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CNN Poll: Trump Approval Sinks To Lowest Level Since January 6 Insurrection

CNN Poll: Trump Approval Sinks To Lowest Level Since January 6 Insurrection

In his two terms in office, President Donald Trump has always had one thing going for him: No matter how bad his approval got with Democrats and independents, his standing with Republicans was so strong that it prevented the bottom from falling out for him and his party.

But after Trump made the ill-fated decision to launch a war in Iran—which is now entering its sixth month and continues to take a toll on gas prices and affordability in the U.S.—it appears that even Republicans are starting to hop off the Trump train.

A new CNN/SSRS poll released Wednesday found Trump’s approval at a dismal 34 percent—tied for the low level he notched days after he fomented the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

His approval rating has been dragged down by the fact that a growing number of Republicans disapprove of the way he’s handling his job. CNN found that 78 percent of Republicans approve of the job he’s doing in office—a new low in CNN’s polling.

To put that into perspective, in late June 2024, then-President Joe Biden had a similarly low 73 percent approval rating among Democrats in a CNN poll. And we know how that next election turned out for the Democratic Party.

What’s more, among non-college-educated white voters—which has been Trump’s strongest voting bloc and helped him win in both 2016 and 2024—Trump’s approval rating is now underwater. Just 46 percent of non-college-educated white voters approve of the job he’s doing, down from 63 percent in February 2025.

Trump’s declining approval is almost certainly due to his war in Iran, which voters overwhelmingly disapprove of. Not only did it go against Trump’s promise not to start new foreign entanglements, but it has also spiked gas prices and inflation.

CNN’s poll found just 28 percent approve of his handling of the war, including just 66 percent of Republicans. An even lower 21 percent approve of his handling of gas prices, including less than half (48 percent) of Republicans.

CNN’s poll also clocked an even more concerning statistic for the Republican Party in the midterms: Just 19 percent of self-identified Republicans said they are enthusiastic about the remainder of Trump’s term. That’s a significant drop from CNN’s poll in February 2025, when 47 percent of Republicans were enthusiastic. And it gets to the heart of Republicans’ enthusiasm problem ahead of this November’s midterm elections.

With Republicans unenthused about the remainder of Trump’s term, it could keep those voters home during the midterms.

Indeed, Republican pollsters are warning about this very enthusiasm gap, saying they fear around one-fifth of GOP voters will either stay home or vote Democratic this fall—the outcome of which could lead the party to lose not only their House majority but the Senate, too.

Worse yet for Republicans is that Trump has no good way out of this war.

Iran has proven to be more resilient than Trump expected, with the country’s ability to block the Strait of Hormuz and hobble the global economy giving it leverage. And if Trump packs it in and leaves now, it would make him look like a loser who capitulated to a terroristic regime. Being labeled as a loser is perhaps Trump’s biggest fear—and why he has held onto his deranged belief that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

In sum, Trump’s war has been an abject disaster for American security and the economy—as well as for Republicans’ chances in the midterms.When the GOP loses this fall, it will be because they did not exercise their own power to block their Dear Leader for sinking the country into yet another forever war that does nothing for the American people.

'Border Czar' Homan Says ICE Killings Of Civilians Were Not Mistakes

'Border Czar' Homan Says ICE Killings Of Civilians Were Not Mistakes

President Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan is shamelessly defending the latest killings carried out by immigration agents, saying that those who were killed deserved it.

Homan, who appeared angry at being asked questions about these killings, blamed people who criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the executions, saying that their rhetoric about wanting to abolish the agency somehow “emboldened” the victims to not comply with agents’ demands.

“You can attack the men and women of ICE all you want. It comes down to one simple fact: these people failed to comply with law enforcement,” Homan said Monday. “All they had to do was simply comply with law enforcement.”

He concluded, “If they did, they’d be alive today.”

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) bsky.app

Homan: "All the mistakes they say happened in Minnesota -- the mistakes them claim in Minnesota, a lot of them I don't think were mistakes."

This revisionist history is truly disturbing.

First, many of the people who were killed were complying with immigration agents’ demands—or at least trying to, despite getting conflicting orders from the unqualified maniacs who have been hired to carry out Trump’s racist and cruel mass deportation efforts.

Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse who was shot and killed in Minneapolis in January, was not even engaging with agents when he was executed. And that same month, Renee Good was given conflicting orders while observing immigration raids in Minneapolis before an agent shot her in the head.

And 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was heard saying “I tried to stop” before he was shot to death in Maine last week.

Homan’s disturbing victim blaming was made even worse when he said that some of the killings in Minnesota weren’t mistakes.

“All the mistakes they say happened in Minnesota—the mistakes they claim in Minnesota—a lot of them were, I don’t think, mistakes,” Homan said, stumbling over his words.

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) bsky.app

Homan: "All the mistakes they say happened in Minnesota -- the mistakes them claim in Minnesota, a lot of them I don't think were mistakes."

He then tried to blame Democrats for ICE agents refusing to wear body cameras—footage from which would likely prove that the Trump administration has been lying about these killings—even though ICE was given tens of millions of dollars to purchase the devices.

Homan’s despicable comments will likely be used against Republicans in the midterms.

GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, for example, will likely have to answer questions about whether she thinks Guerrero would still be alive today if he complied with agents or if his death was a mistake.

Ultimately, polls show that voters disapprove of ICE’s conduct, with a majority now in favor of abolishing the agency altogether.

And Homan’s latest atrocious comments are unlikely to change voters’ minds.


Trump and Lindell

Mike Lindell For Governor? Trump Picks Minnesota For Worst Endorsement EVer

Republicans were already unlikely to win Minnesota’s governor’s race this year. President Donald Trump is deeply unpopular in the state, and Democrats have a strong candidate in Sen. Amy Klobuchar. But now he has all but ensured the race will be off the board for the GOP.

On Wednesday, Trump endorsed conspiracy theorist and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell a little less than a month ahead of the Aug. 11 Republican primary.

“Mike Lindell, the ‘Pillow Man,’ and one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots, is running to be GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA, replacing one of the worst and most incompetent governors in the history of the U.S.A. Early Primary Voting has begun and, if given the chance, Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “He truly loves Minnesota, as do I, and wants to bring it back from oblivion and embarrassment. He can do it! Nobody has sacrificed more than Mike Lindell in fighting for our country, especially when it comes to Election Integrity. He truly deserves everything he gets – He will MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN!!! MIKE LINDELL HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”

To state the obvious here, Trump does not love Minnesota. He spent months terrorizing residents in the state with his violent immigration crackdowns. Earlier this year, his federal immigration agents executed two American citizens brave enough to stand up against Trump’s torment.

n February, he also withheld hundreds of millions of Medicaid funding for Minnesota’s poorest residents, jeopardizing their access to medical care, all as punishment for Minnesota having a large population of Somali immigrants.

