Marjorie Greene

These same people who are actually supposed to be working together, but aren't, continue to be reelected. This only happens because there are no term limits.

You’d think White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s plate would be full, what with cosplaying Slenderman and trying to cover up his ever-receding hairline. You’d also think he’d be happy, as his lifetime commitment to xenophobia and racism is finally paying off as the Trump administration gears up to deport millions. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen MillerBut Miller is not happy because you people won’t stop whining about how Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to a Salvadorean prison, is entitled to due process. You know who didn’t get due process, according to Miller? The Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Here’s Miller over at X, Elon Musk’s Nazi bar: “If you were an American falsely accused of wrongdoing on January 6th it wasn't merely difficult to get ‘due process,’ it was impossible. The entire system was rigged against you. All of it. Those persecuted Americans could only dream of the ‘due process’ afforded illegal aliens.”Hoo boy. Where to even start? Let’s count the myriad ways that the abduction of Abrego Garcia is not remotely similar to anything that happened to the Jan. 6 rioters. 1. The Jan. 6 rioters were actually charged with crimes.Abrego Garcia was deported despite there being no charges against him. The Trump administration has already admitted he was deported in error, a thing they’re now trying to walk back. In contrast, the Jan. 6 insurrectionists were criminally charged as part of the largest investigation in FBI history. That investigation led to the arrest of at least 1,583 people. That’s not evidence of some nefarious plot to deprive the insurrectionists of due process. In fact, it’s the opposite. There were roughly 10,000 people on the Capitol grounds that day, meaning nearly 85% of the rioters never even faced arrest, much less a trial or a conviction or a deportation. 2. The insurrectionists got trials and plea deals.Out of those 1,583 arrests, 1,270 were convicted, with 1,009, or 79%, pleading guilty. Two hundred twenty-one of the Jan. 6 defendants were convicted after a trial, with an additional 40 convicted after stipulated trials, where a defendant admits to facts without agreeing they constitute a crime. That number of plea deals might seem high, but it’s lower than the typical rate in federal courts, where 89.5% of defendants pleaded guilty in fiscal year 2022.Abrego Garcia has not been arrested. He has not been convicted. He did not get to have a trial. He did not get to make a plea deal. He was deported illegally, and the administration refuses to bring him back. Miller knows full well these things aren’t remotely comparable.3. Nobody manufactured evidence against the Jan. 6 criminals.It’s not just that Trump posted a doctored photograph, photoshopping “MS-13” onto Abrego Garcia’s knuckles. There’s also White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s now-routine habit of straight-up lying to justify the administration’s actions. Earlier this month, Leavitt called Abrego Garcia a “leader” of MS-13, but when asked to provide details, couldn’t be bothered, saying, “There’s a lot of evidence, and the Department of Homeland Security and ICE have that evidence, and I saw it this morning.” Last week, Leavitt accused Abrego Garcia of being detained on suspicion of human trafficking, when the reality was that he was stopped for speeding and veering out of his lane. In contrast, there was no need to manufacture evidence against the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Hundreds of them filmed themselves rioting at the Capitol. Plenty bragged about it on social media. And, of course, the nation watched everything unfold in real time. 4. Many Jan. 6 rioters already had criminal records.Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, right, speaks with Kilmar Abrego Garcia.At least 159 convicted insurrectionists had previous criminal records. We’re not talking something like jaywalking here. NPR found that dozens had charges or convictions for serious crimes like manslaughter, rape, drug trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault of a minor, and production of child sexual abuse material. Abrego Garcia has no criminal record in the United States or El Salvador. He was arrested once in 2019 by a now-disgraced cop who later pleaded guilty to misconduct. That cop’s evidence for Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13? He had a Chicago Bulls cap, which the officer said was “indicative of the Hispanic gang culture.” Of course, it’s also indicative of liking the Chicago Bulls, which is not actually a crime. 5. The Supreme Court gave hundreds of the Jan. 6 rioters a little treat.Roughly 350 of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists were charged under a federal criminal law that makes it a felony to obstruct official proceedings. You’d think that a riot that tried to block the certification of electoral votes and sent members of Congress into hiding would count as an obstruction of an official proceeding, but you’d be wrong. In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the provision applied only to evidence tampering, not rioting. Fun fact: This was also one of the charges against Trump, not that it matters anymore. 6. Republicans were very concerned about jail conditions for the insurrectionists.Led by Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican members of Congress made a 2023 pilgrimage to see 20 insurrectionists housed at the D.C. jail. Greene howled about a “two-tier justice system” and declared the 20 were “political prisoners,” which is the same nonsense pushed by Trump. These were not people who were being persecuted for their beliefs. And 17 of those 20 were charged with assaulting law enforcement officers. Greene also ostentatiously worried about the conditions at the jail, saying that inmates had been threatened and denied medical care. She’s correct that conditions at the jail have been bad for a long time, but her passion for fair treatment of the incarcerated extends only to Jan. 6 protesters. When it comes to Abrego Garcia’s wrongful imprisonment in a notoriously violent foreign prison, Greene’s stance is that it is “dangerously close to treason” for people to advocate for Abrego Garcia’s return. So, it’s treason to demand that the government follow the laws and give Abrego Garcia the due process to which he is entitled, but it’s not treason to try to overturn an election with violence. Got it. 7. The Jan. 6 rioters had Trump in their corner.On the campaign trail in 2024, Trump made no secret of the fact that if he were elected, he’d pardon the rioters, who he said were “hostages.” He showed up at fundraisers on their behalf. He described the violence perpetrated by his supporters as a display of “spirit and faith and love,” and said he’d never seen anything like “the love in the air” that day. Trump was so smitten that he joined the Washington, D.C. jail inmates in song, sort of. Trump recited the “Pledge of Allegiance,” which was then layered over the “J6 Prison Choir” singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” FBI Director Kash Patel produced this monstrosity, but when he was asked about it during his confirmation hearings, he suddenly couldn’t recall a thing about his involvement. 8. The Jan. 6 insurrectionists were pardoned. One of Trump’s first official acts of 2025 was to pardon his merry band of treasonists, including people who had violently assaulted police officers. So, not only did they receive all the due process owed to them as criminal defendants, but they also received the gift of a clean slate. For some defendants, that clean slate was extra-generous. Several had been charged with additional, unrelated crimes, such as weapons charges, that turned up during investigations into their actions on Jan. 6. In at least seven cases, the DOJ then argued that Trump’s pardon covered the unrelated crimes, as the crime wouldn’t have been discovered but for the Jan. 6 investigation. Quite the deal! 9. The rioters were not shipped off to a maximum security prison in El Salvador.Besides the part where they are no longer burdened with any criminal charges, the Jan. 6 rioters are, well, here. They were not transported to El Salvador in the dead of night. They’re not being kept in El Salvador in defiance of a Supreme Court order. And unlike what the White House is saying about Abrego Garcia, senior officials in the Biden administration didn’t mock Jan. 6 prisoners and brag that they were never coming home. It’s honestly unclear what additional due process Miller thinks the Jan. 6 defendants should have received. His real complaint is that he doesn’t believe they should have ever been charged, regardless of the evidence. When it comes to Abrego Garcia, however, Miller doesn’t believe in due process at all. Campaign Action

A town hall hosted by Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, was repeatedly interrupted by protesters.

The week was dominated by news about the Maryland man illegally deported to El Salvador. But there was also concern over tariffs and Robert F. Kennedy's work as Health and Human Services secretary.

