update - Abrego Garcia released from jail
- Thread starter mandrill
- Start date
Same effect for the purposes of arranging a prison transfer, but not overall.
It isn't like Trump and his Administration are interested in pretending they aren't corrupt.
They want people to know bribes will be effective.
That results in more bribes, you see.
This is the level to which the cesspool that America has descended too. And America can drop even further yet.
We have not even seen the worst of yet. Trump is just a malignant symptom of the syndrome yet, so Ymalfeasance, chaos and destruction in only six months !
More is to come and the global bad actors will become increasingly by Trump’s premature lame duck.
They want everyone to know they are corrupt and open to bribes.
That is the point.
Donald Trump's decision to place one of his former personal lawyers on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals with a lifetime appointment is backfiring as judges postpone their own retirements to stop the president picking their replacements.
In May, Notre Dame Law Professor Derek T. Muller pointed to a slowing of bench retirements since Trump was re-elected, noting the "exceedingly slow pace of retirements in the second Trump administration, disproportionately low."
Over the weekend, former federal prosecutor Brendan Ballou wrote in The Atlantic that the president might have been better served if he didn't bully GOP lawmakers to ignore the wealth of whistleblower complaints and accusations against Bove during his brief tenure at the Department of Justice under fellow Trump appointee Attorney General Pam Bondi.
According to Ballou, the spectacle of Bove being elevated to a key appeals court seat despite credible accusations about his ethics did not go unnoticed among other judges.
"By appointing Bove—whose only apparent loyalty is to his own ambition, not to any particular legal philosophy—the GOP might have limited its own ability to appoint judges in the future," he wrote. "This is because the president typically gets to appoint new judges only when old ones die, retire, or move into the quasi-retirement position of 'senior status.'
" And some judges, even conservative ones who would otherwise be happy to let a Republican president pick their replacement, are likely to delay their retirement rather than hand Trump the opportunity to make more Bove-style appointments."
Adding, "Bove is not the kind of lawyer that a traditionally conservative judge would want to be replaced by," he continued, "For judges who care about the rule of law, even very conservative ones, Bove’s conduct offers a reason to reconsider retirement. Senate Republicans should keep that in mind the next time Trump nominates someone like him to the federal bench."
You can read more here.
Trump move backfires as judges slam brakes on court packing plan: report
In May, Notre Dame Law Professor Derek T. Muller pointed to a slowing of bench retirements since Trump was re-elected, noting the "exceedingly slow pace of retirements in the second Trump administration, disproportionately low."
Over the weekend, former federal prosecutor Brendan Ballou wrote in The Atlantic that the president might have been better served if he didn't bully GOP lawmakers to ignore the wealth of whistleblower complaints and accusations against Bove during his brief tenure at the Department of Justice under fellow Trump appointee Attorney General Pam Bondi.
According to Ballou, the spectacle of Bove being elevated to a key appeals court seat despite credible accusations about his ethics did not go unnoticed among other judges.
"By appointing Bove—whose only apparent loyalty is to his own ambition, not to any particular legal philosophy—the GOP might have limited its own ability to appoint judges in the future," he wrote. "This is because the president typically gets to appoint new judges only when old ones die, retire, or move into the quasi-retirement position of 'senior status.'
" And some judges, even conservative ones who would otherwise be happy to let a Republican president pick their replacement, are likely to delay their retirement rather than hand Trump the opportunity to make more Bove-style appointments."
Adding, "Bove is not the kind of lawyer that a traditionally conservative judge would want to be replaced by," he continued, "For judges who care about the rule of law, even very conservative ones, Bove’s conduct offers a reason to reconsider retirement. Senate Republicans should keep that in mind the next time Trump nominates someone like him to the federal bench."
You can read more here.
Trump move backfires as judges slam brakes on court packing plan: report
Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to a minimum-security prison in Texas — commonly referred to as a ‘Club Fed’ — has upset her fellow inmates, who believe she shouldn’t be there given the nature of her crimes.
