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Category: Politics
January 14, 2025
William Upton
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

FLASHBACK: Dem Senator Who Questioned Hegseth’s Qualifications Engaged in Stolen Valor.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), one of the several Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who baselessly questioned Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth‘s qualifications to run the Pentagon, has long been accused of engaging in stolen valor. The Connecticut Democrat declared at Tuesday’s hearing that Hegseth, tapped by President-elect Donald J. Trump to lead the Department of Defense, is maybe qualified to serve “as the spokesperson for the Pentagon” but not as its chief.

The line of attack, while deployed by multiple Democratic Senators on the panel, was unusual coming from Blumenthal, given the controversies surrounding his own military record. In 2010, while serving as Connecticut’s Attorney General, Blumenthal was exposed for falsely claiming he served in the Vietnam War during his time in the Marine Reserves. However, the Connecticut Demcorat’s military records show no such service. In fact, Blumenthal was safely stationed in Washington, D.C.—nearly 9,000 miles from the conflict.

BLUMENTHAL’S STOLEN VALOR. 

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam, and you exemplify it,” Blumenthal said during an event in 2008. “Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it—Afghanistan or Iraq—we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”

The comments were part of a larger narrative used by Blumenthal as he geared up for a run for the U.S. Senate to politicize the deeply unpopular Iraq and Afghanistan wars, while deceiving voters regarding his own military service. Blumenthal later claimed he misspoke.

Despite the attempt to wave off the allegations, it was revealed in 2010 that Blumenthal had secured at least five deferments from deployment to Vietnam so that he could complete his academic studies at Harvard University and undertake a graduate program in the United Kingdom. Nearly 60,000 U.S. servicemembers died in the conflict in Southeast Asia.

TRUMP & THE RUSSIA HOAX.

The allegations of stolen valor boiled to the surface again in 2017 during the midst of the Democratic Party’s Russia hoax against then-President Trump. The latter slammed Blumenthal’s false service claims. The Connecticut Democrat served as a key instigator of the fraudulent Russia collusion allegations against Trump.

“Never in U.S. history has anyone lied or defrauded voters like Senator Richard Blumenthal,” Trump wrote in a post on X (then Twitter) in August 2017. The President continued: “He told stories about his Vietnam battles and conquests, how brave he was, and it was all a lie. He cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness like a child. Now he judges collusion?”

Later, Trump added: “I think Senator Blumenthal should take a nice long vacation in Vietnam, where he lied about his service, so he can at least say he was there.”

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Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), one of the several Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who baselessly questioned Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's qualifications to run the Pentagon, has long been accused of engaging in stolen valor. The Connecticut Democrat declared at Tuesday's hearing that Hegseth, tapped by President-elect Donald J. Trump to lead the Department of Defense, is maybe qualified to serve "as the spokesperson for the Pentagon" but not as its chief. show more
January 14, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

Michelle Obama Will Not Attend Trump Inauguration, But Barack Will.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on January 20, although her husband, former President Barack Obama, will. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement on Tuesday, January 14, noting that Michelle Obama would be absent from the inauguration ceremony but did not provide any details as to why.

Michelle Obama was also missing from the state funeral held for former President Jimmy Carter last week. At the funeral, Barack Obama was seated next to President-elect Trump and his wife Melania.

After President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race last year following a catastrophic debate, some briefly considered Michelle Obama to replace him. However, both Obamas later endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democrat nominee, despite sources claiming that both held a very low opinion of the Vice President, regarding her as incompetent.

President-elect Trump’s inauguration will be attended by all living U.S. presidents, including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Several world leaders are also expected to attend the event, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, and others.

China’s President Xi Jinping was reportedly invited to the inauguration but declined. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was also reportedly invited, but Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has seized his passport and may refuse to allow him to attend.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend President-elect Donald J. Trump's inauguration on January 20, although her husband, former President Barack Obama, will. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement on Tuesday, January 14, noting that Michelle Obama would be absent from the inauguration ceremony but did not provide any details as to why. show more
January 14, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
TRUMP TRANSITION 2024/5

National Sheriffs’ Association Calls on Senate to Expedite Tulsi Gabbard Confirmation.