When Congress is in session, lawmakers don’t have much time to connect with their constituents. So you’d think they’d use this two-week recess to actually show up, listen, and maybe learn something.But not Republicans.They’re ghosting their constituents—still. They realize that their voters are furious over the wrecking ball that President Donald Trump and co-president Elon Musk have taken to the federal government, with full GOP support. So rather than facing the backlash, Republicans are ducking for cover.According to NBC News, Republicans are still taking cues from National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson, who previously advised members to skip in-person town halls.GOP lawmakers have been receiving an earful from angry voters about everything that Musk and Trump have done, and they probably want to avoid more bad press. But it’s incredibly cowardly. President Donald Trump and co-president Elon MuskA source close to Hudson told NBC that he hasn’t mentioned town halls, suggesting that the unofficial “stay quiet” order still stands.This is welcome news for Democrats, though, who are dominating the recess calendar with public events. Even in an off year, Democrats are bringing the heat and putting pressure (finally!) on their GOP colleagues. In fact, as Republicans run scared, Democrats say they plan to hold a fresh round of town halls, capitalizing on the backlash to the Trump administration.Throughout the recess, Democrats will be hosting events in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.“While vulnerable Republicans continue to run scared because they’re voting to raise costs, gut Medicaid, and threaten working families' livelihoods, we’re going to make sure voters know they don’t have to wait until Election Day to hold them accountable,” Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said.Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are continuing their Fighting Oligarchy tour, pulling in massive crowds. In Salt Lake City, Utah, 20,000 people turned out, and in Los Angeles, 36,000 people attended their largest rally yet.xYouTube VideoMeanwhile, only a handful of Republicans have announced plans to meet in person with their constituents: Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. But even those events are limited, with Donalds and Greene restricting them to residents of their districts.Republicans may have even more to run from now than they did just weeks ago. The House GOP recently passed a budget that gives tax breaks to the rich while cutting services like Medicaid and food stamps, on which millions of families rely, especially in marginalized communities. So while Democrats are showing up and speaking out, Republicans are doing what they do best: running scared and hoping no one notices.Campaign Action

It is abundantly clear that President Donald Trump likes to put people of questionable intelligence and expertise in charge.

Controlling the flow of information is a feature of authoritarian governments.

One small step for the AP was a giant leap for the free press.

The Supreme Court rejected the administration’s emergency appeal.

Editor's Note: The headline has been updated to reflect David McCormick's current title.A senator who bought shares of a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) ETF before President Donald Trump announced an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is back again with a hefty bet on the future price of the leading cryptocurrency.What Happened: Trump's friendly stance toward cryptocurrency helped propel Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to all-time highs after his 2024 presidential election win.Bitcoin hit new all-time highs months later in January, ahead of Trump's inauguration.While the price of Bitcoin has fallen since Trump took office, potential plans for a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve could place optimism in the United States buying the leading cryptocurrency and sending the value of BTC higher.Senator David McCormick (R-Pa.) could be hedging his investments on this very scenario. Benzinga previously reported that McCormick bought between $65,000 and $150,000 in shares of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (NYSE:BITB).McCormick is back to buying shares of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF, according to the Benzinga Government Trades page. This time, the Senator is investing with more size. Here's a look at his latest BITB trades.Feb. 27: Bought $50,000 ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Congressional Republicans held a hearing on Wednesday to direct their ire at a familiar target: public broadcasting. Led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, the Delivering on Government Efficiency Committee questioned the heads of NPR and PBS, lobbing complaints of purported political bias and using “taxpayer funds to push some of the most radical left positions.”A day later, President Donald Trump chimed in with a post on his Truth Social platform, writing, “NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY. Republicans, don’t miss this opportunity to rid our Country of this giant SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party. JUST SAY NO AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”Attacking NPR and PBS, home to “Sesame Street,” is not new ground for the right. It’s not even MAGA-specific. In fact, the war on public broadcasting goes back decades and has been passed down from Republican to Republican.The headquarters for NPR in Washington, D.C.PBS and NPR are funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a nonprofit funded by taxpayers. Programming on the networks is also funded by underwriters, which are sometimes private corporations but also individuals, other nonprofits, or trusts.Back in the 1970s, President Richard Nixon opposed funding PBS and even vetoed congressional legislation that included money to keep the network going. Coincidentally, PBS led the way in airing uninterrupted coverage of the Watergate hearings, which would eventually lead to him resigning from the presidency. At the time, viewers of the commercial networks complained that hearing coverage interrupted regular programming, while networks like C-SPAN did not yet exist. PBS was a noncommercial venue for educating the public about the most serious issue of the moment.In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan tried to cut public broadcasting funding even though the Democratic-led Congress had voted for money to be appropriated for that cause. Both George W. Bush and Trump (in his first term) attempted to defund the broadcasters as well.During the 2012 presidential election, Republican nominee Mitt Romney joined the crusade against public media, only to be mocked in an ad from then-President Barack Obama. The ad noted that despite the crimes of Wall Street during the Great Recession, Romney had singled out Big Bird—complaining that taxpayers were funding “Sesame Street.”xxYouTube VideoRomney lost, and Big Bird remains.But why are Republicans so focused on attacking PBS and NPR, to the point that the ire transcends the ideological differences within the Republican Party over decades?A big part of the reason is trust. Public media in the United States has been a resounding success. Both on the radio and on television (and now online), PBS and NPR provide content trusted by a wide swath of Americans, and both services have a very good track record of providing information without corporate or political influence.For over 22 years of polling, PBS has been ranked as the most trusted institution in the United States. A January poll from YouGov found that PBS was more highly regarded than courts of law, commercial television and print publications, and above even the federal government and Congress. Similarly, according to Harris Interactive in late 2024, NPR was ranked as the most trustworthy news media brand in America.PBS Kids, which is the programming bloc where “Sesame Street” resides, is trusted by the vast majority of parents (88%), according to a YouGov poll. And 90% of parents agreed that PBS Kids helps to prepare children for educational success. Parents also ranked it as far and away the most educational media brand.“Sesame Street” has long tackled important topics like racism, making it clear to children that this kind of bigotry is “wrong and unfair.”xxYouTube VideoIn short, public broadcasting represents the opposite of many conservative beliefs. The networks support accessible information, prioritize education, and strive to produce content opposing bigotry.Conservatives see more utility in divisive, bigoted figures—like Greene and Trump—than in Big Bird, who promotes kindness and friendship.That’s why the networks are under attack from one Republican leader to the next.Related | You won’t believe Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest unhinged rantsBut the right’s leadership is out of touch with America on this topic. A March poll from the Pew Research Center revealed that more Americans support continued funding for PBS and NPR (43%) than want to eliminate its federal funding (24%).A February poll from YouGov showed that even Trump voters value the network, with 65% saying the PBS is underfunded or adequately funded, and 72% saying they value PBS’ educational content.Americans, as they have since the character first emerged, are firmly in Big Bird’s corner. Republicans have yet to learn how to get to Sesame Street.Campaign Action

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, faces criticism from Republicans after referring to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “governor hot wheels.”

