politics 12 - The Latremie Post

Animal rights group NYCLASS spends millions to ban horse carriages in Big Apple

That’s a lot of hay!

The animal rights group NYCLASS has spent millions of dollars over the past decade as part of its campaign to ban horse carriages in New York City, according to records reviewed by The Post.

New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, in its 2024 tax filing, reported spending $1.272 million in the 2022 calendar year, including $744,547 on ads and promotions and $261,000 on lobbying lawmakers, records show. The group spent $634,000 in 2021 and has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in prior years dating back to 2015.

News of NYCLASS’s big spending came as the group commissioned a poll released Monday that claimed 78% of voters support Ryder’s Law. This legislation would ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives, relocate horses to rescue farms, and provide job-transition programs for current drivers and replacements.

The bill, supported by Mayor Eric Adams, is named after Ryder, a horse that collapsed and died in 2022. However, it has stalled in the City Council due to opposition from the union-backed industry.

“They are a bunch of hypocrites,” said Transport Workers Union (TWU) president John Samuelsen, whose union advocates for the carriage drivers and is also now spending vast sums to save the industry. The TWU recently commissioned its own poll, claiming that regular Central Park-goers support the horse carriages.

“They haven’t spent a dime to provide any actual goods or services that would benefit horses. Not a single bale of hay or even a carrot,” Samuelsen contended. He alleges that NYCLASS is “obsessed with dehumanizing carriage-horse drivers by falsely portraying them as evil animal abusers, just so real estate developers can put them out of business and build more hotels and high-rises on the West Side of Manhattan, where the stables are located.”

“This is about money and greed,” Samuelsen said, “not the horses.”

NYCLASS defended its spending, with a spokesperson saying the group funds other animal protection programs as well as pushing to ban the horse carriage industry.

“NYCLASS has rescued New York City carriage horses discarded and sent to slaughter by the same rich owners John Samuelsen is lying for, and we’ve passed numerous laws that have saved thousands of animals,” said NYCLASS executive director Edita Birnkrant.

She referred to Samuelsen as a “bully” who attacks anyone who wants to end horse abuse.

“He bragged about wasting $1 million in union dues on vicious AI attack ads to threaten officials and silence advocates. Samuelsen isn’t fighting for workers; he’s protecting the wealthy carriage bosses who exploit them and their horses for profit,” Birnkrant countered.

“Horse carriages are a dying, obsolete business being shut down and replaced in cities around the world, and 78 percent of New Yorkers, along with every major mayoral candidate, support Ryder’s Law to ban them.”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/20/us-news/nyclass-spends-millions-to-ban-horse-carriages-in-nyc/

EXCLUSIVE: Prince William ‘To Go to War’ With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — By Using Prince Andrew as ‘Template’ to Strip Them Of All Their Royal Titles

**Prince William Plans to Strip Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of Their Royal Titles, Following Prince Andrew’s Example**

*Published Oct. 20, 2025, 5:15 p.m. ET*

Prince William is reportedly preparing to take decisive action against his brother Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan Markle by removing their remaining royal privileges. RadarOnline.com reveals that William is using the recent stripping of Prince Andrew’s royal titles as a blueprint to cut the Sussexes off from the monarchy entirely.

The 43-year-old heir to the throne is said to have discussed this drastic move with King Charles and senior advisers during the royal family’s summer stay at Balmoral. This followed King Charles’s bombshell decision to formally strip Prince Andrew, 65, of his remaining titles and roles after new allegations connected him again to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

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### Harry and Meghan’s Royal Titles Could Be Next

Sources indicate that the action taken against Andrew set a “useful precedent” for William, who now intends to “finish what was started” by removing Harry and Meghan’s royal privileges once and for all.

“From the outside, Balmoral seemed like the usual royal getaway – strolls, barbecues, and cozy family meals,” revealed a palace insider. “But privately, major talks were underway. William is convinced the monarchy cannot evolve while Harry and Meghan still hold titles. What happened with Andrew showed him it’s time for a definitive break. The King’s decision basically handed him the playbook.”

