Trump Has No One To Blame But Himself For This News

Not a good week for his regime

Scott Dworkin Aug 2

Happy Saturday! I’m glad to have more great news for you today, especially with all of Trump’s madness. I hope this brings you some relief—even if just for a moment.

Our fearless journalism, relentless advocacy, and unmatched social media organizing are powered by our readers. And right now, we need all hands on deck! So please, help us take on Trump by becoming a paid subscriber:

Today, hundreds of protests are being held in nearly all 50 states, most of them “Rage Against the Regime” events. If you can’t attend, please be sure to amplify them online.

This week, in Ohio, JD Vance was “welcomed back” to his home state by protesters who lined the streets. Many waved signs attacking Vance for shielding Trump from the Epstein scandal. Good.

FOX PROTESTS:

Yesterday, I reported on how folks in NYC are holding a weekly protest outside of Fox “News” HQ. On top of that, there are also protests happening outside of Fox “News” in DC every Friday at 4pm. They offer free pizza afterwards, but make it clear there is no pizza for nazis.

THANK YOU:

AOC’s team of volunteers pulled together 3,000 backpacks full of supplies, to donate to kids in New York City. AOC said “it wasn’t just donations, but also your TIME, EFFORT, and PRESENCE that made this happen.”

CENSORING HISTORY SO TRUMP'S IDDY BITTY FEELINGS WON'T BE HURT BY THE TRUTH:

The Smithsonian removed a label from their impeachment exhibit that pointed out the fact Trump was impeached twice. After being called out for it, they clarified—claiming the display is being updated, and that Trump will be included. We’ll be following up on this.

Journalist Jonathan Capehart left The Washington Post after more than 18 years there. One reason for his departure, was pressure from management to be optimistic about the Trump regime.

Capehart asked: “How can we communicate with optimism about the future in general when we’re living in the here-and-now where American democracy is in peril?”

Trump was caught completely off guard by the abysmal job numbers yesterday. It turned out to be the worst three months of job growth since the pandemic.

So of course, Trump ordered the firing of Erika McEntarfer—the Commissioner of Labor Statistics—even though she had nothing to do with the numbers. Trump’s horrific policies are completely to blame.

As Pete Buttigieg put it: “Trump’s first term brought a manufacturing recession. Now his reckless tariffs are making Americans worse off, again.” Absolutely.

The family of Epstein victim and former Trump employee Virginia Giuffre is speaking out, demanding the Trump regime release the Epstein files. “It’s time for these monsters to be exposed,” Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts said. It sure is.

Giuffre’s family also responded with a scathing rebuke to the news that Epstein-accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security prison: “The American public should be enraged by the preferential treatment.”

It was revealed yesterday 1,000 FBI agents worked nonstop to redact Trump’s name from 100,000 Epstein-related documents. More proof of a massive cover-up.

I’ve been covering the Epstein scandal since 2016, so there’s no way I’m going to let them bury it now. I’ve called out Trump’s lies and exposed his corruption—all while mobilizing one of the largest social media followings in all of politics.

Everything I do is powered by our subscribers. So if you want to help fuel fearless journalism and relentless advocacy—and you’re tired of corporate media obeying in advance—I hope you’ll support our movement by becoming a paid subscriber today:

Thanks for everything you do!

Onward!

Scott

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Are you protesting today, or amplifying events online?

For all contact Congress links, or to volunteer, you can go here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-the-watchdog-coalition

Links to everything we are doing: https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/how-were-fighting-trump

Tell Congress to support a new law to require ICE to unmask and display clear identification: https://tinyurl.com/bp8cau82

Tell Congress: Reverse Trump’s NOAA cuts and save the National Weather Service: https://tinyurl.com/bdbur8df

Tell Congress: Fully investigate the Jeffrey Epstein trafficking case: https://tinyurl.com/4pfh2p4f

Find the “Rage Against The Regime” event near you here: https://www.rageagainsttheregime.org/

COMMENTS: 

Now is our moment—today take action against this harmful government. They are:

• Covering up a pedophile ring.

• Ignoring court orders.

• Spreading corruption.

The poor, the needy, and children are being abused—by our government. Healthcare, already a broken system, was canceled for 13 million. Take to the streets!

