Archives

Nashville school shooting updates: Six killed, including three children

A search of the Nashville school shooting suspect’s residence Monday turned up more firepower, police said in an evening statement. Officers armed with a search warrant scoured the residence on Brightwood Avenue in Belmont-Hillsboro, a neighborhood of seven-figure, early 20th-century homes, blocking off residential streets and using explosive devices to gain entry. Nashville police said […]

Charlie Pierce: The Party that Says It’s Protecting Kids Pushes to Bring Back Child Labor

During one of the 2012 presidential debates, when Barack Obama and Mitt Romney engaged in a spirited debate about tariffs, I remember being struck by the fact that they were debating an issue I had previously only read about in books. What was next, I wondered, hammer-and-tongs over the free coinage of silver?  It struck […]

StephCast M 3-27-23

Mass protests erupt after Netanyahu fires defense chief

Tens of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets of cities across the country Sunday night in a spontaneous outburst of anger after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister for challenging the Israeli leader’s judicial overhaul plan. Protesters in Tel Aviv blocked a main highway and lit large bonfires, while police scuffled […]

Ro Khanna endorses Barbara Lee’s Senate campaign, announces he won’t run

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said Sunday that he won’t run for the seat of retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein and will endorse Rep. Barbara Leeinstead. Referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Khanna said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” “I have concluded that, despite a lot of enthusiasm from Bernie folks, the best […]

Trump, Facing Potential Indictment, Holds Defiant Waco Rally

Facing a potential indictment, Donald Trump took a defiant stance at a rally Saturday in Waco, disparaging the prosecutors investigating him and predicting his vindication as he rallied supporters in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement. With a hand over his heart, Trump stood at attention when his rally opened with […]

Bragg pushes back after House Republicans escalate oversight into Trump hush money case

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dismissed another letter by three House Republican chairmen seeking more information related to the hush money probe that could lead to an indictment of former President Donald Trump. In a letter to Bragg on Saturday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Administration Committee […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast with Allison Gill & Jill Wine-Banks 3-24-23

StephCast F 3-24-23

Grand Jury In Trump Criminal Probe Won’t Decide On Possible Charges This Week

A Manhattan grand jury reportedly won’t decide until at least next week whether to charge former President Donald Trump with crimes related to a hush money payment his associate made to a porn actress ahead of the 2016 election. Despite Trump suggesting he would be arrested this week, the grand jury assembled by the Manhattan […]

TikTok CEO doesn’t seem to sway Congress after facing hours of hostile questioning

Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and John Thune, R-S.D., who have authored legislation that could be used to ban TikTok, said Chew’s testimony did not address their concerns about the app’s ties to China. “Under PRC law, all Chinese companies, including TikTok, whose parent company is based in Beijing, are ultimately required to do the bidding […]

Manhattan DA’s office blasts House Republicans’ request for testimony about Trump probe

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on Thursday slammed three House Republican chairmen and argued they overstepped in their request for DA Alvin Bragg’s testimony related to the hush money probe involving former President Donald Trump. In a letter obtained by NBC News, Leslie Dubeck, general counsel for the Manhattan DA’s office, called their request “an […]

StephCast Th 3-23-23

White House COVID team to wind down as public health emergency expires in May

The White House COVID-19 team will wind down as the country moves out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, multiple administration officials confirmed to ABC News. The public health emergency is set to expire on May 11 after being in place since early 2020. The end will impact public health measures afforded by the […]

DeSantis moves to expand ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to Florida high schools

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis′ administration is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, expanding the controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” as the Republican governor continues a focus on cultural issues ahead of his expected presidential run. The proposal, which would not require legislative approval, is scheduled for a vote next […]

Judge approves ‘crime fraud exception’ in special counsel probe of Trump classified documents

Special counsel Jack Smith’s office presented sufficient evidence to establish that former President Donald Trump committed a crime through his attorneys, a U.S. district judge ruled Friday night, a source briefed on the proceedings confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, based in Washington, D.C., wasn’t ruling on whether Trump was […]

Grand jury in Trump hush money case to reconvene Thursday

The Manhattan DA plans to convene the grand jury again Thursday, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg was seen leaving his office shortly before 5 p.m. ET Wednesday. Earlier in the day, his office told members of the grand jury that they should be on standby for tomorrow, two […]

StephCast W 3-22-23

Communications between Stormy Daniels and Trump attorney Tacopina turned over to Manhattan DA

Communications between adult-film star Stormy Daniels and an attorney who is now representing former President Donald Trump have been turned over to the Manhattan district attorney’s office, Daniels’ lawyer told CNN. The exchanges – said to date back to 2018, when Daniels was seeking representation – raise the possibility that the Trump attorney, Joe Tacopina, […]

Trump huddles with senior advisers at Mar-a-Lago as possible indictment looms

Several sources close to former President Donald Trump say he is currently huddling at his private club at Mar-a-Lago and meeting with his team, including his lawyers and senior advisers from his campaign operation, as he awaits a possible indictment in New York City.  Trump posted on social media over the weekend that he expected […]

Kevin McCarthy again slams Manhattan DA in defense of Trump

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday again ripped into the Manhattan district attorney when asked about the potential charges against Donald Trump at a news conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando while seemingly growing frustrated with reporters after multiple questions about the former president who has continued to dominate the news cycle. McCarthy […]

Sources: Special counsel claims Trump deliberately misled his attorneys about classified documents, judge wrote

Prosecutors in the special counsel’s office have presented compelling preliminary evidence that former President Donald Trump knowingly and deliberately misled his own attorneys about his retention of classified materials after leaving office, a former top federal judge wrote Friday in a sealed filing, according to sources who described its contents to ABC News. U.S. Judge […]

StephCast T 3-21-23

Charlie Pierce: Pre-Riot Tour Guide Is Leading the January 6 Committee Committee

A subcommittee to investigate the committee that investigated the January 6th riots is the most goddamn useless exercise in democratic government since the Buchanan Administration. The subcommittee will be led by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., a Trump ally who had his own run-in with the Jan. 6 committee. The panel accused Loudermilk of giving tours of the Capitol in […]

The Rude Pundit: A Film in Stormy Daniels’ Career That Makes a Whole Lot of Sense Now (with a Lengthy Side Note About Her Financial Prowess)

In 2007, Stormy Daniels starred with Randy Spear in the porn film Black Widow (sorry, not a porn parody of the Marvel film, although, yeah, those exist. Look up The Assvengers). It was one of the first films she made after she had sex with Donald Trump one time in 2006. And, in context, I gotta […]

Donald Trump Loses Final Bid To Keep Key Evidence Out Of Rape Trial

Former President Donald Trump’s effort to keep key evidence out of his civil rape trial next month was rejected by a federal judge Monday. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in Manhattan ruled that key witnesses will be allowed to testify and misogynistic remarks Trump made about women in 2005 when he apparently didn’t realize he was […]

Dismal Crowd At NYC Trump Rally Despite Ex-Prez’s Call For Action As Arrest Looms

The leadership of the New York Young Republican Club, a far-right group, wants to be very clear: It’s actually a good thing that only a handful of Donald Trump supporters showed up to the pro-Trump rally held Monday outside the Manhattan district attorney’s office. “We purposefully kept it small,” the club’s president, Gavin Wax, told […]

Xi promotes China as peacemaker on first trip to Russia since Ukraine invasion

Frustrated by what it sees as the U.S.’s determination to thwart its rise as a global superpower, China is pushing ahead with efforts to promote a new international order that has Beijing at its center. In recent weeks, China has spoken more robustly about the prospect of conflict unless the U.S. changes course and reveled […]

StephCast M 3-20-23

McCarthy says Americans should not protest if Trump is indicted

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy urged calm Sunday and said Americans should not protest if former President Donald Trump is indicted and arrested in a hush-money investigation in New York, contradicting Trump, who called on his supporters Saturday to “Protest, take our nation back!”  “I don’t think people should protest this, no. And I think President […]

Defiant Putin visits Mariupol in first trip to occupied eastern Ukraine

Days after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a defiant visit to the city of Mariupol in his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Moscow illegally annexed in September. Putin flew into the port city by helicopter and “traveled around several districts of the city,” the […]

UBS buys Credit Suisse for $3.2 billion as regulators look to shore up the global banking system

UBS agreed to buy its embattled rival Credit Suisse for $3.2 billion Sunday, with Swiss regulators playing a key part in the deal as governments looked to stem a contagion threatening the global banking system. “With the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, a solution has been found to secure financial stability and protect the Swiss economy in […]

Trump claims he will be arrested Tuesday, calls for protests

Former President Donald Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform that he will be arrested on Tuesday related to the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation into hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. As part of the post, Trump also called on his supporters […]

SMHH VideoCast with Judy Gold 3-17-23

StephCast F 3-17-23

Decades later, Senate on track to repeal authorizations for Iraq wars

The Senate on Thursday, in a procedural move, cleared the way for a final vote on repealing decades-old war powers measures that authorized two wars with Iraq — first under former President George H. W. Bush in the Gulf War, and then by his son, former President George W. Bush — with supporters fearing that […]

Wall Street rides to the rescue as 11 banks pledge $30 billion to First Republic Bank

A group of financial institutions has agreed to deposit $30 billion in First Republic Bank in what’s meant to be a sign of confidence in the banking system, the banks announced Thursday afternoon. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase will contribute about $5 billion apiece, while Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley will deposit around $2.5 billion, the […]

Trump Campaign Slams Manhattan DA As Indictment Looms: Trump ‘Did Nothing Wrong’

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign attacked the Manhattan district attorney’s office on Thursday ahead of possible charges linked to his effort to pay hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The former president’s campaign released the fiery statement just days after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office invited Trump to testify in front of […]

StephCast Th 3-16-23

Russian leadership approved aggressive actions of jets that damaged U.S. drone, U.S. officials say