Although Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, they agreed not to use their HRH (His and Her Royal Highness) styles. Their children – Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 – retained royal titles when Charles became king in 2022.

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### “It’s About Preservation,” Says Palace Source

William reportedly views the continuation of these titles as incompatible with his vision of a “modern, slimmed-down monarchy.”

“William has made it clear this is about safeguarding the monarchy’s future,” another royal source claimed. “He respects how his father handled Andrew – it was tough but the right call, showing that no one is above the Crown regardless of status. He believes the same principle should apply to Harry and Meghan. This is not about revenge; it’s about preservation.”

Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and military patronages in 2022 amid civil sexual assault allegations, which he denied before settling out of court. The King’s more recent decision to remove Andrew’s remaining honors followed a fresh wave of Epstein-related claims.

Palace aides confirmed the King acted to “avoid further damage to the institution.”

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### William’s Resolve Strengthened by Andrew’s Case

For William, the decisive action against Andrew has reinforced his determination to apply similar measures to the Sussexes.

A palace insider noted, “What happened with Andrew proved that firm action wins public respect. William wants to demonstrate he’s willing to make tough decisions, even when they hit close to home. He sees this as the final crucial move to safeguard the monarchy’s future.”

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### Kate Middleton Urges Caution

Despite William’s resolve, insiders say Kate Middleton, 43, has privately advised her husband to proceed with caution.

“Kate loves William and completely believes in his bigger vision,” said a family friend. “But she’s cautioned him that stripping Harry’s titles could be a point of no return. Kate’s nature is to keep the peace wherever possible, and she knows this move could wipe out any chance of reconciliation between the brothers for good.”

The source added, “William views Andrew’s fall as both a cautionary tale and an opportunity to set things right. He believes the monarchy can’t survive double standards anymore. If titles are to hold real value, the same rules must apply to everyone – no exceptions.”

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This unfolding royal drama signals a potential turning point for the British monarchy as it navigates its future role in a modern world. Prince William appears poised to make firm decisions that could redefine the royal family’s structure for years to come.
https://radaronline.com/p/prince-william-war-with-prince-harry-meghan-markle-strip-them-of-royal-titles/

Pro-Palestinian students sue over Northwestern’s mandatory antisemitism training

A pro-Palestinian graduate student group has sued Northwestern University, claiming the school’s mandatory antisemitism training is discriminatory and violates the free speech rights of Arab students, new court papers reveal.

The university began enforcing the training modules, ironically named “Building a Community of Respect and Breaking Down Bias,” in February—months after heated campus anti-Israel demonstrations, according to the lawsuit.

The Northwestern Graduate Workers for Palestine alleges the training uses such a broad definition of antisemitism that it limits political discourse and free speech, labeling them as anti-Jewish. “Northwestern equates criticism of political practices and ideologies with discrimination against Jews themselves,” the complaint filed Wednesday in Illinois federal court states.

The lawsuit, filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on behalf of the student group, seeks to have the training ruled unlawful and eliminated altogether. Plaintiffs also want to remove the disciplinary policy punishing students who do not complete the required training. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

According to court documents, Evanston-based university policy is discriminatory against Palestinian and Arab students by barring them from discussing their national aspirations or protesting alleged mistreatment of their people. The suit charges that Northwestern won’t allow students to oppose a video “dehumanizing Arabs in the process.”

The video, produced by the Jewish United Fund, reportedly includes quotes from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke interspersed with statements from anti-Israel protesters to suggest “you can’t tell the difference” between the comments, according to a report by the Washington Free Beacon.

The lawsuit alleges the university brands Arab and Palestinian students’ ethnic and religious identities, cultures, and advocacy for their national group’s rights as antisemitic and subject to discipline.

For example, students have been threatened with losing their enrollment or employment status if they do not watch the videos and acknowledge the policies by set deadlines—either by Monday or February 2, 2026, depending on their registration date. “Several members of Grad Workers for Palestine will lose their student status and employment if they do not complete the training,” the filing notes.

