Party Poopers

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It was a political Sophie’s choice between not just constituents or party but between constituents with hungry children, no jobs, and unabled disabled running out of time

OR

political gamesmanship.

Sitting there well-fed and sheltered from the cold, who/what would you choose to protect?

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91 thoughts on “Party Poopers”

  1. Attribution: GOP Concept by Milt Priggee, Oak Harbor, WA

    and

    Attribution: Speaking of Redistribution by Milt Priggee, Oak Harbor, WA

    [Milt Priggee is a freelance editorial cartoonist from northwest Washington State. His work has been reprinted in Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World report, The New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today.]


  2. MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell explains how the shutdown fight demonstrates that Donald Trump “doesn’t care about starving people” or rising health insurance premiums or “the future of his political party.”

  4. reposting Fearless Leader’s comment from last night:

    Democrats won where it counts: Last week at the ballot box. They played a weak hand in Senate politics and made Republicans own the health insurance crisis. I’m damn proud of Democrats. Bring on the Midterms, and let’s beat them there.

    me too, craig, me too

  5. So the whole shutdown the republicans KNEW that some republicans were yakking it up with certain democratic senators who could be counted on to “make a deal”
    From the first night of the shutdown. From the first night.

    I think that’s pretty yucky. But then I’m not a senator nor have I ever been one. So I’m basically just an ignorant by-stander.

    “If the law supposes that, the law is a ass—a idiot”. 

    You just don’t know how hard it is to make this thing write “a ass” —it kept changing it to “an ass” Smart phone strikes again.

  6. Our job now is to go to the mat for the victims of the Republican Health Insurance Crisis. Shame them into voting for premium help. Now we can debate the issue without poor kids, federal workers and airline passengers under siege.

    And if they want to debate about abolishing Obamacare bring it on. They tried that in 2017 and a year later Democrats netted 41 house seats.

  7. Ignorant bystander. I’m stealing that!!

    The ACA subsides need to be the biggest millstone to hang around Repugs’ necks. Not enough people will remember much about the shutdown come November, but food and gas prices will be prices and insurance premiums will be insurance premiums they will be trying to figure out how to pay when they go to vote – for those who do.

  8. 🚨 NEXT CHAT: Open Mic — 2pm ET TODAY
    We’ll hash out:
    ✳︎ Did Democrats actually win the SHUTDOWN DEAL — or just survive?
    ✳︎ Did a whistleblower just signal MAXWELL PARDON might really be in play?
    ✳︎ Trump shows he’ll treat a Supreme Court ruling against his TARIFFS like a bad Yelp review.
    🪶 Come as you are — no camera if you like, no stage, just conversation:

    Live Chat

  9. Newsom hitting the ground running in Brazil …
    NEWSOM IN BRAZIL

    Speaking of Newsom, as I reported earlier, he essentially replaced Trump at the UN Climate Summit in Brazil this week. Newsom slammed Trump for not caring enough to even send “a note-taker.”

    “I’m stunned,” Newsom forcefully said. “The hell is going on in my country? Not one person from the administration shows any respect to any of you … Instead, middle finger with 50% tariffs. That’s shameful.”

    The Dworkin Report.

  10. This morning, I’ve called my Rep, and Hakeem Jeffries, and mTg about ACA, EPSTEIN, and grounding private flights v commercial.

    Y’all had quite a night on the trail.

  11. From WaPo:

    House Democrats released an email from Jeffrey Epstein on Wednesday that claimed President Donald Trump had “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with one of his sex trafficking victims.

    In the 2011 email released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, Epstein wrote to Ghislaine Maxwell, his partner who was later convicted of sex trafficking, that Trump had “spent hours at my house” with one of Epstein’s victims and that encounter “has never once been mentioned” by police. Epstein called Trump a “dog that hasn’t barked.”

    Trump has denied any wrongdoing in relation to the Epstein case and has urged members of Congress to stop investigating the financier, who died in his jail cell in 2019.

