August 30, 2026

akaWendy has given us a gift link to the Atlantic article by Tolouse Olorunnipa, which Heather Cox Richardson cites at the top of her most recent "letter," linked below. Olorunnipa reports on how Republican legislators "are pushing to restrict the rights of U.S. naturalized and dual citizens — including their ability to run for office."

If you've ever imagined how terrible an authoritarian government could be, you may have imagined something like what this NYT story reports about our own government's treatment of deportees: ~~~ 

⭐~~~ In Our Names. Emmanuel Akinwotu, et al., of the New York Times: “In recent weeks, the White House has pushed to expand ... so-called third-country deportation efforts and boost the number of people expelled from the United States, according to a U.S. official. In July, ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50,000 people, and the administration has focused on deporting people who have been able to remain in the country for years with court orders protecting them from being sent home, another official added. The New York Times interviewed 10 of the deportees on [a] flight to Liberia, all of whom described a harrowing journey that included months in detention in the United States and a panicked 14-hour expulsion to Africa, in which agents wrestled and shackled frightened detainees.... All of them said they experienced or witnessed what they described as abusive or violent treatment by ICE officials during the course of their deportation or while in detention in the United States....” The article details some of the abuses detainees say they suffered at the hands of ICE officers. The link is a gift link. MB: I believe the detainees, not ICE, which denies agents abused deportees and claims all detainees received excellent, comprehensive medical care.

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~~~ As RAS noted in yesterday's Comments, President* Drumpf cannot pronounce Yosemite. Instead, his best effort was "Yo, Seh-men-nites." Here, Jen Psaki made the same observation in discussing the administration's plans to sell off a piece of the National Park to a real estate developer (related stories linked yesterday): ~~~

Naming Rights. Finally, somebody has found a vessel worthy of being christened the U.S.S. Trump. But there's a problem. Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ After doing something no real president would do, Trump makes it worse by doing something no real president would do: ~~~ 

     ~~~ Sean James of Mediaite: “... Donald Trump kept the shots at Canada coming on Saturday by posting an AI-generated video of himself kicking over a sign reading 'Lake Ontario' and planting a Lake America sign in its place. The AI Trump then celebrated the toppled sign by breaking into his signature 'YMCA' dance along the tree-lined shore, while the Village People song started playing in the background; the tune replaced the cliched Disney-esque nature music playing before the president booted the sign.”

Rebecca Elliott, et al., of the New York Times: “The Trump administration’s highly unusual deal to develop Venezuela’s vast oil resources would have the U.S. government collaborate with an influential and polarizing Venezuelan businessman. Under the deal that ... [Donald] Trump announced late Friday, the United States would work with Alejandro Betancourt López, whose family controls Venezuela’s second largest private oil producer, North American Blue Energy Partners, according to four people familiar with the arrangement. The federal government is expected to back the development of a significant portion of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves through the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital, while Mr. Betancourt’s company would lead operations, three of the people said. The deal covers 17 oil fields spread across Venezuela. Venezuela’s president, Delcy Rodríguez, backed the deal, saying in a statement late Friday that it would have a 'significant impact on our nation’s revival,' and generate more than $200 billion in tax revenue for the government.... The United States is expected to gain preferential access to cheap Venezuelan oil, a key objective of the Trump administration as it seeks greater influence over oil production in the Americas.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

~~~ “A New Form of Colonialism.” Julie Turkewitz of the New York Times: “Many Venezuelans suspected that there was going to be a price to pay for ... [Donald] Trump’s brazen capture of their autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested by U.S. forces in January. On Friday, that cost became clear when Mr. Trump announced that the U.S. would be taking majority control of a vast part of Venezuela’s oil reserves — national resources long considered by many in the country to be a birthright.... So far, the U.S. ouster of the autocrat has done little to change the country — Mr. Maduro’s successor, Delcy Rodríguez, remains in power, while millions of everyday Venezuelans remain in poverty, electricity blackouts continue to plague the nation and no date has been set for an election. The new deal could bring major investment. But many Venezuelans want overall economic and political change. The accord guarantees neither and could deepen the relationship between Mr. Trump and Ms. Rodríguez, further entrenching her in power.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In a sad but laughable part of the story, Turkewitz finds that some Venezuelans are hoping the association with Trump will bring true democracy to Venezuela. These poor wretches obviously have no idea that Trump and his administration are busy trying to destroy democracy in the U.S. Say, here's an example now: ~~~

~~~ “Treasury Bars Some Reporters from G20 Meeting.” Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: “When leaders from the world’s most powerful countries gather next week for the Group of 20 finance meeting in Asheville, N.C., they will be joined by throngs of journalists from newsrooms around the globe. Missing from among them, though, will be several reporters from three of the largest newsrooms in the United States. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has not granted credentials to individual reporters for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News to cover the event, which will draw finance ministers and central bank governors from the world’s biggest economies.  