At least 300 students have reportedly been blocked from registering for classes because they refused to watch the training video, The Guardian reported last month.

One Ph.D. candidate, Laura Jaliff, told the Evanston Round Table earlier this month that she declined the training because she believed it to be discriminatory. “The number of students who are refusing to take the training on the grounds that it contains damaging political propaganda that has no place in our workplace will inevitably grow,” Jaliff warned.

Students and faculty have widely opposed the training course, arguing the video is “discriminatory and not scholarly,” but the university has not altered its stance, the lawsuit states.

The university’s policy was enacted following anti-Israel protests in April and May 2024, during which students set up encampments on campus. Counter-demonstrators allegedly stole and destroyed property, spat on students, screamed at them, and called Jewish participants “fake Jews,” the suit claims.

One person reportedly told a Jewish student, “You are lucky you are here; if you were in Israel, I’d just shoot you like an animal,” the complaint adds.

Instead of addressing the threats, campus police allegedly cracked down on the pro-Palestinian encampments “with excessive and unreasonable force,” also filing criminal complaints against demonstrators. The Cook County State Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute the four people arrested, the suit notes.

Anti-Israel protesters allegedly vandalized a campus building housing the Holocaust center by scrawling “Death to Israel” and “Intifada Now” on its walls, according to the Washington Free Beacon. Protesters reportedly screamed insults like “dirty Jew” and “Zionist pig” at passing students, the Forward reported.

Former Northwestern president Michael Schill was criticized for his alleged negligence in handling antisemitism on campus and was questioned by a U.S. House committee over the unrest. He resigned last month.

In April, the Trump administration froze $790 million in federal grants and contracts to Northwestern, The Evanston Round Table reported.

Michael Teplitsky, president of the Coalition Against Antisemitism at Northwestern, called the lawsuit “absurd” in a statement to the Free Beacon. “The idea that an antisemitism training could somehow threaten anyone’s civil rights is absurd,” Teplitsky said. “Northwestern worked with JUF [Jewish United Fund] to create a student program aimed at inclusion and understanding—exactly what universities are supposed to do.”

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers New York Representative Elise Stefanik and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton last week called on the Trump administration to investigate CAIR’s sources of funding, including “potential ties” to Hamas.

Northwestern University declined to comment on the pending litigation.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/20/us-news/students-sue-over-northwesterns-antisemitism-training/

Dutch Seizure of Nexperia Sparks Corporate Stand-Off in China

**Nexperia China Prioritizes Local Management Amid Dutch Takeover Dispute**

Nexperia China has instructed its employees to follow directives from local management rather than the company’s Dutch headquarters, intensifying an ongoing corporate standoff. This internal directive, communicated through a letter over the weekend, signals clear resistance against the Dutch authorities’ attempt to assert control over the company.

### Background: Dutch Emergency Law and Limited Reach

The Netherlands recently invoked the Goods Availability Act—an emergency law enabling the state to temporarily assume control over companies deemed critical to national security. Using this law, Dutch authorities took control of Nexperia’s parent company and European operations, removing CEO Zhang Xuezheng and restricting significant corporate actions such as relocating units or terminating executives for up to one year.

However, this takeover only applies to the parent entity and its European subsidiaries. Nexperia’s subsidiaries incorporated in mainland China, including plants and offices in Dongguan, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Wuxi, remain outside the scope of Dutch jurisdiction. These Chinese operations are managed locally and employ staff directly compensated by the Chinese entity, reinforcing their operational independence from the Dutch headquarters.

### China’s Export Controls Escalate the Stand-Off

The situation is further complicated by China’s Ministry of Commerce, which has imposed export restrictions on certain finished components manufactured domestically. These controls effectively block Dutch authorities from influencing Chinese operations, given that approximately 70% of Nexperia’s products are assembled at the Dongguan facility.

