#cnn don’t fact check

[therealbeachfox]

Twenty years ago, February 15th, 2004, I got married for the first time.

It was twenty years earlier than I ever expected to.

To celebrate/comemorate the date, I'm sitting down to write out everything I remember as I remember it. No checking all the pictures I took or all the times I've written about this before. I'm not going to turn to my husband (of twenty years, how the f'ing hell) to remember a detail for me.

This is not a 100% accurate recounting of that first wild weekend in San Francisco. But it -is- a 100% accurate recounting of how I remember it today, twenty years after the fact.

Join me below, if you would.

2004 was an election year, and much like conservatives are whipping up anti-trans hysteria and anti-trans bills and propositions to drive out the vote today, in 2004 it was all anti-gay stuff. Specifically, preventing the evil scourge of same-sex marriage from destroying everything good and decent in the world.

Enter Gavin Newstrom. At the time, he was the newly elected mayor of San Francisco. Despite living next door to the city all my life, I hadn’t even heard of the man until Valentines Day 2004 when he announced that gay marriage was legal in San Francisco and started marrying people at city hall.

It was a political stunt. It was very obviously a political stunt. That shit was illegal, after all. But it was a very sweet political stunt. I still remember the front page photo of two ancient women hugging each other forehead to forehead and crying happy tears.

But it was only going to last for as long as it took for the California legal system to come in and make them knock it off.

The next day, we’re on the phone with an acquaintance, and she casually mentions that she’s surprised the two of us aren’t up at San Francisco getting married with everyone else.

“Everyone else?” Goes I, “I thought they would’ve shut that down already?”

“Oh no!” goes she, “The courts aren’t open until Tuesday. Presidents Day on Monday and all. They’re doing them all weekend long!”

We didn’t know because social media wasn’t a thing yet. I only knew as much about it as I’d read on CNN, and most of the blogs I was following were more focused on what bullshit President George W Bush was up to that day.

"Well shit", me and my man go, "do you wanna?" I mean, it’s a political stunt, it wont really mean anything, but we’re not going to get another chance like this for at least 20 years. Why not?

The next day, Sunday, we get up early. We drive north to the southern-most BART station. We load onto Bay Area Rapid Transit, and rattle back and forth all the way to the San Francisco City Hall stop.

We had slightly miscalculated.

Apparently, demand for marriages was far outstripping the staff they had on hand to process them. Who knew. Everyone who’d gotten turned away Saturday had been given tickets with times to show up Sunday to get their marriages done. My babe and I, we could either wait to see if there was a space that opened up, or come back the next day, Monday.

“Isn’t City Hall closed on Monday?” I asked. “It’s a holiday”

“Oh sure,” they reply, “but people are allowed to volunteer their time to come in and work on stuff anyways. And we have a lot of people who want to volunteer their time to have the marriage licensing offices open tomorrow.”

“Oh cool,” we go, “Backup.”

“Make sure you’re here if you do,” they say, “because the California Supreme Court is back in session Tuesday, and will be reviewing the motion that got filed to shut us down.”

And all this shit is super not-legal, so they’ll totally be shutting us down goes unsaid.

00000

We don’t get in Saturday. We wind up hanging out most of the day, though.

It’s… incredible. I can say, without hyperbole, that I have never experienced so much concentrated joy and happiness and celebration of others’ joy and happiness in all my life before or since. My face literally ached from grinning. Every other minute, a new couple was coming out of City Hall, waving their paperwork to the crowd and cheering and leaping and skipping. Two glorious Latina women in full Mariachi band outfits came out, one in the arms of another. A pair of Jewish boys with their families and Rabbi. One couple managed to get a Just Married convertible arranged complete with tin-cans tied to the bumper to drive off in. More than once I was giving some rice to throw at whoever was coming out next.

At some point in the mid-afternoon, there was a sudden wave of extra cheering from the several hundred of us gathered at the steps, even though no one was coming out. There was a group going up the steps to head inside, with some generic black-haired shiny guy at the front. My not-yet-husband nudged me, “That’s Newsom.” He said, because he knew I was hopeless about matching names and people.

Ooooooh, I go. That explains it. Then I joined in the cheers. He waved and ducked inside.

So dusk is starting to fall. It’s February, so it’s only six or so, but it’s getting dark.

“Should we just try getting in line for tomorrow -now-?” we ask.

“Yeah, I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.” One of the volunteers tells us. “We’re not allowed to have people hang out overnight like this unless there are facilities for them and security. We’d need Porta-Poties for a thousand people and police patrols and the whole lot, and no one had time to get all that organized. Your best bet is to get home, sleep, and then catch the first BART train up at 5am and keep your fingers crossed.

Monday is the last day to do this, after all.

00000

So we go home. We crash out early. We wake up at 4:00. We drive an hour to hit the BART station. We get the first train up. We arrive at City Hall at 6:30AM.

