Finally Friday Reads: Peak Delusional Lies and Empty Fury

Posted: July 17, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: #FARTUS, 2026 Elections, freedom of the press, Freedom of the Press, Media Coverage of Trump, Trump's Presidential Speech 7/16/2026 | Tags: , , , , , | 6 Comments

“In case you missed the most important prime time presidential address since the Cuban missile crisis. Here’s what happened.” John Buss, @repeat1968

Good Day, Sky Dancers!

I knew that last night’s Presidential rant was going to be a doozy. I actually dialed up PBS and made it through maybe 2 minutes before the stream of lies, and the madness got to me. I still can’t hear him or see him animated. The only thing left to Orange Caligula is madness. I wanted to see how bad it had gotten. It took me all of a few seconds to feel like I had stepped into bedlam.

It appears that many media outlets were discussing the consequences of airing such obvious lies and propaganda surrounding elections. Here’s a sample of that from The Independent via Yahoo. Rhian Lubin has the lede. “Trump calls for NBC and ABC to have their licenses revoked for not airing his ‘election interference’ speech.” He really hates the First Amendment and free and open elections.

President Donald Trump called for NBC and ABC to have their broadcast licenses revoked for not airing his primetime address about “election interference,” accusing the networks of being “part of a plot.”

ABC and NBC covered the Thursday night speech on their online streaming platforms, with both networks airing special reports summarizing Trump’s remarks once the president concluded. But he still rebuked the outlets for not airing it on their primary channels.

“In a rare move, NBC and ABC fake news have both said that they would not cover this speech,” Trump said in his evening address. “They and others in the media are part of a plot. They want to continue this fraud for whatever reason…Fraud like this should mean a revocation of their licenses.”

White House communications director Steven Cheung also joined in the attack. “Cowards. NBC and ABC don’t want you to hear the truth,” he said in a post on X. “All they want to do is hide the facts from YOU.”

NBC News NOW, the network’s streaming service, carried the speech live, as did ABC on its ABC News Live platform.

Fox News aired the full speech live but CNN did not, with Kaitlan Collins explaining to viewers that the network would be “monitoring” what the president said in order to fact check the address.

“We’ll be monitoring what the president says tonight, as we always do, but aren’t taking it live, given the president has a well-documented history of saying blatantly false things about elections,” Collins said.

In the rare primetime address, which lasted approximately 23 minutes, Trump accused unnamed national security officials of hiding information about the security of America’s elections and alleged there were Chinese efforts to interfere in the 2020 election, which he lost.

Citing no hard evidence, the president claimed American elections are vulnerable “to hacking, exploitation, and foreign interference” and accused the People’s Republic of China of carrying out “the largest compromise of election data in history” by acquiring election data — much of which is commercially available for purchase by political campaigns and other interested parties.

This report is from Reuters via Yahoo and is written by Helen Coster. Trump threatens to revoke licenses of US networks for not carrying primetime speech.”

Two of the three major U.S. television networks and CNN did not broadcast a prime-time address on Thursday by President Donald Trump on their primary platforms, drawing a rebuke from a president who has placed unprecedented pressure on American media.

The speech focused on election security, four months before the critical midterm elections.

During his speech, Trump said that networks that ‌did not air his speech were engaged in a “plot” and should have their licenses revoked.

“In a rare move, NBC and ABC fake news have both said they would not cover this speech,” he said, adding, “Fraud ‌like this should mean a revocation of their licenses.”

Networks have broad First Amendment rights to decide what they choose to broadcast, experts say. But historically, broadcasters have carried most such speeches on the grounds that they provide information of public importance.

Late on Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for ABC News said ​the network would run Trump’s speech on its ABC News Live streaming platform and ABC News Radio – not its broadcast channel.

NBC News carried the president’s remarks on its free streaming service, NBC News NOW, but not on its main broadcast channel, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company declined to comment.

In a statement, CNN said it would monitor the speech for news, with a live feed appearing on its website and CNN All Access, its subscription streaming channel.

The ABC and NBC streaming channels generally draw a fraction of the viewers that their traditional broadcast signals reach. CNN’s digital network is a paid-for service with a smaller audience than its regular cable channel.

In the speech, Trump declassified intelligence that he said showed Chinese interference in ‌U.S. elections, reviving his long-running attacks on election security despite a U.S. intelligence assessment ⁠that found no evidence Beijing altered the 2020 vote, which he lost.

More details on the coverage by the major stations can be found in this Guardian article. “US TV networks split on broadcasting Trump’s election-focused speech. NBC and CNN stayed away from White House speech, while Fox News, MS Now, CBS, and some ABC affiliates aired it.” I’ve basically quit watching what is now MS Now. As I said, I just went to YouTube to find the live speech. I doubt I could’ve tolerated the anchors trying to deal with this as if it had anything to do with reality.  Well, at least Jen Psaki tried.

MS Now chose to air about half of the speech despite warnings from Jen Psaki, the network’s 9pm host and former Biden White House press secretary, who told viewers that it would be unlike a traditional White House address.

“When you’re in the White House, these are selective moments a president typically takes to speak to the American public,” she said. “We are not in normal times, as you all know. And this speech is not going to be about this country, and it is not going to be about the American people and the challenges people face.”

Trump’s remarks focused on “the deep state” and efforts by China to “meddle” in the US’s election system.

About 15 minutes into Trump’s comments, Psaki cut into the speech and pushed back on his assertions about the electoral system.

CBS also cut into Trump’s speech just over 20 minutes in, bringing on Tony Dokoupil, the Evening News anchor, and Major Garrett, the chief White House correspondent.

Before the speech, Dokoupil explained the network’s decision to air a large portion of it.

“It’s a speech expected to address safety and security of American elections, a topic, of course, that the president has talked a lot about for years now,” he said. “At times, almost constantly, and honestly, much of what the president has said on this topic has been false. Most notably, of course, the claim that he won the 2020 election, when of course he did not. Because of this, there is an argument that it’s irresponsible to air the president’s speech tonight. But this speech will be made. It will be news. And it’s our job to cover the news. And so we are.”

Rather than airing the speech, CNN hosted a panel discussion featuring experts from across the political spectrum. The network’s on-air graphic cast doubt on Trump’s remarks, telling viewers: “Trump Gives Address On Elections After Years of False Claims.”

Here’s some analysis from Election Law Blog and by Rick Hasen. “Trump’s Underwhelming Announcement on Voting Does Not Even Purport to Show That Any Illegal Votes Were Cast in the 2020 Election or That Voting Machines Have Been Hacked or Vote Totals Inaccurate; He Also Made a Pitch to Pass the SAVE America Act But Offered No New Federal Mandates.”

