Wednesday, August 12, 2026

One-Pan Chicken Piccata and Rice in the Kitchen

A lot of you are noting that you cannot wait until summer is over.  The heat is getting to you and the electric bills are high.  These were the dog days of summer.  Seriously, that's July 3rd to August 11th.  So maybe with the dog days over, we'll get some relief.  In the meantime, Jan e-mailed to note All Recipe's One-Pan Chicken Piccata and Rice:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 thighs)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken stock or broth

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Season chicken thighs evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until nearly cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add shallot to the skillet and cook until softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in rice and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Continue to simmer, covered, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (170 to 195 degrees F (77 to 90 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.




Rod Dreher, the prominent conservative writer and blogger, says his once-close friendship with JD Vance has fallen apart — which he attributes to the vice president's refusal to confront rising antisemitism and white nationalism on the online right.

Vance, in his memoir, credits an early interview with Dreher for helping launch his political career, saying without that relationship he might have remained a center-right venture capitalist rather than a national political figure, and the two grew close in the years since, meeting in Hungary as recently as April, when Vance traveled there to campaign for Viktor Orbán, reported The Bulwark.
But Dreher now says Vance cut him off after a visit last fall. "I don't know that we're friends anymore," Dreher said recently on the Jeremy Boreing Show.

The break traces to a November essay Dreher wrote for the Free Press, in which he cast Vance as the only figure with enough credibility and "hillbilly gumption" to take on the rise of Nick Fuentes and his "Groyper" followers, who Dreher warned had become alarmingly popular among young Republican staffers.
Dreher framed Vance — married to a woman of a different race and faith — as proof that Vance himself embodied a more inclusive vision of American identity than the "heritage American" faction of the right.

That optimism has since curdled.

As it should have.  But I'd argue that it should have curled in the summer of 2024 if not sooner.  That's when Miss Sassy JD was repeating the lie about Haitians eating cats and dogs.  I'd further add that the way he's spoken of his wife Usha has been dismaying and off putting as well.  He was embraced by leftist intellectuals for his bad first book.  And they, like all who followed, were idiots for not seeing through his nonsense. 


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

Tuesday, August 11, 2026.  Chump smuggled out of Air Force One, Homeland Security targeting our troops and our troops families for deportation, the deeply unpopular Pete Hegseth continues struggling and unable to perform his job, Blanche refuses to assist New Mexico in their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, and much more.





Chump's an embarrassment this morning.  Ben touches on Chump's departure from Turkey.  Lawrence O'Donnell addressed it last night. 





Top administration officials engaged in an elaborate deception to spirit President Trump out of Turkey during the NATO summit there last month, transporting him in a catering container to a military jet because of a threat against him and Air Force One from Iran, two senior U.S. officials said on Monday.

Mr. Trump and other officials had said publicly that he would be leaving Turkey on July 8 aboard one of the older versions of Air Force One rather than a luxury 747-8 donated by Qatar that he had flown in on. Mr. Trump told reporters at the time that he was making the switch for “old time’s sake.”

Mr. Trump boarded the older plane from the left-side door in view of cameras, and news organizations, including The New York Times, reported that he had traveled on it to Britain, where he switched back to the newer plane. The Times reported at the time that the decision was driven in part by concern about the security of the new plane donated by Qatar, which had not been equipped with all of the defensive capabilities of older versions.

But instead of flying out aboard that older, powder blue, modified 747, Mr. Trump was whisked off that plane via a catering container that had been lifted to the opposite side of the plane from where the journalists traveling with him boarded, one of the U.S. officials said. The president was then taken to a third plane, which he flew in secret to Britain, the official with knowledge of the matter said.


How embarrassing.

 The Iran War continues.  


The Iranians said on Monday that any deal with Oman on controlling shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not lead to the waterway being fully reopened until the United States agreed to several of its demands.

These demands show that the Iranians believe they are winning and that the US consistently stopping the air campaign for negotiations demonstrates US weakness.
This has emboldened Tehran, which is now demanding compliance from the US.

Iran’s demands, as ridiculous as they are, show that they believe the United States is not capable of seeing any kind of military action through and has left little to no room for compromise.
Iran said on Sunday that a deal with Oman on new shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz was in its final stages, but the waterway would not fully reopen until the United States met Iran’s demand.


President Donald Trump told senior aides he might weasel out on his demand for a nuclear agreement so he can declare victory in the war against Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The word from U.S. officials indicated that Trump’s ad nauseam declarations that the war he started in February was all about preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon may fall by the wayside.
The Journal reported that Trump would instead tie the war’s end to Iran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that was open before the war, and that Iran effectively shut down after the U.S. and Israeli attacks.


Meanwhile, Todd Blanche and Chump tried to swindle the American people and perpetrate a fraud on te court when the came to an agreement over Chump's IRS lawsuit.  There should have been no case to begin with because he waited too long to file it.  But he filed it and wanted millions of dollars -- tax ayer dollars -- from the US government.  And Todd, ever the Toad, rushed to sign a deal.  First, there would be the fund for the January 6ers and then there would be promise that Chump and his sons would not be audited by the IRS.  Dave Jamieson and  Arthur Delaney (HUFFINGTON POST) report:

After the Trump administration announced an unprecedented settlement giving the president and his family immunity from tax audits, the union representing workers at the Internal Revenue Service realized they had a serious problem on their hands.

Many experts believe the immunity deal is flatly illegal. So auditors who honor it and give the Trumps preferential treatment could be violating their oath of office. But those who refuse could face discipline and retaliation, said Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

“It puts our IRS employees between a rock and a hard place,” Greenwald told HuffPost in an interview. “They take an oath of office to follow the law and to uphold the Constitution… Then they’ll have this order that is contrary to the law, and so it puts them in a very difficult position.” 

The union joined a lawsuit as plaintiffs against President Donald Trump’s Justice Department last week, arguing that the immunity deal puts its members in an “untenable” position: carry out an unlawful order or risk their jobs.




Let's move over to the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.  Prissy Pete has to answer some questions.  Alexander Willis (RAW STORY) notes:


Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) is demanding answers from the Trump administration over a mysterious plane crash he alleges the U.S. military "definitely had a role to play" in, a fight one journalist called Monday a "fight worth watching.”

On May 14, a medical transport aircraft crashed into the side of a mountain after its pilots “got disoriented,” Wired first reported – a crash that coincided with nearby military testing at the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. All four occupants died.
While the crash has not been decisively linked to the nearby military testing, Vasquez launched an effort to get to the bottom of the incident with a set of demands issued to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Specifically, Vasquez requested a joint briefing between Transportation and Defense officials to take questions regarding the incident.

