Category: MAGA

Trump Suddenly Embraces Impeachment . . . of a Federal Judge

Michael Matheron1 Comment

“Public officials … regrettably have engaged in recent attempts to intimidate judges — for example, suggesting political bias in the judge’s adverse rulings without a credible basis for such allegations. Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed. Public officials certainly have a right to criticize the work of the judiciary, but they should be mindful that intemperance in their statements when it comes to judges may prompt dangerous reactions by others.”

Chief Justice John Roberts, New Year’s Eve message, December 31, 2024.

This morning, Trump took once again to Truth Social for an exquisitely intelligent broadside aimed at the chief judge of the Washington, DC U.S. District Court, Judge James Boasberg for halting his efforts to remove Venezuelan migrants using the Alien Powers Act of 1798 which was intended to to resist a foreign invasion during a time of declared war. Needless to say, we are not at war with Venezuela. This upset our president who is set upon complete capture of the federal government within himself, a monarch in (impatient) waiting. He had this to say:

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@realDonaldTrump

This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President – He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY. I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! Mar 18, 2025, 9:05 AM

Trump’s beef? (1) Judge Boasberg was appointed by President Obama, (2) Judge Boasberg did not perform better that Trump in the 2024 election, (3) Judge Boasberg is a crooked judge, “a troublemaker and agitator,” and, as a consequence, the judge ought to be impeached, primarily for doing his job and interpreting the law in a manner consistent with precedent.

The rule of law laid down in judicial impeachment cases has been that judges cannot be removed for decisions that the president disagrees with. Impeachment of judges is an unlikely event in American history: 15 judges have been impeached, 8 convicted and removed. Impeachment and removal has ranged from intoxication on the bench, to abandoning the office and joining the Confederacy, to various types of corruption, and to perjury and income tax evasion, all of which arguably fit the normal impeachment standard of high crimes and misdemeanors for executive branch impeachments.*

* [But see this for more complete background: within the judicial branch “good behavior” clause of Article 3, there may be some argument that Trumpists may make to the effect that Judge Boasberg violated the good behavior clause (believe it or not) by simply ruling against Trump. The background of this good behavior clause makes it unrealistic to believe that such an argument would be considered as anything other than frivolous, however.]

In any event, the important conclusion in this crucial case is that Trump’s reaction shows clearly (1) his complete lack of basic understanding of the American constitutional system, particularly the judiciary, and (2) his knee jerk reaction to pulverize the reputation of any judge that disciplines him, (3) his utter contempt – utter demented contempt – for law, in general, and anything untoward that affects him adversely, and (4) his descent into uncontrolled all caps madness unlike anything witnessed in his first presidential term.

This battle between Trump administration and the courts represents, potentially, the most important on display since without Trump accepting court rulings the American government loses its principal foundation, judicial supremacy in judicial matters. Absent that, the jungle awaits . . .

__________________

UPDATE: Just prior to my posting this it’s been reported that in a very unusual pronouncement, the Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Roberts, issued the following:

“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”

Given the highly unusual statement by the Chief Justice, its import cannot be underestimated. We’ll likely see, in its wake, MAGA world completely “cancel” the Chief Justice, and Trump say something that makes the situation worse.

This is important. Stay tuned.

We Told You So, No. 002

Michael Matheron1 Comment

This is the second in what will be a regular feature (see our first post here). It’s based upon what is known as the original position fallacy:

A situation in which a character promotes an action, revolution or social system that harms or will harm other people, under the assumption that it will not harm them. They will invariably discover that they were wrong, with the double whammy of knowing they supported the measure that caused their suffering when they thought it would happen to ‘somebody else’

This, of course, was predictable for the average MAGA voter, they were warned many times that Trump & Company had no true regard for their own supporters (except their mega wealthy cabal). Cheering on all of Trump’s plans the MAGA crowd were looking forward to the firing huge swathes of our federal workforce according to the Project 2025 playbook. And without thought of consequences these MAGAs failed to take notice that there are many MAGA adherents in that federal workforce. Thinking things through is not one of the characteristics of the entire MAGA movement, from top to bottom.

So, now, just seven weeks into the Re-Trumping of America, thousands of federal workers have been summarily laid off and RIFed. Those MAGAs who have been directly or indirectly harmed by this have learned the lesson of the original position fallacy. And more lessons will be forthcoming to MAGAs who disproportionately rely on programs being axed by the GOP/MAGA, for instance, Medicaid, administration interference with Social Security and Medicare, and the decimation of the Veterans Administration.

