#the eric Adams Affair

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Jack Ohman, Tribune Content Agency

* * * *

The power of a single voice.

February 14, 2025

Robert B. Hubbell

We have all been in a situation where an audience sits in awkward silence as a loudmouth makes rude and offensive comments that disrupt the event. People look nervously at one another for social cues to confirm what everyone is thinking: “This guy is a jerk. Someone should tell him to shut up.”

And then a single voice says, “Be quiet. Sit down. You are ruining it for everyone.” And then a chorus arises, “Sit down! Boo! Hiss!” The power of a single voice can unleash the strength of collective action.

Being the first mover is risky and (depending on the situation) dangerous when the stakes are high. It takes courage and moral conviction. On Thursday, the acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Danielle R. Sassoon, demonstrated courage and moral conviction. She refused to dismiss the indictment against New York Mayor Eric Adams—as she had been ordered to do by Emil Bove, the acting US Deputy Attorney General.

Danielle Sassoon explained her decision not to dismiss the charges against Eric Adams in a carefully crafted, respectful, thoughtful letter, which is here: Letter from Danielle R. Sassoon to AG Pamela Bondi.

Everyone should read portions of her letter to appreciate her fine legal analysis and sincerity of her appeal to Pam Bondi. I urge lawyers to read Sassoon’s letter start to finish. It is an outstanding example of legal reasoning that expertly combines clear analysis and deft advocacy while upholding the best traditions of the legal profession.

We should all be proud of Danielle Sassoon. She has taken the first step to remediating the disgrace visited on the legal profession by dozens of Trump's legal sycophants.

Emil Bove accepted Sassoon’s politely tendered offer of resignation in her letter. Bove then went shopping for a lawyer cowardly enough to carry out the corrupt dismissal of the charges against Adams—which Sassoon argued “amounted to a quid pro quo” of dismissal in exchange for cooperating with Trump's lawless immigration raids.

Sassoon wrote in her letter:

I attended a meeting on January 31, 2025, with Mr. Bove, Adams’s counsel, and members of my office. Adams’s attorneys repeatedly urged what amounted to a quid pro quo, indicating that Adams would be in a position to assist with the Department’s enforcement priorities only if the indictment were dismissed. Mr. Bove admonished a member of my team who took notes during that meeting and directed the collection of those notes at the meeting’s conclusion.

Bove believed he could find corruptible lawyers in the DOJ’s Public Integrity unit, so he transferred oversight of the case to D.C. As I write, five lawyers from that unit have resigned rather than carry out Bove’s order to dismiss the well-founded charges of corruption against Eric Adams. See NYTimes, Order to Drop Adams Case Prompts Resignations in New York and Washington. (Accessible to all.)

As I write on Thursday evening, it is not clear when Emil Bove will find a corruptible lawyer to ask the court to enter a corrupt dismissal. Given the number of Trump-appointed prosecutors scattered throughout the nation, he will likely succeed in his quest for a coward. Whoever steps up to perform the corrupt bidding of Bove will go down in history as the Robert Bork of our time—the weakest link in the Department of Justice willing to do the president’s bidding.

The details of this story are much more complicated than I have explained above. For further details, I recommend the NYTimes article. Three important points deserve emphasis before addressing the lessons from this episode.

First, a memo circulated by Emil Bove lends support to Danielle Sassoon’s allegation that the dismissal was a corrupt quid pro quo. As reported by NBC, Emil Bove authored a memo stating that the prosecution against Adams should be dropped, in part, because it “limited Adams' ability to aid Trump's crackdown on immigrants and to fight crime.”

Quid = dismissal of charges; quo = “aiding Trump's crackdown on immigration.”

Second, in an apparent effort to deliver the “quo” for the “quid,” Eric Adams agreed to violate an ordinance passed by the New York City council by agreeing to give ICE agents access to the municipal jail at Rikers Island.

Third, New York Governor Kathleen Hochul has the authority to dismiss Eric Adams, but Hochul told Rachel Maddow on Thursday evening that she would not make a “knee-jerk” decision to do so. Instead, she said she would consider her options after consultation with leaders in New York. See Raw Story, NY gov defies calls to oust Adams despite 'extremely concerning' allegations' — for now

Replacing Eric Adams at this point might lead Emil Bove to withdraw the dismissal request—because as an ex-mayor, Eric Adams would not be able to continue delivering the “quo” for the “quid.” If Adams is no longer mayor, he has no value to Trump, who would no longer care if Adams was prosecuted.

Moreover, if the current request to dismiss the case is withdrawn, the judge presiding over the case will not have cause to investigate whether the request for dismissal is corrupt. But if the DOJ pursues the request for dismissal, US District Judge Dale Ho will likely make an inquiry into whether the request for dismissal promotes the interests of justice.

Such an inquiry could turn into a political embarrassment (or worse) for Emil Bove and others acting at the behest of Trump. Offering to drop a criminal case in exchange for a political benefit may qualify as a bribe, extortion, obstruction of justice, or other criminal conduct.

But the legal details are secondary to the fact that Danielle Sassoon has opened a new front in the resistance against Trump. She follows others who have resigned rather than carry out illegal orders by Trump and Musk, but her stand is the highest-profile act of resistance to date—and one that may have given others in the DOJ the courage to follow her example.

Her stand is the perfect example of why we must use every tool available to resist Trump. We will never know which spark will catch fire and inspire others to join the resistance. But if we create enough sparks, the odds increase that one will be the tipping point to unleash the flood. (Apologies for the mixed metaphors!)

The power of one voice is all it takes to start a wave of resistance. That voice could be yours. Take heart from the events of Thursday and use your voice to urge others to resist and act.

Hegseth tries to walk back comments suggesting that Ukraine must surrender

On Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Hegseth shocked everyone (including Trump, apparently) by saying that it was unrealistic to restore Ukraine’s borders to their pre-war status and that Ukraine would not be admitted to NATO as part of any settlement.

