It’s great how society used to burn women at the stake at the mildest accusation of being a witch but a group of men were exposed for the most heinous acts known to human kind and are still walking around free.
Last week I said it looked like we could be stealing about $11 billion from Venezuela. The question I had after learning that was, if it isn't going back to Venezuela, where is it going? So I followed the money.
Treasury's own data shows about $11 billion more than normal flowing into the State Department's account since February. Venezuela's records show $300 million coming back.
Venezuela has to ask Washington's permission to spend its own oil money. A State Department official told Congress, "It's their money, but ... they have to get our permission." An emergency order blocks every American court from touching it, so the creditors Venezuela owes, most of them American, get nothing.
So who does get paid? The Pentagon took a 35 percent stake in an oil company owned by Alejandro Betancourt, who got rich on Maduro-era contracts. The Miami money laundering investigation into him was closed while that deal came together, though the Justice Department denies ordering it closed. A Venezuelan-born banker facing 20 years got a pardon after $3.5 million went to the president's super PAC in his daughter's name. And in 2012, Betancourt was in Jeffrey Epstein's inbox, copied on a Venezuelan oil pitch.
Last week I asked if we were stealing from Venezuela. After following the money further, I think the better question is who "we" is, because it isn't you and me. It's a small circle of people close to this White House who are getting paid out of another country's oil money, while the Treasury Secretary tells Congress he can't give out a number I found in 15 minutes.
The full article is up on Substack , with every document linked (link is in my bio).
Enjoy!
@mitrajoy_ I argue with family and co workers all time. Not really about shortening the work week which I would support but about making our work culture more family friendly especially in my field where it’s just work. Like Rs want us to have kids but not home to make or care for them.
The fact that the French leaked information to Trump to see if it ended up in Putins hands, which of course it did, is some serious fucking shit that shouldn't be swept under the fucking rug. Trump is a danger to this country and to everyone living in it.
MAGA is still yelling, "This is exactly what I voted for!"
Really? So MAGA, as you were standing in the voting booth in 2024, you were praying, "Please let my vote help Trump start a war, please let it increase gas prices, and food prices, and the deficit, please let my vote help Trump build a ballroom, and an arch, and a helipad, please let my vote lead to Trump's name on the Kennedy Center, please let it help Trump make $2 billion and get a free jet from Qatar, please let my vote rename Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico, and please God, I'm begging you, let my vote lead to a clean reflecting pool, but most importantly, please, please, PLEASE, let my vote protect pedophiles."
Trump’s Department of Justice just removed every single one of Trump’s pardons from their website. Too bad we saved them before they could delete them:
—George Santos, wire fraud
—Julie Chrisley, conspiracy to commit bank fraud (5 counts); bank fraud; wire fraud; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Laws
—Todd Chrisley, conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud (5 counts); wire fraud; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Laws
—Tina Peters, for those offenses she has or may have committed or taken part in related to election integrity and security during the period from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021
—Changpeng Zhao, failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program
—Nearly 1,600 January 6th insurrectionists: seditious conspiracy; assaulting, resisting/impeding law enforcement; destruction of government property; obstruction of an official proceeding
—Ross William Ulbricht, fraud with identification documents
—Terence Dale Sutton, Jr., murder in second degree; conspiracy; obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting
—Andrew Zabavsky, conspiracy; obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting
—Lawrence S. Duran, conspiracy to commit health care fraud; health care fraud (11 counts); conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive and pay health care kickbacks
—Kentrell D. Gaulden, Felon in possession of a firearm
— Michael Gerard Grimm, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns
—Michael Ray Harris, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to aid and abet possession and distribution of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine
—Larry Hoover, narcotics conspiracy; continuing criminal enterprise; use of persons under age 18; distribution of cocaine; distribution of cocaine (2 counts) use of a firearm in the commission of a drug trafficking crime
—James M. Kernan, knowingly and willfully permitting a convicted felon to be engaged in the business of insurance