US House Rep Vasquez should not have to demand answers.  These answer should have been provided back in May. Instead, it appears likely that there was a cover up. Pete has a pattern of not doing what he's supposed to.  Which leads us to our next issue, Jack Brook and Safiyah Riddle (INDEPENDENT) report: 

Democrats in Congress have launched an investigation into the Trump administration’s efforts to deport troops and their families following revelations that immigration authorities have detained more than 50 spouses and parents of active-duty military personnel.

In a letter sent Sunday evening to the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, lawmakers pledged to examine whether the Pentagon and DHS are coordinating to deport service members and their immediate families.
"These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken service members’ morale, and betray America’s promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation," reads the letter, which was signed by more than 60 members of Congress.

[. . .]
"Donald Trump is breaking our country’s promises to service members by tearing apart dozens of military families who were promised immigration protections," said Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. "That’s just plain cruel, and it’s hurting our military readiness and morale."

Warren is heading the inquiry alongside Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, and several House Democrats.

An Associated Press investigation found that President Donald Trump's administration has rolled back protective measures for military households, abandoning a longstanding bipartisan consensus to advance its broader deportation efforts. Consequently, some service members have had to request leave or delay deployments to care for their children following the detention of their spouses.

Congress has to protect the troops because Hegseth won't.  As we noted last week when we first covered this story, not only would Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin not have stood for this, nor would Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary Leon Panetta or, for that matter, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.  This is an outrage.  It creates stress for the service member that they shouldn't be under.  And since we lack a real Secretary of Defense, the troops have to depend upon Congress on this issue and so many more. 

Let's note this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Senate investigation revealed ICE has attempted to deport 282 veterans and their relatives; could be violating law that prevents the use of military against civilians

“Service members must have confidence that their sacrifices will be honored, not used against them or to target their loved ones.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), and Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas) led a bicameral letter pressing the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on their efforts to coordinate to arrest, and detain, and deport hundreds of veterans and military families.In April 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rescinded its long-standing policy that treated military service a “significant mitigating factor” when deciding whether to pursue immigration enforcement, and replaced it with a new policy stating that military service alone “does not automatically exempt” non-citizens from enforcement actions. 

In September 2025, Senator Warren opened an investigation into the impacts of these policy changes on military families. The investigation revealed that ICE has attempted to deport 282 veterans and their relatives. But DHS refused to disclose the number of active-duty troops and their families who have been threatened by the administration’s policy.

But new reports indicate that DoDand DHS appear to be coordinating to convert military bases into “traps” for individuals this administration deems deportable and has  detained non-citizens during routine check-ins, visits, and drop-offs at or near military installations. At the same time, DoD has continued to recruit new service members with the promise of immigration protections. 

Recent reporting by the Associated Press reveals that, since January 2025, more than 50 parents and spouses of active-duty service members have been detained, and at least six have been deported. ICE’s statistics show that the agency has arrested 16 non-citizen armed forces members since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026. Some service members have reportedly needed to take leave or delay deployment because ICE detained their families. 

“These efforts imperil military readiness, weaken service members’ morale, and betray America’s promises to the people who put their lives on the line for our nation,” wrote the lawmakers. Alarmingly, DoD has been reportedly targeting individuals at military installations, detaining them on military property, and turning them over to ICE — effectively converting military bases into “traps” for noncitizens. For example, a 22-year-old military wife was recently detained while attempting to obtain a military spouse I.D. Military officials allegedly called DHS and held her in a room until ICE agents arrived to take her to a detention center. 

“DoD’s participation in civil immigration enforcement activities raises both ethical and legal concerns, including potential violations of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits using the armed forces of the military for civilian law enforcement,” wrote the lawmakers. 

The coalition warned that if service members were to be swept up in any of these enforcement actions, it could separately constitute a violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides protections to all members of the United States military on active duty, including non-citizens, from civil actions—such as immigration proceedings—that interfere with their military duties. 

“Service members must have confidence that their sacrifices will be honored, not used against them or to target their loved ones,” wrote the lawmakers. “DoD’s new anti-immigrant practices risk deterring future recruits and damaging the credibility of military recruitment efforts—which promised to care for service members even after their time in uniform.”

The lawmakers requested that the agencies explain the enhanced coordination between DoD and DHS, restore long-standing immigration protections for family members of service members, and explain what steps they are taking to protect troops, veterans, and their families from unjust immigration enforcement by August 23, 2026.

The letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Representatives Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Daniel Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Chuy García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), John Larson (D-Conn.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), joined in signing the letter.

The letter was endorsed by the Immigration Defenders Law Center, the Seattle Clemency Project, Common Defense, Repatriate Our Patriots, and League of United Latin American Citizens.

“It is hard to imagine a more profound betrayal than targeting service members, veterans, and military families for deportation,” said Jennie Pasquarella, interim executive director of the Seattle Clemency Project. “This administration is abandoning decades of bipartisan policies that recognized a simple truth: protecting those who serve makes our military stronger and our nation safer. Targeting the very communities that have sacrificed for this country is not just morally indefensible, it is a direct attack on military readiness, recruitment, and trust.”

“This administration has made a conscious decision to abandon its promises to military families and fail those who put their lives on the line for our nation,” said Amanda Schuft, director of legal services at Immigrant Defenders Law Center. “We have seen the devastating human cost firsthand. Our client, the father of an active-duty Army service member, was detained by ICE despite suffering from terminal renal failure, forcing his son to take leave from military service to plead for his release and provide evidence of his grave medical condition. The government ignored those pleas. After his health deteriorated in detention, our client was eventually released, only to die within weeks.”

“Family readiness directly impacts mission readiness. Behind every military spouse or parent in detention is a servicemember who could deploy at any moment. Without a strong homefront, we cannot have a ready force. Our government must honor its commitments to those who serve,” said Danitza G. James, MSW, President, Repatriate Our Patriots. 

