Nicole LaFond
@nicolelafond.bsky.social
I do my little walks & I edit TPM
I've not seen this mentioned elsewhere and wanted to surface it — Cornyn and Tillis both signed off on a letter dated July 15 that urged Blanche to use the DOJ’s might to “stop the abortion industry’s unlawful and unsafe mail-order abortion drug practice.” talkingpointsmemo.com/where-things...
Carr has emerged as one of the most successful sycophants of Trump II when it comes to carrying out Trump’s revenge on his perceived enemies — in Carr’s case, the media, the OG adversary of Trump’s political career in Trump’s eyes.
ABC Unleashes: Carr Wants a ‘Media Industry Too Fearful of Official Reprisal to Report the News Freely’
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Paul’s obsession with Fauci may border on pathological, but dragging Fauci before his panel, now, is in line with a broader phenomenon among GOPers: they’re rolling back the tapes to the glory days of the MAGA movement, when Trump’s base of supporters had time to indulge his conspiracy theories:
Trump and Republicans Ensconce Themselves in 2020 in Lieu of Any 2026 Midterms Strategy
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Cornyn has remained unconvinced, demanding that changes be made to the settlement agreement in writing in order to secure his vote. But Republican senators’ “undecided” theatrics are often little more than that — and even supposedly ardent demands from Cornyn have appeared flexible:
Now Cornyn’s Talking About a Potential Delay in Blanche Vote
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The incident has been hijacked by the Trump DOJ as a cudgel in its legal crusade to try to force states to hand over their voter roll data.
Sherrill Signals She Won’t Hand Over Names of Noncitizens Who Voted as DOJ Seeks Scapegoats
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The unfortunate situation in NJ this week gives them at least one datapoint rooted in reality to use to justify Trump’s singular fixation with the otherwise widespread conspiracy theory.
DOJ Was Never Not Gonna Use New Jersey Noncitizen Error to Bolster Trump’s Delusions
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@kateriga.bsky.social joined @leahlitman.bsky.social of @strictscrutiny.bsky.social to break down the biggest decisions out of the recent Supreme Court term, which cases have flown under the radar, and the million dollar question: what happened to Sam Alito’s brain? www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUhE...
Sam Alito Has Gone Feral
YouTube video by Strict Scrutiny
youtube.com
The White House is being forced to court a Republican senator who President Trump has labeled a "loser" and another whose political career Trump ended to advance acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's AG nomination to the Senate floor.
Trump Has to Beg Two GOPers He’s Spurned to Get Blanche Over Finish Line
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According to Lindell, proof that he is, in fact, registered in the North Star state is his temp MN license, a copy of which he shared with TPM in a text message. (The doc he shared with TPM had a Sept 19, 2025 app date and a Jan. 17, 2026 expiration date.) More from @khayahimmelman.bsky.social:
Mike Lindell Is Not Registered to Vote in Minnesota. He Claims His Temp ID Registers Him.
Pillow magnate and election denier Mike Lindell, who is also the Trump-endorsed...
talkingpointsmemo.com
The Spanish dealt with Trump’s participation in their big win by editing him out of their Instagram post showcasing the ceremony. Meanwhile, on the Trump campaign’s Insta page, they're living in a different reality. More from @hunterw.bsky.social in tonight's edition of Where Things Stand:
From Red Cards to Photobombs, Donald Trump Tried to Make the World Cup About Himself
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Make today the day you do this.
TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 3w agoTPM’s annual Journalism Fund is underway. But the best way to support TPM remains becoming a member, and we have a special discount on memberships right now — just $38 for one year. Join our community here. accounts.talkingpointsmemo.com/membership?p...
Earlier this month, Fetterman teamed up with McCormick to form a joint fundraising committee — something that virtually never happens between politicians of opposing parties. More from @kateriga.bsky.social in tonight's edition of Where Things Stand:
If Fetterman Were Going to Change Parties, He Might Act Like He’s Acting Now
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Smokejumper Sam Forstag's race in Montana is an intriguing test of the recent blue wave. He's also got a lot of harsh words for the Democratic Party about their efforts to embrace "affordability" messaging and working class men running for office. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/can-the...
Can the New Progressive Wave That’s Reshaping the Democratic Party Win in a Rural Red State?
As a smoke jumper, Sam Forstag fought a relentless game of inches. ...
talkingpointsmemo.com
This innovative rhetorical spin helped Blanche avoid seriously answering questions on the damage he has wrought in transforming the DOJ into a cudgel to carry out Trump’s personal revenge and investigate his delusions.