Being a Black woman in politics comes with a unique set of challenges. There’s the burden of being the “first” in any role and the heightened scrutiny that often comes with it. The treatment of Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas serves as a prime example of this.She made headlines in May 2024 when she prompted backlash from the right after calling GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia “bleach blonde, bad built, butch body” in response to Greene’s own comments about Crockett’s appearance. Now, Crockett has seemingly offended the right by allegedly harming Tesla’s reputation by engaging with a group of protesters planning a peaceful picket outside several dealerships nationwide. Crockett, who did not organize nor attend the protest, merely interacted with the protesters, making her a prime target for right-wing outrage.Initial opposition came from Greene—still seemingly nursing a grudge over Crockett’s previous insult—and far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who is never one to miss a chance to tout her racist bonafides. In a barrage of social media posts, the two women falsely accused Crockett of enabling “terrorism.” Greene even went as far as calling for the FBI to investigate Crockett, despite there being no evidence of any wrongdoing on her part.Right-wing activist and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer has been at the forefront of attacks against Rep. Jasmine Crockett.Then, Attorney General Pam Bondi quickly escalated the situation, warning Crockett to “tread very carefully” and demanding that she apologize to Tesla shareholders. Bondi even echoed Greene’s calls for Crockett to be censured.“She needs to unequivocally denounce the violence,” Bondi said on Fox News on Monday. “[Crockett] must apologize immediately, not only to all Texans but to our country, to the American shareholders of Tesla, because she is promoting violence.”Sadly, Crockett isn’t the first Black woman to face this kind of vitriol from the right. Just look at former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was viciously attacked after former President Joe Biden announced that he ended his reelection bid and endorsed Harris to take his place. In not-so-subtle digs, Republicans like President Donald Trump, accused Harris of being a “DEI” hire and tried to tie her rise to the top of the ticket to former President Barack Obama. As absurd as these arguments might sound, they resonate among the right because they aim to diminish the accomplishments of Black people—especially Black women—who many Republicans don’t want in politics.And under Trump, who has a well-documented history of racism, it’s hardly surprising that the White House wouldn’t defend Crockett but double down, continuing to attack her for something she never even did. What’s more, the Trump administration also promoted clips unrelated to the Tesla protests, accusing her of inciting violence in a transparent attempt to paint her as uncontrollable and radical. “Here’s another unhinged Democrat inciting violence. Crockett says you should ‘punch’ your opponents,” Trump’s rapid response team posted on X on Monday. These comments were, of course, taken out of context. During the interview, Crockett was asked how Democrats can win more races, and she responded by saying that they need to be more aggressive rather than submitting to Republicans and Trump.After Crockett’s comments, a Fox News article labeled her as “far-left” and included a slew of statements from conservatives attacking her.All of this is just a brouhaha aimed at punishing Crockett for something she didn’t do—namely, the violence against Tesla, for which Republicans have somehow decided she’s responsible.What all of these attacks against Crockett neglect to mention, of course, is the role that Tesla CEO Elon Musk plays in dragging down his own company.Instead of holding Musk—whose own reckless actions and leadership have already harmed Tesla—accountable, the right has decided that Crockett, a Black woman, is the easier target. Let’s be clear: Any outrage directed at Tesla is a direct result of frustration with Musk, who, in his new role with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, has launched a relentless attack on federal agencies that millions of people depend on, all under the guise of “efficiency.” Before Crockett even spoke out, Tesla’s stock was falling, and its European sales were plummeting. The company’s real issue is Musk himself, but it’s more convenient for Republicans to scapegoat Crockett.Should the vandalism of Tesla vehicles continue, Republicans are likely to take the opportunity to censure Crockett, just as they did with fellow Texas Democrat, Rep. Al Green. Despite widespread dissatisfaction with Musk, the right continues to avoid holding him accountable. Instead, the default reaction is to blame a Black woman—because that’s an easier story to sell.Campaign Action

"And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot ass mess," Crockett said about Abbott during the 2025 Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles Dinner.

'Absolutely'

Before Karoline Leavitt begins a White House briefing, before she emerges from behind the sliding door that separates the West Wing from the briefing room, before she takes the podium with a sunny “Good afternoon, everybody!” and begins her monologue...

Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett slammed President Donald Trump for releasing Jan. 6 criminals, then turning around days later to brand anti-Elon Musk protests at Tesla dealerships as terrorism.xxYouTube VideoAttorney General Pam Bondi appeared with Fox Business conspiracy theorist Maria Bartiromo on Sunday to issue a threat against Crockett, who had spoken before a “Tesla Takedown” protest.Bondi described vandalism of Tesla dealerships as “domestic terrorism,” adding, “Now you have this congresswoman, Crockett, who is calling for attacks on Elon Musk on her birthday? Let’s take him out on my birthday, she says? Yet she turns and says, ‘Oh I’m not calling for violence’? Well, she is an elected public official and so she needs to tread very carefully.”xxYouTube VideoIn an interview later in the day on MSNBC, Crockett made clear that she was discussing destroying Tesla stock, which has cratered over the last year, in her speech about taking down Musk. Crockett explained that she and protest organizers have called for nonviolent protests and that the Trump administration and its supporters have continually mischaracterized her remarks, taking them out of context.“Just in case the slow people listening decide to clip this up later, I just want to say that I have never promoted violence whatsoever, yet I’ve also never made excuses for those violent actors, such as the ones on Jan. 6,” Crockett said.“So Pam Bondi, if you have an issue with terrorism, maybe you should talk to your boss about locking back up those guys that he let out that participated in Jan. 6.”Trump and his team have been obsessed with defending Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency group from criticism, and have now resorted to open advocacy for Tesla, Musk’s most visible business. Trump recently used the White House for a Tesla sales pitch, reading from marketing copy to promote his billionaire benefactor’s private business.Trump and Musk speak to reporters near a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025, in Washington.The message has been amplified in Congress, where Republican leaders like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have argued that peaceful anti-Musk protests are acts of “terrorism.”Trump has even floated deporting people for the purported sin of protesting at Tesla dealerships.Voters are using Tesla locations as a local venue to express their dissatisfaction with Musk’s assault on the federal government, which has now cost thousands of jobs and is projected to result in at least a half a trillion shortfall in federal revenue.Meanwhile, Trump has been soft on crime—as long as it was done in his name.Trump triggered the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. The attack was an attempt to stop the certification of the election result and Trump was later impeached and indicted for his role in the assault (charges were dropped after he won reelection).When he got back in office, Trump pardoned the attackers—releasing hundreds of convicted criminals, including some who had been found guilty in federal court of sedition. Some of those who he released have gone on to commit more crimes, returning to the pattern of behavior that got them in trouble in the first place.Trump was even criticized by the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police for showing leniency toward convicted criminals who have assaulted law enforcement officers, who were guarding the Capitol on Jan. 6.Even his close political ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, admitted that Trump’s actions were a mistake.“Pardoning the people who went into the Capitol and beat up a police officer violently, I think was a mistake, because it seems to suggest that’s an okay thing to do,” Graham said.Campaign Action

