Connor O'Brien, et al., of Politico: “... Donald Trump formally notified lawmakers this weekend that the nation is once again at war with Iran, giving his administration another 60-day clock to use the military in the region without congressional approval. In a letter to Congress dated July 10..., Trump stated that the strikes that began on July 7 represent 'military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States’ interests both at home and abroad.'”
⭐Alec Hernandez of Politico: “Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham’s younger sister and close confidant, will serve the remainder of the late senator’s term in Washington. 'It’s my honor to ask his little sister Darline Graham to finish his work for him now,' South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Monday, formally appointing Nordone after recounting stories of Graham’s legacy.... Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune both publicly expressed support for McMaster choosing Nordone as a tribute to Graham. Her appointment as an interim caretaker triggers a wide-open race ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. Several Republicans are already weighing bids to take over Graham’s place as the GOP Senate nominee.”
Now, This Is Just What a Brutal Dictator Would Do. Jeanna Smialek, et al., of the New York Times: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the United States plans to 'systematically disable' the International Criminal Court, an overt attack on a body that investigates some of the gravest crimes in the world. Officially established in 2002 and based in The Hague, the court has a mission to investigate and prosecute genocide, war crimes and other serious offenses. The United States never ratified the main treaty establishing the institution, and Mr. Rubio raised the possibility that the court could prosecute Americans as reason to dismantle it. Such actions would 'mean the death of the U.S. as a sovereign and independent nation,' Mr. Rubio wrote in an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal. 'Using all the tools at our government’s disposal, working beside every ally with whom we can make common cause, we will dismantle the I.C.C. — brick by brick, if necessary,' he wrote.”
Marie: I sort of screwed up recording this video, but I did want to share with everybody how much better Mitch is doing now: ~~~
⭐Eric Tucker & Alanna Richer of the AP: “... Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over his leaked tax returns was filed for an 'improper purpose,' a judge said Monday in a scathing decision that recommended attorney sanctions and disciplinary action. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams amounts to a stinging rebuke of the Republican president’s lawsuit, characterizing it as an exercise in self-dealing in which he sued an entity that is effectively under his control. The suit concluded in May with a settlement agreement that created a since-abandoned $1.776 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president, as well as immunity from tax audits.” Update: the article has been expanded since first published early Monday afternoon. ~~~
~~~ Update. Andrew Duehren & Alan Feuer of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Monday ruled that ... [Donald] Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service was an improper exercise in self-dealing and barred him from claiming that the extraordinary tax protections he received were part of a legitimate settlement agreement. In the order, the judge, Kathleen M. Williams, also referred the lawyer who brought Mr. Trump’s case against the I.R.S. to the Florida bar for potential disciplinary proceedings. Judge Williams added that she would forward her decision to the New York bar, which is already investigating the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche. The decision by the Judge Williams did not explicitly kill the deal that Mr. Trump had worked out with his own government to receive what amounted to amnesty from investigations into tax returns that he, his family and their businesses have already filed. But Judge Williams’s scathing ruling exposed the negotiations between Mr. Trump’s personal lawyers and senior officials at the Justice Department he controls for what she says they were: backroom dealings that did not arise from a legitimate legal process.” Politico's report is here. ~~~
~~~ Judge Williams' ruling, via the courts, is here.
Yo Ho, Yo Humph, a Pirate's Life for Trump. Riya Misra of Politico: “... Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. will take over the Strait of Hormuz — and will be reimbursed 'at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped' for overseeing one of the world’s most critical oil passageways that has been at the center of the U.S.’s re-escalating war with Iran. 'We will become guardians of the strait,' Trump said during an interview with 'Fox & Friends' on Monday morning. 'We’re going to hit [Iran] very hard and keep the strait, and probably run it.'... Trump followed his Fox News interview with a Truth Social post.... 'All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait,' he said, but added that 'as a matter of FAIRNESS, [the U.S.] will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.'”