And Lindell—who has been hit with millions in legal fees, judgements, and settlements for his role in spreading Trump’s false claims of election fraud—has no shot of winning the governor’s race.

Knowing that Lindell would be an especially weak nominee, the Minnesota Republican Party endorsed a different candidate, Kendall Qualls, a former health care executive. In Minnesota, candidates often drop out of the race when they do not receive their party’s endorsement, but Lindell is declining that route and remaining in the contest.


That said, Trump’s endorsement record for gubernatorial contests this cycle has not been great. Three of his picks have lost their primaries. But Lindell has led in three of the past four public surveys of the primary, meaning Trump’s blessing could cement him as the winner.

If Lindell becomes the nominee, he could jeopardize other Republicans in the state, potentially causing some Republican voters to stay home.

Already, Democrats are targeting GOP Rep. Brad Finstad in Minnesota’s 1st District—a seat Trump won by 12 percentage points, according to The Downballot. Having Lindell at the top of the ticket could help Democrats in that effort.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


There Is One Political Leader Who Supports Platner (And Of Course It's Trump)

There Is One Political Leader Who Supports Platner (And Of Course It's Trump)

President Donald Trump is using the fallout from Graham Platner’s failed Senate campaign in Maine to remind everyone that when it comes to sexual assault, he comes down on the side of assaulting women.

Platner, a Democrat, announced on Wednesday night that he would end his campaign after he was publicly accused of rape earlier this week. He denies the allegation.

When Trump was asked about the case on Air Force One, he replied, “It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods. He’s in a bind.”

Trump is a documented misogynist.

In May 2023, Trump was found liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996 and for defaming her when she came forward with her allegations. A jury awarded Carroll $5 million in the case, and Trump has filed a series of legal motions to avoid paying his obligation.

Trump has bragged about sexually assaulting women. On the infamous “Access Hollywood” recording that came out ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Trump said, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.”

Over the years, at least 18 women have accused Trump of sexual assault or misconduct. For example, former model Amy Dorris said Trump groped her and forcibly kissed her in 1997, Kristin Anderson said Trump put his hand up her skirt in the 1990s, and Karena Virginia said Trump groped her breast in 1998.

Trump has also championed men accused of sexual assault or inappropriate sexual behavior.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017 while attending a conference of the California Federation of Republican Women in Monterey, California. Trump nominated former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be attorney general, despite his alleged involvement in possible sex trafficking. (Gaetz later withdrew his nomination.)

Trump’s comments show that when it comes to sexual assault, he is willing to cross party lines if it means going against women and coming out (again) in favor of misogyny.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

If Platner Drops Out Of Maine Senate Race, Which Democrat Will Replace Him?

If Platner Drops Out Of Maine Senate Race, Which Democrat Will Replace Him?

The writing is on the wall for Graham Platner, who after being credibly accused of rape by a former girlfriend and multiple other red flags is now facing calls to drop out of the Maine Senate race by Democrats on all sides of the ideological spectrum.

Platner has yet to announce whether he’ll drop out, but it is clearly untenable for him to continue as national Democrats are pulling the plug on funding his race and even his own base of supporters is abandoning ship.

If Platner drops out by 5 PM on July 13, Democrats will be able to replace him on the ballot with a candidate of their choosing. And that puts the Maine Democratic Party in the unenviable position of choosing from a large list of possible contenders.

Here are the potential Platner replacements:

Troy Jackson

Jackson just ran for governor in the Pine Tree State, coming in third in the primary. Like Platner, Jackson touts his working-class, populist bonafides, making him seem like an obvious choice to replace Platner.

Jackson wants to be chosen, filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission in the case he is the candidate.

But Jackson had closely aligned himself with Platner, defending him after past scandals had dropped. And Republican Sen. Susan Collins could use that as a weapon in a general election matchup.

“The Democratic nominee, if there is a new one, has to be someone who is independent minded from Platner, otherwise they will be viewed by voters as a protege. Any connections to Platner will doom that person’s campaign from the very beginning,” Maine state Sen. Joe Baldacci wrote in a post on X, adding that he has no interest in being the nominee himself, only “Democrats retaking the majority in the US Senate.”

Nirav Shah

Shah, an epidemiologist who helped Maine handle its COVID-19 response, came in second in Maine’s gubernatorial primary a few weeks ago, meaning he had strong support from Maine Democratic voters.

Shah said he wants to be considered as a replacement, and added that interested candidates should be required to agree to a debate and town halls to show what kind of support they would have.

Dan Kleban

The co-founder of Maine Beer Company, Kleban was running for the Senate seat in 2025, but suspended his campaign shortly after Gov. Janet Mills announced her candidacy

Kleban endorsed Mills over Platner, touting Mills’ experience.

Since dropping out of the race, Kleban had avoided the Platner drama and was instead focused on attacking Collins for her record. He also has a progressive message, focused on taxing the rich.

Jordan Wood

Wood, a former congressional staffer who came in third in the Democratic primary for Maine’s open Second Congressional District, also threw his hat in the ring of Democrats hoping to replace Platner on the ballot.

“To beat Susan Collins, we need a candidate who can provide a true contrast and run an unapologetically progressive campaign: Passing Medicare for All. Stopping ICE terrorizing our streets. Standing up to Donald Trump’s abuse of power,” Wood said in a post on X. “I am continuing conversations with voters across Maine if I should enter an open Senate race. If my fellow Maine Democrats decide through an open and democratic process that I am the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins, I would be humbled by your trust.”

Wood, who is gay, had called on Platner to suspend his campaign all the way back in October 2025, after anti-gay Reddit posts Platner had made surfaced.

“I believe deeply in second chances,” Wood said at the time. “But what I saw was someone who doesn’t understand what’s wrong with these statements—how offensive and threatening they are, not just to LGBTQ people, but to people of color and women.”

Shenna Bellows

Bellows, who serves as Maine’s secretary of state, also ran for governor this cycle but lost the Democratic primary, coming in fourth out of five candidates.

The big knock against Bellows is that she ran against Collins once before and lost—miserably.

To be sure, it was in 2014, which was a lifetime ago in politics and was a bad year for Democrats. But losing to Collins by nearly 40 points is not a great resume booster.

Patrick Dempsey

A poll conducted over the weekend tested the favorable numbers of the very attractive actor who earned the nickname “McDreamy” for his long-running role on the TV medical drama Gray’s Anatomy.

