Kevin McCarthy‘s tenure as House speaker was plagued with so much Republican infighting that it eventually led to his downfall.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries is campaigning to hold the same office and remains the overwhelming favorite to become the first Black speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes in January. Despite this, the New York Democrat has faced early resistance from the party’s progressive flank and has yet to secure the support of several progressives.
Many are unhappy with his stance on Israel as well as a private meeting he held with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, before the midterm elections. This has prompted questions about whether Jeffries could face internal problems similar to those that sealed McCarthy’s fate.
While there is no indication that Jeffries currently faces a revolt on the scale of the one that forced McCarthy through 15 ballots in 2023, the resistance offers an early test of whether he can hold together an enlarged and ideologically diverse majority.
I had no problem with Hakeem becoming Speaker of the House. Until last night. His inability to get the vote to impeach Priss Pot Pete Hegseth? 11 Democrats were not present for the vote? What the hell? That's something an aspiring Speaker of the House shoulld have addressed ahead of time. If indeed there was bad traffic, then you stall the vote as you wait for the eleven to arrive. Hakeem did nothing. This is not a good look for the Dems following the success of the midterms.
I'm not saying Hakeen should not be Speaker. I am saying it shouldn't be a coronation but an actual contest with others considered for the role. In losing the Hegseth vote, Hakeem has made his own judgement questionable.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The Chump economy continues to falter, did ICE lose an eight-year-old boy, with over 10,000 attorneys in the Justice Dept having quit under Chump there are no longer enough attorneys to send to all court proceedings, Senator Patty Murray informs Chump that Congress is not his Customer Service Line, Priss Pot Pete survives the impeachment vote, that makes Hakeem Jeffries the real loser and begs questions of whether or not he's fit for the post of Speaker of the House.
REUTERS notes, "US consumer prices increased more than expected in October, leaving the Federal Reserve on course to raise interest rates next month. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% last month after advancing 0.6% in September, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Tuesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI climbing 0.3% over the month." Jeffry Bartash (MARKETWATCH) adds, "The cost of goods -- minus food and energy -- rose 0.7% in the 12 months ended in September. That might not sound like much, but goods prices fell in most years in the decade before the pandemic. Goods prices were also falling, not rising, before the Trump administration in the spring of 2025 put in place in the biggest tariffs since World War II." And zooming in on food prices, Jeff Cox (CNBC) explains, "Food costs accelerated 0.5%, pushed higher by increases of 1% for snacks, 0.9% for beef and 0.5% for meats, poultry, fish and eggs. Transportation services jumped 0.8%. New vehicle prices increased 0.2% but used cars and trucks fell 1.2%." Steve Benen (MS NOW) offers this context:
As Election Day got underway last week, Donald Trump conducted a phone interview with Fox News, apparently hoping to make one last pitch to voters who might make up their mind at the last minute. As part of the president’s message, he boasted, “The inflation is solved.”
The election cycle has largely run its course, though the economic problems that plagued the White House before ballots were cast continue to persist in the election’s wake.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation report released Tuesday, the consumer price index showed consumer prices climbing 0.4% in October, which was slightly worse than expected. (Ordinarily, these reports show year-over-year changes, but a government shutdown from last fall makes this impossible.) What’s more, core prices, which strip out volatile food and energy items, increased 0.3%, which was also worse than expected.
Prices, in other words, are most certainly not “coming down,” and inflation does not appear to have been “solved.”
What do you know, Chump lied again. And it's the American people who are suffering. So it's not at all surprising to learn that Chump's approval ratings remain in the toilet. Sam Stevenson (NEWSWEEK) reports:
President Donald Trump is not only facing a more hostile Congress after his party’s midterm election drubbing but also fresh evidence of discontent among American voters, according to new national polling.
In its first post-election poll, the Economist/YouGov series has found the president 26 points underwater, with 36 percent approving of his job performance and 62 percent disapproving, a seven-point deterioration from the pollster’s final survey before Election Day.
That shift could be significant for Republican lawmakers deciding how closely to align themselves with a president whose core supporters remain loyal but whose broader standing could complicate the party’s recovery.
In a previous emailed response to Newsweek about Trump’s polling, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle pointed to the president’s 2024 election victory, calling it “the ultimate poll.”
But, Davis Ingle, that was two years ago. The new "ultimate poll" was the midterms -- excuse me, the historic midterms. If you're not familiar with them, Davis Ingle, Cameron Adams (DAILY BEAST) describes them like this, "Donald Trump and his administration received a stunning rebuke after last week’s elections, losing control of the House and the Senate and affecting the final term of his presidency." And, Davis Ingle, the American people have spoken. I noted this excuse of the 2024 vote being the national poll was going to have to come to an end -- noted it last week -- and it does have to come to an end.
Americans have the dimmest view of the U.S. economy — and how the federal government is handling it — in 48 years. That’s not good news for Republicans and President Donald Trump, who have been the stewards and strategists of the U.S. budget and economics for the past two years.
The data comes from the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, which labor economist Kathryn Anne Edwards shares in a recent social media post.
Edwards notes that, from 1978 through 2024, approximately half of Americans said the government was doing a “fair job” in running the economy. As of 2026, however, that outlook has changed. Edwards reports that “31% of Americans said the federal government is doing a poor job at economic policy [and] for the last two years, it has averaged 65% and is hanging out now in the 70s.”
Chump's also done a lousy job at the Iran War. Starting it for this reason or that reason -- never sticking with one reason for very long; refusing to go before the American people and press and take questions (he taped a video that then aired in the early morning hours). The American people do not support this ongoing war. Mira Bhakta (THE HILL) notes, "A majority of Republicans in a recent survey said they want Congress to end the Iran war, which has stretched into its eighth month and increased gas and grocery prices. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, released Tuesday, found that 71 percent of respondents support legislation to end the Middle East conflict. This included 93 percent of Democrats and 51 percent of Republicans." And Priss Pot Pete Hegseth has been the face of the war for the administration. This has led to US House Rep Thomas Massie introducing articles of impeachment. Harry Thompson (THE DAILY BEAST) notes:
No voice has been louder in calling for Hegseth to go than Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who initiated impeachment proceedings against the former Fox News host in September and renewed them Monday.
He filed eight articles of impeachment, linked to various incidents including the destruction of alleged drug boats and the treatment of Sen. Mark Kelly. Hours later, Massie appeared on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, where he broke down the articles and made his bold prediction: that Hegseth will be gone by the end of the year.
Trump has said he will stand by Hegseth regardless of the impeachment, and when Collins asked Massie what he thought of that, he said, “They stand by them until the day they don’t. You can’t expose any weakness in these press conferences. And I still put it at a high probability that Pete Hegseth won’t make it until December 31 of this year.”