We must protest outright crooks and the pedophiles. They will start shooting us. Untrained ICE agents will shoot us. Protest until we go down or we oust these tyrants.

I made 54 protest signs to aid protest groups. I will make many more to share. You will see something different in these signs! Help yourself to this second batch, and share them as far as you can.

https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/more-free-protest-signs?r=3m1bs

Craig Unger wrote about MAXWELL, his publishing empire & intelligence connections which make one wonder about the entirety of his wealth.. 

It's never really been questioned that I'm aware of, but did GHISLAINE build on Dad's established business? 

She was living in New Hampshire, had a husband when she was arrested.  

It seems that there are missing pieces.

August Showdowns: Voting rights and authoritarian overreach

 

August 2, 2025

Congress may be in recess, but it's a busy month on the docket for democracy. The GOP’s anti-voting machine isn’t slowing down and key cases in the fight against President Donald Trump’s authoritarian agenda will take center stage.   Here’s what you can expect this month.   — Ashley Cleaves, Legal Content Editor

This premium newsletter will keep you in the loop on what to expect next month, the top cases to look out for and other legal tidbits you won’t find anywhere else. Become a member to receive every edition.

MLB returned to Georgia, voter suppression never left The MLB All Star Game returned to Georgia last month after the league moved the game in response to pressure from voting advocates after the passage of Georgia’s sweeping voter suppression bill a few years ago. But much of the law still stands, and Republicans are seeking to revive two more provisions in the 11th Circuit this month. Georgia Republicans also want to appoint two election conspiracists to Fulton County’s election board. The board oversees elections in the state’s largest county. Their efforts have been repeatedly thwarted by local officials, but a state court will hear a GOP lawsuit on the issue this month.   Arizona Republicans in disarray There are two hearings scheduled in an ongoing dispute between Republican officials over election duties in Arizona’s most populous county. The rancor between officials could undermine the county’s preparedness for the 2026 elections. While Republicans clash in Maricopa, the Arizona Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an anti-voting challenge seeking to limit the documents election workers can use to verify a voter’s signature.  It’s Trump vs. everybody While some troops have been withdrawn from Los Angeles, the fight is not over. Later this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will be back in court to face Trump in a trial over the deployment of National Guard troops in the state.  A key hearing is also scheduled in Trump’s sweeping lawsuit against all of Maryland’s federal judges. Trump wants the judges to ignore due process in support of his deportations. Unlike some major institutions, the judges refuse to bend the knee. They’ll take their chances in court.  Federal courts will also hear several cases concerning the administration’s requests to uphold Trump’s birthright citizenship order, dismantle the Department of Education and greenlight efforts to terminate thousands of federal workers.

Here’s a full rundown of court activities this month    August 1:  The 1st Circuit will hear arguments in the government’s appeal of a nationwide order blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order.  A Georgia state court will hear a lawsuit challenging Fulton County’s refusal to seat two election conspiracists on its elections board.  August 8:  A hearing is scheduled in a pro-voting lawsuit challenging a South Dakota law that makes the signature collection process for ballot initiatives more difficult. A federal court will hear a request to release federal funding for the National Endowment for Democracy.  August 11:  Trial begins in Newsom’s challenge to Trump’s deployment of the military in Los Angeles.  A state court will hear a Republican dispute over election duties in Maricopa County.  August 13:  The 11th Circuit will hear arguments in an appeal over Georgia SB 202’s linewarming ban and birthdate requirement provision.  A federal court will hear the government’s request to stop federal judges from blocking deportations.  August 15:  A federal court will hear a lawsuit seeking to block the dismantling of the Department of Education through mass layoffs and cancellation of grants. A state court will conduct another hearing in a Republican dispute over election duties in Maricopa county.  August 18: The 9th Circuit will hear arguments in the government’s appeal of an order blocking the federal government from conducting mass layoffs.  August 19: The Arizona Court of Appeals will hear arguments in an anti-voting lawsuit challenging the state’s rules for signature verification.

Want to stay ahead of the curve and know what’s happening in court each month? Upgrade now to always get exclusive content like this delivered to your inbox.