Dempsey, who was born and raised in Maine, hasn’t said he is looking to run. But clearly someone out there was pushing that trial balloon.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Did Ailing Trump Secretly Obtain Powerful Obesity Drug Under 'Compassionate Use'?

Did Ailing Trump Secretly Obtain Powerful Obesity Drug Under 'Compassionate Use'?

The health-focused news outlet STAT on Tuesday published a bombshell report that suggests President Donald Trump may have used his position of power to obtain a powerful new obesity drug not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

According to the report, the FDA in April allowed one 79-year-old man to obtain Eli Lilly’s retatrutide, an experimental weight-loss drug, through a “compassionate use” waiver. That kind of waiver, according to the FDA, allows for a “patient with a serious or immediately life-threatening disease or condition to gain access to an investigational medical product (drug, biologic, or medical device) for treatment outside of clinical trials when no comparable or satisfactory alternative therapy options are available.”

Given the age of the applicant matches Trump’s in April, as well as the fact that he sought a compassionate use waiver before for an experimental treatment when he was diagnosed with COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic, STAT reached out to the White House to ask if the man who got retatrutide is Trump.

Initially, the White House did not deny that Trump was the applicant. A spokesperson instead directed STAT to the Department of Health and Human Services, which also didn’t deny that Trump was the recipient of the waiver.

Only after STAT’s article was published did White House spokesperson Kush Desai take to X to say that “this application was not for the President.”

But for a White House that relishes denying reports, why didn’t it speak up when the reporter says she asked Desai, HHS, and the FDA “multiple times” and that “[n]o one answered my question directly”?

If the person who got the compassionate use waiver for retatrutide were indeed Trump, it would mean the administration is lying to the public about his serious health conditions.

According to the application, the 79-year-old man who sought the waiver had “refractory obesity with obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension,” per STAT. The outlet also reports that the man took tirzepatide—an FDA-approved weight-loss drug—for a year but did not see much weight loss.

None of those conditions, nor the tirzepatide, are listed on Trump’s latest public medical report. According to that report, Trump is 238 pounds—one pound below being classified as obese for his claimed 6’3″ height.

Trump’s medical report also does not list sleep apnea, nor does it list pulmonary hypertension—a serious form of high blood pressure that, according to the Mayo Clinic, can be “life-threatening.”

The Mayo Clinic says the condition makes the heart “work harder to pump blood through the lungs. The extra effort eventually causes the heart muscle to become weak and fail.”

Among the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are “fatigue” and “swelling in the ankles, legs and belly area.” And we’ll just point out that Trump is on camera falling asleep at events and has swollen ankles.

Of course, there is one sign that the person who received the compassionate use waiver is not Trump: He does not appear to have lost weight.

Trump, for his part, has spoken about weight-loss drugs before. In May, he talked about a friend of his who was on the “fat drug.”

“He’s a very highly neurotic, very fat—sort of a fat slob, I would call him,” Trump said at a news conference. “But he’s a brilliant man. We know many of those people.”

Trump didn’t stop there.

“He’s begging me not to release his name, because he’s a well-known person. And I just destroyed his reputation in terms of his physicality,” Trump continued. “And he just doesn’t want—and I said, ‘You know, you had a big impact on medicine because you got to me better than any normal person could have,’ you know?”

Might that “fat slob” of a friend be John Barron?

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos





Poll: Trump Approval Plummets To New Low As Republicans Start Defecting

Poll: Trump Approval Plummets To New Low As Republicans Start Defecting

President Donald Trump’s approval rating is nearing doomsday levels for the GOP, with the pollster American Research Group on Monday releasing a survey showing just 30 percent of Americans approve of the job he’s doing in office.

It’s difficult to put into words just how bad things have to get in this polarized political climate for a president to reach 30 percent approval. To get that low it means you’re losing ground not just with the opposing party and independents but also with your own party.

Chart by Andrew Mangan with data from American Research GroupCreated with Datawrapper

And that’s what’s happening for Trump, whose approval is sliding with Republicans, who typically blindly support whatever he does but are frustrated with the war in Iran and its negative impact on gas and other prices.

American Research Group’s poll found Trump’s approval among Republicans has fallen to 67 percent — a 12-percentage-point drop from the pollster’s June 2025 survey.

Once you start losing support from your base, it’s a massive problem for members of your party, especially in a midterm election year like 2026 when the only way to voice disapproval in Trump is to punish Republicans in office.

If the GOP voting base is not motivated to vote, this midterm election will turn from bad to catastrophic, with Republican elected officials and candidates alike falling even in areas Trump carried in 2024.

Indeed, nonpartisan political handicappers are starting to move races in otherwise safe Republican territory into the competitive column, as Trump’s approval is dragging down the GOP.

“Despite recent Republican wins on redistricting, Democrats remain in a strong position to regain control of the House, with the battlefield continuing to shift in their favor as the political environment further deteriorates for the GOP,” Erin Covey, a House editor at the Cook Political Report, wrote Friday in a post explaining why her outlet shifted seven race ratings toward Democrats.

There are also a number of tangible signs that Republicans are not motivated and could cost the GOP this fall.

A Washington Post analysis published Monday found Democrats are vastly outvoting Republicans in primaries across the country, even in areas where Democrats don’t have competitive races on their ballots.

According to the analysis, people have thus far cast 12.6 million ballots in Democratic House primaries, while only 8.6 million votes have been cast in Republican House primaries—a statistic experts say is a sign of Democratic enthusiasm.

Even worse for Republicans is that more Democrats turned out in a number of House primaries in seats the GOP corruptly gerrymandered to try to rig the midterms in their favor. For example, Democrats outvoted Republicans in the primaries in three of the five seats the GOP redrew in Texas at the behest of Trump himself, The Washington Post found.

“Something would really fundamentally have to change in a way that would favor the Republicans to change the dynamics that we’re seeing right now,” Michael McDonald, political science professor at the University of Florida and an expert on voter turnout, told the Post.

It’s difficult to see how things could fundamentally change to benefit Republicans given that Trump cannot get out of his own way.

Look at the news from just this week. It’s focused on the boondoggle of a “renovation” Trump attempted at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, in Washington, D.C. Barely a week after the pool was refilled, it’s plagued with algae, and the new coat of “American flag blue” paint is peeling away. Rather than admit failure, Trump is having people arrested as he ridiculously blames “vandals” for his own personal failure.

November is quickly approaching, and it’s not going to be pretty for Trump and the GOP.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Servile Republicans Who Hated Obama's Iran Pact Now Praise Trump's Ruinous 'Deal'

Servile Republicans Who Hated Obama's Iran Pact Now Praise Trump's Ruinous 'Deal'

Republicans spent years attacking former President Barack Obama’s Iran deal, arguing before its ratification that Obama didn’t give them enough information. After the deal went into effect, GOP leaders slammed the agreement for giving Iran too much sanctions relief.