Hegseth was flamed by everyone, including the White House, for his reckless, shameful abandonment of Ukraine. On Thursday, he said that he “just talking” but that any negotiating decisions would be made by Trump. See The Hill, Hegseth clarifies NATO comments amid criticism and Mediate, Pete Hegseth Roasted Over 'Huge F*ck Up' on Ukraine Policy.

As noted in the Mediate article,

The Economist’s Shashank Joshi added, “Hegseth’s lack of experience is already showing. Publicly makes a series of pre-emptive concessions prior to the most important negotiations in many years, and then has to publicly explain that he had no authority to say any of those things.”

The problem with Hegseth’s comments is that once concessions are uttered in a negotiation, it is impossible to withdraw them—no matter how lame the excuse for making them in the first instance. Pete Hegseth is an amateur who is in over his head. He needs to keep his mouth shut to avoid inflicting more damage.

Judicial efforts to restrain Trump and Musk

A federal judge has extended the ban on Trump's effort to put the entire staff of USAID on leave—a move that would effectively shutter the agency. See The Hill, Federal judge extends block on Trump putting USAID workers on leave. The problem is that all work has ground to a halt at USAID as third party agencies and contractors are frozen by the chaos and indecision at USAID.

Staff are being held in a state of suspended animation, working “at home” in remote locations around the world, unsure of whether USAID will arrange for their return travel to the US. Food is rotting in warehouses and on docks. See The Independent, USAID inspector fired after revealing nearly $500m in food aid was about to spoil amid Trump funding freeze.

The judge who issued the temporary stay seemed skeptical of the union’s claims that workers are suffering irreparable injury, asking why they cannot simply sue for damages if they have been wrongfully terminated.

A lawyer for the union employees responded, “Once the agency is dissolved, it cannot be put back together again.”

And that is Trump's plan: inflict damage that cannot be repaired and worry about the consequences later. Meanwhile, people are dying of disease and starvation as Trump effectively shuts down the work of the agency by blocking “external communications.”

Per The Independent,

$489 million worth of food assistance was at risk of spoilage after the Trump administration issued an unclear aid freeze guidance, ordered staff to refrain from “external communications” and placed more than 90 percent of USAID workforce on paid administrative leave.

In a separate action, another federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore funding to USAID to honor contracts with third party providers. See Reuters, Judge orders US to restore funds for foreign aid programs. But without staff to administer the contracts, restoring the funding may be a futile act.

On Wednesday, a federal judge lifted an order that restrained Trump from firing thousands of federal workers. On Thursday, the Office of Personnel Management authorized the firing of workers who were still within their probationary period. See Politico, Trump administration fires thousands of federal workers.

Per Politico,

Officials would not say how many layoff notices they plan to send, but acknowledged they expect to go well beyond the 77,000 employees who have already accepted offers to leave. The voluntary resignation program — ended after a judge’s ruling Wednesday — culled 3 percent of the workforce, well short of the administration’s 10 percent goal.

Although 77,000 sounds like a large number of employees accepting the “buyout” offer, it is less than the normal attrition that would take place during the eight months covered by the offer. Normal attrition is in the 5% to 6% range, while the buyout offer acceptance rate of 3% over eight months. See Federal News Network, Federal workforce attrition rises back up to pre-pandemic levels. (Attrition was “6.1% and 6% in 2019 and 2018, respectively.”)

The Trump / Musk hatchet job is affecting the judiciary

The judiciary is a co-equal, independent branch of government. Its budget is set by Congress directly and is not managed by the executive branch. The Treasury and GAO do serve as the bank and bookkeeper for the judiciary as a matter of convenience. But the president has no authority over the judiciary or its budget.

But the ham-fisted approach of Musk and Trump to federal cuts is sweeping the judiciary without regard to its independence. Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo addresses the issue at length in an article entitled, Judicial Branch Scrambles To Limit Spillover From Trump’s Executive Branch Rampage.

For example, Musk and Trump have inadvertently terminated or frozen leases for judiciary offices and attempted to place executive branch staff in judiciary buildings as part of the forced “return to office” initiatives in the executive branch.

Chief Justice John Roberts plays a role in the budgeting process for the judiciary and must be aware that the Musk / Trump initiatives are impinging on the independence of the federal judiciary. Whether Roberts cares or will do anything is not clear.

Celebrities quit Kennedy Center Board after Trump appoints himself chair

Trump appointed himself chair of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in D.C. After announcing that he was appointing himself chair, Trump crowed that he was “unanimously” elected by the board to his self-appointed position.

Part of the reason Trump's election was unanimous was that celebrities began to resign from the board after Trump announced his intention to seize control of the center. See The Hill, Stars flee Kennedy Center groups after Donald Trump seizes chair. Shonda Rhimes, Ben Folds, and Renee Fleming resigned from the board of trustees after Trump’s announcement.

And then Trump dismissed the entire remaining board of trustees (in violation of their six year terms) and appointed his own board of trustees who—unsurprisingly—voted unanimously for Trump to serve as chair.

This is next level weird ****. Again, imagine if Joe Biden dismissed the board of trustees—which would have been heavily represented by Trump appointees—and installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center. But so far as I can tell, no one in the legacy media is bothered by the fact that Trump is acting like an out-of-control narcissist in the manner of Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Kim Jung Un, Putin, Stalin, etc.

Wall Street Journal’s comment on Trump's tariffs and inflation.

Trump announced on Thursday that more “reciprocal” sanctions would be coming next week. See Politico, Trump sets out process for imposing global reciprocal tariffs.

Given the reported spike in inflation in January, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board headlined an editorial with the following, which says it all: ‘Does He Understand Money?’: Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal Slams Donald Trump’s Intellect | The Daily Beast.

Concluding Thoughts

I will host a Substack livestream on Saturday morning, February 15, at 9:00 am PST / 12:00 noon EST. There is no link. Just open the Substack app at the appointed time and you will see a notification that I have opened a livestream session. I will send a reminder email 30 minutes before I start the session.

The resistance within the DOJ is freighted with significance. Danielle Sassoon is a Republican appointee with sterling Republican credentials—a Scalia clerk who is a member of the Federalist Society. And yet she put her loyalty to the Constitution above her loyalty to Donald Trump.