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk are taking their bromance to the next level, with Trump threatening to deport or jail anyone who dares to tarnish the cars at his buddy’s dealerships.It all started with a post on Truth Social late Thursday evening, when the president mused about jail sentences of up to 20 years for those committing so-called acts of “domestic terrorism” against the billionaire bureaucrat’s electric vehicles. “People that get caught sabotaging Teslas will stand a very good chance of going to jail for up to twenty years, and that includes the funders,” Trump wrote. “WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!!!”Hours later, on Friday, Trump made a second post, suggesting that Tesla vandals should be sent to “the prisons of El Salvador,” where people are notoriously abused, beaten, and tortured via electric shocks.“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” he wrote. “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon MuskIt’s worth noting that deporting U.S. citizens is illegal, despite the president’s semi-regular pledges to exact this sort of cruel revenge on his political enemies. Yet Trump seems to reserve these perverse threats for those he personally dislikes. Recall that in January, Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences for everyone criminally charged with storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, allowing violent extremists to walk free.Notably, it didn’t take long before several of these insurrectionists were back behind bars. One Trump-pardoned criminal, Andrew Taake, who had originally received a six-year sentence for his actions on Jan. 6, was later re-arrested on an outstanding child sex crimes charge. Another convicted rioter, Edward Kelley, was separately charged with conspiring to murder the law enforcement agents who investigated him, forming a “kill list.”Trump’s latest messages come after his attorney general appointee, Pam Bondi, promised “severe consequences” for anyone responsible for violent incidents targeting Musk’s Tesla cars. On Thursday, three individuals were charged on suspicion of violently destroying Tesla properties. The trio were each accused of using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars or charging stations“Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,” Bondi said in a statement. In addition to Bondi, some of Trump’s most loyal allies have insisted that even those who participate in peaceful protests against the electric vehicle company were guilty of enabling “terrorism.” Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a known right-wing extremist, encouraged Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, after the Democrat spoke to nonviolent protesters who are planning a nationwide picket against Tesla.Meanwhile, Fox News host Harris Faulkner suggested that the death penalty be considered for those charged with destroying Teslas.xDatawrapper ContentTesla has become a channel through which Americans angry at Musk can direct their frustration. As Musk and his team at DOGE have dismantled several federal agencies and fired hundreds of thousands of government employees, Tesla sales have tanked abroad and the company’s stock has plummeted. In her statement, Bondi suggested that the attacks on Tesla were coordinated, though the real explanation is likely much simpler: People just don’t like Musk.Even if the public has turned on him, the world’s richest man has one ally in his corner: Trump. Earlier this month, Trump held an incredibly uncomfortable infomercial in front of the White House, encouraging more Americans to buy Musk’s overpriced and unsafe cars.Trump may be pressuring other administration members to support Musk, too. Earlier this week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pleaded with the public to buy more Tesla stock. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t seem like these calls are working.Campaign Action

DOGE subcommittee Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, is investigating “gross negligence" and “rampant cronyism" at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a government media agency run by former legacy media executives.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and MAGA diehard Laura Loomer are amplifying the false claim that Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas is enabling “terrorism” after speaking to protesters to urge nonviolent demonstrations against Tesla.Late Wednesday, Greene took to social media and accused her House colleague—with whom she already has a strained relationship—of “organizing political violence and terrorism.” She also suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel should investigate further, tagging both in her post on X.Greene wasn’t the only right-wing nut making unfounded accusations. Loomer, a known conspiracy theorist, accused the “radical” Crockett of “enabling domestic terrorism” and called for her censure. Crockett’s “crime?” Speaking to a group of protesters on Wednesday for the #TeslaTakedown campaign, which has organized peaceful pickets outside of Tesla showrooms in recent weeks and encourages supporters to dump Tesla stock and vehicles. Crockett explicitly stated that she only supports nonviolent protests, but Greene and Loomer are hardly known for their honesty.“I am truly here for very selfish reasons—starting with March 29, it’s my birthday and all I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down,” Crockett said on the livestream. “Obviously, everything that I am promoting is nonviolent.”Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of TexasIt makes sense, though, that Republican allies of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump would be looking for a scapegoat. The company’s stock has tanked, and its popularity is at a nine-year low, according to YouGov. Meanwhile, Musk’s popularity is down the drain, and the #TeslaTakedown group is planning its “biggest day of action” on March 29, during which protesters are slated to picket 277 Tesla locations in the United States and more than 500 abroad. But Greene’s focus on Crockett could be personal, considering Crockett’s past comment about Greene’s “bleach blonde, bad built, butch body.” She might also be defending Tesla because she is the chair of the House subcommittee overseeing cuts planned by Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Notably, Crockett is also on the panel. As for Loomer, she’s a racist with a history of targeting Black women and getting involved in far-right culture wars. Though it’s striking that she’s defending Musk, considering she once called him a “stage 5 clinger” due to his unusually close relationship with Trump.In reality, Crockett has done nothing wrong. During her call with the #TeslaTakedown protesters, she said that “the best way to show that we are American is by using our constitutional rights and deciding that we are going to engage in protest, especially when we have elected officials and then unelected people like [Musk].” According to The Verge, the #TeslaTakedown protests began in earnest in February, starting at just a handful of locations. It has since grown to hundreds of locations across the country.These protests—all of which have been peaceful—are unrelated to the wave of vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms, including the damage to five cars at a Tesla facility that authorities believe was a targeted attack. Bondi has promised “severe consequences on those involved in the attacks.” But while elected officials dedicate their time and energy to defending Musk’s business ventures, he seems to have no problem driving his company into the ground all on his own. Campaign Action

WASHINGTON — The “squad” has shrunk.

My advice to congressional Democrats: If you’re going to embrace performative politics, be sure you give a good performance. Instead, the Democrats at President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress last week looked like an angry and lonely clown car.

In a bid to boost Elon Musk’s car company, Trump did a live White House ad and threatened Tesla protesters would “go through hell.” The post If Protesting Tesla Is Domestic Terrorism, Then What Demonstration Against Musk Isn’t appeared first on The Intercept.