The line stretches around the entirety of San Francisco City Hall. You could toss a can of Coke from the end of the line to the people who’re up to be first through the doors and not have to worry about cracking it open after.

“Uh.” We go. “What the fuck is -this-?”

So.

Remember why they weren’t going to be able to have people hang out overnight?

Turns out, enough SF cops were willing to volunteer unpaid time to do patrols to cover security. And some anonymous person delivered over a dozen Porta-Poties that’d gotten dropped off around 8 the night before.

It’s 6:30 am, there are almost a thousand people in front of us in line to get this literal once in a lifetime marriage, the last chance we expect to have for at least 15 more years (it was 2004, gay rights were getting shoved back on every front. It was not looking good. We were just happy we lived in California were we at least weren’t likely to loose job protections any time soon.).

Then it starts to rain.

We had not dressed for rain.

00000

Here is how the next six hours go.

We’re in line. Once the doors open at 7am, it will creep forward at a slow crawl. It’s around 7 when someone shows up with garbage bags for everyone. Cut holes for the head and arms and you’ve got a makeshift raincoat! So you’ve got hundreds of gays and lesbians decked out in the nicest shit they could get on short notice wearing trashbags over it.

Everyone is so happy.

Everyone is so nervous/scared/frantic that we wont be able to get through the doors before they close for the day.

People online start making delivery orders.

Coffee and bagels are ordered in bulk and delivered to City Hall for whoever needs it. We get pizza. We get roses. Random people come by who just want to give hugs to people in line because they’re just so happy for us. The tour busses make detours to go past the lines. Chinese tourists lean out with their cameras and shout GOOD LUCK while car horns honk.

A single sad man holding a Bible tries to talk people out of doing this, tells us all we’re sinning and to please don’t. He gives up after an hour. A nun replaces him with a small sign about how this is against God’s will. She leaves after it disintegrates in the rain.

The day before, when it was sunny, there had been a lot of protestors. Including a large Muslim group with their signs about how “Not even DOGS do such things!” Which… Yes they do.

A lot of snide words are said (by me) about how the fact that we’re willing to come out in the rain to do this while they’re not willing to come out in the rain to protest it proves who actually gives an actual shit about the topic.

Time passes. I measure it based on which side of City Hall we’re on. The doors face East. We start on Northside. Coffee and trashbags are delivered when we’re on the North Side. Pizza first starts showing up when we’re on Westside, which is also where I see Bible Man and Nun. Roses are delivered on Southside. And so forth.

00000

We have Line Neighbors.

Ahead of us are a gay couple a decade or two older than us. They’ve been together for eight years. The older one is a school teacher. He has his coat collar up and turns away from any news cameras that come near while we reposition ourselves between the lenses and him. He’s worried about the parents of one of his students seeing him on the news and getting him fired. The younger one will step away to get interviewed on his own later on. They drove down for the weekend once they heard what was going on. They’d started around the same time we did, coming from the Northeast, and are parked in a nearby garage.

The most perky energetic joyful woman I’ve ever met shows up right after we turned the corner to Southside to tackle the younger of the two into a hug. She’s their local friend who’d just gotten their message about what they’re doing and she will NOT be missing this. She is -so- happy for them. Her friends cry on her shoulders at her unconditional joy.

Behind us are a lesbian couple who’d been up in San Francisco to celebrate their 12th anniversary together. “We met here Valentines Day weekend! We live down in San Diego, now, but we like to come up for the weekend because it’s our first love city.”

“Then they announced -this-,” the other one says, “and we can’t leave until we get married. I called work Sunday and told them I calling in sick until Wednesday.”

“I told them why,” her partner says, “I don’t care if they want to give me trouble for it. This is worth it. Fuck them.”

My husband-to-be and I look at each other. We’ve been together for not even two years at this point. Less than two years. Is it right for us to be here? We’re potentially taking a spot from another couple that’d been together longer, who needed it more, who deserved it more.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.” Says the 40-something gay couple in front of us.

“This is as much for you as it is for us!” says the lesbian couple who’ve been together for over a decade behind us.

“You kids are too cute together,” says the gay couple’s friend. “you -have- to. Someday -you’re- going to be the old gay couple that’s been together for years and years, and you deserve to have been married by then.”

We stay in line.

It’s while we’re on the Southside of City Hall, just about to turn the corner to Eastside at long last that we pick up our own companions. A white woman who reminds me an awful lot of my aunt with a four year old black boy riding on her shoulders. “Can we say we’re with you? His uncles are already inside and they’re not letting anyone in who isn’t with a couple right there.” “Of course!” we say.

The kid is so very confused about what all the big deal is, but there’s free pizza and the busses keep driving by and honking, so he’s having a great time.