Trump's kryptonite is disloyalty. He melts like the Wicked Witch of the West when people refuse to be bullied. Dannielle Sassoon has demonstrated that there is a path forward that does not involve breaching an oath to defend the Constitution.

The Eric Adams Affair has yet to see its denouement. But we know the outcome. Trump loses. Even if he manages to dismiss the charges against Adams, he has suffered a grievous blow to his air of invincibility. And if he backs down, the sharks will smell blood in the water.

Trump can be defeated. All it takes is a single person with courage and moral conviction to inspire others to action. Each of us should raise our voices—because we cannot know in advance which of those voices will be the spark that sets the resistance aflame.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A bill that would empower the Alberta government to remove elected municipal officials or strike down local bylaws is an "attack on local democracy," says the capital city's mayor.

Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, was announced Thursday and makes dozens of amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act and the Municipal Government Act (MGA).

 "I don't know who has asked for this," Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told CTV News Edmonton Friday. "I don't know what problem the province is trying to solve when there are so many other priorities that they should be focused on." [...]

"When the province writes laws, it puts it through the legislative system where it can be debated," said Eric Adams, a constitutional law expert at the University of Alberta.

"When a law hands that power to the cabinet, then that legislative scrutiny falls completely away and now it's the cabinet themselves," he continued. "Realistically, the premier and the premier's office exercises the most of that power." [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland, @abpoli, @vague-humanoid

Notes from the poster @el-shab-hussein: Provincial governments are always pissed about federal controlling just about anything within provincial politics, but now they also want to control municipal ones. This is what I mean when I say this is just a repeat of U.S. 'states' rights' nonsense which is exclusively used to screw over municipalities into even sharper neoliberalism.

[renthony]

Just curious. How bad has Biden been at controlling COVID-19 in your view?

First: I already responded to a similar question you left on this post.

Second: Biden has been atrocious for COVID-19 safety and management. COVID-19 is still killing people, and our president has done a horribly insufficient job in mitigating that. "Better than the Republicans" is not the same thing as "good" or "effective." Biden's abysmal reaction to COVID-19 is part of why I'm so thrilled that the Uncommitted campaign for the Democratic primary has achieved some success. That particular campaign is focused on ceasefire in Palestine, but the People's CDC explained in a statement how Palestine is also very much a public health issue. We need to scare the bastard and actually do some of that "pushing him left" that people claimed they'd do after getting him elected. Though it seems to me like a lot of people just settled for, "okay, we got rid of Trump, we don't have to worry anymore."

Third: While I'm at it, people have to do more than vote. You have got to get involved. You have got to do more than participate in the presidential election once every four years. Join a union (may I recommend the IWW?), follow the guidance of The People's CDC, volunteer for your local Food Not Bombs, get involved in a tenants union like the Autonomous Tenants Union Network, read Riot Medicine, get trained in first aid and get involved in a street medic group, read up on your local politics and get involved on the small-scale, do something in addition to voting in the presidential election. Even if you're limited in how much you can personally participate, find the people who are talking about these issues and signal boost them, and share the information with others who may be more able to participate more. If you can tell people to go vote in the presidential election, you can also tell them to go do other things, too.

Now, with all of that out of the way, here are some links related to Biden's abysmal COVID-19 response:

During his 2020 campaign, Biden promised immediate $2K stimulus checks. Instead, he delivered $1,400. Sources: [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]

Velena Jones for NBC Bay Area: "‘Too expensive': Bay Area residents shocked over new COVID vaccine prices"

Reuters: "COVID vaccine manufacturers set list price between $120-$130 per dose"

Joseph Choi for The Hill: "Free COVID-19 test program to be suspended for now"

Disability activist Alice Wong writing for TeenVogue: "Covid Isn't Going Anywhere. Masking Up Could Save My Life," and the follow-up article, "COVID and the 2024 Election: What Biden and Democrats Owe High-Risk People."

Laura Weiss writing for The New Republic: "Democrats Can't Keep Ignoring Covid in 2024."

David Cohen and Adam Cancryn for Politico: "Biden on '60 Minutes': 'The Pandemic is Over.'"

Alex Skopic for Current Affairs: "COVID-19 is Still a Threat. So is Biden’s CDC."

Adam Cancryn for Politico: "Biden Appears to be Over Covid Protocols."

Paul Thornton for the Los Angeles Times: "Covid Still Rages, and the Biden Administration Isn't Helping."

Eric J. Topol for the Los Angeles Times: "The U.S. is facing the biggest COVID wave since Omicron. Why are we still playing make-believe?"

We should have free, universal testing. We should have free, universal vaccination. We should have free, universal treatment. We should have financial assistance for those of us who can't work outside the home. We should have mandated work-from-home for any job that can be done remotely. We should be emptying prisons and paying attention to the way disease and abuse proliferate inside their walls. We should have COVID-19 safety PSAs and government support for universal masking. We should have free distribution of N95s. We should have mandated masking in medical settings and public spaces. We should have a higher minimum wage. We should have healthcare reforms. We should have strong worker protections. We should have improved infrastructure. We should have a president who gives a single flying fuck about how many of us are dying.

And we have none of it.

But we sure seem to have money to keep dropping bombs, arming cops, terrorizing the vulnerable, and imprisoning innocent people to use for slave labor.

[darkmaga-returns]

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director, has released a list of 60 “deep state” adversaries he plans to target immediately when he begins his role next year.

The list, which includes President Joe Biden and network analysts, is detailed in his 2022 book Government Gangsters.

In the book’s appendix, titled “Members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” Patel lists those names alphabetically but acknowledges that the list is not exhaustive.

Patel said other “corrupt actors” could include Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA), ex-congressman Paul Ryan, author of the Trump-Russia Steele Dossier Christopher Steele.

Patel also reassures the public he will be going after “the entire fake news mafia press corp.”

