York University law professor Ryan Goodman wrote in a post on X. «The dead giveaway: DOJ can simply release all the Epstein files, but refuses.» Even more fishy is the fact that the person who will meet with Maxwell to interview her is Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche—who served as Trump's defense attorney during his numerous federal indictments that have now been corruptly dismissed. «Justice demands courage. For the first time, the Department of Justice is reaching out to Ghislaine Maxwell to ask: what do you know?» Blanche wrote in a post on X. «At @AGPamBondi’s direction, I’ve contacted her counsel. I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.» The fact that Trump's former criminal defense attorney is meeting with Maxwell should also give everyone pause, as Blanche would likely put Trump's best interests over the truth. «Any meeting between Blanche, DOJ, or any other Trump representative, on the one hand, and Ghislaine Maxwell and her attorneys or other representatives, on the other, should be audiovisually recorded. Full stop,» George Conway, a lawyer and frequent Trump critic, wrote in a post on X, adding that the situation «reeks of corruption.» Even if Maxwell isn’t pardoned, the Trump administration’s announcement that it will interview her is just another attempt to distract the public from the fact that the government is not releasing more information about the Epstein case. It feeds into speculation that Trump—who was friends with Epstein and took trips with the accused sex trafficker on multiple occasions—is worried about being implicated by the documents. Already, Bondi has sought to change the subject from the Epstein files by releasing hundreds of thousands of documents relating to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, as well as the probe into Hillary Clinton’s emails. In an Oval Office appearance, Trump also said he is going to go after former President Barack Obama for “treason” over the Russia investigation—an insane and authoritarian declaration, as even Trump’s own Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw a Senate investigation that found that Russia did interfere in the 2016 election. But the biggest sign yet that Trump is worried about what’s contained in the Epstein files is that he is now calling the scandal the “Epstein hoax”—his favorite way to claim that something that will make him look bad is fake. Ultimately, the Epstein files scandal is not going away. And how Trump and his cronies handle Maxwell could fuel the flames even further.

Some deportees are leaving El Salvador's hellish megaprison

Around 230 Venezuelans deported to and imprisoned in El Salvador’s brutal CECOT prison are being sent to Caracas, Venezuela, Daily Kos can confirm.  In exchange, Venezuela will release five U.S. citizens and five U.S. permanent residents into custody
Daily Kos

Some deportees are leaving El Salvador's hellish megaprison

Around 230 Venezuelans deported to and imprisoned in El Salvador’s brutal CECOT prison are being sent to Caracas, Venezuela, Daily Kos can confirm.  In exchange, Venezuela will release five U.S. citizens and five U.S. permanent residents into custody of the American government, according to Reuters, which was the first to report the news through government sources.  “This nightmare is finally coming to an end. Unbelievable,” Gris Vogt, a San Francisco-based education specialist for the blind who has spent the past four months assisting families of the imprisoned men, told Daily Kos.  Since March, Vogt has worked with families in Venezuela, serving as a lifeline for their access to the American Civil Liberties Union and helping them communicate across the geopolitical gaps of Venezuela, El Salvador, and the U.S.  At least one planeload of prisoners arrived in Caracas on Friday afternoon, she told Daily Kos. “I’m happy for them, I’m happy for everybody,” she said.  x x YouTube Video On March 15, President Donald Trump deported 238 Venezuelan immigrants to the notoriously abusive CECOT prison on the flimsy claims that they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang.  However, the most concrete proof that the administration has provided is that the people had tattoos that officials claimed were affiliated with the gang. Experts have cast doubt on the reliability of using tattoos to gauge gang affiliation, though. Additionally, the vast majority of the original 238 deported Venezuelan migrants have no criminal record, according to “60 Minutes.” While around 230 Venezuelans are to be sent to their home country, the U.S. has deported over 250 Venezuelans to El Salvador. It is unclear which men will be sent to Venezuela and who will stay. Some of those deported to CECOT do have criminal histories, and it's possible they will remain in that prison.  Daily Kos has reached out to government officials for comment but did not immediately hear back.  As for other Venezuelan inmates without criminal convictions, their family members have been waiting months for this day to come.