The disgraced British socialite and former girlfriend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was quietly transferred this week from a stricter low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, to a prison camp 100 miles outside Houston, Texas.
Maxwell’s new prison mainly houses inmates convicted of “white-collar” crimes and minor offenses, and they are said to be angry about her presence.
She is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking underage girls for Epstein, the financier and convicted pedophile, who was found dead in his prison cell in New York while awaiting trial in 2019.
A prisoner at Federal Prison Camp Bryan told The Telegraph that she was “disgusted” by Maxwell’s transfer, a feeling shared by many fellow inmates.
Julie Howell, 44, who is serving a one-year sentence for theft, told the outlet that “every inmate I’ve heard from is upset she’s here.”
“This facility is supposed to house non-violent offenders,” she added. “Human trafficking is a violent crime.”
When Maxwell arrived at the facility, prisoners were reportedly locked down and had the blinds closed in an apparent attempt to hide her from view.
Inmates at minimum-security institutions, also known as FPCs, enjoy a low prison guard-to-inmate ratio and minimal or no perimeter fencing.
FPC Bryan has a sports field, gym, arts and crafts activities, a theater program, and a program that allows inmates to play with puppies and train them to become service animals.
It is the same prison where Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, the fraudulent blood-testing company, is serving an 11-year sentence.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has faced mounting pressure from Democrats and his MAGA supporters to release all information related to Epstein, as he had promised during his campaign.
A reversal by Attorney General Pam Bondi's Department of Justice and the FBI, which concluded that Epstein died by suicide and lacked a “client list” of influential individuals for whom conspiracy theorists claim he procured girls, sparked outrage.
President Donald Trump faces intense pressure to release all of the government’s files on Jeffrey Epstein (Getty)
The Trump administration has since attempted to calm the anger by requesting that judges release grand jury transcripts in the Epstein and Maxwell cases, although there has been no move to release files held by the FBI and DOJ.
Maxwell's transfer occurred a week after she was interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, fueling intense speculation that the Trump administration struck a deal with her.
During a nine-hour interview, Maxwell was reportedly questioned about dozens of billionaires, politicians, and other notable figures connected to the late sex offender.
Her lawyers state she is willing to testify before Congress in exchange for a presidential pardon or a commutation of her 20-year sentence—a possibility Trump has not ruled out, repeatedly asserting that he has the power to do so.
Her fellow inmates at FPC Bryan are worried about their safety, given the widespread threats against Maxwell and the lack of tight security on the prison grounds.
Howell said: “We have heard there are threats against her life and many of us are worried about our own safety because she’s here.”
Maxwell was moved in secret after being “bombarded” with death threats from rapists who accused her of being a “snitch,” The Daily Mail reports.
A source told the newspaper: “As soon as Ghislaine spoke to the government, she was considered a snitch by other inmates at Tallahassee. There were very real and very credible threats on her life.
“There were real fears inside Tallahassee that they could not guarantee her safety, which is why she was moved.”
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in an undated photo taken in Scotland (US District Court for the Southern District of New York)
In an email sent from prison to the Telegraph about Maxwell’s transfer, fellow inmate Howell wrote: “I am honestly shocked she was moved to a federal prison camp with her history and charges.”
Howell, a married mother of four and former professor, said her daughter was repeatedly trafficked from the age of 17, leading to her being “beaten, choked and eventually shot” as well as becoming pregnant, resulting in her mother adopting the child.
The traffickers were apprehended by the FBI and local law enforcement with Howell’s assistance and are now serving federal prison sentences of over 20 years.
Howell, who was convicted of stealing $1 million from her former employer, Tarleton State University, to fund her gambling addiction said: “I don’t blame anyone else for the actions that brought me to FPC Bryan, but I can definitely say that the circumstances that surrounded my daughter being shot were what sparked my spiral and addiction to gambling to escape my reality.
“Having Ms Maxwell here triggered all of those feelings.”