Here’s the list:

Michael Atkinson – Former inspector general of the intelligence community Lloyd Austin – Secretary of Defense under President Joe Biden Brian Auten – Supervisory intelligence analyst, FBI James Baker – Former general counsel for the FBI and Twitter executive Bill Barr – Former attorney general under Trump John Bolton – Former national security adviser under Trump Stephen Boyd – Former chief of legislative affairs, FBI Joe Biden – President of the United States John Brennan – Former CIA director under President Obama John Carlin – Former DOJ national security division head under Trump Eric Ciaramella – Former National Security Council staffer Pat Cipollone – Former White House counsel under Trump James Clapper – Former director of national intelligence under Obama Hillary Clinton – Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate James Comey – Former FBI director Elizabeth Dibble – Former deputy chief of mission, U.S. Embassy, London Mark Esper – Former Secretary of Defense under Trump Alyssa Farah – Former strategic communications director under Trump Evelyn Farkas – Former Pentagon official under Obama Sarah Isgur Flores – Former DOJ communications head under Trump Merrick Garland – Attorney General under Biden Stephanie Grisham – Former White House press secretary under Trump Kamala Harris – Vice President and former presidential candidate Gina Haspel – Former CIA director under Trump Fiona Hill – Former National Security Council staffer Curtis Heide – FBI agent Eric Holder – Former attorney general under Obama Robert Hur – Special counsel for Biden document investigation Cassidy Hutchinson – Former assistant to Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Nina Jankowicz – Former head of Biden’s Disinformation Governance Board Lois Lerner – Former IRS official under Obama Loretta Lynch – Former attorney general under Obama Charles Kupperman – Former deputy national security adviser under Trump Gen. Kenneth McKenzie (Ret.) – Former CENTCOM commander Andrew McCabe – Former FBI deputy director Ryan McCarthy – Former Secretary of the Army under Trump Mary McCord – Former DOJ national security division head Denis McDonough – Former Obama chief of staff, current VA secretary Gen. Mark Milley (Ret.) – Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lisa Monaco – Deputy attorney general under Biden Robert Mueller – Former FBI director and Russiagate special counsel Bruce Ohr – Former DOJ official under Obama and Trump Nellie Ohr – Former CIA employee Lisa Page – Former FBI counsel Pat Philbin – Former deputy White House counsel under Trump John Podesta – Former Obama adviser, current Biden climate adviser Samantha Power – Former U.N. ambassador under Obama, current USAID administrator Bill Priestap – Former FBI counterintelligence chief Susan Rice – Former Obama national security adviser Rod Rosenstein – Former deputy attorney general under Trump Peter Strzok – Former FBI counterintelligence agent Jake Sullivan – National Security Adviser under Biden Michael Sussman – Former DNC lawyer Miles Taylor – Former DHS official under Trump Timothy Thibault – Former FBI agent Andrew Weissman – Mueller’s Russiagate deputy Alexander Vindman – Former National Security Council official Christopher Wray – Current FBI director under Trump and Biden Sally Yates – Former deputy attorney general under Obama Adam Schiff – Senator-elect and former House Intelligence Committee chairman

Earlier this month, Patel announced the “massive declassification” of troves of information ranging from the Jeffrey Epstein files to the “P Diddy” list.

Patel told Conservative podcast host Benny Johnson that releasing documents that implicate the Department of Justice and FBI for their illegal surveillance of over 250,000 Americans.

[blueberrypancakesworld]

Saw - A fluffy Christmas - Door.12

warning : fluff

The calendar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark : Christmas if he has time for it at all. Before the death of his sister and his new job as Jigsaw's tutor, he liked Christmas. Not without all the decorations and certainly not the Christmas songs but he liked the whole family coming together, finally seeing each other again and that love and compassion was most important at this time.

Strahm: Even if he looks like a tough shell, he loves Christmas and the Christmas season. He loves drinking Christmas punch, getting Christmas hats with his friends and celebrating with his colleagues. But he also loves buying presents and seeing his loved ones unwrapping them. If he even had enough alcohol, he would sit down at the karaoke machine and sing away.

Lawrence : Christmas is death for his wallet. He knows how much his favorite and only daughter wants and of course gets. Apart from that, he finds the work parties at the hospital rather annoying as he would rather have a small family gathering. A cuddly evening under the tree and on the couch. Receiving presents is not really important to him - good food and his family are much more important to him.

Adam : The young photographer had always celebrated Christmas alone since he moved out and started his dubious picture business. He liked Christmas especially the sweet snacks that were laid out and a glass of warm milk in front of the TV with a cigarette was always his own idea of Christmas until now. But together with his darling at Christmas he gets to know the colorful streets. The little presents and how nice it could be to be among people.

Eric : Christmas it's Christmas? Because of his work, maybe the odd affair and a teenage son who hates him, Christmas isn't the only thing he spends. He usually comes home late anyway and is rather surprised when he sees Daniel and his stepmother lying on the couch. There are fairy lights and Christmas tree balls on top of the two of them, who had apparently decorated the house together. Since then, he has brought a small gift for them every day and will never forget Christmas again. He wants to be there for his family.

