Today in Politics, Bulletin 150. 6/12/25 DOG KILLER KRISTI NOEM LIED!

Today in Politics, Bulletin 150. 6/12/25 Ron Filipkowski Jun 12 ∙ … Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly dragged out of DHS Sec Kristi Noem’s press conference by multiple FBI agents today when he showed up to ask her questions. Congressional Hispanic Caucus: “This is unacceptable, full stop. Sen Padilla attended an open press conference to engage in debate, to represent his state, to do his job. We demand a full investigation and consequences for every official involved in this assault against a sitting US senator. … Padilla was dragged out of the room into the hallway where he was pinned to the ground and handcuffed by multiple federal agents. … Noem at the presser: “We are not leaving. We are staying here to liberate the city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country." … That’s not what the federal government and the military is supposed to do. That’s called a military coup. … Noem then went on Fox and gave this lame explanation: “Nobody knew who he was when he came into the room creating a scene. He was removed from the room and yes, they started to put handcuffs on him. When he finally identified himself and that was stopped.” … This lame-ass story doesn’t match the videos. He was yelling the whole time he was a senator as soon as they started talking to him, and when they were grabbing and pushing him. They didn’t care. … Padilla outside after he was finally released from custody: “If this is how the administration responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmworkers, cooks, and day laborers throughout the country.” … Mike Madrid, from The Latino Vote podcast: “Hard to describe how angered and passionate Senator Alex Padilla is right now. I’ve known him for 25 years and never seen anything like this. It’s so out of character for his measured personality - he’s a living example of how Latinos feel right now.” … Gov Gavin Newsom: “If they can handcuff a US Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you.” … House Speaker Mike Johnson said Padilla should be punished by the Senate for doing nothing: “This at a minimum raises to a censure.” … It look like TACO Trump got some panicked phone calls from his rich Republican friends who own businesses that employ migrant workers. He posted: “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!” … It will be interesting to watch this play out. The MAGA activists want everyone deported. Stephen Miller in the WH, Tom Homan at ICE, and people like Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk on their podcasts want them all out immediately. But many of Trump’s biggest donors can’t run their businesses without migrant labor. Now the rubber is meeting the road on that. … Reuters: “Glenn Valley Foods was operating an Omaha, NE facility with 30% of its staff on Wed after fed agents detained workers in an immigration raid the previous day, slashing the output of products it sells to grocery stores and restaurants. Livestock traders and market analysts expressed concerns that the potential deportation of undocumented workers could disrupt US food production at a time when beef prices have soared and meat processors report a labor shortage.” … “ICE agents detained 74-76 workers out of roughly 140 at the Glenn Valley Foods plant. Other workers did not show up on Wed because they felt afraid or traumatized. The facility's production dropped to about 20% of normal. Glenn Valley Foods sells steak, chicken and corned beef products to restaurants and grocery stores. Retail beef prices have set records as the size of the US cattle herd has declined to its lowest level in 70 years after a years-long drought raised feed costs.” … KABC: “ICE targeted workers on produce farms in Ventura County. Farm workers said that ICE agents arrived at an Oxnard farm at around 6 AM. Video posted online showed ICE agents chasing after some of the workers as they fled the fields. Workers said they had anxiety about going to work because they feared ICE would show up while they worked: "What I fear is that sometimes out of necessity, it forces us to show up wherever there's work. Because of everything that is happening, it is a bit difficult for us." … Oxnard mayor Luis McArthur: "We have received reports of ICE agents attempting to enter agricultural fields in our city and also stopping vehicles. These actions are completely unjustified and harmful. They create chaos and distress in our community without contributing much to public safety." … NYT: “Rev. Tanya Lopez, senior pastor of Downey Memorial Christian Church, said she was in her office on Wed when 3 SUVs with tinted windows pulled up to her church. Then 5 men, some wearing badges and tan bulletproof vests that said ‘POLICE,’ rushed out of the vehicles and detained a man in the parking lot. The men refused to identify which agency they worked for, and they did not share their names or badge numbers when asked. Their vehicles had out-of-state license plates. They also did not provide a warrant. They took the man into a black SUV. Lopez said that as she shouted instructions in Spanish to the man inside the vehicle, an agent drew a rifle at her.” … Rev. Al Lopez, another pastor at the church, said that he told the men he didn’t want them on his church’s property: “This will stand in my mind - this gentleman just shouted, ‘The whole country is our property!’” … City Council member Mario Trujillo: “These raids at Home Depots, restaurants, places of worship or schools, are not keeping our community safe. They are creating havoc and fear.” … Heavy-handed ICE enforcement could cause serious issues for spectators and fans from around the world who were planning to travel to the US for the FIFA World Cup. Incidents like this won’t help. The FL Immigrant Coalition: “A boat transporting individuals to a Telemundo party celebrating one year out from the World Cup was boarded by the Coast Guard. They checked the immigration status of the staff on the boat. The mayor of Miami-Dade, FIFA officials, and Telemundo leadership were present.” … Politico: “SecDef Pete Hegseth refused to say