Senator Warren has led the fight to hold the Trump administration accountable for mishandling military funds to pursue its cruel immigration agenda and has continuously fought for the safety and well-being of our servicemembers and veterans:

  • In May 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense revealing the Pentagon’s financial support for the Trump administration’s cruel immigration agenda was far higher than initially reported by DoD.
  • In April 2026, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with Representative Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) and Representative Troy Carter (D-La.), urged the Inspectors General of the Departments of Homeland Security and State to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to deport people to countries they have no ties to. These deportations use the military to conduct the international deportation flights and detain noncitizens on U.S. military bases within the United States and overseas.
  • In March 2026, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) led 52 members of Congress in a new investigation into potential corruption in government contracts stemming from the White House’s fast-tracked expansion of inhumane warehouse-based immigration detention facilities using a Navy contracting vehicle.
  • In March 2026, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data obtained from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealing that the Trump administration has attempted to deport hundreds of veterans and their family members after promising immigration protections at the time of recruitment. 
  • In January 2026, following a new report by the Congressional Budget Office revealing Trump’s domestic deployments of the National Guard and Marines have cost at least $589 million — more than double what Senator Warren’s bicameral investigation previously found — she called for the Trump administration to “answer for wasting more than half a billion taxpayer dollars.”
  • In December 2025, at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Trump’s nominee to be Army General Counsel, on the deployment of the National Guard and reports that senior Judge Advocate General (JAG) officers have been sidelined after raising legal concerns about military operations.
  • In December 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.) co-led the release of a new report, along with 11 other members of Congress, revealing the Trump administration diverted more than $2 billion of military funds and resources from the Pentagon to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for immigration enforcement and its impact on readiness and morale. The report also revealed that the diversion of funds was happening at the expense of updates to barracks, maintenance hangers, and military construction projects in the Pacific.
  • In October 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) joined colleagues in requesting that CBO provide an independent assessment of the projected costs associated with the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities.
  • In September 2025, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), and Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), led 55 members of Congress in opening a new investigation into the Trump administration’s arrest, detention, and deportation of non-citizen service members, veterans, and military families.  
  • In September 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) led more than 60 members of Congress in opening a new investigation into the Trump administration’s practice of detaining and sending immigrants to countries where they have no citizenship or connections of any kind. These deportations use the military to conduct the international deportation flights and detain noncitizens on U.S. military bases within the United States and overseas.
  • In February 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the military’s deployment of active-duty forces to the southern border and Guantanamo and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) new involvement in immigration detention and deportation.

###






Stockpiles of weapons?  They have apparently dwindled under Hegseth's 'leadership.'  Prissy Pete can't seem to manage costs.  Wasn't he ordering lobsters to waste tax payer money?  Yes, he was. Alexa Mae Asperin (FOX 11) reported March 11th:

A government watchdog report reveals the Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, spent $6.9 million on lobster tails during a single month in late 2025.
The expenditure was part of a record-breaking $93.4 billion "use-it-or-lose-it" spree in September that included ribeye steaks, king crab, and luxury furniture.
Critics and lawmakers are slamming the optics of the spending, contrasting the "surf and turf" budget with the administration's public push for federal efficiency.


So he could have used that $93.4 billion to order more weapons.  But he didn't.  No, he wasted it.  He wasted $93.4 billion.  And now he's begging for more money.  And Congress isn't feeling like giving it to him.  Connor O'Brien and Mark Satter (POLITICO) report: 

In the year and a half since Pete Hegseth squeaked through his Senate confirmation, congressional Republicans have handed the Pentagon chief big wins — and defended some of his most controversial moves.

But now that GOP unity is splintering under the weight of President Donald Trump’s party-line push for the biggest defense budget in modern history.
Senators left town last week for their summer break no closer to enacting the crown jewel of Hegseth’s agenda, a $1.5 trillion defense budget that would stamp Trump’s mark across the military, from new battleshipsto a Golden Dome missile defense shield.

Hegseth hasn’t persuaded Republicans to steamroll Democrats and advance the record-breaking plan, despite regularly trekking to the Hill in recent weeks and hobnobbing with lawmakers. Instead, an increasingly vocal group of GOP lawmakers argue the administration hasn’t explained why Republicans should burn valuable political capital in pursuit of Trump’s vision — especially with the midterms just months away.

“So much of that additional defense funding is banking on not only a third, but potentially a fourth reconciliation [bill]," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “So what if that doesn't come? I’ve asked [Pentagon officials]: you have your F-35s, your Patriot missiles baked into that — what’s your plan B? And it’s been tough to get an answer.”



He wants a trillion and a half. And he spent 93.4 billion in September on lobsters and other items.  Now he's begging for more money for the next fiscal year.  The 2026 Fiscal Year budget was a record $1 trillion and now he's asking for more.  And maybe it's past time that Congress stops these last month of the fiscal year splurges on lobsters and other items.  If you haven't spent it -- on DoD -- then you didn't need it and needs to go back into the general fund. This is amazing that this spending splurge took place at a time when Chump was trumpeting his ridiculous and corrupt DOGE as a way to stop unnecessary spending by the government. 

Ahmad Austin Jr. (MEDIAITE) notes Hegseth's 'popularity' or lack thereof: 

During a segment on Monday’s CNN News Central, Enten highlighted the fact that Hegseth has become the least popular member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet. According to polling data from Quinnipiac and Fox News, Hegseth’s net approval rating was a staggering -22. Trailing behind Hegseth were Vice President JD Vance (-17), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (-9), and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (-8).
“Pete Hegseth, as I said, the lowest of the low,” Enten said. “Twenty-two points underwater, and this has been something that’s been going on throughout the entire administration. He has been underwater in every single poll that I could find. That is his job disapproval rating being above his job approval rating, and Iran has not helped.”


Turning to Chump's roll dog from the 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s Jeffrey Epstein.



Chump thought he could escape his ties to Epstein.  He can't anymore than he can end the Iran War quickly.  John F. Harris (POLITICO) observes:

Seven years ago today, Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in a Manhattan jail, and the usual reactions to a sudden, violent death were reversed.

It was the people who abhorred the convicted sex offender — his victims and all who sympathized with them — who were stricken with sadness and anger. Now, they feared, the full truth about this man and his odious life would never come out.
It was Epstein’s friends and far-reaching galaxy of influential associates who surely allowed themselves a quiet moment of relief back in 2019. Now, they had reason to hope, the full truth about this man and his odious life would never come out.

The anniversary of Epstein’s demise is occasion to note two paradoxes that have emerged over those seven years — and most vividly in recent months, as it has become clear Epstein was a more consequential figure, and more emblematic of a sordid age, even than we knew at the time. Both paradoxes come courtesy, however grudgingly or unintentionally, of Epstein’s one-time friend, President Donald Trump.

The first is the surprising degree to which the truth did indeed come out, and answers were not left hanging with Epstein in Cell 220 on the ninth floor of the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Yes, there are important matters of detail that remain clouded by mystery. These include the precise details of how Epstein killed himself, in a supposedly secure facility, according to the official medical examiner’s conclusion (which some still doubt), as well as a full illumination of his relationship with Trump and why it apparently dissolved early in the 2000s. Many of the survivors of Epstein’s crimes also remain distraught and hungry for more answers.
But the nature of Epstein’s monstrously manipulative character, and the ease with which he ensnared some of the planet’s wealthiest and in many cases most accomplished people is now commonly understood — in a way that it almost certainly would not be if he had lived. Perhaps he would have reached a settlement with prosecutors, or gone to trial under rules of evidence focused narrowly on a few crimes rather than receiving scrutiny over the broad contours of his life. Any Epstein associates who exhaled in gratitude at his passing in 2019 had it exactly wrong — the ruin of reputations caused by this scandal was only beginning.


