It wasn’t covered much in the news. Billionaire Illinois Gov. and presidential hopeful, JB Pritzker, came to Maine the Friday before to participate in a rally in Portland for Maine Democrats. The other guest speakers? Well, the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, Malcom Kenyatta, and Harry Dunn, a Capitol Police officer who was present on Jan. 6 and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Maryland, losing in the primary. Clearly, and with all due respect to Dunn for his service, Pritzker was the big draw here. Pritzker is an interesting figure. He’s a big-state governor who’s made national news by resisting President Trump at every turn. In some ways, he’s similar to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s also clearly running for president in 2028, and who’s also made a name for himself opposing Trump. Both of them run solidly Democratic states, neither of them ever even try to work with Republicans in the legislature, and now they’re part of the hashtag resistance. In that, they’re somewhat similar to our own Gov. Janet Mills, who achieved national notoriety by opposing Trump and who’s pushed through multiple partisan budgets. Pritzker has some key differences from Newsom, though. He’s older, not quite as attractive or eloquent and he hasn’t reached out to the other side like Newsom has. He’s also, as mentioned above, a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of almost $4 billion. His extended family owned the Hyatt hotel group. Like Trump, Pritzker expanded his inherited wealth, starting a private venture capital firm. Before entering politics, he was a Democratic donor. In other words, he’s exactly the kind of guy Sen. Bernie Sanders has been railing about in his “Fight the Oligarchy” tour: a billionaire who benefited from inherited wealth. He’s not exactly an oyster farmer or a logger, to be sure; instead, Pritzker has spent his life behind a desk, growing the money with which he started. In a capitalist society, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Some people will be born with more advantages than others. That’s actually true in pretty much all societies thus far, in fact. In the Soviet Union, there were apparatchiks, loyal members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union who got special privileges. Both parties in the United States have their own versions of this today. One example is the megadonor. We saw the influence of megadonors in last year’s presidential election, when their pressure led to Joe Biden withdrawing from the race after his disastrous debate performance. These donors quietly exert influence behind the scenes, in exchange for either favors for their industry or corporations or some plumb job, like an ambassadorship. One would expect that, with all of their anti-establishment rhetoric, Democrats these days would be pivoting away from these people, but the fact is that money still talks. They’re still more than willing to accept the help of billionaires, regardless of whatever populist slogans might spill out of their mouths to placate the masses these days. This is not just a hypocrisy of Donald Trump and the populist Republicans, nor is it solely contained to establishment Democrats, either. Go ahead and ask Graham Platner and Troy Jackson if they were at the Pritzker fundraiser or outside it, protesting. There’s plenty of hypocrisy to go around in politics, on both sides. As a make-believe populist, though, JB Pritzker, offers one of the most galling recent examples. Until the very moment that he decided to make the switch from giving money to running for office, he’d done nothing but make and spend money his whole career. Then, when he decided he’d rather be in office than write checks to candidates, Pritzker started financing his own campaigns. Now, suddenly, he’s potentially presidential material all because he started out with financial advantages. Whether it’s Mitt Romney or Donald Trump, Republicans have often embraced wealthy presidential candidates. That’s nothing new. What’s new here is a Democratic Party torn between diametrically opposed factions, the populists on one side and the insiders on the other, facing the prospect of one of their own billionaires running for president. If Pritzker falls flat in the primaries, it will probably be a sign of his own ineptitude, not of populists rejecting billionaires. If he succeeds, it will be an instance of immense hypocrisy from a party that criticized President Trump (and President Bush, for that matter) for his wealth. Regardless, I think it will be gloriously entertaining.