Trump melts down after lewd letter to Jeffrey Epstein is made public

President Donald Trump is in the midst of a temper tantrum after the Wall Street Journal on Thursday night published the contents of a lewd birthday note he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The note included a doodle of a naked woman an
Daily Kos

Trump melts down after lewd letter to Jeffrey Epstein is made public

President Donald Trump is in the midst of a temper tantrum after the Wall Street Journal on Thursday night published the contents of a lewd birthday note he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The note included a doodle of a naked woman and concluded, «Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump has so far written four unhinged Truth Social posts trying to deny that he ever wrote the note to Epstein, who was charged with child sex trafficking in 2019 but allegedly committed suicide in prison before he faced trial. Before that, Epstein was convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution of a minor. Epstein counted as his friends a number of powerful men, including Trump. In 2002, Trump raved about their friends to New York magazine. “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump said. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” President Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on July 15. After the Wall Street Journal’s report went live, Trump claimed online that the birthday note is »FAKE« and threatened to sue the news outlet for publishing the note's contents. Then he claimed the note could not be real, writing in another batshit-crazy Truth Social post that the note is »not the way I talk.« »Also, I don’t draw pictures. I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn’t print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I’m going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper,« Trump wrote. However, Trump does draw pictures. A number of his doodles of the New York City skyline have been auctioned off for charity—including one that sold for $29,000 and another that sold for $16,000 in 2017. Trump also posted about the Epstein files, which his administration says don't exist, despite the fact that many who now serve in his administration had said they should be released. To try to appease his base, which is tearing itself apart as it reckons with the fact that Trump may be part of a cover-up of the Epstein scandal, Trump said late on Thursday that he ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all pertinent Grand Jury testimony” about Epstein. Legal experts say, however, that this would likely not include lists of the powerful people purported to be in the files. Then Trump tried a new line of defense about why the Epstein files—which he long said he would release—don't exist. »If there was a 'smoking gun' on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had [former Attorney General Merrick] Garland and [former FBI Director James] Comey in charge, use it? BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!« Trump wrote. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers are working overtime to protect and defend their Dear Leader. House Republican leadership is blocking the House from voting on a bill that would order the release of the Epstein files. Instead, Republican leaders put a toothless, nonbinding resolution on the floor that says the administration should release the files. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky speaks to reporters at the Capitol in May 2019. »Republicans spent all day writing a glorified press release to cover for a child sex abuser. What they ended up writing is a phony, non-binding resolution that does nothing,« Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said. “I moved to make it real and release the Epstein files. Every Republican voted no. Again.” »Congress thinks you’re stupid. The rules committee passed a NON-BINDING Epstein resolution, hoping folks will accept it as real. It forces the release of NOTHING," Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky—who is trying to force a vote on a bill that would legally obligate the Trump administration to release the files—wrote in a post on X. Meanwhile, other Republicans are playing cover for Trump.  Rep. Randy Fine, Republican of Florida, is irate about the WSJ report, saying he is introducing legislation to end House subscriptions to the newspaper. And Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida posted a joke doodle of a naked woman to try to claim the WSJ story was fake news.  And House Speaker Mike Johnson went on CNBC to claim that everything is fine and that Trump’s approval rating has never been higher, even though that’s patently false and his approval rating has been tanking. “His approval ratings are skyrocketing. CNN had a story a day or two ago—he was at a 90% approval rating! There's never been a president that high,” Johnson said in a comment so absurdly false it rivals the kind of propaganda the lady in the pink dress spews about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

CBS cancels Trump critic Colbert's 'Late Show'—and faces sharp blowback

CBS is being criticized after the network announced on Thursday night that its long-running late-night talk show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” hosted by the comedian and outspoken Trump critic, would be canceled and go off the air in 2026. The ne
Daily Kos