Meanwhile, an investigation into Epstein's crimes is taking place in New Mexico.



The US Justice Dept has been very little help to the investigation.  As a result, Vincent Rodriguez (KOAT) reports, "The New Mexico Department of Justice has announced it has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and the U.S. Department of Justice over files related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and the Zorro Ranch."  Terence Repelente (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES) adds, "Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a federal lawsuit seeking complete and unredacted records connected to Epstein and his New Mexico property, arguing that the documents are crucial to the state's criminal investigation. The suit was reportedly filed in Washington, DC, and accuses the Justice Department of stonewalling access to material that could identify witnesses, victims and alleged participants in crimes at the ranch."  On Wednesday, The Epstein Truth Commission issued an interim report.  John Rupolo (KOAT) notes:

The report states that five women and girls were abused at Zorro Ranch between 1996 and 2012, but the commission believes the number is higher.

"The commission has counted at least 30 other individuals who potentially were abused in New Mexico, people we cannot yet confirm in most cases because their names are blacked out of the federal record," the commission said.

Between 1992 and 2019, Epstein's aircraft made 227 flights into New Mexico, with Epstein himself on 140 of those flights.

"But the most important numbers on this slide are the ones that might be missing. Eighty of those flights that we have obtained on the lists contain no passenger information at all, and roughly 26 passengers appear as female first names or initials," the commission said.  


Ethan Manera (NEWSTALK ZB) notes New Zealand nationals Brice and Karen Gordon being noted in the interim report out of New Mexico: 

Now, an investigatory committee led by New Mexico lawmakers into Epstein’s crimes in the state has shed fresh light on the Gordons’ involvement in Epstein’s affairs. 

An interim report, released by the New Mexico Truth Commission, describes the Gordons as being in Epstein’s “inner circle” as employees at the ranch property, and details Brice Gordon’s involvement in supplying masseuses for Epstein. 

Epstein’s longtime pilot, Larry Visoski, testified at Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in 2021 that Gordon told him he had “arranged for masseuses from a Santa Fe spa, Ten Thousand Waves, to visit Zorro Ranch to perform massages on Epstein,” the report said. 

It also references a 2007 FBI interview with Gordon, in which the New Zealander said he typically arranged Epstein’s masseuses whenever the financier stayed at the ranch. 


Newly confirmed Attorney General Blanche will no doubt continue attempting not to cooperate with New Mexico and their inquiry into Epstein and Zorro Ranch.  Jason Miciak (RAW STORY) reports:


Short and sweet, New Mexico — as is its duty and right — intends to investigate the crimes that may or may not have occurred at "Zorro Ranch," a sprawling estate 30 miles south of Santa Fe. But its investigation continues to stall due to roadblocks and uncooperative behavior by Blanche's DOJ, to the point that New Mexico feels it has little choice but to ask a judge to order the Justice Department to deliver some justice.

In response, according to MS Now, DOJ says any reluctance is due to its deeply sincere intent to preserve the victims' anonymity: "The Justice Department said it was not releasing some information the state requested because federal court orders ban disclosing “victim-identifying information carte blanche, and New Mexico has provided no lawful basis to justify such sweeping disclosures.”

Hang on.

"Carte blanche"? This is not the University of New Mexico's library seeking access to the information. It's the state cops. Federal court orders banning dissemination of victims' names surely don't encompass "all other American law enforcement."

Were that the only problem. See, New Mexico isn't even suing "just to get the names of the victims."

"Torrez said his office has made 10 separate requests for key information and has been ignored or denied. "We have heard repeatedly they will cooperate and what our team has experienced is anything but cooperation," he said.

Right.

And that's a much bigger problem for Blanche than may appear at first blush. Because it's one thing to go in front of a federal judge and say, "But we cannot give this stuff out to them, and we've told them that repeatedly for 18 months now," versus that same federal judge reading an email or hearing DOJ say, "Yes, we will be getting that to you shortly," and never coming around.

Torrez says it's the second, and judges are busy enough without having the hassle of ordering you to do what you promised. Especially when it appears you might have an especially nefarious reason for holding back. Occam grabs the gavel.


On Blanche's confirmation, Alex Welch (THE WRAP) notes:

Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said the nomination “essentially came down to one vote: Republican Senator Bill Cassidy,” which provoked a huge laugh from Scarborough.

“So he’ll be responsible in history for RFK Jr. and the lunacy there and the attorney general that will conduct more retribution campaigns than anyone else in American history as well,” Scarborough added.

The MS NOW anchor was referring to the February 2025 nomination for the U.S. Health Secretary, where Cassidy was the deciding vote in confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the position.

“Good on ya, Bill,” Scarborough sarcastically quipped.

Brzezinski continued her report, saying that Cassidy was “defending his tearful vote,” but Scarborough interrupted.

“No, there’s no defense of it, Bill!” he stated. “There’s no defense of RFK Jr. I really… seriously, what was it worth for you? We’ll find out.”






The following sites updated:

Posted by at

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

One-Pan Taco Pasta in the Kitchen

 Bonita e-mailed to note Libby's One-Pan Taco Pasta recipe:


Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 packet taco seasoning mix

  • 1 cup jarred salsa

  • 1 can (15.25 oz.) Libby's Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, drained

  • 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained

  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth

  • 8 ounces rotini pasta

  • 1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

  • sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, black olives (optional toppings)


Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef in large, deep skillet over medium. Drain fat and return meat to skillet. Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute. Add taco seasoning, salsa, corn, black beans, beef broth, and pasta. Stir to combine. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once pasta is tender, sprinkle with cheese and replace lid. Turn heat off and allow pasta to rest five minutes for cheese to melt. If desired, top with chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, avocado, etc.


That's a quick and easy recipe.  


News?   Hafiz Rashid (The New Republic) notes:

Taylor Farms, the source of this summer’s cyclospora outbreak that’s causing an explosive diarrhea epidemic, now has to recall multiple products over a salmonella risk. 

On Sunday, the Trump-linked company announced it was recalling a dozen different prepared food products, including jalapeño peppers, salsas, and guacamole due to salmonella contamination. Taylor Farms said the products came from Coast Citrus Distributors, and that the company was no longer sourcing peppers from one Sinaloa, Mexico, farmer. 