Howell also warned that Maxwell could be a flight risk, given how she evaded the authorities for months before her arrest: “This is a camp you can literally walk out of. I don’t care how many people she turns in; it doesn’t take away from her actions.
“As a mother of a sex-trafficking victim, I’m absolutely disgusted she’s in this facility. Regardless of her reasoning, I don’t think she belongs here.”
The Independent has always had a global perspective. Built on a firm foundation of superb international reporting and an
Ghislaine Maxwell not welcome in Texas ‘Club Fed’ prison camp, says inmate: ‘Human trafficking is a violent crime’
The disgraced British socialite and former girlfriend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was quietly transferred this week from a stricter low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, to a prison camp 100 miles outside Houston, Texas.
Maxwell’s new prison mainly houses inmates convicted of “white-collar” crimes and minor offenses, and they are said to be angry about her presence.
She is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking underage girls for Epstein, the financier and convicted pedophile, who was found dead in his prison cell in New York while awaiting trial in 2019.
A prisoner at Federal Prison Camp Bryan told The Telegraph that she was “disgusted” by Maxwell’s transfer, a feeling shared by many fellow inmates.
Julie Howell, 44, who is serving a one-year sentence for theft, told the outlet that “every inmate I’ve heard from is upset she’s here.”
“This facility is supposed to house non-violent offenders,” she added. “Human trafficking is a violent crime.”
When Maxwell arrived at the facility, prisoners were reportedly locked down and had the blinds closed in an apparent attempt to hide her from view.
Inmates at minimum-security institutions, also known as FPCs, enjoy a low prison guard-to-inmate ratio and minimal or no perimeter fencing.
FPC Bryan has a sports field, gym, arts and crafts activities, a theater program, and a program that allows inmates to play with puppies and train them to become service animals.
It is the same prison where Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, the fraudulent blood-testing company, is serving an 11-year sentence.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has faced mounting pressure from Democrats and his MAGA supporters to release all information related to Epstein, as he had promised during his campaign.
A reversal by Attorney General Pam Bondi's Department of Justice and the FBI, which concluded that Epstein died by suicide and lacked a “client list” of influential individuals for whom conspiracy theorists claim he procured girls, sparked outrage.
President Donald Trump faces intense pressure to release all of the government’s files on Jeffrey Epstein (Getty)
The Trump administration has since attempted to calm the anger by requesting that judges release grand jury transcripts in the Epstein and Maxwell cases, although there has been no move to release files held by the FBI and DOJ.
Maxwell's transfer occurred a week after she was interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, fueling intense speculation that the Trump administration struck a deal with her.
During a nine-hour interview, Maxwell was reportedly questioned about dozens of billionaires, politicians, and other notable figures connected to the late sex offender.
Her lawyers state she is willing to testify before Congress in exchange for a presidential pardon or a commutation of her 20-year sentence—a possibility Trump has not ruled out, repeatedly asserting that he has the power to do so.
Her fellow inmates at FPC Bryan are worried about their safety, given the widespread threats against Maxwell and the lack of tight security on the prison grounds.
Howell said: “We have heard there are threats against her life and many of us are worried about our own safety because she’s here.”
Maxwell was moved in secret after being “bombarded” with death threats from rapists who accused her of being a “snitch,” The Daily Mail reports.
A source told the newspaper: “As soon as Ghislaine spoke to the government, she was considered a snitch by other inmates at Tallahassee. There were very real and very credible threats on her life.
“There were real fears inside Tallahassee that they could not guarantee her safety, which is why she was moved.”
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in an undated photo taken in Scotland (US District Court for the Southern District of New York)
In an email sent from prison to the Telegraph about Maxwell’s transfer, fellow inmate Howell wrote: “I am honestly shocked she was moved to a federal prison camp with her history and charges.”
Howell, a married mother of four and former professor, said her daughter was repeatedly trafficked from the age of 17, leading to her being “beaten, choked and eventually shot” as well as becoming pregnant, resulting in her mother adopting the child.