He added, “I think there’s a high probability he will not make it to the end.”
In an attempt to save his own hide, Priss Pot Pete held a press briefing yesterday -- his first in 189 days. Before the press briefing, Prissy Pete had his flunkies hand down rules. Nick Hilden (ALTERNET) reports:
On Tuesday, reports emerged that journalists had received vague threats in the minutes before embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a press briefing at the Pentagon. According to online posts from reporters, the context of the threat was so unclear that even the official delivering it seemed embarrassed by the situation.
“At Pete Hegseth’s briefing this morning, an official came out to tell reporters that if anyone ‘gets out of line’ they will be ‘removed physically,’” posted Vanity Fair Washington Correspondent Aiden McLaughlin. “Reporters shouted back ‘what does that mean?’ Official said it meant to maintain ’decorum’ and added he was just relaying orders.” McLaughlin added, “A few minutes later, DOD press aide Joel Valdez walked out and said he would explain the orders off the record. Reporters asked for it to be on background. Valdez looked down at the floor and then walked out of the room without saying anything.”
Washington Post reporter Tara Copp backed this account, posting, “A security agent for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth just warned the reporters here — for Hegseth’s first press conference in 6 months — that we will be physically removed from the briefing room if we are not professional and maintain decorum. We asked if that meant no shouted questions and got no clarity. It’s the first time any of us could ever remember being threatened like this. Shouted questions are normal. ‘This is crazy town’ one journalist said, noting the White House has never threatened reporters like that.”
The reaction to the threat was swift. “An inauspicious start to the first Pentagon press briefing in six months,” noted CNN Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter. Journalist Nancy Yousseff joked, “No beardos. No weirdos. No uncomfortable questions?” referencing one of Hegseth’s favorite tough-guy taglines. “Nothing says ‘warrior ethos’ like having your flunky threaten to remove reporters from a press conference when they ask you hard questions,” jibed Third Way cofounder Matt Bennett. “This is how fascists operate,” asserted one journalist.
And then came the press conference.
Pentagon Flack Douglas E. Jessmer typed away like the toughest priss in the steno pad opening with, "Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, facing the threat of impeachment, detailed a record of successful operations on his watch today during a press briefing at the Pentagon." He's the Secretary of Defense. Congress would have to change that and they'd have to change The Department of Defense to the Department of War. Chump signing an executive order really doesn't change anything and the executive order will be overturned as soon as he leaves office. But look at that first sentence, not only does he get the title wrong, he also has Priss Pot "detail[ing] a record of successful operations on his watch" -- huh? The Iran War has not been a success. It was supposed to last a few weeks but instead it's gone on for months. He's as stupid as Chump who earlier this week claimed no US service members have died in the Iran War.
Jessmer quotes one inane statement from Hegseth after another including this on the troops, "They are the best of our nation. Like our president, I will defend them with every fiber of my being every single day. That includes having their back no matter what."
He will defend them every single day? With every fiber of his being? He will have their back no matter what?
He has the gall to tell that lie after the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN? After he covered it up and ignored it when the stories first surfaced in April? After he continued to dismiss the stories as they grew louder and louder? After he penalized one of the service members on board?
Nicholas McKelvey had been aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln for 255 grueling days.
As the war with Iran raged, the 19-year-old Navy airman — anaviation mechanic in a helicopter squadron — was working 12-hour shifts in the blazing sun, checking and guiding helicopters on the flight deck. He had missed the birth of his daughter. His in-laws were battling cancer. Food on the aircraft carrier was in short supply.
Then he reached his breaking point.
At about 10 a.m. on a Monday in early August, he sprinted along the flight deck then leaped from the ship’s edge and plunged 67 feet into the Arabian Sea, according to Navy records reviewed by The New York Times. He was rescued by a helicopter crew and returned to the ship 50 minutes later.
“I didn’t want to be there anymore,” Mr. McKelvey said in an interview, speaking publicly for the first time. “If I was going to die because of it, then that’s just how it is.”
On Thursday, the Navy effectively fired him — moving to discharge Mr. McKelvey after accusing him of “malingering,” or faking a mental health crisis to end his deployment, according to Mr. McKelvey’s wife, Samantha Larry. Under the terms of his removal — a general discharge under honorable conditions — he will become ineligible for education assistance under the G.I. Bill, cutting off a pathway to college that his family was counting on, Ms. Larry said.
The case offers a rare glimpse into how the Navy has handled mental health issues aboard ships under pressure from sustained deployments during the war with Iran. And it raises questions about whether officers treated Mr. McKelvey’s jump overboard as misconduct without sufficiently examining what led a sailor to take such an extreme, life-threatening step.
The Lincoln, which returned to San Diego this month after a near-record 322-day deployment, became a symbol of the food shortages and mental health challenges facing Navy ship crews after Iran destroyed a key supply hub in the region.
There were eight suicide attempts during the long deployment among sailors in the Lincoln strike group, according to a letter the Navy sent to lawmakers last month. The letter did not name Mr. McKelvey, but the description of a sailor who “went overboard from the ship” matches his story.
8 attempted suicides? Then let's not pretend that Priss Pot Pete has their back.
Mika Brezinski shared her thoughts on the speech and those of a Republican who'd texted her.
“It is a little embarrassing, I have to say, to hear him talk and to hear him talk about members serving in uniform,” she added. “I got a text from a Republican who served in the DoD and worked on Capitol Hill.”
Reading from her phone, she said, “Hegseth’s speech summarized this way: ‘Mr. President, please don't let me go. Pathetic to see him cowering behind those in uniform.’”
The MS NOW host added, “And that is the big point here. This was not for the media. I don't even think it was for the American people. I think it was for one person and that would be Donald J. Trump. What's going to matter here is, is the president going to think this performance was anything but embarrassing and desperate and groveling, almost? It was childish at times. The language he used, the way he described some of the actions that the department took.”
The vote was 211 to 204 to refer the charges to a committee, which would allow Republicans to slow the process indefinitely. Only one Republican, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who spearheaded the effort, voted with Democrats against doing so.
[. . .]
The 11 Democrats who did not vote were Representatives Julia Brownley, Lou Correa and Nancy Pelosi, all of California; Laura Gillen of New York; Steven Horsford of Nevada; Jonathan L. Jackson of Illinois; Brittany Pettersen of Colorado; Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico; Haley Stevens of Michigan; Marilyn Strickland of Washington; and Frederica Wilson of Florida.
Impeachment could be attempted in the new Congress that, in January, will be sworn in.