whether he would follow the courts if they ruled against Trump’s deployment of active-duty Marines to LA. The Pentagon chief repeatedly deflected when asked Thurs at a House Armed Services Committee hearing whether he would respect a fed district or Supreme Court decision on the issue: “What I can say is we should not have local judges determining foreign policy or national security policy for the country.” … MSNBC reported that Trump is about deploy ICE military-style tactical units to 5 Democratic-run cities: NYC, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and Alexandria, VA. He wants to spark clashes and confrontations between fed authorities in as many Democratic strongholds as possible just like he did in LA. … While many Republicans wanted to quickly pass a standalone funding bill for ICE and deportations immediately after Trump took office, budget director Russ Vought wanted to package it with their entire budget and tax cuts to use it to blackmail Republicans to vote for the entire package (including Medicaid cuts) or make mass deportations fiscally impossible. … Vought threw down the gauntlet to the holdouts last night on OAN: “There’s a point, probably in July, where we’re going to run out of money. Critical border security resources have to come soon. They have to come in July for ICE and CBP to have the necessary resources to continue their work.” … Punchbowl: “Things are not going well inside the Senate GOP meeting with Stephen Miller, per sources. Sen. Ron Johnson and Miller got in a ‘shouting match’ over the border security funding number. Johnson said Miller’s numbers don’t add up. Lots of GOP senators leaving the room frustrated. Text from a GOP senator: “We’re fighting over an issue that unifies us. Can’t wrap my head around it.’” … Sec of State Marco Rubio issued this statement: “On behalf of the American people, I want to congratulate the Russian people on Russia Day. The US remains committed to supporting the Russian people as they continue to build on their aspirations for a brighter future.” … Lil Marco would have sent Hitler a Christmas card in 1943. … WaPo: “Some Trump supporters are calling for a Walmart boycott after an heiress to the nation’s largest retailer took out an ad in the NYT to promote a protest of the president’s policies. The full-page ad, which appeared in the newspaper Sunday and was paid for by Christy Walton, advertises ‘No Kings Day’ gatherings across the country Saturday. The mobilizing events coincide with Trump’s military parade in DC.” … “Some influential Trump allies were posting about the ad on social media. Kari Lake, the senior adviser to the US Agency for Global Media, overseeing the Voice of America, reposted the ad on X and wrote: ‘Do you shop at Walmart?’” … Among the lawmakers joining the fray was Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who connected the ad directly to Walmart as she posted on X: “Looks like the Walmart dynasty is big mad about China Tariffs.” BRAIN DEAD MAGA MAGGOTS CAN'T FIGURE OUT REALITY! … Walmart responded: “The ads from Christy Walton are in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart. She does not serve on the board or play any role in decision-making at Walmart.” … New Quinnipiac Poll: Trump Approval-38%, Disapprove-54% Approve of Budget Bill-27%, Disapprove-53% Handling of immigration: Approve-43%, Disapprove-54% Handling of economy: Approve-40%, Disapprove-56% Handling of trade policy: Approve-38%, Disapprove-57% Handling of universities: Approve-37%, Disapprove-54% Handling of Russia-Ukraine war: Approve-34%, Disapprove-57% … New AP Poll: AP Poll: Trump Approval-39%, Disapprove - 60%. Trump continues to march us towards an autocracy on a variety of fronts, but it is good to see the resistance get more organized and more effective in pushing back. Trump’s overreach and the incompetence and clownishness of his appointees is finally being recognized even by voters who don’t pay much attention to politics. The big question is, will there ever be a bridge too far for some Republicans in Congress before some of them will finally say enough? If you missed the last Bulletin, you can find it here. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. … Gavin Newsom questioned Trump’s cognitive abilities to Fox26 after Trump did it to Biden for 4 years: "He's lost it. He hasn't lost a step. And I saw him trip on the steps today. This is serious. He is not the same person that I dealt with just four years ago. And he's incapable now of even a train of thought. He's making things up and he's putting people's lives at risk." … While Trump has claimed the US Marines stopped the vandalism in LA and Hegseth claimed they were trained and ready to go last week, US Northern Command just issued a statement that the Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Div have just finished their training in crowd control and will NOW go to LA for a photo op. … Military.com on Trump’s Ft. Bragg speech: “Internal 82nd Airborne Div communications reveal a tightly orchestrated effort to curate the optics of Trump's recent visit, including handpicking soldiers for the audience based on political leanings and physical appearance. The troops ultimately selected to be behind Trump and visible to the cameras were almost exclusively male. One unit-level message bluntly said ‘no fat soldiers.’” … Another note: "If soldiers have political views that are in opposition to the current admin and they don't want to be in the audience then they need to speak with their leadership and get swapped out.” … A commander at Ft. Bragg: "This has been a bad week for the Army for anyone who cares about us being a neutral institution. This was shameful. I don't expect anything to come out of it, but I hope maybe we can learn from it long term." … “Adding to the spectacle, a pop-up shop operated by 365 Campaign that sells pro-Trump memorabilia, was set up on-site with campaign-style merchandise on Army property. Soldiers were seen purchasing clothing and tchotchkes, including MAGA necklaces to faux credit cards labeled ‘White Privilege Card: Trumps Everything.’” … “Permitting the sale of overtly partisan