Ted Hesson, et al., of the Washington Post: “The governor of Maine [Janet Mills (D)] said Monday that federal law enforcement was involved in a fatal shooting in the small city of Biddeford, and local police said the incident involved personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.... Few details were available regarding the circumstances of the shooting.... Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents the Maine district where the shooting took place, said in a video that she was “deeply disturbed and angry” over reports of ICE’s involvement. Pingree said she would press for details about the incident, including whether the officers were wearing body cameras.” ~~~
~~~ Jacey Fortin, et al., of the New York Times: “... eyewitness reports and an elected official indicated that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot someone in a vehicle, killing the person. Social media video showed agents surrounding a still body at an intersection in Biddeford, next to a car with bullet holes in the windshield, and local police officers arriving at the scene. Two advocacy groups, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and Presente! Maine, said in a joint statement that a 26-year-old Colombian man had died in the encounter. Project Relief, another immigrant advocacy organization, said the man had a partner and a young child. The source of their information ... could not be immediately confirmed with the authorities.”
Ernesto Londoño & Mitch Smith of the New York Times: “After months of resistance, the Justice Department has shared evidence related to three shootings by immigration agents in Minnesota with state and local investigators, the county prosecutor in Minneapolis said on Monday. The exchange of evidence, which played out quietly in recent weeks, broke an investigative logjam that had hampered state prosecutors weighing whether to bring charges in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Both were U.S. citizens who were killed by federal agents in January during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state. State prosecutors have already filed charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in another shooting that wounded a man from Venezuela during the crackdown in Minnesota. Christian Castro, the officer charged in that shooting, was arrested in Texas and remains jailed there. He has not agreed to be extradited to Minnesota.”
Scott Nover of the Washington Post: “A group of 12 states led by Democratic attorneys general on Monday sued to block Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the sharpest challenge to one of the biggest media and entertainment mergers in history. The purchase would combine some of the biggest names in film, television, streaming and news, including CNN. Warner Bros. shareholders and the U.S. Justice Department have already blessed the deal, but opponents are hopeful that opposition from states or overseas could still upend it. The lawsuit, whose plaintiffs include California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James, was filed in federal district court in Northern California on Monday. The states allege that the deal violates federal antitrust law, specifically Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, which prohibits mergers that reduce competition and create monopolies.” Politico's story is here. Related story linked earlier Monday.
Let's Send Dumb & Dumber to Jail. Elizabeth Dwoskin, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have amassed a portfolio of defense technology start-ups that are benefiting from new Pentagon priorities and spending, further entangling the United States’ interests and the Trump family’s financial fortunes in an area with immense stakes for national security.... Most of the investments have taken place since Trump was elected president for a second time. The companies have collectively generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested and an additional $3.1 billion in future contract options. Some have gained coveted spots on shortlists of preapproved contractors that can bid exclusively on up to nearly $200 billion in future work. The Trump sons are part of investment groups that have poured money into established government contractors, such as SpaceX and Anduril, as well as lesser-known start-ups aspiring to build a new generation of nimble, tech-forward weaponry....” Thanks to RAS for the link. Update: the link has been changed to a gift link. ~~~
~~~ Marie: I suppose Trump will pre-pardon Uday & Qusay, but there must be some way to nail them once Daddy Short Fingers is out of office. I assume the Pentagon procurement ops have always been a den of corruption; still, I'd like to see some of those procurement officers, not to mention Drunk Pete, in orange jump suits, too. And besides the prison terms, let's hit the boys with billions of dollars in fines. Not that I'm presuming the guilty before a proper trial, of course.