    Epstein and President Donald Trump were once friends, but Trump has said he ended the relationship. After Epstein was arrested again in 2019, Trump, then in his first term as president, said: “I had a falling-out with him a long time ago. I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years. I wasn’t a fan.”

    The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The dead sometimes still speak.

  12. From last night:

    If I ever make an album I think I’ll call it
    CHEAP SHOES.
    I like the sound of that.
    Ah…..shout out to Lewis Grizzard?

    Elton & Leon already did $800 Shoes

  14. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/11/12/trump-spent-hours-with-epstein-victim-paedophile-claimed/

    Trump ‘spent hours’ with victim at my house, Epstein claimed in email

    The emails were published by a congressional committee investigating Epstein’s crimes.

    Epstein claimed: “I want you to realise the dog that hasn’t barked is Trump, [a victim] spent hours at my house with him, he has never once been mentioned.”

    The email, sent to Ghislaine Maxwell, appears to refer to the fact that Mr Trump has never been accused of sexual misconduct by an Epstein victim.

    In another exchange, that appears to be with the author Michael Wolff, Epstein wrote: “Trump said he asked me to resign, never a member ever… of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”

    Epstein appears to be referring to claims by Mr Trump that he kicked the financier out of his Florida resort for “being a creep”.

    “I hear CNN planning to ask Trump tonight about his relationship with you – either on air or in scrum afterwards,” Mr Wolff writes.

    Epstein then responds, asking that “if we were to craft an answer for him” what it should be.

    “I think you should let him hang himself,” Mr Wolff responds.

    *Instead, someone hanged Jeffrey in his cell.

    “You can hang him in a way that potentially generates a positive benefit for you,” he suggests.

    The pair also discussed what to do in the event of a Trump win. “If it really looks like he could win, you could save him, generating a debt,” the email states.

    “Of course, it is possible that, when asked, he’ll say Jeffrey is a great guy and has gotten a raw deal, and is a victim of political correctness, which is to be outlawed in a Trump regime.”

    In 2016, Mr Trump repeatedly railed against political correctness, saying that it was “killing our country”.

  15. WHITE HOUSE REACTS:

    7:35 AM PT — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells TMZ … “The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump. The ‘unnamed victim’ referenced in these emails is the late Virginia Giuffre, who repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and ‘couldn’t have been friendlier’ to her in their limited interactions. The fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre. These stories are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments, and any American with common sense sees right through this hoax and clear distraction from the government opening back up again.”

  17. “If the law supposes that, the law is a ass—a idiot”.
    Charles Dickens sometimes knew whereof he spoke.

  19. Telegraph is an ultra-conservative rag, don’t trust their editorialism

    i don’t interpret the “dog” idiom the same way

  20. The dump is starting, or rather, the latest dump from the Congress is starting. R or D, senator or representative, both sides are going at it. Some strategy involved, some just use a dump truck. But, the Epstein files release has begun.

    Until it is all compiled, verified, victims testifying, and complete, I am keeping my seat in the bleachers. I still think there is something very disgusting in it, just like the stuff the KGB has on stupid, nasty and terrible. My imagination is probably no match to what a demented rich idiot can conjure up.

    It should be an interesting week.

  21. https://meidasnews.com/news/republicans-vote-no-on-using-argentina-bailout-money-for-aca-subsidies

    Republicans Vote ‘No’ on Using Argentina Bailout Money For ACA Subsidies

     ”It is madness that Donald Trump is sending a $40 billion bailout to Argentinian hedge fund investors during a government shutdown and at a time when he is also arguing that we can’t afford to help American families buy health insurance,” Scanlon said in a speech in support of her amendment.

    Last month Donald Trump pledged $40 billion in bailouts to the right-wing government of Javier Milei in Argentina through a combination of Treasury swaps for the collapsing Argentinian Peso, and investments from sovereign wealth funds and private banks. Trump tied the bailouts to the electoral success of Milei’s party, stating bluntly that if Milei is defeated at the ballot box the funds will be pulled.