The National Sheriffs’ Association has called on the U.S. Senate to quickly confirm former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) after giving her their full endorsement. National Sheriffs’ Association President Kieran Donahue wrote a letter to Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) calling for the Senate to expedite the confirmation of Gabbard.

“Ms. Gabbard has demonstrated a commitment to addressing the critical disconnect between our intelligence agencies and local law enforcement in preparing for sophisticated and pervasive threats,” the Idaho sheriff wrote.

Donahue also noted that cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies was crucial in the aftermath of the New Year’s terrorist attack in New Orleans, where an Islamist radical killed 14 people. “These events, like the attacks of 9/11, underscore the urgent need for local law enforcement to have a seat at the table during strategic planning discussions. Ms. Gabbard has pledged to make this a priority,” he said.

President-elect Donald J. Trump named Gabbard for the position of Director of National Intelligence shortly after his November election victory, praising her political record. Gabbard, noted for her critiques of “forever war” foreign policy, has detractors among neocons like John Bolton.

Bolton briefly served as Trump’s security adviser during his first term before he was fired. He questioned Gabbard’s judgment, claiming she has “an inclination to believe the most outrageous propaganda against the United States by some of its strongest enemies.” The criticism was quickly dismissed by Trump transition spokesman Alexa Henning, who noted that Bolton had no credibility after writing in warmongering former Vice President Dick Cheney for the presidency.

Gabbard’s Senate hearing has not been officially scheduled but is expected to occur sometime next week.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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The National Sheriffs' Association has called on the U.S. Senate to quickly confirm former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) after giving her their full endorsement. National Sheriffs' Association President Kieran Donahue wrote a letter to Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) calling for the Senate to expedite the confirmation of Gabbard. show more
January 14, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Media
Politics

Anti-Trump Globalist Jennifer Rubin Quits Washington Post, Blames Bezos for Helping Trump.

Anti-Trump globalist Jennifer Rubin has quit her position at The Washington Post, blaming its owner, tech billionaire Jeff Bezos, for allegedly helping President-elect Donald J. Trump win the 2024 election. Rubin released a statement on Monday, January 13, stating, “Jeff Bezos and his cronies accommodate and enable the most acute threat to American democracy – Donald Trump – at a time when a vibrant free press is more essential than ever to our democracy’s survival and capacity to thrive.”

WaPo refused to endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris during the presidential race, the first time the paper had not made a presidential endorsement in 36 years. The move reportedly cost the paper as many as 250,000 subscribers.

Rubin herself is fanatically anti-Trump and participated in a weekly anti-Trump strategy call last year before the election. She was joined in the weekly Zoom calls by other notable anti-Trump fanatics, such as neocon Bill Kristol, cable news analyst and private parts exposer Jeffrey Toobin, and pervert-linked Lincoln Project co-founder George Conway.

According to Rubin, Conway will join her in her new media venture, The Contrarian, along with Laurence Tribe, who also participated in the weekly calls.

Norm Eisen, an attorney linked to the States United Democracy Center, a far-left non-profit lawfare group, is co-founding the outlet with Rubin. Eisen hosted the weekly anti-Trump calls and participated in much of the lawfare against Trump.

Rubin’s departure from WaPo comes just months after another anti-Trump liberal, Taylor Lorenz, departed after calling President Joe Biden a “war criminal” while attending a speech at the White House.

The Bezos-owned outlet appears to be struggling. Significant layoffs were announced earlier this month, particularly affecting the newspaper business division. Several other high-profile journalists, including Josh Dawsey, Michael Scherer, and others, have already left the paper.

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Anti-Trump globalist Jennifer Rubin has quit her position at The Washington Post, blaming its owner, tech billionaire Jeff Bezos, for allegedly helping President-elect Donald J. Trump win the 2024 election. Rubin released a statement on Monday, January 13, stating, "Jeff Bezos and his cronies accommodate and enable the most acute threat to American democracy - Donald Trump - at a time when a vibrant free press is more essential than ever to our democracy's survival and capacity to thrive." show more
January 14, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Media
Politics

Even the BBC Says Biden Has ‘Tarnished’ His Own Legacy.