But now that their Dear Leader Donald Trump struck what appears to be a much worse deal that gives Iran triple the amount of sanctions relief, a new money source in tolling the Strait of Hormuz, and no actual mechanism to ensure Iran gets rid of its nuclear program, Republicans are praising Trump and supporting his agreement with the hostile nation.

“He’s the leader of our party. We have to give him the grace and the space to do what he needs to do,” Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) told NBC News. “He’s a phenomenal negotiator, better than anybody here in the Senate, times 100, and he’s doing what needs to be done. … With extraordinarily few exceptions, he’s got the full backing and support of the conference.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was presented with her past criticism of Obama’s Iran deal in an appearance on News Nation, with the reporter quoting Blackburn’s past comments demanding Obama release every provision of his deal. When the reporter asked why Blackburn isn’t demanding the same from Trump, Blackburn replied, “This is very different from what Obama did.”

Okay then.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) took his Trump bootlicking to new heights when he said was onboard with the deal before ever seeing its contents.

“I know as much as anybody who listens to Fox … if I’m confronted with who to believe, I’m going to believe Donald Trump,” Cramer told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo, proving he’s an idiot, a rube, or more than likely, both.

Hell, even Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a warmongering Iran hawk who hated Obama’s deal and encouraged Trump to launch this idiotic war in Iran, says he backs Trump’s agreement that experts say is a total capitulation to a hostile nation.

“We’re off to a good start—opening up the strait, having a framework,” Graham told NBC News. “I want to see the [memorandum of understanding]. But if we can pull this off as described by the Trump administration, it’d be a good deal. The only question I have is, will Iran actually go there? But time will tell.”

As Republicans fall in line and cheer on their Dear Leader, Trump himself seems to be getting cold feet.

“This is a memorandum of understanding. It might not be the kind of document I should be signing. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump said Wednesday. While that seemed like a joke, it seems Trump is actually laying the groundwork to blame Vice President JD Vance if the deal ends up backfiring.

Ultimately, Trump’s deal with Iran to end the war he started is an unmitigated disaster. Iran is coming out of the deal with its missile capabilities still intact, hundreds of billions in new revenue, and the knowledge that it can hold the global economy hostage to defend itself from future attacks by closing the Strait of Hormuz. They gave up almost nothing, and left the supposed greatest superpower in the world with the biggest military slinking away with its tail between its legs.

If a Democrat had made this deal, Republicans would be screaming from the rooftops about how bad it is. But because they are cowardly sycophants who fear that criticizing Trump will tank their careers, they instead are getting in line to give their Dear Leader his way.

Despised Team Owner Dolan Shouldn't Make Knicks Visit Trump's White House

Despised Team Owner Dolan Shouldn't Make Knicks Visit Trump's White House

New York has been electric since the Knicks completed their storybook playoff run on Saturday to deliver long-suffering fans throughout not only the city but the entire tri-state area their first NBA title in 53 years.

On Thursday, millions of fans gathered in lower Manhattan for the traditional ticker-tape parade down the aptly named “Canyon of Heroes,” with jubilant revelers chanting, cheering, and coming together to celebrate the team that finally won it all.

Usually it takes tragedy to bring New Yorkers together. After the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, New Yorkers united to help the families who lost loved ones and the first responders who helped rebuild the city.

Usually it takes tragedy to bring New Yorkers together. After the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, New Yorkers united to help the families who lost loved ones and the first responders who helped rebuild the city.

And six years ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers would open their windows and bang pots and pans to honor the frontline healthcare workers trying to heal the sick and dying.

Now, we’re witnessing that a happy moment can unite a region, too.

And so, and I say this in the most sincere way possible: Knicks players, please don’t ruin this moment with a visit to Donald Trump’s White House.

The Knicks owner, James Dolan—whose meddling in the team is a large reason why the Knicks stunk so badly for so many years—said Wednesday that the Knicks organization will visit Trump.

“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said on local sports radio station WFAN. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend, I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”

But you know who wouldn’t be proud of witnessing the Knicks at the White House? The Knicks fans who loathe Trump and everything he stands for. And if the team goes, it will put a damper on the celebratory mood.

Already, Dolan’s support and friendship with Trump nearly jinxed the Knicks’ playoff run. Dolan greatly inconvenienced fans when he brought Trump to Game 3 of the finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. And Trump brought so much negative energy and distraction that the game he attended broke the team’s historic 13-game playoff win streak.

Knicks fans told Dolan how they felt about his decision to bring the wannabe dictator to the game, loudly booing Trump the one and only time his sweaty, orange-makeup-smeared face appeared on the jumbotron.

Forcing players to go to the White House would just be another slap in the face to the fans who have remained loyal to the Knicks despite decades of sadness and mediocrity.

Knicks players need to know: While Dolan wants to visit, you do not have to go. The fans support you, not the team owner.

The players hold the cards in this situation, as Dolan would be vilified as an utter disgrace if he punished the stars who finally won a championship for his franchise for not visiting Dolan’s fellow prick who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

We already know at least two star players hate Trump. Guard Josh Hart, for example, fired this gem on social media when Trump lost the election to now-former President Joe Biden.

“YESSIR!!!! GET TRUMP’S DUMBASS OUT THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!” Hart tweeted at the time.

And Karl-Anthony Towns slammed Trump in 2018, when Trump criticized NBA star LeBron James, who had just given a CNN interview about schools he was opening in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

“So let me get this straight: Flint, MI has dirty water still, but you worried about an interview about a man doing good for education and generations of kids in his hometown?” Towns wrote in a post on X. “Stop using them twitter fingers and get stuff done for our country with that pen.”

Ultimately, details haven’t been worked out for the Knicks visit—which would make them the first NBA team to visit the Trump White House in either of his two terms. So, hold firm Knicks players. Don’t ruin this jubilant moment with a visit to the White House.


Democrats Feeling 'Bullish On Ohio' As Buckeye Voters Reject Trump Republicans

Democrats Feeling 'Bullish On Ohio' As Buckeye Voters Reject Trump Republicans

Ohio was once the ultimate swing state, choosing the winner in all but two presidential elections between 1912 and 2012.

But President Donald Trump changed that.

Ohio voters lurched hard to the right, and Democrats struggled to win statewide contests over the past decade thanks to working-class white voters buying into Trump’s fake businessman schtick and culture war garbage.

But something is afoot in 2026, with polls showing that Ohio voters are not only turning against Trump, but also against the GOP.