CBS cancels Trump critic Colbert's 'Late Show'—and faces sharp blowback

CBS is being criticized after the network announced on Thursday night that its long-running late-night talk show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” hosted by the comedian and outspoken Trump critic, would be canceled and go off the air in 2026. The network’s decision comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has been engaged in a sustained attack on independent media and as corporate media like CBS has given in to his demands. “This is all just going away,” Colbert told his audience on Thursday night, and said he shared his audience’s feelings after they booed the announcement. CBS claimed in a statement that the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” was based on finances and “not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.” Trump praised the network’s decision. “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. But as is often the case, Trump is wrong. In the most recent quarter, Colbert was the highest-rated late-night talk show host. Colbert had an average of 2.42 million viewers each night, outpacing the competition at ABC and NBC. x x YouTube Video CBS’ announcement comes just three days after Colbert mocked the network’s parent Paramount company for paying out $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit from Trump. Paramount is also, coincidentally, in the middle of a merger that the Trump administration will need to sign off on. “As someone who has always been a proud employee of this network, I’m offended. And I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company. But just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million dollars would help,” Colbert said. Several Democratic members of Congress called out CBS for the apparent censorship. “CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts wrote. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.” xCBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery. America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons. Watch and share his message.— Elizabeth Warren (@warren.senate.gov) 2025-07-18T00:15:04.991Z California Sen. Adam Schiff echoed Warren’s sentiments, writing, “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.” Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal noted that Paramount had previously admitted that the Trump suit was “without merit” and said the public needs to know if the Colbert cancellation is “a politically motivated attack on free speech.” Colbert has been one of the most prominent voices in the entertainment world consistently mocking Trump, the Republican Party, and conservatives. He has hosted progressives and Democratic Party leaders who have used the program to criticize and mock the right. By eliminating the show, the right gains ground by silencing a dissenting voice. Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have been systematically working to defund, attack, and purge media that doesn’t toe the party line. At the same time, corporate media has bowed to Trump at outlets like the Washington Post, ABC News, and previously at CBS. The capitulation continues.

Wait, Trump’s idiotic plan to reopen Alcatraz could cost how much?

President Donald Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz as a maximum-security prison—and it could cost up to $2 billion, according to Axios. Trump has long toyed with the idea of reopening the infamous island prison, which is currently a museum and tourist destina
Daily Kos

Wait, Trump’s idiotic plan to reopen Alcatraz could cost how much?

President Donald Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz as a maximum-security prison—and it could cost up to $2 billion, according to Axios. Trump has long toyed with the idea of reopening the infamous island prison, which is currently a museum and tourist destination. But now it seems he’s taking concrete steps to make this foolish plan happen. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum toured the island Thursday, with officials confirming that multiple site visits have been conducted and early cost estimates drafted. It’s absurd on its face. Trump has spent months heartlessly cutting federal programs and shrinking government agencies under the guise of “efficiency.” And yet his administration is now considering a multibillion-dollar prison project aimed at housing what Trump calls America’s “most ruthless and violent” criminals. Sources told Axios there are three possible versions of the plan. The first—and most costly, at over $2 billion—involves destroying all existing structures on the island and building a new “supermax” complex from nothing. A smaller version might cost around $1 billion and take up less area of the island. The third option involves outsourcing the project to private prison companies, but Axios’ sources say this isn’t likely. A bird flies above Alcatraz Island on May 4 in the San Francisco Bay, California. “He likes it because it’s tough,” one Trump adviser told Axios. Another added: “People thought it was a joke … but the president is serious. And if he’s serious, we’re gonna do it.” Of course, there are huge logistical issues with this idea. Alcatraz was closed in 1963, after about 29 years in operation. The facility was falling apart, too expensive to run, and depended on boats to supply everything—food, water, and staff. And that was over 60 years ago. It’s not about need. It’s about image. Alcatraz occupies a large place in the American imagination, thanks to decades of movies, myths, and prison lore. And Trump, always looking to make a statement, surely sees this as an opportunity. Forget that the U.S. prison population has been dropping for years and is expected to keep shrinking. And forget that the National Park Service has operated the island as a tourist spot since 1973. If Trump gets his way, power would shift from NPS to Bondi’s Justice Department, which would oversee the new facility. Axios notes that funding could come from Trump’s recently passed budget law, which increased funding for immigration enforcement. That sector remains one of the few areas still seeing growth in the incarceration system, and it’s a top priority for Trump, who has heavily promoted brutal border policies designed to scare migrants into “self-deporting.” Democrats, unsurprisingly, are criticizing the Alcatraz plan. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, called it “the Trump administration’s stupidest initiative yet.” “It should concern us all that clearly the only intellectual resources the Administration has drawn upon for this foolish notion are decades-old fictional Hollywood movies,” she said in a statement. Even Trump’s staff admits that costs and time frames might stop the project.  “We need a lot more study, a lot more specificity, before the president decides,” one official said. “But $2 billion might just be too much money for him.”  The most expensive option might also be shelved because it would take too long to build, and Trump is eager to get it done while he’s still in office. Still, it wouldn’t be the first time Trump invested public funds in a flashy project with little real purpose. If it sounds expensive and legally questionable, chances are it’s close to getting approved.