Donald Trump gave a national address where he made some recycled claims (“burn bags,” anyone?) about supposed voting machine vulnerabilities, about thousands of supposed noncitizens registered to vote, alleged voter registration fraud in Michigan, and about a cover-up concerning interference from China in the 2020 election. Among his biggest claims was that China had access to millions of American voting records. He said that there will be newly-declassified documents to back them up.

What Trump did NOT do was even purport to show a single ineligible voter voted in the 2020 election, or that any voting machines were actually compromised, voting machines or voter registration databases breached, or election results inaccurately reported.

Overall, this was an underwhelming announcement delivered with low energy that changes nothing about how state and local election administrators should run elections.

If his government had actual evidence of noncitizen voting, there would be indictments; Trump has been hounding US attorneys to bring such cases, and the fact that he hasn’t shows that these claims likely have no legs. Claims of noncitizen registration often evaporate upon closer inspection (such as the systems’ failure to catch newly naturalized citizens). And he’s made no claims about noncitizens actuallly voting.

He also did not offer anything new by way of policy proposals, saying DHS and others will work with states to remove purported noncitizens from the voting rolls and similar actions. He called for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act again, but offered no new executive orders on voting. That’s a good thing, and it is because the President has no power over how American elections are run.

Given Trump’s track record of incessantly lying about election rigging and voter fraud,view everything he says with a skeptical eye.

One of his major claims is that China got access to voter registration databases. We will have to wait to see what evidence he produces, but here is the earlier declassified intelligence report. Its first conclusion reflecting the collective wisdom of the intelligence community is at odds what Trump is saying:

Key Judgment 1: We have no indications that any foreign actor attempted to alter any technical aspect of the voting process in the 2020 US elections, including voter registration, casting ballots, vote tabulation, or reporting results. We assess that it would be difficult for a foreign actor to manipulate election processes at scale without detection by intelligence collection on the actors themselves, through physical and cyber security monitoring around voting systems across the country, or in post-election audits. The IC identified some successful compromises of state and local government networks prior to Election Day—as well as a higher volume of unsuccessful attempts—that we assess were not directed at altering election processes. Some foreign actors, such as Iran and Russia, spread false or inflated claims about alleged compromises of voting systems to undermine public confidence in election processes and results.

HOST: Are you going to watch Trump’s speech?CALLER: No… I’ll get a summary from Meidas.

— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2026-07-17T02:48:49.952Z

So that thought about waiting for the summaries was exactly what I did about 3 to 5 minutes in.  I can’t imagine anyone finding it appropriate to put such a mentally incapacitated individual on the screen for the world to see. The slurring alone should indicate that he’s not well.  I’m going to end this drama and trauma today with a post in Democracy Docket. “Trump pushes debunked election lies, demands SAVE America Act in primetime speech.” Yunior Rives has the lede.

President Donald Trump used a primetime address Thursday to resurrect debunked claims about the 2020 election, allege sweeping foreign interference in voting and pressure Congress to pass the anti-voting SAVE America Act.

But despite years of claiming that the election was stolen, he presented no evidence that any entity, foreign or domestic, manipulated votes or registration records, or in any way altered the outcome of the 2020 election. In fact, he didn’t even assert it.

In a disjointed speech, Trump claimed China obtained 220 million U.S. voter files and accused intelligence officials — whom he termed the “Deep State” — of concealing election threats. And he suggested electronic voting systems had previously been compromised.

Trump also announced that his administration would declassify intelligence documents supposedly backing his claims.

In fact, the U.S. intelligence community previously concluded that no foreign actor attempted to alter voter registration, ballot casting, vote tabulation or the reporting of results in 2020. Federal agencies also rejected claims that Venezuela, China or other foreign governments controlled voting equipment or manipulated vote totals.

Trump nevertheless described the newly released material as “brand new and irrefutable information” and said his administration would notify states about alleged vulnerabilities before the midterms.

Then he pivoted to pushing SAVE, his pet legislative project that election experts call “the most restrictive voting bill ever.”

“Addressing this crisis of election security demands that Congress must pass the SAVE America Act,” Trump said. “The only reason you wouldn’t do it is if you want to cheat.”

The massive anti-voting bill, which has stalled in the Senate, would require voters to show photo identification and provide documentary proof of citizenship. Trump also demanded an effective end to mail voting, falsely calling the practice “inherently corrupt.”

In pushing SAVE, Trump has regularly claimed — falsely — that illegal voting by noncitizens is widespread in U.S. elections.

During his speech Thursday, the president went further, saying that an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had identified 278,000 noncitizens registered to vote in federal elections.

Orange Caligula simply cannot accept that the overwhelming number of people in the country hate him. His childhood traumas, major personality disorders, and advanced dementia keep him isolated in his own private America.

I hope you have the chance to enjoy something pleasant and peaceful this weekend. While my insane governor continues to rail about how useless New Orleans is, I am absolutely glad I am here. You can read about this feud at this link from MSN. “‘New Orleans thinks they’re so special’: Landry takes jab at city amid rising tensions. We not only are the bread and butter behind all state spending, we also have this news that lets us know that we are. “New Orleans named only city on World Monuments ‘Irreplaceable America’ list. Supporters say the World Monuments Fund recognition points to a broader conversation about the city’s future.”

New Orleans has been named the only city on the World Monuments Fund’s new Irreplaceable America list. It’s a designation recognizing places that help tell the nation’s story, while also facing significant threats to their future.

Unlike the other sites selected, New Orleans was recognized not for a single landmark, building or monument, but as an entire living cultural landscape.

If this country wants to keep convincing itself and others that we’re that shining city on a hill, then these MAGA Republicans and Trump himself. need to be kicked out of their offices. They value nothing about our people, our history, or our culture.

What’s on your Reading, Action, and Blogging list today?

 

Mostly Monday Reads: Nothing Fit to Read

Posted: March 23, 2026 | Author: | Filed under: Foreign Affairs, morning reads, U.S. Economy | Tags: , , , , , , | 7 Comments

“Trump issues heartfelt condolences upon hearing of the death of former republican FBI Director Robert Mueller while golfing.” John Buss, @repeat1968

Good Day, Sky Dancers!

The headlines today demonstrate exactly how far down the drain our country has gone in a very short period. Here in New Orleans, we’re inundated once again by ICE and the National Guard. They’re taking on TSA duties at the Airport.  “ICE agents begin patrol at New Orleans airport as security lines surge for second day.” These folks have proved themselves to be violent, untrained cretins, yet our Governor, himself a cretin, welcomes them wholeheartedly. Can you imagine a better way to wreck the tremendous amount of tourist business and the incredible trade that comes here from South America? This NOLA.COM article provides brief details of the unfolding situation.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deployed to Louis Armstrong International in New Orleans Monday morning as airports across the country continue to battle delays and security agent sick-outs amid a partial government shutdown.