“Alan Rappeport, an economic policy reporter who reports on the Treasury Department for The Times, has been excluded from the meeting. Since he began covering the department in 2017, he has attended nearly a dozen G7 and G20 meetings in person. Matt Grossman, an economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was also denied a credential.... Nicole Taylor, a spokeswoman for The Times, said in a statement that the decision was 'not just another disturbing effort by the administration to undermine independent journalism, but a blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny.'” ~~~

AND How About This? It’s outrageous conduct on so many levels. --- John Roth, former DHS inspector general ~~~

~~~ Sam Levine of the Guardian: “The Trump administration has been deploying an obscure legal maneuver to try to obtain private information on journalists, non-profits and unions, raising alarm over a power the government has asserted without judicial oversight. In one instance, the government obtained six months of telephone records for Georgia Fort, a Minneapolis journalist.... In February of this year, federal prosecutors twice sought search warrants for account information for the YouTube channel of Fort and the journalist Don Lemon, both of whom have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in connection to a protest at a Minneapolis church.... A judge twice rejected the request, writing that the government had failed to establish probable cause of a crime and that he wanted Lemon and Fort to be informed of the request so they could have a chance to challenge it.... The government said it was withdrawing the request.... Less than a month later..., DHS utilized a different method that didn’t require approval from a judge.... The DHS summons was issued under a statute that does give the agency broad power to demand records, but only in the limited circumstance of there being a need to investigate a customs issue, said Chris Duncan, a former lawyer at the Department of Homeland Security.” Needless to say, a protest in a church is not a customs issue. Read on.

Ernesto Londoño & Mitch Smith of the New York Times: “Federal prosecutors in Minnesota were preparing to file civil rights charges this week against an ICE agent accused of shooting and wounding an immigrant from Venezuela in January, according to three people with knowledge of the case. But those plans unraveled, and the agent, Christian Castro, walked out of a Texas jail where he had been held for three months. Such charges would be rare, and a sign that the Trump administration was willing to hold federal agents accountable.... The plans to file federal civil rights charges before Mr. Castro left jail, which would have required sign-off from Washington, fell apart in the final hours for reasons that remain unclear.... With no federal charges and no agreement from Texas to extradite Mr. Castro on the state counts, it remains unclear whether he will ever appear in court as a criminal defendant.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Sorry, I do not believe for one minute that a "sign-off from Washington" was in the offing. The reporters cite a DOJ official who said that the agency had “not yet reached a conclusion on this matter and will never rush an investigative process and the thorough review of all evidence.” Contra that BS, the lawyer for an associate of Castor's victim said that “it appears that political considerations have derailed the federal prosecution.” I'd say the lawyer got that right. 

Miriam Jordan & Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times: “A deportation plane carrying about 70 foreign nationals, one of an increasing number of flights that have sent thousands of immigrants to countries where they have no ties, left for the Central African Republic on Friday.... On board was a 24-year-old Afghan whose father, brother and sister worked alongside U.S. forces.... Deporting relatives of Afghans who aided the U.S. military during its 20-year campaign in Afghanistan breaks a longstanding American commitment to protect wartime allies. Thousands of Afghans fled with their families after the Taliban overthrew the U.S.-backed government in Kabul five years ago. Under the Biden administration, many received special visas or asylum. Immigration judges granted others 'withholding of removal,' which allows noncitizens not granted asylum to remain in the United States because they would face grave danger if returned to their country. But under its immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has sought to strip hundreds of thousands of people of their protected statuses.” The link is a gift link.

Buh-bye. Mack Liederman & Hamed Aleaziz of the New York Times: “Milo Yiannopoulos, a British provocateur who promoted far-right conspiracies and racism in the United States, was deported to Britain on Friday, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Yiannopoulos, an early supporter of Donald J. Trump who later dabbled in helping the rapper formerly known as Kanye West explore a run for president, had been arrested on Thursday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. D.H.S. said in a statement that Mr. Yiannopoulos had entered the country legally in 2019 but overstayed his visa. He was issued a final deportation order by an immigration judge in July after he failed to show up for his hearing, according to the department.” The link is a gift link. The Guardian's story is here.

GOP Xenophobia, Ctd. Heather Cox Richardson: “On Thursday, August 27, Tolouse Olorunnipa reported [in the Atlantic (firewalled)] on the attempts of Republican lawmakers to restrict the ability of naturalized and dual citizens to run for office. In several states, Republican lawmakers have introduced measures to cut those Americans out of candidacy for elected positions, while in Congress, at least five Republicans have called for prohibiting them from federal judgeships, Cabinet posts, ambassadorships, and congressional seats. The push has come in the wake of the rise of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani and other naturalized U.S. citizens whose policy positions those like South Carolina representative Nancy Mace consider un-American.... In her comments to Olorunnipa, Mace said: '... It’s about what standard we want for the people entrusted with enormous power over the American people.' Her word choice was revealing. Our elected officials are entrusted with the enormous power of the American people, not over them.” 