So, here’s is today’s example of buyer’s regret, courtesy of Twitter/X poster Tim Hannon’s retweet of a February 6th cris de coeur from MAGA town:

Dear Congresswoman Salazar, It’s the Year of ‘We Told You So!’

Michael Matheron1 Comment

A staunch supporter of Trump during the 2024 campaign, Florida Congresswoman Maria Salazar, representing Miami, found out that her support for Trump’s immigration disposal project would actually target her own constituents despite a Biden administration policy that protected them. Well, Maria, we told you so.

BACKGROUND. “The Biden Administration’s recent use of the statutory parole authority has attracted scrutiny. Since 2021, the Biden Administration has invoked the immigration parole authority to enable aliens from certain countries — Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela — to enter the United States so long as they satisfy other eligibility criteria. For instance, regulations provide that, to qualify for the parole processes for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (“CHNV”), the applicant must apply in his or her home country, pass a background check, demonstrate he or she has a financial supporter in the United States, and fly into the United States to an interior port of entry. He or she may remain in the United States for up to two years and obtain work authorization.” See Congressional Research Service Legal Sidebar for in-depth coverage.

The parole processes that make up the CHNV program have been available to Venezuelans since October 2022 and to Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans since January 2023. As of the end of October 2024, 110,240 Cubans, 211,010 Haitians, 93,070 Nicaraguans, and 117,310 Venezuelans. See Refugees International Fact Sheet. As of December 2024, about 531,690 people had entered the country under that program, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. See Voice of America News.

On January 20, Donald Trump ended the humanitarian CHNV parole program. Under the executive order “Securing Our Borders,” which outlines various immigration-related actions, including the CHNV program which allowed up to 30,000 individuals per month.

CONGRESSWOMAN SALAZAR’S INTEREST According to the U.S. Census, 70% of Salazar’s district are Hispanic/Latino, especially Cuban. Salazar has been a vocal suppporter of Trump’s deportation goals, patticularly about thos immigrants that arrived under President Biden’s watch. While she is less draconian in her immigration policies yhan the more rabid Trump congresspeople, she had this to say during an interview on PBS News Hour during the GOP convention:

“You need to create a division between two groups of undocumented: the ones who came in during the last three and a half years – eight million people and the thirteen of fourteen [million] who have been here – picking the jalapenos in southern California, or the oranges in Florida – those people, I believe, because they have been here, they don’t have a criminal record, they have American children, they’ve been contributing to the economy, they’ve been paying taxes, those people should be looked at it with a dignity – and we can expand on that later – the people who came in in the last three and a half years, we don’t know what intentions they have. . .”

During the Biden administration, under the CHNV program, more than 500,000 persons entered the U.S. As discussed above they were thoroughly vetted. A significant number arrived in her district from Cuba, for instance.

But (now) there are exceptions. . . Note that Ms. Salazar was staunchly disapproving of the Biden administration’s use of the CHNV program but not those admitted during the Trump administration. Saying of the Biden era: ” the people who came in in the last three and a half years, we don’t know what intentions they have,” disregarding the strong vetting process that the CHNV requires, and that a large number of her own CHNV constituents gained admission to her district.

However, now, faced with Trump’s Executive Orders, assaulting the CHNV program, she has seen the light. And here’s her politically calculated backtracking:

I’m urging Homeland Security to PROTECT Cubans awaiting legal status adjustment through the Cuban Adjustment Act.
We must ALSO protect the Venezuelans and Nicaraguans without a criminal record
going through the asylum process.

Don’t penalize them for Biden’s screw-ups!

Tweet/X, January 24, 2015 – Representative Maria Salazar,
Representing Miami Florida since 2021

And here’s her pleading to the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Bengamine Huffman. What the Acting Secretary’s response will be is presently guesswork, however, Trump’s Executive Order was clear: sayonara CHNV . . .

DOGE’s Loss Is Ohio’s Loss Too

Michael Matheron1 Comment

The first act by the the advisory commission known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is the departure of Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the two top officials to pursue his bid for governor of Ohio. The (quite likely true) rumor is that Vivek’s open mouth policy has caused peptic rumblings among congressfolks and Trump himself. He particularly incensed the America Firster tribe with his recent comments supporting the H1-B visa program primarily by making it quite clear that homegrown Americans are dumb as stumps. He indicted American entertainment culture as the chief culprit. His solution:

“More math tutoring, fewer sleepovers. More weekend science competitions, fewer Saturday morning cartoons. More books, less TV. More creating, less ‘chillin.’ More extracurriculars, less ‘hanging out at the mall.’”

