Mostly Monday Reads: Trumperville

“That peace prize is a shoo-in next year.” John Buss, @repeat1968

Good Day, Sky Dancers!

I’ve had a rough few days here in my hometown of New Orleans. I’ve been working on getting signal whistle kits together and have enjoyed the camaraderie of brothers and sisters in arms. As the sky has turned quite gray the last few days and temperatures have dropped, it sets a scene that I knew was coming, but now I’ve seen. Of course, the National Guard is overwhelmingly visible in the French Quarter. I’ll share some photos taken by friends who were gigging or living their lives there from Saturday.

Yesterday morning, during my walk, I spoke with the two professors who have a woodworking shop in an old storefront across the street from me. They were given 2 weeks’ notice to move out of the apartment they shared for 31 years. The landlord was eager to renovate the property and convert it into student housing. Today’s walk left me even more stunned.

There was an old black man pushing a luggage cart up and down the street with all of his earthly goods and his cat on top. I didn’t take a photo because it felt too sacred to capture. He headed up towards the Abandoned Navy Base and then up to the bridge area. The large gray Tabby looked like a prince, while the old man just kept muttering Stay, stay, stay. I saw my first real discussion on a group Signal Chat of a large contingent of ICE stooges getting ready to make a raid. There are tears in my eyes as I write this.

I guess making America Great these days means putting old people on the street, ensuring our hard-working neighbors stay holed up in their houses, relying on the good-hearted to protect them and bring them provisions. It means separating families and shipping them off to the swamp hellholes of Louisiana here while everyone desperately searches for their whereabouts. It also means appointing illegal prosecutors to cases “for the people”, massive Bachanalia on the taxpayers’ money in a shit hole in Florida, and an illegal attack on Venezuela. You can also read about it as rural clinics and hospitals shut down, making small-town America unlivable during a time when we’re seeing a plague of measles and other diseases long thought gone.

We’ve never been a perfect union, but I’ve never seen or read about such a great undoing as the one we’re living through now. The midterms are more important than ever.  All of this makes it very scary to go outside. I’m going to continue with the Hegseth/Venezuela disaster that BB wrote about yesterday.

This is from Jennifer Rubin writing for The Contrarian. “War Crime…or Murder? Killing shipwreck survivors is patently illegal and morally abhorrent.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who makes up in false bravado what he lacks in judgment and expertise, appears to have committed an inexcusable, unjustified violation of black-letter international and domestic law, according to a stunning Washington Post story released last Friday. The incident occurred during our Sept. 2 Caribbean military operation against suspected drug traffickers:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a spoken directive,according to two people with direct knowledge of the operation. “The order was to kill everybody,” one of them said.

After the attack, two survivors clung to the “smoldering wreck.” Then, in an action that should shock the conscience, forces murdered the two survivors. “The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack—the opening salvo in the Trump administration’s war on suspected drug traffickers in the Western Hemisphere—ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, two people familiar with the matter said,” The Post reported. “The two men were blown apart in the water.”

The Trump regime claims the report is false, but the evidence has not been specifically debunked. No explanation has been given as to why the video was edited to omit this part of the attack.

Putting aside for the moment the legitimacy of the underlying order to shoot these boats out of the water (which, frankly, is hard to justify based on a false theory and made-up facts), it is impossible to imagine any Pentagon lawyer blessing this action. The concept of hors de combat—literally, out of combat—is a fundamental aspect of the law of war that prevents harming those disabled from combat.

If we are at war, this is a shocking violation of the law of war and specifically the Department of Defense Law of War Manual (updated in July 2023). Per the latter, those shipwrecked (or “those in distress at sea or stranded on the coast who are also helpless”) are protected under the Geneva Convention, and in turn, U.S. law. Not only must shipwrecked individuals “not be knowingly attacked, fired upon, or unnecessarily interfered with,” but our military must “without delay, take all possible measures to search for and collect the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked at sea, to protect them against pillage and ill-treatment, to ensure their adequate care, and to search for the dead and prevent their being despoiled.”

Conservative lawyer Jack Goldsmith reiterates, “ The DOD Manual is clear because the law here is clear: “Persons who have been incapacitated by . . . shipwreck are in a helpless state, and it would be dishonorable and inhumane to make them the object of attack.” Todd Huntley, a former Special Operations military lawyer cited in The Post report, agrees that even if the U.S. were at war an order to kill all the survivors “would in essence be an order to show no quarter, which would be a war crime.”

Meanwhile, Trump is saying Hegseth didn’t give that order. They’re also more than doubling down on attacks against Venezuela. This feels like one more thing to get everyone to stop investigating the Epstein Files. However, this is a deadly distraction and one that will tarnish our National image in South America, sending it back to the 1960s. This is from AXIOS. “Trump backs Hegseth as Congress plans boat strike review.” This article was written by Avery Lotz.