    “So while families are going hungry and Americans are begging Republicans to prevent their healthcare premiums from doubling, and Republicans were saying we couldn’t afford it, Donald Trump was busy sending billions to his buddies abroad,” Scanlon continued. “So with this amendment we wanna give our Republican colleagues another chance to distance themselves from the policy and political failures of this White House.”

    The amendment was defeated on a 4-8 vote with every Republican in the committee voting “No.”

  24. This past Sunday, the family went to one of our favorite places to ride the tram through Northwest Trek. Fences provide enclosed acreage for the elk, goats, and bison, but it is open to the skies with frequent visits from flybys.

  27. The resident nonflying swan who was recently widowed attracted a wild visitor. They mate for life, so the park is waiting to see if she accepts her gentleman caller as a replacement or if he is told to skedaddle … interested gossips keeping an eye out for any shenanigans. More fun than the Golden Bachelor.

  28. A while back I noted that Virginia Giuffre was not Giuffre when she worked at Mal-a-Logo, she was Roberts, but somehow Dumbass knew she had been recruited away by Epstein. Seems ole Donny boy may have known her a bit more closely than he’s admitted.

  30. 💬 LIVE CHAT in 40 minutes…
    🕵️‍♂️ TRUMP IN EPSTEIN EMAILS

    “Of course he knew about the girls”
    Giuffre “spent hours with him”

    Newly released emails directly tie Trump to a named victim — and the White House confirms it was Virginia Giuffre.

    🎥 Watch now:

  31. Recent legislation allows U.S. senators to sue the government for up to $500,000 if their phone records are accessed without notice during federal investigations. This provision, included in a spending bill, applies retroactively and could result in significant payouts for several GOP senators whose data was collected during the “Arctic Frost” investigation. -Search Assist

    https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5601358-senate-phone-record-legal-challenge-raskin/

    The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee slammed a Senate-approved plan to reopen the government that would also pave the way for eight GOP senators to earn significant sums from litigation challenging the search of their phone records related to Jan. 6.

    Tucked into the GOP proposal, which eight Democratic senators also approved, the bill requires telecommunications companies to alert senators if their data has been obtained. But it also allows those whose phone records were seized as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation to earn substantial sums from legal challenges stemming from the matter.

    Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) called the provision “one of the most blatantly corrupt provisions for political self-dealing and the plunder of public resources ever proposed in Congress.”

    The provision, which is retroactive to 2022, only applies to members of the Senate and would allow them to sue for $500,000 if data was sought without their being notified, as well as once it was obtained.

    “That’s a cool one million per Senator,” Raskin said in a statement.

  32. The embezzlement party

    Hey, speaking of, when are my valiant and politically-savvy Democrat representatives going to demand a full accounting of these “tariff revenues”

    SCotUS got quoted $90 billion, dipshit is saying $3 TRILLION lol

    can we impeach him the first time he says “gazillion” please

    “is this the smoking gun”

    no, maybe the smoke though

  34. OK, so why would Leavitt say something like “Trump expelled Epstein from his club around October 2007 ‘for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre,'” Leavitt said. Giuffre’s involvement with Epstein ended 5 years before that, which means that if what Epstein said in the 2011 email is true, she would have been Roberts when she worked at MAL and for Epstein – she married Giuffre in 2002, married him and lived in Australia for 5 years before she was approached by the authorities. Somehow it doesn’t make sense to me. And Dumbass would have known for at least 5 years about Epstein poaching his employees. Dumbass’ shifting story doesn’t hold up.

  37. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Cinque

    Joseph V. Cinque (1938) is an American felon and mobster. He was CEO and president of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS)

    Cinque is President and CEO of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.[6] The academy is run from Cinque’s Central Park South apartment in Manhattan and has been cited for extensive connections to the friends and family of Donald Trump.[7][5] He began the academy’s Star Diamond Awards that he deemed the “Academy Awards” of hospitality.[8] In 1989, he moved the organization from Chicago to New York and made its scope international.[5]

    https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/president-of-the-american-academy-of-hospitality-sciences-news-photo/80507576

  38. “Ai-yo, Tony, what should i call our front, sumthin’ that sounds official-like?”