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Erica Green & Olivia Diaz of the New York Times: “In an interview on the NBC show 'Meet the Press,'... Mr. Trump said [Senator Lindsey] Graham, a South Carolina Republican, had called him on Saturday night, just hours before the president was notified that Mr. Graham had died. He said that he had spoken with Mr. Graham about the SAVE America Act.... Mr. Trump said that Mr. Graham had sounded “perfect” on the call, but he added that the senator, who had landed from a trip to Ukraine hours earlier, had told him that he was 'tired.'... The president said he did not know the cause of Mr. Graham’s death, which the senator’s office attributed to 'a brief and sudden illness.' But, in response to a question about reports that the authorities had been called to Mr. Graham’s home to respond to cardiac arrest, Mr. Trump said the account made sense. 'It had to be something like that because he was, other than being tired, he was fine,' Mr. Trump said. 'And so it had to be something like that, that would just be a quick end. And maybe that’s not the worst way to go.'” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Kash Stokes Conspiracy Theorists. Joe DePaolo of Mediaite: “FBI Director Kash Patel is being called out for stoking conspiracy theories about the death of Lindsey Graham. In a post to X early Sunday, the FBI director paid homage to the late South Carolina Senator..., but ... [ended the post with,] 'The FBI is assisting local authorities and has made every necessary resource available.'...” Left-wing pundits couldn't figure out why the FBI would become involved with death by heart attack. But on the right, Katie-bar-the-door. Laura Loomer, for instance wrote, “It’s imperative that the FBI conducts their own toxicology report on Senator Graham. The DC crime lab is incompetent.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: “Fox News correspondent Alex Hogan reported Sunday that law enforcement told Fox News 'foul play' does not appear to be a factor in the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).... 'The FBI are at Sen. Graham’s residence, although there is no indication of foul play, according to the federal law enforcement,' Hogan continued.” ~~~
~~~ Dan Diamond & Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: “In a statement, Graham’s office said preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner’s office found that Graham suffered from an aortic dissection, in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the main artery. This was caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the statement said. These tears usually occur when there is high blood pressure. A death certificate remains pending until all toxicological and microscopic tests are finalized, according to Graham’s office.” MB: Investigate that, Kash.
The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the Iran War. From the pinned item at 4:45 am ET: “Iran insisted on Monday that it controlled the Strait of Hormuz — an assertion the United States has denied — as it launched a fresh barrage of strikes aimed at American military assets throughout the Middle East. The new attacks, following dozens more American strikes overnight, extended a cycle of attacks that is unraveling the U.S.-Iran cease-fire. Shipping through the strait plummeted over the weekend after Iran attacked a Cypriot-flagged container ship on Saturday, setting off an exchange of hostilities that spilled into Monday. Just 14 ships passed through the waterway on Sunday, the lowest level in a month, according to Kpler, a maritime data firm.”
Elsewhere in his conversation with Kristen Welker of "Meet the Press," Donald Trump went right back to delusional:
~~~ Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: “... Donald Trump ... got testy when host Kristen Welker asked about the current situation with Iran.... 'Iran said overnight the Strait of Hormuz is closed, CENTCOM came out this morning and said the Strait of Hormuz is open. Which is it, Mr. President?...' 'It’s open. We bombed the hell out of them last night. They’re very, very evil and sick people. We had meetings with them for the last — they agreed to a deal yesterday. It’s a perfect deal for us. No nuclear, no this, no that, no nothing. They gave up everything. And then after that, they left the room. And then within an hour, they launched a drone at a ship. I said, “You people are sick. You’re sick people.” And so, it’s one of those things. I don’t want to talk about it. I want to talk about one person today, Lindsey Graham.'” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ And whose fault is it that the strait is not really open, no matter what Trump & CENTCOM say? ~~~
~~~ They Really Don't Know What They're Doing, Ctd. Edward Wong, et al., of the New York Times: “For two months, under a quiet arrangement with the U.S. Navy, commercial tankers turned off their transponders to avoid detection by Iran as they crossed the perilous Strait of Hormuz to carry oil and gas out to the world. The military offered some air cover in case Iran attacked, as naval officers directed the vessels over the radio to hug Oman’s coast, opposite Iran’s shore. That enabled a steady increase in traffic through the strait from May to June, during a tentative cease-fire in the war. But a framework deal that ... [Donald] Trump signed with Iran last month helped bring that effort to a fiery end because of its language giving Iran official power in the strait and its vagueness in important phrases. Mr. Trump celebrated the agreement, reached on June 14, as the reopening of the strait. 'Ships of the World, start your engines,' he wrote on social media. 'Let the oil flow!'
“But critics say it actually formalized a reality that Iranian officials have made clear throughout the war: They now control the strait.... The latest crisis is an all-too-predictable result of the June agreement, former American officials and analysts say.... Critics warned that the agreement was dangerously vague, particularly language in its fifth paragraph saying that Iran would 'make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels' through the Strait of Hormuz.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: That is, the latest attacks on both sides (CENTCOM said it launched a total of 310 strikes against Iran last week) came about because Jarhead & Witless negotiated a deal giving up the strait to Iran, and Donnie Artuvthuh Deal signed it. Excellent.