On Wednesday, Ohio political reporter Andrew Tobias obtained an internal Democratic poll showing Democrats leading the state’s gubernatorial and Senate races and tied in the attorney general contest.

That followed a Fox News survey that found Democratic Senate nominee Sherrod Brown leading incumbent GOP Sen. Jon Husted by eight points, and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton leading Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy by one point.

“There’s good reason for the Democrats to be bullish on Ohio,” pollster Daron Shaw said in Fox’s writeup of the survey. “The state remains solidly Republican, but Democrats are united against Trump allies and independents prefer Brown.”

This suggests that the GOP’s own internal numbers are just as bad, with a super PAC tied to Senate Majority Leader John Thune poised to spend the most money this cycle in Ohio.

Republicans’ struggles in Ohio are thanks to Trump, whose approval in the state has taken a nosedive, with voters angry with the rising price of gasoline and groceries.

“I’d say, ‘Fuck you,’” Rob Couch, an Ohio man who voted for Trump in 2016, told MS NOW about what he’d say to Trump right now. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful to any leader, but he’s disrespectful to us—and he doesn’t care.”

Chris Tackett, an Ohio truck driver who voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024 also slammed Trump for his war in Iran that has caused prices to spike.

“Nobody wants to hear the war is almost over. Nobody wants to hear it’s gonna get better,” Tackett told MS NOW. “You’ve had a year to make it better at this point—make it better. ‘Make America Great Again,’ right?”

Indeed, the Fox poll found Trump’s approval rating in Ohio at a dismal 42 percent—down a whole ten points since the 2024 election.

Meanwhile, an internal Democratic poll from Ohio’s 15th Congressional District—which Trump carried by ten points in 2024—found Trump’s approval at just 40 oercent. That’s proof that even strong Trump areas are turning against him.

Fox also found that inflation/high prices and healthcare will be the most important issue for voters in the Senate contest. And voters who listed those as their top issues prefer Brown over Husted by 14 points and 44 points, respectively.

Three-time Trump voter Annette Dombrowski easily summed up the president’s problems in Ohio.

“It’s been two years now,” she told MS NOW. “You said you’d bring down the grocery prices. I must be the most angry person when I grocery shop because I buy the same things every week and I see it jump every week. It is not every couple months. It’s literally every week.”

Unless prices meaningfully come down, Trump and his party are in deep trouble this fall.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos





​'Sabato's Crystal Ball​': Odds Of Flipping Senate Blue Keep Getting Better

​'Sabato's Crystal Ball​': Odds Of Flipping Senate Blue Keep Getting Better

Democrats’ odds of taking control of the Senate just got even better, with The University of Virginia Center for Politics Sabato’s Crystal Ball flipping three races blue.

According to the new ratings, North Carolina’s open Senate race is now projected to flip into Democrats’ hands, with the contest now rated “Lean Democratic.”

And the Senate contests in Alaska and Ohio—states that President Donald Trump carried by 13 points and 11 points, respectively—are now rated “toss-ups.”

“As we reassess the Senate playing field with a little less than five months to go until the November election, three Senate ratings move in Democrats’ favor today, and there are now enough toss-up races to give Democrats a clearer path to winning the Senate majority,” Sabato’s Crystal Ball declared.

Republicans are on shaky ground in all three of those states because Democrats not only nominated strong challengers who have won statewide races before, but Trump’s popularity is now underwater—even in states that he carried in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Apparently, even die-hard Republicans in red states aren’t fans of Trump saying that “I love the inflation” and that he doesn’t care about Americans’ financial situations.

“If both [Alaska’s former Rep. Mary] Peltola and [Ohio’s former Sen. Sherrod] Brown could come reasonably close in 2024 as Trump was carrying their states by double digits, doesn’t it seem plausible that both have a reasonable chance to win in what should be a much better political environment than 2024 was?” wrote Sabato’s Crystal Ball.

It continued, “Meanwhile, [Alaska’s GOP Sen. Dan] Sullivan and [Ohio’s GOP Sen. Jon] Husted would probably be fine in most years against most opponents, but this may not be most years, and Peltola and Brown are not most opponents.”

The changes came the same day as a new poll from Emerson College, showing Democrats growing their lead on the generic ballot—which asks voters what party they want to see in control of Congress after the next election—to a stunning ten points.

That double-digit margin is higher than the eight-point lead Emerson clocked Democrats at in October 2018—right before Democrats went on to regain control of the House by 8.4 points.

Republicans clearly know that they’re in trouble.

According to Politico, “People close to the president are concerned about Ohio and Sen. Jon Husted’s political team, and there is consternation about whether they’re up to the task.”

And Semafor’s Burgess Everett reported on Tuesday that Republican senators were shown polling that made the races look “bleak” and “challenging” for their party.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is confident in Democrats’ chances.

“We are poised to take back the Senate. We needed multiple paths. No one thought Iowa or Texas would be part of the path—but it is,” he told Punchbowl News Thursday, comparing this year’s midterms to 2006, when Democrats won control of Congress amid backlash to then-President George W. Bush’s unpopular wars.

Schumer added, “It’s almost as if Trump wants to deliberately sabotage the Senate Republicans.”

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


GOP Senators Spent $100M Calling Paxton 'Unfit To Serve' But Now Endorse Him

GOP Senators Spent $100M Calling Paxton 'Unfit To Serve' But Now Endorse Him

In a cowardly move that should surprise no one, Republican lawmakers are lining up behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s Senate race, endorsing a man whom many were very recently calling an amoral crook who belongs nowhere near the United States Congress.

The first to throw their support behind Paxton was none other than Sen. John Cornyn himself, the longtime Texas Republican senator who Paxton beat in Tuesday’s primary runoff.

“I’ve spent most of my time in the Senate building the Republican Party in Texas and in the U.S. Senate, and I’ve always supported the Republican ticket, and I intend to do so again in this general election,” Cornyn told reporters on the night of his defeat.

Your first thought may be that it’s hard to fathom how Cornyn could immediately throw his support behind someone he and his allies spent more than $100 million in ads against, slamming Paxton for everything from having been impeached by the GOP-controlled state House, indicted on felony fraud charges, cheated on his wife, and for making Texas less safe by giving sweetheart deals to pedophiles.

In fact, Cornyn continued to bash Paxton even on the runoff day, when it was already clear Cornyn was going to lose.

“He’s gotten away with so much for so long and not been held accountable for it, but I think he is an embarrassment, his misbehavior. And he’s completely unrepentant,” Cornyn told CNN.

But then you remember that Cornyn also backs President Donald Trump, the even more corrupt and amoral fraudster, and it becomes clear that Republicans like Cornyn will throw away their morals and convictions in order to hold onto power.

