Flotsam and Jetsam - Paxton Takes Texas

Well, that was a nice break; after medical stuff in the morning (no, not the eye, but it turns out I don't have skin cancer, yet), a niece from the Left Coast showed up with one day's warning with her boyfriend in tow. They were travelling between a wedding in Manhattan, and a skate park in North Carolina. We had a nice long walk on the beach, and we showed them how to find shark's teeth, not that they found any, and had a genuine Slower Maryland dinner at a low-key seafood restaurant in Solomons, where our only regret was that they had no soft-shell crabs. Gabby was fascinated by her first cousin once removed (I had to check) and her tattoos, and showed off outrageously, only having a minor hissy when we denied her request for cranberry juice for dinner. I persuaded the waitress to bring her a small glass of cranberry juice, which she stubbornly finished off, but admitted that apple juice was the better choice after all.

To no one intelligent's surprise, with the Trump endorsement, Ken Paxton easily beat John Cornyn in the runoff election in the Republican primary for a Senate seat in Texas. This may mean the Republicans have to work harder to keep the seat, but I think it's still likely. While not actively anti-Trump, Cornyn had not been shall we say, a consistent supporter of Trump's goals, particularly in regard to immigration and voter fraud. Decision Desk HQ @DecisionDeskHQ, "Decision Desk HQ projects Ken Paxton wins the TX US Senate Republican Runoff." John Sexton at Hat Hair, Paxton Runs Away With the Texas Senate Primary Runoff. Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "OMG. Ken Paxton just WON an election day vote drop in Texas with **87%** of the vote KORNACKI: "Oh my goodness! Election day, full knowledge of the Trump endorsement...WOW. A 74-point margin!" Time to BRING IT HOME!" Sarah Fields @SarahisCensored, "Al Green, who has been kicked out of the chamber multiple times for his theatrics, just lost the Democratic primary by 40 points. Goodbye forever, Al Green!" Acyn @Acyn, "Cornyn: Tonight we've come up short in this primary runoff. I've always supported the Republican ticket and I intend to do so again in this general election." Sundance at CTH, Texas AG Ken Paxton Speaks After the Triumphant Victory in Texas Republican Primary – Senator John Cornyn Delivers Somber Concession. Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "This is bigger than Trump’s endorsement… Voters don’t want amnesty. That era is over." Quote Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital, "I’ve seen enough… Ken Paxton has defeated Cornyn. Blowout." At Althouse, Paxton wins and gives us a dose of his comedy stylings... I know some people seem to think that's hilarious. I don't see the value of kicking someone around for being a vegan. You'll say but Althouse is not a Texan. I sort of am though." So somebody who has a gay, vegetarian son in Austin doesn't appreciate the humor? Imagine how we feel about Stephen Colbert... From Twitchy, Scott Jennings Reminds Dems on CNN That James Talarico’s Bizarre Beliefs Clash With Mainstream Texans.

CNBC, Russia tells Marco Rubio U.S. citizens should leave Kyiv ahead of ‘systematic’ strikes on Ukrainian capital. John Sexton, As Russia Struggles, Putin Makes Threats and Recruits More Soldiers.

PJM's Stephen Kruiser says Let's Dispel the Lie That President Trump Is 'Polarizing'. Hat Hair's Beege Welborn on When Your Only Sin Is Being Opinionated: RIP to the 'Trump House' Man. E X X ➠A L E R T S @ExxAlerts, "ALERT: Owner of ‘Trump House’ fighting for his life after neighbor beats him almost to death in his own driveway. A 69-year-old man in Escondido, California, known for having his house covered in Trump and American flags, was beaten by Thomas Caleb Butler, 32. Police responded to the assault and found the owner "suffering from significant injuries" and a good Samaritan that interviened also injured. Butler had fled the scene when police had arrived, but was found about a half mile away and apprehended. It was revealed that Butler lives just around the corner from the victim. The ‘Trump House' has become a target of hostility, with one online comment reading, “My buddy lived down the street from him. Whenever I went to visit I made sure to swing by that place and shout stuff at them.”" Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze, "A man was just beaten to death outside his house." Quote Nicholas Fondacaro @NickFondacaro "Senator Chris Murphy stokes hate against millions of Americans, he says MAGA is "a divisive, hateful community.""

Sundance is suspicious, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs – Mysterious Camp David Cabinet Meeting Moved Back to White House. Looks like we may get strong thunderstorms in the PM; not stuff you want to fly choppers in.

At QZ, Bond traders are surrendering to inflation fears. It's raising the stakes for Washington. "Bond markets are betting that inflation is here to stay, elevating the stakes for policymakers steering an economy under mounting strain." John Hinderaker at Power Line, Who’s Behind the War on Data Centers? China and Soros. Heist @mapeslover69, "Basically there is no genuine far left movement in the US. It's totally astroturfed by China and a small handful of sociopathic freaks in large cities. No one wants this stuff which is why it keeps losing." Quote Reddit Lies @reddit_lies, "So it turns out PSL has a LOT of Reddit moderators (and therefore subreddits) under its control. r/TheRightCantMeme r/GenZedong..."

At Althouse, "Just as the Founding Fathers might have anticipated (had they been microdosing while drafting the Declaration of Independence)...", ""... the American republic will celebrate its two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary next month with a full card of mixed-martial-arts brawls on the South Lawn of the White House. Weigh-ins will take place at the Lincoln Memorial. The night of mayhem is also meant to celebrate the eightieth birthday of the President of the United States, a longtime fan of the sport...." So begins "Dana White Thinks Everyone’s a Fighter/The U.F.C. president on his decades of friendship with Donald Trump, his relationship with Joe Rogan, and his 'awesome' night at the White House Correspondents’ dinner" in The New Yorker, written by David Remnick. I wanted to quote that here because I feel as though I'm seeing a trend in Trump-hating writing..."

NPR whines U.S. military strikes Iran as Trump says negotiations move forward for deal to end war. Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, WSJ: Project Freedom Back On (Or Not?) As Iran Stalls. Don Surber has hopes Ti-i-ime is on Trump’s side, "The artist of the deal negotiates with the American people and Iran."