This is a very poor reflection on Hakeem Jeffries leadership.
A car accident blocked traffic!!!! Oh, we missed it because of that!!!
I don't care why you missed it. That was the most important vote in this lame duck Congress. Nancy Pelosi, you know, from your years in the House, that traffic can be a problem. You know what time you should have been there and knew how to plan. But you didn't.
And Hakeem, it was your job to ensure everyone was there for that vote.
I have defended Hakeem here repeatedly. But to oversea the failure of this vote, as Hakeem did, because all of his members were not present? That does not speak well of Jeffries' leadership abilities.
This was a very important vote. And it was a symbolic one. And what Jeffries as leader delivered was a loss that shouldn't have happened. Dems would have had the vote if the 11 who skipped the vote had been there.
Again, an important vote, people should have been there well before the voting began and then they wouldn't have been delayed. With them delayed, Jeffries should have done everything in his power to stall on the vote to buy more time for the 11 to arrive.
This reflects very poorly on Hakeem. Very poorly. Others should consider running for the post of Speaker of the House because there needs to be a pushback on this if only to ensure that a Speaker Jeffries will have gotten the message that he is responsible for House Democrats and he has to make sure that they deliver. He did not do that yesterday.
It was the first day since the midterms to show that he could deliver and he failed.
He failed.
There's no way to spin this or pretty it up.
He failed and if he wants to be known as a failure, he needs to step aside and let someone else be Speaker of the House.
A federal judge wrote that she knew of no precedent for the Justice Department declining to appear for ICE rather than formally telling the court it won’t contest a case, after prosecutors in Seattle told the court they lacked the resources.
U.S. District Judge Tiffany Cartwright wrote it Saturday in an order freeing Baljit Singh, an asylum seeker from India who was being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
According to his petition, Singh had been released under supervision while his asylum claim was pending when, in September, he and friends traveled from California to Peace Arch Historical State Park and “inadvertently went to the exit at the Canada border.” He was then detained.
Last month, Singh filed a habeas petition to challenge his detention, but the government never answered.
Cartwright treated it as “intentionally unopposed” because no government lawyer appeared within seven court days, a window the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Washington laid out in an Oct. 26 letter to the court, her order said.
So the Justice Dept told Judge Cartwright that they didn't have enough staff to make it into court? Khaleda Rahman (NEWSWEEK) reports another judge has been told something similar:
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said it does not have the resources to defend every case against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will let judges rule on “many” petitions without government opposition.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge David Estudillo last month, Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Floyd said his office is dealing with a huge volume of immigration-related habeas corpus cases. These allow people to legally challenge their detention by the government, with dozens being filed each week.
As a result, he said his office will not defend “many” such cases going forward. His letter did not provide any details about how many cases could be affected.
In less than a week, Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has seen four high-profile resignations, amid a growing crisis for an administration addicted to prosecutions and mired in controversy.
The department’s head Todd Blanche, Trump’s personal criminal lawyer who became the US’s 96th attorney general in August, revealed the resignation on Monday of his assistant attorney general in the civil division, Brett Shumate.
The resignation – effective immediately – was “abrupt and unexpected”, department sources told CBS. There was speculation it was linked to the promotion of Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff.
Last week, the assistant attorneys general for the DoJ’s national security and civil rights divisions also quit. A key US attorney in Miami, who had overseen an unproductive investigation into Trump’s political enemies, also left last week.
[. . .]
And they’re just the tip of the iceberg. More than 10,000 federal lawyers have quit since Trump took office, and many were not replaced.
Imagine that, a Convicted Felon gets sworn in as president and over 10,000 attorneys quit the Justice Dept.
Democratic lawmakers in California are demanding answers from the Trump administration about the safety and whereabouts of an eight-year-old Haitian boy who they say was put in restraints and taken into custody by federal immigration officers at a check-in last week.
Video obtained by NBC News shows the third-grader being led away by three armed officials after he was summoned to what his family said was a routine immigration appointment in San Diego on 4 November.
On Tuesday, California’s US senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff joined four Democratic Congress members in sending an oversight letter to homeland security secretary Markwayne Mullin and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, asking for an explanation.
“Video footage appears to show the use of restraints on a child who seemed to pose no threat to those around him, raising serious questions about the handling of this incident,” the lawmakers wrote. “We express concerns about the basis for this action and the harm it may cause a young child who appeared for his required hearing.”
Let's move over to Chump's old buddy Jeffrey Epstein. Prior to Epstein's death in jail in 2019, he and Chump had roll dogged it around for decades -- plural. The sex trafficker was best buds with Chump. And Chump is accused of assaulting women and girls provided to him by Epstein in a report released a week before the midterms by the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. Yesterday, the Republicans on the House Oversight Committee issued the following press release:
WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today released a majority staff report titled, “A Review of the Federal Government’s Mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell Criminal Investigations.” The report culminates the Committee’s 15-month investigation, which included 19 transcribed interviews and depositions with key witnesses, the release of documents from the Department of Justice and the Epstein estate, and an extensive review of financial records.
The report details how Epstein and Maxwell’s network facilitated the recruitment, control, and abuse of young women. It also exposes how Epstein cultivated relationships with powerful individuals and leveraged those connections to establish financial and social legitimacy. Additionally, the report documents the federal government’s decades-long failure to hold Epstein accountable for his crimes and deliver justice for survivors.
The report offers several recommendations to deliver long-overdue justice for survivors and prevent the federal government from repeating these failures. Among its recommendations, the report calls on Congress to pass Chairman Comer’s legislation, which would ensure survivors can speak freely about sexual abuse, even if they previously signed confidentiality agreements. The report also recommends that the Department of Justice interview or re-interview key witnesses, further investigate allegations of criminal activity involving Epstein’s associates, and provide survivors with unredacted access to their records.
“The federal government has failed the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes for decades. The House Oversight Committee conducted a review of the federal government’s mishandled investigations to bring transparency to the American people and accountability for survivors. Epstein operated with impunity, shielded and enabled by powerful connections and a justice system that repeatedly failed his victims. Governments at every level and powerful institutions must meet their legal obligations to identify these crimes, stop perpetrators, and deliver justice for survivors,” said Chairman Comer.
“The evidence we uncovered makes clear that the Department of Justice must interview or re-interview key witnesses, investigate Epstein associates accused of criminal activity, and ensure survivors have access to their records. Congress must also pass legislation protecting the ability of individuals with knowledge of sexual abuse and survivors to speak freely about these crimes, regardless of nondisclosure agreements. We cannot undo the horrific harm inflicted on these women. But we must ensure that allegations of criminal activity are thoroughly investigated, survivors are protected, and those responsible are held accountable. The failures of the past must not be repeated,” concluded Chairman Comer.