Other Republicans have equally fallen in line.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that not only backed Cornyn’s reelection but actively campaigned against Paxton over his conduct, has now endorsed Paxton’s bid. In fact, the NRSC Scott runs has now deleted its past criticism of Paxton from its website, though as any tech savvy person knows, the internet is forever.

“There’s been no better warrior for our party than John Cornyn. I was blessed to have served with him and I look forward to his continued fight for our great country. But now I stand united with President Trump, Ken Paxton, and Texans who want to protect our Republican Majority,” Scott wrote in a post on X.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who begged Trump for months to help push Cornyn over the finish line, also quickly backed Paxton’s candidacy, telling right-wing bootlicker Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday that he will “pivot and go all in” for Paxton.

“Losing is not an option when it comes to the state of Texas and what it means for our majority in the Senate,” Thune said.

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) also endorsed Paxton, writing in a post on X, “A vote for @KenPaxtonTX in November is a vote for a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America. He has my endorsement and support.”

Of course, while they endorse him now, the millions in attack ads Republicans spent to try to prevent Paxton from winning the nomination can now be repackaged and used by Democratic nominee James Talarico. Like this ad Cornyn’s campaign ran highlighting a disgusting plea deal Paxton gave a sex offender who abused a child. Or this one pushing the same message.

In fact, Talarico has been bringing up the pedophile attacks since Texas Republicans made Paxton’s nomination official.

Ultimately, Paxton’s abhorrent behavior and checkered past put Texas’ Senate seat in play, with political handicappers moving the race to a more competitive rating now that Paxton is the nominee.

Republicans are praying that their quick acceptance of a man they all said is not fit to serve will be emulated by their base.

If not, blue Texas could become a reality this fall.

E. Jean Carroll

Latest Target Of Trump's Weaponized Justice Is Successful Rape Accuser Carroll

President Donald Trump is committing impeachable offenses at a dizzying clip, weaponizing the federal government against his enemies and lining his pockets with taxpayer dollars.

In his latest offense, Trump’s Department of Justice is criminally investigating E. Jean Carroll, the writer whose lawsuits led to Trump being found liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

According to CNN, the DOJ is investigating Carroll for perjury, claiming that she lied in a 2022 deposition in her ultimately successful lawsuit against Trump. DOJ prosecutors say Carroll perjured herself when she said her lawsuit against Trump wasn’t being financed by any outside entities. But before the trial was set to begin, Carroll’s lawyers told the judge and Trump attorney Alina Habba that billionaire Reid Hoffman covered some of the trial expenses.

Habba—whom Trump later appointed to serve as a U.S. attorney until a judge kicked her out—had accused Carroll’s lawyers during the trial of having “conspired to conceal the truth for nearly six months.”

Yet a judge blocked Trump’s legal team from asking about how Carroll’s lawsuit was being financed during the trial, which Carroll went on to win.

Trump’s DOJ going after Carroll is clearly a revenge effort. He is livid that she was awarded nearly $90 million in damages between two separate cases—$5 million for damages related to the alleged sexual abuse and another $83 million for defamation. (Trump has been appealing both decisions for years and is now hoping the Supreme Court, which he stacked with right-wing hacks, will throw out the cases and prevent Carroll from receiving the funds awarded to her.)

“This is an unbelievable abuse of power,” Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of California told CNN on Wednesday.

Sen. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who is also a target of Trump’s weaponized DOJ over bullshit mortgage-fraud allegations, also slammed the DOJ probe into Carroll.

“First, Trump weaponized the DOJ to target his political enemies. Now, perversely, he’s targeting E. Jean Carroll, the woman who credibly and successfully sued him for sexual assault,” Schiff wrote in a post on X. “He’s using the power of the DOJ to go after his own victims. It’s a vile attack on the rule of law and a disgusting insult to victims everywhere.”

Should charges be brought against Carroll, it will be the just latest vindictive prosecution effort by the DOJ.

Already, Trump forced the DOJ to charge former FBI Director James Comey twice on dubious charges—once for supposed perjury and again for allegedly making threats against Trump. The first case has been thrown out because the court determined the U.S. attorney who sought the charges—Lindsey Halligan—was not legally serving in her role when she sought the indictment.

Trump also sought charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James for bogus mortgage-fraud charges, which were thrown out by a federal judge for the same reason as in Comey’s case. Trump’s DOJ tried to indict James again but failed when a grand jury declined to pursue charges—something that rarely happens.

Trump went after James because she successfully prosecuted him for charges of falsifying business records, which now makes him forever a convicted felon.

And a federal judge last week went as far as to throw out criminal charges against Maryland resident Kilmar Albrego Garcia—whom Trump wrongfully shipped off to a torture prison in El Salvador—due to vindictive prosecution. Again, that is a ruling that almost never happens since it is so difficult to prove.

If Carroll were ultimately charged, she would almost certainly seek to have the case thrown out on similar grounds.

Ultimately, Trump’s use of the DOJ as his revenge squad is not popular, with majorities of Americans saying that indictments of Trump’s perceived enemies have been unjustified.

What’s more, a majority of Americans now believe Trump should be impeached.

Should Democrats win control of the House this fall, you can be sure they will probe these investigations—and possibly move forward with impeachment.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


burnJeffries and Cly

Republican Scheme To Rig Midterm Elections Blocked In Alabama And South Carolina

Republican efforts to rig the 2026 midterm elections by further gerrymandering House districts at the behest of President Donald Trump were dealt two massive blows on Tuesday.

In Alabama, a panel of three federal judges—two of whom were appointed by Trump—blocked the state from using a map that would eliminate one of the state’s two majority-Black districts. The panel ruled that the new map illegally discriminates against Black voters—despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act—and that it cannot be used in 2026.

In South Carolina, the state Senate rejected Trump’s demand that the state eliminate its one majority-Black congressional seat, which is held by longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn.

For now, these actions undercut Republican efforts to fight off an impending blue wave this fall.

In Alabama, the three-judge panel wrote in their decision, “Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.”

The ruling continued, “And under the unusual circumstances of this case, we conclude that a limited order requiring the Secretary to continue using this Court’s race-blind map will not disrupt Alabama’s elections (all candidates ran under the race-blind map until fifteen days ago, and all voters remain districted under the race-blind map in electoral computer systems).”

Alabama is already appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court, which has regularly helped stack the deck in favor of Trump and his Republican Party. It is entirely possible the nation’s highest court, filled with right-wing hacks, will reinstate Alabama’s racist map.

“[I]n my mind, it is not a matter of whether we win this case, only when,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, said in a statement, telegraphing that he expects the partisan court majority to bless his state’s redraw.