Blanche Does Cagey Dance on DOJ Independence: Dept of Justice Is ‘Under the Executive Branch’
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It was not known publicly until now that a federal prosecutor marched to the Capitol on Jan. 6. He was appointed this year to run a national task force targeting alleged left-wing political violence. @joshkovensky.bsky.social with the scoop: talkingpointsmemo.com/news/exclusi...
EXCLUSIVE: Trump DOJ’s Top ‘Antifa’ Prosecutor Marched with Crowd on Jan. 6
On Jan. 6, 2021, a man approached the Capitol who looked like...
talkingpointsmemo.com
Cornyn told CNN he is "undecided" on how he will be voting for the Blanche nomination. During the hearing, he questioned Blanche about the so-called "anti-weaponization" fund
The AG and DNI roles are both being used in unprecedented ways to advance Trump's view of the world and screw with his perceived enemies. The two men nominated to lead them next are on the hill for confirmation hearings today. Some thoughts on that:
The Brief: The Future of Trump’s Retribution Campaign Goes Before Congress
Todd Blanche and Jay Clayton Are on the Hill Two figures who...
talkingpointsmemo.com
Cornyn's qs for Blanche on Trump's slush fund are v mild, but they focus on a key point: Trump "has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund & there's no guarantee that he or one of the other plaintiffs might raise that issue by way of ... a breach of contract lawsuit in the future."
Trump’s worldview is a contagion, and none of us is immune. More from my friend @kateriga.bsky.social in tonight's edition of Where Things Stand:
Republican Senators Are MAGA Conspiracy Theorists Now
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A judge has reached the same conclusion as many others about President Trump’s attempt to loot the Treasury to line the pockets of his supporters and political allies. Her findings were outlined in a scathing new decision Monday. wherethingsstand.talkingpointsmemo.com/p/judge-orde...
The Christian right has been gaining traction in Washington, D.C. under President Donald Trump. And now, one Trump-aligned religious group has their sights set on the moon. More from my colleague @hunterw.bsky.social in tonight's edition of Where Things Stand:
A Pro-Trump Christian Group Wants to Put a Cross on the Moon
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During his remarks on Fox News, Johnson waxed eloquently about his new, sophisticated plan to try to pass elements of the SAVE America Act before the midterms by stuffing portions of it into another reconciliation bill that House Republicans are somehow going to pass before the end of the term.
Johnson Looks for Meaningless Ways To Satisfy Trump, Far-Right on Birthright Citizenship
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Scoop: @joshkovensky.bsky.social obtained the response that Detroit election officials sent back to the DOJ, after DOJ told officials in Detroit and two other blue cities in Michigan (Lansing, East Lansing) that it would send monitors there for the Aug. 4 primary:
TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 4w agoDetroit election officials accused the Justice Department of using "false claims" to create a "pretext" to justify sending voting monitors to the city for an upcoming election, letters exclusively obtained by TPM show.
The letter focuses primarily on Blanche’s disastrous leadership at the Justice Department, and the part he has played in dismantling the longstanding firewall between the Justice Department and the White House that Trump has taken a sledgehammer to during his second term.
1,200 DOJ Alums Ask Senators to Reject Blanche, Who Has ‘Utterly Failed to Abide By’ His Oath
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Elon Musk, Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Ana Paulina Luna have all embraced right-wing conspiracy theories about Patriot Front that are popular on X — especially among rival white nationalist groups.
Elon Musk and GOP House Members Weigh in on Deep White Nationalist Conspiracy Beef
As America observed its 250th birthday this past weekend, billionaire Elon Musk...
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FCC Chair Carr is one of the most successful sycophants of Trump II thus far, as he finds creative ways to use his post as head of the communications commission to clamp down on free speech and punish/threaten those in the media whose coverage and commentary President Trump does not like:
FCC Chief Carr’s Threats of Retribution Seem To Be Working
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Sikorsky is a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, one of the top contributors to Trump's pet projects. Lockheed Martin is the Pentagon’s biggest contractor and has received more than $43 billion in new or increased government contracts in the last 7 months.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last mo.Trump: "We're building a helipad. Beautiful helipad. And it's got the seal of the White House on in granite, carved granite. It's really a beautiful thing. Sikorsky is paying for it. It's about $5 or $6 million."