    “Ai-yo, Joey, ‘Academy’, like the police!”

    “Bravissimo, Tony, i coo’ kiss you…”

  40. Anon

    No I was still in CA when St Helens went off. My son sent me a bottle of ash. Now that I’m here, it is a hoot to see escape route signs in Puyallup just in case Mt Rainier gets a severe case of hiccups.

  42. Anon, i hear ya about Wolff. He’s a diva I usually dismiss. But for this case he brought receipts: hours of tapes and emails with Epstein. So it’s not just him telling tales.

  43. He does, Anon, but he has hours of interview recordings with Epstein…which is why the tRUMPs haven’t sued him.

    Notice that they threatened to sue Hunter Biden for saying Melania met Don through Epstein, but they have yet to do it…because legal discovery might prove him right.

    Yesterday, I posted a video of Melania Knauss’ advertisement as an escort/mail-order bride on a website called An Affair to Remember.

    Melania was, allegedly, given introductions by Paolo Zampolli.

    WIKI:
    In the mid-1990s, Zampolli founded ID Model Management in New York City. He went on to form a partnership with the Trump Organization as Director of International Development.

    While transitioning from the world of fashion to real estate,Zampolli, as co-chairman of the Paramount Group, used fashion models to sell properties in Manhattan.
    In December 2020, Zampolli was announced as an appointee member of the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Donald Trump.
    Since March 2025, he serves as the United States Special Representative for Global Partnerships.
    The Office of Global Partnerships (E/GP) is a small office within the U.S. Department of State reporting to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. Launched in 2008 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, it self-describes as serving as “the entry point for collaboration between the U.S. Department of State, the public and private sectors, and civil society”.

  44. Wolff’s the big loser of this release, i don’t understand what Dems see in these emails that damages trump

    but ive already established Dems suck at politics so par for the course

  45. purge the party, they have the political acumen of children honestly Jesus

    if they have some coup de gràce lined-up, i’ll happily eat my words

    I think that’s how you spell that 🤷‍♂️

  46. yeah, all this red string across the room isn’t gonna cut it

    get ready for unchecked fascist hell if Dems can’t convert this touchdown

  54. I won’t pretend I’m doing Trump any favors here cause I’m sure right wing media is spinning this the way they want to regardless

    But

    Didn’t everyone in that circle “know about the girls”? Seemed like the worst kept secret in Washington.

    I think a two dollar lawyer could make that argument so I don’t think I’m doing Trump any favors once again

  57. When he was in AF1 he said he did know her.

    “Donald Trump recently commented on Virginia Roberts Giuffre while speaking to reporters on Air Force One, stating that Jeffrey Epstein “stole” her from Mar-a-Lago, where she worked as a young employee. He claimed that he had warned Epstein not to take his staff, which raises questions about his awareness of Epstein’s actions.” -Search Assist

    Trump Drops BOMB On AF1 — Says Epstein ‘Stole’ Abuse Survivor Giuffre From His Mar-a-Lago Club

    REPORTER: Mr. President. Epstein has a certain reputation, obviously. I’m just curious, were some of the workers that were taken from you, were some them young women?

    PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Some of them?

    REPORTER: Were some of them young woman?

    Well, I don’t want to say, but everyone knows. The people that were taken and it was the concept of taking people that work for me is bad but that story’s been pretty well out there and the answer is yes they were in the spa people that worked in this spa, I have a great spa one of the best spas in the world at Mar-a-Lago.

    And people were taken out of the spa, hired by him. In other words, gone. And other people would come and complain, this guy is taking people from the spa. I didn’t know that. And then when I heard about it, I told him. I said, listen, we don’t want you taking our people, whether it was spa or not spa. I don’t wanna take your people. And he was fine. And then not too long after that, he did it again. And I said out of here.