Amanda: Christmas was never celebrated in her home, she was locked up and her only light was a string of lights. She likes fairy lights and loves to decorate her apartment and even the factory with them. But in their shared apartment, the two would bake cookies to Christmas metal music and play them together in front of a few movies and recorded past Jigsaw games. While they both agree that they need to pick up a present for John. Of course it's a Santa outfit for Billy.

~~~~~~~~~~~

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Adam Kredo

Kamala Harris's newly appointed head of Arab-American outreach once accused Zionists of "controlling" American politics, echoing an anti-Semitic trope that suggests Jews nefariously manipulate global affairs.

"The Zionists have a strong voice in American politics," Brenda Abdelall, an Egyptian-American lawyer and former Department of Homeland Security official, said in a 2002 interview with the New York Sun while attending the American Muslim Council's annual convention. "I would say they're controlling a lot of it."

Abdelall, whom Harris tapped earlier this week to help galvanize Arab voters, made the remarks after a speaker at the event, anti-Israel professor Jamil Fayez, said that "Zionists are destroying America." Responding to his remarks, Abdelall said that while "'destroying' is a harsh word," supporters of the Jewish state do control American politics.

The American Muslim Council's 2002 confab also provided attendees with a chance to meet anti-Semitic former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D., Ga.), who famously blamed Jews for the 9/11 terror attack and attended a 2009 Holocaust-denial gathering in London. Her father similarly blamed Jews when she lost her congressional seat shortly after the 2002 conference. "Jews have bought everybody. Jews. J-E-W-S," he said.

Abdelall's appointment comes as Harris works to appease members of her party's liberal flank who want her to more aggressively confront the Jewish state and undermine its war on Hamas, including by cutting off arms sales. Harris has praised pro-Hamas campus protesters as "showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza." In March, she accused Israel of stoking "humanitarian catastrophe."

Abdelall joins several other Harris campaign advisers who have a history of pressuring Israel and advocating increased relations with Iran. They include Harris's national security adviser, Phil Gordon, who is the subject of a congressional probe into his ties to a member of an Iranian government influence network. Ilan Goldenberg, Harris's liaison to the Jewish community, has faced scrutiny for his ties to the anti-Israel group J Street, as well as championing closer ties to Tehran.

Harris also appointed a veteran Israel critic, the Rev. Jen Butler, to conduct outreach to the faith community. Butler has come under fire for working alongside anti-Semitic activist Linda Sarsour.

Abdelall also is a veteran of the anti-Israel advocacy world.

During the 2002 American Muslim Council event, she suggested that the election defeat of former congressman Earl Hilliard Sr. (D., Ala.) "shows the Jewish influence in politics," according to the Sun. At the time, Hilliard had faced criticism from pro-Israel groups for voting against a congressional resolution condemning Palestinian suicide bombers.

Abdelall's mother founded the American Muslim Council's Ann Arbor branch, helping the anti-Israel advocacy group expand its presence across the country, according to the Sun.

The Harris campaign defended Adelall, saying that as a DHS official, she "worked closely on the implementation of the country's first National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism" and "led efforts for the first United We Stand summit, a White House event to counter hate-fueled violence."

"We are proud to add her to the campaign."

The American Muslim Council has long courted controversy for spreading anti-Israel propaganda.

In 2003, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) blasted the group's former executive director, Eric Erfan Vickers, for claiming "that the recent tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and its entire crew was an act of divine retribution against Israel, and attributable to the presence of the first Israeli astronaut on the mission."

Vickers at the time said he saw "a sign in the calamitous destruction of the one hundred and thirteenth space shuttle mission taking place over a city named Palestine, while on board was the first Israeli astronaut." Nadler described the remarks as "unthinkable."

[dizautonomia]

ALRIGHT SO, to begin I'll just give you a list of who everyone is and how they are related to the main characters!! NRFTI Main Gen.Zero consists of -

Arthur Dodona, biological father of siblings Adam and Evelynn. Elizabeth Dodona, biological mother of siblings Adam and Evelynn. Eric Dyam, adoptive father of siblings Adam and Evelyn, alongside their biological daughter Lilith, and son Levi. Evangeline Dyam, adoptive mother of siblings Adam and Evelynn, alongside their biological daughter Lilith, and son Levi.

Min Zhou, father to siblings Star and Summer. Mei Zhou, mother to siblings Star and Summer. [REDACTED] "Vincent" Zhou, twin brother to Min, uncle to siblings Star and Summer.

Warren Elijah, father of siblings Nyx/Tyler and Liam. Ambrose Elijah, mother of siblings Nyx/Tyler and Liam.

Sarah Rose Bassett-Brooks, biological mother of Rory and step-mother to Jacob. Harold Brooks, father to siblings Rory and Jacob. Annette Anderson, biological mother to Jacob, ex-fiancé and secret affair partner to Harold.

Clayton Lewis, father of siblings Maxwell, Ramen, and Aimee. Dahlia Lewis, mother of siblings Maxwell, Ramen, and Aimee.

Nathan Sawyer, father to siblings Mike and Daniella. Eloise Sawyer, mother to siblings Mike and Danielle.

Aydin Yavuz, father of siblings Barney, Erin, and Krystian - also fathers a secret child with the mother of his wife. Charlotte "Lottie" Yavuz, mother of siblings Barney, Erin, and Krystian. (off topic but shes so cute)

Obviously there are so many more for the side/background characters but FOR NOW this is the list Im sending you... And for some MORE BAD GUY DETAILS.. I must ask, has Sean or Zach told you about the Entertainment Branches S.ENT and F.ENT?? AND the... communities (cults)?? I have no idea how much context you have for these things FORGIVE ME LOL

EE TYSM!! I love all the names

I know of S.ENT and F.ENT and vaguely of cult activity but not the extent/specifics of it!!

[theoutcastrogue]

Over the past year or two, the news has been full of horror stories about shoplifting. To hear some people tell it, you’d think petty theft was a crisis of apocalyptic proportions. In the New York Post, for instance, we read that shoplifting is an “epidemic taking over America.” The Financial Times issues dire warnings of “surging shopping crime,” while Fox News insists that “the shoplifting crisis is a nightmare.” ABC’s Nightline airs scary-looking footage of what its hosts call “brazen smash-and-grabs”: people in masks breaking store windows, grabbing armloads of clothing, and running off. In the opinion pages of the New York Times, Pamela Paul waxes poetic over “What We Lose to Shoplifting.” (The loss in question? Paul herself feels less comfortable in stores these days. Riveting stuff.)