The BBC has offered a scathing analysis of Joe Biden’s presidency, with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher dissecting and largely condemning his lone term in office. Focusing on the outgoing president’s eulogy to the late President Jimmy Carter at Washington’s National Cathedral for Jimmy Carter, Zurcher noted it was “hard not to draw other parallels” between the incumbent and his unpopular one-term predecessor.

Zurcher bluntly states, “Each spectating president had achieved the validation of the American people (re-election to a second term) that has eluded Biden.” Of Biden’s hopes that history “records that I [governed] with honesty and integrity; that I said what was on my mind,” Zurcher expresses skepticism, noting the 82-year-old’s dismal 39 percent approval rating.

According to Zurcher, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s looming return to the White House next week marks “a dour end to a presidency,” at least from the Democratic Party’s point of view.

Zurcher predicts Biden’s tenure will be remembered merely as “the Democratic interregnum between the two Trump presidential terms. A blip, rather than a pivot.” He quotes Democratic strategist Susan Estrich’s damning assessment: “He’d like his legacy to be that he rescued us from Trump… But sadly, for him, his legacy is Trump again. He is the bridge from Trump One to Trump Two.”

DRIFT AND DECLINE.

While the BBC has historically downplayed the Biden-Harris government’s failures, Zurcher does not shy away from them in writing its obituary, highlighting the chaotic Afghanistan exit and a miscalculated response to inflation.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen‘s claim that inflation was “transitory” and Biden’s claim it was “temporary” now appear naive at best and dishonest at worst. Public gloom over the economy persisted throughout Biden’s term, which is a testament to his inability to manage perception or deliver tangible benefits swiftly enough for the average American.

Zurcher also highlights Biden’s personal shortcomings, such as special counsel Robert Hur’s assessment of him as “an elderly man with a poor memory” when he was investigated for mishandling classified documents. Zurcher portrays Biden’s later presidency as “less focused,” leaning into an increasingly widespread narrative of the octogenarian sinking into drift and decline as his presidency wore on.

Biden’s decision to seek re-election is where Zurcher becomes most critical. Biden’s campaign, marked by a disastrous debate against Trump and a belated, reluctant withdrawal under pressure from party heavyweights such as Nancy Pelosi, is presented as the final nail in the coffin of his legacy.

Zurcher portrays this not just as a political misstep but a mark of personal hubris, tarnishing what could have been a somewhat more dignified exit.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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The BBC has offered a scathing analysis of Joe Biden's presidency, with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher dissecting and largely condemning his lone term in office. Focusing on the outgoing president's eulogy to the late President Jimmy Carter at Washington's National Cathedral for Jimmy Carter, Zurcher noted it was "hard not to draw other parallels" between the incumbent and his unpopular one-term predecessor. show more
January 13, 2025
Wake Up Right
News
Politics

The California Blame Game.

California officials are pointing fingers at each other as public scrutiny grows over mismanagement in the Golden State that enabled the widespread death and destruction from ongoing wildfires.

First, an update: The latest count has 24 confirmed dead, but many more are still unaccounted for. More than 12,000 homes and other structures have been destroyed. And over 100,000 residents are still under evacuation orders. The state’s largest and most devastating fire in the Pacific Palisades is only 11 percent contained.

In the crosshairs: California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have both been rightly blamed for being caught unprepared for wildfires in a state that experiences natural disasters every year.

  • Bass has been criticized for cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) budget by roughly $18 million last year.
  • Newsom has been criticized for allowing the state’s water systems to run dry, leaving hydrants empty when firefighters tried to contain the blaze.

Fire Chief blames Bass: LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley wrote a memo to Bass last month, informing her that the aforementioned cut she made to the department’s budget “severely limited the department’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires.”

  • Bass responded defensively, saying: “[T]here were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation.”
  • Chief Crowley shot back in a separate interview, saying: “Yes, it was cut, and it did impact our ability to provide service.”
  • Crowley added: “[W]hen a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water. We don’t control the water supply. Our firefighters are there to protect lives and property and to make sure that we’re properly trained and equipped.”