The recall comes a week after another salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers from Mexico, which has made at least 345 people sick in 27 different states and resulted in 36 hospitalizations. Restaurant chains including Chipotle and Qdoba have since stopped using the peppers. 


We have an idiot in charge of Health and Human Services and he offers no guidance at all to the American people as one recall after another takes place.  

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

Monday, August 10, 2026.  Chump takes a laid back approach to his ongoing Iran War as it continues to wreck the country's economy, in the early morning hours of Saturday the US Senate voted 50 to 49 to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General, US House Rep Madeleine Dean reveals what's redacted in one Epstein e-mail with the subject heading of "Trump," Senator Patty Murray calls out Chump's attack on Head Start and much more.




Ben (MEIDASTOUCH NEWS) notes that Chump is sulking and in hiding.  This as the Iran War he started continues.  AP notes:

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States met its conditions.

“It is up to the U.S. side to stop and make amends for its illegal and destructive actions,” Esmail Baghaei said Monday, noting the American blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran wants the U.S. to lift the blockade, pay compensation for months of war damage, lift economic sanctions and release Iran’s frozen assets. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies — has become the war’s most lasting consequence. The impasse has kept energy prices as a major focus of U.S. politics ahead of November’s midterm elections.


The Chump economy continues to crash and burn as the war drags on.  Sean Williams (THE MOTLEY FOOL) notes: 


Shortly after President Trump green-lit military operations against Iran, the latter shut down the Strait of Hormuz to most commercial vessels. This action effectively halted the flow of approximately 20 million barrels of petroleum liquids, representing a fifth of global demand. It's the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

Removing a fifth of the world's crude oil supply in the blink of an eye had a notable impact on energy markets. Within a matter of weeks, crude oil prices surged more than 70%, with fuel prices following suit. Gas prices rose at the fastest pace in more than three decades.

For consumers driving gas- and diesel-powered vehicles, the impact of the Iran war on their pocketbooks was impossible to miss. Between February and May, trailing 12-month (TTM) inflation surged from 2.4% to a three-year high of 4.2% -- more than double the Federal Reserve's long-term inflation target of 2%.

[. . .]


While President Trump has insisted that inflation will plunge once the Iran war ends, evidence is mounting that the inflationary effects of this conflict are spilling over into the broader economy. If accurate, this may prove devastating to Wall Street's historic bull market rally.


Oil prices increased over the weekend.  Veronica Majerol (NEW YORK TIMES) reports:

Oil prices rose and stocks were down slightly on Sunday as hopes were dashed for a breakthrough in the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.

At the end of last week, Iran and Oman indicated that they were near an agreement that would allow oil and other important commercial traffic to resume. But on Saturday, Iran issued a long list of demands that it said would have to be met before ships could move again through the strait, and it was clear that Iran wanted to continue to use the strait as leverage.


Chump continues the Iran War.  It was supposed to be over in days, then it weeks.  We're now 18 days away from six months and there's still no end in sight.  Chump s back in low energy mode where he plans to do little to nothing to end the war.  Tim Lister and Aida Karimi (CNN) report:


The list of demands from Iran can’t have surprised the White House.

Hardliners have been repeating the mantra on a daily basis: the limited agreement in the works with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz is not the same as reopening the vital waterway in the way Washington wants.

For that, they say, “America must correct its behavior.”

Tehran has now spelled out what means, laying out a series of conditions that appear to go beyond the memorandum of understanding which was agreed in June but later suspended amid US strikes on Iran, Iranian retaliation across the Middle East and a resurgence of attacks on shipping.

Maybe getting rid of his family and putting in actual negotiators might be a step that would end the war?  


Early Saturday morning, the Senate voted in a 50 to 49 vote to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General.  Last week, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse took to the floor of the Senate to note the many problems with Blanche's nomination.


Senator Sheldon Whitehouse:  Then he [Todd Blanche] goes running down to Tallahassee to interview Epstein' comrade in crime, Ghislaine Maxwell.  Did he use that interview to develop any new information?  To go after people who were culpable in the Epstein files?   No. He used that interview to extract the exculpatory comments from her about Donald Trump. 'Oh, he was a perfect gentleman.'  And the next thing you know, she's rewarded with a transfer to a Club Fed type prison.  What's the excuse for that?  'Oh, she was at risk.  We felt she was in danger.'  Well look, I've been around law enforcement for a long time.  This is the first time I've seen a prisoner allegedly in danger be transferred to a less secure setting to solve the problem of danger.  Right?  You move the prisoner to a more secure setting, not to a les secure setting.  It makes no sense.  [. . .]  Remember that there was a witness who spoke to FBI agents about having been assaulted by Donald Trump when she was about 14 years old -- physically assaulted and sexually assaulted.  She spoke to the FBI at least four times and those four time were recorded in FBI 302s -- a 302 is the FBI's name for the witness statement that the agents write up after an interview.  So four times, this woman has been interviewed about what happened to her as a girl.  Three of those 302s specifically mention Donald Trump. In the disclosure that Todd Blanche made under The Epstein Files law the only one of the four that got disclosed was the one that didn't mention Donald Trump. That ought to be disqualifying right there. Luckily, the very sharp investigators realized through like gaps in date-stamp numbers that documents were missing and that the three 302s have not been disclosed and so Blanche was forced to cough those up. But behind the 302 come the agent notes. And there's still 37 pages of documents related to that that are still suppressed, that are still covered up.  


Despite those issues and many more, Senators Thom Tillis and  John Cornyn tossed aside their concerns and hopped on the bandwagon.  Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins voted "no" along with all 47 who caucus on the Democratic Party side.  So it was 49 against.  And 49 for.  


But the laughable Bill Cassidy caved and voted for Blanche and started to cry on the Senate floor when explaining why he was voting for Blanche.  Sunday on CBS' FACE THE NATION, Cassidy attempted to minimize and pretty up a 68-year old crying in public as he voted:


MARGARET BRENNAN: Good morning, and welcome to 'Face the Nation.' Both the House and the Senate are now gone for the summer, but we begin with one lawmaker who hasn't taken off quite yet for his home state, Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. Good morning, and thank you for delaying your departure to be here in person. It's good to talk to you.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY: Good to be with you. Good morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So you were skeptical, you made that clear back when we spoke in June of Todd Blanche and confirming him to be Attorney General. You did late Friday confirm him, but you said you're not entirely satisfied. You no doubt will have concern in the future, and I want to play for our viewers what you said. Take a listen.

