Later today, President Trump is scheduled to speak at the World Economic Forum at Davos about housing affordability, which has no bearing on the subject for which the Forum exists and is unlikely to be the topic of Trump’s meandering stream of consciousness speech, which is more likely to touch upon the 2020 “rigged” election, Biden’s failings, and Norway’s shame in not awarding Trump the Nobel Peace Prize for the eight wars he pretends he prevented.

In contrast, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a speech yesterday that said out loud the reality in which nations of the world that once believed they were allies of the United States, and that the United States of America was a reliable friend and protector of the free world now find themselves. Continue reading →

On the verge of the Supreme Court decision over Trump’s purported use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, Trump’s hurt feelings over not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize that he so desperately desired got the better of him. While threatening to invade Greenland and take it for his own, he imposed yet another set of tariffs, this time against European NATO allies who are prepared, along with Canada, to honor their duties under Article 5 of the NATO alliance, to come to the aid of any NATO member threatened by hostilities. The hostilities, of course, come solely from Trump.

Trump sent the president of Norway a letter, which he ordered distributed among ambassadors of other NATO nations so they would all appreciate the great and powerful Trump. Continue reading →

In a New York Times op-ed by former federal judges Shira Sheindlin of the Southern District of New York and John Jones III of the Middle District of Pennsylvania, they note the obvious. Lawyers have forsaken their dignity. In support, they tell the sordid tale of Trump coercing Biglaw to bend to his will, and some white shoe firms flopping on their knees with tongues out and drool dripping on Trump’s Thom McCans.

Last year was not the proudest year for the American legal profession. The Trump administration took unconscionable and manifestly illegal measures against law firms that had represented clients and causes the administration disliked. In response, several large firms made deals to eliminate diversity efforts and agreed to provide nearly $1 billion of free legal services to causes favored by the government. While a handful of firms fought back and won, most simply remained silent, no doubt wary of making themselves a target of political ire.

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The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was never one of the elite federal groups. It was the TSA of federal agencies, unlike the FBI, Secret Service or Postal Inspectors, who were highly regarded whether they deserved it or not. But ICE? It was not where the best and brightest wanted to work. Accordingly, it was staffed by the dregs of federal law enforcement, the people no other agency would take. And that was largely fine given the limits of its jurisdiction and purpose.

But that was before mass deportations became the primary focus of the federal government, and ICE was loosed on the streets to act without legal or constitutional constraint, a price Stephen Miller and the MAGA faithful were willing to pay to rid the nation of illegal aliens and anybody else they deemed undesirable Americans. The agency has since run amok, flipped the process on its head by demanding, at will, people prove their citizenship and wantonly engaging in violence and destruction along the way. The administration has backed them without reservation, making up any story necessary to justify their brutal actions without shame. Continue reading →

He did it. It comes as no surprise, as it conforms to his character, but still. He did it. Trump stood there for his photo op, grinning, next to Venezuela opposition leader, María Corina Machado, holding the framed prize.

In the background, you can see the gold doodads Trump adores, what to his mind scream wealth, power and importance. After all, he was a kid from Queens who was never accepted by the old money of New York because he was vulgar and ignorant, the sort of person one didn’t invite for dinner. That’s why he was best friends with someone like Jeffrey Epstein, who was also a pariah among the wealthy, though for somewhat different reasons. Continue reading →

After another shooting in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, chaos erupted. Protesters apparently “took the bait” and responded to ICE’s surge by shooting fireworks and assaulting agents. Agents responded by firing gas cannisters and flashbang grenades, and spraying OC in the faces of protesters. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saw his opening and went for it.

Beyond the disingenuous comparison of surging 3000 ICE agents, dwarfing the Minneapolis police force of 600, for no better reason than Trump hating those “garbage” Somalis, as well as former Democratic VP candidate Walz, Blanch threw in a word that isn’t thrown lightly. Insurrection. Continue reading →

Six left the Department of Justice Office of Civil Rights. Six more left the United States Attorney’s office for Minnesota. These aren’t radical left lunatics, as our president likes to call anyone who doesn’t bend to his will, but Assistant United States Attorneys, prosecutors if you will, who got their marching orders and decided to walk instead.

Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned on Tuesday over the Justice Department’s push to investigate the widow of a woman killed by an ICE agent and the department’s reluctance to investigate the shooter, according to people with knowledge of their decision.

Joe Thompson, who was in charge of the fraud investigation that was used to justify the surge, was one of the six to leave. Continue reading →

As the debate continues to rage over ICE agent Jonathan Ross’ killing of Renee Good, serial liar, cosplayer and dog killer Kristi Noem has ordered an increased deployment of DHS agents to Minneapolis and Minnesota in a show of force. Minnesota is not amused, and the attorney general has sued to stop DHS, arguing that this federal invasion is unconstitutional.

The Tenth Amendment gives the State of Minnesota and its subdivisions, including the Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, inviolable sovereign authority to protect the health and wellbeing of all those who reside, work, or visit within their borders. The people of Minnesota are entitled to basic safety and dignity in their communities. They have the right to move about their daily lives confident that their constitutional rights and civil liberties will remain intact and will not be infringed. They have the right to go to work, take their children to school, and move through public and private spaces free from fear of violence against themselves or their loved ones by their federal government. They are entitled to access city services and use city facilities without being harassed by federal agents in parking lots. They expect that law enforcement, whether federal, state, or local, will follow the law, avoid creating dangerous and chaotic circumstances, and conduct itself in a manner that distinguishes officers from masked criminals. Indeed, being free from unlawful seizures, excessive force and retaliation are not a list of aspirations Minnesotans deserve; these are rights enshrined within state and federal laws.

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Trump says he knows nothing about it, which may well be true. After all, it’s not as if he’s a detail kinda guy, and it’s hardly surprising that minions act upon his whims with only cursory consideration of the nuts and bolts. And Jeanine Pirro, now the United States Attorney for Washington, D.C., which evokes a sad chuckle from anyone who worked in the criminal courts in Westchester County, New York, is nothing if not Trump’s minion. Or, of course, Trump knows all about it and is just lying.

For quite a while now, Trump has demanded that the Federal Reserve Bank lower interest rates under the misguided grasp of economics that if they just lower rates to make cheap credit, it will make people happy and have no collateral consequences. Imagine a mortgage at a rate of 0.9%. How cool would that be, right? Continue reading →

There’s a FIFA World Cup trophy in the Oval Office. Trump has it, but he didn’t win it. He was given the FIFA Peace Prize, a prize for which there were no rules or conditions, no other potential recipients, and invented solely to stroke Trump’s wounded ego for not having been given the Nobel Peace Prize, which he has made clear he wants desperately.

The 2025 Prize was given to Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado, who didn’t refuse the prize in favor of Trump. According to people within Trump’s White House, this is why Machado isn’t president of Venezuela after Trump removed Maduro. But Machado is coming to the United States and wants to meet with Trump. Trump wants to meet with her too, because she has something he wants. And she can give it to him the easy way or the hard way. Continue reading →