At the moment, however, that represents one fewer seat rigged in favor of Republicans as they desperately try to maintain their narrow House majority.

Meanwhile, South Carolina will officially keep its one Black-majority district after a redraw failed by a vote of 20-24 in the state Senate, with 12 Republicans voting against it.

One Republican who voted against it was conservative Sen. Richard Cash, who said his vote was because voting had already begun in the state’s June 9 primary.

“Neither my conscience nor the common sense will allow me to stop an election that is already underway,” Cash said on the Senate floor.

Democrats taunted Republicans after the GOP’s two election-rigging attempts failed.

“Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans have failed the American people. As a result, the GOP has concluded that the only way they can win in November is to cheat,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement. “Today, their desperate power grab hit a wall.”

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Jerome Powell

Nine Americans Who Actually Deserve Money From That Trump Slush Fund

President Donald Trump’s disturbingly corrupt fund to disburse nearly $1.8 billion to traitorous insurrectionists and other Trump loyalists who tried to steal the 2020 election may be on the rocks, as even the sycophantic Republicans in Congress know that letting Trump pay people who broke the law is political suicide.

But what if I told you there are people who actually deserve some of the $1.776 billion that Trump “negotiated” with himself to give out to people who have been the target of a weaponized Department of Justice?

None of them are the domestic terrorists who beat up law enforcement officers at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Nor are they Trump allies who conspired with him to steal the election. Those people were correctly prosecuted for their conduct, and were not victims of the DOJ, as Trump and other Republican monsters have deludedly convinced themselves.

Instead, the people who deserve compensation are the perceived “enemies” that Trump has either threatened with criminal investigations or actually indicted for the apparent “crime” of not supporting Trump.

They are also the average Americans who Trump’s out-of-control and actually weaponized DOJ has tried to jail for the non-crime of protesting his immigration goons or daring to be born into a minority group.

The following list is not exhaustive. In fact, you may think of others that I missed, and I encourage you to list them in the comments. (For example, New Jersey Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) could easily have made this list, but for the sake of brevity were left out.)

Nevertheless, here are just some of the people who should get some of Trump’s slush fund.

1. Maureen and James Comey

Former FBI Director James Comey and his daughter, Maureen Comey, have both been the target of Trump’s weaponized DOJ.

James has now been indicted by Trump’s DOJ twice—both on bogus charges.

The first indictment was on a bullshit charge of lying to Congress about the Russia investigation. That indictment was thrown out after a judge ruled that the incompetent attorney who sought the charges—now-former United States Attorney Lindsay Halligan—was illegally appointed, and thus the indictment she obtained was also unlawful.

Yet Trump never gave up his desire to punish Comey, and the former FBI director was indicted again in April on yet a new and even dumber fake charge.

The second indictment was over an Instagram post in which Comey published an image of the numbers “86 47” made out of seashells in the sand. The DOJ ridiculously claimed that the image constituted a “threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States.”

Even Republicans say the charge is bogus, and amounts to a violation of Comey’s First Amendment right to free speech. Like the first charge, this too will likely be thrown out.

Nevertheless, the weaponized DOJ is costing Comey time and money to fight Trump’s malicious prosecutions, and thus he should be compensated by the slush fund Trump created.

Meanwhile, Maureen was unjustly fired from her job as a federal prosecutor—where she successfully prosecuted Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell—simply because she shares the same last name as her father.

She is suing the DOJ for her wrongful termination. And she should win.

2. New York Attorney General Letitia James

As New York’s top prosecutor, James successfully prosecuted Trump on charges that he falsified business records in the Empire State, which will ensure that Trump in perpetuity will be known as a convicted felon.

And that enraged Trump, who sought revenge on James by indicting her on made-up charges of mortgage fraud.

Like Comey’s indictment, James’ charges were thrown out by a judge, as the same dumb and illegally appointed prosecutor obtained the indictment.

Unlike Comey, James has not been indicted again—at least as of yet. Still, for having to challenge her indictment, James should be awarded compensation for her time and money.

3. Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton

Bolton served in Trump’s first administration as his national security adviser. But he left on bad terms and has since accused Trump in a book of being a malignant narcissist who abused the power of the presidency and gave aid and comfort to America’s enemies.

That book riled up Trump, who not only criticized Bolton but sought his indictment over the very book that made Trump so mad. The DOJ accused Bolton of taking classified information to write the book.

This case has not been thrown out, and Bolton has vowed to fight the charges in court.

“I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power,” Bolton said after the charges were brought.

4. Former Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell

Trump sicced sloshed sycophant Jeanine Pirro, the former Fox News host who he appointed as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, on Powell likely as a way to get Powell to resign early.

Pirro said that the DOJ was investigating Powell over cost overruns for renovations at the Federal Reserve Bank. Trump wanted Pirro to launch the bogus investigation because he loathed Powell, who did not bend to Trump’s will on lowering interest rates.

Indeed, Trump threatened to fire Powell multiple times. But when the stock market reacted negatively to Trump’s attempts to nix the Federal Reserve’s independence, he instead took the mob-boss route of threatening to make Powell’s life so miserable that Powell would view resigning as a better move than sticking around.

Powell, however, held firm and stuck around while he challenged the probe.

And one lone GOP senator’s protest ultimately helped push the DOJ to drop the probe into Powell. But for the stress of being the target of an unjust investigation, Powell should be compensated.

5. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook

Not content with ousting just Powell, Trump also decided to go after Federal Reserve Board members who also do not support his desire to lower interest rates at a time of high inflation.

Last August, Trump tried to fire Cook, accusing her of the same fake mortgage fraud as he charged Letitia James with. Cook, however, refused to step down. She challenged her firing in court, and won. And for that time and effort, she should be compensated.

6. Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Perhaps no one has been treated worse than Venezuelan immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom Trump falsely accused of being a criminal and wrongly deported him to a torture prison in El Salvador.

Garcia successfully fought the accusations and made his way back to the United States.

But since his return, he has been tormented by Trump, who has continued to falsely accuse him of being a criminal. And Trump’s immigration goons have continued their effort to try to deport Garcia to horrible places where he would face extreme danger, although a judge finally dismissed his bogus human smuggling charges on Friday.

His treatment amounts to torture, and he should be compensated for his suffering.

7. ChongLy Thao

Trump’s incompetent immigration goons created a lasting and disturbing image when they marched ChongLy Thao out of his home in freezing temperatures wearing just boxer shorts and a blanket after they wrongly confused Thao of being a wanted undocumented immigrant.

Thao was, however, not the person ICE was seeking. Instead, he is a law-abiding naturalized U.S. citizen who was ripped from his home by authorities who didn’t even have a warrant. Even worse, the person ICE was seeking to arrest was already in jail.

