ljconrad

Hope they included lots of pictures and colorful graphs ...

Here’s a Look at What the FBI’s Epstein Files Would Reveal An index from an eight-year-old FOIA lawsuit shows that the bureau is withholding bank and phone records, photographs, communications with foreign government agencies and other revealing material rela...

🎁Link: Here’s a Look at What the FBI’s Epstein Files Would Reveal from @jasonleopold.bsky.social h/t @watchdogdiva.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...

Trump’s Unforgivable Sin Voters have proved willing to tolerate corruption, but there’s one thing they won’t ignore.

🎁Link: Trump’s Unforgivable Sin >>> "A little more than half a year into Trump’s second term, however, the public’s confidence in his skill as a chief executive is shattering." www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Judge Chutkan, Who Trump Hates, Will Oversee Epstein Files Case: Report A lawsuit demanding secret government records tied to Jeffrey Epstein has landed in the courtroom of a judge Donald Trump can’t stand.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan — the same judge handling Trump’...

Judge Chutkan, Who Trump Hates, Will Oversee Epstein Files Case: Report dailyboulder.com/judge-chutka...

Trump Invites Putin to Step Foot in America The Art of the Deal president hopes he can broker peace.

🎁Link: Trump Invites Putin to Step Foot in America >>> "despite the international warrant for the Russian president’s arrest, despite his years of hostile threats against NATO, and despite him showing no remorse for his invasion of a sovereign nation." www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

After Almost Losing Trump, Putin Gets His Ideal Summit

🎁Link: After Almost Losing Trump, Putin Gets His Ideal Summit >>> "For President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, it is an opportunity not just to end the Ukraine war on his terms, but to split apart the Western security alliance." www.nytimes.com/2025/08/10/w...

‘I’m Actually Surprised It Didn’t Happen Sooner’ CDC staffers saw the violence coming.

🎁Link: ‘I’m Actually Surprised It Didn’t Happen Sooner’ www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...

John Durham's Show Trials: A Preview of Coming Attractions - emptywheel One of the ways John Durham tried to salvage his case against Hillary Clinton after obtaining evidence he was chasing Russian spy fabrications was by championing the cause of Russians claiming to be a...

John Durham’s Show Trials: A Preview of Coming Attractions "Durham managed to coach witnesses testimony by threatening them with charges ... Perhaps most interestingly, he did it in the weeks before trial with witnesses". h/t @emptywheel.bsky.social www.emptywheel.net/2025/08/10/j... #herewegoagain

TY Maricella @fireeyebooks.bsky.social for the inclusion! We truly are #StrongerTogether 💙🌊💙

These GOP Lawmakers Referred Constituents to the CFPB for Help. Then They Voted to Gut the Agency. Many of the same Republican lawmakers who have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for cuts have collectively directed thousands of constituents’ complaints about banks, credit cards, lo...

"Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who also voted for the CFPB cuts, has routed more than 800 constituent complaints to the agency". www.propublica.org/article/cfpb...

Donald Trump's Powers Are About To Be Tested Big Time Get ready for three days of intense trial debate that could have huge implications for the future powers of any presidency.

The Case That Could Test The Lengths Of Trump’s Military Power >>> "It will test the lengths to which Trump — or any future president — can use military force to quash unrest or sidestep local officials". h/t @brandibuchman.bsky.social www.huffpost.com/entry/the-ca...

Silent Coup: How Trump’s Allies Are Gaming Algorithms To Seize Your Feed New research unravels the secret tactics behind Stop the Steal and other right-wing disinformation campaigns.

AM Must Read - Silent Coup: How Trump’s Allies Are Gaming Algorithms To Seize Your Feed >>> " When algorithms are hijacked this way, they stop reflecting reality and start reshaping it." h/t @rvawonk.bsky.social @mcuban.bsky.social weaponizedspaces.substack.com/p/silent-cou...

Munich 2.0 >>> Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska? h/t @cbildt.bsky.social [X]

After Years of Anger Directed at C.D.C., Shooting Manifests Worst Fears

🎁Link: "In interviews, the employees conveyed sadness about the police officer who had died trying to keep them safe, and a feeling of betrayal and devastation at being demonized while working to improve Americans’ health." h/t @carlzimmer.com www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...

Republican congressman under fire over ‘secret’ helicopter Rob Bresnahan accused of being insufficiently transparent about purchase

"Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who represents one of the swing state’s poorest congressional districts, has been accused of concealing the fact that he recently bought himself a personal helicopter." www.the-independent.com/news/world/a...

Food Bank Warned Gabe Evans: 'Need Will Get Worse' if Trump's Budget Bill Passed A spokesman for the Weld Food Bank says they made it clear to Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO) that the Medicaid and SNAP food aid cuts in the budget he supported...