New Excuse for Ratcliffe's Secretive Moscow Adventure. Barak Ravid of Axios: "CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed a trilateral meeting between [among!] ... [Donald] Trump, Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky during his covert trip to Moscow earlier this week in an effort to end the war...." C'mon, who wouldn't want to get out of Washington, D.C. in August? It was just a little vacay.  

AP, published by MS NOW: “A former White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets on the prediction market Kalshi has been ordered to turn over more than $100,000 in profits and pay a $65,000 fine as part of a settlement with federal authorities. The settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, announced Friday, also dealt Gabriel Perez a three-year trading ban. Perez was placed on unpaid leave from his job at the White House after reports emerged that he used his position to make bets on what ... Donald Trump would say in speeches.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Mark Pulello & Zach Powell of the Athletic/New York Times: “One of the 10 victims who accused former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky of sexual abuse is preparing to recant his testimony, according to court documents obtained Friday by The Athletic. Sandusky, 82, is due to appear in court in Bellefonte, Pa., on Sept. 8 for an evidentiary hearing after a judge granted his request to review evidence that the accuser, recognized as R.R. or Victim 10 in court proceedings, has recanted or substantially disavowed his trial testimony. In a signed affidavit from June 30, 2025, Victim 10 said he felt pushed to change his story. His testimony 'evolved,' he said, after 'leading questions, intense investigative pressure and psychological manipulation.'

“'I was misled repeatedly during the process, particularly by prosecutor Joe McGettigan,' Victim 10 said in the affidavit.' I now regret my role in facilitating what I have come to view as a deeply flawed prosecution.' McGettigan, who died in December 2025, was the lead prosecutor in the case that rocked Penn State and led to the firing of legendary football coach Joe Paterno in 2011 in the wake of the allegations. Even if the charges involving Victim 10 are dismissed, Sandusky is unlikely to be released from prison, where he is serving a 30- to 60-year sentence after being convicted in 2012 on 45 charges of sexual abuse.” The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.)

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Alaska Gubernatorial Race. Anna Griffin of the New York Times: “Two Democrats and two Republicans have taken the top spots in Alaska’s crowded open primary for governor, according to The Associated Press. But the ballot this fall will reflect a different reality in a state that leans red, yet offers what Democrats believe is a rare opportunity this year. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a Democratic former state legislator from Sitka, Alaska, finished first in the 17-person primary, a nonpartisan election in which the top four finishers advance to November’s ranked-choice vote. Close behind Mr. Kreiss-Tomkins was Tom Begich, a Democratic former state lawmaker from Anchorage and singer-songwriter with a rich family legacy in state politics. And the final two candidates projected by The A.P. to advance, based on the number of absentee ballots counted in recent days, are Bernadette Wilson and Dave Bronson.... Mr. Begich[, though he won nearly as many votes as Mr. Kreiss-Tompkins]..., announced Friday night that he would exit the race.... Mr. Begich said he made his decision after seeing data that suggested a single Democrat stood a better chance at winning.” The link is a gift link.

Texas. Danielle Paquette of the Washington Post: “Republicans and Democrats once praised Flock Safety as a protection tool for American communities. Now politicians across the political spectrum are turning against the mass-surveillance technology. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) froze state spending this week on the shoebox-size cameras.... The flow of taxpayer money halted just before the Texas Tribune published an investigation probing how one state agency poured at least $30 million into expanding the reach of the controversial automated license plate scanners.... Reports of authorities misusing the Flock network, which spans 120,000 cameras in every state except Alaska, have sparked an intense backlash, with critics asserting the crime-stopping devices too easily enable stalking or spying in the wrong hands. Abbott’s office highlighted a case in the East Texas city of Lufkin, where a police officer was indicted on felony charges after searching his ex-girlfriend’s license plate number thousands of times.”

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China/Nepal. Lily Kuo & Pei-Lin Wu of the New York Times: “More than 260 foreign nationals from 23 countries are among the hundreds of people missing in Tibet after last week’s devastating flood, Chinese authorities said on Sunday, offering their most detailed accounting yet of those caught in the disaster on their side of the border. The largest groups of missing foreigners were 104 Nepalis, 49 Indians, 33 Latvians, 18 Americans and 15 British citizens, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency. In total, 546 people remained missing. The death toll in the Tibet region of China has reached 16 people, the agency said, citing a news conference by the regional government. In Nepal, 734 people had been confirmed dead as of Sunday morning, and nearly 2,500 remained missing, according to the country’s disaster relief authorities.” The link is a gift link.