Flotsam and Jetsam - RFK Jr. Confirmed, Kash on the Cusp

Atop Da Hill, Senate confirms RFK Jr. as Health secretary; McConnell lone GOP dissenter. Althouse, RFK Jr. confirmed! and "I've told you before I genuinely believe that you are a pivotal historical figure, and you are going to transform this country.... We need a man on a white horse now." . . . Said RFK Jr., in the Oval Office, after his swearing in as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services". (video at link) She wanted him for President. A Larry video at Hat Hair, RFK Jr. Confirmed! Big Pharma in Shambles Over MAHA Agenda?! Capt. Ed at Hat Hair says Reid and Schumer Win Again! With More Winning to Come! UPDATE: A 'Billy Jack' Moment? Ace, RFKJr. Confirmed as Secretary of MAHA, 52-48. "Happy Thursday! I have always considered Thursday to be the Thanksgiving of the week. Once again, the brain-glitching invalid Mitch McConnell joined his corrupt Democrat allies to oppose Trump." MMM Online, RFK Jr. confirmed as HHS Secretary: Here’s how pharma might be impacted. Bob Hoge at RedState says BOOM! That Sound You Just Heard Was Trump Unloading on McConnell Over Another No Vote on Cabinet Nominees. ABC News@ABC, "JUST IN: The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12 to 10 to advance Kash Patel's nomination to be FBI director to the Senate floor." Sundance at CTH cheers as Kash Patel Advances Out of Senate Judiciary Committee 12-10 Vote. From the Balmer Sun, Trump nominee Linda McMahon grilled over Baltimore County child sex abuse lawsuit. Virginia Kruta at Da Wire, Trump Nominee For Education Sec. Goes All In On Protecting Girls, Title IX, "Women should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces."

At Responisble Statecraft, Hegseth finally pops bubble of illusion: 'No NATO for Ukraine' "He deserves special gratitude from the Ukrainian and European establishments for telling the truth before things go way too far." Sundance, After EU Apoplexy Zelenskyy Now Changes Tone and Says Ukraine Must be Involved in Peace Plan. Fox News, Mexican president signals possible lawsuit against Google over Gulf of America name change. Althouse wonders Is insisting that people say "Gulf of America" similar to insisting that people use "they/them" and other "preferred pronouns"? "I see that "On Tuesday the White House broke with decades of precedent and blocked Associated Press reporters from attending two of President Trump’s media availabilities. The AP said it was blocked because it hasn’t changed its stylebook entry for Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America'" (CNN)." Sundance, President Trump Signs an Executive Order Triggering U.S. Reciprocal Tariffs Toward all Trade Partners. Fox Business reports Canadian lawmaker wants to target Elon Musk in retaliation to Trump's tariffs. "'I’m putting Donald Trump on notice,' the Canadian politician warned." Ryan Burke at RCP think Trump’s Greenland Gambit Is a Masterclass in Statecraft. The Cipher Brief, Trump is Right to Prioritize Homeland Missile Defense.

Rasmussen Reports@Rasmussen_Poll, "Breaking: A 20 year daily trend ends, this is a big one." Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports @Mark_R_Mitchell, "For the first time in over 20 years of polling, Right Direction EXCEEDS Wrong Track today." Don Surber observes in wonder 42% of black men support Trump. NewsMax opines Fed Up People Put Adults Back in Charge, MAGA Goes Global. Hat Hair's Dave Strom admits I Was Wrong About Trump.

Stephen Kruiser has the hots, Karoline Leavitt Is My Political Valentine After Smacking Down CNN Hack Kaitlan Collins and Strap In, Dems — Republican Women Are Here to Manhandle You. Becca Downs at TownHall, Trump Issues Kaitlan Collins a Key Reminder From the Oval Office. Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47, President Trump absolutely TORCHES Fake News CNN's  @kaitlancollins for rudely interrupting: "Excuse me, we haven't asked you to speak yet"  Twitchy, Scott Jennings Informs Mainstream Media Just WHERE to Line-Up and APOLOGIZE to Trump for THIS and OOF. Paul Krengor at Am Spec, The Price of Eggs at CNN, "With no real arguments left, the Left is grasping at straws to fuel anti-Trump mania."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna

LiveZette, JFK, 9/11, Epstein, COVID: New Task Force Set To Expose Government Secrets. "Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has been appointed to lead the House Oversight Task Force on Declassification of Federal Secrets, a new effort aimed at bringing long-hidden government files into the light." Logan Washburn at Da Fed, Watchdog: 22 Blue States Joined Secret Anti-Trump Resistance Pact. I guess it's not that secret. The NY Sun wonders Is Mayor Adams Using Trump or Trump Using Adams? "The deadline to switch parties is this Friday, but Adams could get a Wilson-Pakula to run in the Republican primary."