What about Newsom? A report late last week revealed that Newsom slashed $101 million in funding for wildfire prevention programs in the state’s 2025 fiscal budget.

  • Newsom took to X to call this report “A ridiculous lie,” but his rebuttal was quickly hit with a Community Note correcting his rebuttal.

Zoom out: While cutting the budget for fire prevention, Newsom allocated an additional $2.6 billion in funding for illegal aliens.

Trump weighs in: On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social to write:

“The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out. Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place. This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?”

The last word goes to Fire Chief Crowley, who was asked if California leaders failed her, to which she responded: “Yes.”

Be sure to subscribe to the Wake Up Right newsletter! 

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California officials are pointing fingers at each other as public scrutiny grows over mismanagement in the Golden State that enabled the widespread death and destruction from ongoing wildfires. show more
January 13, 2025
William Upton
Data
Politics

Almost 50% of Federal Govt Bureaucrats Say They’ll ‘Resist’ Trump Admin.

Almost half of career federal government bureaucrats say they plan to resist directives from President-elect Donald J. Trump‘s incoming administration. The scale of planned interference by unelected federal government employees against the actions of a duly elected President underscores the urgent need for reforms like the Schedule F employment designation and the swift confirmation of Trump’s cabinet nominees.

Polling conducted by RMG Research found that 42 percent of federal government workers intend to actively undermine President-elect Trump’s agenda. Overall, the data found that the political elite—who overwhelmingly backed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election—have the most faith in the federal government and tend to support bureaucratic resistance to Trump. RMG Research defines the political elite as individuals who earn over $150,000 a year, live in major metropolitan areas, and have advanced degrees.

Among government workers, support for the Trump administration primarily reflects the individual’s partisan preferences. A concerning 73 percent of those who identify as Democrats say they plan to resist the Trump administration. Meanwhile, 89 percent of those who identify as Republicans—a small minority in the federal government—say they plan to support Trump’s agenda.

Trump has long pushed for using the Schedule F employment designation to remove or reassign career federal workers who choose to undermine his policies.

Notably, those designated as Main Street Americans by RMG Research largely oppose the unelected federal bureaucracy’s intention to disrupt the incoming Trump administration. Additionally, the same segment—representing about 70 to 75 percent of Americans—also has lower trust in government. According to the survey, Main Street Americans support Trump’s agenda by 59 percent, with just 28 percent supporting resistance against it. Only 48 percent of the so-called political elite support Trump’s plans, while 39 percent support resistance against Trump.

Image by Ted Eytan.

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Almost half of career federal government bureaucrats say they plan to resist directives from President-elect Donald J. Trump's incoming administration. The scale of planned interference by unelected federal government employees against the actions of a duly elected President underscores the urgent need for reforms like the Schedule F employment designation and the swift confirmation of Trump's cabinet nominees. show more
January 13, 2025
Politics

Trump Lauds Fetterman as ‘Fascinating’ After Mar-a-Lago Meeting.

President-elect Donald J. Trump is praising Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) after the two met at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. Fetterman, accompanied by his wife Gisele, became the first and—so far—only Democratic Senator to meet with the President-elect.

“It was a totally fascinating meeting. He’s a fascinating man, and his wife is lovely. They were both up, and I couldn’t be more impressed,” Trump said after the weekend meeting with the Pennsylvania Democrat. The President-elect continued: “He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful.”

According to Trump, they discussed a range of topics, including the ongoing Israeli war against the Hamas terrorist group and the Japanese-owned Nippon Steel’s attempted takeover of U.S. Steel. Additionally, Trump and Fetterman discussed the need to ramp up border security to prevent the flood of illegal immigrants into the country, and the President-elect’s aim to acquire Greenland as a U.S. territory.