Three U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence said the highest levels of the Kremlin approved the aggressive actions of Russian military fighter jets against a U.S. military drone over the Black Seaon Tuesday.  The Russian jets dropped jet fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper, an unprecedented action, and two of the officials said the intelligence suggests the […]

Judge appears sympathetic to abortion pill challenge in consequential Texas hearing

A judge appointed by former President Donald Trump heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that aims to ban an abortion medication that women in the U.S. have used widely for over two decades. During the four-hour hearing, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk appeared sympathetic to arguments from the lawyers for a coalition of anti-abortion groups […]

Stormy Daniels Meets With Prosecutors Probing Trump Hush Money Payments

Porn actor Stormy Daniels met Wednesday with prosecutors who are investigating hush money paid to her on former President Donald Trump’s behalf, her lawyer said Wednesday. The news emerged as Michael Cohen, a former Trump attorney who orchestrated the payment, was giving a second day of testimony before a New York grand jury looking into […]

Georgia Grand Jury Says It Heard Another Taped Call Of Trump Pressuring Official

A special grand jury that investigated whether Donald Trump and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election in Georgia heard a recording of the former president pushing a top state lawmaker to call a special session to overturn his loss in the state, according to a newspaper report. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday that […]

StephCast W 3-15-23

Russian fighter jet forces down US drone over Black Sea

A Russian fighter jet forced down a US Air Force drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday after damaging the propeller of the American MQ-9 Reaper drone, according to the US military. The Reaper drone and two Russian Su-27 aircraft were flying over international waters over the Black Sea on Tuesday when one of the […]

Biden seeks to expand gun background checks with new executive order

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Tuesday designed to increase background checks in a visit to a Los Angeles suburb that was the site of a mass shooting this year. Biden issued the order shortly before a trip to Monterey Park, where 11 people were killed in January at a gathering for Lunar New […]

Democrats, led by Warren and Porter, unveil bill to repeal Trump-era bank law

A group of Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Katie Porter of California will unveil legislation Tuesday to restore bank regulations that were undone under then-President Donald Trump in 2018, seeking to fix what they say was the cause of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. The legislation, first reported by NBC News, […]

Republican senators push back on DeSantis for saying Ukraine isn’t a key U.S. interest

Republican senators broke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday over his remarks that defending Ukraine against Russian aggression wasn’t a “vital” U.S. interest. “I completely disagree with his comments,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. About a half-dozen of Wicker’s GOP colleagues voiced varying degrees of opposition […]

StephCast T 3-14-23

Trump Will Not Testify In Stormy Daniels Hush Money Investigation

Donald Trump will not testify before a grand jury investigating hush money payments made to an adult film star during the 2016 election by his then-attorney. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina told NBC News Monday that the former president has “no plans” to sit for the grand jury convened by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors […]

Trump, Who Bragged About Gutting Dodd-Frank, Claims ‘Wokeness’ Caused Bank Collapse

Former President Donald Trump on Monday blamed “wokeness” for the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank rather than the law he signed in 2018 that gutted the Dodd-Frank federal regulations on smaller banks. Trump bragged within days of taking office that he would go after the Dodd-Frank Act, which was signed by President Barack Obama in […]

McConnell discharged from the hospital after treatment for a concussion

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was “discharged from the hospital today,” his communications director, David Popp, said in a statement Monday. “At the advice of his physician, the next step will be a period of physical therapy at an inpatient rehabilitation facility before he returns home,” Popp said. “Over the course of treatment this […]

Ron DeSantis says protecting Ukraine is not a ‘vital’ U.S. interest

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate, broke with many in his party Monday and told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that protecting Ukraine is not a “vital” national interest for the U.S. “While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, […]

Charlie Pierce: The Silicon Valley Bank Debacle Was Built on a Hubris We Have Seen Before

The hills are alive with the sound of illusions falling like dead fish onto a pier. The proud, entitled princes of the tech world have proven to be babes in the financial woods. The collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank had them jettisoning libertarian disruption in favor of abject pleading for bailouts, lifeboats, and all manner of […]

StephCast M 3-13-23

The Rude Pundit: What You Think You Know About Colleges and Universities Is Wrong

To listen to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other politicians attack the curricula of colleges and universities in their states and in the country as a whole, one could come away with the clear impression that a college student in the United States is subject to a nonstop barrage of critical race theory; enforced diversity, […]

‘I’m no mastermind’: George Santos denies any wrongdoing in ATM fraud scheme

Rep. George Santos on Friday rejected allegations of fraud from a convicted Brazilian man who said the New York Republican was the brains behind a credit card skimming scheme in 2017. “I’m innocent. I never did anything of criminal activity and I’m no mastermind of anything,” Santos told reporters when asked about a sworn affidavit […]

Mike Pence says Trump ‘endangered my family’ on Jan. 6

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday harshly criticized former President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, widening the rift between the two men as they prepare to battle over the Republican nomination in next year’s election. “President Trump was wrong,” Pence said during remarks at the […]

Silicon Valley Bank depositors will have access to ‘all of their money,’ regulators say in effort to stem wider fallout

Federal regulators stepped in Sunday to back all Silicon Valley Bank deposits, resolving a key uncertainty surrounding the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history hours before global stock markets resumed trading. The U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said the government would back Silicon Valley Bank deposits beyond the federally […]

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ takes best picture Oscar and six others

It didn’t win quite everything everywhere all at once. But it came pretty darn close. “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a gleefully bonkers sci-fi-action-comedy mash-up about a Chinese American immigrant who traverses the multiverse to keep her family together, claimed best picture at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night, beating out a diverse field […]

StephCast F 3-10-23

DeSantis indicates privately he intends to run in 2024 as allies prepare

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has indicated privately that he intends to run for president, according to two people familiar with his comments. A super PAC that seeks to draft DeSantis into the race launched Thursday and is likely to serve as an approved outside spending vehicle for his campaign, three people familiar with the […]

Biden rolls out 2024 budget amid debt ceiling showdown

President Joe Biden on Thursday rolled out his proposed budget for fiscal year 2024, casting it as a reflection of his values ahead of an anticipated reelection run and aiming to put Republicans on the defensive. The White House said the budget would reduce the deficit in the long-term by $3 trillion, largely due to […]

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell Treated For Concussion

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is being treated for a concussion after falling at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night. “He is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days of observation and treatment,” McConnell’s spokesperson said Thursday, in the first official update on the senator’s condition. McConnell, 81, […]

Manhattan DA Gives Strong Indication Of Trump Charges: Report

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has indicated to Donald Trump’s legal team that he could face criminal charges over hush money paid to an adult film star during the 2016 election, four people familiar with the matter told The New York Times on Thursday. According to the sources, prosecutors have offered Trump the opportunity to […]

StephCast Th 3-9-23

Dr. Irwin Redlener: The Other Threat to Ukraine’s Future

The now year-long violent slog of war in Ukraine has taken an enormous toll on the country. And there is no end in sight to the fighting.  No one questions the fact that stopping the Russian aggression and ending the killing is Ukraine’s – and the world’s- top priority. That said, we are also deeply […]

Does Kevin McCarthy Agree With Tucker Carlson About Jan. 6? He Won’t Say.

It was not a mystery what Tucker Carlson would do with exclusive access to hours of surveillance footage from Jan. 6, 2021. The Fox News host claimed long ago that videos from that day showed the horde of Donald Trump supporters acting peaceably. “You see people walking around and taking pictures,” Carlson told his millions […]

‘Incredibly Angry’: Fox News Staff Reportedly Fuming About Dominion Filings

Many Fox News employees are reeling in the wake of stunning court filings released as part of the defamation lawsuit against the network by Dominion Voting Systems, according to The Daily Beast. Court documents released in recent weeks have included bombshell revelations about the inner workings of the right-wing network, including text transcripts appearing to […]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell hospitalized after falling

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was hospitalized after tripping at a hotel, a spokesperson said Wednesday. “This evening, Leader McConnell tripped at a local hotel during a private dinner. He has been admitted to the hospital where he is receiving treatment,” McConnell spokesman David Popp said in a statement. McConnell, 81, is serving a […]

Fox News executives discussed a plan to denounce the ‘Trump myth’ a day before the Jan. 6 riot

By early January 2021, Fox News hosts and executives were ready to move on from then-President Donald Trump and his insistence that the election was stolen. “it’s been 8 weeks and none of them has produced anything tangible or verifiable. and now he wants thousands of his supporters to go to DC without shelter or […]

StephCast W 3-8-23

Fox Chair Rupert Murdoch In Filings Says 2020 Election ‘Not Stolen’

Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said under oath that he believes the 2020 presidential election was free, fair and not stolen, according to court filings released Tuesday in a voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit over Fox News’ coverage of former President Donald Trump’s false election fraud claims. In sworn questioning in January by lawyers for […]

‘Bulls—‘: GOP senators rebuke Tucker Carlson for downplaying Jan. 6 as ‘mostly peaceful’

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans lashed out at conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday after he characterized the deadly Jan. 6 attackon the Capitol as “mostly peaceful chaos.” At a GOP leadership news conference, McConnell, R-Ky., said he wanted to align himself with the letter sent to the U.S. Capitol […]

White House backs bipartisan bill that could be used to ban TikTok

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a sweeping bill Tuesday that would allow the federal government to regulate and even ban foreign-produced technology, including TikTok. The bill, the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act, or RESTRICT Act, would give the secretary of commerce broad power to regulate tech […]

‘I hate him passionately’: Tucker Carlson was fed up with Trump after the 2020 election

On Jan. 4, 2021, Fox News host Tucker Carlson was done with Donald Trump. “We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait,” he texted an unidentified person. “I hate him passionately. … I can’t handle much more of this,” he added. By this time, Fox News […]

StephCast T 3-7-23

Charlie Pierce: Jim Jordan Boasted about “Whistleblowers” But All He’s Produced Is a Stream of Hot Air