At WUWT, The EPA’s Titanic Blunder: A $20 Billion Betrayal of Public Trust. Dave Strom says No Gold Bars Here... Lee Zeldin@epaleezeldin, "The Biden EPA tossed $20 billion of “gold bars off the Titanic”. BIG UPDATE! We found the gold bars and they are now being recovered for you, the hardworking American taxpayer. Here are more of the details:"

John Solomon at JTN reports Coast Guard left sensitive data vulnerable to adversaries under Trump-fired, DEI-focused commandant, "Trump fired Commandant Linda Fagan on his second day in office for alleged excessive focus on DEI." Da Caller, Trump Taps Conservative Firebrand Richard Grenell To Shake Up Kennedy Center. At the Free Bacon, Trump Admin Formally Ends Biden's War on Gas Stoves. "Federal consumer agency tells the Free Beacon it is 'out of the gas-stoves-banning business'"

Coffee & Covid 2025 Declares a SWAMP APOCALYPSE. "Yesterday was a terrible, no-good, very bad day for the Swamp. Trump struck back in a coordinated assault on all fronts. He's not waiting for the courts to do the right thing—nor is he defying them." Paul Bedard at WaEx sees Democrats lose touch with voters over Musk, Trump, DOGE. Stephen Kruiser has the Dumbest TDS Hot Take This Week…So Far: The 'Wrong People'. Hat Hair's John Sexton sees Chuck Schumer is Getting 'More and More Furious' (and That's Good News for Republicans). Drew Berquist, ‘We’re Not Afraid of You!’ Maxine Waters Melts Down Over Musk in Speech [WATCH]. At Twitchy, Maxine Waters Accidentally Spills the TEA About Why Dems Are So Scared of DOGE and It's GLORIOUS (Watch). Kari Lake @KariLake, "Isn't the easiest answer to why Jeffries is struggling to mount an Anti-Trump resistance is that the President, Elon, & DOGE have shut off the money tap for the astroturfed protest operations, &, it's hard to fuel genuine opposition to an agenda that’s popular with the people?" Capt. Ed, Dems Disappointment: Jeffries Is No Resistance Barbie!  Western Lensman @WesternLensman, "Deranged Democrat Rep. Hank Johnson — who once thought Guam might "tip over and capsize” — — compares @elonmusk to a “Taliban t*rrorist."" Beege Welborn at Hat Hair, Moo, Moo, Moo, Blah, Blah, Blah, Is All I Want to Say to You. David Harsanyi @davidharsanyi, "Yes, Nazis were notorious for shrinking government and championing free speech." Quote Jonathan Chait@jonathanchait "Replying to @SwipeWright I wouldn't choose "Nazi" as the best definition for Musk's ideology, but it's not like it's hard to compile evidence to make that case." John Sexton at Hat Hair hears Fourteen States Sue DOGE, Claim Musk is a 'Designated Agent of Chaos'. So that's a term of law? John Lucas at Bravo Blue, wonders Must the President Cooperate with an Attempted Coup? "Nineteen rebellious states attempt to override the Constitution and hamstring the country's chief executive." Dave Strom hears the ACLU: Executive Branch Bureaucracy Exists to Check Chief Executive. And where is that in the constitution? Kurt Schlichter at TownHall promises We Are Totally Going to Crush the Democrats' Puny Lawfare Offensive. Scott Jennings@ScottJenningsKY, "If there’s a “constitutional crisis” it’s caused by activist federal district judges with narrow jurisdictions usurping the powers of the presidency. @GovChrisSununu and I take on the left last night on @cnn. It’s just more lawfare against Trump." Althouse, "In short, change needs to happen through the established channels of litigation in, and obedience to, the courts." "That's a vision of judicial supremacy seen in the NYT Editorial Board's "Trump Dares the Courts to Stop Him" (which I think was originally titled, using yesterday's phrase du jour, "Trump's Constitutional Crisis")." Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee, "I’ve been thinking about ways to hold the judicial insurrectionists accountable Perhaps we need a law providing that when someone seeks a nationwide injunction against the government, it must go to a three-judge district court with a direct appeal to SCOTUS Share if you agree." Abigail Shrier @AbigailShrier, "If your party overwhelmingly comprises the federal bureaucracy, you hold onto the levers of power even through electoral losses. This has been the story of @TheDemocrats for my entire life. It's also the best explanation for the Democrats' current desperation and hysteria." Insty, has a FLASHBACK: The Next POTUS Should Reclaim The Constitutional Spending Power Congress Stole. . . . Today, Rep. Andrew Clyde@Rep_Clyde, "The Impoundment Control Act is an unconstitutional roadblock that limits President Trump’s authority to reject wasteful spending and tame our ballooning national debt. That’s why I’m fighting to repeal the ICA." EKO, GOOD BEHAVIOR, JUDGMENT COMES, "The Constitution never promised judges lifetime appointments. It promised them something far more dangerous: Their seats would last only as long as their good behavior. Today, that behavior shattered."