The traffickers were apprehended by the FBI and local law enforcement with Howell’s assistance and are now serving federal prison sentences of over 20 years.
Howell, who was convicted of stealing $1 million from her former employer, Tarleton State University, to fund her gambling addiction said: “I don’t blame anyone else for the actions that brought me to FPC Bryan, but I can definitely say that the circumstances that surrounded my daughter being shot were what sparked my spiral and addiction to gambling to escape my reality.
“Having Ms Maxwell here triggered all of those feelings.”
Howell also warned that Maxwell could be a flight risk, given how she evaded the authorities for months before her arrest: “This is a camp you can literally walk out of. I don’t care how many people she turns in; it doesn’t take away from her actions.
“As a mother of a sex-trafficking victim, I’m absolutely disgusted she’s in this facility. Regardless of her reasoning, I don’t think she belongs here.”
The Independent has always had a global perspective. Built on a firm foundation of superb international reporting and an
Ghislaine Maxwell not welcome in Texas ‘Club Fed’ prison camp, says inmate: ‘Human trafficking is a violent crime’
You know how much strength Trump has in this matter when he is offering concessions to Maxwell even before she is released. I suspect the deal is that Maxwell will not receive her pardon and release until Trump leaves office, otherwise she may go blathering away to the press or podcasters. Trump has probably included a cash prize annuity to be paid monthly after her release on the condition she keeps her mouth shut. She may keep quiet while she is alive, but what comes out after she is gone is another matter.
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Federal and state officials in Florida must produce agreements showing which government agency or private contractor has legal authority to detain people or perform immigration officer roles at “Alligator Alcatraz,” the immigration detention facility in the Everglades, a federal judge said Monday.
Officials must provide by Thursday all written agreements and contracts showing who has legal custody of the hundreds of detainees at the facility that was hastily constructed more than a month ago on an isolated airstrip in South Florida's Everglades wilderness, said U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, an appointee of President Donald Trump.
Ruiz's order was part of an ongoing civil rights lawsuit against the state and federal governments by immigration attorneys who say “Alligator Alcatraz” detainees' constitutional rights are being violated since they are barred from meeting lawyers, are being held without any charges, and a federal immigration court has canceled bond hearings.
Who has authority over the detention center has been a murky issue since it opened at the beginning of July.
The federal government and Florida had asked that any disclosures be limited to agreements between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and three Florida agencies — the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida National Guard and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The detainees' attorneys had requested documents showing who was responsible for removal proceedings, as well as information on the number of employees at “Alligator Alcatraz,” but Ruiz said those requests from the detainees' lawyers were too broad.
The lawsuit is the second to challenge “Alligator Alcatraz.” Environmental groups have sued federal and state officials, asking that the project be halted because the process didn’t follow state and federal environmental laws. A hearing on that lawsuit is set for Wednesday.
Separately, the Archdiocese of Miami said it celebrated the first Mass at the detention center on Saturday following weeks of negotiations.
“I am pleased that our request to provide for the pastoral care of the detainees has been accommodated,” Archdiocese of Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said Monday in a statement.
___
Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
___
Judge orders Florida, federal officials to produce 'Alligator Alcatraz' agreements
Officials must provide by Thursday all written agreements and contracts showing who has legal custody of the hundreds of detainees at the facility that was hastily constructed more than a month ago on an isolated airstrip in South Florida's Everglades wilderness, said U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, an appointee of President Donald Trump.
Ruiz's order was part of an ongoing civil rights lawsuit against the state and federal governments by immigration attorneys who say “Alligator Alcatraz” detainees' constitutional rights are being violated since they are barred from meeting lawyers, are being held without any charges, and a federal immigration court has canceled bond hearings.
Who has authority over the detention center has been a murky issue since it opened at the beginning of July.