A flashback: February 9, 2023, the first public hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), presiding. THE CHAIRMAN: This is only a sampling. In my time in Congress, I have never seen anything like this. Dozens and dozens of whistleblowers, FBI agents, coming to us […]

A Trump third-party win would be ‘effectively impossible,’ study says

It has loomed over the GOP’s posture toward Donald Trump basically from the moment he entered politics: the threat of Trump going the third-party route if he doesn’t win its 2024 nomination — and spoiling the party’s chances. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) effectively acknowledged that it’s a significant reason he says the party needs […]

Hope Hicks Meets With Manhattan Prosecutors as Trump Inquiry Intensifies

Hope Hicks, a trusted aide to Donald J. Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, met with the Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday — the latest in a string of witnesses to be questioned by prosecutors as they investigate the former president’s involvement in paying hush money to a porn star. The appearance of Ms. […]

Lindsey Graham Says He’ll Introduce Bill to ‘Set the Stage to Use Military Force’ in Mexico

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Monday he is prepared to introduce legislation to pave the way for the president to potentially use military force in Mexico to combat drug cartels. On Friday, four Americans were kidnapped just over the border in northeastern Mexico in what U.S. officials are saying is a case of mistaken […]

Tucker Carlson, with video provided by Speaker McCarthy, falsely depicts Jan. 6 riot as a peaceful gathering

Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday released security video from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, using footage provided exclusively to him by Speaker Kevin McCarthy to portray the riot as a peaceful gathering. Carlson acquired the tapes as part of a deal for McCarthy, R-Calif., to win the speaker’s gavel. When […]

StephCast M 3-6-23

The Rude Pundit: What You Haven’t Heard About… Biden’s Gonna Veto an Anti-ESG Bill

Back in December, I warned that the next round of fuckery the right was going to pull had to do with ESG investing. While it’s a way more complex thing than I have the ability to explain, lemme give it a shot: investing in well-governed companies that give a shit about the environment and social issues. […]

Ron DeSantis visits Southern California 1 year away from Super Tuesday

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Southern California on Sunday, taking swipes at Gov. Gavin Newsom in his own backyard amid a widening Republican Primary battle ahead of 2024. “I know you guys got a lot of problems out here, but your governor is very concerned about what we’re doing in Florida, so I figured I […]

Trump trolls Ron DeSantis in CPAC speech while vowing ‘retribution’ for his enemies

Donald Trump seemed to have Gov. Ron DeSantis on his mind here Saturday evening during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Addressing an audience of devoted fans at the annual CPAC gathering, the former president called out Republicans who, in the past, have favored cuts to entitlement programs. “We’re not going back to […]

Biden, in Selma, Says Voting Rights Are Still ‘Under Assault’

President Biden told a crowd gathered to commemorate the 58th anniversary of a brutal police attack on Black protesters that the right to vote was “under assault” as Republicans introduce laws to restrict ballot access and redraw voting districts. Observing the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, an event that electrified the civil rights movement, Mr. Biden […]

Kellyanne and George Conway announce divorce

Kellyanne Conway, who was a top adviser to former President Donald Trump, and George Conway, a lawyer and frequent Trump critic, announced Saturday that they are divorcing after more than two decades of marriage. The Conways, who married in 2001, said in a statement shared to Twitter by George Conway that they were in the […]

SMHH VideoCast with Noel Casler – 3-3-23

StephCast F 3-3-23

Florida bill would require bloggers who write about the governor and legislators to register with the state

A Republican state senator in Florida has introduced a bill that, if passed, would require bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, his Cabinet or state legislators to register with the state. Sen. Jason Brodeur’s bill, titled “Information Dissemination,” would also require bloggers to disclose who’s paying them for their posts about certain elected officials […]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in San Francisco

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she was hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles after she missed Senate votes this week. In a statement, Feinstein, 89, said she got the shingles diagnosis while the Senate was in recess late last month. “I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to […]

Alex Murdaugh guilty in murders of wife and son

Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina lawyer accused of murdering his wife and son to gain pity and distract from financial crimes threatening to topple his reputation, was found guilty Thursday in their slayings. After deliberating for three hours, the jury of seven men and five women convicted Murdaugh, 54, of two counts of murder […]

Justice Dept: Trump Can Be Sued By Police For Jan. 6 Actions

Former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department said Thursday in a federal court case testing Trump’s legal vulnerability for his speech before the riot. The Justice Department told a Washington federal appeals court in […]

StephCast Th 3-2-23

Pence won’t commit to supporting Trump if he’s the nominee

Former Vice President Mike Pence still won’t say whether he’s running for president next year, and he won’t speak ill of his ex-boss, former President Donald Trump. But in an interview with CBS News in Michigan on Wednesday, he also twice declined to commit to supporting Trump if he is the Republican presidential nominee. Instead, […]

Kellyanne Conway meets with Manhattan prosecutors investigating Trump

On Wednesday, former Trump White House adviser Kellyanne Conway met with prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office as part of their criminal investigation into Trump and the alleged hush payment to Stormy Daniels, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. Conway is the latest witness to meet with prosecutors. Others include Michael Cohen, […]

Biden strikes campaign tones in speech to House Democrats

President Joe Biden hasn’t announced whether he’s running for a second term yet, but his address to a gathering of House Democrats here Wednesday sounded a lot like a 2024 stump speech. Biden dared House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California to reveal Republicans’ budget full of spending cuts, mocked GOP Sen. Rick Scott’s reversal on […]

Attorney General Merrick Garland Faces Heated Questions in Senate Hearing

Republicans subjected Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to a four-hour grilling before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, a harbinger of the fights that loom ahead as the party targets the Justice Department in the months leading up to the 2024 election. One by one, Republican senators accused Mr. Garland — testifying before Congress for […]

StephCast W 3-1-23

Donald Trump Jr. Throws Himself A Full-On Pity Party Over Fox News Absence

Donald Trump Jr. — in a video shared online — whined about not being invited to appear on Fox News anymore. The eldest son of former President Donald Trump blamed Republican former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is now on the board of directors at Fox Corp., for his absence from the conservative network. The […]

Conservative Justices Appear Ready To Scrap Biden’s Student Loan Plan — But It Might Survive Because Of Standing

The Supreme Court’s conservative justices looked ready to void President Joe Biden’s targeted student loan relief plan during arguments on Tuesday, although the debt relief could live on if two conservatives side with the liberal justices and deny the plaintiffs standing to sue. At least five of the six conservative justices appeared skeptical of arguments […]

Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her bid for re-election Tuesday, ending her historic run as the city’s first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve in the position. Lightfoot, a Democrat, failed to get enough votes in the nine-person race to move on to an April 4 runoff election, according to projections by […]

McCarthy calls Jan. 6 riot video a Tucker Carlson ‘exclusive’ and says public will have it ‘soon’

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday defended his decision to hand over tens of thousands of hours of security video from the Jan. 6 insurrection to Fox News host Tucker Carlson. McCarthy told reporters that he was following the precedent of the House Jan. 6 committee in giving a news network early, exclusive access […]

StephCast T 2-28-23

Biden Takes Shot at Fox News Over Blockbuster Defamation Filing — While Defending Poll Numbers

President Joe Biden took a hard shot at Fox News over the bombshell Dominion revelations when ABC News anchor David Muir asked about flagging polls despite positive economic indicators. Damning comments made by Fox News hosts and executives in private in the aftermath of the election were revealed in a recent filing by Dominion Voting Systems, which […]

CIA Director Says Putin ‘Too Confident’ He Can Defeat Ukraine As China Weighs Lethal Aid

CIA Director William Burns said Russian President Vladimir Putin is “too confident” that he can defeat Ukraine as China considers providing lethal military aid to Moscow. The Russian leader does not appear to be backing away, Burns told CBS’ “Face the Nation”when asked if he sees any signs that Putin will come to the realization […]

Tennessee governor appears to have dressed in drag, an art form he wants to restrict

By the time Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee confirmed Monday that he would sign a recently passed bill criminalizing drag performances in public and in front of children, a photo that appears to show him dressed in drag as a high school student had already started to circulate on Reddit and Twitter. Just before midnight Saturday, […]

Rupert Murdoch admits under oath that some Fox News hosts ‘endorsed’ false election fraud claims

News Corp. Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch declined to rein in Fox News hosts who spread false claims of widespread voter fraud in the days after the 2020 election despite privately expressing that he had seen little evidence for then-President Donald Trump’s claims and that he found half of them “bulls— and damaging,” according to court […]

Charlie Pierce: The Effort to Rewrite Our National Memory of January 6 Is in Full Swing

Do not mistake Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s surrender of the January 6 videotapes to Tucker Carlson for a one-off, quid pro quo arrangement aimed at securing the speakership. As Hal Holbrook says in All The President’s Men, if you do, you’ll be missing the over-all. We are in the middle of the beginning of a two-year conservative campaign to convince the public […]

The Rude Pundit: It Pisses Them Off That We Were Right About Regulations and That We Actually Do Give a Shit About East Palestine

Two things can be true at once. We can believe that the people in East Palestine, Ohio, are a bunch of fucking idiots who vote against their own interests repeatedly, electing horrible motherfuckers who don’t give a happy monkey fuck about their health or safety, but, man, they sure hate Black people and migrants, so […]

StephCast M 2-27-23

News outlets request McCarthy share Jan. 6 footage that Tucker Carlson says he has access to

A group of news organizations on Friday asked House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to share thousands of hours of security footage from Jan. 6 after Fox News host Tucker Carlson said this week that he has been given access to about 44,000 hours of video from the attack on the Capitol. “We understand that, in your […]

Media publishers drop Dilbert comic strip after creator’s Black ‘hate group’ remark

The creator of the Dilbert comic strip faced cancellations Saturday as he defended remarks describing people who are Black as members of “a hate group” from which white people should “get away.” Various media publishers across the U.S. denounced the comments by Dilbert creator Scott Adams as racist, hateful and discriminatory while saying they would […]