—Marlene Mary Kernan, permitting a convicted felon to engage in the business of insurance
—Tanner J. Mansell, theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction
—John R. Moore, Jr., theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction
—Marian I. Morgan, conspiracy to defraud the United States; wire fraud (7 counts); transfer of funds taken by fraud (5 counts)
—John G. Rowland, conspiracy to defraud the United States
—Charles Overton Scott, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Alexander Sittenfeld, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds; attempted extortion under color of official right
—Earl Lamont Smith, theft of government property
—Garnett Gilbert Smith, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Charles Lavar Tanner, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine
—Anabel Valenzuela, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; conspiracy to commit money laundering; criminal forfeiture (2 counts)
—Imaad Shah Zuberi, violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act; tax evasion; illegal campaign contributions; tampering with a witness, victim or informant (obstruction of justice)
—Jeremy Young Hutchinson, conspiracy to commit bribery, aiding and abetting filing of false income tax return; conspiracy; criminal forfeiture of property
—Edward Ruben Sotelo, conspiracy; continuing criminal enterprise; possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram of cocaine, aiding and abetting (2 counts); distribution of more than five kilograms of cocaine and aiding and abetting
—Joe Angelo Sotelo, conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine and aiding and abetting
—Brian Kelsey, conspiracy to defraud the United States
—Thomas Edward Caldwell, tampering with documents or proceedings
—Devon Archer, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Benjamin Delo, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—Gregory Dwyer, violation of Bank Secrecy Act
—Arthur Hayes, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—HDR Global Trading Limited, violation of Bank Secrecy Act
—Trevor Milton, securities fraud; wire fraud (2 counts)
—Samuel Reed, violation of the Bank Secrecy Act
—Jason Galanis, conspiracy to commit securities fraud (2 counts); securities fraud; investment adviser fraud
—Ozy Media, Inc., conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud
—Carlos Roy Watson, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; aggravated identity theft
—Michele Fiore, conspiracy to commit wire fraud (6 counts); wire fraud
—Paul Walczak, willful failure to pay trust fund taxes; failure to file return/information
—Scott Howard Jenkins, conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds, honest services mail fraud, and honest service wire fraud; honest services mail fraud; honest services wire fraud (3 counts)
—James Callahan, filing false labor union reports
—Kevin Eric Baisden, shoplifting; second degree theft; bail reform act
—Mark Bashaw, violation of lawful orders
—Joan Bell, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Coleman Boyd, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Joel Curry, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction
—Jonathan Darnel, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Caroline Davis, conspiracy to interfere with access to clinic entrances; aiding and abetting interference with access to clinic entrances Conspiracy
—Eva Edl, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction; violation of the FACE Act
—Chester Gallagher, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Herb Geraghty, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—William Goodman, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Dennis Green, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Lauren Handy, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Paula Harlow, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—John Hinshaw, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Heather Idoni, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Jean Marshall, conspiracy against rights; FACE Act
—Christopher Moscinski, interference with freedom of access to reproductive health services
—Justin Phillips, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction
—Paul Place, violation of the FACE Act
—Jay Smith, FACE Act
—Paul Vaughn, conspiracy to obstruct access to a clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Bevelyn Beatty Williams, violating FACE Act
—Calvin Zastrow, conspiracy to obstruct access to clinic providing reproductive health services; violation of the FACE Act
—Eva Zastrow, conspiracy against rights; clinic access obstruction; violation of the FACE Act
—James Zastrow, violation of the FACE Act
—Rod R. Blagojevich, wire fraud under color of official right (8 counts)
—Jean Pinkard, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances
—Glen Casada, conspiracy to defraud the United States; honest services wire fraud (4 counts); use of a fictitious name to carry out a fraud
—Cade Cothren, conspiracy to defraud the United States; honest services wire fraud (6 counts)
—Robert Henry Harshbarger, Jr., introducing misbranded drugs into Interstate commerce; health care fraud