~~~ Olivia Diaz of the New York Times: “Attached to Mr. McConnell’s statement was a comment from the Office of the Attending Physician, the on-site doctor for members of Congress at the Capitol. The Capitol physician’s office said the senator had fallen because of his post-polio condition, sustained 'minor injuries' and was now undergoing 'intensive physical therapy.' Mr. McConnell turned to the same physician, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, in 2023 when he was working to dispel speculation that he was no longer physically able to continue as minority leader after a series of on-camera freezing episodes that medical experts said could be caused by a stroke or seizure. Back then, he released a letter from Dr. Monahan declaring that an examination and tests had ruled out a stroke or seizure as causes. The statement on Sunday similarly ruled out the widely speculated potential causes of Mr. McConnell’s recent episode.” MB: Dr. Monahan is very helpful, isn't he? ~~~
~~~ Here's Mitch's full statement to "my fellow Kentuckians," with Monahan's addendum. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Oh, pardon my skepticism. It turns out Mitch is doing so well he is able to entertain multiple visitors at once. (Even dead ones! They're all doing great!)
David McCabe, et al., of the New York Times: “A group of states are preparing to file a lawsuit to block Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery as soon as this week..., a legal challenge that would create a major obstacle for one of the biggest media mergers in history. A draft of the lawsuit currently circulating argues that the $111 billion deal would harm competition in the market for so-called tent pole films, the expensive blockbusters that make up a large portion of studio revenues, among other claims.... California has taken the lead on the lawsuit, and states including New York, Washington and Connecticut have said they will join the effort....” Update: the link has been changed to one that appears to be a gift link.
akaWendy gave us a gift link yesterday to Russell Berman's essay in the Atlantic on "The Return of the Democratic Manly Man." Curiously, Berman concentrates on a Brian Poindexter, an Ohio union ironworker who has a rap sheet, albeit for fairly petty offenses. MB: You know, fine, knowing what little I know about him, I would vote for Poindexter. Yet in the same article, Berman barely gives honorable mention to Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), who is much closer to my idea of a real "manly man": an intelligent, well-educated, well-spoken, decorated former Army Ranger. I remember him most vividly from the photos in which he is seen helping other members of Congress during the January 6 attack on the Capitol. I suppose we each have our own definitions of "manly man," but hard-drinking felon wearing hardhat & plaid shirt does not have to be one of them.
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17 comments:
"An artist brought 'I.C.E. pops' to a Texas campus. The show was shut down in days
At first glance, those brightly-colored treats look like fun, nostalgic pop art. But there's something else going on, too. Each one has an item encapsulated inside of it, including handcuffs, replica firearms and old rosaries.
"When you're a child finishing your ice cream, there was sometimes a stamp or a joke that was put onto the popsicle stick," Quiñonez said. But what's stamped on these sticks is not a corny Dad joke, but a parody of the official U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seal with text that reads: "U.S. Inhumane and Cruelty Enforcement.""
Wrong Again
End of Antitrust
Big Tobacco Back In Business
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 14-year ad campaign, called Tips From Former Smokers, was highly memorable and, research shows, highly effective in motivating people to quit. Last year, though, as tobacco companies gave millions to political organizations related to the Trump administration, the campaign went dark.
There is no definitive evidence linking the donations to the lapse of the ad campaign. But the decision to terminate it was one of several steps the administration has taken to unravel federal government antismoking initiatives that had long had bipartisan support during a time when the administration has delivered significant policy wins to tobacco companies."
They were also able to get their jr vape fruit flavors approved for... adults (wink wink).
Old man confuses US with Iran
"President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. is “going to get paid for guarding” the Strait of Hormuz, the major oil-shipping route and epicenter of the re-escalating war with Iran.
“We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it,” Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News. “We’ll become the guardian of the strait — maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait,” he said. “And we should be reimbursed for that.”"
I didn't realize how mad he and the Republicans were that we actually got out of our forever wars in the Middle East.
Trump’s Sons Have Billions In Defense Contracts
"As the current administration has made modernizing the tools of warfighting a centerpiece of its national security agenda, funds linked to the Trump brothers have invested in more than a dozen defense tech companies and other firms seeking businesses from the Pentagon and federal agencies, a Washington Post analysis finds, based on public federal contracting databases and news releases as well as data from PitchBook, a financial research company.