The federal government and Florida had asked that any disclosures be limited to agreements between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and three Florida agencies — the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida National Guard and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The detainees' attorneys had requested documents showing who was responsible for removal proceedings, as well as information on the number of employees at “Alligator Alcatraz,” but Ruiz said those requests from the detainees' lawyers were too broad.
The lawsuit is the second to challenge “Alligator Alcatraz.” Environmental groups have sued federal and state officials, asking that the project be halted because the process didn’t follow state and federal environmental laws. A hearing on that lawsuit is set for Wednesday.
Separately, the Archdiocese of Miami said it celebrated the first Mass at the detention center on Saturday following weeks of negotiations.
“I am pleased that our request to provide for the pastoral care of the detainees has been accommodated,” Archdiocese of Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said Monday in a statement.
___
Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
___
Judge orders Florida, federal officials to produce 'Alligator Alcatraz' agreements
A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump‘s attempt to reshape the Federal Trade Commission by firing Democratic commissioner Rebecca Slaughter was unlawful — delivering a significant setback in the president’s ongoing battle against the “deep state.”
Trump’s FTC purge challenged in court
Donald Trump received a massive legal blow. (Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash)© Knewz (CA)
Earlier this year, President Trump abruptly dismissed two Democratic FTC commissioners, Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, in a move that drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Critics said it undermined the FTC’s independence and could set a dangerous precedent for other agencies. Now, a federal court has struck down that decision, calling Trump’s actions illegal. The Trump administration has since appealed the ruling.
Trump’s move was ‘unlawful’
Judge calls Donald Trump’s firing move “unlawful.” (MEGA)© Knewz (CA)
In her opinion, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan wrote that Trump’s dismissal of Slaughter violated federal protections designed to shield independent agencies from political pressure. “That is not how Congress structured it,” AliKhan wrote, adding that the Trump administration appeared to want the FTC to function as “a subservient agency subject to the whims of the President and wholly lacking in autonomy.”
What is the FTC?
Only three members are serving on the FTC currently. (ipse dixit/Unsplash)© Knewz (CA)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency responsible for consumer protection. It is led by five commissioners, with no more than three allowed from the same political party to ensure bipartisan oversight. Currently, only three commissioners are serving. Trump previously announced his intent to nominate Andrew Ferguson as chair, signaling a shift from Lina Khan, the outgoing progressive chair.
Slaughter’s response to court victory
Rebecca Slaughter responds to the news. (MEGA)© Knewz (CA)
In a public statement following the ruling, Slaughter emphasized the importance of protecting independent agencies from political interference. “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” she wrote. “The for-cause removal protections that apply to my colleagues and me at the FTC also protect other independent economic regulators like the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], the FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation], and the Federal Reserve.”
Judge delivers legal blow to Trump's 'deep state' war
Trump’s FTC purge challenged in court
Donald Trump received a massive legal blow. (Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash)© Knewz (CA)
Earlier this year, President Trump abruptly dismissed two Democratic FTC commissioners, Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, in a move that drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Critics said it undermined the FTC’s independence and could set a dangerous precedent for other agencies. Now, a federal court has struck down that decision, calling Trump’s actions illegal. The Trump administration has since appealed the ruling.
Trump’s move was ‘unlawful’
Judge calls Donald Trump’s firing move “unlawful.” (MEGA)© Knewz (CA)
In her opinion, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan wrote that Trump’s dismissal of Slaughter violated federal protections designed to shield independent agencies from political pressure. “That is not how Congress structured it,” AliKhan wrote, adding that the Trump administration appeared to want the FTC to function as “a subservient agency subject to the whims of the President and wholly lacking in autonomy.”
What is the FTC?
Only three members are serving on the FTC currently. (ipse dixit/Unsplash)© Knewz (CA)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency responsible for consumer protection. It is led by five commissioners, with no more than three allowed from the same political party to ensure bipartisan oversight. Currently, only three commissioners are serving. Trump previously announced his intent to nominate Andrew Ferguson as chair, signaling a shift from Lina Khan, the outgoing progressive chair.