—Troy Lake, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Michael McMahon, acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General; conspiracy to engage in interstate stalking; stalking
—Darryl Strawberry, Sr., income tax evasion
—Michelino Sunseri, leaving the Garnet Canyon Trail to use the shortcut of the Old Climber's Trail in violation of the Superintendent's 2024 Compendium
—Joseph Lewis, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud (2 counts)
—Suzanne Kaye, Interstate Communications - Threats
—Joseph Schwartz, willful failure to pay over employment taxes; failure to file the Annual 5500 Report
—Daniel Edwin Wilson, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; possession of an unregistered firearm
—David Gentile, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; securities fraud; wire fraud (2 counts)
—Juan Orlando Hernandez, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States; possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of the cocaine importation conspiracy; conspiracy to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices
—Timothy Joseph Leiweke, conspiracy to restrain trade
—Jimmy Ray Barnett, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of amphetamine; convicted felon in possession of firearms
—Zechariah Benjamin, distribute and aid and abet the distribution of 5 grams or more of cocaine base after having been convicted of two felony drug offenses
—Angela Wannette Cupit, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Jacob Deutsch, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud
—Juan Mercado, III, conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute, 2160.02 kilograms of marijuana; supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine)
—Angela Reynolds, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Andre Donnell Routt, did knowingly and intentionally conspire, combine, confederate and agree together, with each other and with other persons to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine
—James Phillip Womack, distribution of more than five grams of actual methamphetamine
—Adriana Isabel Camberos, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud; wire fraud and aiding and abetting (7 counts)
—Andres Enrique Camberos, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud; wire fraud and aiding and abetting (7 counts)
—Danny Preston Conrad, embezzling by postal employee
—Arie Eric De Jong, III, conspiracy
—Russell John Flint, Jr., aiding and abetting the making of false Selective Service Registration Certificates
—Julio M. Herrera Velutini, honest services wire fraud (2 counts); federal program bribery (2 counts)
—Kenneth Caprist Kelly, armed bank robbery; assault during armed bank robbery; use of firearm during a crime of violence
—James Michael Klos, possession of an unregistered firearm
—David Levy, conspiracy to commit securities fraud; securities fraud
—Hollie Ann Nadel, conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud
—Mark T. Rossini, federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud
—Wanda Vazquez Garced, federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud
—Terren Scott Peizer, securities fraud; insider trading (2 counts)
—Travis Henry, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Timothy S. Smith, conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service
—Nathaniel Newton, Jr., conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana
—Joseph Klecko, perjury
—Jamal Lewis, use of telephone to facilitate an attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine
—Elite Diesel Service, Inc., conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Dr. Billy A. Cannon, conspiracy
—Stephen E. Buyer, securities fraud (4 counts)
—Jonathan Dean Achtemeier, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Timothy Curtis Clancy, II, Clean Air Act tampering
—Clancy Logistics Inc., Clean Air Act tampering
—Joshua L. Davis, conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act
—Matthew Sidney Geouge, conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act
—Jack Charles Harvard, false statement to a federally insured bank, and aiding and abetting
—Adam R. Kidan, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; wire fraud
—John Dougherty, embezzlement of labor union assets (33 counts); wire fraud (24 counts); conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and federal program bribery; honest services wire fraud (7 counts)
—Ryan Reginald LaLone, violation of Clean Air Act
—Wade James LaLone, violation of Clean Air Act
—Accurate Truck Service LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Diesel Freak LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Griffin Transportation Inc., conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Barry Kendal Pierce, Clean Air Act
—Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, tampering with a monitoring device or method required by the Clean Air Act
—GDP Tuning LLC, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Aaron Lucas Roskin Rudolf, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Mackenzie Scott Spurlock, tampering with Clean Air Act monitoring device