Storm brings snow, heavy rain to Southern California, tornadoes to Oklahoma

A cold front turbocharged by tropical precipitation brought rare snow and heavy rain to some urban Southern California rooftops over the weekend, with more in the forecast. Late-winter extreme weather Sunday also affected the Midwest and Plains states. The leading edge of California’s weekend storm was headed east and wreaking havoc as it continued to […]

U.S. Energy Department assesses with ‘low confidence’ Covid may have originated from Chinese lab leak

The Energy Department concluded with “low confidence” that the Covid-19 pandemic “likely” originated from a laboratory leak in Wuhan, China, according to a classified report delivered to key lawmakers on the House and Senate Intelligence committees, two sources with direct knowledge told NBC News. Key lawmakers on the intelligence committees were briefed last month by […]

SMHH VideoCast with Trae Crowder & Renato Mariotti

StephCast F 2-24-23

Judge says Trump can be deposed in lawsuits by ex-FBI officials whom he publicly attacked

A federal judge ruled Thursday that former President Donald Trump can be deposed in a pair of lawsuits brought by two former FBI officials whom he has long publicly disparaged. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson of Washington, D.C., ruled that former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page would also be permitted to question […]

Buttigieg vows to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and strengthen rail regulations in visit to East Palestine

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg vowed that his department will work with the administration and Congress to prevent future disasters similar to the Feb. 3 train derailment that led to a spill of toxic chemicals during a visit to East Palestine, Ohio, on Thursday. “The best way to deal with an ecological disaster is to stop […]

Where Putin’s war stands a year after Russia invaded Ukraine

Only future generations looking through the lens of history will know the true effects and human cost of the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe’s biggest land conflict since World War II. For now, as we reach the first anniversary of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday, we can report on the stories of those trapped, killed […]

StephCast Th 2-23-23

By speaking out, could foreperson in Georgia Trump probe undermine a future case?

The foreperson of a special grand jury convened in Fulton County, Georgia, to examine possible election interference by former President Donald Trump and his allies embarked Tuesday on a media tour of sorts, where she publicly telegraphed some of her panel’s closely held findings. In a series of print and television interviews, jury foreperson Emily […]

Biden says Putin made a ‘big mistake’ on New START treaty

President Joe Biden on Wednesday strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to suspend his country’s involvement in the last remaining arms control treaty with the U.S. Biden was asked about his reaction to Putin’s pulling out of the New START nuclear treaty upon arriving at the Polish Presidential Palace in Warsaw ahead of a […]

Trump points fingers at the Biden administration in East Palestine visit

Former President Donald Trump made a campaign stop here Wednesday, using the aftermath of a train derailment and toxic chemical spill to take shots at President Joe Biden’s handling of the crisis. “They were intending to do absolutely nothing for you,” Trump, who is seeking another term in the White House, said of the Democratic […]

Second round of major winter storm to bring snow and danger to large parts of U.S.

A second round of snow began to fall in Minnesota on Wednesday as forecasters warned of a major winter storm that could make travel dangerous for wide stretches of the country. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul were forecast to get up to 12 more inches of snow from 6 p.m. Wednesday to […]

StephCast W 2-22-23

In Major Speech, Putin Suspends Russia’s Participation In Nuclear Treaty With U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western countries Tuesday of igniting and sustaining the war in Ukraine, dismissing any blame for Moscow almost a year after the Kremlin’s unprovoked invasion of its neighbor that has killed tens of thousands of people. In his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address, Putin cast Russia — and Ukraine — as victims of […]

Joe Biden In Poland Says U.S. And Allies ‘Have Ukraine’s Back’

President Joe Biden, returning on Tuesday to the Polish castle where he spoke shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, said the war had hardened Western resolve to defend democracy around the globe. He warned that there were “hard and bitter days ahead,” but pledged that the United States and its allies would […]

Biden administration will block migrants with rule that critics say resembles Trump-era ‘transit ban’

The Biden administration announced Tuesday a new policy, set to take effect when Covid measures at the southern border expire, that would place limits on migrants’ eligibility to claim asylum when crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. The policy has received wide criticism from congressional Democrats and immigrant advocacy organizations who liken it to a […]

Georgia grand jury recommended indictments for more than a dozen people in Trump probe, foreperson says

The Georgia grand jury that investigated possible interference in the 2020 election by Donald Trump and his allies recommended indicting over a dozen people, the jury foreperson said Tuesday — a list she said “might” include the former president.   “There are certainly names that you will recognize, yes. There are names also you might […]

StephCast T 2-21-23

Vladimir Putin Gives State-Of-The-Nation Speech As Ukraine War Nears 1-Year Mark

Russian President Vladimir Putin railed against the West in his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address on Tuesday, a speech expected to set the tone for the year ahead and shed light on how the Kremlin sees its bogged-down war in Ukraine. Putin has frequently justified his invasion of Ukraine by accusing Western countries of threatening Russia. They […]

Piers Morgan Pushes George Santos to Admit, ‘I’ve Been a Terrible Liar’

Fabulist Rep. George Santos (R-NY) joined Piers Morgan on his Fox Nation show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, where the host pushed the Republican congressman to own up to his many tall tales. Ahead of the interview, Morgan tweeted a laundry list of some of the lies Santos has told: Did he lie about his entire education? […]

One-year mark of Ukraine invasion looms large over Biden’s Poland trip

President Biden is in Poland ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, seeking to applaud the global coalition that has helped thwart Russia’s military ambitions and also shoring up an alliance threatened by shifting political winds and fatigue with the war effort. Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks here Tuesday ahead of the […]

Marjorie Taylor Greene calls for a ‘national divorce’ between liberal and conservative states

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called for the U.S. to be separated by red and blue states and for shrinking the federal government in a tweet on President’s Day, the latest in a string of controversial statements.  “We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal […]

Charlie Pierce: This Grand Jury Report Offers Us Some Tasty Breadcrumbs in the Trump Georgia Case

Now this is a nice little aperitif.  Ever since January 21, 2021, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been conducting a remarkably leak-proof investigation into the why’s and wherefore’s of how the previous president* and his minions tried to monkey-wrench the vote in Georgia the previous November and December. On Thursday, on instructions from a […]

StephCast M 2-20-23

Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine nearly one year after Russia’s invasion

President Joe Biden made a surprise and historic visit to war-torn Ukraine on Monday, a show of support and solidarity with a democratic nation battling for its survival after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded nearly a year ago. The visit, including a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was kept under tight secrecy until Biden’s […]

Buttigieg warns Norfolk Southern to support Ohio community

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a letter Sunday to the CEO of Norfolk Southern, warning that the freight rail company must “demonstrate unequivocal support for the people” of East Palestine, Ohio, and surrounding areas after a fiery train derailment led to the release of chemicals and residents expressing concerns about their health. “Norfolk Southern must […]

Trump Seems to Accidentally Admit There Was No Widespread Election Fraud in Georgia

Former President Donald Trump made a curious decision to amplify a tweet that doesn’t look very good for him with the investigation into his actions in Georgia during the 2020 election. On Saturday, Trump — via his Truth Social platform — shared a tweet from Politico’s Kyle Cheney, which came from a thread on the release of limited […]

Jimmy Carter enters hospice care at home

Former President Jimmy Carter will begin to receive hospice care at home following a series of hospital stays, his foundation said in a statement on Saturday. “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead […]

The Rude Pundit: Republicans Are Utterly Devoid of Ideas (Except the Ones They Take from Democrats)

This one ends with a twist, one I’ll admit I didn’t see coming until I did like 15 seconds of research. The Republican response to President Biden’s quite sane and unexpectedly lively State of the Union speech was honestly just fucking odd, and not just because it was delivered by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders […]

SMHH VideoCast with Harry Litman and Hal Sparks – 2-17-23

StephCast F 2-17-23

In private, Fox News stars and staffers blasted election fraud claims as bogus, court filing shows

Employees at Fox News knew that claims blaming election fraud for Donald Trump’s 2020 loss were outlandish and false, even as the network continued to promote them as credible, a newly unsealed court filing appears to show. The document, which pulls from a host of internal communications from Fox News employees involved in election coverage, […]

Sen. Fetterman checks himself into hospital for treatment for ‘severe’ depression, staff says

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman on Wednesday checked himself into a Washington hospital “to receive treatment for clinical depression,” his chief of staff said on Thursday. “While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,” Adam Jentleson said in a statement. Jentleson said that Fetterman was evaluated […]

‘I’ll take it down’: Biden vows action but says 3 objects shot down not spy vehicles

President Joe Biden said he “acted out of an abundance of caution” when ordering the shooting down of three unidentified aerial objects flying over North American airspace this past weekend. While the U.S. military is still working to recover the objects and U.S. intelligence officials are still assessing them, Biden said nothing currently suggests they […]

Georgia grand jury report on Trump election probe says ‘one or more witnesses’ may have committed perjury

A special grand jury report on whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies tried to unlawfully interfere in the 2020 election results in Georgia says the grand jurors believe some witnesses may have lied under oath. “A majority of the grand jury believes that perjury may have been committed by one or more witnesses testifying […]

StephCast Th 2-16-23

Biden plans to deliver his most extensive remarks yet about the aerial objects the military shot down

President Joe Biden plans to deliver his most extended public remarks yet — as early as Thursday — about the unidentified objects that the U.S. military has been shooting down, three people familiar with the matter said. Biden will explain how he has tasked his administration with setting parameters about how to deal with aerial balloons […]

DOJ tells Matt Gaetz that he won’t be charged in sex trafficking probe, his lawyers say

The Justice Department is ending its sex trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., without charging him with any crimes, his attorneys and congressional office said. “We have just spoken with the DOJ and have been informed that they have concluded their investigation into Congressman Gaetz and allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of […]