In response to this supposed scourge, there’s been a resurgence in “tough-on-crime” tactics, both from corporations and political leaders. In department stores like Target, customers are confronted by elaborate new security measures, with everything from toothpaste to frozen pizza locked behind glass. Rite Aid pharmacies have turned to facial-recognition software to guard their merchandise, only to discover that their computers falsely identify people as “likely shoplifters”—particularly if those people have dark skin. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has launched an entire police task force dedicated to retail theft. And on the campaign trail, Donald Trump has called for more violent measures, saying that police should simply shoot shoplifters on sight. 

But statistical data shows that the reports of a shoplifting “epidemic” are highly exaggerated, if not outright made up. In a recent report, the Council on Criminal Justice gathered data about retail theft from 24 different U.S. cities, examining the frequency of reports, the dollar value of items stolen, the number of people involved in each crime, and several other factors. At first glance, it did appear that shoplifting was on the rise in the first half of 2023, as it increased by 16 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, as German Lopez notes in the New York Times, that figure was heavily skewed by data from New York City. Remove the Big Apple, and the numbers tell a different story: shoplifting has actually decreased in 17 of the 24 cities surveyed, and is now fairly rare, with just 38.6 reported incidents per 100,000 people. In June 2019, that number was 45.1. Shoplifting might be happening more often in New York City specifically, but an “epidemic taking over America,” it isn’t.

[...] As author and civil rights lawyer Alec Karakatsanis points out, there’s also a strong class element involved in what kinds of behaviors are deemed newsworthy to begin with:

When the daily news media reports on a “crime wave” or a “surge in shoplifting��� nearly every time the numbers from the police department fluctuate upward (note that no similar metaphors are used for decreases), they are almost always using these terms to describe the collective behavior of poor people and other marginalized groups. Things rich people do don’t often get this same metaphoric treatment in daily news. How many times do you see a major news story on a “surge” in tax evasion (a problem over 60 times the magnitude of other reported property crimes) or a “wave of crime” by oil companies?

[article by Alex Skopic, January 2024, keep reading]

[marta-bee]

News of the Week 1/30/25

Immigration

Navajo Nation Leaders raise alarm over reports of Indigenous people being questioned and detained during immigration sweeps. (RP)

What ending birthright citizenship could look like in the U.S. (RP)

ICE arrests 956 in 1 day as Trump administration immigration crackdown ramps up. (RP) For comparison, ICE reports daily average of 310.7 in the prior fiscal year. Trump recently announced quotas of 1,200-1,500. (RP) NPR accounts how daily life has changed for immigrant and mixed-status families.

The risks of Trump's more aggressive approach to "diplomacy," (RP) like what we saw in Columbia.

Pro-Palestinian foreign student protesters will lose their student visas.

Trump to prepare immigration detention center at... Guantanamo. (RP) All else aside, that image of the US flag behind barbed wire really does pack a wallop.

Foreign Affairs

In new poll, Greenlanders are 85% against joining the US. (RP)

Economy and Business

Trump's Colombia tariffs targeted a vibrant alternative for business investment to China. (RP)

Despite Trump's campaign promises, egg prices are higher than ever. (RP)

Trump fires National Labor Relations Board members who backed broader worker protections. (RP)

Gender

Trump moves to ban transgender people from the military. (RP) He's also planning to reinstate servicepeople who were discharged over refusal to take COVID vaccines, with backpay. Dismissed transgender military challenge the ban. (12ft.io)

Trump issues EO limiting access to gender-affirming medical treatment for all minors, and limits what Medicaid, Medicare, and ACA Markeptlace-subsidized health insurance will cover (RP).

Science and Environmentalism

Trump rescinded a half-century of environmental regulations. Here's what that could mean. (RP)

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately. (12ft.io) Withdrawal takes 12 months, and it had been expected US would continue coordinating with WHO in this period. How this could effect Americans' health. (RP)

Robert Kennedy finally has his Sec. State hearing coming up. How some of his views compare to most Americans'.

Oligarchy and Autocracy

Trump fires special council prosecutors who investigated him and White House.

In first press conference, new White House secretary vows to hold journalist accountable for lies (RP), welcomes bloggers, social media content creators and other nontraditional media to press briefings (RP).

The White House offers most federal workers a "deferred resignation" (RP) where they'd stop working immediately and be paid through September." It's apparently illegal. (RP) More details about federal workers' and unions' response.

Former Gen. Milley is the last Trump critic stripped of his security protection by Trump administration. (12ft.io)

Trump administration paused distribution of most federal funds already approved by Congress. Dems argue this is unconstitutional. The White House has since rescinded the memo (RP), for now.

Justice Department drops classified documents case against Trump co-defendants. (12ft.io)

Justice Department is discussing dropping corruption charges against NYC mayor Eric Adams. (RP) NYC also saw a high profile immigration operation earlier this week, where Adams came off as very accommodating to ICE, DHS and the like. I'm not saying this is an actual conflict of interest, but it's really difficult not to see it as the appearance of same.

Other Stories

Congress Republicans push to codify Trump's executive orders in federal law (12ft.io), meaning they couldn't just be reversed by the next president.

White House admits those drones over NJ were authorized by the federal government, which apparently is OK now. :-)

Trump's approval rating dips after rush of executive orders. That's misstating it a bit: his approval rating is only down 2 points, but his disapproval rate is up to 46% from 39%. Say what you like, he's not giving us Americans room to be lukewarm.

[buddiebeginz]

I'm watching the Summer Fate stuff now and I'm so disgusted that everyone (Chrissie included) blames Robert at least partially for what happened.

Chrissie (to Rob): "None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you. Their blood is on your hands as much as it's on mine."

No matter how angry and upset Rob made Chrissie over the affair and his lies she chose to light his car on fire and didn't stop or care to think about the consequences of that action. A car can literally explode when it's on fire. Not to mention the scrapyard was like right near Eric's and Wishing Well the fire could have spread and taken down their houses and or killed someone.