Spencer Pratt @spencerpratt, "Karen Bass just violated election law here. She is so accustomed to breaking the law with no accountability, she even filmed herself doing it. Well, those days are over. We just filed a formal complaint for illegally gaming the election. We must protect our democracy. Electioneering within 100 feet of a ballot box is AGAINST THE LAW. Soliciting votes at a ballot box is AGAINST THE LAW. These clear violations show a reckless disregard for the rule of law and our democratic process. Someone in a position of power should be especially respectful of our democratic laws, but this is just emblematic of Karen's mafia-like regime. It's "rules for thee, but not for me". Here is the formal complaint we filed this morning. We will uphold the rule of law and our democratic norms. Enjoy your conference calls with your lawyers, Karen!" jay plemons @jayplemons, "Mayor Karen Bass just gave Spencer Pratt the best ad possible: LA was clean and affordable when she grew up. Now it’s full of tents and unaffordable. She ran for mayor to fix it… and has failed. Time for real change." Mark Hemingway @Heminator, "he claimed Bass supported Fidel Castro in her younger years" Karen Bass praised Castro -- a mass murderer who threw poets and gays in jail -- as recently as 2016, when he died. What are we doing here Variety? Quote "Variety @Variety, "#SpencerPratt has responded to Lisa Rinna after telling Variety at the #AMAs that she doesn’t want to see a reality TV star become mayor of Los Angeles: “Hey Lisa, if you’re against me because I was on a TV show in my 20s, wait till you learn what Karen Bass was doing in her 20s…” Pratt’s message included a clip from a TV interview in which he claimed Bass supported Fidel Castro in her younger years." Auron MacIntyre @AuronMacintyre, "Piker is so stupid he literally lays out how an oligarch he met with in Cuba is funding a Chinese communist effort to radicalize leftist NGOs in the US He didn't even bother to cut a deal with the feds, he just blurted out all of his leverage on stream." Quote Asra Nomani @AsraNomani, "On Twitch just now, Marxist Hasan Piker makes an important admission: he says American Marxist pro-China tycoon Neville Roy Singham has funded a "political movement" in the US. That's a significant characterization. PIker went to Cuba as part of a convoy."

Governor Newsom Press Office @GovPressOffice, "Sir, we just want lower gas prices." Quote Pete Hegseth @PeteHegseth (video of US military overflying Indianapolis 500)... Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain, "Sir, you are literally the Governor of California, have you considered doing something about your state’s insane gas taxes?"

Dave Strom at Hat Hair, This Time Democrats Want Something Different, So They Choose a Nazi for Senate. Bonchie @bonchieredstate, "After years of insisting Republicans should oppose Trump out of principle, Democrats now think it’s inexcusable to not support a literal Nazi." Quote Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress @saikatc "Jake Auchincloss is essentially endorsing Susan Collins in Maine. Absolutely no excuse for a Democrat in the House to back a Republican for Senate in a crucial swing seat. Auchincloss should be primaried. His primary election is September 1 in a safe, D+11 seat." Jake Auchincloss @JakeAuch, "Susan Collins is a rubber stamp for the worst admin in history. Claims that I would endorse her, implicitly or otherwise, ignore my track record supporting Democrats to take back both chambers. As I said months ago, I find Platner's Nazi tattoo and his commentary about it personally disqualifying. If it were me I'd vote for someone else in the Maine Democratic primary. Regardless of what happens in Maine, Democrats need to take back the Senate and I'll keep working hard to make it happen.." Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain, "It only took 24 hours for you to bend the knee to the Nazi tattoo guy? Your ancestors are rolling in their graves." Twitchy, AOC's Former Chief of Staff 'Threatens' a Fellow Dem (Who's Jewish) for Refusing to Back a Nazi *POPCORN.*

VodkaPundit at PJM, Mamdani Did the Right Thing on Crime, and the Left's Reaction Is Priceless. A Larry vid at Hat Hair, Joe Scarborough Freaks Out As Tim Walz Publicly Humiliates Himself. Hen Mazzig @HenMazzig, "Democratic Party fundraising platform ActBlue has ended the facilitation of donations for TX-35 Democratic primary candidate Maureen Galindo. You may remember Galindo for campaigning on castrating Jews and sending us to camps, prompting condemnation from many Democrats. Nobody should be funding this sort of hate." Teri Christoph at RedState thinks Virginia's Rebellion Has Officially Begun.

Jonathan Turley "Let Them Eat Impeachments: Dan Goldman Fights to Keep the Rage — and His Career — Alive."

Sundance reports Vice President JD Vance Holds State AG Roundtable on Federal Investigation into Fraud Cases. NYPo, US government overpaid welfare and Medicare recipients by $186 billion last year — after a shocking surge. Ace, All Democrats Boycott JD Vance's Anti-Fraud Roundtable, Because They're the Party of Looters and Shooters; Nick Shirley's Right-Hand Man Says That Autism Billing Went Up 47,000% (Which Means 470x) In Past Few Years, "A reminder from last week: the Trump Administration charged 15 Minnesota Men for pillaging $90 million from American citizens." Catturd ™ @catturd2, "That’s because they’re involved in the fraud." Quote Eric Daugherty @EricLDaugh, "NOW: EVERY SINGLE DEMOCRAT state Attorney General has REFUSED to show up for JD Vance's anti-fraud roundtable at the White House Republicans showed up, but Vance specifically sent out an olive branch and invited Dems."

Shipwreckedcrew likes how SCOTUS Smacked Obama/Biden Appointees With A Newspaper Across The Nose For Wrongfully Acting Like A "Roving Commission Looking For Wrongs To Right." "A very pointed Per Curiam Opinion issued this morning identifies the Fourth Circuit as a repeat offender in deciding cases on issues never raised by the parties -- THAT is judicial activism." Betsy McCaughey at TownHall thinks The Supreme Court Should Strike Down the E. Jean Carroll Verdict. They should, but I don't trust them to.