Mike Pence says he’ll fight Jan. 6 subpoena from DOJ

Former Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that he plans to fight a subpoena from the special counsel investigating Donald Trump‘s actions surrounding the Jan. 6 rot, calling the demand for his cooperation “unprecedented and unconstitutional.” “No vice president has ever been subject to a subpoena to testify about the president with whom they served,” […]

Railroad Giant To Skip Town Hall On Train Disaster, Citing ‘Physical Threats’

Norfolk Southern Corporation, the railroad giant under fire following the fiery derailment of one of its freight trains in eastern Ohio, has backed out of a community town hall scheduled for Wednesday, citing a “growing physical threat” from “outside parties.” The announcement came approximately two hours before the scheduled event, as residents of East Palestine, […]

Harry Litman: How Mike Pence’s flawed argument against a subpoena just might get him what he wants

Vice President Mike Pence has reportedly hit on a clever and novel strategy for resisting a subpoena from special counsel Jack Smith in the Jan. 6 investigation. He is expected to argue that because the vice president serves as president of the Senate, the subpoena would violate the protections afforded legislative officials under the Constitution’s “speech or […]

StephCast W 2-15-23

She was ‘everything you’d want your daughter or friend to be.’ Here’s what we know about the Michigan State University shooting victims

Alexandria Verner was kind, positive and “everything you’d want your daughter or friend to be,” a family friend said. “Her kindness was on display every single second you were around her,” Clawson Public Schools Superintendent Billy Shellenbarger told CNN. He is friends with the Verner family and has known Alexandria, or Alex, as he called […]

Special counsel seeks testimony from Trump lawyer as prosecutors allege evidence of crime

The special counsel investigating Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents is seeking to compel a lawyer for the former president to testify before a grand jury, a source familiar with the matter said. Prosecutors allege in a sealed filing that they have evidence that some of Trump’s conversations with the attorney were in furtherance of […]

Nikki Haley announces 2024 presidential campaign, mounting first GOP challenge to Trump

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on Tuesday announced her 2024 presidential campaign, making her former President Donald Trump’s first opponent for the Republican nomination. Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations for two years in the Trump administration, is expected to deliver her in-person announcement speech Wednesday in Charleston. “It’s time for a […]

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announces she will retire from Congress

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., will retire from Congress at the end of 2024 after three decades in the Senate and over 50 years in public office, she announced Tuesday. “I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end […]

StephCast T 2-14-23

House Republicans launch Covid origins probe by requesting info from Fauci and Biden officials

A new congressional panel created by House Republicans launched an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemicMonday by requesting documents and testimony from health and intelligence officials who have worked in the Biden administration. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, the chair of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, and House Oversight and Accountability chair […]

Georgia judge rules some of grand jury report in Trump probe be made public

A Georgia judge ruled Monday that parts of a Fulton County grand jury’s report into possible interference in the 2020 election by former President Donald Trump and his allies be made public this week. In an eight-page ruling, Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled that the report’s introduction and conclusion, as well as section VIII, in […]

White House says ‘no indication of aliens’ as questions swirl about objects shot down

Amid all the mystery about the unidentified objects flying over the United States and Canada, White House officials made a point of saying Monday there is no evidence to suggest aliens are involved. The U.S. military shot down three unidentified objects on Friday and over the weekend, in addition to the suspected Chinese spy balloon […]

At least 3 dead after shootings at Michigan State University

A gunman killed three people and wounded five others at Michigan State University on Monday night before leading authorities on a manhunt that ended when he fatally shot himself, police said.  For hours, students and others sheltered in place on the East Lansing campus that is home to 50,000 students. “This truly has been a […]

Charlie Pierce: Marjorie Taylor Greene Had a Big Classified Tantrum Over the Balloon

Oh, Madge. You need a timeout. You don’t work or play well with others. From The Hill: A classified briefing for House lawmakers on the Chinese spy balloon turned tense on Thursday when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) went after administration officials for waiting days before shooting down the surveillance device. “I had to wait in line […]

StephCast M 2-13-23

Turkey Probes Contractors As Earthquake Deaths Pass 33,000

Turkish authorities are targeting contractors allegedly linked with buildings that collapsed in the powerful Feb. 6 earthquakes as rescuers found more survivors in the rubble Sunday, including a pregnant woman and two children, in the disaster that killed over 33,000 people. The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes that struck nine hours […]

Trump’s legal team turned over folder with classified markings to Justice Department

Donald Trump’s legal team recently turned over a folder bearing classified markings to the Justice Department that it said was found at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, a senior law enforcement official told NBC News. Trump’s lawyers told the the Justice Department it came from Mar-a-Lago, so they are going under that assumption, the […]

Another aerial object, this time over Lake Huron, shot down by military

The U.S. military shot down a fourth aerial “object,” this time over Lake Huron on Sunday afternoon, according to the Defense Department, which described the object as “unmanned” and not a military threat to anything on the ground. Officials said the object, initially detected Saturday night, was flying over Michigan’s upper peninsula at about 20,000 […]

Second-half surge powers Chiefs past Eagles in Super Bowl LVII

The Kansas City Chiefs won another Super Bowl, elevated the statures of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Coach Andy Reid among the all-time greats and secured major bragging rights within the Kelce family. In a Super Bowl LVII filled with connections between competitors and carrying historical significance, the Chiefs used a big fourth quarter to beat […]

The Rude Pundit: Florida Department of Education’s Black History Month Essay Contest Seems to Want Students to Write Things They’re Not Allowed to Learn

It’s kind of odd, really. I mean, I know that Florida Republicans would say that they’re not opposed to students learning African American history and culture, even after their governor, Ron DeSantis, a man who always looks like he’s looking forward to when he’ll get to complain to the manager again, refused to allow an […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast with Carlos Alazraqui & Malcolm Nance 2-10-23

StephCast F 2-10-23

Biden, in Florida, blasts what he calls GOP ‘dream’ to cut Social Security

President Joe Biden traveled to Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, continuing his post-State of the Union blitz in election battleground states, arguing that he would protect Medicare and Social Security while claiming some Republicans, including Florida’s Sen. Rick Scott, want to cut the popular programs. “Look, I know that a lot of Republicans, their dream is […]

Sen. John Fetterman Remains In Hospital; MRI Rules Out Stroke

Test results Thursday confirmed that Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who was hospitalized on Wednesday after feeling lightheaded at a political gathering, is not experiencing another stroke, according to his Senate office team. Fetterman, who was attending a Senate Democratic retreat, was hospitalized Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and was expected to stay at least a second […]

Chinese spy balloon carried ‘multiple antennas’ for collecting signals intelligence, State Dept. says

The Chinese balloon that flew above the U.S. for eight days included “multiple antennas” capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said Thursday, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military. While China condemned the U.S. for destroying what it said was a weather balloon, the State Department official […]

Mike Pence subpoenaed by special counsel investigating Trump’s role in Jan. 6

Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel investigating former President Donald Trump’s effort to stay in office after the 2020 election and his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, according to a source familiar with the matter. Special counsel Jack Smith was appointed in November by Attorney […]

StephCast Th 2-9-23

Bannon Trashes ‘Terrible’ Sarah Huckabee Sanders SOTU Rebuttal: ‘She’s Not Intellectually Capable’

Unlike most conservatives who weighed in on Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’(R-AR.) rebuttal to the State of the Union address, Steve Bannon is not a fan. Sanders gave remarks shortly after President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. In her speech, Sanders ripped the left’s “woke fantasies” and said the president […]

‘P*ssy Ass B*tch’ Entered into the Congressional Record Thanks to Donald Trump and Chrissy Teigen

The term “pussy ass bitch” has been entered into the Congressional Record after a former Twitter employee testified about a tweet former President Donald Trumpwanted taken down. During Wednesday’s House Oversight Committee hearing, the panel heard testimony that in 2019, then-President Trump’s White House reached out to Twitter asking that a tweet from model Chrissy […]

Trump escalates his attacks on Ron DeSantis as a 2024 clash brews

Former President Donald Trump is approaching Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with a newly urgent hostility, rushing to turn the Republican base against his most formidable potential rival in 2024. Out is “Ron DeSanctimonious,” Trump’s clunky attempt at a nickname.  In are increasingly frequent public floggings on Trump’s Truth Social website that brand DeSantis in terms […]

Biden calls out Republicans who heckled his State of the Union speech

President Joe Biden on Wednesday called out Republican lawmakers who booed when he accused them of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare during his State of the Union address, pointing out that several of them have expressed support for those cuts. “My Republican friends, they seemed shocked when I raised the plans of some […]

StephCast W 2-8-23

Republicans heckle Biden after he swipes at their Social Security positions

President Joe Biden took aim at Republicans at several points in his State of the Union address, but he provoked the fiercest reaction when he said some in the party want to gut Medicare and Social Security.  “Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset,” […]

LeBron James breaks NBA scoring record with his 38,388th point, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

LeBron James, who was anointed “The Chosen One” on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 17-year-old high school junior, fulfilled that prophecy by breaking the NBA scoring record with his 38,388th point during season 20 of his illustrious career. The Los Angeles Lakers’ forward scored the record-breaking basket in front of a home crowd […]

Romney excoriates Santos, saying he’s a ‘sick puppy’ who should have been ‘sitting in the back row’ during Biden’s address

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, chided Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., on Tuesday night ahead of President Joe Biden’s address in what appeared to be a tense exchange on the House floor. Santos, who has faced calls to resign after he admitted having liedabout much of his background, had positioned himself along the chamber’s middle aisle ahead […]

Biden touts economic progress and spars with Republicans in contentious State of the Union address

President Joe Biden touted his economic accomplishments and scolded Republicans — previewing the case he’ll make for re-election — in his State of the Union address on Tuesday. Confronting a divided Congress for the first time since he took office, Biden talked back as Republicans heckled him from the floor of the House of Representatives, […]

