Trenton News Network

New Jersey Political Junkie | Updates and analysis on the latest news in NJ

[theleahfiles @leahfiles]

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!

[InteractivePolls @IAPolls2022]

Trump job approval

🟢 Approve: 29%
🟤 Disapprove: 68%

Lowest approval he has recorded with any pollster in either term.

American Research Group | 9/16-20 | RV
https://t.co/7fztkKlYl5

[Jon Bramnick @JonBramnick]

I urge my fellow Republicans to stand up and denounce the Trump decision to ban reporters from the White House. Instead of a ban just respond to the “news” that you believe is “fake”.

[Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1]

WaPo Exclusive:

More American service members have died during the Iran war than the Pentagon has disclosed publicly, according to six U.S. officials familiar with the Defense Department's internal casualty accounting data.

Five of the officials said there have been at least 22 military fatalities — four more than what appears in the Pentagon's public database.
https://t.co/MtS2pLNCZ0

[More Perfect Union @MorePerfectUS]

Diesel prices just roared past $6 a gallon — an all-time high.

Now truckers are paying up to $1,200 to fill up. Not only are they suffering, their costs are going to hit the whole economy.

Farms, food, clothing, shipping nearly everything, we're all about to feel the impact.

[Patrick De Haan @GasBuddyGuy]

BREAKING: New Jersey and Maine have just reached a new all-time record price for diesel, making it now 44 states where diesel prices are at all-time highs

[theleahfiles @leahfiles]

People keep saying Trump term II is the most corrupt administration ever, so I built a model to find out if it was true.

I took the UN's definition of corruption, turned it into eight criteria and 100 points, and scored the leaders history remembers for looting their countries: Marcos, Suharto, Mobutu, Abacha, Obiang, Putin.

Then I put every president since Eisenhower on the same scale, both parties, with every exoneration counted right alongside the convictions.

Nixon scored 41 and no other American President scored over a 25.

Trump's second term scored a 91, which ties him with Suharto and Mobutu and puts him above Marcos and Abacha.

So he is not only the most corrupt president in American history. At this pace he finishes his term level with the most corrupt rulers of the last hundred years.

PSA: don't come in my comments arguing about the results if you haven't read the full article, because ignorance is a choice.

Full article is up now on my Substack (link in bio) and it's free.

[Marco Foster @MarcoFoster_]

Joe Rogan: “One of the things people loved about Trump was no more bullshit wars. No more unnecessary wars. That’s what we hoped, but it seems like we’re in one. What are they calling it? A conflict? Jesus Christ”

[Shlomo Schorr @OneJerseySchorr]

A super PAC linked to President Trump has reserved $3.3 million in advertising in an attempt to help Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, @teddyschleifer is reporting.

The planned spending by MAGA Inc. and No Going Back PAC Inc., is included in a $138 million ad buy across the country to help Republican candidates in swing districts.

[CSPAN @cspan]

,@RepThomasMassie (R-KY) introduces Articles of Impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

[Tom Kloza @TomKloza]

The next 24 hours will see staggering increases at the pump for both gasoline & diesel. Fuel margins have yet to catch up with previous wholesale hikes. Watch for huge increases in Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain states in particular.

[Brandon Straka #WalkAway @BrandonStraka]

Former Kamala Harris adviser @MikeNellis says the January 6 crowd would have k*lled Mike Pence if they found him.

The Democratic narrative took the worst people in the crowd and used them to define everybody else. If someone committed violence, hold that person accountable. But stop pretending everyone there did the same thing.

Mike and I had it out over Ashli Babbitt, BLM, and the pardons.

Watch the full exchange. Link in comments.

[Barchart @Barchart]

The cost of hiring an oil tanker on the benchmark trade route has soared to $1 million per day for the first time in history 🚨 🚨

[Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 @joncoopertweets]

Americans are getting crushed at the pump—it may worsen before Election Day.

If current conditions persist, national averages could hit $4.80 for gas, $6.50 for diesel.

If it escalates, gas could hit $5.25 and diesel $7+.

Voters will remember every time they fill their tanks.

[ProPublica @propublica]

New: Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars of wedding expenses at Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish wedding, including renting out a private island and paying for the fireworks show. https://t.co/5eAkam17gM

[Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal]

🚨🇸🇦🇮🇷 If Saudi Arabia does not restart its East-West Pipeline within DAYS, it will run out of oil for export...

Which means 4% of global supply is LOST.

Drone ​attacks launched from Iraqi territory forced Saudi to shut its critical pipeline on Friday.

Sources say the damage could take 5-6 weeks to repair, though others believe it could be ​fixed quicker and resume pumping (partially) as repairs are ongoing.

It turns out Hormuz was just the beginning of our problems...

If not for Trump's win in Venezuela (ouster of Maduro and subsequent oil deal), it could have been MUCH worse for Americans about to vote in Midterms...

Source: Reuters / Writer: Michael

[Patrick De Haan @GasBuddyGuy]

the rise in prices is not slowing down- national average price of gasoline continues to rise alongside diesel, which continues to climb further into record territory. LIVE GasBuddy data (not yesterday's data sold as today):

[Mark Tepper @MarkTepperSWP]

Diesel just hit $6. If it stays there, inflation could be about to get a lot more painful. Diesel touches almost everything Americans buy. Coming out of the pandemic, rising diesel prices were a leading indicator for the inflation that followed. @FoxBusiness

[Nicole Sganga @NicoleSganga]

Shanksville, PA — Artists draw in stunning detail the 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 who fought back against hijackers… 25 years later. @CBSNews

[The Kobeissi Letter @KobeissiLetter]

BREAKING: US oil prices surge above $100/barrel for the first time since May 21st.

This comes as Yemen's Houthis have seized Yemen’s port city of Mocha and are moving toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

US oil prices are officially up +50% since July 2nd.