Sundance asserts John Solomon’s “Trust me Bro” Reporting is Dangerous. The Truth Guardian @TruthGuardianQ, "House Ethics Committee Just Dropped the Bomb: Liz Cheney Was in a Sexual Relationship with Jamie Raskin the Entire Time on the January 6 Unselect Committee Witch Hunt It wasn’t “duty to country.” It wasn’t “principled conservatism.” It was pure, sleazy, backstabbing personal power at its finest. The January 6 Ethics Committee Report confirms Cheney was in an inappropriate relationship with that sniveling little Democrat Jamie Raskin before January 6 even happened. She sold out her party, her president, and her country because she was completely infatuated with the guy. “Ms. Cheney’s involvement was likely more out of affection for Raskin than a duty to her country,” the report states..." To be fair she had lots of reasons to hate Trump besides her genitals. 

Sundance reports Pam Bondi is Battling Thyroid Cancer as President Trump Appoints Her to Advisory Role on AI. That sucks, but a lot of thyroid cancers are survivable. "Thyroid cancer generally has an excellent prognosis, with an overall 5-year relative survival rate of approximately 98.3%. Outlook depends heavily on the specific type, tumor stage at diagnosis, and the patient's age."

Beege Welborn at Hat Hair predicts Summer ICE Wars Heating Up. Oilfield Rando @Oilfield_Rando, "Understand that these are tryouts for the NGO industry. The folks up front monologuing are minor league non profit activists auditioning for a spot in the major leagues. Six-figure revenue subawards recipients trying to join the 7-9 figure revenue prime award recipients." Quote Andy Ngo @MrAndyNgo, "Newark, N.J. (May 26) — Federal law enforcement arrest rioters who are shutting down access to the Delaney Hall Detention Center. For days, the militants have been building an autonomous zone and blocking egress." Will Chamberlain @willchamberlain, "Covering the Abrego Garcia case was an eye-opener in terms of how fast and loose some immigration attorneys will play with the facts This is great to see." Quote Nicole Sganga @NicoleSganga, "NEW: A top homeland security official has directed ICE attorneys to aggressively pursue administrative fraud cases against immigration lawyers accused of filing false asylum claims. @CBSNews exclusively obtained the DHS memo directing the new ramp up." At Mediaite, Trump Admin Makes Major Change On How to Apply For a Green Card. From out of the country. The Denver Post whines that With no options left, a Venezuelan family living in Colorado walks into ICE custody, seeking to go back home. "Thousands of immigrants have sought voluntary departures, especially as families lose breadwinners." SaltyGoat @SaltyGoat17, "Christian McGhee was suspended from Central Davidson High School in Lexington, NC for using the term Illegal Alien in English class. Just FYI... Illegal Alien is a longstanding U.S. legal terminology used in federal statutes So his family sued the school board and WON!! - $20,000 - Public apology - Nothing on his record OUR COUNTRY IS HEALING!!!!"

Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby, "BREAKING: Masked Islamists in Montreal paraded a Jew being hanged through the streets. Get every single one of these terrorists out of the West. Enough of this." Bo French @bofrench, "How badly do you have to hate America, our people, and our culture to put a terrorist sympathizer in charge of a school?" Quote Carlos Turcios @Carlos__Turcios, "BOMBSHELL Fort Worth ISD announced Shayma Alzubi as the new principal of Western Hills High School. Alzubi has posted pro-Palestinian content and reposted content supportive of Sharia Law. Is Fort Worth ISD endorsing this?" Margot Cleveland @ProfMJCleveland, "By 1900, the United States had achieved a 90% literacy rate largely by using McGuffey Readers in one-room schoolhouses. But, yeah, NYC’s problem is it’s not spending enough money."

More at the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.26.26 (Afternoon Edition) and In The Mailbox: 05.26.26 (Evening Edition). The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Technical Difficulties up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Flotsam and Jetsam - Stock Market Jumps on China Trade Deal

YaHoo! admits Dow jumps 1,100 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq surge after US-China tariff rollback triggers buying spree. Natalia Mittelstadt at JTN elaborates U.S., China drop high tariffs, agree to 90-day pause. "The U.S. agreed to drop its 145% tariff rate on Chinese goods down to 30%, while China agreed to lower its tariff rate on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%." Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, NEW: US, China (Mostly) Pause Tariffs for 90 Days. Ace, US, China Agree to 90 Day Reduction in Tariffs, "The stock markets are soaring." Vicky Taft at PJM asks See If You Can Spot the Biggest Difference Between Biden's and Trump's China Deals "Hunter's company, Rosemont Seneca, whose business product was Joe Biden, helped China's takeover of a cobalt mine from an American company in the Congo. It was a $3.8 billion deal. As we now know, Hunter's businesses always had to kick back "10% to 'The Big Guy.'"" Ward Clark at RedState, This Is What We Voted For: Trump Speaks on China Trade Deal. zerohedge @zerohedge" This is great... the only problem is that there actually are - checks Bloomberg - exactly 53 ships headed for California's top ports, more than there were on this day one year ago. Jonathan Lemire @JonLemire "Zero ships from China are bound for California’s top ports Officials haven’t seen that since the pandemic." Clay Travis @ClayTravis "I paid $2.87 for a gallon of gas today, the lowest price I can remember paying in years. That’s down by nearly half from peak-Biden gas prices in the summer of 2022. Should be a major talking point, instead it’s almost completely ignored by media." To be fair, WaPoo did complain that oil prices were so low, drillers had no interest in drilling new wells. Liz Shield at Am Great, Waiver to Sell Venezuelan Oil to Expire at End of May. Althouse, While planning the first major overseas trip of his second term, a four-day swing through Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates..." "... Mr. Trump told his advisers that he wanted to announce deals that would be worth more than $1 trillion. "

Capt. Ed, Hamas to Release US Hostage -- For What?  At NRO, Hamas Releases Last Living American Hostage Edan Alexander. Great. Now bomb them back to the Cambrian era.

Capt. Ed again, Trump Goes to War With Pharma: 'Our Country Will Finally Be Treated Fairly'. Ace, Trump Signs Executive Order Demanding that US Drug Makers Sell Drugs to the US Market at the Same Prices They Sell to Other Countries. "I don't know what his claim of power is based on. Congress passes a lot of laws granting the executive to take action on its own initiative, so maybe he has some power here. Maybe he has power as the ultimate administrator of Medicaid. I don't know." At Althouse, a Big shot takes fat shot. ET, New Top FDA Official Says He’s Not Anti-Vaccine, but Evidence Required, "Dr. Vinay Prasad has criticized the government’s position on COVID-19 vaccines."