As a consequence, despite the legal authority granted to the Dutch government over the European parent company, the export restrictions prevent them from redirecting production or accessing product flows originating in China. This development has transformed the dispute into a complex geopolitical and corporate balancing act, with ongoing government-to-government negotiations between the Netherlands and China.

### Competitors Eye Supply Chain Opportunities

The uncertainty surrounding Nexperia’s operations presents a strategic window for rival semiconductor companies. Industry players such as Infineon, ON Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics, and Rohm are reportedly preparing to capture customers concerned about potential supply disruptions, especially in the automotive sector.

Nexperia’s Dongguan plant processes over 50 billion components annually, focusing on high-demand medium-power surface-mount device (SMD) packages, dual-flat no-lead (DFN) formats, and wafer-scale options. Competitors are expected to offer pin-compatible replacement parts for diodes, transistors, and other discrete component families most affected by the export constraints.

Meanwhile, electronics distributors are increasing inventory buffers to meet anticipated demand from automotive and industrial equipment manufacturers seeking alternative sources during this period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

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The unfolding events at Nexperia highlight the intricate interplay between national security concerns, international trade restrictions, and corporate governance in today’s semiconductor industry. Stakeholders will be closely watching how the situation develops in the coming months.
https://coincentral.com/dutch-seizure-of-nexperia-sparks-corporate-stand-off-in-china/

‘Dementia Don’ Under Fire! Trump Slammed for ‘Disgusting’ AI Video Showing Him Flying a Fighter Jet and Dumping Sewage on No Kings Protesters — ‘Unacceptable on Every Level’

**President Trump Slammed for Latest Bizarre AI Video Amid Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protests**

*Published: October 19, 2025, 4:37 p.m. ET*

President Donald Trump has come under heavy criticism for his latest AI-generated video, RadarOnline.com can confirm. The footage, released amid Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” protests, sparked outrage for its controversial and offensive imagery targeting demonstrators.

In the video, a digitally recreated Trump is seen piloting an Air Force fighter jet emblazoned with the words “King Trump.” The 79-year-old former president is depicted sitting in the cockpit wearing a fighter pilot’s outfit and a crown, while the iconic *Top Gun* theme song, “Danger Zone,” plays in the background.

As the jet approaches a digitized version of New York City, it proceeds to dump a brown substance—resembling raw sewage—on protesters marching through Times Square. Among those targeted is an AI version of left-leaning influencer Harry Sisson, who is shown getting covered in the falling feces.

### Critics Respond with Outrage

An infuriated Sisson took to Twitter, writing, “That plane wouldn’t have made it off the ground with your fat a– in the pilot’s seat.” His reaction echoed the widespread disgust from others online.

One user tweeted, “Trump posting an AI video of him literally s—-ing on Americans is probably the most honest thing he’s posted.”

Another added, “Just to be clear, Americans, this is what Donald Trump thinks of you if you oppose him, protest, or simply ask questions.”

The backlash continued with comments like, “Is there another leader – anywhere in the world – deranged enough to post such inanity?”

Adding a touch of dark humor, one person said: “I see Trump in a jet, then he suffers a catastrophic diaper blowout so massive and grotesque, it overwhelms the fuselage of the plane and drops onto patriotic Americans.”

### A Pattern of Controversial AI Content

This latest video is not the first time Trump has been criticized for deploying shocking AI-generated content online.

At the height of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, Trump faced scorn after unveiling an AI vision of Gaza transformed into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” That video showed a bomb-blasted Gaza rebuilt as a flashy holiday resort featuring casino hotels and giant golden statues of Trump himself.

Shared widely on his TruthSocial platform, the jaw-dropping clip included scenes of bearded dancing girls, Elon Musk dancing under falling cash, and Trump standing next to a half-naked belly dancer in a bar.

The 30-second video opens with Hamas fighters and children on a rubble-strewn road before posing the question: “Gaza 2025. What’s next?” It then cuts to children running along a sunny beach and Tesla cars driving down palm tree-lined boulevards.