ICE’s presence comes days after President Donald Trump said he would send agents to airports to help with long lines caused by the shutdown. The New York Times confirmed that the New Orleans airport was one of 14 where ICE would be deployed to assist Transportation Security Administration workers.

“The airport has staff on hand to help keep the lines organized and will continue to coordinate with the TSA as they navigate this issue. The airport has also been advised by the TSA that additional security resources from the federal agency, ICE, are onsite on Monday to support TSA security functions,” MSY spokesperson Erin Burns said in a statement.

Be sure to take a look at the photos in this article. Our airport looks like it’s undergoing a military takeover. They’re supposedly going unmasked, but the vests and colors just are not a good look imho.

According to TSA experts, this move is useless. This is from the Government Executive, as reported by Eric Katz. “‘No practical use’: TSA experts say Trump’s ICE deployments won’t help with airport security. More than 400 TSA employees have left the agency since the shutdown began last month, White House says.”

President Trump will beginning Monday shift Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to airports to provide security there in a move he said will alleviate long lines created by shutdown-induced callouts but which experienced TSA officials said would have minimal impact.

The unusual approach comes as Trump administration officials have repeatedly lamented that Transportation Security Administration employees are calling out and quitting the agency due to the shutdown’s impact on paychecks, lengthening wait times at many airports around the country. Details of the assignments were not clear as of Sunday, despite Trump declaring that the airport deployments would occur on Monday. Tom Homan, the White House’s border czar, told CNNon Sunday that he was “working on the plan” and would come up with one soon.

Several current and former TSA officials told Government Executive that ICE personnel will be limited in what they can accomplish at airports, as they will not have the requisite training to check identification, examine luggage x-rays or provide other key security services. TSA employees go through classroom and on-the-job training before they can staff those roles, the officials said.

“It serves no practical use,” said one former official with decades of federal experience who declined to be named out of fear of professional reprisal. “It’s a political, publicity action, not a practical solution.”

Homan suggested ICE employees could staff the areas where travelers exit their terminals, though former officials noted many airports already use non-TSA personnel for those areas.

A second former senior TSA official added there are almost no functions ICE staff would be capable of offering.

“They can basically provide little help,” the former senior employee said.

The Iran War is a misguided, mismanaged mess. This is from the AP. “Hormuz strategy raises questions about US war preparation.”  The headlines on the war today are as scattered as Orange Caligula’s thought process.  The analysis is by Collin Binkley.

At war with Iran, President Donald Trump is cycling through an increasingly desperate list of options as he searches for a solution to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. He has jumped from calls to secure the waterway through diplomatic means to lifting sanctions and now escalating to a direct threat against civilian infrastructure in the Islamic Republic.

Trump and his allies insist they were always prepared for Iran to block the strait, yet the Republican president’s erratic strategy has fueled criticism that he is grasping for answers after going to war without a clear exit plan. On Saturday came his latest attempt, via an ultimatum to Iran: Open the strait within 48 hours or the United States will “obliterate” the country’s power plants.

Trump’s aides defended the threat as a hard-edged tactic to press Iran into submission. Opponents framed it as the failure of a president who miscalculated what it would take to get out of a geopolitical mire.

“Trump has no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, so he is threatening to attack Iran’s civil power plants,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass, adding: “This would be a war crime.”

“He’s lost control of the war and he is panicking,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., responding to Trump’s post.

Over the course of about a week, Trump has repeatedly shifted his approach on the crucial waterway for global oil and gas transport. There is growing urgency for Trump as soaring oil prices rattle global markets and pinch American consumers months before pivotal midterm elections.

As mentioned before, the cost of this war will be devastating to the Global and U.S. economies. This is from The Economist. “Even the best-case scenario for energy markets is disastrous. Whatever happens, high prices will outlive the Iran war.”

THE THIRD Gulf war is now in its fourth week. Every day that Iranian strikes on ships keep the Strait of Hormuz shut, around a fifth of the world’s output of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) remains stranded. Every day, therefore, traders update how much supply is lost for the year. As their estimates rise, so do energy prices. Brent crude, at around $100 a barrel, is 40% dearer than before hostilities began. Gas prices in Europe are up by 70%.

The reason they are not much higher is that investors expect flows to resume soon. On March 23rd Donald Trump postponed a threat to strike Iran’s power plants unless Hormuz reopens, saying he had had “productive conversations [with Iran] regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East”. Financial bets that prices will fall (“put” options) outnumber those expecting a rise (“call” options) for July deliveries and onwards (see chart 1). Account for transport lags, in other words, and investors expect normality by May.

To assess those expectations, The Economist calculated how long normalisation would take if the war ended today. Even if Mr Trump’s talks succeed and the strait reopens in a few days, a big “if”, global oil and gas markets would remain undersupplied for months, hurting the world economy.

For energy markets to right themselves once Hormuz reopens, three things need to happen. First, Gulf producers must restore output to pre-war levels. Second, ships must ferry that output to refiners abroad. And third, those refiners must process it into usable fuel. Each stage of this industrial relay takes time.

The latest situation is that planned attacks on power plants are being postponed with the usual TACO maneuver. This is reported by The Bulwark‘s William Kristol. “The Least Worst Option. Better to TACO Than Not to TACO. Trump chickened out again . . . for now.”  Why is Orange Caligula’s crap always put on Truth Social instead of given the normal press treatment? Also, our attention to anything appears to be what he wants, always.

Early this morning, with about twelve hours left in his 48-hour ultimatum threatening Iran’s civilian power plants, President Trump announced:

Some may cry, “TACO!” And they’d be right. But just over three weeks into his ill-advised and incompetently managed war, Trump had reached a fork in the road from which neither path led to a happy place. He’s chosen the less bad option—for now.

The other, disastrous path would have been escalation. Trump seemed to be heading down that road Saturday afternoon, when he threatened to bomb Iran’s civilian power plants:

If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!

And he echoed this threat just yesterday, during a phone interview with Israel’s Channel 13: “You’ll find out what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna find out soon. It’s gonna be very good. Total decimation of Iran.”

Though Trump has now delayed this decision for another five days, it’s worth pondering what would have happened (and what could still happen) if he’d chosen escalation.

One assumes that the United States military would have refused to obey orders to commit a war crime like attempting the “total decimation” of a country.

But even if the military had gone ahead with some version of striking Iran’s civilian power plants, Iran would surely have responded by attacking similar targets in the Gulf, which they’ve shown they retain the capacity to do. The war would have widened and its economic effects would have worsened. And then we would have been faced with the possible introduction of ground troops to secure the Strait—which would have invited an extended conflict and an even more severe economic crisis.