Slaughter’s response to court victory
Rebecca Slaughter responds to the news. (MEGA)© Knewz (CA)
In a public statement following the ruling, Slaughter emphasized the importance of protecting independent agencies from political interference. “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” she wrote. “The for-cause removal protections that apply to my colleagues and me at the FTC also protect other independent economic regulators like the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], the FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation], and the Federal Reserve.”
Judge delivers legal blow to Trump's 'deep state' war
President Donald Trump is trying to deport a Russian man who passed the U.S. screening process for asylum. The U.S. government has also taken away his son.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, posted an excerpt of a New York Times report revealing that the man fled to the United States after his wife was locked up for her political views.
Pavel Snegir and his 11-year-old son, Aleksandr, already passed the initial screening and confirmed that if Snegir is sent back to Russia, he will likely be tortured.
Want more breaking political news? Click for the latest headlines at Raw Story.
"But the Trump admin is still trying to deport him anyway, and has taken away his son until he agrees to be deported," wrote Reichlin-Melnick.
Snegir and his son had been in ICE custody, but in May he was taken to an airport in San Diego. He was told he could take his son to the court hearing in New York. But once they were at the airport, Snegir was scared to board the plane, convinced he was about to be deported back to Russia.
"Later that day, after the flight had left, an ICE official told him he would be separated from his son because he refused to be deported," the report said.
Snegir said he refused to give the government his child. ICE followed with threats he'd be thrown "to the ground, handcuffed and taken away if he did not relent."
He didn't move and "everything she promised happened," Snegir recalled.
His son witnessed the whole ordeal. He previously watched his mother be taken by the Russian government, too.
Now, ICE is telling Snegir that he can self-deport back to Russia, or they'll deport him anyway, without his son. They claimed he may never see his son again.
Snegir relented, but the following day, he was approved under the protection screening, which means ICE can deport him, but he can't be sent to Russia.
This week, the administration also published its guidance on birthright citizenship, which will allow ICE to enter maternity wards and demand papers from families after their infants are born. If the parents can't prove their citizenship, the government can take the newborn away from its parents and deport it to whatever country it wants, one legal analyst described.
Read the full report here.
ICE seizes 11-year-old to force dad’s deportation — despite torture risk
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, posted an excerpt of a New York Times report revealing that the man fled to the United States after his wife was locked up for her political views.
Pavel Snegir and his 11-year-old son, Aleksandr, already passed the initial screening and confirmed that if Snegir is sent back to Russia, he will likely be tortured.
Want more breaking political news? Click for the latest headlines at Raw Story.
"But the Trump admin is still trying to deport him anyway, and has taken away his son until he agrees to be deported," wrote Reichlin-Melnick.
Snegir and his son had been in ICE custody, but in May he was taken to an airport in San Diego. He was told he could take his son to the court hearing in New York. But once they were at the airport, Snegir was scared to board the plane, convinced he was about to be deported back to Russia.
"Later that day, after the flight had left, an ICE official told him he would be separated from his son because he refused to be deported," the report said.
Snegir said he refused to give the government his child. ICE followed with threats he'd be thrown "to the ground, handcuffed and taken away if he did not relent."
He didn't move and "everything she promised happened," Snegir recalled.
His son witnessed the whole ordeal. He previously watched his mother be taken by the Russian government, too.
Now, ICE is telling Snegir that he can self-deport back to Russia, or they'll deport him anyway, without his son. They claimed he may never see his son again.
Snegir relented, but the following day, he was approved under the protection screening, which means ICE can deport him, but he can't be sent to Russia.
This week, the administration also published its guidance on birthright citizenship, which will allow ICE to enter maternity wards and demand papers from families after their infants are born. If the parents can't prove their citizenship, the government can take the newborn away from its parents and deport it to whatever country it wants, one legal analyst described.
Read the full report here.
ICE seizes 11-year-old to force dad’s deportation — despite torture risk