Ryan King and David Propper at NYPO report Trump set to receive $400 million ‘flying palace’ from Qatar to use as Air Force One, setting liberals aflame. Atop Da Hill, House Democrat demands ethics review of Qatari jet gift to Trump. Buzz Patterson @BuzzPatterson "I’m going to try one last time. The Qatar B-747 was built in the US by Boeing. They are offering a newer 747 to replace one of the two current AF-1s that have been flying for 40 years. Which are tired and need to be replaced. The wing based at Andrews has also purchased aircraft from other countries in the past which are currently flying our VP and senior government officials. This is NOT new. Qatar is offering the jet to the US military, not Donald Trump. The DOD contractor is based in the US, in fact my dad (a retired Air Force general) used to work for them. They are, not unironically, also working to upgrade the FAA technology as we speak. You know, Newark and elsewhere. They will get the aircraft and perform all of the security and the installation of the systems that AF-1 requires to safely move our president around the world. Not the Qatari’s. And you and I will pay for that but not the $400 million the 747 would normally cost. I could tell you exactly what is required to modify the AF-1 for safe flight but that is Top Secret and I’d have to kill you. This AF-1 will serve the sitting president, whether they be Republican or Democrat until Boeing gets their shit together to complete the new, upcoming improved 747s that started under Obama, was renegotiated under Trump, and was completely ignored by the Biden administration. It’s looking like 2029 to 2030 for delivery at the soonest. I love X but sometimes the “sky is falling” conspiracy crap grows tiresome. A little knowledge goes a long way. Having flown on the current AF-1s 100 hundred times, I have intimate knowledge. Now, come at me about “chemtrails.”"

PJM's Stephen Kruiser says My Favorite Thing About Trump Being President Is All the Trump Stuff. Larwyn’s Linx: Trump had a great weekend. Media did not. From Da Wire, Trump Admin Sets Out To ‘Fix’ Everyone’s Least Favorite Car Feature. "“Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,” Zeldin wrote on X." WokeSpy, “No More Woke Handouts Based On Race!” — Trump Nukes Biden-Era $2.75 Billion Program for Minorities. TNP, What is the ‘Big, Beautiful Budget Bill’ and How Does This Whole Thing Work (Or Not)? Jeff Charles at TownHall is disgusted that Yes, Liz Cheney Somehow Made the New Pope About Trump.

Buck Throckmorton at Ace's thinks Brian Kemp’s Presidential Ambitions May Have Saved Us from Another Senator Tillis/Cassidy/Murkowski/Cornyn. One president from Georgia was quite enough. Kurt Schlichter at TownHall thinks it's Time to Punt Thom Tillis. Paula Bolyard at PJM sees Ohio Republican Party Clears the Way for Vivek to Be Swept Into Governor's Mansion. Allen West of the Dallas County Republican Party worries Texas is Being Flipped.

From RedState, Susie Moore reports Trump Admin. Scores Another Court Win As Federal Judge Rules IRS May Share Illegal Alien Data With DHS. CNN whines Federal judge won’t block Trump’s plan to use IRS data to track down undocumented migrants. Jonathan Turley, To Be or Not To Be a Hypocrite? Outrage over Trump Targeting Law Firms is Turning Shakespearean. Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "In opposing the Trump orders, lawyers at these firms are now adopting a truly Shakespearean pose as heroic champions of free speech and free thought. For many conservatives and Republicans, it is about as convincing as MacBeth claiming to be a pacifist..." Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley, "...In prior years, Democratic groups unleashed a campaign to pressure firms to fire lawyers who represented Trump, the Republican Party, or conservative causes. It worked. I know lawyers who were told to drop Republican cases or else find new employment." Hat Hair's Dave Strom also looks at The Hypocrisy of the Legal Elite. Da Fetched reports Soros-Funded Groups Sue to Block Trump’s Anti-Child-Trafficking Reforms. It's like child molesters are one of their interest groups. 

NYPo hears AG Letitia James heckled over mortgage fraud case at town hall: ‘Apologize to Donald Trump’. Meanwhile, Pop Times reports Dems Quietly Slip Taxpayer-Funded Legal Shield for Letitia James’ Criminal Probe "New York Attorney General Letitia James’s legal defense could soon be funded by taxpayers if the criminal investigation against her leads to charges, according to a new report."

At Da Caller, David Hogg Thinks Bringing Young Men Back To The Democratic Party Means Helping Them Get ‘Laid’ And Have ‘Fun’. He's not wrong, but I don't think they can do it easily. Dave Strom, David Hogg's Critique of Democrats: Men Want to Get Laid. A Driscolly post at Insty, IT’S COME TO THIS: David Hogg’s Critique of Democrats: Men Want to Get Laid. "The newsy, clippable bit of Hogg’s interview/discussion with Maher was his diagnosis for why men are fleeing the party, and in particular for why younger men have been leaving in droves after having hewed the line within the party for years: young men want to get laid and have fun, and the Democratic Party has been the party of killjoys." Looks like they might kick him out and replace him with a nagging Redskin American Indian woman. Matt Vespa at TownHall thinks There's a Serious Problem With David Hogg's Young People Outreach Strategy "They’re weirdo clan who think dudes can be women, have a lust to mutilate the genitals of minors, think Hamas are freedom fighters, and want to flood the nation with hordes of people from s**thole countries." The unsinkable Mollie @MZHemingway, "Excellent news for Republicans here in Semafor. To "detoxify their brand with moderates and independents," Democrat groups asked "Bulwark stars" (?/LOL) to brief Democrat donors." At OTP, Bill Maher Says Democrats ‘Doomed’ If Party Doesn’t Drop Anti-US Thinking. Why would you put them in charge of something they hate?