This headline is from Lawrence Hurely reporting for NBC News. “Supreme Court rejects citizen journalist’s case against Texas officials who arrested her for reporting. Officials in Laredo dropped the charges against Priscilla Villarreal but she then filed a civil rights lawsuit, alleging they violated her free speech rights under the First Amendment.”

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an attempt by a citizen journalist to revive her civil rights claim after she was arrested for soliciting information from a police officer.

At issue in the case brought by reporter Priscilla Villarreal was whether the officials in Laredo, Texas, could claim the legal defense of “qualified immunity,” which would protect them from being sued. The court’s refusal to hear the case means her claim that the officials had violated the Constitution’s First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech, cannot go forward.

Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, saying the court made a “grave error” in declining to take up the case.

“It should be obvious that this arrest violated the First Amendment,” she wrote.

In 2017, Villarreal, who has a large local following via her Facebook page, had texted a police officer to confirm the identities of a suicide victim and a car accident victim, which were not yet public. She then reported what she had learned.

Officials had Villarreal arrested for allegedly violating an obscure state law that prohibits the solicitation of information from a public employee in order to obtain a benefit. The law, if enforced widely, could apply to journalists who routinely seek information from the government and then disseminate it tosubscribers.

Fascism.  Are we there yet? Also, may I please have a day without extreme agita and anxiety? This year has quickly turned into one of mass torture. Also, please, I’d like to be able to afford groceries and things again. Can anyone make this go away? I’m way too old for this shit, and my grandchildren are way too young! Insert heavy sigh here. Back to my soothing morning cup of tea.

What’s on your reading and blogging list today?

Mostly Monday Reads: It can get Worse

Posted: November 24, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: #FARTUS, ICE raids, Law suits against the Trump Regime, Memphis, Trump Crime Task Force | Tags: , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“The man is a machine, he never stops working to make America greater, again.” John Buss.

Good Day, Sky Dancers!

Numerous rallies and organizing efforts have taken place here in New Orleans. We’re seeing ICE and Border Patrol officers from all over invade the city. No massive action yet, but some people are being arrested and kidnapped. Here’s the kind’ve information I’m seeing reported by Unión Migrante. This is today.

🚨 Monday, November 24 at 8:45am there was a checkpoint coming down the English Turn Bridge towards Plaquemines Parish towards Belle Chasse. They were eating 6 police officers in marked cars 👮🏼 ♂️ ros and 4 officers in private clothes with vests and private cars marc️ Est 🧊 Est

We’ve seen detainees here earlier with ICE and these police officers coordinating together as asking about brake stickers and then asking people where they were born.

The invaders are staying at a military base in Belle Chasse, which is south and east of us in Plaquemines Parish. Meanwhile, it’s happening everywhere. It’s cruel. It’s ugly. It’s not the way to run a democracy or a government. It is also happening elsewhere. This is from The Barbed Wire, as reported by Leslie Rangel.  “A Disabled Child’s Mom Reported Him Missing. He Was Locked Away by Federal Immigration Authorities for 48 Days. Emmanuel Gonzalez, a 15-year-old who has an intellectual disability, walked away from his mom’s fruit stand in October. Houston Police called ICE instead of reuniting them.”

In early October, Emmanuel walked away from his mom’s fruit stand to find a bathroom. Garcia looked for him all over the city, and after several hours of coming up empty handed, she filed a missing person’s report with the Houston Police Department.

The boy was found by Houston firefighters nearly 24 hours later. But instead of reuniting him with his mom, the police department turned him over to immigration authorities, and Emmanuel ended up in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), where he remained for 48 days, despite his mother’s pleas for him to be released into her care.

Immigration-related arrests and detentions have surged under the Trump administration, particularly in Texas. According to analysis by the Texas Tribune, daily arrests have risen roughly 30 percentage points in ICE regions including Houston, and the Harris County Jail leads the country in ICE detainers — requests from immigration agents to hold a person for deportation. The Houston Chronicle found police calls to ICE have surged 1,000%.

The vast majority — more than 70% — of those arrested haven’t committed any crime. And, in an increasing number of cases, calls for help to the Houston Police Department have resulted in the caller or a family member winding up in federal detention. In one case, a woman from El Salvador called Houston police to report an abusive ex-husband — instead officers called ICE on her.

Emmanuel’s story enraged many Houston residents as community members grappled with the cruelty of keeping a disabled child locked away from his mother.

In the 48 days since he left her side, Garcia was only allowed to see Emmanuel three times. Once when he needed emergency surgery. The second time was during a scheduled visit facilitated by her legal team and U.S. Rep. Al Green. In that case, Garcia and her son got to hug each other and share a meal.

The stress, fear, and anxiety of this is not existential for me. One of my closest friends is in hiding. The worry is hard to control. I can’t even imagine what kind of hell a mother whose child has been kidnapped feels for 48 straight days. We’re gathering up food and resources for our neighbors living in this reality. This is the reality I am in, as reported by CNN. “In New Orleans, immigrants are staying home and hiding out as city braces for Border Patrol operation.” The story is reported by Zoe Sottile.

In New Orleans, people are used to having their resilience tested.

There was Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill, a major hotel collapse, a vicious early pandemic surge and a terror attack during the 2025 New Year’s celebrations.

Now immigrants and organizers say they’re preparing for what feels like may be another disaster heading for their community: Top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and roughly 250 federal agents are expected to launch an immigration enforcement operation in the city starting the first week of December, according to two sources familiar with the planning. Advocates and residents told CNN they’re preparing a bit like they would for one of the hurricanes that have ravaged the sinking city.

“The immigrant community is feeling absolute panic and terrified,” Rachel Taber, a volunteer with Unión Migrante, an immigrant-led advocacy group, said. “People are treating it like a hurricane as much as they can, buying groceries, staying in the house, planning not to be able to go to work.”

The 307-year-old city, a blue enclave in a Republican-led state, will be the latest target of the Department of Homeland Security’s operations, according to those two sources, part of the president’s pledge to enact mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

In response to questions from CNN about the operation, DHS sent a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin: “For the safety and security of law enforcement, we’re not going to telegraph potential operations.”

Operations in other cities have featured the armed, masked federal agents and unmarked vehicles that have become a hallmark of immigration enforcement under the second Trump administration. The agents have also been criticized over their use of force against both US citizens and non-citizens, including shootings, tear gas and flash bangs.

About 23,400 immigrants make the Cresent City their home — roughly 6.5% of the total population, according to data from the US Census. Over half of those are non-citizens.

Around half of New Orleans’ immigrant population is from Latin America, according to Census data. And immigrants’ share of the population is smaller than in other cities where Bovino has led arrests.

This just appeared in my feed from our local online news source, Nola.com. “Letters: Witnessing immigration raid firsthand raises tremendous concern.” It’s written by Anna Herman.