TRY PREMIUM TODAY

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Pressley’s message from Mexico

 

Pressley’s message from Mexico

By KELLY GARRITY 

 

08/01/2025 07:25 AM EDT

TRAVEL LOG — When Rep. Ayanna Pressley left for Mexico earlier this week, tariffs were top of mind.

Pressley and a handful of her congressional colleagues – Jesús “Chuy” García, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Maxwell Frost, Jonathan Jackson, Summer Lee and Delia Ramirez — had planned the trip (known as a CODEL) to line up with the latest tariff deadline.

Then there was another delay. As Pressley met with members of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration, Sheinbaum’s cabinet secretaries had to keep stepping away to deal with unfolding tariff negotiations. Before the delegation left last night, President Donald Trump had announced that the higher tariffs set to take effect today would be delayed another 90 days to allow for more in-depth talks.

The situation underscored one of the recurring themes of their meetings, Pressley told Playbook: the “uncertainty and the chaos,” and the nagging question about how “to develop some sort of response when it is changing constantly.”

Since losing power in Washington (particularly as Trump’s tariff plan started to kick in), Democrats have looked to shore up their own international ties. In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey invited Canadian premiers and New England governors to Boston earlier this year to do just that. Pressley’s trip — her first such one abroad since joining Congress in 2019 – was motivated in part by what she described as “the absence of leadership under the hostile Trump administration.”

“Our destinies really are tied,” Pressley said — whether it’s migration, gun violence or the impact of tariffs on members of the electrical workers’ union she met with.

In addition to meeting with Mexican officials during the three-day trip, Pressley and the group of progressive lawmakers she traveled with heard from organizations combating gun violence and arms trafficking in the region. And they spoke with migrants who had been deported or fled the U.S. amid the White House’s tightened immigration restrictions — an opportunity to “put a human face to all these issues,” Pressley said.

Expect some of those experiences to come into play during Congress’s summer recess and beyond. Pressley said she’s already been talking with other members about oversight initiatives they can push for when they reconvene this fall.

“In order for Democrats to regain the gavel, we have to make it very clear to [voters] that the harm that they're already experiencing, the harm that they might bear witness to, that their neighbor is experiencing, who is the architects of that harm?” Pressley said.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF!

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the Fiestas Patronales de Holyoke 2025 at 7 p.m. in Holyoke.

THIS WEEKEND — Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Governor’s Councilor Mara Dolan is on NBC 10 Boston Weekend Today at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com. 

Playbook, the unofficial guide to official Washington, isn’t just a newsletter — it’s a podcast, too. With new co-hosts who bring unmatched Trump world reporting and analysis, The Playbook Podcast dives deeper into the power plays shaping Washington. Get the insider edge—start listening now.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— Bar advocates stand firm against Massachusetts bill that boosts pay by $20 per hour by Flint McColgan, Boston Herald: “Bar advocates don’t like the hourly pay rate proposed by the Massachusetts legislature, according to one of the leaders of the work stoppage, who said the ‘slap in the face’ offer has only ‘strengthened our resolve.’ The proposal to raise wages by $20 per hour over two years was passed Thursday afternoon by both the House and Senate. The legislation was contained in a larger bill, a supplemental budget, that the House passed by a vote of 150-6. The Senate passed it with a voice vote. Gov. Maura Healey has 10 days to sign the bill.”

BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG PAY WALL

RELATED — Judge orders $100 pay for select indigent defense counsel as Beacon Hill passes raise by Aaron Curtis, The Lowell Sun: “One day before Beacon Hill lawmakers passed legislation to raise pay for bar advocates — prompting disappointment from attorneys who called it a ‘slap in the face’ — a judge authorized $100 per hour compensation for indigent defense counsel in three cases, writing that the defendants’ continued detention without counsel was an 'egregious violation' of their constitutional rights.”

PAY WALL

— Mass. Democrats reach deal on bill that strengthens transgender, reproductive health care protections by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Beacon Hill Democrats said they reached a deal on legislation that aims to shore up transgender and reproductive health care laws in the state in the face of alleged threats from President Donald Trump’s administration. The proposal updates a 2022 law that provided more protections for reproductive and transgender care in part by targeting technology service providers and state regulators who handle patient data and requiring hospitals to treat patients dealing with abortion-related emergencies.”