Rob being a cheat doesn't absolve Chrissie from the actions she took that day nor does it mean Rob is responsible for any of it. He was the one trying to stop Chrissie from lighting the fire, he also saved Adam, and then tried to help Chrissie directly afterwards.

I know I'm biased and protective over Rob because I love him but I also know he's done a lot of messed up stuff too. I just hate when he gets treated like a total villain or blamed for stuff he didn't even do. The helicopter accident was on Chrissie and she's the one who had to live with that not Rob.

I also think that people who hate Rob would do well to remember that their favs have made mistakes too. Back in the day I used to see fans of Charity, Chrissie, etc talking about how much better they were than Rob and it's like no they've hurt people too. They've lied and cheated and schemed and messed up just as much as any other soap character.

[beardedmrbean]

More charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams are likely, and additional defendants are expected to be indicted, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Prosecutors made the disclosure during a hearing for Adams days after he was indicted on charges that he accepted about $100,000 worth of free or deeply discounted flights, hotel stays, meals and entertainment on international trips that he mostly took before he was elected mayor, when he was serving as Brooklyn’s borough president.

Prosecutors didn't say when the new charges or defendants may come, but noted they are moving quickly. It's not clear whether any additional defendants would be part of the Adams case or part of additional cases.

Prosecutors did not say when but moving quickly. They said they have several related investigations underway.

At Wednesday's hearing, the judge planned to set a trial date, offer some guidelines and address discovery, including the nature and volume of discovery. A protective order was agreed to regarding discovery material.

Adams gave a thumbs up to reporters on his way inside. Two people across the street were shouting at him to resign. Protesters held signs reading “Resign” and “Black Donald Trump” as they demanded Gov. Kathy Hochul “forcefully” remove Adams from office. She hasn't given any indication she plans to do that.

The mayor is due back in court on Halloween.

Prosecutors expect the trial to take about four weeks, including a week for the defense. Adams' attorney proposed a March trial.

Adams was indicted last week on charges he accepted about $100,000 worth of free or deeply discounted flights, hotel stays, meals and entertainment on international trips that he mostly took before he was elected mayor, when he was serving as Brooklyn's borough president.

Prosecutors say the travel perks were arranged by a senior Turkish diplomatic official in New York and Turkish businesspeople who wanted to gain influence with Adams. The indictment said Adams also conspired to receive illegal donations to his political campaigns from foreign sources who weren't allowed to give money to U.S. political candidates.

The indictment said that Adams reciprocated those gifts in 2021 by helping Turkey open a new diplomatic facility in the city despite concerns that had been raised by the Fire Department about whether the building could pass all of its required fire safety inspections.

Adams has denied knowingly accepting any illegal campaign contributions. He also said there was nothing improper about the trips he took abroad or the perks he received, and that any help he gave to Turkish officials regarding the diplomatic building was just routine “constituent services.” He has said helping people navigate the city's bureaucracy was part of his job.

A spokesperson for Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oncu Keceli, said in a statement that the country's missions in the U.S. and elsewhere operate according to international diplomatic rules and that "Our meddling in another country’s internal affairs is out of the question.”

The judge appointed to oversee Adams' trial, Dale Ho, could also on Monday potentially deal with a request by the mayor's lawyer to open an investigation into whether prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office improperly leaked information to reporters about the investigation.

The court filing didn't cite any evidence that prosecutors broke grand jury rules, but it cited a string of news reports by The New York Times about instances where the investigation had burst into public view, like when FBI agents searched the home of one of Adams' chief fundraisers and when they stopped the mayor as he left a public event last November and seized his electronic devices.

It was unclear whether the court would schedule a trial in advance of New York's June mayoral primary, where Adams is likely to face several challengers.

[mariacallous]

Hundreds of Jewish New Yorkers gathered amid beautifully decorated Christmas trees at Gracie Mansion, Mayor Eric Adams’ residence, for a pre-Hanukkah celebration feting several local Jews and charities.

In prepared remarks, the new Jewish commissioner of the NYPD, Jessica Tisch — whose introduction was met with applause by the packed room — referenced the Hanukkah story, calling Adams — who earlier that day lost a bid to reduce the number of charges he faces as part of a federal corruption indictment — “a light in our community.”

Those receiving awards, honors and citations included Lizzy Savetsky, an Orthodox Jewish influencer in Manhattan known for her pro-Israel content, and four Jewish college students from across the city recognized for their work fighting antisemitism and amplifying Jewish pride on their campuses — Tali Dardashti from New York University, Danielle Babaev from Queens College, Maya Gavriel from Baruch College and Noam Woldenberg from Columbia University.

Guests — including actor and pro-Israel influencer Zach Sage Fox, CEO of UJA-Federation Eric Goldstein and Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis — circulated from room to room, with many opting to enjoy the unseasonably warm December temperatures on the patio. Richie Taylor, the barrier-breaking Orthodox NYPD deputy chief, was among many uniformed police offers at the event.

On the menu? A smorgasbord of Hanukkah fare and kosher bites which, several signs noted, came courtesy of the Mendy’s outpost at the Jewish Children’s Museum. The spread included latkes with applesauce and sufganiyot, beef lo mein, and chicken shawarma. The wines were Israeli, and assorted flavors of seltzer were also on offer.

A mayoral Hanukkah party is an annual tradition that dates back to Michael Bloomberg’s administration — he put on swanky affairs typically held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. But Bloomberg was hardly the first New York City mayor to celebrate the Festival of Lights: During David Dinkins’ administration in the early 1990s, there was a menorah lighting ceremony that took place on the steps of City Hall with a cantor, a rabbi, and students from a Jewish school singing together.

In his brief remarks to the crowded ballroom — where many guests shushed their talkative neighbors in order to hear above the din — Adams recalled his visits to Krakow and Rome’s Jewish ghetto. Saying that hatred cannot simply be willed away, he said that as mayor of the city with the largest population of Jews, he and his administration are going “to do [their] part” to fight antisemitism.