My family immigrated to this country from Eastern Europe to escape persecution and enjoy a better life in a land they had never seen. Their journey was not easy, but they worked incredibly hard peddling goods until they could own their own stores. It’s unbelievable to think of what my great-grandparents went through so my family could have a future in this country.

Many are still dreaming of coming to America to work hard and create a better life for their families. Meanwhile, the news around immigration enforcement in this country is sad, overwhelming and easy to tune out. I admit that some days I shut out the news, stay in my bubble and focus on my life. However, that bubble burst after I witnessed people being kidnapped in broad daylight.

While I was in the parking lot at Lowe’s in Metairie, my friend and I saw men aggressively shoving people to the ground, and we realized we were witnessing an ICE raid. These supposed government officials wore masks and shoved their victims into unmarked cars with Mississippi plates. I repeatedly asked the masked men what agency they were with. They responded that they did not have to tell me, while pulling their masks up higher.

The New Orleans community cannot be OK with this. We must demand due process. Regardless of political leanings, we share an obligation to stop people from being snatched off the street.

History tells us that without resistance, this doesn’t end here. If we say nothing and do nothing, this could soon very well happen to you or me. Now is the time to ask yourself what you can do to make sure your actions match your values.

My city has survived a lot. But the basic idea of living in an American city and being invaded by American forces is a terrible sin against the U.S. Constitution and us. It must end. The AP reports on another invasion in Memphis, which also leaves me feeling sick this morning. We don’t have a Department of Justice; we have a Department of Domestic Terror. “Thousands of arrests by Trump’s crime-fighting task force in Memphis strain crowded jail and courts.”

A task force ordered by President Donald Trump to combat crime in Memphis, Tennessee, has made thousands of arrests, compounding strains on the busy local court system and an already overcrowded jail in ways that concerned officials say will last months or even years as cases play out.

Since late September, hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel tied to the Memphis Safe Task Force have made traffic stops, served warrants and searched for fugitives in the city of about 610,000 people. More than 2,800 people have been arrested and more than 28,000 traffic citations have been issued, data provided by the task force and Memphis police shows.

The task force, which includes National Guard troops, is supported by Republican Gov. Bill Lee and others who hope the surge reduces crime in a city that has grappled with violent crime, including nearly 300 homicides last year and nearly 400 in 2023.

From 2018 to 2024, homicides in Memphis increased 33% and aggravated assaults rose 41%, according to AH Datalytics, which tracks crimes across the country using local law enforcement data for its Real-Time Crime Index. But AH Datalytics reported those numbers were down 20% during the first nine months of this year, even before the task force got to work.

Opponents of the task force in majority-Black Memphis say it targets minorities and intimidates law-abiding Latinos, some of whom have skipped work and changed social habits, such as avoiding going to church or restaurants, fearing they will be harassed and unfairly detained. Statistics released at the end of October showed 319 arrests so far on administrative warrants, which deal with immigration-related issues.

This seriously feels like we’ve got a NAZI problem here. This reeks of Himmler’s Schutzstaffel, also known as the SS, printed with its stylized runes. ( ᛋᛋ ) The name literally means “Protection Squadron”. So, this is what our National Security looks like now. This is like a bad movie or a bad dream. This is from Steve Vladek writing at One First. ” Another Bad Week for the Presumption of Regularity.  Three different flashpoints highlight how much the Trump administration has done, in such short order, to undermine its own litigation efforts and to damage—perhaps irreparably—DOJ’s credibility.”

Back in January, just three days into the second Trump administration, I wrote a post titled “On the Credibility of the Department of Justice.” The post identified a couple of (very early) signs that the administration was already engaging in behavior that gave reason to worry about whether the federal government would adhere to its long history of turning square corners in the federal courts—and hypothesized some of the ways in which a Department of Justice that lost credibility would not only struggle with relatively straightforward litigation tasks, but would make it far harder, going forward, for courts to defer to government officials even in circumstances in which they should, all at the expense of what’s long been known as the “presumption of regularity.”

Ten months later, that post reads as impressively naive about the depths to which the administration would sink; the outright defiance of at least some lower court orders in which it would engage; and the deep, perhaps irreparable damage its behavior would do to public faith in the integrity (or even the minimal competence) of the Department of Justice. Last week alone, developments in three different cases—the criminal prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey; the ongoing efforts to remove Kilmar Abrego Garcia from the United States; and the civil suit challenging the behavior of federal law enforcement officers in Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz—all provided dramatic, independent evidence of the same broader theme: Whereas the first Trump administration was often characterized as “malevolence tempered by incompetence,” this is worse: it’s malevolence exacerbated by incompetence. That’s problematic enough for the government’s credibility before federal district judges. But at some point soon, one suspects that the Supreme Court itself may well have to grapple with its consequences—or risk being duped.

Saturday neighborhood pop up at the corner of Magazine & Napoleon in New Orleans. We're all bracing for the regime's assault as though we're preparing for a hurricane. We've got this.

— Buddy Spell (@buddyspell.bsky.social) 2025-11-23T19:06:27.583Z

This protest includes my friend, who is a music professor at Loyola. She’s the one in the costume holding the “DUE PROCESS” sign. You may read more about pending courses at the link. There are numerous court cases pending to clarify some of the Trump administration’s actions.  The bigger question is, will they continue to ignore rulings while waiting for the Supreme Court to intervene on their behalf? This one just popped up on my feed from CNN.”Federal judge dismisses indictments against Letitia James and James Comey, saying Lindsey Halligan appointment was unlawful.”

A federal judge dismissed the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday.

The judge found that the appointment of interim US Attorney Lindsey Halligan in Alexandria, Virginia, was invalid.

Trump handpicked Halligan for the role amid increasing pressure to bring criminal cases against his political enemies, including Comey and James.

“The Attorney General’s attempt to install Ms. Halligan as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was invalid,” Judge Cameron McGowan Currie wrote in her Monday order.

According to Currie, “all actions flowing from Ms. Halligan’s defective appointment” including the indictments against Comey and James “were unlawful exercises of executive power and are hereby set aside.”

The judge tossed out the cases “without prejudice,” leaving open the possibility that the cases against Comey and James can be brought again alleging the same conduct.

CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

James issued a statement after the charges against her were dropped.

I must admit that the stress of all this is wearing on me.  I got a phone call from my friend. That lowers my blood pressure a little. I don’t know how much longer we can continue like this. I’ve always stocked my house with canned goods and such during a hurricane. Doing it for a friend who is in danger if they go outside their house is an entirely different emotion and level of stress, as well as that feeling of helplessness. So be strong, do whatever you can to save our country from that horrible monster and his cabinet of goons. Protect who you can. We can’t let our country go down like this.

What’s on your reading, action, and blogging list today?

