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montereyp.bsky.social

@montereyp.bsky.social
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Brian PJ Cronin @brianpjcronin.bsky.social · 22h
"More than three-quarters of the money for the ballroom came in commitments of $5 million or more. Among the top donors are some of America’s blue chip companies, including Amazon, Caterpillar, Comcast, Microsoft and T-Mobile. (Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos owns The Post.)"
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Brian PJ Cronin @brianpjcronin.bsky.social · 22h
"Tech giants Nvidia and Apple each committed $25 million, the top contribution amount, the list shows. The Adelson family, one of the GOP’s largest donor dynasties, committed that sum as well... Absent from the list is Trump himself, who has said that he is helping to pay for the project."
wapo.st
Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump’s ballroom
The records offer a panoramic view of a fundraising campaign that is extraordinary for its size and opacity.
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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 23h
It's almost like Trump's sudden love of data centers was purchased
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Spooky Megan @meplusdog.bsky.social · 22h
Fauxduciary
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Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 22h
Tfw your fiduciary duty requires you to deny acting in accordance with same
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Edward Swaine @edswaine.bsky.social · 22h
<chuckles softly in fiduciary>
“As an American company, our support for the United States is paramount, and independent of any business interests,” Nvidia spokesperson John Rizzo said in response to questions from The Post.
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Edward Swaine @edswaine.bsky.social · 22h
No, WH, the problem with an appearance of impropriety isn't that it "appeared." Nor do you beat a corruption rap by pledging to "relentlessly pursue those responsible for this cowardly leak while continuing to protect all those who give.” Bare minimum, this shouldn't be secret in the first place.
wapo.st
Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump’s ballroom
The records offer a panoramic view of a fundraising campaign that is extraordinary for its size and opacity.
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mossworm.bsky.social @mossworm.bsky.social · 21h
ah, okay. NVIDIA apparently gave trumpy 25 million dollars for his ballroom project. the same NVIDIA that has University of Florida by the balls, and gave them 100 million dollars in exchange for hiring 100 new AI-themed faculty to incrementally rot the brains of its students. that NVIDIA. gotcha
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Mike Masnick @masnick.com · 21h
Just remembering how in 2013 I wrote about how Roger's wife, Kristi, was an exec at a defense contractor who stood to benefit from the privacy destroying surveillance laws he was pushing and he threatened to sue me for defamation. Good times.
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Fred, His Enemy Getting a Vote @thefred.bsky.social · 22h
The description is procuring a bribe, which is in fact a crime.
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Mezer-Kiss of Death @bananapantz.bsky.social · 23h
This alone. The corporate-founders seeking to control the country with technology, who demand zero regulation, and got it, and simply directly bribed the President, ought to have ended this WH. It’s not even a secret. It was out in the open, bragged about by Trump.
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FactPost @factpostnews.bsky.social · 21h
Nvidia donated $25 million to build Trump's ballroom after striking a deal with the Trump administration to sell microchips to China.
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@GottaLaff @gottalaff.bsky.social · 23h
"..who have benefited from regulatory decisions, govt contracts & in ca1se, a pardon for fam member. Nvidia & Apple each $25 mil, top contrib amt, the list shows. Adelson fam, 1 of GOP’s lgest donors, same sum, as did billionaire Charles Ergen, co-founder/chair of Dish Network" Gift link:
wapo.st
Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump’s ballroom
The records offer a panoramic view of a fundraising campaign that is extraordinary for its size and opacity.
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Public Citizen @publiccitizen.bsky.social · 23h
Just 10 donors were responsible for over HALF of the $320 MILLION the group received for Trump's ballroom project. 5 corporations, 2 billionaires, and one CEO helped foot the bill to bulldoze the White House. One year later we know who funded it, now it's time to uncover why.
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Andrew Weinstein @andrewjweinstein.com · 22h
A $330,000,000 ballroom fund backed by hidden bank accounts, shell companies, and anonymous corporate interests is an open bribery scheme.
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Playbook: James Talarico raised a record-breaking $64 million this summer — the largest third-quarter haul of any Senate candidate in history, according to numbers shared first with Playbook.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Again, the problem with Guilfoyle was not the graft, but that she was thinking too small
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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 14/10/2026
Just wild that this is the explicit message.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
So where is Kliger now? As soon as he left the Pentagon, he and other DOGErs raised money for a new startup to sell AI to the Pentagon. It is now valued at $1.4 billion by the DOGE VC sponsors. Meanwhile, Musk is back in government, advising the DOD on what tech to buy.
The start-ups include a host of firms focused on cybersecurity and defense technology, as well as ventures dedicated to helping businesses across America deploy artificial intelligence tools. Among the largest is Cathedral, an AI-enabled cybersecurity firm, founded by Gavin Kliger and Luke Farritor. Valued by investors at $1.4 billion, Cathedral aims to sell to both corporate America and government agencies, including the Pentagon, according to a person familiar with the business, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the firm has not made its operations public.