Read the report here. Key findings and recommendations include:
The federal government has failed survivors for decades.
The Committee finds that the crimes Epstein committed after 2005 could have been prevented—and justice served—if not for failures by federal investigators and prosecutors in South Florida and Washington, D.C.
Rather than pursue a federal indictment and fully investigate allegations in other states, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Southern District of Florida entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Epstein in 2007, allowing him to evade federal prosecution in exchange for pleading guilty to lesser state charges. Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail, received extensive work-release privileges during which he continued to abuse women, and was released early. Federal prosecutors also failed to inform survivors of the NPA, undermining their ability to pursue civil claims or publicly expose Epstein’s crimes.
While some of these failures reflected poor judgment by the USAO, others appeared to stem from Epstein’s pervasive influence and far-reaching connections, potentially including two attorneys employed by the office.
After Epstein was arrested in 2019, he died in custody at a Bureau of Prisons facility in New York. Understaffing and systemic dysfunction contributed to correctional officers on both shifts missing at least 12 rounds and three inmate counts on the night of his death. This resulted in nearly eight hours without adequate supervision of Epstein and other inmates.
Following enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to adequately communicate about document releases and failed to sufficiently protect survivors. Deficient redactions exposed survivors’ sensitive personal information.
The Department of Justice must take further action to advance transparency and justice for survivors.
DOJ should ensure investigators interview or reinterview key witnesses to advance justice for survivors of Epstein’s and Maxwell’s crimes. For example, DOJ should further question and investigate Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, regarding her potential knowledge of and role in facilitating Epstein’s criminal activity.
DOJ must further investigate sexual assault allegations Sarah Kellen, a longtime Epstein assistant and survivor, made against two powerful men—Philip Levine, the former Mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017, and Frédéric Fekkai, a French celebrity hairstylist—during her transcribed interview with the Committee.
DOJ should establish an appropriate process for Epstein survivors and their representatives to access their personal files and records in unredacted form.
Non-prosecution agreements must be subject to rigorous scrutiny to ensure they serve the interests of justice rather than enable and empower criminals.
DOJ and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices must rigorously enforce policies designed to prevent conflicts of interest in federal investigations and prosecutions.
Financial institutions failed to act on clear indicators of human trafficking and immigration fraud.
U.S. and foreign government authorities failed to identify indicators of human trafficking and immigration fraud. Institutions such as American Express enabled this activity, with company agents allowing Epstein to use fraudulent decoy flights and refundable or dummy itineraries to transport foreign women across borders directly to his residences.
Financial institutions possessed substantial information about Epstein’s criminal history and repeatedly identified transactions and activities presenting heightened compliance risks. Yet they failed to adequately address those risks, in some cases reporting them years later after Epstein’s 2019 arrest, due to Epstein’s personal connections, wealth, and influence.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) should review whether financial institutions are meeting their reporting obligations designed to detect and prevent suspicious activities, including money laundering and human trafficking.
Congress must pass legislation to prevent the weaponization of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence survivors of sexual abuse.
Epstein and powerful individuals in his orbit weaponized NDAs to silence survivors and conceal criminal activity.
Congress should pass the Survivor’s Voice Protection Act (H.R. 10389), introduced by Chairman Comer, to ensure witnesses and survivors of sexual crimes are not deterred from speaking freely by nondisclosure agreements. The legislation also establishes accountability for trusted individuals by requiring them to report suspected grooming behavior to law enforcement to help protect minors. This bill would also define grooming behavior for the first time in federal law.
September 3, 2026: Leon D. Black, Deposition (Failed to appear)
We've omitted James Comer's paean to Chump's 'innocence.' The committee didn't interview any survivors. In addition, they did not do open hearings and they did not record video on every witness that appeared before them. Heres' the statement issued by the Democrats on the Committee:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement after Chairman James Comer released a partisan report on the mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigations.
“Oversight Republicans have released a report based on an incomplete investigation and zero public hearings on Jeffrey Epstein. The Department of Justice continues to illegally withhold over 2.5 million pages of documents, there’s been no investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer, and Attorney General Todd Blanche has yet to testify about his role in the largest government cover-up of the modern era.
“We will not allow the President and his allies to dismiss this investigation. We intend to hold real public hearings uplifting survivors and asking tough questions of the powerful men who associated with Epstein, including Donald Trump. Our work is just getting started,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.
###
Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:
Murray: “Congress is a co-equal branch of government—not Donald Trump’s customer service line. Republicans may have forgotten that, but the American people just sent them a reminder that will echo for years to come.”
Murray: “We are fighting a deeply entrenched and lawless Administration. So, it is not going to be easy or quick. The only way to accomplish our goals is the hard way. We are going to have to roll up our sleeves, and grind it out. It’s going to take hard work, sustained pressure, and sharp political strategy. Building something is always going to be harder, slower work than burning it down.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on how the incoming Democratic Congress will fight to lower costs, help families get by, put an end to Trump’s reckless war of choice with Iran, and fight the rampant corruption coming out of every corner of this administration.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Last week the American people used their voices. They used their votes. They did their job. Now, it is time for Congress to finally get back to its job. We are here to be a voice for the American people, not a rubber stamp for the President.
“Look, Congress is a co-equal branch of government—not Donald Trump’s customer service line. Republicans may have forgotten that, but the American people just sent them a reminder that will echo for years to come.
“And now, Democrats are going to try something Republicans seem to have forgotten about: keeping our promises. We are going to hit the ground running by fighting to lower costs, to stop corruption, and to end Trump’s war with Iran. That’s what America voted for. And that’s what we will work to deliver.
[TRUMP’S TARIFFS AND TRADE WAR]
“A Democratic Congress means pressing to put an end to Trump’s stupid tariffs and trade wars. Nobody in America wants to pay more for groceries just so Trump can pick a fight with Canada.
[ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ICE]
“A Democratic Congress means real accountability for ICE. Republicans wrote ICE a blank check. We are going to be writing them subpoenas.
[CRACKING DOWN ON CORRUPTION]
“A Democratic Congress means cracking down on corruption: insider trading, selling pardons and access, crypto scams, no-bid contracts, war profiteering—all of it.
“If you thought Trump was your ticket to get rich quick by breaking laws, abusing power, and defrauding the American people, you thought wrong. When the gavels change hands, the days of rampant, consequence-free grifting will come to an end. Bet on that.
[ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE]
“And of course, when it comes to health care, a Democratic Congress means reversing health care cuts—just for a start. Every time Republicans take power, they make a mess out of health care.
“We have got to reverse the Medicaid cuts that are shutting down our hospitals. We have got to restore the ACA tax credits that make health care far more affordable for families. And we need to stop Trump’s plan to use AI to cut seniors off from their Medicare benefits.
“But we can’t stop there—because if Republicans’ health care strategy is ‘death by a thousand cuts,’ Democrats have to be more than the party of a thousand band-aids.
“We need a robust public option, and universal coverage. And we are going to have that conversation in the next Congress.
[PUBLIC HEALTH]
“We are also going to have a conversation about undoing all the damage RFK Jr. has done to our health in this country.
“A Democratic Congress means putting science back in public health.
“Right now, measles cases are at record levels. Instead of solving the problem, our nation’s highest health official is covering it up. Instead of championing vaccines, RFK Jr. has been championing conspiracies. He should be fighting viruses, not vaccines.
“Americans don’t want viruses that we eliminated roaring back and killing babies. Americans don’t want lettuce to give them diarrhea. They don’t want promising clinical trials cut off, or respected researchers sacked. They don’t want FDA’s gold standard overruled by Secretary Kennedy’s wildest conspiracies or Trump’s biggest donors.
“Chaos and corruption may have spread like a plague under Trump and RFK Jr, but you know what they say: sunlight is the best disinfectant. Accountability is coming. And RFK Jr. is far from the only person we will be holding accountable.
[HOLDING VOUGHT ACCOUNTABLE]
“A Democratic Congress means Russ Vought’s days of breaking our laws and extorting our communities without consequence are coming to an end. As incoming Chair of the Appropriations Committee, you better believe I am going to be demanding answers and accountability for the brazen robbery and illegality we have seen from Trump’s OMB director.
“I’m going to have hearings, and I’m going to use our funding bills to rein in the abuses and corruption of this administration while we invest in our American families. I will expose this administration’s corruption and the games Russ Vought and OMB have been playing with our American tax dollars.
“I am going to drag this Administrations’ crooked schemes into the light of day for every American to see—and you better believe I am going to stamp this president’s very ugly and very un-American brand of politics and corruption into the dust.
[MAKING CHILD CARE AFFORDABLE]
“Now let me just say: I am going to make certain a Democratic Congress means getting serious about the child care crisis. Child care is too hard for parents to find. It’s too expensive for families to afford. It is too tough for providers to keep their daycare facilities open. And this all is crushing our families and our economy.
“I have been fighting for child care since my first day in politics—and you can bet that next Congress I am going to be loud about beating the drum, pounding the pavement, and charting a course towards a future where every family in this country can get quality, affordable child care. And with so many new colleagues now coming who have young kids joining us, I know we are going to make progress.
[DEFENDING PUBLIC EDUCATION]
“That doesn’t just go for child care though—it also goes for defending public education.
“A Democratic Congress means Trump’s plan to demolish the Department of Education is dead in the water. We’ve been fighting these efforts since Trump’s first day in office—but with gavels in hand, we are going to have even more power to put an end to this nonsense once and for all.
“There is no world where this former Pre-K teacher will let Trump bulldoze the programs that support our kids, because every student deserves to be able to get a great education—and afford college—no matter their zip code, or the size of their parent’s bank account.
[INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE]
“And a Democratic Congress means building infrastructure for all Americans—instead of letting Trump build monuments to himself. Republicans have voted to cut off vital investments to create great jobs and rebuild America’s infrastructure. Well guess what? Democrats are going to fight to keep investing in the roads, and bridges, and ports, and airports that people use every day.
[FIGHTING FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM]
“We are also going to be pushing hard to fight back on abortion. A Democratic Congress means countering Republican attacks on abortion and clawing back the rights they have chipped away.
“Make no mistake, Republicans spent decades on their crusade to overturn Roe and rip away women’s rights. So I will spend every day of this majority fighting to win them back. Democrats will be relentless and tenacious.
“And that means putting abortion rights to a vote on the floor and making every senator say where they stand. It means protecting Title X, Planned Parenthood, and contraception access from this administration’s attacks. It means elevating the voices of women across the country about being investigated for miscarriages, or forced to death’s door before a doctor could treat them.
“I do not expect quick, easy victories—but I am in this fight for as long as it takes. We will claw back every inch we can at every opportunity we can. I will keep pushing until we have the trifecta we need to restore abortion rights in all 50 states.
[KILLING TRUMP’S BLANK CHECK FOR WAR]
“Now, when it comes to Trump’s wars, let’s be clear: a Democratic Congress means Donald Trump is absolutely not getting his $1.5 trillion war budget, or the nearly $70 billion he wants to bankroll the Iran war.
“There is no way on God’s green earth that I am going to let Republicans jam through a funding bill that blows war spending through the roof and at the same time cutting family priorities like child care, housing, and health care.
“This war with Iran should never have started. It is putting our service members in harms’ way. It is blowing gas prices through the roof. It is undermining our credibility on the world stage—not to mention weakening our position on other fronts. This administration is responsible for the deaths of nearly 200 Iranian school children, for God’s sake.
“Trump’s war has been a disaster from top to bottom. We are going to push to end this war as responsibly as we can, and we are going to hold Trump and Hegseth accountable for starting it in the first place.
[LOOKING FORWARD]
“Now, there’s going to be a lot more to say on these issues—and many other challenges where Republicans are going to have to accept reality and come to the table to work with us. Like: how do we develop a responsible framework for AI regulation that makes sure regular people are the ones reaping the benefits of this technology, not the ones bearing the burdens of it?
“The clock is ticking to get our arms around this. We cannot let this powerful technology—and the companies developing it—run amok.
“Or, how do we preserve Social Security in a way that keeps our promise to seniors, and prevents painful cuts to benefits? Social Security is projected to run dry in 2032—meaning every Senator just elected is going to have a say in how we solve this. Those conversations need to start now.
“Or, for anyone wondering if I can find common ground with Trump: Let’s pass the Sunshine Protection Act. Let’s give people a bit more sunshine. Let’s finally end the tyranny of changing the clock back and forth just to see the sun set before you leave work.
“There is no question we have got our work cut out for us in the Congress ahead. I think we all know this is not going to be easy. I’d like to say the overwhelming results sent an undeniable message to the White House, but we all know this President has no problem denying election results, or spitting in the face of Congress, or flouting our laws.
“Republicans forgot Congress is not a rubber stamp. Our challenge is to remember it is not a magic wand. We are a co-equal branch of government. We can check this President, but we still have to contend with his veto power, and we still have to face a conservative Supreme Court.