    REPORTER: Mr. President, did one of those stolen, um, you know, persons that include Virginia Giuffre?

    PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Uh, I don’t know. I think she worked at the spa. I think so. I think that was one of the people, yeah.

    He stole her.

    And, by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever.

    *She had no complaints? What an odd thing to say.

  59. the name is redacted in the release, Craig said “Guiffre”

    It was redacted in the limited release by Dems on the committee, but was reported to be unredacted in the documents the full committee released, and WaPo reported that:

    The White House blasted the release of the emails as slander and identified the victim Epstein claimed Trump spent time with as Virginia Giuffre.

    Worst kept secret in DC.
    And with Grijalva sworn in, WaPo reports:

    HOUSE EFFORT TO FORCE VOTE ON RELEASING EPSTEIN FILES CAN ADVANCE

    A discharge petition now has the 218 signatures needed to trigger a vote on releasing more Epstein files.

    A bipartisan House effort to force a vote on releasing more files related to the federal government’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can now move forward.

    A discharge petition — a mechanism by which House lawmakers can circumvent the normal legislative process to compel votes — received the 218th signature needed to force a vote on the Epstein files on Wednesday. The newly sworn-in Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Arizona) provided the final signature, adding her name to a list of lawmakers that includes all 214 Democrats and four Republicans: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia), Lauren Boebert (Colorado), Nancy Mace (South Carolina) and Thomas Massie (Kentucky).

    “That’s what the American people expect us to do: fight for them. That is why I will sign the discharge petition right now to release the Epstein files,” Grijalva said in a speech after being sworn in. “Justice cannot wait another day.”
    […]
    However, even if the legislation succeeds in the House, there is no guarantee of it leading to the full release of the Epstein files in the Justice Department’s possession. The bill would need to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Trump have not expressed interest in advancing the legislation.

    Not one of Dumbass’ better days. Whether it is signed into law or not, the message opportunity to use against the Repugs is priceless. Fat Donnie said he’d release the files (there’s video of it, so his lies seeking to keep the records within the DOJ’s control will fall to the picture is worth a thousand words rule if Dems (like Ro Khanna) have the chutzpah to run it and their opponents’ votes against releasing the files. It should knock off at least a few non-MAGA diehards or at least make them want to stay home instead of endorsing those who voted against transparency.

  60. @realDonaldTrump
    The Democrats are trying to bring up the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax again because they’ll do anything at all to deflect on how badly they’ve done on the Shutdown, and so many other subjects. Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap. The Democrats cost our Country $1.5 Trillion Dollars with their recent antics of viciously closing our Country, while at the same time putting many at risk — and they should pay a fair price. There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else, and any Republicans involved should be focused only on opening up our Country, and fixing the massive damage caused by the Democrats!

    *Orange Adolf wouldn’t be freaking out if this were a nothing-burger.

  61. If he gives a pardon (commutation) to Maxwell now, it’s going to look even worse.

    It still doesn’t keep rural hospitals open or help with health insurance costs, though.

    Hmmmm, maybe now is the perfect time for Adolf to announce taxpayer-funded care (cutting out insurance companies) ???

    More likely, he’ll conveniently acknowledge his medical issues to gain sympathy.

  62. BiD, he can’t escape the optics so he’s trying to run that mush-mouth to distract from the disclosure from the grave. Good luck with that. the DNC should have Donnie Deutsch on retainer to manage their messaging for the next year.

    Anon, you’re right about the level of proof being way short of beyond a reasonable doubt, but it’s plenty high for the court of public opinion. Spent hours at Epstein’s house with a trafficked teen who used to work in the MAL Spa until Jeff stole her and Fat Donnie followed her to Jeff’s place. Common sense isn’t checked at the door.

  63. I asked AI Sam for a quick sampling of coverage:
    Politico: Jeffrey Epstein, in newly released email, says Trump “knew about the girls.”
    House Democrats publish 2011–2019 correspondence in which Epstein claimed Trump was aware of his conduct and spent time with a named victim.