As Kliger might say: “Wonder what the kickbacks on this latest grift look like.”
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
DOGE had a lasting effect in stripping out principled agency leadership who refused to go along with illegal and unethical actions. IRS leadership *today* is still hollowed out. Lewis gives a view from the inside about what those decisions to exit felt like. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/blockers-a...
Org chart with a lot of turnover in itAfter the call, Julie, the IRS privacy lawyer, came straight to her office. Julie was usually ice-calm – someone who kept her wits about her. She hadn’t a trace of drama in her. But now Julie was not calm. Kathleen, after that call I’m not working on this thing, she said. I’m not coming in tomorrow. I might not come in Monday. I might not come in ever again.

“I don’t usually deal with life or death stuff,” said Kathleen. “But this was life or death stuff. At that moment I knew I had to quit. Either that or I’m going to get fired, because I can’t facilitate something that will break the law and is going to hurt people. We all have boundaries. That was my boundary.”

That weekend, Kathleen sent Melanie a note saying she’d be resigning. “I didn’t need to tell her why,” said Kathleen. “She knew why.” She’d be leaving just weeks before her 20th anniversary with the agency. If she’d waited until mid-May, she would have been able to retire and receive benefits for the rest of her life. But she didn’t want to retire. Federal law made it hard for a retired civil servant to return, and if the day ever came when the IRS was rebuilt, she wanted to be able to return.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
New from me: Michael Lewis provides a timely reminder that even the heroic federal employees who tried to block DOGE grifters could only do so much. If DOGE could not be stopped at the time, accountability must be on the agenda for the future. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/blockers-a...
donmoynihan.substack.com
Blockers and Grifters
What Michael Lewis Reveals About DOGE’s War on Civil Servants
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
This whole opinion is terrific. Also, *a year and a half* after a series of government officials made false statements about a federal employee to justify cutting funding off to a blue state. They also hoped to put this employee in fear, using amplifiers like Benny Johnson and Laura Loomer.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
After firing her for following the direct orders of DOGE staffers in interpreting an EO, the Trump admin began a smear campaign against Ms. Comans. DHS called her "deep state activist," and Tricia McLaughlin claimed she was "circumventing leadership," which DHS admits now was "entirely false."
i. February 11, 2025, DHS Press Release The first public attack on Ms. Comans came on February 11, 2025, when DHS issued a press release stating that FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer had been fired “for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants.” It was a matter of public record at the time, including on the FEMA website, that the Chief Financial Officer was Ms. Comans. The press release implied Ms. Comans was a “deep state activist” who had “undermine[d] the will and safety of the American people.” The Government concedes and the Court finds that other than the fact that Ms. Comans had been fired, this statement was entirely false. The Government further concedes and the Court further finds that officials at FEMA and DHS knew this statement was false at the time it was made.ii. February 11, 2025, Statement by DHS Spokesperson to The New York Times On or about February 11, 2025, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin provided The New York Times an on-the-record statement that four FEMA employees, including Ms. Comans, had been fired “for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury N.Y.C. hotels for migrants.” The statement was published by The New York Times. The Government concedes and the Court finds that other than the fact that Ms. Comans had been fired, the statement to The New York Times was entirely false. The Government further concedes and the Court further finds that officials at FEMA and DHS knew the statement was false at the time it was made.
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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
NEWS: New York federal judge extends her order blocking the White House and DHS from running a taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ad campaign. At a hearing this morning, Judge Jennifer Rochon said she would keep the order in place while she weighs longer-term relief. Next hearing set for Nov. 4.
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
MS NOW analyzed Trump Justice Department data and found Kash Patel is making false statements about FBI crime stats. The FBI under Patel has brought thousands fewer criminal cases than previous administrations. The findings rebut Patel's claims that he has led a crackdown on violent crime.
ms.now
Crime stats touted by Kash Patel are bolstered by arrests made by state and local agencies, not FBI
An analysis of publicly available data from the Justice Department shows repeated claims made by the FBI director are false or misleading.
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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
The Original Sin of politics was the invention of the passive voice, when Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Vague Unaccountability. Wild how all those violent ICE agents just … got hired … and deployed … somehow. Who can possibly say how? It’s all a mystery.
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(((Tendar))) @tendar.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Many Starlink terminals in Ukraine are financed by Poland. Its Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has put Elon Musk on notice regarding the evolving situation.
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Paul Marvin @paulmarvin.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
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Anu @nofirstorder.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Brilliant logic. I haven’t crashed my car this week, guess I’ll pull the airbags out.😐
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Attorney Kathleen Martinez @attorneymartinez.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
BREAKING: " Videos collected by local investigators make it “pretty obvious” that an ICE officer intentionally ran over Miguel Parra Hernandez during an immigration stop Saturday, which could lead to assault charges, the district attorney said Tuesday."
nbcnews.com
Texas DA says ICE intentionally hit immigrant with a car and may have withheld evidence
Harris County DA Sean Teare told NBC News his office has collected multiple videos for its own investigation but isn’t getting cooperation from the federal government. ICE denied their agent intentio...
