Cynthia Hope Laub

BOSTON (AP) - US judge blocks Trump administration from reallocating $4 billion meant to help communities protect against disasters.

NEW: The Trump administration has agreed to let Badar Khan Suri resume teaching and studying at Georgetown as he continues to fight deportation over his disputed ties to Hamas.

w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social

www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

It seems we used to have a system where people were forced to work in fields for food benefits. I can't remember the name of it exactly, but I don't think it was called "dignity." 🫣

FWIW, *I* thought he looked like he had been drinking or fucking on the plane. Maybe both.

Someone dressed him up. Gave him a jacket. Told him to get down the stairs safely.

And the DOD rapid response sucked up to him for his success at ... walking down some stairs.

Republican Jean Wars; if only it was all this fun:)

What are Dems doing???

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

As someone who has covered Epstein for years now and doesn’t believe nearly any of the conspiracy theories I have no problem if we have a do investigation and start from zero. But do it right: Bring in Alex Acosta the fed prosecutor on the first case who later became Trump secretary of Labor. I believe Mr Acosta is an honest man and he will walk the committee through the case and when it’s over all their questions will I’ll be answered. I believe they will then realize there is no big Epstein-Deep State-Wall Street conspiracy; Epstein acted largely alone with Maxwell. Subpoenas to Bill Clinton and the rest is just political show because they had no clue based on my reporting what Epstein was doing behind the scenes in the abhorrent part of his sex life

On Xitter, Trump propagandist Charles Gasparino (who interviewed Epstein a number of times) says James Comer should require Alex Acosta to testify.

Well worth watching for the Democrats asking questions and making R’s squirm.

OVERSIGHT The subpoena to the Department of Justice can be found here. The subpoena cover letters can be found here. Below are the deposition and record return dates: • Department of Justice Records: August 19 • Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr: August 18 • Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: August 26 • Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: August 28 • Former FBI Director Robert Mueller: September 2 • Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch: September 9 • Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: September 30 • Former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland: October 2 • Former FBI Director James Comey: October 7 • Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: October 9 • Former President Bill Clinton: October 14

Press Release Chairman Comer Subpoenas Bill and Hillary Clinton, Former U.S. Attorneys General and FBI Directors, and Records Related to Jeffrey Epstein August 5, 2025 WASHINGTON-House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today issued deposition subpoenas to Bill and Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales for testimony related to horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, Chairman Comer issued a subpoena to the U.S. Department of Justice for records related to Epstein. These subpoenas follow recent ...

The media is helping Trump by blasting headlines about the Clinton’s subpoenas but the first 3 subpoenas are for Republicans:

• Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr: August 18
• Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: August 26
• Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: August 28

Hot damn

YouTube video by emptywheel John Durham's Crime

Everyone should watch this video if ONLY to see how @thefarce worked that Roger Stone clip into it after 17:20.

I thought John Ratcliffe's Useful Idiom was my favorite clip in this. But then @thefarce.org threw that Stone bit in and -- perfection.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Mz...

“Julie Howell, 44, who is serving a one-year sentence for theft, told the outlet that ‘every inmate I’ve heard from is upset she’s here.’

'This facility is supposed to house non-violent offenders,’ she added. 'Human trafficking is a violent crime.’”

I made this comment an hour ago and then forgot about it and then just saw it and laughed for like ten minutes.

Maybe, but at least he was only fired by one president.

Hello. The president's continued insistence that the BLS numbers are rigged, political, or otherwise manipulated is a lie. Please stop saying 'baseless claim.' Thank you.

Attorneys for Jeffrey Epstein survivors say history is repeating itself with Trump's DOJ "sidelining them from critical decisions."

It suggests that "victims are, at best, an afterthought to the current administration."

Full letter storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Good episode, as always.

Weather Service is now hiring back hundreds of positions that got cut in the DOGE chaos | CNN The National Weather Service has received permission to hire 450 meteorologists, hydrologists and radar technicians just months after being hit hard by Department of Government Efficiency-related cuts...

The Weather Service is now hiring back hundreds of positions that got cut in the DOGE chaos

cnn.it/4odQIjc

U.S. Sells $1 Billion in Arms to Europe for Ukraine, Sealing Shift in Weapons Pipeline President Trump has stopped sending U.S. weapons to Kyiv, but he is willing to let allies buy them for transfer to Ukraine.

Four European countries are buying U.S. military equipment valued at roughly $1 billion for delivery to Kyiv’s forces.

on.wsj.com/451IOC6

Lithuania asks NATO for more air defences after drones land on its territory Lithuania's foreign ministry has written to the NATO military alliance asking it to help strengthen its air defences, it said on Tuesday, after two military drones crossed into its territory from Belarus last month.

Lithuania asks NATO for more air defenses after drones land on its territory

reut.rs/4liJx6O

Right-Wing Radio Star Drops Scathing List of 7 Ways Trump Has ‘Alienated’ His Voters Michael Savage suggested that Trump has "alienated" his voters, enumerating seven different alleged missteps that could come back to bite Trump and the GOP.

Right-Wing Radio Star Drops Scathing List of 7 Ways Trump Has 'Alienated' His Voters

www.mediaite.com/media/news/r...

John Ratcliffe and Kash Patel - and Durham Himself - Committed the Crime John Durham Was Hunting - emptywheel The unsealed Durham annex provides evidence that John Brennan and the CIA weren't discussing a Hillary Clinton plan to frame Trump. They were instead discussing an SVR to frame Hillary. And he spent f...

I've updated this post with the video.

www.emptywheel.net/2025/08/03/j...

One wonders whether this is because Trump attacked or redeployed various personnel...

Can't fight ransomware if you're hunting down peaceful long-term resident migrants.

Days After the FBI Announced an Investigation, Russian Spies Deliberately "Put More Oil into the Fire" - emptywheel Joke's on us! Nine years into this influence operation, that phrase, "put more oil into the fire," a phrase that someone at the FBI should have recognized as a Russian idiom at least five years ago, i...

More background on that.

www.emptywheel.net/2025/08/02/d...

In Trump America, Oil throws fire on you

A Look Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan Lair

Sort of makes you wonder whether Blanche was a source for this story.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/u...

YouTube video by Katie Phang Trump DOJ hit with MAJOR LAWSUIT over EPSTEIN COVER-UP

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOuC...
THESE LADIES ARE COMING FOR TRUMP!!! 🤣😂🤣

So the cankles guy wandering around on the roof shouting about nukes doesn’t have to give health updates?

VOA director Michael Abramowitz, who is leading the legal effort to protect the agency from Trump cuts, says he's been terminated from his role.

The National Park Service is in disarray The Trump administration is cutting thousands of staff at America’s favourite agency

Despite high public support for the National Park Service, further budget cuts and layoffs are planned. It could undermine conservation and scientific research efforts