—Patrick Tate Adamiak, receive and possess and unregistered firearm; unlawful possession and transfer of a machine gun
—Isaac Merrill Allen, conspiracy to tamper with Clean Air Act monitoring devices; obstruction of agency proceeding
—Spade K. Bailly, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Clean Air Act—Thomas Leon Brooks, Jr., manufacturing counterfeit currency
—Giovanna Campo, possession of counterfeit United States obligations
—Daniel Aaron Chase, tampering with Clean Air Act monitoring device
—Shane Cox, possession of an unregistered firearm; transfer of a firearm in violation of National Firearm Act (five counts); making a firearm in violation of National Firearm Act; engaging in business as a dealer and manufacturer of firearms
—Billi Jo Engbrecht, Bank Embezzlement
—Russell Fincher, selling ammunition to a prohibited person
—Michael Wayne Hanzuk, II, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Jessica Lynn Jacobson, conspiracy to make and utter counterfeit obligations and securities of the United States
—Christopher Paul Kaufman, Clean Air Act Tampering
—Jeremy Ryan Kettler, possession of unregistered firearm
—Eric Wayne Larson, conspiracy to distribute cocaine
—Jonathan F. Long, accessory after the fact of falsifying, tampering with, and rendering inaccurate a monitoring device required by the Clean Air Act
—Ryan Hugh Milliken, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Kyle David Offringa, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Louis Michael Olerio, Jr., money laundering conspiracy
—George Peterson, possession of an unregistered silencer
—Dustin Rhine, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—James Sisson, conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act
—Travis Turner, accessory after the fact to Clean Air Tampering
—Emory Clash Jones, conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base
—Suzula Bidon, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; supervised release violation (conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine)
—Molly Ann Bloom, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Holly Leanne Frantzen, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
—Kevin Harden, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana
—Jerry Haymon, conspiracy to distribute marijuana
—Shemika Alfrida Williams, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm during a drug crime
GOP Senator Roger Marshall:
“I'm sorry gas prices went up but your national security is more important than your pocketbook.”
Complete and utter disregard for the struggles of everyday people.
Republicans are about to lose the most seats in history.
The sad and not surprising reality is his “pro constitutional” supporters base are cheering this as a victory over “fake news”. When will these people wake up and see this for the slow degradation of the constitution that it really is?
People don't understand why our world is the way it is.
So let me explain.
In the 1960's and 1970's Rupert Murdoch and his group of Far Right billionaires wanted to own the whole world.
But countries still owned many things and they weren't for sale.
So Rupert Murdoch got Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher and a whole other bunch of Right Wing Privatisation ghouls elected to sell everything to them.
You are now living in the result of a world owned by these evil billionaires, and the only solution is take back all the things they should never have been allowed to steal.
@unusual_whales Well how tf do you do that when millions live in the suburbs and all the jobs that have a somewhat livable wage are 40+ miles away in the city? Maybe if we increased wages to make every job give you enough to live millions wouldn’t need to commute to work.
Reporter: Are considering a motion to vacate Speaker Johnson?
Massie: Speaker Johnson has vacated Congress. Like, I don’t need to vacate Speaker Johnson. He would just probably call off more days. We had the Epstein recess last year. We got the Epstein recess this year, and then we got the Hegseth day off. The president said we have too many holidays. Well, tomorrow it’s a Hegseth holiday for Congress.
A Louisville resident pulled out a phone and played loud data center ambient noise during a metro council meeting promoting councilman Anthony PIAGENTINI to ask that it be stopped… “Imagine hearing that 24 hours a day.“ The noise was meant to raise concerns about the plant hyper scale data center campus on campground Road a project being developed by powerhouse data centers and POE companies.
The roughly 154 acre campus is planned for about 1,8 million ft.² with hundreds of megawatts of power capacity. Louisville Planning commission has since recommended banning future hyper skilled data centers under new city rules.
@DarrigoMelanie So this country cannot afford to actually help its people but it can afford to spend an entire union tradesman’s yearly salary to attack the Smithsonian.
Want a job where you work one week every 4 months? Republicans just cancelled their last voting day until after the election. They’ve literally been in session for 3 days and they can’t hold it together - that’s one week of work between JULY AND NOVEMBER.