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montereyp.bsky.social @montereyp.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
He’s Played It Safe. But He Could Make California History as Governor. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/14/u...
nytimes.com
He’s Played It Safe. But He Could Make California History as Governor.
Xavier Becerra is a heavy favorite to become California’s first Latino governor in the modern era, though he does not talk much about the milestone.
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Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
BREAKING: TRO granted! Court has halted the Trump admin tree removal at E. Potomac Golf Links, where we are contesting the dumping of toxic East Wing debris & creation of a hideous Trump golf course Huge win for clients & cocounsel Democracy Forward, Lowell & Assoc, & us at Democracy Defenders
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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
JUST IN: SCOTUS has granted cert in a case that could define what it means to provide "material support" to terrorists. The case involves a man who was hired to cook meals for a terrorist camp in Nigeria and fled, he says, once he realized their true aims. www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/242...
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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
JUST IN: Judge Reyes has barred the Trump administration from cutting down additional trees on the East Potomac golf course through at least Oct. 26.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Reyes: "I actually don't think courts should be playing Parks and Recs." But, because of the gov't's actions and as to additional tree-cutting plans, "I have no faith that the government isn't going to cut them down unless there's an order."
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
NPS: "I do not have the total cost breakdown in my office." He adds that he doesn't know that anyone does. Asked how it was approved within one week, he said that that they modified an existing contract relating to the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Reyes: I'm trying to understand what required so many people to be working on this on an urgent basis. NPS: "Very in line with what we've done to turn this city around." Reyes: Do you know how much this is going to cost the American taxpayer? NPS: "Unknown."
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
The hearing is ongoing and Reyes has witnesses appearing. “We had a meeting” on October 5, a senior official from NPS says, saying it was scheduled by Interior Dept (deputy?) chief of staff, Gregory Wischer. Reyes is asking for Wischer to get on the call.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
For those complaining that this isn't enough. Stop it. I'm sorry that actual judges understand the importance of doing what they're doing correctly because these things, inevitably will be appealed. Judge Reyes is doing an incredible job of immediately obtaining a robust record here.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Reyes also made clear that any future order beyond this immediate TRO will now include at least a 72-hour (likely, three business day) notice before any further tree-cutting. The next step, Reyes explained, would be a 14-day TRO during which time there will be prelim injunction briefing/hearing.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
UPDATE: Today, Judge Reyes - issued an immediate order stopping further tree cutting - held a hearing where she strongly questioned the gov't's actions in light of past statements and secured testimony to establish when this plan developed (since a 10/5 meeting) - set more testimony for Tuesday
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
I said this in a thread last night and in a thousand threads before it, but you really are doing the work of those who would destroy democracy and the rule of law when you are a doomer. You can be aware of — and vigorously oppose — the lawlessness of this administration without insisting on doom.
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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
HAPPENING NOW: Judge Reyes is furious. She has repeatedly told the government to inform her before any major demolition work was done on the golf course. The abrupt removal of 500 trees, without notice, "has cost the government all of its credibility" in this case.
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montereyp.bsky.social @montereyp.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Answer for Tree Removals at D.C. Golf Course www.nytimes.com/2026/10/12/u...
nytimes.com
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Answer for Tree Removals at D.C. Golf Course
During a four-hour hearing, a federal judge demanded answers from the Trump administration about who authorized the removal of hundreds of trees at the East Potomac Golf Links.
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montereyp.bsky.social @montereyp.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
“You’re the puppet…”. this whole movie could have had an entirely different plot, and outcome.
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United Farm Workers @ufw.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Warrantless stops and violent roving patrols by masked federal agents across California, especially the Central Valley, have been terrorizing farm workers for the past 5 days. The chaos is escalating. full statement: www.dailykos.com/stories/2026...
United Farm Workers union condemns brutal
ICE surge impacting farm workers in Central Valley; highlights Rep. Valadao's comments as 'insulting' to his constituents
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
An IRS investigator is suing the agency — claiming officials illegally leaked his confidential personnel records to federal prosecutors to punish him for years of whistleblowing on the agency's failure to tackle tax dodging.
nytimes.com
Whistle-Blower Says I.R.S. Leaked His Tax Records in Retaliation
Brian J. Visalli, a veteran investigator of tax fraud, said in a lawsuit that the agency had sent his personal and tax information to federal prosecutors.
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montereyp.bsky.social @montereyp.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Sick fucks
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
And, if you are unaware of my longstanding and repeatedly expressed views here …
lawdork.com
Emil Bove, thumbing his nose at America, is making a mockery of the rule of law
Attending Trump's rally on Tuesday, Judge Emil Bove let it be known that his DOJ actions were just the beginning. Bove must face accountability, and ultimately impeachment.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
*adds to the impeachment proceedings list*
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