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Iran’s President Says Trump Could ‘Set Fire’ to Middle East
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Friday that president Donald Trump’s actions could “set fire” to the region, NBC News reports.
Epstein Papers Mention Possible Meeting with Elon Musk
“Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released partial records from a third batch of documents they received from the Jeffrey Epstein estate earlier this week that includes notes that contain the names of current and former Trump allies Elon Musk and Steve Bannon, as well as Peter Thiel and Prince Andrew,” NOTUS reports.
Doctor Trump
President Trump posted unsupported medical advice telling pregnant women and young children not to take Tylenol, and gave unfounded recommendations on children’s vaccines.
GOP Lawmaker Calls for Execution of Pramila Jayapal
Arizona state Rep. John Gillette (R) called for Rep. Pamila Jayapal (D-WA) to be executed, as a response to a video clip in which Jayapal discusses preparations for street protests against the Trump administration, The Guardian reports.
Said Gillette: “Until people like this, that advocate for the overthrow of the American government are tried, convicted and hanged … it will continue.”
Netanyahu Pledges to Prevent Palestinian State
Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech to the UN General Assembly on Friday, vowing to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state and “finish the job” against Hamas following a renewed US-led push to end the war in Gaza, the Financial Times reports.
Brief Comey Indictment Prompts Questions
“The indictment of James Comey, the former FBI director, was just two pages long and contained so little detail that it was hard for legal experts to assess its merits,” the New York Times reports.
“Some former government lawyers, as well as prominent Democrats, said the case appeared so flimsy that it was likely to fail. Some Republicans also expressed concerns, though supporters of President Trump, who had relentlessly pushed for Mr. Comey’s prosecution, praised the fact that Mr. Comey was indicted.”
A Career Ending Decision?
Former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman warned that indicting James Comey “could be career-ending.”
Said Litman: “Whoever’s signature is on the bottom of an indictment — if they somehow force one through — is going to be subject to really serious professional sanctions.”
Fox Legal Analyst Doesn’t See a Case Against Comey
Fox News legal analyst Andrew McCarthy told Fox News that he does not think there is a solid case against former FBI Director James Comey in the recent indictment against him.
Said McCarthy: “It seems to be premised on something that’s not true, which is that McCabe said that Comey authorized him to leak to the Wall Street Journal.”
ICE Officer ‘Relieved of His Duties’
“A federal immigration officer was ‘relieved of his duties’ and is under investigation after he shoved an Ecuadorean woman whose husband had been arrested and pushed her to the floor at an immigration courthouse in Manhattan,” the New York Times reports.
This is likely only happening because it was caught on video.
‘There Will Be Others’
President Trump signaled that his administration will launch prosecutions against other political opponents, just hours after the justice department filed criminal charges against former FBI director James Comey, the Financial Times reports.
Asked about the indictment on Friday morning, Trump said that he had no list of who will be targeted next, but “there will be others.”
He added: “It’s about justice. Really, it’s not revenge. They went after me for four years.”
For members: Cross Trump at Your Peril
Quote of the Day
“These people are crazy, the Democrats. So if it has to shut down, it’ll have to shut down. But they’re the ones that are shutting it down.”
— President Trump, quoted by NOTUS.
House May Not Come Back Next Week
House Republican leadership is considering not bringing the chamber back into session next week, Punchbowl News reports.
The government shuts down Wednesday without a funding bill.
House GOP leadership sources say that the ball is in the Senate’s court and the House will come back when it needs to pass another bill.
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Caving to Trump Guarantees Defeat
Adam Serwer: “Everyone always has sound, rational reasons for caving to intimidation… But in every case, the act of capitulation compromises the very thing those capitulating say they want to protect. Fighting doesn’t always result in victory, but surrendering guarantees defeat.”
“The only people who have preserved their dignity or their rights in dealing with Trump are those who have been willing to stand up to him.”
Wave of Firings Followed Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
New York Times: “Though there is no way of determining exactly how many people have faced workplace consequences, The New York Times identified more than 145 such cases through news reports, public statements and interviews with several of those targeted. Those who have faced discipline are professors and health care workers, lawyers and journalists, restaurant workers and airline employees…
“Firings over controversial statements are not new, but they appear to have become more frequent in recent years as online armies seek to identify and assail the employers of people who say things they deem inappropriate. In the wake of Mr. Kirk’s death, Vice President JD Vance urged people to call the bosses of those who celebrated the assassination.”
Comey Indictment Made Up Facts
The indictment against former FBI Director James Comey appears to attribute to him words he never actually said, MSNBC reports.
