Weekend Open Thread

8 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”

1. In case you forgot, the NaziTechBro first big company was Paypal…now, what did that company specialize in? 

   Can the Trump Administration Arbitrarily Take Money from Anyone’s Bank Account? Federal Government’s Mugging of New York City for FEMA Funds Suggests Yes

   On February 11, 2025, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency housed in the Department of Homeland Security, removed $80.5 million from New York City’s main bank account, which is an account with Citibank. Well, that’s not exactly accurate. They “debited”, the financial way of referring to “subtracting”, New York City’s “central treasury account” for 80.5 million dollars. According to public statements by Brad Lander, New York City’s comptroller, this could only be covered by a line of credit facility to the tune of 79.5 million dollars. In short they, in essence, sent New York City’s main bank account to negative 79.5 million dollars. Citibank kindly agreed to forgive the overdraft fee. 

   On February 18th a FEMA branded letter authored by Cameron Hamilton, a person described in the letter as a “Senior Official Performing the Duties of the [FEMA] Administrator”, was sent to the New York City Office of Management and Budget. The letter explained that the money was “clawed back” because of a range of claims about illegal activity which the New York Post alleged took place in the hotels the city paid to put Venezuelan refugees in. I can’t really communicate to readers what this letter reads like, so I will simply quote an important paragraph to provide the “flavor”:

   The Department of Homeland Security has significant concerns that SSP funding is going to entities engaged in or facilitating illegal activities. For example, a substantial portion of your award goes to funding alien housing at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. According to media reports, the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua has taken over the hotel and is using it as a recruiting center and base of operations to plan a variety of crimes. According to these same reports, these crimes include gun and drug sales as well as sex trafficking, which can reasonably be presumed to be conducted in the hotel itself. One of the groups responsible for these activities refer to themselves as “diablos de la 42,” which means the devils of 42nd St., a street near where the Roosevelt Hotel is located. DHS/FEMA has a responsibility to ensure that it does not make payments that fund criminal activity.

   This justification for denying congressionally appropriated funds is extremely legally dubious. This justification for “reversing” the disbursement of already disbursed funds is far beyond legally dubious. It brings up profound and basic issues about the functioning of our society which I will unpack throughout the rest of this article.

   https://www.crisesnotes.com/can-the-trump-administration-arbitrarily-take-money-from-anyones-bank-account/

   So, how long before anyone that is openly criticizing the Orange Clown Posse has their VA Disability pay/Social Security/Federal Pension "clawed back" because they're "engaged in or facilitating illegal activities?"

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   1. Hamilton is the same christofascist that sent a letter to Denver threatening to pull $32M in FEMA grants.  These racist asshats are full fascists now.  https://denverite.com/2025/03/14/denver-immigrant-shelters-fema-grants/

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   2. Old news – posted 2 days ago (to same link)

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      1. Still current news though.  And the efforts are ramping up.  

          

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      2. Yes, David….YOU posted it first, abeit looking like your usual "clickbait to your substack" post.

         I prefer to give a preview for the average reader of this fine website, so that they can choose to follow the (very visible and fully-disclosed) website. 

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         1. I've got to second this, I would like some type of topic or reason for clicking along with any post that's got a link. This is not meant personally at all, because I won't click on anything anywhere just because someone says "hey, click on this." Too many surprises lurking out there in digital-land.

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2. A district judge has issued a TRO against trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act.  The fascists have already appealed.  A hearing in district court is set for 3 pm Mountain time. 

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3. What the ACTUAL FUCK? The Bro SecDef isn't even a shitstain on MG Charles Rogers OD Green drawers….
    

   Black Medal of Honor recipient removed from US department of defense website

   Page honoring Charles C Rogers for his Vietnam war service is now defunct with letters “DEI” added to website address
    

   The US defense department webpage celebrating an army general who served in the Vietnam war and was awarded the country’s highest military decoration has been removed and the letters “DEI” added to the site’s address.

   On Saturday, US army Maj Gen Charles Calvin Rogers’s Medal of Honor webpage led to a “404” error message. The URL was also changed, with the word “medal” changed to “deimedal”.

   Rogers, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by then president Richard Nixon in 1970, served in the Vietnam war, where he was wounded three times while leading the defense of a base.

   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/16/defense-department-black-medal-of-honor-veteran

    I can't WAIT for the Pear-shaped Vietnam Vet to jump in and somehow defend THIS Dick move.

    

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