We have come too far to turn around
We are here to bear witness
To this monstrous sickness
But we have come too far to turn around
We have stared into the eyes of evil
We have slow danced with the devil
We have sat down at his table
And shared with him in the feast
We have swallowed the liquid of his lies
Tolerated the one we despise

Mostly Monday Reads: Woke meets Panem et Circenses

Posted: February 10, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: "presidential immunity", racism in MAGA, superbowl 2025 | Tags: , , , , | 9 Comments

“Deleted earlier versions of this, as I found an error that surely would have upset AI bots. Let this one rip!” John (repeat1968) Buss

Good Day, Sky Dancers!

Wipipo are very confused by the Super Bowl halftime and complaining that it had no music. I still laugh at the fact that they think everything is all about them.  I didn’t watch any of it until the clips were available, but wow, the hassle and occupation down here were well worth the halftime performance. That is, if you weren’t one of the poor homeless folks who got sent to a broken-down warehouse in Gentilly. If you really want the opposite version of what really happened, it’s all over FARTUS’ social media.  That’s even more deluded than the MAGA cult themselves. It’s a Black History Month, for the records!

I have always loved to hear anything that Jon Baptiste does, but his rendition of the National Anthem made me actually enjoy listening to the song itself.  Who couldn’t love Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam?  Evidently, a whole bunch of whiny wipipo who want everything to look just like them, like their version of a supreme being, always does, no matter what the evidence or history suggests. This is from the New Republic. “MAGA Has Total Meltdown Over Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. The right is freaking out over a Super Bowl halftime show rife with American imagery.”This is written by Malcolm Ferguson.

Kendrick Lamar’s very normal Super Bowl halftime show had the MAGA faithful pearl-clutching and conspiracy theorizing.

The iconic Pulitzer Prize and 22-time Grammy winner livened up an otherwise uncompetitive game with a classic performance that centered hip-hop and Black American culture—and featured the likes of Samuel L. Jackson (dressed in American flag garb as Uncle Sam), Serena Williams, and SZA. It only makes sense that right-wingers hated everything about it.

“The halftime show you just watched is clearly the regime’s response to Trump’s historic gains with black men,” shamed former Representative Matt Gaetz wrote on X, even though Lamar was announced as the halftime show performer months before Election Day.

“Raise your hand if you survived the black nationalist Super Bowl LIX halftime show,” right-wing commentator Eric Daugherty wrote on X, even as Lamar’s stage and costume designs were rife with American flag imagery.

“Hey NFL, Trump won. We no longer let talentless mumbling pagan satanic cultists do halftime shows and pretend like people like it,” MAGA media shill Benny Johnson said. “Thanks, everyone.”

In reality, the halftime show was fine, and Kendrick Lamar is an excellent rapper. These people took issue with the show because it didn’t fit into their narrow “post-woke” vision of America—but neither does a very large chunk of this country. This isn’t the first time Kendrick Lamar has performed at the Super Bowl, and it isn’t the first time Blackness has been a major theme of the show. And yet MAGA continues to cry about it.

Let me pull some comments from my local station, WDSU.  “Kendrick Lamar Brought a GNX to His Super Bowl Halftime Show.” The Louisiana outback and Scalise burbs were restless.

A very special car made an appearance during the Super Bowl halftime show performance on Sunday night.

Kendrick Lamar’s most recent album is named after the most famous car, released in his birth year, 1987, and the sister car to the Buick Regal that his father brought him home from the hospital. Thus, it’s no surprise that he entered the Super Bowl for his halftime performance in a GNX.

The GNX becomes the symbol of a victory lap for Lamar, who won five Grammys last week for a diss track written in his ongoing battle with Canadian rapper Drake.

Now Kendrick sits atop one of the most American cars in history at America’s biggest sporting event.

That seems harmless enough. Right?  Not to these folks!

  • Joe Delatte  “WORST OF THE WORST EVER.”
  • Tanya Marie Lawson  “All I needed to know was how to change to another channel. It’s supposed to be entertainment…not political or an opportunity to attack your rival.”

(Evidently, Tanya sees an imaginary opponent of black culture and music in there that no one else saw.)

(Debbie, Debbie, Debbie!  Everything is always about Debbie but who knows how to pronounce those last names of her’s anyway?

  • Kevin Romano Sr Isn’t that beef in rap music how a lot of them get assassinated.
  • Adam Dawson
    It was filled with dis tracks against the rapper Drake, subliminal racism, and political innuendo, made to look like the main performers life was a video game.
    It’s sad that a teenager pointed this out to me.
    I spent time looking this up, hoping the teenager was wrong.
    The main performer sounded very monotone.
    Very poor performance. It didn’t need to be a Louisiana artist, but more family friendly and without the dis tracks, subliminal racism, and political innuendo, would have been nice.
    Weird AL Yankovic would have given a better halftime show.
    The NFL audience spans all political and ethnic backgrounds of America and the world.

(Adam had to white-mansplain everything to us! How else would we know that white men are the real victims of racism!)

For more racist takes, follow the link!  Or better yet, follow FARTUS! He spoiled the event for all sides of the fee fees.  From Lipstick Alley: ” Trump throws tantrum and leaves Superbowl early after his favorite team gets humiliated, cries salty tears that The Superbowl is ruined.”

The run up to the Superbowl was dominated by news that Donald Trump and his hangers on would make an appearance, the first for a sitting President.
Trump arrived at the stadium with Daughter – Wife Ivanka and took to the field with a mix of cheers and Boos.
Trump wandered the field as if dazed and confused but he had initially praised and predicted a Kansas City Chiefs win.
Trump is enamored with the Chiefs who were clearly the MAGA white choice especially with MAGA Mahomes and his hillbilly family being big Trump supporters.
The Philadelphia Eagles did not come to play, they came to slay and scalped the Chiefs early on, eventually winning 40-22.
Trump was not having it and got up and left after 10 mins of the second half or maybe the half time show was just too Black.
Strange that Hitler did the same thing when Jesse Owens dominated the 1936 Olympics.

Trump’s tweets today, as well as his behavior at the game, were total lessons in how to be a jerk. He was booed. However, you’d never know it if you listened to him.  He and Taylor Swift were booed by the Eagles fans.  Taylor used to be an Eagles fan. You can speculate on the other.  Here’s an interesting take from the rag The Mirror US. “Sore loser Donald Trump lashes out at Taylor Swift after fleeing Super Bowl. Donald Trump has continued his feud with Taylor Swift by sharing a video of the pop star being booed at the Super Bowl, while he was cheered by fans at the same event.”

Donald Trump couldn’t resist a swipe at Taylor Swift following the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl defeat, taking jabs even as he departed the event early. The current President hopped onto his social media haven Truth Social, posting while en route back to Florida aboard what was likely Air Force One: “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving! ”

On his platform, Trump uploaded several clips including glimpses of himself amid celebratory fans and another clip purportedly capturing jeers as Swift and Ice Spice appeared on the stadium’s Skycam.