President Donald Trump’s thirst for personal revenge has him using the whole of the federal government to attack everyone he feels wronged by. As Judge Beryl Howell put it: "Pursuing personal payback is not something in which the government has a cognizable interest." She should know, as Judge Howell granted a temporary restraining order, partially blocking the administration from enforcing Trump’s executive order that targeted Perkins Coie, a law firm Trump has been angry at for years.Trump’s attack on Perkins Coie stems from the fact that the law firm hired the firm that commissioned the Steele dossier, a controversial political opposition research report on Trump’s 2016 campaign. Still mad nearly a decade later, Trump stripped the firm of security clearances and restricted its employees from entering federal buildings. The executive order doesn’t hide this, instead explicitly complaining about the firm’s representation of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and their work with “activist donors” like George Soros.Perkins Coie filed suit, which led to Wednesday’s temporary restraining order. During the hearing, Judge Howell compared Trump’s behavior to that of the Queen of Hearts in “Alice in Wonderland,”running around yelling, “Off with her head!”This isn’t the only firm Trump has personally targeted. He’s also suspended security clearances for the lawyer who represented the whistleblower over Trump’s “perfect call” to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zenenskyy and the firm that provided services for former special counsel Jack Smith. These attacks are indeed intended to harm these firms directly. However, they also send a message to any law firm thinking of representing someone with interests adverse to Trump: don’t do it unless you want to be targeted. John BoltonTrump’s personal hatred is also what fueled his removal of security protections from dozens of people he’s mad at. It only took him one day to strip his former national security adviser John Bolton of his Secret Service detail. Bolton got Secret Service protection thanks to former President Joe Biden because Bolton received threats from Iran over a drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani during Trump’s first term. Biden did this even though Bolton is no fan of Biden. Indeed, after Trump yanked his detail, Bolton told CBS News, “Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden's national-security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to once again extend Secret Service protection to me in 2021.”Biden’s actions are what presidents are supposed to do, which is to ensure security protection of people regardless of whether he likes them or shares their politics. But for Trump, security protections are just another thing to arbitrarily withhold as punishment. Bolton’s sin is that he wrote a book calling Trump unfit to be president and, ironically, called him out for punishing personal enemies. Trump also immediately pulled State Department security details for his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and a senior aide, Brian Hook. Like Bolton, Pompeo and Hook received threats from Iran because they helped implement Trump’s bellicose approach to that country. Like Bolton, the Biden administration understood that security protection was necessary and even warned the incoming Trump team that Pompeo and Hook still faced threats, but Trump pulled the security details regardless. Mike PompeoUnlike Bolton, it isn’t as clear why Trump is unhappy with Pompeo. There are some minor things, like disagreeing with Trump’s assertion that Iran didn’t fund terrorist groups during his first presidency. Pompeo also said the GOP needed to shift away from leaders with “fragile egos” and correctly noted that the first Trump administration added to the national deficit. These are remarkably trivial, but Hook’s transgressions seem nonexistent. Hook, who was Trump’s envoy to Iran during his first term, was also expected to be a senior adviser in the second term. Instead, he was fired via an all-caps Truth Social post on Trump’s first day in office. One possible explanation is that Hook, though one of the key architects of Trump’s rabid anti-Iran policy, was compromised somehow because he spent his career affiliated with Republicans that Trump thinks are too soft. None of this is a reason to remove security protections from someone still facing active threats—threats that stem from actions supporting Trump’s policies. In late January, General Mark Milley, who Trump appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019, was stripped of his security clearances and had his security detail removed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also ordered an inspector general examination of Milley’s record, with an eye toward reducing his rank. Retired Gen. Mark MilleyMilley’s transgression? Upon his retirement in 2023, he told troops they swore an oath to the Constitution, not to “a king, or a queen, or to a tyrant or dictator, and we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator.” He also called Trump “fascist to the core.” Trump learned that at the end of his first term, Milley talked with Chinese officials to tell them there was no threat to China. Trump then went on Truth Social to say Milley was treasonous and implied he should be executed. Biden preemptively pardoned Milley, knowing that Trump would possibly pursue criminal charges against him. However, that pardon only insulates Milley from criminal investigation. Trump can still use the levers of government to investigate and punish Milley via the inspector general process. Fifty former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter describing the Hunter Biden laptop debacle as a “Russian information operation” also lost their security clearances. This includes people who served under President Barack Obama, such as former CIA directors John Brennan and Leon Panetta. It’s also not surprising that Trump swiftly ended the security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, given he repeatedly attacked Fauci for suggesting actual and effective public health measures to combat COVID-19 rather than implementing Trump’s unhinged and untested ideas. Fauci only needed a security detail because of Trump’s attacks which, predictably, whipped his worst followers into a frenzy. Fauci has received death threats and has been targeted by conservative GOP members of Congress like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said he should be tried for crimes against humanity. Trump's behavior is viciously whimsical and unpredictable because he’s driven by pique as much as politics. It’s mad king behavior, King Lear banishing those who won’t flatter him. This isn’t how government is supposed to work. People shouldn’t have to live in fear of crossing Trump, but that’s exactly what’s happening, and exactly what Trump wants. Campaign Action

Rep. Seth Moulton spotted the "bottom line" in the president's love for "freedom and liberties."

Texas Rep. Keith Self misgendered Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware, the first openly transgender member of Congress, during a hearing on Tuesday but was immediately called out on it.xxYouTube VideoThe act of bigotry occurred during a hearing of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee, which Self chairs. The Republican lawmaker recognized McBride, referring to her as “Mr. McBride.” McBride, cheekily referred to Self as “Madame Chair” when Democrat Bill Keating of Massachusetts broke in to ask Self to clarify what he had said.“Could you repeat what you said when you introduced a duly elected representative from the United States of America? Please,” Keating said.Self replied, “The representative from Delaware, Mr. McBride.”Clearly angered by the response, Keating said, “Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Mr. Chairman, have you no decency? I’ve come to know you a little bit but this is not decent.”“We will continue this hearing,” Self answered.“You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly elected representative the right way,” Keating said, pounding the table with his fist.Self then banged his gavel and adjourned the hearing. In a follow-up post, Self defended his actions, writing, “It is the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female.”Conservative pundit Michael Knowles, who has called for the eradication of transgender people, later said that Self had been scheduled for an appearance on his show following the incident.The open Republican disdain for McBride’s gender identity was condemned by longtime conservative activist and Bulwark writer Bill Kristol in a Bluesky post.“I’m neither young nor woke. In fact I’m kind of a stick-in-the-mud,” he wrote. “A few weeks ago, I was at a dinner that included Sarah McBride. We had a pleasant time and interesting conversation. It wasn’t at all a burden to treat her with decency and respect. Republican members of the House might try it.”Conservatives have been on a crusade against transgender equality over the last decades, and House Republicans have repeatedly attacked McBride since she was elected in 2024.Speaker Mike Johnson, responding to a demand from South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, segregated congressional bathrooms by “biological sex” in November.Mary Miller of Illinois, used “gentleman” to refer to McBride when she spoke on the House floor and posted her displeasure, along with Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, when the Congressional Record changed her remarks to “gentlewoman.”“I refuse to participate in this lie. Tim ‘Sarah’ McBride is a MAN!” she wrote.Lauren Boebert of Colorado even stalked the bathrooms on Capitol Hill, issuing a false alert that she had seen “a guy” in the women’s bathroom.Republicans have not only embraced anti-transgender sentiment in rhetoric (and have been joined by a few Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom), but have also pushed policy and legislation meant to restrict transgender equality.Keating’s decision to stand up to bigoted bullying is the rare occasion where Republicans have had to immediately justify their pro-hate actions.Campaign Action

Addressing vandalism against Elon Musk's car company, Rep. Mike Johnson called the attacks domestic terrorism.