Drew Berquist thinks DHS Ends Dem Reps’ Claims of Doing Nothing Wrong at ICE Facility with Just 4 Words, "Let’s check the tape." James Frankel at TownHall, Homan Says Newark Mayor Arrested for ‘Storming’ ICE Facility ‘Not Very Smart.’ TownHall's Guy Benson, sees Democrats Are, Once Again, Making a Very Stupid Choice "they're doubling down on anti-enforcement obstruction, passing insane new laws in places like Colorado. And they're doing things like the Newark stunt." Nick Arama at RedState reports Another Wild ICE Incident Has Police Alleging MA Politician Incited Crowd Against Them. From Da Caller, DHS, Police Union Say Local Politician ‘Incited Chaos’ And ‘Assaulted’ Officers During ICE Operation. OTP retitles Fox report, More Arrests At Newark ICE Facility, Clergy Members Among Protesters. VodkaPundit at PJM, WaPo’s ICE Hysteria: All Panic, No Nannies. John Sexton at Hat Hair, Sec. Noem Announces Investigation into California's Cash Assistance for Immigrants.

Politico whines a Democratic senator says GOP is trying to woo Fetterman, but Rick Moran at PJM thinks Republicans Trying to Woo Senator Fetterman To Join the GOP Are Wasting Their Time.

Michael Goodwin at NYPo sees Biden defending his presidency even has the Dems wanting him to go away. Matt Margolis reports It Turns Out That Even More of Joe Biden’s Jobs Creation Numbers Were Fake. "According to new figures released this week, the 399,000 jobs the Biden team claimed were created between July and September of last year have completely vanished. Not only did the economy not add those jobs, but it also lost 1,000 private-sector jobs during that period." LI's Leslie Eastman in scandalized that the Biden Team Pumped $100 Billion Into NGOs, Green Energy Scams After Trump Win. "Energy Secretary Chris Wright: “They basically tried to set bombs to make it hard for us to unwind the mess they’d created . . . Let me repeat about a little over $40 billion was supplied in support through the loan program office in its 15 years of existence. A little over 40 billion and then almost a hundred billion in the 76 days after they lost the election and before President Trump’s inauguration." 

From Breitbart, Chuck Todd Claims Reporters Blindly Believed Sources About Biden’s Mental Frailty. Bullshit. They knew and were willingly part of the coverup. Dave Strom, Chuck Todd Accidentally Admits That Media Just Prints What Their Sources Say. At Twitchy, ‘Conservative’ David Brooks Wants Everyone to Know He Has Admired Joe Biden for a Long Time. Western Lensman @WesternLensman, ""PBS’ David Brooks: I’m a “long-time admirer of Joe Biden." This is what passes for ‘conservative’ analysis on PBS." Ace, Silly Socialite and Aged Madame of the Deep State Whorehouse Sally Quinn Whines That Liberals Don't Feel "Safe" or Social in Trump's DC, "Sally's sad again. The bitter vinegary bubble-head has written this same basic complaint before."

From Twitchy, Episcopal Church Announces It Will Not Help Settle South African Refugees Because They're Too WHITE. 

🚨BREAKING: The first set of White South Africans fleeing Genocide have arrived in the United States

Notice how there’s women & children? pic.twitter.com/WCtW5O0oeG

— Inevitable West (@Inevitablewest) May 12, 2025

Da Caller, Trump DOJ Steps Into Breach To Defend Religious Liberty "In the past several months, the DOJ has filed statements of interest in land use cases for churches, helped launch a task force to “eliminate” anti-Christian bias and opened an investigation into an “anti-Catholic” law in Washington."

At Breitbart, Jemele Hill Compares Allowing Men to Compete in Women’s Sports to MLK’s ‘Civil Rights’ Crusade.

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: Hanging In There ready and willing to accept your clicks.

Flotsam and Jetsam - We Have a New President!

Well, technically he's second hand, but after Biden, he feels new. I summarized the runup to the inauguration yesterday, and even finished before noon when Vice President Vance took the oath of office and 12:01, when Trump took the oath. It was an eventful day, of course. I don't see how the President kept up, I got tired just following it on TV (with a break for a cold beach walk). While much of the day was pomp and circuses, for which I care little, as promised Trump hit the ground running, issuing many executive orders, among the more notable, pardoning or commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 J6ers with an order to immediately release those currently detained, stopping the use of Biden's "One app", and declaring that for federal government purposes there are only two sexes. Of course, you can see the entire inauguration, from sundance at CTH, President Trump Inauguration Day Livestreams from Washington DC.

Stacy McCain calls it the END OF AN ERROR: Joe Biden Leaves in Disgrace as Trump Returns Triumphant, "As commenters have already noted, doesn’t it feel good to say “former President Biden”?" Ace, in all red, capital, italic font with the trademark flaming skull, DONALD JOHN TRUMP, THE 45th AND 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM; "CONVICTED FELON" TRIUMPHS OVER CORRUPT MEDIA AND CRIMINAL DEEP STATE. At Hat Hair, Capt. Ed thinks It Could Be Morning in America, 2.0; UPDATE: 'Welcome Home' and  Beege Welborn says, All Hail the Return of Intelligence, Beauty, and Grace. Foxes BRET BAIER: Inauguration Day spotlights America's perpetual promise. The Free Bacon feels The Joy Is Back in Town: Trump Greeted as Liberator in Triumphant Return to White House. PJM's Stephen Kruiser, Never Mind the Weather — It's a Bright and Sunny Day for America. At Da Signal, ‘Liberation Day’: 8 Takeaways From Trump’s Second Inaugural Address. From Spiked, This is not the dawn of a new fascist era. The Hat Hair staff, Donald Trump Is Ready to Fight. So Are We. Hat Hair, Scott Jennings: 'Watching Him Indict These Gangsters to Their Faces...'. From NewsMax, Trump to Call for 'Revolution of Common Sense' at Inauguration. At Althouse, "Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents — something I know something about." "We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again. Under my leadership, we will restore a fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law,"  and "Trump to call for a 'revolution' in common sense." "Says the crawl at CNN, which I'm watching with the sound off." Ace, in red font, "A Revolution of Common Sense:" Trump's Inaugural Address, ""For Americans, January 20, 2025 is Liberation Day." "For many years a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power from our society while the pillars of our institutions lay broken.""