Food Bank Warned Gabe Evans: ‘Need Will Get Worse’ if Trump’s Budget Bill Passed h/t @ab21.bsky.social coloradotimesrecorder.com/2025/07/food... #gaslightingonsteroids

So, About Those Big Trade Deals If you read the fine print, the “concessions” from America’s trade partners don’t add up to much.

🎁Link: So, About Those Big Trade Deals >>> "upon closer inspection, Trump’s trade deals aren’t nearly as impressive as they sound. In fact, they aren’t really trade deals in the traditional sense, and they might not benefit the U.S. at all." www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...

"So the US envoy to Russia is so stupid he got a summit organized on the basis of a completely misread 'offer.' Just mind-boggling levels of ineptitude." via @neilphauer.bsky.social [X] h/t @michaeldweiss.bsky.social [X]

Trump Is a Degrowther What else do you call a strategy designed to raise prices and lower productivity?

🎁Link: 'RFK Jr. canceled 1/2 $b of govt. investment in development of mRNA vaccines, Las Vegas saw 7% drop in visitors, res. electric prices up by avg. of 6.5%, housing permits lowest in 5 yrs., employers quit adding workers, mfg. sector shrank, inflation rose'. www.theatlantic.com/economy/arch...

Did RFK just take away your cancer treatment? mRNA promised to help turn cancer from a death sentence into a manageable condition.

"Cancer. The word is like the fall of an axe, cutting off the future you had imagined for yourself. Now instead, the days ahead are filled with surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, CT scans, MRIs." www.noahpinion.blog/p/did-rfk-ju... h/t @noahpinion.blog.web.brid.gy

TY GG @whatifisaidit.bsky.social for another great SP. This is how we resist! Followed all ... #StrongerTogther

On Epstein, Even MAGA World Can Smell That Trump Is Hiding Something We’re four weeks into the current iteration of the Epstein scandal. And there is no way it’s going away.

"If Trump genuinely knew he was innocent of any wrongdoing, why wouldn’t he personally demand that Acosta step forth and spill? What cleaner exoneration could there ..."? newrepublic.com/article/1989... via @newrepublic.com #Releasethefiles

Bannon spells it out; step by step. Will Democrats step up? @kenmartin.bsky.social @governor.ca.gov @govpritzker.illinois.gov @governor.ny.gov @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social @schumer.senate.gov h/t @cardonebrian.bsky.social [X]

Billy Long out as IRS commissioner President Donald Trump is removing the former member of Congress from his post less than two months after his swearing in. Long says he is being named ambassador to Iceland.

"Long had been on the job for less than two months, and is the sixth leader this year of an agency that has been wracked by budget cuts and other controversies, with tens of thousands of employees heading for the exits." www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

Justice Dept. Abruptly Escalates Pressure Campaign on a Trump Adversary

🎁Link: "Ms. James’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, on Friday called the investigation related to the fraud case against Mr. Trump “the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.” www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/n...

Putin Tells U.S. He’ll Halt War in Exchange for Eastern Ukraine The proposal prompted talk of a summit with the Russian leader, with President Trump later saying a meeting would take place in Alaska on Aug. 15.

🎁Link: "European and Ukrainian officials, who were briefed by Trump and Witkoff in a series of calls this week, said they worry Putin is simply using the offer as a ploy to avoid punishing new U.S. sanctions and tariffs while continuing the war." www.wsj.com/world/putin-...

Trump Directs Military to Target Foreign Drug Cartels

🎁Link: "The retired Rear Adm. James E. McPherson, who served as the top uniformed lawyer for the navy in the early 2000s, said it would be “a major breach of international law” to use military force in another country’s territory and without its government’s consent". www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/u...

Justice Department subpoenas New York AG James as it investigates whether she violated Trump rights The Justice Department has subpoenaed New York Attorney General Letitia James as part of an investigation into whether she violated President Donald Trump’s civil rights, according to people familiar ...

Justice Department Subpoenas New York AG James as it Investigates Whether She Violated Trump Rights www.yahoo.com/news/article... Criteria: Black woman

Federal court says Alabama must use map that creates 2nd Black majority district The state is expected to appeal the decision, which comes as both parties move to draw new districts for partisan advantage.

"Alabama Republicans have previously signaled they may appeal the ruling again to the Supreme Court, potentially offering another opportunity to rule on the Voting Rights Act’s statutes on race-based redistricting." www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

Where in the world in JD Vance??? Answer: Vacationing on the taxpayer's dime ... #griftersgonnagrift CC: @meidastouch.com @maddow.msnbc.com