“We can bring down prices, but not with a wave of our hands. We can fight corruption, but not with a strong press statement. And we can end Trump’s war with Iran, but not with a snap of our fingers.
“We are fighting a deeply entrenched and lawless Administration. So, it is not going to be easy or quick. The only way to accomplish our goals is the hard way. We are going to have to roll up our sleeves, and grind it out. It’s going to take hard work, sustained pressure, and sharp political strategy. Building something is always going to be harder, slower work than burning it down.
“But I want to end with the good news. The American people turned out in a very big way last week. They sent a message as loud and clear as I have ever heard in politics. And as a result, next year Democrats will have more hands to take on that work than at any time in the Trump era.
“And we are—every single one of us—ready to meet this moment.”
Prominent climate change activist Greta Thunberg arrived Tuesday at the U.N. climate meeting, where she emphasized the need to protect people and the planet over profits and power.
This year's meeting — called the Conference of the Parties, or COP31 — comes after a year of climate-induced heat waves and other disasters.
As she arrived at the meeting venue in Antalya, Turkey, Thunberg said climate change is “threatening everything" and that “everything and everyone we love is at stake.”
“We should act to protect and benefit people rather than constantly sacrificing the global majority and the very planet we are all living on, for a fortunate few to keep making unimaginable profits and maintaining geopolitical power,” she told reporters.
Thunberg is attending her first U.N. climate summit since she participated in the 2021 COP in Glasgow, Scotland, where she dismissed promises made by global leaders as “blah, blah, blah."
Greta is only 23 years old. But she has been protesting since the fall of 2018. Since she was sixteen. She is still protesting because the world's governments refuse to take climate change seriously.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Chump continues struggling with reality, AG Toad Blanche is right by his side distorting the law to aid Chump, Hegseth has another scandal that he thought he could hide (by giving orders over the phone and not writing them down, Hegseth may be facing impeachment this week, Boe-Boe may not be returning to Congress, convicted rapist Russell Brand will miss his days funnin' with Chump and the administration, and much more.
Chump is reeling from the beating he took in the midterms. He keeps insisting his name was not on the ballot when he spent over six weeks insisting to the American people that they should pretend his name was on the ballot. As Jimmy Kimmel noted the day after the midterms. "You were on the ballot. You're like dog hair, you're on everything. You've infected every nook and cranny of our lives. You divided this country like no one else ever has. The only time you ever brought us together was yesterday, when we all teamed up to get rid of you!" Chump is humiliated and when he's humiliated? He's at his most irrational. Which is why he is accusing Democrats of breaking the law for their plans to seek oversight and accountability. Attorney General Toad Blanche has already fallen in line behind Chump is attempting to bully and threaten members of Congress.
Blanche himself has repeatedly defended an indictment charging former FBI Director James Comey with threatening to assassinate Trump by posting a photo of seashells arranged to form the numerical slogan "86 47"—a ubiquitous expression of opposition to the president that does not even come close to the Supreme Court's definition of a "true threat." In light of that precedent, it is not exactly reassuring when Blanche says the viability of prosecuting lawmakers for "threatening" members of the Trump administration "depends on what the crime is and what they have done."
Blanche nevertheless may have a hard time finding a crime to pin on Trump's congressional critics. The "criminal act[s]" that Trump perceives include trying to impeach federal officials when "there have been no impeachable acts committed," which he describes as an "illegal process" and "extortion at the highest level," saying legislators "should be held accountable" for attempting it. But the Constitution gives Congress complete discretion in identifying "high crimes and misdemeanors," which need not include conduct that would qualify as a criminal violation.
Trump also averred that Democrats are "threatening our Donors, some of the most respected people anywhere in the World, with imprisonment, and many other levels of punishment, just because they happen to be Republicans, or Republican supporters," which he described as "Weaponization and Lawfare at another level." Trump amplified that complaint in a subsequent post: "The threats being made by the Democrat Party against innocent Republican Donors and Party Members are absolutely unprecedented, and totally illegal. Please report them to the Department of Justice, IMMEDIATELY!"
What is Trump talking about? As Reason's Tosin Akintola notes, some Democrats have suggested that their investigations will "extend to the actions of private companies and industries they perceive as allies of the president." Last week, for example, Sen. Ron Wyden (D–Ore.) said he was "putting the special interests that have worked hand-in-hand with Trump to rip off American families for the last year and a half on notice." When he is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Wyden warned, they "will be forced to answer" for "their role in hurting the American people and enabling Trump's corruption."
Whatever you think of that plan, it does not qualify as a threat of "imprisonment," unlike Trump's response. While Wyden is promising to conduct congressional hearings, Trump is threatening criminal prosecution, and his attorney general does not seem inclined to refuse his marching orders.
Steve Benen (MS NOW) boils it down thusly, "In other words, one day after the president condemned congressional oversight as “weaponization and lawfare,” the attorney general, taking his marching orders from Trump, told a national television audience he’s open to prosecuting members of Congress — or at least trying to — for asking questions the White House and its allies don’t want to answer." And it's moments like these that explain why Harry Litman (THE NEW REPUBLIC) argues that the most impeachable official in the administration is Blanche:
For the last 20 months, the Justice Department hasn’t been flirting with authoritarianism. It has been an antidemocratic stronghold, embracing practices that don’t happen in a democracy, and that in fact define authoritarian rule.
Democratic Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia has stated the umbrella case for impeaching and removing Blanche. The menu of possible articles runs long: illegal firings, including Maurene Comey’s, as a federal judge ruled last week; an early push, with his deputy Emil Bove—now, incredibly, a federal appellate judge—to ship immigrants out of the country whether or not the law allowed it; a sit-down with Ghislaine Maxwell not long before she landed in a minimum-security camp.
Yet if I were drafting the articles, I’d opt to set aside for the time being all those horrendous abuses in the sycophantic service of Donald Trump and advance a single count: that Blanche has wielded the power of federal prosecution to punish the president’s enemies.
As Vladimir Putin’s persecution of Alexei Navalny shows, a single instance tells you everything about a regime, and a single instance would justify impeachment and removal. With Blanche, we have a long and growing list: Jim Comey, three times over. Letitia James. Cassidy Hutchinson. Six Democratic lawmakers, for making a video about illegal orders.
A one-count article of impeachment reduces the overall firepower of the case against Blanche, but it trains Congress’s and the nation’s focus on reprisal prosecutions, the practice of Trump 2.0 that is the singular paradigm of authoritarianism. Three reasons make the reprisal count the right one.