Central to the scene is a massive golden statue of Trump standing in the street, with smaller golden Trump souvenirs on sale at a nearby hotel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump are shown shirtless, sipping cocktails side-by-side in deckchairs by the pool.

### Backlash Over Gaza Video

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump appear shirtless, sipping cocktails side-by-side in deck chairs by the pool.

The Gaza video ignited fierce condemnation on social media. One user slammed it as “possibly the most disgusting, the most shameful, the most hideous public communication by a U.S. President in living memory.”

Another wrote, “Just seen the Gaza video, that man is a deranged narcissistic evil piece of s—.”

A third commented plainly: “Trump Gaza OMG. This man is deluded.”

As critics continue to denounce the controversial AI videos, the former president shows no signs of pulling back from his provocative online persona.
https://radaronline.com/p/donald-trump-ai-video-fighter-jet-sewageno-kings-protesters/

Trump tells Zelenskyy he’s reluctant to sell Ukraine Tomahawk missiles after warning Russia he might

**Trump Signals Hesitation on Selling Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine Amid White House Talks**

*Washington, D.C.* — President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, October 17, 2025, for talks that signaled a shift in U.S. policy regarding the potential sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

At the start of their meeting, Zelenskyy proposed a deal in which Ukraine would provide the United States with its advanced drones in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles—weaponry Ukrainian officials say is crucial to compelling Russian President Vladimir Putin to seriously engage in peace negotiations.

However, President Trump expressed hesitation about selling the missiles, citing national security concerns. “I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said. He added, “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over to be honest.”

Following the meeting, Trump called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia. In a Truth Social post, he stated, “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”

Zelenskyy echoed the call for a ceasefire and negotiations but carefully refrained from fully embracing an immediate end to the war. “The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,” Zelenskyy told reporters.

The two leaders, along with Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and other aides, held a discussion that extended over two hours during a lunch in the White House Cabinet Room—far longer than initially planned.

Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on securing last week’s ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, noting that Trump now has significant momentum to help end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “President Trump now has a big chance to finish this war,” Zelenskyy said.

Recent days saw a fluctuating stance from Trump regarding the provision of Tomahawk missiles. While he initially appeared open to supplying Ukraine with the missiles, following his Thursday phone call with Putin, Trump started downplaying the likelihood of their delivery.

During the call, Putin warned that supplying Kyiv with Tomahawks “won’t change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,” according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser.

The Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would enable Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory targeting military sites, energy infrastructure, and other key assets. Ukrainian officials see the missiles as a critical lever to pressure Putin toward peace talks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha commented that discussions about the Tomahawks have already had a positive effect by pushing Russia toward negotiations. “The conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace,” Sybiha said on the social media platform X.

This latest White House meeting marks the fourth face-to-face encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy since the former Republican president returned to office in January, and their second meeting in less than a month.

Following his call with Putin, Trump announced plans to meet the Russian president soon in Budapest, Hungary, to further discuss ways to end the war. The two leaders also agreed that their senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would convene next week at an unspecified location.

When asked whether Zelenskyy would participate in the proposed Hungary talks, Trump responded that it was “to be determined,” suggesting that a separate, “double meeting” involving both leaders might be the most feasible path to productive negotiations.

“These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody,” Trump said.

Prior to his recent calls, Trump showed growing frustration with Putin. Last month, he shifted his stance by stating he believes Ukraine could reclaim all its territory lost to Russia—a significant change from his earlier position urging Kyiv to make concessions for peace.

Since launching his 2024 campaign, Trump has promised to end the war swiftly. His peace initiative appeared to gain traction following summits with Putin in Alaska and subsequent meetings with Zelenskyy and European allies in Washington last August. At the time, Trump was confident he was paving the way for direct talks between the two leaders.

However, Putin has yet to express willingness to meet Zelenskyy, and Russia has intensified its military assault on Ukraine in recent weeks.

When asked if he felt Putin may be stringing him along, Trump acknowledged the possibility but expressed confidence in handling the Russian leader. “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out pretty well,” he said. “I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.”