Mia Cathell at TownHall, says a USAID Hearing Airs All the Jaw-Dropping Receipts. OTP, Shocked, Not Shocked: USAID’s Fingerprints All Over Russia Collusion Hoax, of course, it was a CIA op. At Da Blaze, Trump fires IG who oversaw USAID while waste, fraud, and abuse exploded. Tom Knighton at TAW writes About FEMA's political shenanigans. Althouse, "DOGE: Looks like Radical Left Reuters was paid $9,000,000 by the Department of Defense to study 'large scale social deception.' GIVE BACK THE MONEY, NOW!" "Writes Trump on Truth Social, here. This is also Trump on Truth Social: "DOGE: Why was Politico paid Millions of Dollars for NOTHING. Buying the press??? PAY BACK THE MONEY TO THE TAXPAYERS! How much has the Failing New York Times paid? Is this the money that is keeping it open??? THEY ARE BUYING THE PRESS!"" At the College Fix, Justice Department spent $100 million pushing DEI in schools, watchdog finds. Matt Margolis, Congress Discovers $2.7 Trillion in Fraudulent Government Payments — Why Is This Not a Bigger Story? Althouse, Elon Musk passes along this satire featuring the phrase "Grow a Pair." "pic.twitter.com/UttRIsbq7S — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 13, 2025 The balls-focused discourse is undignified... quite intentionally."

ET, 75,000 Federal Workers Accepted Buyout Offer Before Deadline Closed. Not nearly enough, but better than nothing. OTP, Trump Calls Dept Of Education ‘A Con Job,’ Wants It Closed ‘Immediately’, Federal Employee Layoffs Begin At Education Department, and DOGE Cuts To Education Department Already Total $1 Billion. Nick Sortor @nicksortor, "" #BREAKING: DOGE officials have just entered the IRS building in DC to begin their investigation into the agency. This comes after 𝕏 users OVERWHELMINGLY voted for DOGE to dig into the IRS just days ago. WE THE PEOPLE are in charge of our government again!"

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 02.12.25 EBL, Big Balls ?? and Media Triggering Rule 5, and Democrats MELT DOWN Over DOGE, USAID, and Big Balls, Twitchy: Rep. Crockett Wants You To Name One Thing J.D. Vance Is Up To, Teacher Goes Off On Unhinged Rant About Trump & Republicans, and This Swearing-In Photo Will Trigger Adam Schiff So Let’s Spread It Around, Louder With Crowder: JD Vance’s son mean-mugging the camera while forced to spend his birthday with India’s PM takes over the Internet, “We have to f*ck Trump”, Dem congresswoman promises her party will work with any American who is serious…about censoring other Americans, and Speaker Mike Johnson drops the mic on leftists crying constitutional crisis (again): “Democrats CHEER lawlessness”, Vox Popoli: Removing the Obstructions, Freedom Isn’t Real, L’Ombre de L’Olivier: Trump 2.0 – The Judicial Front, The Bugscuffle Gazette: One more time, and much much more. 