First, reprisal prosecutions don’t merely abuse power; they violate the Constitution in and of themselves. The Supreme Court has called punishing someone for doing what the law allows “a due process violation of the most basic sort.” When the charges are brought in retaliation for protected speech, as with Comey or the six Democratic lawmakers, the prosecution violates the First Amendment as well.
Second, reprisal prosecutions are designed to cow dissent more broadly. Blanche’s prominent targets—a former FBI director, a witness who testified to Congress, lawmakers who reminded troops of their duty—cast a broad shadow over other political critics. Along with intimidating political adversaries, that is the point. Each case warns every potential critic, witness, and whistleblower to keep quiet or face criminal prosecution. And because a reprisal prosecution does its damage before any judge rules, and prosecutors enjoy absolute immunity from damages, the courts can’t undo it. Impeachment is the one remedy that reaches the official responsible.
Third, and most important, prosecuting the leader’s enemies on manufactured or nonexistent charges is the bright line between democracy and autocracy. It’s the unmistakable mark of authoritarianism.
Todd Blanche has been ordered to answer questions from Jeffrey Epstein‘s alleged victims after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s top law enforcement official could not completely avoid scrutiny over explosive remarks he allegedly made about the FBI’s handling of the disgraced financier’s s– abuse investigation, OK! can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by OK!, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe issued a November 5 ruling allowing Epstein survivors to submit up to 10 written questions to Blanche, despite granting the government’s request to block his deposition for now.
The legal battle stems from a July 16, 2026, meeting in Washington, D.C., where Blanche allegedly acknowledged serious failures in the FBI’s investigation of Epstein.
According to a November 3 court filing, attorneys representing Epstein survivors claim Blanche told those attending that the FBI’s case against Epstein “was handled improperly before 2007.”
The filing also alleges Blanche delivered an even more startling admission to the victims.
“You got screwed over by the FBI, but I cannot fix the FBI’s lack of investigation,” Blanche allegedly said.
But the first confrontation, over a potential House of Representatives vote to impeach Hegseth, will do more to test how the midterm wipeout has hurt Trump’s authority among Republicans than Democrats’ capacity to restrain him.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie plans to bring articles of impeachment against Hegseth this week as the Pentagon chief intensifies a vehement campaign to keep his job despite criticism of his conduct of the Iran war.
There are growing suggestions that even many Republicans would like the combative Hegseth gone, especially after Rep. James Comer expressed reservations about him last week. Comer, unlike his fellow Kentuckian Massie, who was beaten by a pro-Trump rival in his primary, remains loyal to the president.
The White House is standing by Hegseth, so far. Trump told reporters last week his defense secretary was doing “a very good job.” And Hegseth reacted to Miller’s promotion by portraying him as a fellow fighter against the president’s enemies with a social media post reading “Stand. Fight.”
Hegseth’s viability, however, could be undermined by a strong vote against him by GOP members. Those who’ve lost their jobs amid public fury over Iran may have little incentive to stand strong with him and the president. It seems unlikely that there will be the two-thirds majority in the Senate needed to convict and remove Hegseth from office in an impeachment trial. But he’s made few friends in the Senate, and these are volatile political days.
The Hegseth impeachment drama will unfold against the last rites of the lame-duck Republican-led Congress, which must pass a funding bill by December 11 to keep the government open. The defense secretary’s controversial presence may also complicate the Senate passage of a critical defense spending bill.
Mr. Massie, who lost his primary in May to a challenger backed by President Trump, has introduced eight articles of impeachment against Mr. Hegseth, three of them focused on his conduct of the war with Iran.
The articles accuse the defense secretary of waging war without congressional authorization and continuing the military campaign after Congress voted to direct the president to terminate the conflict or seek authorization to continue it. The resolution also accuses Mr. Hegseth of violating deadlines under the War Powers Resolution, which requires the withdrawal of American forces from unauthorized hostilities after 60 days, with a possible 30-day extension.
The remaining charges accuse Mr. Hegseth of carrying out unlawful military strikes against suspected drug traffickers; unlawfully capturing Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro; conducting unauthorized military operations in Yemen; disregarding laws intended to minimize civilian casualties; and abusing his power by retaliating against Senator Mark Kelly for protected speech.
It is up to Speaker Mike Johnson to decide whether the chamber will vote on each of the eight articles or if they will be considered as a package.
Priss Pot Pete is a joke and a fool. He has been involved in one scandal after another since being confirmed by the Senate (and JD Vance in the tie breaking vote) to be Secretary of Defense. The scandals continue. Brendan Rascius (INDEPENDENT) reported yesterday:
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked promotions for military officers who supported Covid-19 vaccines and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, according to a new report.
Citing three military officials, MS NOW reported that Hegseth sidestepped the Pentagon’s merit-based promotion process in favor of new criteria that disproportionately affected women and people of color.
“I was like ‘you gotta be kidding me’,” a senior official said. A Pentagon spokesperson, meanwhile, told The Independent that the department remains “committed to ensuring that all advancement is merit-based.”
Throughout his 21-month tenure, Hegseth has reshaped the Pentagon’s senior leadership, ousting dozens of generals and admirals. In September, he announced plans to reduce their ranks by 20 percent, adding that “no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps” would be tolerated.
Directions on how this would be done were given over the phone to avoid a paper trail. This leak is part of a series of leaks that will be rolling out from the man enemies Hegseth has made since becoming Secretary of Defense. Travis Gettys (RAW STORY) adds:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s office kept secret paper files of internet search printouts and used them to block the promotions of senior Navy officers, most of them women and people of color, and that process may have violated federal law, according to a new report.
A senior official with in-depth knowledge of flag and general officer selection told MS NOW that Hegseth’s executive office built “paper-only files” filled with internet search results that the officers under consideration couldn’t see. Instructions about the new criteria came over the phone instead of in writing. Two officers whose promotions were withheld confirmed the official’s account.
[. . .]
The officers had already been chosen by the Navy’s selection boards, which by law weigh performance, experience and education. Hegseth’s office then went after the officers over things like allowing a celebration with rainbow flags, speaking at a Hispanic Heritage Month event, joining an International Women’s Day panel, or encouraging sailors to get COVID-19 vaccines.
Of 31 officers selected for one-star rank, about 15 got reports, and nine were withheld. Every woman and minority on that list except one was removed. On the two-star list, the only woman selected and every person of color were taken off.
[. . .]
Legal experts say the way it was done could be a serious problem. Under federal law, only the president can remove individual names from one- and two-star promotion lists. The defense secretary can approve or reject a list only as a whole. Officers facing a delayed promotion are entitled to written notice and a chance to respond. The officers told MS NOW they got neither.