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**About the Photographs**

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles listen before a lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. —AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Donald Trump greets Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday in Washington. —AP Photo/Alex Brandon

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**Spotlight**

Misty Copeland, the first Black female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, continues to break barriers through her nonprofit work, which makes dance more accessible to children of color.
https://www.phillytrib.com/trump-tells-zelenskyy-hes-reluctant-to-sell-ukraine-tomahawk-missiles-after-warning-russia-he-might/article_59770354-d409-44f6-9f2d-3124bd867d58.html

Republicans Rush to End Shutdown, but Democrats Aren’t Playing Ball – Liberty Nation News

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) made Democrats an offer he thought they couldn’t refuse on Thursday, October 16, to end the government shutdown. But as it turns out, they could – and did – refuse it.

In another bill, Republicans offered payment for troops and other federal workers, but Democrats said it was full of “poison pills.” Now Thune says the White House seems willing to roll back some of the steps it took during the shutdown, so long as Democrats agree to reopen the government. But will they?

### An Obamacare Shutdown

Read any left-wing news outlet, and it will tell you the shutdown is all about Obamacare. If Republicans and President Donald Trump would just agree to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, then Democrats would agree to pass funding to reopen the government.

Is it true? Maybe – but there have been other demands as well, so perhaps not. Still, Sen. Thune decided to dangle that carrot Thursday morning, saying that once the shutdown is over, he’ll call a vote on a bill to extend the ACA subsidies. He just needs another five to side with the GOP and those already backing the stopgap funding bill to keep the government running through November 21.

How’s that for an offer Democrats can’t refuse? Not a very good one, apparently.

“I trust no Republican’s word as long as Donald Trump is saying he refuses to extend health care tax subsidies,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told reporters. “As much as I respect Leader Thune, he can’t vouch for the House or the White House.”

And, as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stands his ground on not passing a new resolution and as the president sticks to his position on the issue, that seems to be a sticking point for many Democrats.

“When the shutdown was just starting, we requested that,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) told MSNBC on Thursday. “That’s been almost three weeks ago, and they wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it. And now he has moved but everybody else has moved, too.”

So much for that carrot.

### White House Flexibility, Senate Stiffness

Sen. Thune also vaguely suggested on Thursday that the president might be willing to roll back some of his administration’s actions during the shutdown. When asked what, specifically, he thought the president might be willing to walk back, Thune admitted he didn’t know – but he did say some furloughed or unpaid federal workers could get their jobs back.

In the House, however, some Democrats now demand the administration undo the entire mass firing as a condition to ending the shutdown – an ask that will almost certainly be rejected as simply too much.

Also too much, apparently, was the GOP bill, already passed by the House, to keep the military funded through the shutdown. As Sen. Blumenthal put it, “I will vote yes on a military appropriations bill to pay our men and women in uniform, but if it has all of the House poison pills, no.”

The House-approved bill would fund the military through the shutdown, but it also ends assistance to Ukraine, reduces vaccine requirements, and limits service members’ access to abortions. To the left, those are poison pills, one and all – and the vote failed 50-44 on Thursday, with three Democrats joining most (but not all) Republicans on the “aye” side.

### The Impasse and Its Consequences

As the shutdown wears on, Republicans seem more inclined to offer – or, at least, dangle as bait – concessions to the left. But Democrats seem to be sticking to that all-or-nothing position.

And as America waits to see who wins this nationwide game of congressional chicken, the list of consequences grows.

Should the shutdown extend into November, for example, the US Department of Agriculture has announced it will cease funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), long known as Food Stamps to many.

How long until one side buckles – and what price will Americans have to pay for it?
https://www.libertynation.com/republicans-rush-to-end-shutdown-but-democrats-arent-playing-ball/

Dialing down dope: Trump White House moves toward easing restrictions on marijuana

Pot was hardly difficult to find on campuses—and elsewhere—back when it was not just illegal but actively targeted by politicians as a menace to society. In fact, it often found you if you stopped in at parties or even small gatherings. When I was in college, there was a real fear of being busted by police, getting kicked out of school, or fired from your job. It made otherwise law-abiding kids see the cops as their enemy. But that was light-years ago.