BOSTON HERALD PROPAGANDA RAG PAY WALL

****POSTED BY RON FILIPKOWSKI: 

… Daily Mail: “Canada is quietly siphoning off America's most essential workers - and experts warn it could deal a catastrophic blow to an already crumbling US healthcare system. Canada is aggressively poaching doctors, nurses and health professionals, offering simpler systems, universal care and a political climate many in the liberal-leaning field may prefer to life under Trump. The exodus is accelerating at a stunning pace. Between Nov 2024-April 2025, the Medical Council of Canada saw a staggering

718% surge in US medical graduates registering to get licensed across the border.”

… “CanAm Physician Recruiting, a firm specializing in cross-border placements, reported a 65% jump in US doctors exploring jobs in Canada just this year. The Nova Scotia-based company now receives up to 15 serious inquiries each day from medical professionals keen to leave America. At the heart of the trend is a Canadian campaign that some critics say amounts to a full-scale raid on America's struggling healthcare system.”

BRAIN DRAIN: RESEARCHERS & SCIENTISTS are also flocking to other nations...see PAUL KRUGMAN's COMMENTS...TRUMP is destroying what can't be re-built.

— Healey unveils $400 million plan to bolster research under fire from Trump by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “In her latest effort to backfill the Trump administration’s cuts to federal funding, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on Thursday introduced legislation that would inject $400 million into research and development projects, including funds to sustain positions at colleges and universities imperiled by federal actions. The proposal would utilize revenue from the so-called ‘millionaires tax’ as well as interest accrued by the state’s rainy day fund to bolster an embattled industry under scrutiny from the Trump administration.”

ON THE STUMP

GEARING UP — Republicans have their sights set on the governor’s office next year, but candidates for Congress and the state Legislature are also starting to stir.

A few made their pitch at a Republican State Committee meeting in Canton last night. Two GOP candidates — Dan Sullivan and Mattapoisett Select Board member Tyler Macallister — are eyeing Rep. Bill Keating’s 9th District seat. And Manny Silva is planning to run for the First Bristol and Plymouth state Senate seat held by Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues. Also in attendance: Gubernatorial hopeful Mike Kennealy.

MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— ICE stops sending detainees out of Mass. airport, starts flights out of N.H. by Todd Wallack, WBUR: “Federal immigration authorities are no longer using Hanscom Field in Bedford to transport people facing immigration violations. Previously, after people in Massachusetts were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal authorities, the agency often flew them from Hanscom to detention centers, mostly in southern states. An ICE spokesman confirmed it moved the flights from Hanscom to an airport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, this month.”

excerpt: 

ICE didn’t provide a reason for the shift, but it comes after the flights have received scrutiny.

WBUR reported in June that the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office, which operates the only jail in Massachusetts to hold people for ICE, transported nearly 600 people to Hanscom between December 2024 and May of this year.

Most of the transports took place after President Trump was sworn into office. The agency said those figures would not include any additional detainees transported directly by ICE or its contractors.

Several members of the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission, which represents local communities around the airport, expressed concern about the flights at a meeting last month, after the WBUR report. Protesters have held small demonstrations against ICE and a company reportedly used to refuel aircraft there.

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

THE NEW BEDFORD LIGHT ALWAYS DOES DETAILED & THOROUGH 

ARTICLES WORTH READING!

— A recent surge of candidates awakens ‘sleepy’ City Council races by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light: “With three weeks remaining before the deadline to submit nomination papers, a surge of potential candidates have indicated their interest in running for office in this year’s municipal elections. Twelve candidates pulled nomination papers for several local races within the last week — including six for an open at-large seat (which Linda Morad will vacate) and three more challenging Derek Baptiste in Ward 4. Until this recent wave of interest, many of the City Council seats were headed for noncompetitive contests, meaning incumbents were not facing a single challenger.”

excerpt:

Concerns about New Bedford’s tight election timeline will now resurface, as the Whaling City this year became the only city in Massachusetts with one month or less between the preliminary and general elections. Until this week, there was not enough interest to hold any preliminary; the recent surge of candidates now means preliminaries will likely be held. 