His contentious post, left without commentary, fired up discussions—was Trump implying that the crowd’s applause was for him and jeers for Swift, or were the reactions intertwined at the moment? Videos circulating don’t clarify whether the President received cheers, or simply joined in on crowd acclaim.

Former first Lady and Grandson definitely were given cheers. However, the stories are still being spun as I type. The worst thing is the entire focus on these things and not the impact on New Orleans.  You may read about a lot of it in my post here.

The panem et circenses in New Orleans look and feel like a military takeover. We've been #occupied. http://www.facebook.com/reel/5999453… No one can cross Canal Street without a search. They've thrown the homeless in an overpriced warehouse dump. There are military helicopters overhead and bomb dogs

— Kat Huff aka Dakinikat (@dakinikat.bsky.social) 2025-02-08T21:44:26.415Z

Trump says he has directed the Treasury to stop minting new pennies due to cost. No mention of his $15 million Super Bowl trip or his almost daily $3 million golf excursions.

— Molly Ploofkins (@mollyploofkins.bsky.social) 2025-02-10T16:25:48.791Z

I am waiting to see the actual economic impact on the city because up until Friday night, the military and police definitely had a bigger presence than tourists.  I’m hoping my friends finally made some money to tide them over until the Big Mardi Gras Parades startup.

So, let me pop a few reads up about the Muskanator and his gang of adolescent droogies. There are a lot of lawsuits going on, that’s for certain. This is from Public Notice‘s Lisa Needham. “Trump and his lawyers embrace the logic of dictatorship. And they’re not even trying to hide it at this point.”

Donald Trump is busy seizing power through executive orders and letting Elon Musk and his gang of racist DOGE bros run amok through America’s government agencies. It’s an unprecedented upending of the separation of powers, an authoritarian reshaping of America.

While Trump and his henchmen deconstruct the administrative state, his lawyers are embracing the logic of dictatorship. The core argument emerging in their legal filings and executive orders — one without support anywhere in the Constitution or the law — is that simply by being elected, Trump has the power to do whatever he wants.

The issue is not the use of executive orders as such. The authority to issue them comes from Article II of the Constitution, which vests executive power in the president and requires him to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Executive orders are meant to tell the executive branch how to implement existing laws. However, in part because Congress is now so routinely deadlocked, every president in the 21st century has issued scores of them that attempt to implement policies outside of the legislative process.

But executive orders aren’t laws, and the authority of presidents to issue them is not absolute. They can’t contradict or overturn existing statutes. Subsequent presidents can undo executive orders just by issuing a new executive order saying so. And federal courts have routinely struck down EOs for being unconstitutional or for exceeding the scope of the president’s authority.

When executive orders are challenged in court, government attorneys typically point to the underlying laws that give the president the authority to issue the order. Trump seems to have dispensed with that requirement, however.

Trump’s imperial ambitions have made for some laughably thin legal theories. As Just Security noted, the government’s argument in defense of Trump’s birthright citizenship EO does not reference any citizenship statutes nor point to any authority that would give Trump the right to undo birthright citizenship via the stroke of a pen. Instead, after quoting the relevant part of the Fourteenth Amendment — ”All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside” — the EO just goes on to state that it “has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States.”

The problem for Trump is that the Fourteenth Amendment has absolutely historically been interpreted to do just that. The EO attempts to say that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” are magic words that have always excluded people whose parents were not citizens when they were born, but that’s nothing but a recent crackpot theory from election denier attorney John Eastman.

This is from Bloomberg. “DOGE-Backed Halt at CFPB Comes Amid Musk’s Plans for ‘X’ Digital Wallet.  Government-efficiency team’s initial ‘read-only’ access expanded quickly to encompass closely guarded data, internal emails say.”  This is reported by  Jason Leopold and Evan Weinberger.  I told you they were trying to tank the dollar and replace it with their cryptocurrency grift.

In another weekend takeover of a federal agency’s operations, staffers from an efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk helped to effectively shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — as they gained access to an array of the bureau’s protected information.

The actions began last Thursday, when four young staffers working under Musk for the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, showed up at CFPB’s Washington headquarters. At first, they had what was described as read-only access to a limited array of documents, including the agency’s internal personnel files, procurement records and budgeting and financial data, according to an email shared among CFPB officials.

Then, late Friday night, the DOGE staffers were granted access to all the CFPB’s data systems, including sensitive bank examination and enforcement records, according to five people familiar with the matter and emails seen by Bloomberg News. The people asked not to be identified, citing concerns over potential retribution. By Sunday, the agency was a skeleton, with its funding limited and activities suspended.

Musk, whose social-media platform X has recently begun firming up plans to enter the online payments industry, had already predicted the demise of the consumer-watchdog agency. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The weekend’s events came after Russell Vought, who heads the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, ordered wider access for DOGE, according to an email to CFPB officials that was seen by Bloomberg. Vought sent the email Friday evening, about 90 minutes before news broke that he’d also been named acting director of the financial-enforcement agency.

Vought is an architect of the Heritage Foundation’s influential and controversial government-overhaul plan called Project 2025, which appears to have guided DOGE’s attempts to dismantle portions of the federal bureaucracy. Earlier this month, the team played a key role in the administration’s effort to shut down the US Agency for International Development, another longstanding conservative bête noire.

Bloomberg News sought comment from Musk, Vought, the DOGE team members and the White House. None responded.

It just gets worse, and there’s no accountability because the Republicans have gone all squishy.  And as usual, women and minorities are being deleted from American History and the recognition they deserve. This is from Popular Information and is written by Jude Legum and Rebecca Crosby. “The NSA’s “Big Delete'”

Today, the National Security Agency (NSA) is planning a “Big Delete” of websites and internal network content that contain any of 27 banned words, including “privilege,” “bias,” and “inclusion.” The “Big Delete,” according to an NSA source and internal correspondence reviewed by Popular Information, is creating unintended consequences. Although the websites and other content are purportedly being deleted to comply with President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion, or “DEI,” the dragnet is taking down “mission-related” work. According to the NSA source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, the process is “very chaotic,” but is plowing ahead anyway.

A memo distributed by NSA leadership to its staff says that on February 10, all NSA websites and internal network pages that contain banned words will be deleted. This is the list of 27 banned words distributed to NSA staff:

Anti-Racism
Racism
Allyship
Bias
DEI
Diversity
Diverse
Confirmation Bias
Equity
Equitableness
Feminism
Gender
Gender Identity
Inclusion
Inclusive
All-Inclusive
Inclusivity
Injustice
Intersectionality
Prejudice
Privilege
Racial Identity
Sexuality
Stereotypes
Pronouns
Transgender
Equality

The memo acknowledges that the list includes many terms that are used by the NSA in contexts that have nothing to do with DEI. For example, the term “privilege” is used by the NSA in the context of “privilege escalation.” In the intelligence world, privilege escalation refers to “techniques that adversaries use to gain higher-level permissions on a system or network.”