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### Changing Attitudes Toward Marijuana

Now, the Trump administration is strongly considering loosening the restrictions on weed. It still amazes me to drive up Connecticut Avenue here in Washington and see cannabis shops—like MrGreen and Blunt-and Taste Budz—just a few blocks from the Capitol, openly peddling the stuff. The products are branded under highly marketable names, such as Violet Sky and Hash Burger.

A well-reported story by the Free Press says President Trump is considering reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III. That would put it in the same category as anabolic steroids, ketamine, and Tylenol with codeine. The move “would ease restrictions on it but stop short of making pot entirely legal.”

Of course, medical marijuana is already legal in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and allowed for recreational use in D.C. and 24 states—from New York to Colorado.

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### Minimal Opposition and Political Support

So where is the opposition? Uh, there really isn’t that much. And the White House is being open about this. Marijuana advocate Alex Bruesewitz tells the Free Press that the shift to Schedule III “keeps cannabis as a controlled substance but allows for more testing for medicinal purposes,” calling it a “politically savvy move” with strong public support.

It’s perhaps no surprise. Generations have at least tried weed since the 1960s and ’70s, dismissing the dark warnings about its dangers and the claim that it would lead to harder drugs. They scoffed at the infamous 1936 film *Reefer Madness*.

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### A History of Political Opposition

Richard Nixon, in his war on drugs half a century ago, tried to associate hippies with pot and Black Americans with heroin. As his top aide John Ehrlichman—who later went to prison for Watergate—said in a 1994 interview: “Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

Ronald Reagan, who as a candidate called pot “probably the most dangerous drug in the United States,” admitted in his diary that he got mad watching Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton toking up in the movie *9 to 5*. His wife Nancy Reagan later launched her famous “Just Say No” campaign.

By the time Bill Clinton ran for office, his brief experimentation with pot—he famously said he had tried it but “didn’t inhale”—had become a political punchline.

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### Emerging Criticism

Some critics have definitely emerged. Pete Sessions, a GOP congressman from Texas, recently wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi along with eight other lawmakers, warning that rescheduling marijuana “would send a message to kids that marijuana is not harmful.”

Donald Trump himself doesn’t smoke, drink, or take drugs, partly in reaction to his brother’s death from alcoholism. But the White House seems largely on board with the idea of rescheduling. Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio conducted a survey in March that found 66 percent of respondents backed legalized marijuana, and 70 percent supported rescheduling the drug.

A senior White House official is quoted as saying: “For a lot of the base, it’s an issue like gay marriage that people have gotten comfortable with. It’s good politics.” A decision is expected by the end of the year.

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### The Role of Lobbyists and the Cannabis Industry

As with virtually every Beltway issue, well-heeled lobbyists are part of the process. Pot smoking, once an underground pastime, is now a big business.

Bruesewitz’s consulting firm, X Strategies, is reportedly being paid $300,000 by American Rights and Reform, a pro-cannabis group, for “media” services. Another large PR firm, Mercury Public Affairs, represents the U.S. Cannabis Council.

The size of this burgeoning industry was estimated at $38 billion last year—real money, even by jaded Washington standards.

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### Mixed Feelings About Today’s Cannabis

I confess to some mixed feelings. For one thing, today’s cannabis is many times more powerful than the nickel-and-dime bags that used to circulate. I always felt pot’s milder effects were preferable to alcohol, especially when it comes to driving. It does give you the munchies, though. And as a parent, I wonder—what about homework?
https://www.foxnews.com/media/dialing-down-dope-trump-white-house-moves-toward-easing-restrictions-marijuana

Grand Jury Indicts Former National Security Advisor Bolton for Allegedly Sharing Classified Material

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 18 criminal counts under the Espionage Act. He is accused of sharing information containing classified material related to U.S. national defense.