DAY IN COURT

DEMOCRACY DOCKET HAS DONE A GREAT DEAL OF REPORTING ON GOP EFFORTS TO DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS OR SUPPRESS VOTING - DEMOCRACY DOCKET IS AVAILABLE ON YOU TUBE AS WELL AS A NEWSLETTER

GEORGIA IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING VOTER PURGES, AS ARE OTHER STATES....JOHN LEWIS RISKED HIS LIFE FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE....REPUBLICANS ARE STILL ATTACKING VOTING RIGHTS....  

— Trump administration's DOJ seeks state voter records by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Massachusetts has become the latest state targeted by the Trump administration while it investigates state election policies as part of broader efforts to prevent voter fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to Secretary Of State Bill Galvin last week requesting a list of the state’s registered voters and other information for the agency’s Office of Civil Right’s probe of state election policies.”

PAY WALL

— Judge tosses trash company's latest lawsuit over strike by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: “A Boston federal judge again denied a trash collection company's request for a restraining order against the local Teamsters union that's been on strike for a month. Meanwhile, in a separate lawsuit, cities and towns lost their bid to force the company to pick up residents' garbage. Republic Services, which provides trash service to 400,000 customers in Massachusetts, had filed suit against Teamsters Local 25, alleging the union has taken part in unlawful strike activity and prohibited the company from doing business by blocking trucks and harassing replacement workers.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— Mass. environmentalists condemn EPA move to undo landmark climate regulation by Vivian La, WBUR: “Massachusetts environmental lawyers and advocates warned this week that a regulatory change proposed by the Trump administration will make it more difficult for the government to rein in climate change.”

— Boston struggles to find takers for green roof grants by Tavishi Chattopadhyay and David Abel, CommonWeath Beacon.

FROM THE 413

— Hadley officials plan $2.5M in override votes to cover insurance, fire needs by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Widespread layoffs are possible in Hadley should voters reject a $2.25 million Proposition 2½ tax-cap override that will be presented in late summer or early fall.”

— Springfield Marches into Court to Join the Legal Fight against Trump by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: “Next week, the City of Springfield will do what countless entities have done since January 20—it will march into federal court to confront Donald Trump and his administration. In particular, the city is suing the Environmental Protection Agency and its administrator as one of several municipalities and groups contesting the termination of several environmental grants the EPA had issued during Joe Biden’s presidency.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

****POSTED BY RON FILIPKOWSKI: 

… Daily Mail: “Canada is quietly siphoning off America's most essential workers - and experts warn it could deal a catastrophic blow to an already crumbling US healthcare system. Canada is aggressively poaching doctors, nurses and health professionals, offering simpler systems, universal care and a political climate many in the liberal-leaning field may prefer to life under Trump. The exodus is accelerating at a stunning pace. Between Nov 2024-April 2025, the Medical Council of Canada saw a staggering

718% surge in US medical graduates registering to get licensed across the border.”

… “CanAm Physician Recruiting, a firm specializing in cross-border placements, reported a 65% jump in US doctors exploring jobs in Canada just this year. The Nova Scotia-based company now receives up to 15 serious inquiries each day from medical professionals keen to leave America. At the heart of the trend is a Canadian campaign that some critics say amounts to a full-scale raid on America's struggling healthcare system.”

BRAIN DRAIN: RESEARCHERS & SCIENTISTS are also flocking to other nations...see PAUL KRUGMAN's COMMENTS...TRUMP is destroying what can't be re-built.

— Report: Federal funding cuts could cost Mass. $16 billion by Zeninjor Enwemeka, WBUR: “Proposed federal cuts to research and development would cause the state to lose thousands of jobs and millions in revenue, according to a new report released Thursday by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute. Federal funding for research and development supports 81,300 jobs and more than $16 billion in total economic activity in Massachusetts, the report found. This funding goes to hospitals, colleges, pharmaceutical firms, research facilities and private and nonprofit organizations.”

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Jehuda Reinharz, Nora Bergman and Asher Perez.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Gigi Kellett, Keyser Public Strategies’ Eileen O’Connor, and Caitlin Teeley, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers to Joe McCarthy, Andrea Battle, WBZ NewsRadio’s Nichole Davis and former Patriots/Bucs QB Tom Brady, who is 48.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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Follow us on Twitter Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3

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