I'm curious to know under what authority the police prevented Representatives and Senators from entering a federal building. Did police obey civilian Elon Musk in keeping elected officials from entering a federal building?
I have asked that question so many times - never an answer. If the police DID threaten to arrest them, why didn't they just say "Go ahead! Who's authority are you acting on?"
I've been thinking about easily Americans are fooled by emotional words including waste, bureaucracy, abuse of taxpayer monies, etc. . Already I've been reading MAGA and others speak about waste and abuse in USAID. If they were better informed, they would find out USAID & all federal agencies are required to undergo an annual audit. USAID passed its annual audit.
But, guess who hasn't passed an audit in decades? It's Department of Defense which failed its annual audit for the past seven years and DOD was not audited for many years. DOJ's 2024 audit reported $824 Billion missing money.
Isn't it interesting Musk and gang targeted USAID and DOE for scrutiny and illegally took control of their computer systems including the ability to change code (lots of criminality is possible when someone can alter code.) Musk didn't target the Department of Defense which is already known for waste and abuse. Is it because Musk and his buddy, Thiel are beneficiaries of DOD waste and abuse? We know it's ideological because Musk, Thiel and GOP HATE poor, sick, and vulnerable people and prefer money going to the real elites (not the starving Sudanese and Yemeni babies who they frankly see as less than animals and dispensable.
I heard on the radio today that a lot of supplies purchased by USAID including food and medicines (and probably condoms!) are rotting on US docks waiting to be shipped overseas
The Democrats need to keep focusing on Musk. Eventually, Trump’s ire at being ignored will surface and will result in a deepening crack between Trump and Musk. We can dream, can’t we?
Remember how pissed Trump got in 2017 when Bannon was put on the cover of Time and given credit for accomplishments of the Trump Administration? The same thing could happen here.
Ah, but I would bet my bottom dollar that a quick trip to the SCOTUS will prevent states from filing suit, as they lack standing. This is Federal Government all the way.
You might be right, Geoff, but perhaps not. Anybody who had their data scraped resides in a state, and a clever AG could file state criminal charges against Musk and his team of off ducks. But mostly the civil tort system will have to break this coup d'etah--sue him out of existence.
my guess is it'll never happen. People do not understand that we are deep into fascism, dictatorship, authoritarianism, whatever you want to call it. We should have stopped this at the first attack. Anyone who can do anything about this is doing nothing but telling us how terrible and unlawful it is. I am totally disgusted.
So it was bullshit the whole time.......Republicans carrying around pocket Constitutions etc., they didn't believe a word of it. This was their endgame from the beginning.
I really hope people weren’t surprised by this - we’ve known for some time now, that they’ve viewed the Constitution as a pesky nuisance. Carrying around pocket Constitutions is cosplay for these imbeciles.
And if we ever have a Democratic president again, these same Republicans will have a heart attack if he/she issues an executive order with a misspelled word. I only hope at some point they suffer some consequences for their cowardice. And that they don't take the rest of us down with them.
When we have a Dem President again, I so hope George Soros is still alive and we can hand the entire Treasury dept to him. How many Republican heads would explode?
You talk as if we'll ever have an election again. See that puff of smoke on the horizon? It's not a wildfire - it's your vote (and your freedom) going up in flames. . .
Why is it not surprising that the only politicians speaking out are Democrats? Where are those famous “law & order” pols? Where are those who took the oath to defend the Constitution? Didn’t they swear to God? … AND the nation?
Musk is not creating just a constitution crisis. He staged a coup d'etah and should be arrested as an insurrectionist and traitor just like the berserkers trying to hang Pence on January 6.
Since Trump won't allow federal charges to stick, a state attorney general needs to step up under state laws and perp-walk him to the state capital hoosegow.
Next: Musk has no sovereign immunity, so anyone whose data was scraped can sue him for damages, and the entire citizenry can sue him for emotional distress and damages. All it takes is one brave attorney anywhere to organize the class-action(s).
There quite literally isn't a single gop elected with any moral character or interest in constitutional order, which is just the latest example of why a career criminal like trump not only took over the party but oversaw its conversion to a cult of personality.
I am personally doubtful we will ever recover.
But with that said, i have a very high expectation that trump's approval will be declining soon.
The best idea, other than a buzzard of lawsuits from all FBI agents being threatened with retaliation and/terminated without due process, or any civil servant terminated without due process, which they are all entitled, is a buzzard of lawsuits from any group harmed by Trump or Musk's actions. Next, every democratic senator should put a hold on some Trump nominee they don't think are qualified, even if a committee has recommended senate approval. Try a version 2 of Tubeville blocking action, except there are enough Democrats to actually filibuster Trump's nominees, even if it takes an actual physical filibuster by every Democrat on the Senate flood to stop people like RFK, jr and Tulsi Gabbard. Finally, every day news people need to ask Trump, his press secretary, any of his appointees, Musk, or another Trump minion why neither grocery prices nor any other prices haven't gone down yet. After all, Trump's had 15 days to do something. Name something he has done that reduced prices?