Americans of all stripes objected to his comments, and generally, to his overall personality which many compared to “fingernails across a chalk board.” Also, in his usual way, Vivek offered no actual evidence supporting his view; in fact, American engineers are acknowledged as among the finest in the world. Vivek is very efficient if not effective in his thought processes, mouthing off first, thinking later. For instance, he failed to recognize that most high school and college students do their homework “hanging out at the mall.” He lso ignored the vast diversity throughout the world, where most countries exhibit similar characteristics in their societies, the world contains its own entertainment culture, it’s not exclusive to America.

In any event, Ohio needs to brace itself for a Vivek run for governor. As we know he can talk, and talk and talk, all with a self-satisfied certainty. How long will it take for him to talk his way out of contention? As he’s shown in his DOGE exit, he may not get past day one. Let us hope.

MAGA Universe: Vaccine Promotion – Louisiana Is Now Immune from Informing Public About Vaccines

Michael Matheron1 Comment

Reported by NPR here’s another deep dive into MAGA America from Louisiana’s Department of Health:

A group of high-level managers at the Louisiana Department of Health walked into a Nov. 14 meeting in Baton Rouge expecting to talk about outreach and community events. Instead, they were told by an assistant secretary in the department and another official that department leadership had a new policy: Advertising or otherwise promoting the COVID, influenza or mpox vaccines, an established practice there — and at most other public health entities in the U.S. — must stop.

In a statement, the Louisiana Department of Health told NPR it has been “reevaluating both the state’s public health priorities as well as our messaging around vaccine promotion, especially for COVID-19 and influenza.” The [Department of Health] described the move as a shift “away from one-size-fits-all paternalistic guidance” to a stance in which “immunization for any vaccine, along with practices like mask wearing and social distancing, are an individual’s personal choice.” [It] did not address mpox vaccinations. The statement said that the flu vaccine can reduce illness severity and therefore may help high-risk patients — but falsely claimed “the flu vaccine does not prevent one from getting the influenza virus.” 

How far will they go in the months ahead in MAGA Universe? Will it go as far as the limit? – Banning vaccines altogether? Department of Health employee prayer groups dedicated to eradicating viruses? There are, apparently, no limits.

Tennessee Governor Advises Citizens to Be Humble During Hurricane Helene Flooding

Michael Matheron1 Comment

Yesterday, renowned historian Heather Cox Richardson reported:

“Late Friday night, Tennessee House Republican Caucus chair Jeremy Faison posted ‘President Biden has finally approved [Tennessee governor Bill Lee’s] state of emergency request,’ making it sound as if the delay in federal support for the state during the devastation of Hurricane Helene was Biden’s fault. In fact, while Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina all declared emergencies and requested and received federal approval of those declarations before the hurricane hit, Governor Lee did not.” [all emphasis added]

Here’s Governor Lee’s initial response to the emergency:

Despite Tennessee House Republican Caucus chair Jeremy Faison’s mendacity, strongly implying that the delayed federal emergency order was President Biden’s conscious choice, it was Governor Lee who delayed his request. However, as soon as the governor did so – after extensive to his state had already occurred – of course, President Biden acted immediately. It seems that, apparently, even after a day of Tennessean prayer, humility, and skipping meals, God takes her time…

Christian Theocracy Rules

Needless to say, the alleged “delay” in President Biden’s state of emergency order was entirely self-inflicted, courtesy of the condition of GOP governance in Tennessee which does not receive much national coverage of just how much a christian theocracy it has become.

For example, in July, the legislature declared the month as a time to “seek God’s hand of mercy and healing.” Below are two excerpts from the Joint Resolution, both of which facially violate the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, and Section 3 of Article 1 of Tennessee’s Constitution; i.e., “no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship.” Note the salutation in the document below, “Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,” and the throughout the text that accompanied the joint resolution.

And here is the text of the joint resolution:

Humbling oneself before God is always good advice since failing to do so may cause you some retributive actions, like a biblical bit of flooding. Just ask Noah. Perhaps, gently, ask Governor Lee.