Democrats are using Trump's playbook and going after Fox News

Congressional Democrats are demanding answers from Fox News after the conservative network edited an interview with President Donald Trump about Jeffrey Epstein, his associate and convicted sex offender. In a 2024 interview, Fox aired an interview with Trum
Daily Kos

Democrats are using Trump's playbook and going after Fox News

Congressional Democrats are demanding answers from Fox News after the conservative network edited an interview with President Donald Trump about Jeffrey Epstein, his associate and convicted sex offender. In a 2024 interview, Fox aired an interview with Trump and Rachel Campos-Duffy in which he appeared to unequivocally say he would declassify files associated with the Epstein investigation, the 9/11 attacks, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In the version broadcast on “Fox & Friends,” Trump responds, “Yeah. Yeah, I would.” But in the extended version of the comments, Trump equivocated and told the network, “You don’t want to affect people’s lives if it’s phony stuff in there.” The interview is coming under renewed scrutiny after Trump and his Department of Justice have decided to withhold information on the Epstein investigation despite years of touting the case as something he would expose. Rep. Robert Garcia of California “It is obvious to the American public that someone is lying and someone is trying to hide something,” Rep. Robert Garcia, the highest-ranking Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement released on Thursday. “As a network that reaches an estimated 2,663,000 total viewers, Fox News should not be in the business of censoring interviews with presidential candidates to mislead the public. The American people have a right to understand why Fox & Friends chose to alter President Trump’s stated position on the release of the Epstein files.” In a letter addressed to Lachlan Murdoch (executive chair and CEO of Fox parent Fox Corporation) and Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, Garcia asks the network for access to any communications between Fox and Trump regarding the interview and exchanges about the Trump campaign and Epstein. Garcia noted in his letter that the Fox News edits are even “more pressing” after Trump sued CBS for airing two clips of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, falsely insinuating that the edits changed the content of the exchange—while apparently benefitting from edited video from Fox at the same time. Related | CBS News disgraces itself as parent company bends to Trump CBS’ parent company Paramount has since paid off a $16 million settlement to Trump to make the frivolous lawsuit go away. The Epstein issue has been a major concern for Trump, as he has received criticism from MAGA supporters for the administration’s lack of transparency. Trump and congressional Republicans continue to stonewall efforts by Democrats attempting to force full disclosure of the government’s Epstein data, including a purported client list related to Epstein’s sex trafficking. Fox has long been in Trump’s corner, devoting hundreds of hours of airtime to propping up Trump, the Republican Party, and conservatism. Editing videos to help Republicans and/or smear Democrats has been part of Fox’s operation for its 29 years of existence. The edits under scrutiny by Garcia are right in line with the network’s past actions.

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