I urge everyone to join Adam Kinziger's "Country First." The other day, Kinziger led a group of Democratic Senators to visit USAID, and Musk's goons would not let them in the building - and these are sitting Senators, so that's illegal! That began an outcry that I think will lead to legal action against Musk.
But what can WE do? Every Thursday afternoon Adam's group does a Zoom focused on taking action. Last week he got 100 of us online to all call our Congresspeople. We were directed to connect via our laptops so our phones would be free to call. We saw 100 of us calling our Senators right then and there.
Also, sign up for Indivisible. They also do weekly Zooms that are very motivating, and full of specific action steps we can take.
And donate to the lawyers that are suing Trump every gosh-darn day. Democracy Forward and Public Citizen are two good groups.
Don't just rant and cry here - take action, good people.
A start. Flood the streets with protesters. National outcry to local, state & federal politicians. Over 250 years ago, in Boston, they threw a tea party. Over 250 years ago, the people overthrew a king.
I'm still laughing at the idea of reading the article about DJTJ in the original Italian. Um, what do you know about the Bulwark's readership that I don't know, Joe?
I'm curious to know under what authority the police prevented Representatives and Senators from entering a federal building. Did police obey civilian Elon Musk in keeping elected officials from entering a federal building?
I have asked that question so many times - never an answer. If the police DID threaten to arrest them, why didn't they just say "Go ahead! Who's authority are you acting on?"
◦ Why hasn’t elon musk been arrested for burglary and theft?
◦ After arrest for his crimes, sue him civilly. We have all been damaged, we all have standing to sue musk. Musk will point his finger at trump.
◦ We, all Americans, have standing to sue trump for allowing musk to steal our economic data.
◦ The citizens of the United States versus Donald J. Trump, et al. Jail time for trump, he’s poor. Sue musk for monetary damages.
Totally agree with you.
I've been thinking about easily Americans are fooled by emotional words including waste, bureaucracy, abuse of taxpayer monies, etc. . Already I've been reading MAGA and others speak about waste and abuse in USAID. If they were better informed, they would find out USAID & all federal agencies are required to undergo an annual audit. USAID passed its annual audit.
But, guess who hasn't passed an audit in decades? It's Department of Defense which failed its annual audit for the past seven years and DOD was not audited for many years. DOJ's 2024 audit reported $824 Billion missing money.
Isn't it interesting Musk and gang targeted USAID and DOE for scrutiny and illegally took control of their computer systems including the ability to change code (lots of criminality is possible when someone can alter code.) Musk didn't target the Department of Defense which is already known for waste and abuse. Is it because Musk and his buddy, Thiel are beneficiaries of DOD waste and abuse? We know it's ideological because Musk, Thiel and GOP HATE poor, sick, and vulnerable people and prefer money going to the real elites (not the starving Sudanese and Yemeni babies who they frankly see as less than animals and dispensable.
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2024/11/pentagon-fails-7th-audit-cant-fully-account-for-824-billion/
I heard on the radio today that a lot of supplies purchased by USAID including food and medicines (and probably condoms!) are rotting on US docks waiting to be shipped overseas
Elizabeth, great information and so well written.
Thank you for the link.
Who's going to arrest him?
And if he is arrested, less than 30 minutes later, Trump grants him a full pardon.
Lather, rinse, repeat
The Democrats need to keep focusing on Musk. Eventually, Trump’s ire at being ignored will surface and will result in a deepening crack between Trump and Musk. We can dream, can’t we?
Remember how pissed Trump got in 2017 when Bannon was put on the cover of Time and given credit for accomplishments of the Trump Administration? The same thing could happen here.
Exactly. He cannot abide being upstaged, and right now Musk is uostaging him. His relationship with Bannon never recovered.
Trump can't pardon state criminal arrests or any civil suits. Best to go after Musk in those two ways.
Beat me to it. Has to be State charges. I'm sure the NY FBI Division Head can work out something with Leticia James.
Absolutely!
Oh, I think you're remembering how our laws used to work. There are no rules now. trump will do whatever he wants and no one will stop him. :(
Ah, but I would bet my bottom dollar that a quick trip to the SCOTUS will prevent states from filing suit, as they lack standing. This is Federal Government all the way.
Nope, the States aren 't going to save us.
You might be right, Geoff, but perhaps not. Anybody who had their data scraped resides in a state, and a clever AG could file state criminal charges against Musk and his team of off ducks. But mostly the civil tort system will have to break this coup d'etah--sue him out of existence.