According to CNN, which cited two sources, the Maryland grand jury indicted Bolton for allegedly sharing classified information—including more than one thousand pages of diary-like notes—with his wife and daughter over email. The indictment also alleges that a “cyber actor,” believed to be Iranian, hacked Bolton’s computer. Bolton reportedly refused to disclose the nature of the classified information communicated through the compromised account.

Bolton served as President Donald Trump’s national security advisor for nearly 18 months until he was fired in 2019. Since then, he has accused the Trump administration of political targeting and maintains that he has done nothing wrong.

During his time after leaving the White House, Bolton wrote a scathing memoir about his experience, in which he described Trump as “unfit” to be president. In response to the indictment reports, President Trump remarked, “I think he’s a bad person. Too bad.”
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John Bolton Becomes Third Trump Foe Indicted

**John Bolton Indicted in Maryland for Alleged Mishandling of Classified Documents**

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, a longtime critic of President Donald Trump, was indicted Thursday in Maryland. He is under investigation for the potential mishandling of classified documents, becoming the third notable political adversary of Trump to face indictment in recent weeks.

### Key Details

Prior to the charges, Bolton’s legal team defended his handling of the documents. Lowell, a spokesperson, stated, “These are the kinds of ordinary records, many of which are 20 years old or more, that would be kept by a 40-year career official who served at the State Department, as an Assistant Attorney General, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and the National Security Advisor. An objective and thorough review will show nothing inappropriate was stored or kept by Ambassador Bolton.”

### Context Around Recent Indictments

Other recent charges against Trump opponents, such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, have faced criticism. Career prosecutors reportedly refused to endorse those indictments due to concerns over insufficient evidence. Instead, the charging documents were signed solely by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump defense attorney with no prior prosecutorial experience, who leads the Eastern District of Virginia.

Unlike those cases, the charges against Bolton appear to be backed by career prosecutors who believe the case has more merit.

### FBI Investigation and Hacking Incident

The FBI’s criminal investigation into Bolton began during the Biden administration. It was partly based on information discovered after it was revealed that Bolton’s personal email had been hacked by an unnamed foreign government. While some details related to the hack were cited in court filings concerning searches of Bolton’s home and office, much of the information remains redacted.

### Background on John Bolton

John Bolton is a conservative national security expert who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. He later joined the Trump administration as National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019. After leaving the administration, Bolton became a vocal critic of Trump, publishing a book in 2020 that the Trump administration attempted to block.

The book included explosive allegations, claiming President Trump had limited foreign policy knowledge, granted “personal favors to dictators he liked,” and told Chinese President Xi Jinping that internment camps for Uighurs were “exactly the right thing to do.” Bolton has continued to criticize Trump, updating his book before the 2024 election to warn that Trump is “unfit to be president” and that the president’s “retribution” campaign against his enemies “will consume much of his second term.”

The FBI conducted raids on Bolton’s office and residence soon after he criticized Trump’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, suggesting the president had made mistakes that “emboldened” Russia. Earlier in the year, Trump had revoked Bolton’s security detail and subsequently attacked him on Truth Social, calling him “really dumb.”

### Political Context and Related Indictments

Bolton’s indictment follows recent federal charges brought against two other Trump critics: former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Comey faces allegations of lying to Congress in 2020, while James is accused of mortgage fraud related to falsely classifying a property’s use. Both have denied the allegations, and legal experts have expressed skepticism about the strength of those cases.

These indictments represent some of the most significant legal actions taken against Trump’s rivals so far, aligning with Trump’s longstanding promises of “retribution” against political foes.

In addition to these high-profile cases, the administration reportedly continues investigations into other critics, including Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), billionaire donor George Soros and his foundation, former CIA Director James Brennan, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

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**Further Reading:**
Stay tuned for updates as more information emerges regarding John Bolton’s case and related investigations into political figures associated with Donald Trump’s administration and opponents.
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