StephCast T 2-7-23

Charlie Pierce: No, We Would *Not* Like You to Spy in Your Beautiful Balloon

The arrival of the now-famous Chinese balloon over Montana has occasioned not only some fine humor on the intertoobz, but also some distilled crazy from our political class. For example, Rep. James Comer, the rodeo clown who now chairs the House Oversight committee, lost no time in losing his mind. From The Hill: Comer told Fox News’s […]

Kevin McCarthy Says U.S. Will Not Default In Debt Ceiling Fight

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) sought to reassure investors Monday that the U.S. government will not see a first-ever default on its debt as a result of the looming showdown later this year over the Treasury Department’s borrowing limit. In livestreamed remarks from the hallway just outside his office, McCarthy said: “Defaulting on our debt […]

Lauren Boebert Appears To Pray For Joe Biden’s Death In Texas Sermon

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has, again, appeared to pray for the demise of President Joe Biden. In a sermon streamed by the Storehouse Dallas church in Texas over the weekend, Boebert preached politics to attendees, repeating comments that attracted fierce backlash last June. “Joe Biden’s president. We don’t know what to do, Lord!” Boebert said. […]

Rescuers Scramble In Turkey, Syria As Earthquake Death Toll Passes 5,000

Rescuers raced Tuesday to find survivors in the rubble of thousands of buildings brought down by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and multiple aftershocks that struck eastern Turkey and neighboring Syria, with the discovery of more bodies raising the death toll to more than 5,000. Countries around the world dispatched teams to assist in the rescue […]

Biden prepares for State of the Union as US collects Chinese balloon debris

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the president’s decision to shoot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, which Republicans say should have happened immediately after the orb was discovered in US airspace and Beijing has called an overreaction. “What China did was unacceptable. We protected civilians and we gained more intel while protecting our […]

StephCast M 2-6-23

The Rude Pundit: C’mon, Drag Queens, Let’s Go F*** With Some Churches

Tell you what: I wanna gather a whole buncha drag queens from different places around the country, from Tennessee and Oklahoma and Florida and Kansas and every state where knuckle-dragging Nazi and Christian extremist fucknuts are shutting down events and protesting them and getting shit canceled, all because someone in drag is involved. And while the […]

Beyoncé, Harry Styles, hip-hop history and everything else that went down at the Grammys

In a good old-fashioned Grammys shocker, Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House” defeated Beyoncé’s ballyhooed “Renaissance” to win album of the year at music’s most prestigious awards show on Sunday night. Yet to say that Beyoncé — who also lost record of the year (which went to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”) and song of the year (which […]

Donald Trump and Chris Christie Trade Barbs Across Social Media: ‘That Loss to Joe Still Stings’

Former President Donald Trump and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christietraded barbs across the online battlefield Sunday, sparring over the looming contest for the 2024 Republican nomination. The two former GOP elected officials were once allies, with Christie serving a core role with Trump’s debate prep and as a member of the 2016 presidential transition […]

Former prospective aide accuses George Santos of ethics violations and sexual harassment

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., the freshman lawmaker accused of fabricating key parts of his résumé, is being accused of ethics violations and sexual harassment by a former prospective congressional aide, according to a letter posted Friday on Twitter. In the letter to the House Ethics Committee, Derek Myers accused Santos of groping him when he […]

Downed spy balloon leads to rise in diplomatic tensions between U.S. and China

The Chinese spy balloon might be down, but the diplomatic temperature continued to rise Sunday as officials in Beijing blasted the U.S. decision to shoot it out of the sky.  Describing it as “a clear overreaction,” Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for China’s Defense Ministry, said in a statement Sunday that his country reserved “the right […]

SM Happy Hour Videocast with Paula Poundstone – 2-3-23

StephCast Th 2-3-23

Trump Now Claims Ron DeSantis Cried As He Begged For An Endorsement

Donald Trump claims that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) cried as he begged for an endorsement ahead of his state’s 2018 gubernatorial primary. “He was dead, he was leaving the race. He came over and he begged me, begged me for an endorsement,” Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday. “He said, ‘If […]

Republicans vote to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee

House Republicans voted Thursday to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee — the latest skirmish in a long-running partisan battle over committee assignments.  Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., had faced a handful of GOP defections, but by Thursday he and his team had whipped GOP members back in line, and 218 Republicans […]

China says it’s looking into suspected spy balloon over U.S.; Canada monitoring ‘potential second incident’

China urged calm Friday and said that it was looking into reports of a high-altitude surveillance balloon suspected of belonging to Beijing hovering over the United States, while Canadasaid it was monitoring a “potential second incident.” U.S. officials said Thursday the military was monitoring the balloon, which flew over the Aleutian Islands and through Canada […]

StephCast Th 2-2-23

Trump Takes Swipe At Nikki Haley’s ‘Honor,’ Shares Video of Her Saying She Wouldn’t Run Against Him

Former President Donald Trump took a swipe at his former UN ambassador,Nikki Haley, on Wednesday after reports ran this week that Haley will announce a run for the presidency in mid-February – challenging Trump for the GOP nomination. Trump shared a clip of Haley saying she would not run against him on his Truth Social […]

VP Harris addresses mourners at Tyre Nichols’ funeral

Tyre Nichols’ family gathered in Memphis, Tennessee, for his funeral, weeks after the 29-year-old died following a violent encounter with Memphis police caught on body camera. Graphic footage of the Jan. 7 traffic stop, which showed officers beating Nichols, was released to the public on Friday and sparked nationwide outrage. Nichols, a young father who […]

Veteran who claimed George Santos stole money for his dying dog says FBI has reached out to him

The FBI has contacted a Navy veteran, Richard Osthoff, as part of an investigation into embattled Rep. George Santos and a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Osthoff’s sick service dog. Osthoff confirmed the call from the FBI, and sources familiar with the matter confirmed the nature of the investigation — which adds to the […]

Hunter Biden asks for criminal probe into Trump allies for ‘theft’ of data from laptop

Lawyers for Hunter Biden sent letters Wednesday requesting investigations into allies of former President Donald Trump who they say trafficked in stolen information from his laptop — a dramatic shift in strategy for the president’s son after years of GOP attacks. Among the letters, which were obtained by NBC News, was one sent Wednesday asking the Justice Department’s National […]

StephCast W 2-1-23

‘You Seem Angry’: George Santos OAN Interview Gets Awkward Fast

An interview with Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) on the far-right One America News Network (OAN) grew tense after he was asked why he hadn’t shown much remorse for deceiving voters to get elected. The sit-down started out with a volley of softball questions, but the mood took a turn when host Caitlin Sinclair noted: “History […]

Video of Trump deposition in New York fraud probe shows former president taking the Fifth, repeating “same answer”

Newly released video obtained by CBS News provides the first look at former President Donald Trump’s deposition last summer in the New York attorney general’s civil fraud investigation.  Trump sat for questioning under oath on Aug. 10, and the video shows him politely answering the opening questions from state Attorney General Letitia James. Wearing a […]

Trump revamps his fundraising operation after struggling to raise money for 2024

Former President Donald Trump is strapped for campaign cash following the mid-November launch of his 2024 presidential campaign, according to end-of-year figures obtained exclusively by NBC News. Trump, who has been the GOP’s most prolific fundraiser in recent years, pulled in about $9.5 million over the final six weeks of last year through his campaign […]

Biden and McCarthy clash over debt ceiling ahead of first big meeting

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s first meeting Wednesday with new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the White House issued two sternly worded demands to the speaker. In a memo circulated Tuesday, top White House advisers Brian Deese and Shalanda Young said Biden intends to ask McCarthy, R-Calif., to “commit to the bedrock principle that the United […]

StephCast T 1-31-23

Biden White House Plans To End COVID-19 Public Health Emergency In May

The Biden administration said Monday it plans to end the nation’s COVID-19 public health emergency in May, more than three years after the virus first began circulating in the country. The White House plans to renew the existing emergency declarations once more before they expire on May 11, allowing local governments and health care providers […]

Donald Trump Sues Bob Woodward For Publishing Audio Interviews

Former president Donald Trump is suing journalist Bob Woodward for releasing recordings of their interviews, claiming he never agreed the tapes would be turned into an audiobook. Trump did 19 interviews with Woodward between December 2019 and August 2020, and also in 2016 when he was just a candidate. Woodward turned the interviews into a […]

3 Memphis EMTs fired for their response to the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols

Three EMTs who responded to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols were fired Monday after an internal investigation, the Memphis Fire Department said Monday. Robert Long, JaMichael Sandridge and Lt. Michelle Whitaker were found to have violated multiple department policies and protocols in their patient response to Nichols on Jan. 7, the fire department said […]

New York prosecutors convene grand jury in Trump hush money probe

Prosecutors in New York have convened a grand jury in their investigation into hush money paid to an adult film star who said she’d slept with Donald Trump, three sources familiar with the situation confirmed. The seating of a grand jury, first reported Monday by The New York Times, marks a significant new phase of […]

Charlie Pierce: John Durham’s Big Ol’ “Deep State” Hunt Did Find Some Shady Deals—Connected to Trump

Remember the Durham Investigation? It was going to prove to the world that the former president* was more lied against than lying, more abused than abuser. It was the Grail Quest for Trumplings, large and small. It was going to be an icepick to the eye of the Deep State. It was going to make […]

StephCast M 1-30-23

Biden is set to meet with McCarthy to discuss the debt ceiling Wednesday

President Joe Biden will meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Wednesday, a White House official confirmed, amid Republicans’ debt-ceiling showdown with Democrats. Biden will host McCarthy at the White House for a discussion about a variety of issues in one of a series of meetings with congressional leaders at the start of the […]

Demonstrations, calls for police reforms flood Memphis

Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators, fueled by newly released body camera video showing the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols by police officers, demanded justice, accountability and police reform Saturday afternoon. Many in the crowd voiced their frustrations regarding a long history of police violence against citizens, corruption and the need to disband several tactical units under […]