President Trump said he believesDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s denial of a report alleging he ordered military forcesto leave no survivors in a strike on a suspected drug trafficking boat from Venezuela.

The big picture: The U.S. has ramped up its military pressure on Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro despite legal experts and lawmakers sounding the alarm over the legality of the strikes on alleged drug traffickers that have killed dozens.

• Hegseth slammed The Washington Post’s report that he directed military officials to kill everyone aboard a vessel, which allegedly resulted in a secondstrike to take out two survivors. The Intercept also previously reported on the follow-up attack.
• He dismissed the allegations as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory” on X but said “these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.'”

Driving the news: “He said he did not say that, and I believe him 100%,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

• The president added that “we’ll look into it” and thathe wouldn’t have wanted a second strike.
• “The first strike was very lethal. It was fine. And if there were two people around, but Pete said that didn’t happen,” he said. “I have great confidence.”
• Trump added, “Pete said he did not order the death of those two men,”

Friction point: But lawmakers have expressed increasing concern over the shadowy operations and are seeking to conduct their own oversight of the strikes.

• House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said in a Saturday statement that they “take seriously” the reports of follow-up strikes and are “taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question.”
• Similarly, Senate Armed Services Committee ChairSen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said in a statement the committee will conduct “vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”

What they’re saying: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday that if the allegations are proven true, “this rises to the level of a war crime.”

• Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, also said on CBS that there “are very serious concerns in Congress about the attacks on the so-called drug boats down in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and the legal justification that’s been provided”

There are many more sad stories about how this cruel administration is turning its back on the GLBT community. If I haven’t been crying about the things above, I’ve also been crying on the Anniversary of AIDS Awareness and World AIDS Day.  Each year reminds me of all my beautiful friends from high school and university who were lost to this disease. Now, I think about the adults and children all over the world who have lost access to medicines. This is from Forbes.  “On This World AIDS Day, The U.S. Declines To Participate.”  This was written by “Dave Wessner, a virologist who covers infectious diseases.”

The United States will not formally commemorate World AIDS Day this year. This decision comes on the heels of recent federal funding cuts that threaten to disrupt hard-earned progress combatting this global epidemic. Despite significant scientific advancements in HIV treatment and prevention, many people worry about our efforts to end this ongoing crisis.

Since 1988, December 1 has been recognized as World AIDS Day by communities throughout the world. It is a day to remember the people who have died of HIV/AIDS, demonstrate our continued support for people living with HIV and strengthen the global efforts to end this epidemic.

U.S. presidents have recognized the day in various ways. Seventeen years ago, President George W. Bush discussed the unparalleled success of his signature initiative, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He also noted that the red ribbon displayed at the White House was, “a symbol of our resolve to confront HIV/AIDS and to affirm the matchless value of every life.” Just a year ago, President Joe Biden remarked that, “we renew our commitment to accelerating efforts to finally end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

This year, the U.S. State Department sent an email to employees that stated, “The U.S. Government will not be commemorating World AIDS Day this year.”

One could argue that a day of commemoration does not save lives. But funding does. And the HIV/AIDS funding landscape has changed dramatically during the Trump administration. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, noted in a recently released report that, “this year’s disruption to the global response has exposed the fragility of the progress we have fought so hard to achieve.”

My friend John Autin captured this photo Saturday night in the French Quarter of the National Guard Occupation.

Politico reports today on the number of Trump nominees withdrawing. “Record-setting personnel issues are marring Trump’s second term. The president has nearly doubled Joe Biden’s mark for nominees withdrawn from the Senate in the first year.” Something rotten is in the beltway.

On the surface, President Donald Trump’s second-term personnel operation has been a smoothly running machine. The Senate has confirmed more than 300 civilian nominees since January, even changing the chamber’s rules to move them faster.

But there are clear signs of breakdowns behind the scenes. Trump has withdrawn a record number of nominees for a president’s first year in office as he faces a combination of GOP pushback against some picks, vetting issues, White House infighting and, in some cases, the president’s own mercurial views.

Trump has withdrawn 57 nominations, according to Senate data — roughly double the 22 nominations he withdrew during the first year of his first administration and the 29 his immediate predecessor, Joe Biden, withdrew during his first year.

The pace of withdrawals, the highest since at least the Ronald Reagan presidency, has flown below the radar in the day-to-day churn on Capitol Hill, with many Republican senators expressing surprise at the data in interviews. But they also acknowledged the obvious: In some instances, the White House just isn’t making sure Trump’s nominees can get the votes.

“It would appear that some nominees haven’t been vetted, and … somebody says, ‘Go with them anyways,’” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said in an interview.