The purge extends beyond public-facing websites to pages on the NSA’s internal network, including project management software like Jira and Confluence.

I am really not sure I can take much more of this.

Anyway, I’d like to thank JJ for filling in for me with my various hospital appointments and the time I spent with Keely as she exited the Earthly Door. It has been a rough few weeks. Actually, this entire year has sucked big time.

I hope the courts stand firm and we figure out what to do if FARTUS ignores them.  Perhaps there are a few good men and women left in the Republican part of Congress.  I certainly hope that there are a few appointees to SCOTUS that do not want the country to go down in flames.

Take care y’all!

Be safe!

New Year’s Day Reads

Posted: January 1, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: just because | Tags: , , , , | 10 Comments

Scene of New Orleans vehicle attack At least 10 people were killed after a pickup truck rammed through a crowd on New Year’s Day in New Orleans.

Happy New Year!!

Here’s hoping we survive Trump 2.0.

I woke up this morning to the news of a terror attack in New Orleans during New Year’s celebrations. From The Boston Globe: Suspect in New Orleans crash that killed 10 people is dead after firefight with police, officials say.

10 people were killed and 30 injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street

The suspect in the New Orleans truck crash that killed 10 people and injured 30 revelers in New Orleans on New Year’s Day was killed after a firefight with police, law enforcement officials told the AP.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

The suspect rammed a vehicle at high speed into a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday along Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, and with crowds in the city ballooning in anticipation for the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game at the nearby Superdome later in the day.

At a news conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the killings as a “terrorist attack” and the city’s police chief said the act was clearly intentional. But an assistant FBI agent in charge declared that it was “not a terrorist event.” The news conference ended before authorities could reconcile the two characterizations.

Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were investigating the discovery of at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said police officers would work to ensure safety at the Sugar Bowl, indicating that the game would go on as scheduled.

“He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said. “It was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”

Two police officers who were shot after the driver emerged from the truck are in stable condition, she said.

 

The New York Times has a photo and video report: Scenes From New Orleans After Attack on New Year’s Day.

Officials in New Orleans were assessing the damage in the city’s French Quarter on Wednesday morning after an attack left at least 10 people dead and at least 35 injured, including two police officers.

A man drove a pickup truck at high speed into the crowds on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. before crashing and opening fire, according to police officials. The attacker died in a shootout with the police.

“He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” the New Orleans police superintendent, Anne Kirkpatrick, said.

The F.B.I. said it was investigating the attack as an act of terrorism, and officials urged the public to stay away from the area.

Security personnel investigate the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street. Wednesday, Jan. 1. 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Also from The New York Times: What We Know About the Attack in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more were hurt in the early hours of New Year’s Day after a man drove a pickup truck into crowds in the French Quarter of New Orleans and then opened fire. Officials called it an attack, and the F.B.I. said it was investigating it as a potential act of terrorism….

Here’s what we know so far about what happened.

The man sped a truck into crowds on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. After crashing, he opened fire, officials said. At least 10 people were killed and about 35 were injured.

Investigators said they later found what appeared to be improvised explosive devices in the truck and were trying to determine whether the devices were viable. It is not clear if any such devices were detonated….

The carnage occurred in the area of the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets in the city’s historic French Quarter, one of its most crowded areas and the heart of its tourism industry.

Officials asked the public on Wednesday morning to stay away from a half-mile stretch of Bourbon Street as the F.B.I. investigated….

Officials have not yet released the man’s name. He crashed the truck and died after a shootout with police officers, according to the F.B.I.

Background from The New York Times: The French Quarter is New Orleans’s most famous tourist attraction.

The attack on New Year’s Day targeted New Orleans’ most recognizable tourist destination.

The French Quarter is the historic colonial heart of the city and the center of its tourism industry, one of New Orleans’s leading economic engines. The six-by-13 block area on the curving bank of the Mississippi River is known for its colorful buildings and ornate balconies. Vibrant festivals and parties along famed Bourbon Street, where the attack took place, attract revelers from across the United States and abroad.

“You’re talking about one of the most iconic cities, and one of the most recognizable streets in the world,” Oliver Thomas, a New Orleans city councilman, said on Wednesday after the attack.

“So when you think about it, this isn’t really a message and a shot at New Orleans. This is at America. It’s the world and the environment we live in right now.”

Mr. Thomas said that New Orleans often hosts more people per capita than some of the largest cities in the world and that it was crucial that the city not shut down.

The city’s annual Mardi Gras, with its marching bands and beads flung from floats and balconies, is perhaps the most popular and celebrated event on the calendar, but New Orleans hosts more than 135 festivals each year, according to city figures, and attracted more than 18 million visitors in 2018.

Hours before the attack, the annual Allstate New Year’s Eve Parade moved through the French Quarter, attracting huge crowds. The parade is a buildup to one of the city’s largest annual sporting events — the Sugar Bowl — which falls on Jan. 1 this year and has now been overshadowed by the violence.

The Washington Post has live updates: 10 killed in New Orleans as driver plows truck into crowd.

From local station WDSU in New Orleans: WATCH: Explosions heard in French Quarter after deadly terror attack.

Explosions were heard early Wednesday morning in the French Quarter after a terror attack on Bourbon Street left 10 dead and dozens injured….

“Woah, they just detonated something,” WDSU Reporter Fletcher Mackel says as explosions are heard. “There it is again, they just blew something else.”

This comes as agents responded to what was believed to be “suspicious devices” found in the area.

Emergency services attend the scene after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

More detail from Harry Howard at New Orleans WLLL4: 10 Dead, 35 injured after driver targets Bourbon Street crowd.

The suspect’s gun was described as a “long gun”  and had a suppressive device attached.

In a statement, the FBI confirmed its lead role in the investigation. 

“This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”

After plowing through the crowd, the suspect crashed his vehicle and shot two responding officers. The officers fired back and struck the suspect.

An improvised explosive device was also discovered at the scene, prompting the FBI to take over the investigation.

“We are working on confirming if this is a viable device or not,” FBI Special Agent Alicia Duncan said.

Moreno said the suspect was able to drive down Bourbon Street because the bollards were down for repairs.

I’m going to post this as is. I made a mistake, and WordPress has changed the post to “block mode.” There isn’t a way to indent news articles, so I hope this makes sense. We will have some updates in the comment thread.

Take care everyone. Somehow, we will make it through 2025 together. I love you all.

 

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