Alleged Paul Pelosi Attacker Shares Disturbing Regrets In Jailhouse Call

The man accused of brutally attacking former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer last year expressed regret on Friday that he didn’t do more, according to a jailhouse call that he reportedly had with a California news station. David DePape shared a stunning lack of remorse for the violence during […]

Jim Jordan Gets Fact-Checked To His Face In Combative NBC News Interview

Rep. Jim Jordan and Chuck Todd got into a sparring match Sunday as the NBC News host called out the Ohio Republican for painting a misleading picture of how former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden handled the discovery of classified documents at their respective homes. During the tense interview on NBC’s “Meet the […]

The Rude Pundit: Florida Department of Education’s Black History Month Essay Contest Seems to Want Students to Write Things They’re Not Allowed to Learn

It’s kind of odd, really. I mean, I know that Florida Republicans would say that they’re not opposed to students learning African American history and culture, even after their governor, Ron DeSantis, a man who always looks like he’s looking forward to when he’ll get to complain to the manager again, refused to allow an […]

SMHH VideoCast F 1-27-23 with Joyce White Vance & John Fugelsang

https://www.stephaniemiller.com/hhvideo/SMHH-1-27-2023_Vance_Fugelsang-NSFW.mp4Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

StephCast F 1-27-23

AOC Fires Back at Republican Who Told Her to ‘Educate Yourself,’ Suggests He’s in Congress to Boost Corporate Profits

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) hit back at Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), who said she is ignorant about fossil fuels. The House debated oil and gas drilling on federal land Thursday night. Republicans introduced a bill that would require the federal government to approve more drilling on government property before drawing from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum […]

National Archives asks former presidents and vice presidents to check for classified documents

The National Archives and Records Administration on Thursday requested that former presidents and vice presidents“conduct an assessment” to determine whether they have any classified materials in their possession. In a letter to designated records representatives, the National Archives referred to “several instances reported in the media where records containing classified information and subject to the […]

5 ex-Memphis police officers are charged with murder in Tyre Nichols’ death

Five former Memphis police officers were indicted Thursday on murder charges in the death of Tyre Nichols, whose beating after a traffic stop was captured on video that “sickened” a top Tennessee law enforcement official. The officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were fired after, Police Chief […]

StephCast Th 1-26-23

Vice President Harris visits Monterey Park to meet with victims’ families

Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Monterey Park, California, on Wednesday to meet with victims’ families days after a mass shooter there killed 11 and wounded at least nine others at a Lunar New Year celebration inside a dance studio. Harris visited Star Dance Studio to mourn the loss of the victims of the Monterey […]

McCarthy says Santos will be removed from Congress if Ethics Committee finds he broke the law

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that while he stands by Rep. George Santos, the freshman congressman from New York would be removed from office if the Ethics Committee finds he broke the law after he admitted fabricating parts of his background. McCarthy was pressed at a news conference about why he still supports Santos, […]

Facebook and Instagram to end Trump’s suspension from platforms

Former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts are being reinstated, the social media giant Meta announced Wednesday — a little more than two years after he was suspended from the platforms over incendiary posts about the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Trump’s accounts will be reinstated “in the coming weeks” with “new guardrails […]

StephCast W 1-25-23

Classified documents found at Mike Pence’s Indiana home

A “small number” of classified documents were discovered last week at former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana home, according to two letters Pence’s counsel sent to the National Archives obtained by NBC News on Tuesday. The lawyer, Greg Jacob, said the documents were discovered on Jan. 16 after Pence asked “outside counsel” to look for […]

Monterey Park shooter was mad at the world, not just his ex, former friends say

The elderly gunman responsible for the dance hall massacre in Monterey Park was out of step with other Asian immigrants who found joy and companionship in venues like the Star Ballroom Dance Studio, former friends said. Huu Can Tran, 72, was an angry loner who appeared to have a grudge against the world — not […]

U.S. prepares to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine in major reversal for Biden administration

After weeks of discussion, the Biden administration is preparing to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, according to three senior U.S. officials.  The administration may announce the decision as early as Wednesday. The current plan includes a couple dozen Abrams tanks, but the officials stressed that the decision is not yet final and could change. The […]

Kevin McCarthy Officially Gives Schiff and Swalwell the Heave-Ho from the Intelligence Committee: ‘Integrity Matters’

McCarthy indicated he would not seat Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on that committee. He previously raised concerns about Schiff’s handling of the first impeachment investigation into former President Donald Trump, as well as Swalwell’s interactions with an alleged Chinese spy. Though committee members must be reappointed at the beginning of each […]

StephCast T 1-24-23

Charlie Pierce: America’s Obsession with Its Guns Is a Sickness

Sometime today, someone will say that because the Monterey Park shooter used an illegal weapon, that proves that gun laws don’t work because blah-blah-blah. And perhaps the Baton Rouge shooting will be ascribed to some grudge held against the Dion nightclub because it wouldn’t play “Disco Inferno” twice last week. The simple fact is that […]

Jan. 6 rioter who put his feet on desk in Pelosi’s office is convicted on all counts

An Arkansas man who was photographed during the Jan. 6 riot with his feet on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office was found guilty on all counts Monday after brief jury deliberations. Richard Barnett faced eight charges stemming from the insurrection in 2021, including theft of government property. He said repeatedly in court […]

Democrats name Schiff and Swalwell to Intelligence panel despite McCarthy’s threats

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries tapped Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to continue serving on the House Intelligence Committee on Monday, teeing up a long-anticipated fight with Speaker Kevin McCarthy who has vowed to block the pair from keeping their seats on the powerful panel. The move means that the relationship between Jeffries, a New […]

Monterey Park suspect may have been targeting his ex-wife in the mass shooting, mayor says

The gunman behind the deadly dance hall shooting in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park may have been targeting his ex-wife on the Lunar New Year, the city’s mayor said Monday. That revelation came as investigators are focused on a personal motive and have discounted hate crime or terrorism as a possible inspiration for […]

At least 7 people killed in mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, California

At least seven people were killed and one person seriously injured after a gunman opened fire at two separate sites in Northern California on Monday, authorities said, in the latest mass shooting to hit the state in a matter of days. The shootings unfolded at agricultural businesses on the outskirts of Half Moon Bay, a coastal […]

StephCast M 1-23-23

DOJ Warns Rep. Jim Jordan It Won’t Share Ongoing Probe Details To Protect ‘Integrity’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent a pointed letter to the new chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), signaling that it’s unlikely to share information about ongoing probes to safeguard the “integrity” of the investigations. Additionally, the letter warned that the DOJ probably wouldn’t share any “non-public” information. The letter […]

Jeff Zients to be named Biden’s next chief of staff, replacing Ron Klain

President Joe Biden will name Jeff Zients to serve as his next chief of staff, replacing Ron Klain, who is expected to leave in the coming weeks, an administration official and a person familiar with the decision told NBC News. Zients, who previously led the Biden administration’s Covid-19 response, left the administration briefly last April […]

Additional classified items found in Biden’s Delaware home during Justice Department search, attorney says

Six additional items, including documents with classified markings, were found in President Joe Biden’s Delaware home after Justice Department officials searched the residence Friday, the president’s personal attorney said Saturday. The search was prompted by the White House, not the Justice Department, according to a White House official and a source familiar with the matter. The […]

Suspect in shooting at dance hall near Los Angeles is dead, sheriff says

The man suspected of carrying out a deadly shooting in Monterey Park was identified Sunday afternoon, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. The man, Huu Can Tran, 72, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a white van in Torrance as officers closed in, Luna said. When law enforcement searched the van they recovered […]

The Rude Pundit: The End of Roe v Wade Is Part of the End of the United States

I can pretty much guarantee you a few things are going to happen in the near to not-too-distant future regarding abortion rights in the United States. I don’t believe a national ban will happen unless the Supreme Court decides to force it. Instead, the insanity of our abortion policy in this country and the Christian […]

SMHH VideoCast F 1-20-23 with Comedian Jen Kirkman

StephCast F 1-20-23

Judge sanctions Trump and his lawyer nearly $1 million for ‘frivolous’ lawsuit targeting Hillary Clinton

A federal judge on Thursday sanctioned former President Donald Trump and one of his top attorneys nearly $1 million for filing a sprawling lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other perceived political enemies “that should never have been filed.” U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks of Southern Florida said in his 46-page order that Trump, lead […]

U.S. hits the debt limit, setting June deadline as Capitol Hill fight intensifies

The U.S. government hit its statutory debt limitThursday, and the Treasury Department said it has begun resorting to “extraordinary measures” to pay the bills. In a letter to congressional leaders Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said those special financial tools to meet the country’s obligations can continue until at least Monday, June 5. After they […]

Supreme Court says it is unable to identify the person who leaked draft of abortion ruling

The Supreme Court announced Thursday that after a lengthy investigation it has been unable to conclusively identify who leaked an unpublished draft of an opinion indicating the court was poised to roll back abortion rights. In an unsigned statement, the court said that all leads had been followed up and forensic analysis had been performed […]

StephCast Th 1-19-23

Donald Trump prepares for his return to Facebook and Twitter

Mounting a comeback for the White House, Donald Trump is looking to regain control over his powerful social media accounts. With access to his Twitter account back, Trump’s campaign is formally petitioning Facebook’s parent company to unblock his account there after it was locked in response to the U.S. Capitol riot two years ago. “We […]

George Santos Reportedly Used the Name ‘Kitara’ During Time as Brazilian Drag Queen

A new report claims Rep. George Santos (R-NY) went by the name “Kitara” while he performed in drag during his youth in Brazil. Santos reportedly used numerous aliases before he was elected to the House in November after campaigning on lies about his background. Santos is said to have used the name Anthony Devolder – an […]

Trump Misidentifies Sexual Assault Accuser as His Ex-Wife After Saying ‘This Woman Is Not My Type’

Former President Donald Trump misidentified a woman who has accused him of sexual assault during a recent deposition, according to an excerpt was released Wednesday. Trump is being sued by E. Jean Carroll, an advice columnist based in New York City, for defamation and sexual assault. She claims the alleged assault occurred in a New […]