 

Luke Rosiak@lukerosiak, "Do they know that the speech was public and we could actually hear it ourselves?" At Ace, Quick Update on "Team DeLulu" Cope "Team DeLulu" are the mentally ill progressives and communists who swear -- or swore -- that they had inside information that Trump would never take office. They claimed that they were shown the signs of this by astrology, tarot readings, Reading their period blood (!!!), and various BlueAnon "leaks" from government insiders. Why do they call themselves "Team DeLulu"? It sounds like Team Delusion. Do they realized they're deluded? Are they making fun of us for wrongly thinking they're deluded? I do not know. Who can fathom the mind of an idiot. The latest theory I heard was this: That government agents were preparing to swarm-arrest Trump for electoral fraud, but what they needed to cinch the case was for him to take the oath of office, which would... I don't know, complete the crime or show intent or something. So this entire transition and inauguration has been a legal trap for Trump, and now he's just moments from being carted off to Levinworth to await his hanging.."  

Giorgia Meloni

Some inaugural fripperies. RadioGenoa @RadioGenoa, Giorgia Meloni will be the only European leader in Washington at Trump's swearing-in." At Hat Hair They Say That Like It's a Bad Thing: Meloni Only European Leader at Inauguration. Althouse was absorbed by the spectacle, 45 minutes and 47 seconds..., Famous faces at the inauguration church service: Joe Rogan, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos..., I don't think I've ever watched an inauguration so closely. The indoor setting brings the focus to the individual faces..., Biden and Trump are now riding together in the same limo — unaccompanied by wives or VPs, "What do you imagine they're saying to each other?", Posing on the front steps... ready to fight... or dance, "No, Trump Did Not Hold the Bible Upside Down at Lafayette Square," "That's a NYT headline from September 18, 2020. . . But just now on CNN, as Trump entered the church, the historian chosen to provide depth and context— Timothy Naftali — repeated the longstanding and long-discredited misinformation," and Man in shorts, upon seeing John Fetterman at the inauguration in his favorite basketball shorts and hoody. NYPo, Fetterman Doing Hoodie and Shorts Chic. I'd at least break out my best khakis. Sundance, President Trump Introduces the Village People to Perform at the Victory Rally in DC, and Yes, He Dances. At NYPo, Carrie Underwood sings ‘America the Beautiful’ a cappella after major snafu at Trump inauguration: ‘Help me out here’. Bob Hoge at RedState, Country Superstar Overcomes Technical Malfunction at Inauguration, Smashes It Out of the Park.

Here is the splendid @carrieunderwood performance at the Trump Inauguration. This is what a professional looks like. With grace, when the military band audio failed, she sang her song with the audience. All American and perfect. pic.twitter.com/Qce0AHj6fJ

— Raymond Arroyo (@RaymondArroyo) January 20, 2025

Matt Margolis at PJM, ‘This Is What Victory Feels Like!’ Musk Gives Epic Victory Speech and What Elon Musk Did at the Inaugural Rally Will for Sure Trigger the Liberal Media. The "main stream" media immediately found a second with an out stretched hand and deemed it a Nazi salute. Andrew Kerr@AndrewKerrNC, "Very bold of CNN to insinuate the richest man in the world did a Nazi salute just three days after the network lost a bombshell defamation suit." Quote Media Lies@MediasLies "CNN is accusing Elon Musk of doing a Nazi salute on stage. Full context shows Elon was gesturing that his heart goes out to the crowd.They’re grasping at straws today." Even Jonah Goldberg@JonahDispatch "The thing at the 55 second mark, where he grabs his chest and says "my heart goes out to you" is supposed to be a deliberate Nazi salute? Sorry, not buying it." At Twitchy, We Did NAZI That Coming: CNN Beclowns Itself Over Elon Musk's Gesture From the Heart. Mary Katharine Ham@mkhammer, "I shouldn’t cuss, but fuck you, we’re not doing this anymore." Quote PBS News @NewsHour "Billionaire Elon Musk gave what appeared to be a fascist salute Monday while making a speech at the post-inauguration celebration for President Donald Trump at the Capital One Arena. . . " Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok, "Where's the media outrage????" 

All interspersed with the fete came the executive orders. Matt Vespa at TownHall, Here Are Trump's First Executive Orders. The White House, Initial Rescissions Of Harmful Executive Orders And Actions. WaEx, Trump announces mass clemency for all Jan. 6 defendants, except for 6 under review. Capt. Ed, BREAKING: Trump Signs Clemency Action for 1500+ J6 ‘Hostages'. Mary Chastain at LI reports Donald Trump Pardons 1500 J6 Prisoners, Continuing to Look at Six Commutations, "He ushered it out of the room so they could be released now." NBC News@NBCNews, "A conservative activist who has been on the board of a group supporting Jan. 6 defendants has been named interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., the position that has overseen the hundreds of cases brought in the Capitol siege investigation." Sounds like he has a light case load. Jake Lang - January 6 Political Prisoner@JakeLangJ6, "JUST ANNOUNCED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS DROPPING MY JANUARY 6 CASE!!!!!! 4 YEAR AND 4 DAYS IN THE GULAG WITHOUT A TRIAL IM FINALLY COMING HOME!!!! GOD BE MAGNIFIED!!! MOUNTAINS DO REALLY MOVE IN JESUS NAME!!!"

NRO, Trump Signs Order Restoring Sex Binary in Federal Policy, Rooting Out Gender Ideology. Capt. Ed, Make Biology Great Again: Trump Orders End to ‘Gender’ Wokeness. Althouse, "The Executive Order establishes Government-wide the biological reality of two sexes and clearly defines male and female." ZeekArkham ,@ZeekArkham "So they’re wearing the pink pussy hats again. They didn’t wear them to protect women in sports. They didn’t wear them to send back illegals who s*xually assaulted women. They didn’t wear them in support of Laken Reilly and the other girls who were m*rdered by illegals. They didn’t wear them to support Nancy Mace after she was attacked. They’re all a bunch of hypocrites who want to selectively choose their outrage." At Hat Hair Megyn Kelly, BEHOLD the Incoming Executive Order on Mens Is Mens and Womens Is Exactly That. 