Most of the investments have taken place since Trump was elected president for a second time. The companies have collectively generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested and an additional $3.1 billion in future contract options. Some have gained coveted spots on shortlists of preapproved contractors that can bid exclusively on up to nearly $200 billion in future work."
Taking the "public" out of public lands. Of course.
https://www.propublica.org/article/public-land-livestock-grazing-ranching-access
The NYT article on Ole Mitch's statement that he's doing fine led off with: "... Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, broke his silence on Sunday about his long hospitalization, releasing a statement ..."
As Marie points out above, no, he didn't break his silence, everything is paper not soundwaves. Nevertheless throughout the article McC is frequently (and often!) quoted as having "said" this or that in the context of his current health situation ... as if he was actually talking to someone.
That seems to me to be a major journalistic fox paws, writing "said" when the reporter (or editor) could have written "wrote". Or some other verb not connoting vocalization.
"ICE agents involved in fatal Biddeford [Maine] shooting, lawmaker says
ICE agents were involved in a fatal shooting in Biddeford. That’s according to Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, a Biddeford Democrat, who released a short statement about Monday morning’s shooting near Pool Street. Beyond that, Fecteau had few other details to make public, saying that the Maine State Police are at the scene gathering details. He expects the FBI to take over the investigation."
They need more distractions
Starting the Fake Justifications
"United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz on Sunday said Cuba’s regime is “a national security threat,” as the Trump administration keeps its sights on the Caribbean island nation amid rising tensions. Waltz accused China and Russia of “collecting information around our military bases in Cuba” during an interview with Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo."
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/business/economy/trump-equity-stakes-ai.html
Don't believe there's much evidence to suggest this wacko administration has thought much through before doing it, but like the tariff barrage, it's possible that some Right wing economists might have whispered into the Chief Clown's ear that government stakes in businesses that seem profitable might be another way (like Venezuelan oil) to use other revenue sources to supplant lost income tax on the wealthy who pay too little and would rather pay nothing at all.
Or am I just crazy?
Participation Trophy
"President Donald Trump was ruthlessly trolled with a 10-foot-tall Iran war “Participation Trophy” that mysteriously appeared Monday morning on the National Mall.
The trophy included a plaque that read: “We hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War. While some concern themselves with military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes, President Trump demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score. As the recipient of this prestigious award, President Trump joins the ranks of children everywhere who received recognition for simply showing up.”"
The Fat Hitler Rackets
So now according to the Fat Fascist, we somehow own the Strait of Hormuz? How are we "guardians" of a geographic area we not only don't own but are a million miles away from? Not to mention the fact that this 20% cut he's now demanding is nothing but a pure protection racket, a scam he pulls with tiring regularity: "If you wanna stay in business, you gotta pay me", He's pulled this with law firms, universities, even entire nations. His mob boss instincts however don't work on the international stage. He's been threatening NATO allies for years and now those countries have decided to move on without him (and us--the US).
And where does he get these numbers? 20%? For what? First of all, if the way he's been "guarding" the Strait is any indication so far, he should be paying the owners of those cargo ships, not the other way around.
For a great "deal maker", Fatty is not very good with numbers. He's always tossing out ridiculous figures about how many people voted for him, showed up at his failed 250th Hootenanny on the Mall, and lately, how many Democrats are dirty commies. What he needs is Susie Wiles or someone to make it easier for him instead of making up new numbers every day.
Wait....Cuba is a "national security threat"? To whom? Trinidad and Tobago? Haiti? Cubans can't even keep the lights on, but they're a threat to the United States?
Please, can they come up with a more believable excuse for invading another sovereign nation so fat boy can feel manly? How about Cuba has stopped making cigars that have been illegally imported by fat cat Americans for decades? The oligarchs show-off quotient is severely threatened! Fire up the bombers! Or how about Cuban musicians are playing too loudly and they're annoying people trying to sleep in the Florida Keys.
National security threat, my ass.
Is it just me or does anyone else see the problem with hiring a company called "Greenwater" to get rid of the green water in the Reflecting Pool? Just askin'.
Akhilleus,
They are green because of all the money they make off of shady deals and cutting corners. But yes, it feels like these idiots, like so much of republicanism, were created in a lab to troll anyone with half a brain.
So Lindsey's sister is getting appointed to his seat. Very on brand for the administration of nepotism to keep it in the family.
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