Trump Plagiarized Adolf Hitler in Immigration Rant, Here’s the Proof!

Michael Matheron1 Comment
Uh Oh!! One thousand times. UH OH!

Trump has been ranting lately, most notably in his debate with Kamala Harris, that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Missouri are “eating the dogs, the people who came in, they’re eating the cats.” This most recent of Trump’s immigration fables turns out to be balderdash, of course. And, as usual, MAGA enthusiasts have fallen for it, disbelieving the reports exonerating Haitians, apparently dismissing JD Vance’s admission that he, who first reported this imaginary story, had made it all up, unapologetically.

In any event, an enterprising group of Tik Tok users employed AI to discover that Trump had plagiarized his comment about the Haitian-dog-cat controversy directly from one of Adolf Hitler’s speeches. He too was vexed by immigration, especially from Haiti whose citizens yearned for peaceful and bountiful lives in Nazi Germany, and of course, for the wiener schnitzel and beer. Below is the sordid proof of Trump’s plagiarism:

Trump plagiarism

Whether Trump will face disciplinary action, or criminal indictment for his flagrant infringement of Adolf Hitler’s copyright is the question of the day. He certainly has violated Hitler’s rights to ownership of his own words. Plagiarism, as defined, can be considered a violation of copyright law if it infringes on the original author’s copyright, patent, or trademark. In this case, the copyright owner can sue the plagiarist in federal court.

Adolf Hitler. age 135, with
his lawyers in Brasília.

Also, in some cases, plagiarism can be considered a felony under state or federal law. For example, if a plagiarist copies and earns more than $2,500 from copyrighted material, he/she may face up to $250,000 in fines and up to ten years in jail. The value of Trump’s use of Hitler’s words could be determined to be in excess of $2,500 as it has brought him value due to the absolute delight that MAGA supporters drew from attack on immigrants (the Springfield Haitians, by the way, are in the United States legally). Also, Trump continues to use the phrase at the drop of a hat.

Whether this event will draw Adolf Hitler out of retirement in Brazil to bring suit, or to make a criminal complaint remains to be seen. He has been understandably reclusive for the past 79 years. It will be interesting to see, because it isn’t wise to aggravate Adolf Hitler. My money’s on Hitler.

Trump Ups His Sick War on Abortion by Putting Women’s Minds at Rest…

Michael Matheron1 Comment

At a campaign rally yesterday in Pennsylvania, Trump tried to pander to women voters, disastrously, that he’s not a threat but will be their “protector” in abortion matters, and in general:

  • “I always thought women liked me. But the fake news keeps saying women don’t like me. [But] You will be protected, and I will be your protector. Women will be happy, healthy, confident and free. You will no longer be thinking about abortion.”

The president who ushered in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, bragged about sexually assaulting women, and was found liable for sexual abuse now realizes that the legacy of the Dobbs decision that his three Supreme Court nominees made possible isn’t polling well. So he’s on the reassurance grift. There is a mind-set demonstrated by his “soothing” words that shows a glaringly stupid lack of understanding of even the grade school basics of what women desire in all aspects of their lives, especially abortion.

For example, his “You will be protected, and I will be your protector”: women no longer accept (if they ever did) that their relationships with men be a “protector/protectee” paternalistic bargain, freighted with exceedingly onerous obligations. For example, Trump (of all men) telling them “Women will be happy, healthy, confident and free” indicates his belief that men (specifically himself) alone by their paternalistic largesse can make women happy, healthy, confident and free. This, from Trump, a serial sex assaulter, adulterer, adjudicated rapist, defamer, and “pussy grabber.” He and the MAGA crowd simply have no overall, historical, cultural, or conceptual understanding of feminist goals. And trying to fake it just digs them in deeper and rightly alienates millions of women, and men.

And there’s this:

More Reassurance from Ohio…

GOP Senate nominee Bernie Moreno (OH), at a town hall event last week but first reported yesterday by NBC4 in Columbus. As you’ll see, Moreno vocalizes the MAGA self-centered view that one’s vote ought to matter only when an issue DIRECTLY threatens one’s own life, not, for example, the lives of all women, including their daughters and granddaughters.

“You know, the left has a lot of single issue voters. Sadly, by the way, there’s a lot of suburban women, a lot of suburban women that are like, ‘Listen, abortion is it. If I can’t have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.’ … OK. It’s a little crazy by the way, but — especially for women that are like past 50 — I’m thinking to myself, ‘I don’t think that’s an issue for you.'”