President Donald Trump and co-President Elon Musk are not even trying to hide their blatant corruption anymore.The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Musk’s team recently told Trump's advisers that he wants to inject $100 million into super PACs controlled by Trump's political team. Such a large donation would give the president a massive amount of resources to play with in the 2026 midterm elections.From The New York Times report:Associates of both Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump have talked in recent days about Mr. Musk’s planned donation to a Trump-controlled entity. Mr. Musk has signaled he wants to make the donations not to his own super PAC, which is called America PAC and has spent heavily on Mr. Trump in the past, but to an outside entity affiliated with the president.The groups that are leading Mr. Trump’s outside activities include Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC, and Securing American Greatness, a political nonprofit. It is not clear if the money would go to those groups or to a new entity the Trump team could create.The Times’ report arrived on the same day as Trump held an infomercial for Musk's flailing Tesla car company in the White House driveway, in which Trump used a sheet of talking points to praise its vehicles and say he would go after people who protest in front of Tesla dealerships by labeling them domestic terrorists. That event alone was corrupt enough.President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters near a Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025.But the fact that while Trump was doing Musk a solid by hawking his cars, Musk was considering giving Trump a massive amount of money to engage in the midterm elections is a level of corruption that’s hard to fathom."Outright corruption," Democratic Rep. Nadia Velazquez of New York wrote about the news in a post on X.“Even though it's out in the open, corruption is corruption,” Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said in a video post on X.But don’t expect the Department of Justice to investigate the donation if it hits the pockets of Trump’s operation.NBC News reported on Tuesday that the DOJ is “gutting the Justice Department's unit that oversees prosecutions of public officials accused of corruption.”From NBC’s report:The unit, the Public Integrity Section, has overseen some of the country’s most high-profile and sensitive prosecutions. Now, though, only a small fraction of its employees will remain, and the unit will no longer directly handle investigations or prosecutions, two sources said.Prosecutors in the unit, which had housed dozens of employees, are being told to take details to other positions within the department. Its current cases will be reassigned to U.S. attorneys’ offices around the country.David Laufman, a former head of the DOJ’s counterintelligence, told NBC News that the move raises, “serious questions about whether future investigations and prosecutions will be motivated by improper partisan considerations.”That turned out to be a prescient comment from Laufman since a Republican lawmaker on Tuesday used her power to demand the FBI and Department of Justice go after people who are protesting at Tesla dealerships."Attacks on Tesla must be investigated as domestic terrorism!" Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wrote in a post on X. "Today, my @DOGECommittee colleagues and I sent a letter to @AGPamBondi and @FBIDirectorKash asking for an investigation into the wave of organized attacks targeting @elonmusk, @Tesla, and the @DOGE effort. Who is behind it? Who is funding it? Is there a link with Democrat-leaning NGOs? We look forward to exposing these terrorists and bringing them to justice!"To lay it all out: The richest man in the world, whose empire is built on billions of taxpayer subsidies, spent at least $260 million to get Trump elected, and is now using Trump to advertise his car company from the White House in exchange for potentially even more money to benefit Trump’s political ambitions.There are no words for how sick and perverse this all is.Thank you to the Daily Kos community who continues to fight so hard with Daily Kos. Your reader support means everything. We will continue to have you covered and keep you informed, so please donate just $3 to help support the work we do.

Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Robert Garcia, right, pictured here with Rep. Jamie Raskin in 2024, could get more face time in Republican attack ads.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is sending praise and thanks to a restaurant company that is embracing his Make America Healthy Again mantra.What Happened: Kennedy recently traveled to a Steak ‘n Shake restaurant to try their French fries, which are now cooked in beef tallow, a food item he has encouraged restaurants to switch to.The Health and Human Services Secretary joined Fox News host Sean Hannity for an interview at a Florida restaurant location where he told the newscaster consumers were "raving" about the French fries."Steak ‘n Shake just switched out, and people are raving about these French fries," Kennedy said.The restaurant company, which is owned by Biglari Holdings (NYSE:BH), recently announced it was switching from seed oils to beef tallow at all locations."It's a completely different experience," Kennedy said of the fries. "Steak and Shake has been great. We're very grateful to them for RFKing the French fries."Kennedy ate a double cheeseburger and fries during the interview with Hannity and discussed the negatives of seed oils and positives of beef tallow, as reported by the New York Post.Thank you for visiting Steak n Shake Secretary Kennedy! pic.twitter.com/pRu1u37MvW— Steak ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Air Force fighter jets on Sunday intercepted a civilian aircraft flying in the temporarily restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s Florida home.

If congressional Democrats are going to embrace performative politics, they should be sure to give a good performance.

Many Democrats are ready to throw the trans community overboard. It's immoral, delusional and politically stupid

Explaining the Right is a weekly series that looks at what the right wing is currently obsessing over, how it influences politics—and why you need to know.Donald Trump was on the receiving end of considerable criticism after he and is Vice President JD Vance launched a series of attacks against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28. But in the middle of the internationally condemned dressing-down, there was a curious side story that highlights the conservative movement’s hypocritical approach to international fashion.Brian Glenn, the White House correspondent for the extremely right-wing cable network Real America’s Voice, was in attendance and positioned just inches away from the action. Glenn, who is dating the notoriously trollish Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, was in place thanks to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s mandate to give MAGA-friendly media as much access as possible.Instead of asking the leaders about the implications of the meeting—lives are at stake in Ukraine, Russia, and the rest of Europe, after all—Glenn instead angrily brought up fashion.“Why don't you wear a suit?” Glenn asked Zelenskyy. “You're at the highest level in this country's office, and you refuse to wear a suit. Do you own a suit? A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of this office,” Glenn huffed.xxYouTube VideoTaken aback because he was probably thinking more about the civilians that have been murdered by Russian bombs than his simple shirt and pants, Zelensky responded, “I will wear costume after this war will finish.”Zelenskyy has become an international icon for his defiance of Russian encroachment and part of that world-famous imagery has been his decision to abandon a suit and tie in favor of casual clothing, denying himself luxury in solidarity with his citizens and the crisis they are facing. The other world leaders that he has met with since Russia invaded his country haven’t made an issue of his clothing—not former President Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, nor French President Emmanuel Macron.The Ukrainian leader’s choice of dress echoes British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who wore a “siren suit” when he visited the United States in 1942 to request aid in his country’s fight against the fascist Axis powers.Conservatives getting up in arms about Zelenskyy’s wardrobe is particularly strange considering how often Trump wears his ill-fitting red MAGA hat, along with the extremely casual dress choices associated with previous Republican presidents.A look at past conservative tantrums about clothing shows that the right’s anger seems to be depend on who is doing the wearing, instead of what they wore. In other words, Republicans’ perceived enemies get a dressing down, not their own heroes.The most infamous right-wing freakout over clothing has been mocked for just how over-the-top the reaction was. Former President Barack Obama wore a tan suit to a 2014 White House briefing—and the world was never the same.Now-retired Republican Rep. Peter King took a break from attacking Muslim people to complain that Obama’s suit demonstrated a “lack of seriousness,” and expounded on the problem in a CNN appearance.“If you were the head of ISIS, if you were Baghdadi, if you were anyone in the ISIS, would you come away from yesterday afraid of the United States?” King said.The mainstream media took the ball from there, spending endless airtime on the suit.xxYouTube VideoIn another instance, George W. Bush’s chief of staff Andrew Card fumed in 2009 at Obama for not having a “dress code of respect” when he was seen working in the White House without a suit jacket. Card claimed that this was a break from decorum—but then photos of his boss and Ronald Reagan doing the same thing surfaced.Perhaps if Card had focused on more important matters, Bush would not forever be associated with the failed war in Iraq and a global recession.Conservatives have also had a lot to say about women’s fashion—particularly women in a position of leadership within the Democratic Party, like Hillary Clinton and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Their crime of fashion: wearing pantsuits.Rep. Kevin Cramer chided female Democratic representatives for their choice of garb at Trump’s presidential address in 2017, complaining about “bad-looking white pantsuits” worn in homage to suffragettes. Conservative conspiracy theorist Glenn Beck said Clinton’s trademark pantsuits were part of an “antichrist” ensemble back in 2009.Meanwhile it was crickets from conservatives when Bush posed for photos “clearing brush” while wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat, and they were even fine with Reagan wearing jeans while on horseback. There was no “-gate” style controversy when Reagan wore a ridiculous looking pair of high-waisted sweatpants while speaking to the media on Air Force One.Trump’s cartoonishly long red ties are no problem at all, and when Trump allowed his financier and co-President Elon Musk to essentially run a Cabinet meeting, the right had no issue with the billionaire wearing a baseball cap, T-shirt (which read “Tech Support”), and jeans.Even Fox News noted the hypocrisy of it all. The propaganda network’s White House correspondent Peter Doocy recently noted that Musk “never wears a suit” during his trips to Washington. Press secretary Leavitt replied that Musk wore a suit while attending Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress on Tuesday and “he looked great.”Her statement gave up the right’s game on fashion, which just echoes conservatives’ double standards on everything else. What makes them gnash their teeth when their enemies do it is accepted behavior on the right. Because being on their team is what matters, and Zelenskyy’s stance in favor of freedom isn’t what the GOP signed up for.Campaign Action