“If ‘professionally unqualified’ can mean ‘executed a lawful program the current Secretary opposes,’ the promotion system and law has no function left,” said Cody Harnish, a military defense attorney and former Army judge advocate general, who called the removals “illegal.”
Illegal. And yet Priss Pot Pete is trying to play the victim. He spoke to the press yesterday and plans a press conference today to plead for his job. Konstantin Toropin (AP) notes it would be his first press conference "in over 180 days." On Monday, Priss Pot Pete got prissy and tried to hide behind the troops declaring, "If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolas Maduro, you're taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic." No, Prissy, we're taking issue with your plans and conclusions. And, check the polls, the American people can't stand you. Laura Esposito (DAILY BEAST) notes:
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ripped the secretary of defense Sunday morning, accusing him of making America “less safe.”
“I would just tell you, from my perspective, he is completely incompetent. He’s like an eight-year-old playing with toy soldiers every day,” Shapiro, 53, said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
“He is someone who I think is making America less safe, and there has to be real accountability.”
Pete's day of reckoning is approaching. This day was actually supposed to have come in September. That's when US House Rep Thomas Massie first introduced articles of impeachment against Prissy. But Speaker of the Closet Mike Johnson immediately sent House Republicans home to avoid a vote being taken. That was known in real time but for those who need a Republican to declare it to be true, Maria Villarroel (IRISH STAR) reports:
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz claimed the House of Representatives has been in recess for months because Republicans did not have enough votes to prevent an impeachment of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. His comments come as an impeachment vote on the controversial Cabinet member looms.
During a recent podcast appearance, the Republican senator claimed that the House has been out of session to prevent a vote on Hegseth’s impeachment. Those claims, however, have not been verified.
“One of the reasons the House has been out of session for a couple of months,” Cruz said. “The reason they’ve been out of session is that they didn’t have the votes to stop a Hegseth impeachment back in September.”
Retired Rear Adm. Eileen Laubacher, a Democrat, will flip Colorado’s 4th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, ending conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert’s tenure in Congress.
Boebert’s loss comes after she elected to run in a more conservative district last cycle in an effort to preserve her political future. But Laubacher, who served more than three decades in the Navy, capitalized on the national headwinds against the GOP and focused her campaign on affordability issues.
The win denies Boebert, an ally of President Donald Trump and one of the most outspoken conservatives in the House Republican conference, a fourth term. Boebert was first elected in 2020, after she upset a fifth-term Republican incumbent in a primary.
Boe-Boe entered Congress in 2020 claiming to be a family values candidate. May 11, 2023, she filed for a divorce from her husband who was the father of their four children. September 10th, she was out on a date in public when she and her date engaged in heavy petting in a theater where the musical BEETLEJUICE was being performed. October 10, 2023, her divorce was granted. She's been a single parent since. GOOGLE AI notes:
Tyler Boebert, the 21-year-old eldest son of U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert, was arrested and charged with felony child sexual exploitation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The Arrest: Tyler Boebert was arrested by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office on August 9, 2026, and posted a $10,000 bond the same day
The case involves three felony counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, stemming from a 2024 incident where he allegedly shared explicit media involving a 17-year-old on Instagram.
This was not his first run-in with the law. Amanda Pampuro (COURTHOUSE NEWS) reminds, "In 2024, Boebert pleaded guilty to a single charge for attempting to commit identity theft related to a spree of vehicle break-ins committed around the small Colorado city of Rifle. The judge granted Boebert a deferred sentence. He is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on the identity theft case on Sept. 10."
She leaves Congress with a jailbird for a son and without a husband. Those are apparently her real family values.
Russell Brand has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault in London, but just a few weeks ago, he was sitting onstage next to Trump administration official Mehmet Oz at a September conference for MAHA Action, joking obliquely about the very serious allegations against him.
Brand had almost been late because he was distracted backstage, “hugging the secretary for agriculture,” said Oz, during introductory remarks. “She initiated that contact, I should make clear, doctor!” Brand replied.
Both Oz and Brand laughed heartily at the apparent cleverness of the joke.
Of course it looks bad now, but it should’ve looked bad then, when the court case was on the horizon, so let’s not expect much hand-wringing from Oz, MAHA-maven RFK Jr., and the other Trump health officials who embraced Brand over the past two years.
And indeed, Brand has been making jokes like this for years in plain sight. His ‘I’m just telling it like it is’ persona meant that he was announcing he would sleep with pretty much anyone from under the age of consent upwards during his early 00’s standup routines. He often encouraged young women to line up outside gigs and wait for him so he could have sex with them afterwards.
For a long time, yes, Brand managed to get away with just looking like a shameless Lothario. He managed that even when there was evidence of an undercurrent of viciousness and misogyny: calling up Andrew Sachs to “prank him” on-air while lewdly describing how he’d slept with Sachs’ granddaughter; saying during a live interview with Vanessa Feltz that he’d like to have sex with her and her two teenage daughters, the youngest of whom was 15 at the time; performing a mean-spirited comedy routine about Katy Perry in the immediate weeks after their divorce, where he heavily implied that she was bad in bed.
In other words, Brand wasn’t just a tomcat who strutted around talking about the size of his libido. He was someone who, again and again, spoke about women with dehumanizing derision. Whether that woman was an ex-wife or an interviewer or the secretary for agriculture, it always came back to objectification. (Remind you of anyone?)
So he was a perfect fit for Chump and Chump's administration. After awhile, you'd think Chump would be asked about all these predators that he has surrounded himself with.
Let's wind down with this from Senator Tammy Duckworth's office:
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement announcing she will vote against advancing the permitting reform bill:
“It couldn’t be clearer that Americans are sick of abuses of power, sick of the sky-high cost of living and sick of business as usual. While I appreciate some of the changes in the latest version put forward by committee leadership, the bill still isn’t good enough. Not for Illinois, not for the communities who won’t have a say in data centers and development coming into their neighborhoods and not for the entire nation.”
“After Americans issued a complete and total rejection of Donald Trump, Congress should not be rushing to pass a bill that would hand that same man even more power to put Big Oil and Big Tech over ratepayers. I cannot support a bill that depends on the empty promises of Trump, who violates the law every day and continues to hold up billions in energy funding from blue states like mine simply because we did not support him in the last election. I’m also skeptical that we’ll be successful in lowering costs for the American people by passing a bill that is supported by data centers and utility corporations who are jacking up their costs.
“Americans empowered Democrats to fight for them. We must use that power to fight for a better deal that prioritizes people over profits, establishes stronger guardrails and protects states like Illinois against any future retaliation by the President.”