In a statement responding to Democratic Party pushback against his decision to meet with Trump, Sen. Fetterman emphasized that he does not only represent one political party as a federal lawmaker. “President Trump invited me to meet, and I accepted. I’m the senator for all Pennsylvanians—not just Democrats in Pennsylvania,” Fetterman said, adding: “I’ve been clear that no one is my gatekeeper. I will meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps me deliver for Pennsylvania and the nation.”

Fetterman, a progressive and quasi-populist figure who gained attention after winning the 2022 Democratic primary against Conor Lamb, has distinguished himself among Democrats in Congress. At times, he has diverged from the progressive wing of his party on topics like immigration and Israel.

Following Trump’s landslide 2024 presidential election victory, Fetterman warned the corporate media to “chill out” about covering the President-elect. He said, “I’m not rooting against him,” adding that opposition to the president implies opposition to the nation.

Fetterman emphasizes a belief in “Country first.”

Image by Tom Wolf.

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President-elect Donald J. Trump is praising Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) after the two met at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. Fetterman, accompanied by his wife Gisele, became the first and—so far—only Democratic Senator to meet with the President-elect. show more
January 12, 2025
Election 2024
News
Politics

Elon Musk’s $1M Election Giveaway Went to a Campaign Worker.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, tech billionaire Elon Musk offered a $1 million prize for those who signed an online petition. The winner, however, appears to be a Michigan man who actually worked on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s campaign.

The prize was awarded to Tyler VanAkin from Reading, Michigan. Musk funded the contest through America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC, and it was designed to distribute daily cash rewards of up to $1 million to voters in swing states. Participants needed to sign an online petition in support of free speech and gun rights.

Initially thought to be random, the selection process came under legal scrutiny when it was revealed it was not a ‘lottery.’ Philadelphia County District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit against Musk and America PAC, describing the initiative as an illegal lottery. Judge Angelo Foglietta, however, allowed the contest to proceed in Pennsylvania, ruling that the giveaway did not fulfill the legal criteria of a lottery since winners were not chosen at random.

Testimony from the PAC’s treasurer revealed that winners were chosen through a multi-step selection process. Musk’s attorneys explained that winners were assessed based on their “suitability” to serve as spokesmen for the PAC, as opposed to being lucky lottery winners.

The last winner, VanAkin, is linked to the Trump campaign. Financial records indicate he received significant payments for his role in preparing Trump’s campaign events. He was paid over $14,200 for his work as a consultant and more than $16,300 for travel reimbursements.

VanAkin also attended campaign events, including Trump’s election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida. America PAC’s year-end filing lists VanAkin’s $1 million payment on November 12, 2024, as compensation for being a “spokesperson consultant.”

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During the 2024 presidential campaign, tech billionaire Elon Musk offered a $1 million prize for those who signed an online petition. The winner, however, appears to be a Michigan man who actually worked on President-elect Donald J. Trump's campaign. show more
January 11, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Politics

Tim Walz (Yeh, That Guy) Backs ‘Dynamic’ David Hogg for Top DNC Job.

Failed vice presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) has endorsed anti-gun rights activist David Hogg for Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair. Hogg, who was present at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, said in August, “I am obsessed [with] and I love Governor Tim Walz.”

“David Hogg represents exactly the kind of bold, dynamic, and courageous leadership our party needs right now. He has a unique ability to connect with the American people and to speak to the strengths of our party,” claimed Walz, 60, in his endorsement of Hogg, now 24. Walz added he “couldn’t be happier to support [Hogg] for DNC Vice Chair.”

Like Hogg, who had branded the National Rifle Association (NRA) “child murderers,” Walz has often lobbied against Americans’ gun rights despite touting himself as a moderate gun owner on the campaign trail. Controversially, he said in 2018 that “weapons of war, that I carried in war” should not be in public hands.

A former National Guardsman, Walz’s claim to have carried weapons “in war” became a point of contention during the 2024 election race. He never served in a combat zone—and former comrades accuse him of having “deserted” his unit shortly before it was due to deploy to Iraq so he could further his political career.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Failed vice presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) has endorsed anti-gun rights activist David Hogg for Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair. Hogg, who was present at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, said in August, "I am obsessed [with] and I love Governor Tim Walz." show more