Elie Mystal: An Appeals Court Wants to Bring Back Bump Stocks, Beloved by Mass Shooters

The conservative judges who now occupy large swaths of the federal judiciary are pro-gun extremists. They’re so deep in the thrall of the gun lobby that their anti-regulatory opinions are now incompatible with mainstream American views on gun safety. Conservative judges have even lurched to the right of the Republican presidents who appoint them. The […]

StephCast W 1-18-23

Biden White House takes questions about classified documents

The White House sought to deflect criticism that it is withholding facts about one of the biggest debacles of Joe Biden’s presidency, taking questions Tuesday about batches of classified records found in his home and an old office. A White House official, Ian Sams, spoke to reporters Tuesday about documents dating to Biden’s vice presidency […]

Failed New Mexico GOP Candidate Visited Homes Of Democrats Before Shootings: Report

A failed New Mexico GOP candidate charged with shooting at the homes of Democratic politicians visited the officials beforehand to dispute his 2022 election loss, according to a new report. Republican Solomon Peña was arrested Monday, accused of conspiring with and paying four other men to shoot at the homes of four local Democratic officials. […]

Veteran Says George Santos Used Him And His Dying Dog For A Fundraising Scam

A disabled veteran has accused newly-elected Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) of fundraising for his service dog’s lifesaving surgery and then disappearing with the money, local news site Patch reported Tuesday. Richard Osthoff, a U.S. Navy veteran, told Patch Santos conned him in 2016 while he was living in a tent on the side of a […]

Radical GOPers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar Return To Committees After Removal By Democrats

GOP lawmakers have reinstated representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) to House committees nearly two years after Democrats stripped them of their assignments, multiple news outlets have confirmed. On Tuesday, the House GOP Steering Committee, which delegates committee assignments, voted unanimously to assign Greene and Gosar to the Oversight and Accountability Committee, […]

StephCast T 1-17-23

Charlie Pierce: Merrick Garland Has Risked Justice by Betting on Impartiality

Robert H. Jackson was the last Supreme Court justice who never earned a law degree. After one year at Albany Law School, he became a lawyer by the age-old practice of “reading the law” in Jamestown, New York. He attached himself to the star of then-Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt, and when the latter became president, […]

White House says there are no visitors logs for Biden’s Delaware home

The White House and the Secret Service said Monday they do not maintain visitor logs for President Joe Biden’s personal home in Wilmington, Delaware, a day after a top House Republican called for their release. “Like every President across decades of modern history, his personal residence is personal,” White House counsel’s office spokesman Ian Sams […]

White House Calls GOP Frenzy Over Biden Classified Docs ‘Shamelessly Hypocritical’

The White House pushed back on Republican outrage over the discovery of classified documents at President Joe Biden’s residence and former office, calling the indignation from GOP lawmakers “shamelessly hypocritical.” “House Republicans have no credibility,” White Houses spokesperson Ian Sams said in a statement on Monday. “Their demands should be met with skepticism and they […]

Kevin McCarthy Admits He ‘Always Had A Few Questions’ About George Santos’ Resume

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) admitted Monday he “always had a few questions” about the resume of Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), the newly elected congressman who was found to have lied extensively about his credentials. “I never knew all about his resume or not, but I always had a few questions about it,” McCarthy said, […]

Failed GOP Candidate Arrested In String Of Shootings At New Mexico Democrats’ Homes

Police in Albuquerque, N.M., arrested Solomon Peña, a former Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives, on Monday in connection with multiple shootings at local Democratic politicians’ homes, authorities said. Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said Peña is accused of conspiring with and paying four other men to shoot at the homes of two […]

StephCast M 1-16-23

House GOP Demands Visitor Logs In Biden Classified Docs Case

Newly empowered House Republicans on Sunday demanded the White House turn over all information related to its searches that have uncovered classified documents at President Joe Biden’s home and former office in the wake of more records found at his Delaware residence. “We have a lot of questions,” said Rep. James Comer, chairman of the […]

Biden: Americans should ‘pay attention’ to MLK’s legacy

President Joe Biden made a historical pilgrimage Sunday to “America’s freedom church” to mark Martin Luther King Jr.’sbirthday, saying democracy was at a perilous moment and that the civil rights leader’s life and legacy “show us the way and we should pay attention.” As the first sitting president to deliver a Sunday morning sermon at King’s Ebenezer […]

White House says more documents with classified markings were found at Biden’s Delaware home

More classified documents from the Obama administration were found in President Joe Biden’s Delaware residence this week — in addition to the two batches that had been previously disclosed — the White House said Saturday. This brings the total number of batches of records found to three: a “small” number in a Washington office Biden used, another […]

SMHH VideoCast with Cliff Schecter – 1-13-23

https://www.stephaniemiller.com/hhvideo/SMHH-1-13-2023_Schecter-NSFW.mp4Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

StephCast F 1-13-23

More Republicans call for George Santos to resign over lies and fabrications

House Republicans’ calls for Rep. George Santos to resign are growing after state GOP leaders in New York said he should step aside over a slew of lies and fabrications in the biography he ran on in the 2022 midterm election. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., also starting his first term, dropped his earlier hedging and […]

Trump discussed using a nuclear weapon on North Korea in 2017 and blaming it on someone else, book says

Behind closed doors in 2017, President Donald Trump discussed the idea of using a nuclear weapon against North Korea and suggested he could blame a U.S. strike against the communist regime on another country, according to a new section of a book that details key events of his administration. Trump’s alleged comments, reported for the […]

Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child, dies at 54

Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock icon Elvis Presley, died Thursday, her mother said. She was 54. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement to The Associated Press. “She was the most […]

Special counsel named to investigate Biden classified records that included top secret document

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday he was appointing Robert Hur to serve as a special counsel to review classified material found in President Joe Biden’s Delaware residence and a Washington office he used. Hur, now a lawyer at a Washington, D.C., firm, was the U.S. Attorney for Maryland during the Trump administration, and […]

StephCast Th 1-12-23

N.Y. Republican leaders and lawmakers call on GOP Rep. George Santos to resign over campaign lies

A growing number of GOP lawmakers from New York are calling for the resignation of Rep. George Santos, the newly sworn-in member of Congress who confessed to having lied about key details of his background. At least four House Republicans from New York said Santos should step down after Nassau County GOP officials on Wednesday […]

Corrupted computer file to blame for FAA aviation stoppage that delayed thousands of flights

Flights across the U.S. resumed Wednesday morning, several hours after the Federal Aviation Administration suffered a computer outagethat forced it to halt all departures nationwide while it scrambled to resolve the issue. The FAA said the crippling delays that affected thousands of flights appear to have been caused by a problem in the Notice to […]

Biden aides find second batch of classified documents at new location

Aides to President Joe Biden have discovered at least one additional batch of classified documents in a location separate from the Washington office he used after leaving the Obama administration, according to a person familiar with the matter. Since November, after the discovery of documents with classified markings in his former office, Biden aides have […]

StephCast W 1-11-23

Rain blamed for 17 deaths in California, a state primed for very different natural disasters

Seventeen people have died in a series of atmospheric rivers that have slammed into California in the last two weeks, a staggering death toll in a state used to wildfires, earthquakes and drought, a state official said Tuesday. The deaths have been reported across the state — from San Bernardino County in the south to […]

House Republican files articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Mayorkas

In the first week of the new GOP-led House, a Texas Republican has filed articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Rep. Pat Fallon, in a document filed Monday night, accused Mayorkas of “high crimes and misdemeanors” in his role as homeland security secretary. The articles have been referred to the Judiciary Committee, […]

Biden says he was ‘surprised’ to learn government docs were found at his former office

President Joe Biden on Tuesday addressed the controversy over classified documents found at a former office of his in Washington, saying that he was “surprised” when he learned of their existence and that his attorneys have been “cooperating fully” with the government’s review of the records. “People know I take classified documents and classified information […]

Biden classified docs vs. Trump classified docs: What’s the difference?

The discovery of classified documents among President Joe Biden’s vice presidential papers in a Washington office has led to yowls by some Republicans who say there is an unfair double standard being applied to Donald Trump’s stash of classified documents — but the circumstances of the finds are very different. The uproar began Monday after […]

StephCast T 1-10-23

Republicans Signal Cuts To Social Security, Medicare With New House Majority

House Republicans are making clear that they intend to seek cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare with their new majority in the 118th Congress. Their plans to target health care programs follow demands from a group of conservatives that helped elect House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) over the weekend. Those far-right lawmakers […]

One person dead, 5-year-old missing as ‘parade of cyclones’ batters California

One person is dead, a 5-year-old is missing and more than 7 million people in the Los Angeles area were under a flash flood warning Monday as a “parade of cyclones” slammed California. In Avila Beach, roughly 180 miles north of Los Angeles, one person was killed when a vehicle was overtaken by water, said […]

Grand jury in Georgia Trump election probe completes final report, judge says

The Georgia grand jury conducting a criminal investigation into whether there were any “coordinated attempts to unlawfully alter the outcome of the 2020 elections” in the state by former President Donald Trump and his allies has completed its work, a judge said in a ruling issued Monday. The grand jury was convened for an investigation […]

Justice Department is examining ‘small number’ of classified documents found at Biden think tank

A “small number of documents” with classified markings that appear to be from the Obama administration were found at a think tank in Washington, D.C., tied to President Joe Biden and are under review by the Justice Department and National Archives, a White House lawyer said Monday. The documents were discovered in a locked closet […]

Charlie Pierce: Kevin McCarthy Will Take Us Back to the 1920s. Is That Good?

The whole thing got so numbing by the third day. Eight hours of calling names, eight hours of the same numbers, over and over again. The Democrats in the House of Representatives stayed solidly behind their leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Twenty-one members stood against Kevin McCarthy within the Republican caucus, who were, through […]

StephCast M 1-9-23