[START SOUND ON TAPE]

SEN. CASSIDY: I'll be criticized for this vote. What's new? But the people of Louisiana can be assured that I worked hard to understand the issue and to make the right decision.

[END SOUND ON TAPE]

MARGARET BRENNAN: You were emotional there. Your voice cracked. Why? And why do you think you're going to be criticized?

SEN. CASSIDY: Oh, you're going to be criticized. My voice cracked because my wife thinks it's endearing. I think it's embarrassing. But sometimes you're aware of the incredible privilege of representing your state and your nation. Incredible privilege, and as a- as a little boy, I would read history books, and I- and I'd read about these great decisions on the Senate floor, and the fact that I have the ability to participate, and after an intense 48 hours of coming up with a decision that wasn't black or white. You can argue one way or the other, and you can come up with just this side or just that side of approval. Now, the fact that I, Bill Cassidy, was able to do that, I am so privileged. And whenever I just for a second am hit by the gravity of that and the honor of that, I get emotional. And- and and that's just again, my wife finds it endearing. I find it embarrassing.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, it does have a great gravity to a decision like this, and you weighed it very carefully when we spoke back in June. You you were specific in some of your concerns, and I know acting Attorney General Blanche now, who's set for that confirmation had posted documents, including he rescinded the order to create the anti-weaponization fund, and he had an unsigned statement in which he narrowed the terms of the Trump-IRS protections that you had objected to. Now they'll apply just to Trump, Don Jr., Eric and the Trump Organization. Senator Durbin, who's the top Democrat on Judiciary, said these new clarifications-they're unenforceable. Is he correct? 

SEN. CASSIDY: So, a couple things. Again, one more time, if you're looking for a black or white decision here, you're not going to find it. This is a gradation of gray. But what I'm told as regards to the anti-weaponization fund, if you put it in the context of the political environment, the judicial environment, the process you would have to go back through in order to reinstate that effectively is dead. Now, John Cornyn, a former state attorney general in Texas, was comfortable with it. I'm not an attorney.  MARGARET BRENNAN: It took him a while to get there, though--

SEN. CASSIDY: --Took him a while to get there- 

MARGARET BRENNAN: --Basically said we can't take his word for it. 

SEN. CASSIDY: It took him a while to get there, but the fact that John did was important to me to a certain extent. I'm relying on others that are bringing me information, and I have to trust them on that. Not everything, but some of that, and I trust John on that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And on giving his family protection from IRS probes?

SEN. CASSIDY: That's totally wrong. Totally wrong. And so I will go back. This is not a black or white decision. That is wrong, and no American should be targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law, and that, frankly, almost weighed to vote no.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And you're just hoping it- you had to accept it in the end, I mean--

SEN. CASSIDY: So, let's look at the positive. There's three aspects to the attorney general. The attorney general is supposed to give advice to the president, supposed to run the Department of Justice and is supposed to make sure that the U.S. attorneys nationwide are doing their job. It really weighs strongly in his favor when I speak to my U.S. attorneys in Louisiana, and I spoke specifically to David Courcelle and Kurt Wall, and they said, listen, we have calls once weekly between our office and DOJ, and they give metrics for our prosecutors, and each individual prosecutor is weighed on that metric, and we've had our focus restricted down to fighting violent crime, human and drug trafficking, and going after fraud in programs like Medicare and Medicaid. And if I need extra resources to bring a case home, we do it. And if there's a drug kingpin, we get the resources to go after them, and- and our morale is up, not despite the accountability, because of the accountability. Now, if you want a DOJ which is actually doing its job, you need stable leadership, and you need leadership which is effective, and in that which is making the greatest difference in my life, in your life, in the American people's life. There's a lot of positive things to say about Todd Blanche. 

MARGARET BRENNAN: And you are confident that he will uphold the constitution with the upcoming elections? There are Democrats saying he may not.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, of course, there's always this existential anxiety.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. 

SEN. CASSIDY: But I am as confident as you can be about the future you are. I cannot predict the future, and this is not a black or white decision. But I'm confident on that.


Let's look at the positive?  Existential anxiety?  Look, there's your answer, you don't vote for someone when you're filled with existential anxiety.  He's yacking away trying to justify that which cannot be justified.  Yes, there are times when you take a chance and give someone the benefit of the doubt.  That's when they're an unknown.  But when they've tried to pay January 6ers, when they've come up with a pass for Chump and his family with regards to paying national taxes, when they have refused to comply with Congress' Epstein Files law?  They are not an unknown.


They are a known.  You know that they will not follow the law and that they will not represent the American people but instead as though they are Chump's personal attorney.  You know they will degrade the Constitution.  You know that they will continue to degrade the legal system by lying to the courts.  


He is a known and you have to be an idiot -- and a coward -- to vote for him and then offer the slop Cassidy did to try to justify it.  There is no justification for it.  None at all. 


Senator Adam Schiff's office issued the following regarding the vote on Blanche:


Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after voting against the nomination of Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General:

“As I said his confirmation hearing, the fundamental problem with Todd Blanche isn’t that he’s inexperienced or unintelligent. It’s that he’s never been able to shed his role as criminal defense lawyer for Donald Trump. He cannot and will never do it.

“I voted to oppose his nomination. And he should have been rejected for numerous reasons:

“He has used the Department of Justice to enrich the President of the United States – leveraging the power of the DOJ and IRS to make the president, his family, and his businesses more money and to provide immunity for their actions – that is not the job of an Attorney General.

“Under Blanche, the Justice Department has become an instrument of revenge and reward. We should not confirm an Attorney General who believes the president has a right and a duty to go after his enemies and bring sea shells cases against them.

“His efforts to protect the president and others in the Epstein Files were a scandalous abuse of power in which he covered up and withheld documents to protect Donald Trump and further injured the victims by publishing their names and photos.

“Blanche has sought to compensate cop beaters who attacked the Capitol in support of the president. Even if the anti-weaponization fund doesn’t move forward, Blanche’s Justice Department has been using other funds of the department to pay off criminals and cronies of the president.

“He has also violated his code of ethics, firing career officials involved in cases against Donald Trump – the same cases in which he served as the president’s personal criminal defense attorney.

“A nominee with such a record should never be made Attorney General, not if we ever hope to preserve what is left of the rule of law. Todd Blanche will never do what’s best for the American people. Only what’s best for Donald Trump.”

###


And Senator Alex Padilla's office issued this statement:


WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement following the Senate’s confirmation vote on the nomination of Todd Blanche to be the next U.S. Attorney General:

“Todd Blanche is unfit to serve as Attorney General. As Acting Attorney General, Blanche has shown he is more loyal to Trump than he is to the American people or the Constitution.