My guess is this is coming
my guess is it'll never happen. People do not understand that we are deep into fascism, dictatorship, authoritarianism, whatever you want to call it. We should have stopped this at the first attack. Anyone who can do anything about this is doing nothing but telling us how terrible and unlawful it is. I am totally disgusted.
So it was bullshit the whole time.......Republicans carrying around pocket Constitutions etc., they didn't believe a word of it. This was their endgame from the beginning.
I really hope people weren’t surprised by this - we’ve known for some time now, that they’ve viewed the Constitution as a pesky nuisance. Carrying around pocket Constitutions is cosplay for these imbeciles.
“Grassley: Well, I—that’s kind of a constitutional question.
The Bulwark: You’re chairman of the Judiciary Committee.”
When a United States Senator answers in this weaselly way, isn’t the question back, “Yeah, and you’re kind of a Constitutional officer.”
Let's hope the penalty for poaching game in Italy is life in prison.
And if we ever have a Democratic president again, these same Republicans will have a heart attack if he/she issues an executive order with a misspelled word. I only hope at some point they suffer some consequences for their cowardice. And that they don't take the rest of us down with them.
When we have a Dem President again, I so hope George Soros is still alive and we can hand the entire Treasury dept to him. How many Republican heads would explode?
You talk as if we'll ever have an election again. See that puff of smoke on the horizon? It's not a wildfire - it's your vote (and your freedom) going up in flames. . .
Why is it not surprising that the only politicians speaking out are Democrats? Where are those famous “law & order” pols? Where are those who took the oath to defend the Constitution? Didn’t they swear to God? … AND the nation?
The magas won’t complain until they are directly affected.
True, and maybe a bit after … but during the war in Vietnam, protests helped but it really set in when the bodies were returned to rural families.
Musk is not creating just a constitution crisis. He staged a coup d'etah and should be arrested as an insurrectionist and traitor just like the berserkers trying to hang Pence on January 6.
Since Trump won't allow federal charges to stick, a state attorney general needs to step up under state laws and perp-walk him to the state capital hoosegow.
Next: Musk has no sovereign immunity, so anyone whose data was scraped can sue him for damages, and the entire citizenry can sue him for emotional distress and damages. All it takes is one brave attorney anywhere to organize the class-action(s).
"Calling George Conway!"
There quite literally isn't a single gop elected with any moral character or interest in constitutional order, which is just the latest example of why a career criminal like trump not only took over the party but oversaw its conversion to a cult of personality.
I am personally doubtful we will ever recover.
But with that said, i have a very high expectation that trump's approval will be declining soon.
The best idea, other than a buzzard of lawsuits from all FBI agents being threatened with retaliation and/terminated without due process, or any civil servant terminated without due process, which they are all entitled, is a buzzard of lawsuits from any group harmed by Trump or Musk's actions. Next, every democratic senator should put a hold on some Trump nominee they don't think are qualified, even if a committee has recommended senate approval. Try a version 2 of Tubeville blocking action, except there are enough Democrats to actually filibuster Trump's nominees, even if it takes an actual physical filibuster by every Democrat on the Senate flood to stop people like RFK, jr and Tulsi Gabbard. Finally, every day news people need to ask Trump, his press secretary, any of his appointees, Musk, or another Trump minion why neither grocery prices nor any other prices haven't gone down yet. After all, Trump's had 15 days to do something. Name something he has done that reduced prices?
We can plainly see the danger our country is in.
I urge everyone to join Adam Kinziger's "Country First." The other day, Kinziger led a group of Democratic Senators to visit USAID, and Musk's goons would not let them in the building - and these are sitting Senators, so that's illegal! That began an outcry that I think will lead to legal action against Musk.
But what can WE do? Every Thursday afternoon Adam's group does a Zoom focused on taking action. Last week he got 100 of us online to all call our Congresspeople. We were directed to connect via our laptops so our phones would be free to call. We saw 100 of us calling our Senators right then and there.
Also, sign up for Indivisible. They also do weekly Zooms that are very motivating, and full of specific action steps we can take.
And donate to the lawyers that are suing Trump every gosh-darn day. Democracy Forward and Public Citizen are two good groups.
Don't just rant and cry here - take action, good people.
On December 16, 1773, colonists staged the Boston Tea Party - the *real* tea party - against a presumptuous king. Precedent was set.
Could we vary just a bit and throw the King in the drink and save the tea?
national strike!!! we need a whole week of shutting everything down!!
A start. Flood the streets with protesters. National outcry to local, state & federal politicians. Over 250 years ago, in Boston, they threw a tea party. Over 250 years ago, the people overthrew a king.
Beginning of a dictatorship? I thought we were in a fair way to be half way into it.
Such a caricature of a movie mafia family, except we are crying rather than laughing.
I'm still laughing at the idea of reading the article about DJTJ in the original Italian. Um, what do you know about the Bulwark's readership that I don't know, Joe?
"It’s gonna work itself out?!" WTF?!