Thao has said he will sue the government for violating his civil rights. And he should win.

8. D.C. sandwich thrower Sean Dunn

Sean Dunn became a pop culture icon, after he was captured on video hurling a sandwich at federal immigration officers trying to abduct people off the street in the nation’s capital.

Trump’s Department of Justice charged him with felony assault for “forcefully” throwing the sandwich at officers.

“I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice — NO LONGER. Not only is he FIRED, he has been charged with a felony,” former Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that is somehow real and not an Onion article. “This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus DOJ. You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement.”

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Shady 'Left' PAC With GOP Ties Pushes Anti-Semitic Kook In Democratic Primary

Shady 'Left' PAC With GOP Ties Pushes Anti-Semitic Kook In Democratic Primary

With their House majority in peril, Republicans appear to be resorting to dirty tricks.

Aside from trying to gerrymander their way to victory, Republicans also seem to have created a shady PAC to prop up less electable Democratic candidates, in an effort to take competitive seats off the map.

The ads come from a group called Lead Left, a name clearly intended to mislead viewers into thinking they come from a Democratic-run group when, in fact, the newly formed entity has ties to Republicans.

Currently, Lead Left has spent nearly $1 million to prop up candidates like Maureen Galindo, an antisemitic kook, over Johnny Garcia, the candidate national Democrats are behind, in Texas’ 35th District.

That seat shouldn’t be competitive. Texas Republicans redrew it last year to give it a GOP lean. However, it is a heavily Hispanic seat, which poses problems for Republicans since Hispanic support for President Donald Trump and the GOP has fallen off a cliff thanks to Trump’s cruel immigration agenda and his poor stewardship of the economy.

GOP operatives told Politico that having Galindo as the nominee could help avoid losing a seat they purposefully drew to favor their party.

“None of these seats are easy wins for Republicans,” Vinny Minchillo, a Texas-based Republican operative, told Politico. “If we could get [Galindo] in the general, it would be a great opportunity.”

Democrats, meanwhile, have condemned Galindo after she posted a batshit-crazy statement to Instagram last week in which she said she wanted to convert an immigration detention facility into a prison for “American Zionists” and pedophiles, who she said are also Zionists.

At the same time, Democrats pointed out that Republican-tied groups, like the shadowy Lead Left, are running ads to try to boost her campaign in the May 26 runoff.

“House Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement.

Garcia is even making Lead Left’s ratfucking attempt an issue ahead of the Tuesday runoff, running his own ad exposing Galindo for being a lunatic whom Republicans want to face off against because she is unelectable.

But Texas’ 35th District isn’t the only place Lead Left has meddled.

The group also ran ads in Pennsylvania’s Seventh District, trying to prop up no-name and underfunded Democratic hopeful Lamont McClure over labor leader Bob Brooks, a populist Democrat backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and the DCCC.

However, those efforts failed. On Tuesday, Brooks easily won the primary, while McClure took third.

Meanwhile, Lead Left and another conservative group, American Action Network, ran ads against Democrat John Cavanaugh in Nebraska’s Second District, attacking him for supposedly being aligned with Trump.

While Cavanaugh narrowly lost the primary to Democrat Denise Powell, the outcome there may not dramatically change the race this November. Unlike Galindo and McClure, Powell is a serious candidate who raised enough money to compete. And Nebraska’s Second District is a Democratic-leaning district that political handicappers have said has a good chance of flipping.

Ultimately, Lead Left’s meddling is a desperate ploy from Republicans to try to hold onto power and yet another instance of how big money is corrupting our politics.

But sunlight is the best disinfectant, as they say. The more people know about who is behind the ads they watch, the less effective they may be.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

GOP Representative Targeted By Trump For Opposing January 6 Slush Fund

GOP Representative Targeted By Trump For Opposing January 6 Slush Fund

Emboldened by his successful efforts to oust multiple GOP lawmakers who defied his orders, President Donald Trump now has a new Republican target—and it may be his dumbest yet.

On Wednesday, Trump turned his ire to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, threatening to go after the Pennsylvania Republican who has come out against Trump’s corrupt slush fund to give reparations to traitorous rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump’s attacks came after Fitzpatrick’s fiancee, Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich, tried to ask Trump a question about Israel that he apparently didn’t like.

“Her husband votes against me all the time,” Trump replied to Heinrich, though Heinrich and Fitzpatrick are not yet married. “I don’t know what’s with him. You better ask him what’s with him. Her husband—she’s married to a certain congressman. He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn’t work out well.”Fitzpatrick is one of just three House Republicans who hold districts former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. Harris won Fitzpatrick’s 1st District seat by less than one percentage point in 2024, while former President Joe Biden carried it by nearly five points four years earlier, according to data from The Downballot.


It’s in districts like these that Republicans need the leeway to deviate from their party’s immensely unpopular leader in order to secure reelection.

Fitzpatrick has marginally done that. He was one of two Republicans who voted against the cruel “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which ripped healthcare away from the poorest Americans in order to make room for tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the rich. And now Fitzpatrick is slamming Trump’s $1.8 billion fund to compensate Jan. 6 insurrectionists.

“A massive discretionary fund, with no oversight or approval from Congress, represents a dangerous backsliding in the transparency of our institutions and our commitment to the American taxpayer,” Fitzpatrick wrote in a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday, demanding answers on questions about where the money is being diverted from and if people convicted of crimes will receive money.

Attribution: APRepublican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, shown in 2018.

That has angered Trump, who demands fealty and loyalty at all costs.If Trump ramps up his attacks on Fitzpatrick, it could keep some Republican voters from backing Fitzpatrick this fall. And that would be devastating in a competitive seat like his, where he not only needs near-universal support from Republicans but also to convince Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents to vote for him. That will be hard when polls show Democrats and independents are chomping at the bit to punish Trump and his party.

Cowardly Republicans, afraid to get on Trump’s bad side and risk their political futures, anonymously slammed Trump’s revenge tour.“It seems like he’s given up on holding the majority and focusing on loyalty in the minority,” an unnamed House Republican told Politico.

The only ones who spoke publicly about the idiocy of Trump’s revenge campaign are those who are not running for reelection and thus have nothing to lose by speaking their minds.

“I believe that there are people in the White House who couldn’t care less about what happens in November,” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who last summer announced his retirement rather than run for reelection because he said he could not vote his conscience and win a primary at the same time, told Politico. “And that goes to show you how stupid they are, because if they don’t get Republicans reelected, they’re going to create the most miserable two years of this president’s life.”
Tillis may be angry, but I, for one, can’t wait to see Trump squirm when Democrats win the House majority—and possibly even the Senate.