merchandise on an Army base likely runs afoul of numerous DOD regulations aimed at preserving the military's long-standing commitment to political neutrality. The Army has historically gone to great lengths to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.” … Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA): “These Marines signed up to sweat and bleed in defense of their country, not to be political props for a president who's sagging in the approval ratings.” … Trump posted this on Truth Social: “I am more confident than ever that in the days ahead and every generation to come, the US Army will heap glory upon glory. You will summon inexhaustible courage. You will protect every inch of US soil - and you will defend America to the ends of the earth!” SAYS THE DRAFT DODGER IN CHIEF! … Sen Jack Reed (D-RI) to Hegseth in a hearing about the defense budget: “You have signed a contract with a company to reconfigure the Qatari aircraft. What is the price of that contract?” Hegseth: “That cannot be revealed in this setting.” Reed: “Why? This is the appropriation committee of the United States Senate. We appropriate the money that you will spend.” … Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) to Hegseth: "You talked about the success of the Houthi operation, how much money did it cost?" Hegseth: "Well..." Moulton: "I'm told it's several hundred million dollars, maybe close to a billion. How many US flagged commercial vessels have transmitted the Red Sea? The answer is zero!" … Protests are scheduled in all 50 states and DC for a full day of ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump’s authoritarianism. Organizer Ezra Levin of Indivisible: “The goal here is to deprive Trump of what he wants in this moment, which is a story about him being the all-powerful political figure of our time, and instead create a contrast with normal, everyday people demonstrating that power in this country still resides with the people.” … Levin expects 1,800 rallies nationwide with millions of participants in every congressional district. … Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) last night: “I’ve just been told that I’ve been uninvited from the White House picnic. Every Democrat and Republican will be invited. I just find this incredibly petty. It really makes me lose a lot of the respect I had for Donald Trump. To say that my family is no longer welcome - it’s kind of sad actually.” … WaPo: “The congressional picnic is a time-honored tradition dating back decades - intended to serve as a symbol of nonpartisan bonhomie between political leaders. The WH typically invites all members of the House and Senate, along with their families, for one of the few times each year that admin officials and representatives of both parties gather to socialize. Paul said he was planning to attend the picnic with his son and daughter-in-law, along with his 6-month-old grandson.” … Another Trump nemesis, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) then revealed he is also being excluded: “Incredibly petty and shortsighted of Trump’s staff to exclude Republicans from the annual WH picnic while inviting Pelosi and every Democrat. I always give my few tickets to my staff and their kids, but apparently this year my tickets have been withheld as well. Low class.” … After some backlash, Trump then caved again today: “Of course Sen Paul and his beautiful wife and family are invited to the BIG WH Party tonight. He’s the toughest vote in the history of the US Senate, but why wouldn’t he be? Besides, it gives me more time to get his Vote on the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill.” … Commerce Sec Howard Nutlick now has a clunky website set up for people to request info to buy a ‘Trump Card’ to get US citizenship for $5 million. He posted what they look like. … Right-wing Judicial Watch, led by Tom Fitton, is not happy with FBI Dir Kash Patel and his deputy Dan Bongino: "These days, conservative insiders are alarmed by mounting signs that Patel and Bongino have been taken hostage by the Deep State consensus and are failing to bring meaningful change to the FBI. Conservatives still wish them well, but time is running out. And the president who promised to 'demolish the Deep State' is watching from the WH. They will not be forgiven for bungling a historic opportunity." … NBC: “Israel is considering taking military action against Iran, most likely without US support, in the coming days, 5 sources said. This comes shortly after a CBS report in which multiple sources stated that Israel has told US officials that it is ‘fully ready to launch an operation into Iran.’ The US on Wed authorized the evacuation of certain personnel in Iraq in anticipation of a potential Israeli strike on Iran. The Pentagon also green-lit the departure of military family members across the Middle East.” … Trump attended a performance of Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center last night, and was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers. Half the performers chose to boycott the performance. Trump was asked what he thought about the boycott: “I don’t care.” … Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) on Fox: “We ought to penalize people who burn the American flag while they are committing a crime. If you do that you ought to have your prison sentence doubled. It's time to get serious with these people. It’s law and order time in America.” … Rep. Thomas Massie: “Burning your own American flag is dumb, but it’s not illegal, nor should it be. No one should want a federal government so powerful that it can lock you up for a year for burning your own stuff. Thankfully our Constitution prohibits Congress from making such stupid laws.” … As Hawley knows very well, the Supreme Court decades ago ruled that burning a flag is a first amendment right. Conservative justice Antonin Scalia: “If it were up to me, I would put in jail every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag. But I am not king.” … Transportation Sec Sean Duffy decided to go with the sockless look today in the Oval Office. But they were upset that Zelensky didn’t wear a tie.