“He is the architect of the $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund for convicted January 6 insurrectionists who stormed our Capitol and assaulted law enforcement officers. He has repeatedly refused to provide transparency around the Epstein files while shielding Donald Trump — who appears in the files thousands of times — and his predatory allies. Blanche has also made clear that, if confirmed, he will roll back abortion access across the nation.

“When forced to choose between the Constitution and Donald Trump, Todd Blanche chooses Donald Trump, including by helping secure immunity for him and his family’s potential tax crimes. America deserves better.

“I strongly oppose Todd Blanche to be our next Attorney General. His confirmation will be a setback for the independence of the Department of Justice, but I will continue to stand up for everyone’s Constitutional rights, demand accountability from the Trump Administration, and fight to uphold the rule of law.”

Padilla has consistently fought to hold Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) accountable. This week, Padilla slammed Todd Blanche during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote on Blanche’s nomination, making clear that Blanche is unfit to be U.S. Attorney General. Last month, Padilla questioned Blanche during a Senate Judiciary confirmation hearing, demanding answers about the anti-weaponization fund and allegiance to Trump.

###

On the topic of Ghislaine Maxwell, let's note this from US House Rep Raja Kirshnamoorthi's office:


 Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, joined House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA) in sending a letter on Thursday urging Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately bring to the House floor a resolution opposing any presidential pardon, commutation, or other form of executive clemency for convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The lawmakers note that the Senate unanimously adopted such a resolution last week and argue that the House should do the same without delay. 

In the letter, the lawmakers write:

“The Senate has unanimously passed a resolution opposing a pardon or clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell. The House must, without delay, do the same. There are now multiple resolutions that have been introduced holding that Ghislaine Maxwell—a convicted child sex trafficker and essential partner in lurid crime with Jeffrey Epstein—should not receive a pardon, commutation, or any other form of clemency from the President of the United States. You have not yet provided for any legislative forum or consideration of these resolutions. It is time for action.”

The letter argues that granting executive clemency to Maxwell would undermine confidence in the rule of law and inflict further harm on the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's trafficking network. It also notes that Speaker Johnson has previously stated Maxwell deserved a life sentence because of her "unspeakable crimes" and urges him to act consistently with those public statements. 

 The lawmakers continue:

“We urge you to call such a vote without delay and without asking the permission of President Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche or anyone else reporting to the White House. This is a matter for the House of Representatives to consider. We urge you to put your own words into action and bring a resolution opposing any form of clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell to the House floor without delay so that the House may reaffirm that child sexual abuse and human trafficking are abominable crimes that should be met with justice, not a pardon.”

The lawmakers' letter is available here.


As the press release notes, the Senate passed a resolution on this issue last week.  Australia's ABC notes:


The US Senate has unanimously struck down the pardon chances of Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

On Thursday, the resolution opposing any future pardon of Maxwell was ushered in by both Republicans and Democrats, drawing yet another symbolic divide between Donald Trump, his party and the president's own Epstein ties.

[. . .]

The resolution was introduced by Nevada Democrat senator Jacky Rosen, who first brought it forward in February.

By voting it in, the Senate agreed "Ghislaine Maxwell should not be granted a Presidential pardon or any form of clemency" for her sexual abuse and co-offending with Epstein.

The politicians agreed that a pardon or clemency would be "inconsistent with the interests of justice and accountability for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children".

The resolution also denounced any attempt by Mr Trump to usher in "any other form of executive clemency" to Maxwell.


Donald Chump and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein became friends decades ago.  They were friends in the 80s, the 90s, the 00s and some say the 10s.  Despite their very close relationship, over the last two decades there have been efforts to rewrite history.  With that in mind, Alexander Willis (RAW STORY) reports:


After spending hours at the Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C., Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) has revealed the contents of a heavily redacted email from the agency’s Jeffrey Epstein-related files, and claimed it exposes clear "lies" by President Donald Trump.

The email in question was sent in October 2009 by Epstein to “Gmax,” a name associated with Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. The subject line of the email reads: “Trump,” and the majority of the email’s text is hidden behind a large black box.

However, the Justice Department (DOJ) has allowed lawmakers to view unredacted files at the DOJ headquarters, and Dean, pen and paper in hand, took the agency up on the offer in an effort to view what was within the Trump-related email.

Dean shared what she had learned with journalist Tara Palmeri, telling her that the email “reveals lies of the president,” particularly regarding his oft-repeated claim to have thrown Epstein “out” of his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

“Jeffrey Epstein was never expelled from Mar-a-Lago,” Dean told Palmeri, reading from her notes she had taken while reviewing the unredacted email. “No, he was not a member. May have been a guest. He was never asked to leave. [Trump said] ‘I’ve been on a lot of planes, may have been on his plane. No young girls on plane.’”



Why was the e-mail redacted?  This was not what was allowed by Congress.  This was about protecting Chump and Chump's lies.  


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

ICYMI: Senator Murray Slam’s Trump’s Latest Attack on Head Start, Calls on Teachers and Parents to Protect the Program

*** WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE HERE, DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), held a virtual press conference with Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and advocates in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services that guts Head Start by shredding basic standards that keep kids safe and advance their education. The rule removes most of Head Start’s 133 pages of requirements for math and literacy curriculums, class sizes, medical screenings, home visits and more.

Joining the press call were Joel Ryan, Executive Director of the Washington State Association of Head Start; Dr. Ruth Friedman, former Director of the Office of Child Care at the Administration for Children and Families at HHS; and Lori Pittman, a parent from Washington state a Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations Advisor for Early Learning K-12, and Postsecondary at Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD), and a co-founder of the Washington State Parent Ambassador Program, a statewide initiative supporting parent leadership and advocacy.

“Your child’s safety should not depend on their zip code. That has been the entire point of Head Start since 1965. If they wanted to serve more kids, they could ask Congress for more funding. I’d write that bill this afternoon. Instead, they’re saying they might be able to serve more children by promising each child less. Nobody should pretend this came out of nowhere. President Trump has all but declared war on Head Start,” said Senator Murray. “This rule is not final. There is a public comment period. I want parents to weigh in. I want teachers to weigh in. Because I have seen what happens when enough ordinary people refuse to let something get ripped away from them. And on my end: I will press administration officials when they come before Congress. I will sound the alarm as loudly as I possibly can. I will carry this fight into every negotiation I walk into. And Congress just funded Head Start at an increase, on a bipartisan basis, so let me be clear: Congress funds Head Start to be Head Start. Trump is coming after America’s kids. That is so unacceptable. This isn’t partisan. This is a program red and blue states rely on. Parents, teachers, and communities across America need to speak up and speak out—together we will beat this rule and save Head Start.”