Elon Musk, who leads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, isn't drawing high approval ratings in a new poll.What Happened: According to a new Emerson College poll of voters in February, President Donald Trump lost support from January.The same poll asked voters their thoughts on Musk, who Trump put in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency.The poll asked: "Do you approve or disapprove of the job Elon Musk is doing at the Department of Government Efficiency?"The results were:Approve: 41%Disapprove: 45%Neutral: 14%The poll found Musk to have a lower approval rating than Trump (48%) and a higher disapproval rating (42%). This suggests that voters don't approve of Musk's role at DOGE or the new department overall.Voters also showed minimal support for the DOGE and the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education.The poll ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Two European men have been charged with federal crimes in connection with swatting attempts involving about 100 victims, including Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) is under scrutiny after blasting Elon Musk and DOGE in colorful comments.

A California congressman is finding out what happens when you dare to mock Elon Musk in Donald Trump's America.Rep. Robert Garcia on Thursday posted a letter he received from the Department of Justice saying that billionaire co-President Musk and his minions in the so-called Department of Government Efficiency are concerned that the outspoken Democrat is threatening them.“So if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter,” Garcia wrote on Bluesky. “Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced.”xSo if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter. Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced.— Robert Garcia (@robertgarcia.bsky.social) 2025-02-20T19:55:59.203ZThe letter addressed to Garcia and signed by interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Edward R. Martin Jr. quotes the congressman’s Feb. 12 appearance on CNN."What the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight,” Garcia said when asked how Democrats can stop the unelected Musk’s takeover of the U.S. government. “This is an actual fight for democracy.”The letter to Garcia appears to be an opening salvo in “Operation Whirlwind,” a new push to prosecute threats against public officials that Martin announced to DOJ prosecutors on Wednesday.“This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk,” the letter continues, “an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a ‘dick’—and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry.”Martin appeared to be referring to the Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee’s first chaotic hearing, where Garcia chided chair Marjorie Taylor Greene’s previous antics.“In the last Congress, Chairwoman Greene literally showed a dick pic in our Oversight congressional hearing. So, I thought I'd bring one as well,” Garcia said before proffering a picture of Musk. During his CNN appearance, host Brianna Keilar asked Garcia a question: “Do you think that calling Elon Musk a ‘dick’ is effective messaging for confronting what is a potentially irreversible transformation of the U.S. government?”The congressman pulled no punches in his response.“Well, he is a dick, and I think he’s also harming the American public in an enormous way,” Garcia said. “What I think is really important and what the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy, for the future of this country, and it’s important to push back on the chairperson of this committee.”xxYouTube VideoWho is to say if Musk is indeed a “dick” or not? The fact of the matter is that calling the world’s richest man a “dick” isn’t a physical threat, and Garcia’s First Amendment rights allow him to use the descriptor. So “dick” or not, self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” Musk and the Department of Justice have no right to be threatening a congressman.Martin previously sucked up to Musk by threatening legal action against people perceived to be harassing his anonymous and unvetted DOGE dorks as they gained access to Americans’ sensitive personal and financial information.Garcia is one of six Democrats on the Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee. Under the leadership of infamous crackpot Greene, the committee’s first hearing went off the rails almost instantly. The Southern California congressman has been vocal in demanding answers from Musk and Trump for their likely illegal efforts to dismantle government agencies. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace has also threatened to file a resolution to censure Garcia over his “bring actual weapons to a bar fight” figure of speech, which is a variation of “Never bring a knife to a gun fight.” Here is the full text of Martin’s letter to Garcia:As United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, I receive requests for information and clarification. I take these requests seriously and act on them with letters like this one you are receiving.At this time, I respectfully request that you clarify your comments from February 12, 2025. During a live interview with CNN, when asked how Democrats can stop Elon Musk, you spoke clearly: "What the American public wants is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy."This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk - an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a "dick" - and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry.We take threats against public officials very seriously. I look forward to your cooperation with my letter of inquiry after request. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please respond by February 24, 2025. Should you have further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to call my office or schedule a time to meet in person.Click here for Daily Kos’ Bluesky Starter Pack. Join us on Bluesky and @#$% that "dick," Elon Musk!Campaign Action

Ed Martin, Trump's pick for U.S. Attorney for DC, warned Rep. Robert Garcia to leave Musk and DOGE alone

FIRST ON FOX: The legislation would terminate U.S. membership in the United Nations and its affiliated bodies, and funding to those groups.

Patel's nomination heads for a full Senate confirmation vote in the early afternoon.

The Senate voted to confirm Patel, a veteran of Trump's first administration who drafted the 'Nunes memo' on the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

Data: Reporters Without Borders; Chart: Axios VisualsPresident Trump, in small and unprecedented ways, is punishing media companies more than any leader since America's founding.Why it matters: Once considered a bastion for free expression, America's record on press freedoms has fallen to a historic low, according to Reporters Without Borders. Under Trump's second presidency, the press is "under siege," the group argues.The big picture: Trump is targeting traditional media sources at a moment of tremendous vulnerability for the industry.American trust in media has hit an all-time low. Most U.S. counties have little to no local news sources anymore.In his first four weeks, Trump's Administration has:Banned the Associated Press: The White House last week said it would bar the AP from future events in the Oval Office and Air Force One over its decision not to directly follow Trump's executive order renaming "Gulf of Mexico" as "Gulf of America" in its style guidance.Ended federal news subscriptions: The State Department on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of news subscriptions around the world. The directive came shortly after the executive branch said it will stop spending money on Politico subscriptions after paying the outlet millions last year.Reshuffled Pentagon press: The Defense Department informed several outlets, including NPR, NBC News, Politico and CNN that they had to move out of their workspaces at the Correspondents' Corridor in the Pentagon, although their press credentials will remain intact. They will be replaced by mostly conservative outlets such as Washington Examiner, Daily Caller, and Newsmax, and others under a new rotation system.Zoom in: These moves, while punitive, are temporary and a new president can easily reverse them. Broader efforts to target media companies by Trump, his administration and a Republican-led Congress recently could be harder to unwind. Congressional PBS, NPR probe: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has called on the CEOs of NPR and PBS to testify at a DOGE subcommittee hearing about what she says is "systemically biased content." It's the first hearing to be announced for the subcommittee. Both broadcasters rely on congressionally appropriated funding to survive.FCC PBS, NPR probe: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is also investigating the two public broadcasters over whether their member stations violated FCC rules around airing commercial ads. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr implied that the investigation could help influence Congress' funding decision. FCC Comcast/NBC investigation: Carr informed Comcast he is opening an investigation into the company's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. It marked the first public effort by the new administration to target a private company for its DEI initiatives.FCC CBS inquiry: Carr opened an inquiry into CBS News to evaluate whether it violated the FCC's news distortion rules when it edited a "60 Minutes" interview with 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the campaign. The inquiry adds pressure to CBS, as it considers whether to settle a separate lawsuit filed against it last year by Trump before he took office.Reality check: A strong U.S. legal and regulatory framework makes it difficult for Trump and his regulators to go after media companies without likely having to defend at least some of their actions in court.Efforts by Trump to block reporters during his first administration didn't pass muster in court, and First Amendment experts believe the principles established by those decisions should apply to the AP's situation if it's litigated.Zoom out: Bullying and harassment campaigns, which include everything from lawsuits to name-calling, are often easier and more effective than leveraging presidential powers.Lawsuits drain media companies of precious time and resources. Public bashing undermines the public's trust in the media, which can have a material impact on business.Trump and Elon Musk have both attacked journalists by name on their respective social media platforms in recent weeks.Trump unleashed a slew of lawsuits against the media industry last year before he took office. He recently increased his lawsuit claim against CBS from $10 billion when it was initially filed to $20 billion. He sued and eventually settled a lawsuit with ABC, even though some legal experts said ABC could've won the case. In December, he filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and its top pollster, while vowing to continue suing news outlets and influencers.What to watch: Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that gives him greater power over independent regulatory agencies, including agencies like the FCC that govern media companies. The bottom line: Trump and his allies have vowed to go after the media if he won reelection. They weren't bluffing.