Atop Da Hill, Trump officials shut down CBP One app. Ace, Border Patrol Trucks Are En Route to the Southern Border, "A Revolution of Common Sense." Bill Melugin@BillMelugin_, "Migrants in MX weep as they learn that Trump has terminated the CBP One cell phone app that Biden used to essentially wave a magic wand and allow 900,000+ otherwise inadmissible migrants into the U.S. via mass blanket humanitarian parole. Up next - CHNV migrant flights will go." The Peacock whines Facing Trump's mass deportation plans, some sanctuary cities shift their tone, "In some cases, local officials have shied away from the “sanctuary city” label and pledged to work with federal immigration authorities — a departure from Trump’s first term."

At ET, Trump Signs Executive Order to Fire Top Career Federal Managers More Quickly, "The new chief executive hopes to replace federal government managers who fail to follow or implement his policies." Rusty Weiss at RedState, Trump Rips Security Clearances From the 51 Spies Who Lied, Then He Hit Them With Another Bombshell, investigations. @amuse@amuse, "FIRED: CNN is reporting that the David Pekoske the TSA Administrator who put @TulsiGabbard on “Quiet Skies” terrorist watch list has been fired. The Hammer of Justice is here..." Quote Pete Muntean@petemuntean, "BREAKING: The head of the Transportation Security Administration has been FIRED by the Trump administration, multiple sources tell me and @priscialva. In a memo to TSA employees, David Pekoske says he was told "my time as your administrator will end as of noon today." Ace, Elections Have Consequences: The TSA Official Who Put Tulsi Gabbard on the Terrorist Watch List Has Been Fired. "The President so nice they inaugurated him twice:" Matt Vespa reports The Purge of the Top Brass in the Military Has Begun. Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok. "BREAKING: The Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Linda Fagan, has been terminated over her failure to address border security and her excessive focus on DEI - FOX." Libs of TikTok@libsoftiktok, "JUST IN: General Charles Q. Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters he plans to stay in his position. Brown is obsessed with race-based diversity quotas. He signed a memo stating his "goal" is to reduce the number of White Males in the Air Force. This man cannot be let anywhere near the Trump administration. cc @realDonaldTrump @PeteHegseth." Spectrum, Trump fires four of Biden's presidential appointees, including Gen. Mark Milley. Capt. Ed, Clearing the Decks: Acting FBI Director Resigns Hours After Assuming Role "No matter, though. Trump's transition team quickly replaced Wray and Abbate with two other well-respected FBI leaders in the field as Patel awaits a confirmation hearing in the Senate:"

Ilya Somin at the Volokh Report  worries about Trump's Illegal First-Day Executive Actions "Several of his announced actions are likely to be illegal, especially some related to immigration." It wouldn't be the first time an executive order was found to be illegal, that why we have courts. Trump admitted as much last night when asked about his order rescinding birth-right citizenship. Jeff Charles at TownHall calls it Predictable: Lefty Nonprofits Sue Trump Administration Over DOGE Hours After President is Inaugurated. Andy Ngo @MrAndyNgo, "Already". See pic. 

Dave Strom sees even NYT admit, NYT Poll: Americans Are MAGA Now. At the WSJ, How MAGA Is Taking Back the Culture, "In sports, entertainment and marketing, displays of conservatism are crowding out progressive postures." Twitchy. WINNING: Marco Rubio Confirmed as Secretary of State. Eyal Yakoby@EYakoby, "BREAKING: Pro-Palestine demonstrators have set up a guillotine outside the Capitol to protest Trump. There is a violence wherever you see this flag. Matt Margolis, Even Biden's Own State Department Credits Trump for Getting a Hostage Deal. VodkaPundit at Insty, FER CRYIN’ OUT LOUD: "Trump ‘Transition Official’ Says All the Gazans Really Need Is ‘a Sense of Hope.’ Really? Trump’s biggest weakness might be how small the pool is of good hires. But this one has got to go. Lee Williams at TAG, Trump Owes It to Gun Owners to Eliminate the ATF. Dave Strom, Vivek Being Shown the Door? Last week I opined that Vivek's talents would have been wasted if he were appointed to the U.S. Senate to replace J.D. Vance. He was needed at DOGE, working alongside Elon Musk to dramatically slim down government. Apparently my opinion was not shared with the Trump folks working at DOGE. Vivek apparently is seen more as a showman than a workman, and people inside DOGE will be happy to see the back of him as he goes off to run for governor of Ohio." I won't pretend to know, but there sure were two pretty big egos at the head of DOGE.

VodkaPundit at Insty yesterday morning, I DUNNO, THERE ARE STILL NEARLY TWO HOURS LEFT: Dear Joe: NOW Are You Done Breaking the Country? 'Bonchie' at RedState sees a Completely Defeated Biden Slur Through One Final Shot at Trump Before Leaving Town. "Biden doesn't want to admit that because even though he's been as thoroughly defeated and embarrassed as any president in recent memory upon leaving office, he still longs to be seen as a historic statesman. I hate to break it to him, though: That ship has sailed." Don't go away mad, just go away.  Matt Margolis, Biden's Final Act As President Was a Massive Cover-Up for the Biden Crime Family. At TownHall, Scott Jennings Owns Dem Commentator on CNN, Destroys Biden and His Legacy in the Process. 'Becca Downs at Townhall, Adam Schiff's Response to Preemptive Pardon May Shock You. Bad Hombre@joma_gc, "Notice Adam Schiff’s silence now that he is the lying crony receiving the pardon in the scenario and the person doing the pardoning is Joe Biden." Twitchy, COWARD Liz Cheney Snaps at Trump AFTER Biden Preemptively Pardons Her and WHOO DAWGIE That Was DUMB, Tim Murtaugh @TimMurtaugh "You accepted a pardon." Sean Davis@seanmdav, You’re a pardoned war criminal. No one cares what you think about anything. You should be preparing for your deposition and testimony since you’re now banned from pleading the Fifth." Quote Liz Cheney@Liz_Cheney "Trump’s remarks in the Capitol Visitor Center today were a reminder that neither lies nor the liar who tells them get better with age. The Select Committee evidence is available on multiple websites and, as a criminal defendant, Donald Trump has had access to all the transcriptsShow more". At Twitchy, Executive Traction: Democrat Defending Biden Receives Rare Factual Slapdown from WaPo ‘Journalist’. Jacob Sullum at Reason reasons Biden's Preemptive Pardons Undermine Official Accountability and the Rule of Law "His last-minute acts of clemency invite Trump and future presidents to shield their underlings from the consequences of committing crimes in office." NPR whines Biden's FBI director expressed 'vehement' opposition to Peltier commutation. Ace, Surprise: Defender of Normzzz and Protector of the Criminal FBI Pardons Terrorist Who Murdered Two FBI Agents. "Every Democrat president eventually gets around to pardoning leftwing terrorists. Bill Clinton pardoned the Puerto Rican FARC terrorists who set off bombs at the New York Stock Exchange, for example. But they're not allies with the revolutionary/terrorist left. Oh dear no! It's just that they're always pardoning leftwing terrorists because it just happens to work out, coincidentally, that leftwing terrorists are always deserving of presidential clemency. And so Biden pardons another terrorist."