After POLITICO reported he made racist comments in a group chat, Ingrassia withdrew despite telling senators he had “no recollection of these alleged chat leaks, and do not concede their authenticity.” But Senate Republicans had already privately telegraphed to the Trump administration for months that his nomination was in serious peril.

Asked about the withdrawals, a person close to the White House granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal dynamics pointed to Ingrassia as a key example.

“Would I say some vetting has been questionable? One thousand percent,” the person said, adding of Ingrassia: “That was a vetting nightmare that was only allowed to happen based on certain relationships and acquaintances with people that are making the decisions.”

DHS outside the Boggs Bldng on Poydras. Downtown New Orleans

The New York Times reports that Alina Haba was found to be an illegal U.S. Attorney by an Appeals Court. “Appeals Court Says Alina Habba Is Unlawful U.S. Attorney. The judges wrote that the Trump administration appeared to have become frustrated by legal and political barriers that have prevented its preferred U.S. attorneys from leading federal prosecutors’ offices.”  All the best people, you know.

A federal appeals court said on Monday that Alina Habba had been serving unlawfully as the U.S. attorney in New Jersey, dealing a blow to the Trump administration and most likely setting up a showdown at the Supreme Court.

Ms. Habba is one of a number of U.S. attorneys whom the Trump administration has sought to keep in power through a series of unusual maneuvers even though she was neither confirmed by the Senate nor appointed by district trial court judges — the two traditional pathways. Defendants in New Jersey had challenged her authority as U.S. attorney, leading to Monday’s decision.

In its ruling, the three-judge panel, based in Philadelphia, affirmed an earlier ruling by a Federal District Court judge. The court said that the government’s tactics had violated the law as written and concluded that, overall, the Trump administration appeared to have become frustrated by legal and political barriers to placing its favored U.S. attorneys in charge.

The maneuvers undertaken to keep Ms. Habba in charge exemplified the difficulties the administration had faced, the judges wrote. And yet, they said, “the citizens of New Jersey and the loyal employees in the U.S. attorney’s office deserve some clarity and stability.”

There is no moral, legal, or intellectual clarity to anyone who serves this administration. I firmly believe their goal is instability. This makes the Midterm elections even more significant.

And, again, hello from Occupyied New Orleans.  The national news has started covering us as the movement of ICE goons into the area continues. This is from CNN. “What we know – and don’t know – about the immigration crackdown expected in New Orleans this week.”

As Department of Homeland Security agents are expected to surge into New Orleans this week, the latest Democrat-led city targeted by a federal immigration enforcement crackdown, a common thread has emerged among local officials: They’re being kept in the dark – and it’s spiking fear among the immigrant community.

There is “mass chaos and confusion” as the campaign looms, newly elected Councilmember at-Large Matthew Willard told CNN. He said he and other local officials have received scant details about the operation – and the information they have received “isn’t reassuring.”

“We’re really just fearful of the unknown, and looking at the coverage that we’ve seen in other cities by CNN, we certainly don’t want that here in the city of New Orleans,” he said.

Our new mayor is a Latina who was born in Mexico. This is what Councilwoman Helena Morena had to say.  CNN also talked to Orleans Parish’s Congressman.

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, who was born in Mexico, has said she’s received limited information about the expected operation but that the fear among immigrant communities is palpable.

“You have parents who are scared to send their children to school,” Moreno, a Democrat, told CNN affiliate WWL. “At my church,” she said, “there is a one o’clock service, Spanish-speaking service every Sunday, that keeps getting smaller and smaller. People are really, really scared.”

Her office has released guidelines for interacting with immigration enforcement agents, urging people to comply with orders from law enforcement and to record with their phones if they feel safe.

US Rep. Troy Carter, who serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, told WWL he also wasn’t briefed on any Border Patrol operations and suggested federal agents had profiled people in other cities.

“Turn on the television. Turn on the internet. Pick up a newspaper and you find some people who were profiled because they looked a certain way,” Carter said. “Never mind the fact that they were actually US citizens.”

My Holiday Craft Project

There’s a huge rally this evening at the Park that is deep in the city’s complex of Federal Buildings. When I worked at the New Orleans Fed, my office faced directly towards it. I’m actually hoping they get an overflow of people. It’s right there on St. Charles near the Old City Hall, and you’ve undoubtedly seen it if you’ve watched any Mardi Gras parades on TV.

So, I’m so sorry I’m such a Debbie Downer today. I’m going to go pack up more signal whistle kits for the rally.

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend. I’m not going anywhere. This country is not going down on my watch.  If my Daddy could bomb NAZIs, I can certainly frustrate a few.

Please stay safe out there… these ICE GOONS are serious!  Our legislature and the Governor have empowered them.  I just weep for my city and neighbors today.

What’s on your reading and blogging list today?