As for Trump’s conclusion, “[Women] will no longer be thinking about abortion,” the absurdity of that in every way spotlights his utter lack of understanding of women’s daily lives. Women walk through life with targets on their chests and backs, at all ages, placed there by men like Trump and Moreno.

Trump, Cannot Sell Shares in Trump Media (DJT) . . . Yet . . .

Michael Matheron1 Comment

“Market watchers have debated whether Trump would sell shares, with some suggesting an exit could indicate he is prioritizing personal profits and alienating loyal followers who have poured money into the stock.” Barron’s, Trump Media Shares Soar After Trump Says ‘I’m Not Selling’, September 13, 2024.

“No, I’m not selling… I don’t want to sell my shares. I don’t need money… I absolutely have no intention of selling.” Donald Trump, Twitter, September 13, 2024

Trump’s assurances have a poor track record, as we know. This particular assurance to not sell shares in his Trump Media stock will be severely tested as of next Thursday, September 19. Here’s why.

Firstly, his assertion that he won’t sell his shares because he “doesn’t need money” is untrue. Trump always needs money; he’s always been raising money to, for example, fend off bankruptcy of his casinos in the 1990s. And now? Civil judgments against him, and tthe legal bills accompanying them are in the neighborhood of $600 million. In addition, financing his appeals of various legal actions against him by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and others cost tens of millions of dollars. Many of these bills are being paid for not ot of his own pocket but by the RNC which is run by his daughter-is-law Lara Trump which has led to a short fall of donated funds available to his presidential campaign. So, yes, he needs money.

Secondly, he doesn’t care who he fleeces to raise money. In fact, he’s been trying to fleece the MAGA herd since day one. And, conveniently, they keep coming back for more. This is a guy who has sold his supporters digital trading cards, gold colored sneakers, and commemorative coins. So, despite the fact that a goodly number of those supporters have invested in DJT, he’ll not hesitate to fleece them by, for instance, selling large lots of shares and thereby causing the price to fall, perhaps causing a large drop from its present anemic price. Recall, he needs money.

Here’s his estimated DJT position:

Total Shares = 194,000,000; Trump owns 60%. = 116,400,000 shares; = 7,708,008,000 billion at its 2024 high $66.72/share, BUT that’s shrunk by more than 70% to 1,978,800,000 billion at today’s share price of $17/share. An on paper loss of some 5,730,000,000 billion. Trump is not pleased, we might suppose.

The Crucial “Lockup Period”

The trading debut of DJT initiated what’s known as a lock-up period, a standard procedure for newly public companies in which certain shareholders, like those who own 5% or more of shares or who serve in a high-level management role, mandating that they cannot sell shares until a predetermined date. At DJT these insiders include Trump himself; DJT board members (i.e., Donald Trump, Jr., David Nunes, and other Trump confidants);  co-founders, Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss*, both former contestants on The Apprentice; and others.

The company’s latest prospectus filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission outlines three factors that would trigger the lock-up period to conclude:

  • The end of the first six months of DJT stock trading as its own entity on September 29, or
  • Trump Media shares trading above $12 for any 20 of 30 trading sessions on September 19, or
  • a transaction, like a merger, in which all shareholders have the opportunity to trade in their Trump Media holdings at the same price, or
  • an affirmative vote by DJT’s Board of Directors

That means the earliest possible date Trump can sell is Sept. 19 if Trump Media shares remain above the $12 threshold, otherwise his selling date will open is on Sept. 25. Note, however, that “”Insiders might still be prevented from selling their shares after the lock-up period expires. That can happen when an insider has access to material, nonpublic information, where the sale of shares would legally constitute insider trading.”

I expect that he will sell whenever he can do so legally, although should he sell large blocks of DJT over few days the stock price would likely fall precipitously. He might still make hundreds of millions at lower shre prices, as would other insiders, yet Trump would take a public relations hit, especially if his MAGA supporters took a beating on their own desperate sell orders. A better strategy would be to sell more slowly, or not sell at all and, instead, seek a loan or loans against his holdings, yet, who is eager to loan him money on any collateral. Poor Trump, he needs an intelligent strategy and tactics. And he’s remarkably stupid. We’ll see what happens after September 19th.