    Washington Post: House Democrats release Epstein email that claimed Trump spent hours with victim.
    The messages, turned over by Epstein’s estate, are the first to directly mention Trump in connection with a victim’s visits.

    ABC News: House Democrats release new Epstein emails referencing Trump.
    Three emails made public by the Oversight Committee suggest Epstein saw Trump as a “dog that hasn’t barked.”

    PBS NewsHour: Read Jeffrey Epstein’s newly released emails about Trump.
    Full text and timeline of the messages, including Epstein’s notes to Ghislaine Maxwell and journalist Michael Wolff.

    Deadline: Democrats shift media focus back to Epstein with release of email claiming Trump “knew about the girls.”
    White House dismisses the release as a “fake narrative” and political distraction.

    The Independent: Epstein claimed Donald Trump “knew about the girls” in private emails, Democrats reveal.
    Committee members say the newly surfaced emails raise questions about what Epstein thought Trump knew — and when.

  64. a sampling of conservative media coverage;

    Fox News: White House slams Dems’ “bad-faith” Epstein doc release.
    Calls the emails a “fake narrative” meant to smear Trump ahead of the shutdown fight.

    Fox 32 Chicago: Epstein emails claim Trump spent hours with a victim.
    Local affiliates highlight the 2011 message while echoing Trump team denials.

    Fox 10 Mobile: Epstein emails imply Trump “knew about the girls.”
    Notes the quote but stresses no direct evidence and frames the release as partisan.

    Daily Mail (U.S.): Epstein’s emails spark fury on right over timing of release.
    Portrays it as a distraction from Democratic struggles on the budget.

    Breitbart: Democrats weaponize Epstein files to “revive a dead scandal.”
    Argues the leak aims to damage Trump before 2026 campaign season.

  66. Breitbart: Democrats weaponize Epstein files to “revive a scandal Trump hoped was dead .”
    Argues the leak aims to damage Trump before 2026 campaign season.

    Fixed that first line for them.

    Shoot, they saw right through us. 😁
    “He knew what was going on…” through personal experience.

  67. it’s plenty high for the court of public opinion.

    they knew he was a creep and elected him

    like the audio of a certain person from the Access Hollywood tape describes assault and how easy it was for him to get away with

  68. Just had an off the paved road thought – while the dump of crimes is going on, and it is going to be more than today, what if sfb is convinced to do the 25th and plead he is too far gone in dementia and Alzheimer’s to be convicted and jailed?

  70. they knew he was a creep and elected him

    There is that, but he was on that ballot. The issue has shifted from Trump v. Kamala to the Reps who will be trying to protect his fragile (must be Italian) ego. His 2024 gains among Latino and young voters were reversed in the just past elections – and he ain’t gonna be on the ballot next year either. And the polls on the shutdown, framed curiously as forced choice with D, R & D,OA as choices, had roughly 2/3 blaming Repugs and Trump versus 1/3 blaming Dems. With persistent messaging and Dumbass becoming less and less coherent, (and never mind Repugs trying to defend their votes to keep the populace mushroomed) there is no reason the Dems shouldn’t regain the house with a comfortable margin. Aside of course from the Dem’s capacity to shoot ourselves and each other in the foot. Calling Dr. Deutsch.

  72. BB – That’s a good guess, although I don’t think he could be convinced to give up power…which is why I think he’ll just make a play for public sympathy based on poor health. He hates being seen old or weak in any way, unless it helps him (bone spurs).

    JD has to dump Usha and marry The-Widow-Kirk to get MAGAts behind him, first.

  75. yeah, see we need him out of office legitimately yesterday, every hour he’s in there this country gets weaker and more compromised.

    if you can get anything on He-of-Many-Names and the Preacher from The Simpsons Junior also, that would be fantastic

  77. Asked AI Sam to do a deep dive on WH claims Virginia said Trump did nothing wrong.

    Sam: “1Here’s what I found digging through the mess.”