Irony meters popped over the Donald Trump acolyte's social media post.

Another week of Donald Trump's presidency is in the rearview. And like the two weeks before it, it was filled with lawless actions, lies, and ridiculous behavior that Republicans lined up to defend.Trump threw Ukraine under the bus and appears likely to let murderous Russian dictator Vladimir Putin seize control of the sovereign nation. He also fired more independent watchdogs, let more corrupt politicians off the hook, slashed grants to medical research, and he even said he might ignore court rulings blocking his unlawful actions.And like the pathetic lapdogs they are, Republicans defended every move.After multiple federal judges of all ideological stripes blocked some of Trump’s executive actions, Republicans pushed the country further into a constitutional crisis by backing Trump when he suggested he’ll ignore those court orders and do whatever he wants.“It seems hard to believe that a judge could say, ‘We don’t want you to do that.’ So maybe we have to look at the judges. ‘Cause I think that’s a very serious violation,” Trump said on Tuesday.Trump likely got this idea from his own vice president, who wrote in an X post on Feb. 9 that judges shouldn’t be allowed to stop the president’s executive power. “If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal. If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” he wrote.And other Republicans agreed with the false statement that the courts are not allowed to check the president’s power—when that’s exactly what the Constitution dictates.“Of course the branches have to respect our constitutional order but there’s a lot of game yet to be played. This will be appealed, we’ve got to go through the whole process, and we’ll get the final analysis. In the interim, I will say that I agree wholeheartedly with Vice President JD Vance, my friend, because he’s right,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a news conference on Tuesday.Later that day, he said that the courts should back off of Trump altogether.“I think that the courts should take a step back and allow these processes to play out. What we’re doing is good and right for the American people,” Johnson told reporters, specifically referring to the cuts co-President Elon Musk is trying to make with his fake agency, the Department of Government Efficiency.Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah"I don't believe judges, courts have the authority or power to stick their nose into the constitutional authority of the president,” Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said.“These judges need to back off and get out of the way of what the executive branch is doing to administer the government,” Roy said on Fox News.Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah also expressed agreement that courts don’t have the power to challenge Trump’s executive orders.“These judges are waging an unprecedented assault on legitimate presidential authority, all the way down to dictating what webpages the government has. This is absurd,” he wrote on X.Rep. Darrel Issa, Republican of California, claimed that “nowhere in our Constitution is a single federal judge given absolute power over the President or the people of the United States.”But, of course, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark 1803 Marbury v. Madison case that the judiciary has the power to declare laws or actions unconstitutional. On the other hand, Sen. Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota seemed to acknowledge that ignoring court orders is wrong, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to criticize Trump.“I think what you're seeing right now is the natural give and take between branches of the government,” he said.A handful of other Trump sycophants went a step further, saying that they would launch an impeachment effort against the judges who block Trump's actions.“I’m drafting articles of impeachment for US District Judge Paul Engelmayer. Partisan judges abusing their positions is a threat to democracy. The left has done ‘irreparable harm’ to this country. President Trump and his team at @DOGE are trying to fix it,” Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona wrote on X, referring to the federal judge who blocked Musk from accessing Treasury data.And Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia wrote on X that he is backing Crane’s efforts.“The real constitutional crisis is taking place in our judicial branch. Activist judges are weaponizing their power in an attempt to block President Trump’s agenda and obstruct the will of the American people. [Crane] and I are leading the fight to stop this insanity,” he wrote.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia called for the impeachment of another federal judge who blocked Trump’s freeze on congressionally appropriated federal funds.“This judge is a Trump deranged Democrat activist. Below is proof he is not capable of making good decisions from the bench. He should be impeached,” Greene wrote on X.Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio backed those efforts, saying the judges blocking Trump’s actions “should be mocked and ignored while articles of impeachment are prepared.”“These clowns are undermining every lower court, leaving the sole burden on SCOTUS. This is not sustainable. Sadly, excesses in judicial and executive authority are a symptom of the real problem: Congress keeps failing to take action. Time for #DeedsNotWords,” he wrote on X.Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, once a fierce defender of watchdogs, was fine with Trump axing the inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development who said that Trump's unlawful shuttering of the agency let hundreds of millions of dollars worth of food aid go to waste. Grassley said that he "should have been fired," and gave Trump a workaround to make the firing legal. "I'm just trying to make the president's job easier," Grassley said, completely ditching his past watchdog advocacy to bow down to Trump.Other GOP lawmakers chose Trump over their own constituents, who are being directly harmed by the president’s actions.Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said that Trump’s decision to drastically cut back National Institutes of Health funding for medical research institutions is a good thing, even though it would decimate institutions in his own state and beyond.“Well, I think what happens is the president is exactly right. I think if you ask the average American if we were spending a billion dollars to cure childhood cancer, how much of the billion dollars would go towards during childhood cancer? They’d probably say a billion. The idea that 60% goes to indirect cost and overhead is insane. And so I applaud the president,” he told the BulwarkAnd Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri said that Trump's funding freeze, which is hurting farmers who are not being paid for contracts, is just a "little bit disruptive."“But that's what this administration promised whenever they were coming to Washington,” Smith said on CNN, “is that they would be disruptive.”xRep. Jason Smith dismisses farmers in his state who are getting stiffed by the US government not fulfilling contracts: "Right now it's a little bit disruptive, but that's what this administration promised whenever they were coming to Washington is that they would be disruptive."— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-02-11T17:38:10.608ZThank you to the Daily Kos community who continues to fight so hard with Daily Kos. Your reader support means everything. We will continue to have you covered and keep you informed, so please donate just $3 to help support the work we do.

Fundraising for the Feb. 25 Urbana mayoral primary election is approaching the $50,000 mark, with most of it going to DeShawn Williams, the chief deputy in the Champaign County treasurer’s office.

California Rep. Robert Garcia slammed Musk during a House Oversight Committee hearing on his agency, DOGE.

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. After months of negotiations, Republicans took formal steps this week toward enacting President Donald Trump’s agenda. The House Budget Committee appears set to approve [...]The post At the Races: Talkin’ ’bout a Resolution appeared first on Roll Call.

House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-S.C., waged "war on waste" during first hearing.