Kurt Schlichter looks at Democrat Faces of Failure. Speaking of faces, Bonchie @bonchieredstate "This is the person Congressional Democrats just put in charge of their rapid response task force. No, I'm not kidding." -> Capt. Ed, YouGov: Dems Rush to Embrace the 20% Position on Israel.

Ben Weingarten at RCI, A Weaponized FBI: It's Real, Whistleblowers Testify, Boasting Scars to Prove It and at substack, Stunning Evidence of FBI Weaponization Undermines Dem Narrative of Trump 'Retribution' in Firings. "Whistleblowers allegedly had their security clearances pulled and careers destroyed. Those who defended them also allegedly faced retaliation. Top FBI leaders just fired led the targeting efforts." At Da Blaze, Why are these pardoned J6 defendants still in prison? Insurrection Barbie @DefiyantlyFree "Matt Perna went inside the capital amidst of a giant crowd. He had no weapons. He entered through an open door in the middle of a large crowd on 2:20 and he left at 2:58. He stayed within the velvet ropes. He touched nothing. He broke nothing. He hurt no one. He took nothing. . . . Right before the 7 year anniversary of his mother’s death, his lawyer called and said they are adding a terrorism enhancement which would make his sentence end up being 41-72 months. Three days later he hung himself." OTP, BLM Activist Who Shot Disabled Vet Released Early Thanks To Soros Prosecutor. Mystery Grove Movie List Co. @MysteryGrove, "ALERT: I just discovered that James Marshall, a BLM activist who shot a driver in the head during the George Floyd Riots, has been released from prison after only serving roughly 3 years Can someone in the Trump administration please look into federal charges against him?"

Reagan Reese at Da Caller claims an EXCLUSIVE: Meet The Worst Criminals ICE Arrested This Week … So Far. TNP reports Trump Has Deported Nearly 200 Dangerous Illegals to Venezuela This Week. Dave Strom looks at Liberals and Child Sacrifice. Bill Melugin @BillMelugin_, "I’ve covered a lot of illegal immigration related stories around the country in recent years. Massachusetts is the only state that frequently releases illegal aliens charged w/ aggravated child rape & refuses to cooperate w/ ICE on detainer requests for them. Even in other sanctuary states & cities, I almost never see a lack of cooperation for child rape. In this case, a Guatemalan charged with 3x forcible child rape & 3x aggravated child rape was released on bail by Essex County, MA, with ICE Boston saying their detainer request was ignored & they were not notified of his release. . . "

Misty Severi at JTN, reports the Florida appeals court blisters Pulitzer board and rules in favor of Trump in defamation lawsuit, "The three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeals ruled that Trump has met his burden of proof and establishing jurisdiction to proceed with the case." "The defamation lawsuit stems from a Pulitzer board decision to award a prize to The New York Times and The Washington Post for reporting about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election." I look forward to Trump getting a Pulitzer "prize." Scott Johnson at Power Line,  says Mr. Taibbi goes to Washington. At Racket, My Statement to Congress, "Opening remarks on John Kerry, European speech law, and USAID before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 12th, 2025."

Olivia Kroczyk (l) with Riley Gaines (r)

At the Victory Girls, Education: Parents Don’t Want A DEI Rainbow Parade. From Campus Reform, Olivia Krolczyk files Title IX complaint after protesters disrupt her speech on women's rights in sports. ESPN whines Dept. of Education revokes guidance on Title IX and athlete pay. AP News, Federal judge pauses President Trump’s order restricting gender-affirming care for trans youth. Gunther Eagleman™ @GuntherEagleman, "A Democrat rep just claimed "manufacturing" is a sexist term because it has "man" in it. We just might win the next few elections if they keep this dumb sht up." CA Skeet at PJM explains The Real Reason the Elites Were So Taken Aback by Taylor Swift Getting Booed "Here's the thing: Taylor Swift can't be an empowered, globe-striding "grrrl boss" and at the same time be so fragile and delicate that she can't handle the occasional heckling from the unwashed masses. To Taylor Swift's credit (I've never used those four words together, so mark the date), she hasn't publicly complained about this minor and harmless incident, so good for her for having a sense of humor about it. The anger is all from Stephanie who, like a good leftist, has decided to be more outraged on behalf of the "victim" than the actual "victim" is."

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Casual and FMJRA 2.0: Scalped up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.