At HE, The Democrats have perfected the art of losing. At RCP, Tech Billionaire Mark Pincus: "Red-Pill Moment" To Learn Trump Never Really Called Nazis "Very Fine People" In Charlottesville. Greg Gutfeld says much the same about his switch from Never-Trump. 

The Wombat has FMJRA 2.0: A Long Week Of Much Baseball up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Pardon Me!

Hey, why not? Everyone else seems to be getting one. On his last half day of "work" former President Biden issued two sets of preemptive pardons. Early in the day the white house released pardons for Anthony Fauci, Gen. Milley, the entire Jan. 6 Committee, and the members of the Capitol and DC police who testified to the committee. Then later, while the inauguration ceremony was getting started, they released a second blanket pardon Biden's family, brother, sister, their spouses and children, much like Hunter's that started upon Joe Biden's assumption of the Vice Presidency in 2011. VodkaPundit at PJM, Dear Joe: NOW Are You Done Breaking the Country? Bonchie, at RedState, Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, Cheney, Others in Shocking Abuse of Presidential Power. Charlie Spiering @charliespiering, "Joe Biden Inaguration Day: "...I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee." NewsMax, Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, Others to Prevent Trump 'Revenge.' Capt. Ed at Hat Hair, BREAKING: Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, J6 Committee and Hillary Pollster: These Corrupt Biden Pardons Are 'The Last Straw'; UPDATE: Fauci Pardon For 11 Years? Leah Barkoukis at TownHall, BREAKING: Biden Issues Pre-Emptive Pardons on Last Day in Office. Larry Correia @monsterhunter45, "The Jan 6 committee members getting preemptively pardoned because “government persecution ruins even the innocent” is highly fucking ironic." Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok, "Jamie Raskin on presidential pardons: “The seeking of pardons is powerful demonstration of the consciousness of guilt, or at least the consciousness that you may be in trouble.” Biden just preemptively pardoned him for his role in the Jan 6th committee." Althouse, "Biden pardons Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley and the Jan. 6 committee in an extraordinary use of presidential power against potential Trump 'revenge.'" 

AP reports.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”

It’s customary for a president to grant clemency at the end of his term, but those acts of mercy are usually offered to everyday Americans who have been convicted of crimes. But Biden has used the power in the broadest and most untested way possible: to pardon those who have not even been investigated yet....

Leah Barkoukis again, Fauci Issues Statement After Pre-Emptive Pardon. Conservatives Respond. "I really truly appreciate the action President Biden has taken today on my behalf. Let me be perfectly clear, Jon, I have committed no crime, you know that, and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,” he said." We'll, he pretty clearly lied to Congress on a few occasions. But that's only illegal when Republicans do it. Curious that his pardon for 11 years reaches several years before the pandemic, and probably covers the time he was surreptitiously funding gain of function research.VodkaPundit at Insty, OUR NEW NORM IS “ANYTHING GOES:” Hans Mahncke @HansMahncke, "The fact that Fauci's pardon specifically and explicitly addresses his Covid-related offenses, while being backdated to 2014—the year the gain-of-function ban took effect, which Fauci circumvented by outsourcing experiments to China—speaks volumes as to what this is really about."

OK, I changed my mind. These pardons were worth it just so I could see Rachel Vindman throw a tantrum over not getting one. pic.twitter.com/HFzUmgaaZh

— Noam Blum (@neontaster) January 20, 2025

Ace points out something about Biden Pardons: Fauci, Cheney, Milley et al Cannot Refuse to Testify About their Illegal Actions Now that They Have Immunity Due to Their Pardons. 

NewsMax, Biden Pardons His Siblings and Their Spouses. VodkaPundit at Insty, calls it ONE LAST FU ON HIS WAY OUT THE DOOR: “FOR ANY NONVIOLENT OFFENSES against the United States which they may have committed or taken part in during the period from January I, 2014, through the date of this pardon.” Hat Hair's Duane Patterson calls it Joe Biden's Final Withered, Bony Middle Finger To America? Jeff Carlson @themarketswork, "Got any follow up comment Ruth?" Quote, "Ruth Ben-Ghiat@ruthbenghiat, "Did you know that Mussolini pardoned all political criminals --the thugs who helped him get to power--after he declared dictatorship? Fascists think alike. Read #Strongmen for the details. x.com/atrupar/status…" John Sexton at Hat Hair collects Reactions to Biden's Last Minute Pardons of His Family. Jonathan Turley @JonathanTurley "Just minutes before leaving office, President Biden completed his race to the bottom of government ethics. He issued pardons for additional family members, including The pardon applies to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden..." 

Glenn Youngkin, Governor Glenn Youngkin Decries President Biden’s Clemency for the Killers of a Virginia Police Officer. 

Update. 

Two weeks ago, Joe Biden awarded Liz Cheney with the Presidential Citizens Medal.

Today, Joe Biden preemptively pardoned Liz Cheney.

How does one receive the nation's second highest civilian honor AND a pardon?

— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) January 20, 2025