“I know the value of Head Start, it got me to the U.S. Senate,” said Senator Luján, one of only two U.S. Senators who attended Head Start. “Since President Trump took office, he and his administration have made it harder and harder for young children to get an early education. Now, he is moving forward with a proposed rule to gut Head Start and strip basic education, health, and safety standards our kids rely on. That is why I joined Senator Murray and advocates today and will continue to fight to protect Head Start.”

Head Start currently serves over 750,000 kids nationwide, and the program has served more than 40 million children and their families nationwide since its inception in 1965. There are over 17,000 Head Start centers nationwide and these centers are particularly important in serving rural communities with fewer options for care.

Throughout his second term, President Trump has gutted the offices that keep Head Start centers and child care programs across the country running. Since taking office, the Trump administration has fired 40 to 50% of the staff at the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care. In April of 2025, Trump continued to hollow out HHS, by shuttering five of the 10 regional offices for both Office of Child Care and Office of Head Start, which served 22 states and five territories. President Trump also illegally impounded funding provided by Congress for Head Start programs across America, in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). In response, Senator Murray raised alarm bells and she led her colleagues in demanding that the funds get moving.

Notably, a leaked memo indicated that the Trump administration—in keeping with Project 2025—would push to completely eliminate Head Start as a part of its FY26 budget request. Ultimately, strong public outcry and backlash prevented the Trump administration from including the elimination of Head Start in its budget request.

In April, President Trump said “Don’t send any money for day care, because the United States can’t take care of day care… We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of day care… It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things.”

Last year, HHS took steps to attack immigrant children and their families by issuing a notice reinterpreting longstanding guidance under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to reinterpret Head Start as a federal public benefit subject to immigration restrictions. The guidance, currently tied up in litigation and stalled from being enforced, threw programs and families into chaos, sparking confusion and driving many families to keep their kids at home out of fear of discrimination or immigration enforcement.

HHS has also proposed changes to the Head Start Program that would roll back regulations targeted at increasing salaries for the Head Start workforce—one of the top barriers to recruitment and retention leading to fewer children being served.

In the face of Trump’s calls to cut investments in state early childhood education programs and repeated attacks on the program, Democrats have consistently defended resources for child care and early childhood education. In March of this year, Senator Murray led her colleagues and established a new working group as the latest major push in Democrats’ fight to lower costs and deliver child care for every American family. The Child Care for America working group will bring Democratic members of Congress together to coordinate broad support for landmark child care legislation.

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

“You know, this morning, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed shredding the rule book that has protected kids in Head Start for sixty years—133 pages of standards, gutted. And I want to be really concrete about what is in those pages that they are throwing away.

“It’s duration requirements—meaning, is the program actually open while parents are working? It’s professional development requirements to make sure that our teachers are equipped to keep our kids safe—that’s everything from instruction on our kids social-emotional development, and training to recognize and report child abuse. It is watering down quality standards for families that want home-based and family-care—like safety requirements: are there play areas? Is there space for food prep? Are the bathrooms up to standard?

“It’s class sizes—because there’s a reason Head Start tells providers how many toddlers one adult can supervise. It’s how many kids any one teacher can actually keep safe on a busy day. It’s the medical screenings—for countless families, Head Start is the first place anyone will ever check their child’s hearing, or vision, or teeth. Ignoring these kids’ health today, costs us more tomorrow. It’s eliminating protections that keep a kid with a disability safe from harmful practices like restraint, or seclusion and expulsion—that’s just not something any of us should accept.

“And there is one more piece that really doesn’t make sense: this rule forces English-only instruction. There are American children who have different language needs. Denying children instruction in their first language—that’s backwards, and it doesn’t help anyone. Now, the administration has given this rule a very nice name: Reducing Federal Burden.

“So, let’s look at what they actually list as burdens: background checks for the adults who are alone in a room with your four-year-old; safety standards for the buses that drive your toddler to school; vision and hearing screenings for your kids. That is not red tape. That’s all important stuff to keep our kids safe and healthy! They want to hand all of it to the states—and if you live in a state that never writes those rules, too bad.

“Your child’s safety should not depend on their zip code. That has been the entire point of Head Start since 1965. If they wanted to serve more kids, they could ask Congress for more funding. I would write that bill this afternoon. Instead, they’re saying they might be able to serve more children by promising each child less.

“Nobody should pretend this came out of nowhere. President Trump has all but declared war on Head Start. He illegally impounded Head Start funding that Congress passed into law—in violation of the Impoundment Control Act—and centers couldn’t make payroll until we raised the alarm and forced the money out the door.

“He fired 40 to 50 percent of the staff at the Office of Head Start and the Office of Child Care. He shut down five of the ten regional offices—which served 22 states and five territories—overnight.

“One of those offices was in Seattle. It served every Head Start program in Washington state—15,000 kids. In the Yakima Valley, a provider waiting on funding that never showed up had to lay off 72 employees and shutter a dozen classrooms, that served 400 kids. Now eventually that money came, but only after the layoffs. In Walla Walla, a program that has served kids for decades is warning it may not survive.

“Funding delays and uncertainty continue to persist. And let’s not forget, a leaked memo showed that Trump planned to eliminate Head Start altogether—straight out of Project 2025—until public outcry forced him to back down.

“He rolled back the rule raising pay for our Head Start teachers. His HHS tried to rewrite thirty years of guidance to turn Head Start into an immigration checkpoint—that one is stalled in court, but it already drove scared families to keep their kids home.

“If anyone doubts me, listen to the President’s own words. He said, ‘Don’t send any money for day care, because the United States can’t take care of day care…We’re fighting wars.’

“I taught preschool. I got into politics because politicians decided a preschool program wasn’t worth saving—one of them told me a mom in tennis shoes couldn’t make a difference. So here’s what happens now. This rule is not final. There is a public comment period. So, I want parents to weigh in. I want teachers to weigh in. Because I have seen what happens when enough ordinary people refuse to let something get ripped away from them.

“And on my end: I will press administration officials when they come before Congress. I’ll sound the alarm as loudly as I possibly can, and I will carry this fight into every negotiation I walk into. And Congress just funded Head Start at an increase, on a bipartisan basis, so let me be clear: Congress funds Head Start to be a Head Start.

“Trump is coming after America’s kids. That is unacceptable. This is not partisan. This is a program red and blue states rely on.

“Parents, teachers, and communities across America need to speak up and speak out—together we will beat this rule and save Head Start.”

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