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/11/21/jb-pritzker-could-be-a-nuisance-for-democrats-jim-fossel/
Tag: unsuccessfully
Who is eligible for payment in the $2.5B Amazon settlement? Here’s how to get a cut
It’s payback time for these conned customers. Amazon has begun sending automatic refunds to millions of eligible Prime customers as a result of the company’s $2. 5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the agency confirmed. The FTC accused Amazon of deceiving customers into signing up for Prime subscriptions while intentionally making it difficult to cancel. The settlement consists of $1 billion in civil penalties and $1. 5 billion going directly to eligible Prime subscribers, capped at $51 per person. The first wave of payments, which started being sent on Nov. 12, will be automatic and will be sent out through Dec. 24. The FTC said that customers should accept their refunds within 15 days of receiving them. As part of the agreement, Amazon must now provide customers with clear disclosures, get explicit consent for subscriptions, and require an easy cancellation process. “The Trump-Vance FTC made history and secured a record-breaking, monumental win for the millions of Americans who are tired of deceptive subscriptions that feel impossible to cancel,” FTC chair Andrew Ferguson said in a statement in September. “Amazon and our executives have always followed the law, and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers,” Amazon spokesperson Mark Blafkin said in a statement at the time. “We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world.” Who qualifies for a refund in the Amazon settlement? Subscribers must have signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025, to be eligible for a refund. Refunds will be issued in two waves. The first wave of refunds consists of subscribers who signed up for a Prime subscription through a “challenged enrollment flow” and haven’t used more than three Prime benefits, “the member would not have received if they were not a Prime member.” Challenged enrollment flows include “any version of the Universal Prime Decision Page, the Shipping Option Select Page, Prime Video enrollment flow, or the Single Page Checkout.” These customers do not need to submit claims and will receive a payment of $51 maximum, “the total amount of membership fees paid” during a subscription. The second wave of customers will have to fill out a form after the automatic payment period ends on Dec. 24 to receive payment. Amazon will send out a form to those eligible to make a claim, and they will have up to 180 days after receiving the form to submit it. Amazon will have up to 30 days to review the claims submitted and will then pay those with valid claims the total amount of Amazon Prime membership fees, up to $51. This group includes customers who signed up through a challenged enrollment flow or unsuccessfully attempted to cancel their memberships during the five-year period, and haven’t used more than 10 benefits during any 12 months of enrollment. An attempt to cancel is defined as “entering, but failing to complete, the online cancellation process” or “taking a Save Offer during the online cancellation process.” How to receive your refund Subscribers eligible for an automatic refund will receive an email about it and can collect the money through PayPal or Venmo. “Once you do not claim the PayPal or Venmo payment, Amazon will mail you a check to your default shipping address listed on your Prime subscription,” the agency explained, adding that customers should cash their checks within 60 days. The FTC said that those who are eligible but did not get an automatic refund should wait for further guidance in 2026. “In 2026, Amazon will begin its claims process for eligible Prime customers who didn’t get an automatic refund between November and December 2025.”.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/tech/how-to-get-a-cut-of-the-2-5b-amazon-settlement/
‘Retribution’: Trump calls for Epstein inquiry into Democrats
President Donald Trump is intensifying his efforts to thwart attempts to force the release of the Epstein files, even as the House moves toward a vote that could send disclosure legislation to his desk for his signature or veto. This development further heightens scrutiny of his past ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Friday, the president announced he will ask the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation “to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions, to determine what was going on with them, and him.”
The New York Times reported that the “inquiry appeared to be retribution for the renewed focus on his own ties to Mr. Epstein.”
After White House officials reportedly held a Situation Room meeting with Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert on Wednesday to convince her—unsuccessfully—to remove her name from the discharge petition, the president took a different approach on Friday. He appeared both to try to wash his hands of the entire ordeal while refocusing attention on his political opponents and others.
“Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat’s problem, not the Republican’s problem!” Trump railed on his Truth Social website, while attacking Democrats.
“The Democrats are doing everything in their withering power to push the Epstein Hoax again, despite the DOJ releasing 50,000 pages of documents, in order to deflect from all of their bad policies and losses, especially the SHUTDOWN EMBARRASSMENT, where their party is in total disarray, and has no idea what to do,” Trump alleged.
“Some Weak Republicans have fallen into their clutches because they are soft and foolish,” the president continued. “Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat’s problem, not the Republican’s problem!”
“Ask Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, and Larry Summers about Epstein, they know all about him, don’t waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!”
Deadline on Friday noted that “Since the email release, Trump has avoided answering reporters’ questions about Epstein.”
Pointing to Trump’s Friday remarks, Politico’s Kyle Cheney remarked, “Trump again pleads with Republicans to stop talking about Epstein. The pressure hasn’t worked as well as it usually does. Also, the emails show Epstein was politically amorphous, deriding Ds just as much as Rs. And these latest emails were from the Epstein estate, not DOJ.”
https://www.alternet.org/smartnews/trump-clinton-epstein/
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.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/finance/john-bolton-becomes-third-trump-foe-indicted/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-bolton-becomes-third-trump-foe-indicted