“We’re committed to rid our city of any form of hate, antisemitism, hate against Sikhs, hate against African Americans, Islamophobia — hate against any other group,” Adams said.

“We will stand tall together,” he continued. “I want to be extremely clear on this Hanukkah: Eric Leroy Adams is a modern-day Maccabee.”

Other honorees of the evening included Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender from the Achiezer Community Resource Center, which deals with crisis management; Achim B’Yachad, which provides the services of Chai Lifeline for Hasidic families dealing with serious illness or loss; and Chazaq, which seeks to provide Jewish education to Jews of all ages.

[thelovetheystole]

Last year, the show had two press events where they teased upcoming stories for winter/Christmas/and the new year.

I've tried to remember them all and made a list with what they turned out to be; only one hasn't been revealed yet...

A 'surprise' baby / strained marriage: Rhona, Marlon, Ivy

A 'steamy' affair that somebody will rumble on Christmas Day: Tracy/Caleb

New arrival connected to the affair: Caleb's ex/wife Ruby, who will arrive this week I think

More new arrivals: Chloe's dad (wasn't new but that was a secret then), and Ella

A family tragedy after New Years that will ruin two families and their friendships: Heath's death, The Hopes and The Kings

One or two people getting in trouble and might end up being sent to prison: Angelica, (Cathy seems to be in the clear), Aaron will be arrested this week in the car theft story, don't think it will lead to anything, and it was the horse that killed Craig

Moira's big secret: Told Charity about Emma

A Christmas proposal and Valentine's wedding: Belle/Tom

A longterm illness story: Eric's Parkinsons diagnosis, (but also Chas)

A new story for Chas that will shock the villagers and may bond her with Aaron again: Breast cancer

A huge physical fight between Aaron and Cain: Will happen this week, but the reasons for it are a little vague/plotty... Hopefully the aftermath will be less so

A familiar face returning in january to help someone who is in a bit of trouble: As far as I can recall, this is the only one we're still waiting on, and january has come and almost gone...

Loads of people in the village could use some help at the moment, honestly! And a lot of them is facing some kind of trouble.

Is it a biggie or simply someone quietly returning from maternity leave? It's looking like it's not going to be spoiled in advance and just be a surprise when it airs.

Going by last year, Tracy's return wedding story was featured in all the magazine spoilers ahead of time, whereas Aaron's was kept a secret.

So far there has been talk of Vanessa, Robert, Kathy (Malandra Burrows), Adam, Scott, Kerry, Ross or Kelly (Adele Silva).

[so-much-for-subtlety]

Ah! nyc mayors, a fine tradition of corruption scandal and incompetence!

Vincent R. Impellitteri (1950-1953, 3 years): Faced unproven accusations of ties to organized crime.

Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1954-1965, 11 years): Dealt with corruption scandals in the city's buildings department.

John Lindsay (1966-1973, 7 years): Mishandled the 1968 teachers' strike and the 1969 snowstorm, leading to public outcry.

Abraham Beame (1974-1977, 3 years): Presided over New York City's financial crisis and near-bankruptcy paving the way for big banks to set their terms.

Edward I. Koch (1978-1989, 11 years): Faced corruption scandals in his administration, though not personally implicated.

David Dinkins (1990-1993, 3 years): Heavily criticized for his handling of the Crown Heights riot in 1991.

Rudy “Four Seasons” Giuliani (1994-2001, 7 years): Embroiled in public scandal due to extramarital affairs and a messy divorce during his tenure.

Michael Bloomberg (2002-2013, 11 years): Criticized for the controversial "stop-and-frisk" policing policy and overturning term limits to run for a third term.

Bill de Blasio (2014-2021, 7 years): Investigated for campaign finance violations, potential conflicts of interest, defending aggressive NYPD tactics against BLM protesters, and imposing controversial curfew that led to more confrontations.

Eric Adams (2022-present, 2 years so far): Faced nepotism allegations for appointing his brother as deputy NYPD commissioner and questions about his residency - now indicted for charges from FBI (likely for accepting bribes from Turkish government)​​​​​​​​

[hoffmansbignaturals]

first off amazing username and your blog is very enjoyable second off I love the Jillsaw au and I was wondering. since Allison (Kerry) switches places w/ Eric and is in the nerve gas house but like. they're still the same people I assume (I just can't see her having framed ppl tbh)?? does that mean she could survive O_o

genuinely i am not sure, the thought came to me bc i thought jillsaw sounded cool and all those apprentice adam aus were pretty interesting

i don't think jill would put daniel in the nerve gas house, mainly because it's not testing eric. My initial thought was it would be Eric in the house but that wouldn't really last very long considering everyone in there recognizes him. In lieu of creating an entirely new character i think the guy from the start of 2 would be in the house- since he was an informant who worked with/for kerry and eric.

Does kerry survive? she probably could, but isn't the point of 2 that eric could also? people tend to forget that kerry wasn't a great person, she was shown encouraging eric's violent behavior and suggesting that he destroy jigsaws stuff (not to mention she had an affair with eric while knowing he was married-idk if that was ever confirmed or just popular theory/subtext). Kerry might be more level-headed, but in the end I think Jill would get to her.

tldr the venus flytrap dude is in the house instead of daniel and Kerry does get gotcha'd

[devilsdiscipleshq]

ADAM LEVIN is looking for his HALF SIBLING. This connection is currently OPEN. If you're interested in applying, message Jam at @adcmlevin.

CONNECTION TYPE:

Half - Sibling.

CHARACTER NAME:

UTP. Their dad’s last name is Levin, so it’s up to you whether they have his last name or their mother’s last name.

SUGGESTED FACECLAIMS:

His dad is Jewish, so here are some fcs that I could see working depending on the age that you’re going for (sorry in advance for all of the suggestions): Emmy Rossum, Carly Chaikin, Halston Sage, Molly Gordon, Adam Brody, Asia Kate Dillion, Jonah Hauer King, Zach Gilford, Jon Bernthal, Eric Balfour, Zoey Deutch, Ed Skrein, Kate Siegel, or UTP.

CHARACTER’S STORY:

drugs tw, death tw, accident tw This could be either a younger or older sibling. His dad was part of the Devils Disciples, and while he was “officially” with Adam’s mom once he was born and she became his old lady, he still had his fair share of affairs. He also slept with a lot of people before he was with Adam’s mom. So this sibling could be either younger or older, either would work. The two of them know each other, whether they are close or not can be discussed! The rest of their back story is up to the player! Their dad was a typical biker, and Adam followed in his footsteps. Unfortunately, their dad had a drug problem and liked his fair share of other vices. After hanging out with Adam one night, he crashed his bike. Adam’s basically turned it into thinking it’s his fault.

EXTRAS:

N/A.