    ✅ What is supported

    The Virginia Giuffre ghostwriter says Giuffre “never talked about [Donald Trump] in any sense that he was involved in any of this.”

    Specifically: “She did not implicate Trump in any of the claims of abuse … and told Wallace that the future president was ‘kind to her’ when they met at Mar-a-Lago.”

    The White House (via Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt) claims the “unnamed victim” in the new emails is Giuffre and that she “repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and ‘couldn’t have been friendlier’ to her in their limited interactions.”

    But—important caveat—the White House’s claim is not backed by an identified public statement from Giuffre with that exact language. In other words: we don’t have a verified, direct quote from Giuffre saying “Trump did nothing wrong.”

    Giuffre died in April 2025.

    Her memoir (published posthumously) says she worked at Mar-a-Lago, says Trump was “kind to her”, but does not appear to claim Trump was part of the abuse or trafficking ring.

    ⚠️ What is unclear / still unverified

    No record found (in my search) of Giuffre publicly saying in her own words, “Trump did nothing wrong” or something precisely equivalent.

    The claim that she “repeatedly said … not involved in wrongdoing” comes via the White House statement, not an independent interview or public document flagged in sources.

    Given the deceased status and that her responses were often mediated (ghostwriter, memoir), there is some ambiguity around context/meaning of her remarks.

    The new emails (released by the House) claim that Trump “spent hours” at Epstein’s house with a victim and that Epstein believed Trump “knew about the girls.”

    These raise questions that contrast with the narrative that Giuffre found Trump “kind” and uninvolved.

  78. Also known as Smarmy Mike Johnson

    What is a smarmy person?
    AI Overview
    A smarmy person is someone who is insincere, overly flattering, and often obsequious in a way that comes across as slimy or self-serving. They use false compliments and a fake or over-the-top charming demeanor to try and win favor or manipulate others, and it often comes off as insincere or “slippery”.
    Insincere: Smarmy behavior is not genuine; the person is putting on a performance to get what they want.
    Overly flattering: They use excessive and unearned praise, which comes across as fake and can be used to manipulate or ingratiate themselves with others.
    Slick and oily: The word can evoke an image of someone who is “slimy” or “slick,” and not in a good way.
    Self-serving: Their insincere flattery is typically a tool to serve their own interests, rather than being motivated by genuine kindness or respect.
    Synonyms: Words like obsequious, ingratiating, unctuous, and slimy are all good synonyms for smarmy.

  79. More Sam:
    “Virginia Giuffre never accused Donald Trump of wrongdoing, but the White House’s claim that she “repeatedly said he did nothing wrong” stretches the truth like taffy. Her own words — describing him as kind when she worked at Mar-a-Lago — were a polite aside, not an exoneration. She’s no longer alive to clarify, which makes it all the more cynical that political operatives are using her memory as a talking point. The record shows silence, not absolution, and turning that silence into a defense line says more about the spin machine than it does about what really happened.”

  81. in a different reality, the Politico story about Epstein approaching Putin about Dipshit would be story-of-the-year

  84. Repetitive? The first linkage of Trump and a victim is brand new.

    It’s true that most polls show only about one in five people are following the Epstein story very closely, but around two-thirds are keeping at least a casual eye on it. The striking part is that most Americans think the government is still hiding something, and big majorities want the full files released. So the story isn’t dominating daily life, but public suspicion is sky-high and nowhere near fading.

  85. What is this about Senators getting a million dollars for every phone seized in Jan 6 investigations? Law didn’t include Reps only Senators. Lindsay Graham among others just voted themselves a really hefty gift!

  89. Jamie – Senator John Thune snuck that into the CR. If the Republican House members (who are not included in the grift) don’t like it, it’ll just go back to the Senate, again.

    Can’t afford Medicaid, SNAP, nor ACA subsidies, but we can use taxpayer dollars to bail out Argentina and line the pockets of corrupt Senators.

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