We pass by a statue of Lincoln with ‘Marriage for All!’ and "Gay Rights are Human Rights!" flags tucked in the crooks of his arms and hanging off his hat.

It’s about noon, noon-thirty when we finally make it through the doors and out of the rain.

They’ve promised that anyone who’s inside when the doors shut will get married. We made it. We’re safe.

We still have a -long- way to go.

00000

They’re trying to fit as many people into City Hall as possible. Partially to get people out of the rain, mostly to get as many people indoors as possible. The line now stretches down into the basement and up side stairs and through hallways I’m not entirely sure the public should ever be given access to. We crawl along slowly but surely.

It’s after we’ve gone through the low-ceiling basement hallways past offices and storage and back up another set of staircases and are going through a back hallway of low-ranked functionary offices that someone comes along handing out the paperwork. “It’s an hour or so until you hit the office, but take the time to fill these out so you don’t have to do it there!”

We spend our time filling out the paperwork against walls, against backs, on stone floors, on books.

We enter one of the public areas, filled with displays and photos of City Hall Demonstrations of years past.

I take pictures of the big black and white photo of the Abraham Lincoln statue holding banners and signs against segregation and for civil rights.

The four year old boy we helped get inside runs past us around this time, chased by a blond haired girl about his own age, both perused by an exhausted looking teenager helplessly begging them to stop running.

Everyone is wet and exhausted and vibrating with anticipation and the building-wide aura of happiness that infuses everything.

The line goes into the marriage office. A dozen people are at the desk, shoulder to shoulder, far more than it was built to have working it at once.

A Sister of Perpetual Indulgence is directing people to city officials the moment they open up. She’s done up in her nun getup with all her makeup on and her beard is fluffed and be-glittered and on point. “Oh, I was here yesterday getting married myself, but today I’m acting as your guide. Number 4 sweeties, and -Congradulatiooooons!-“

The guy behind the counter has been there since six. It’s now 1:30. He’s still giddy with joy. He counts our money. He takes our paperwork, reviews it, stamps it, sends off the parts he needs to, and hands the rest back to us. “Alright, go to the Rotunda, they’ll direct you to someone who’ll do the ceremony. Then, if you want the certificate, they’ll direct you to -that- line.” “Can’t you just mail it to us?” “Normally, yeah, but the moment the courts shut us down, we’re not going to be allowed to.”

We take our paperwork and join the line to the Rotunda.

If you’ve seen James Bond: A View to a Kill, you’ve seen the San Francisco City Hall Rotunda. There are literally a dozen spots set up along the balconies that overlook the open area where marriage officials and witnesses are gathered and are just processing people through as fast as they can.

That’s for the people who didn’t bring their own wedding officials.

There’s a Catholic-adjacent couple there who seem to have brought their entire families -and- the priest on the main steps. They’re doing the whole damn thing. There’s at least one more Rabbi at work, I can’t remember what else. Just that there was a -lot-.

We get directed to the second story, northside. The San Francisco City Treasurer is one of our two witnesses. Our marriage officient is some other elected official I cannot remember for the life of me (and I'm only writing down what I can actively remember, so I can't turn to my husband next to me and ask, but he'll have remembered because that's what he does.)

I have a wilting lily flower tucked into my shirt pocket. My pants have water stains up to the knees. My hair is still wet from the rain, I am blubbering, and I can’t get the ring on my husband’s finger. The picture is a treat, I tell you.

There really isn’t a word for the mix of emotions I had at that time. Complete disbelief that this was reality and was happening. Relief that we’d made it. Awe at how many dozens of people had personally cheered for us along the way and the hundreds to thousands who’d cheered for us generally.

Then we're married.

Then we get in line to get our license.

It’s another hour. This time, the line goes through the higher stories. Then snakes around and goes past the doorway to the mayor’s office.

Mayor Newsom is not in today. And will be having trouble getting into his office on Tuesday because of the absolute barricade of letters and flowers and folded up notes and stuffed animals and City Hall maps with black marked “THANK YOU!”s that have been piled up against it.

We make it to the marriage records office.

I take a picture of my now husband standing in front of a case of the marriage records for 1902-1912. Numerous kids are curled up in corners sleeping. My own memory is spotty. I just know we got the papers, and then we’re done with lines. We get out, we head to the front entrance, and we walk out onto the City Hall steps.

It's almost 3PM.

00000

There are cheers, there’s rice thrown at us, there are hundreds of people celebrating us with unconditional love and joy and I had never before felt the goodness that exists in humanity to such an extent. It’s no longer raining, just a light sprinkle, but there are still no protestors. There’s barely even any news vans.

We make our way through the gauntlet, we get hands shaked, people with signs reading ”Congratulations!” jump up and down for us. We hit the sidewalks, and we begin to limp our way back to the BART station.

I’m at the BART station, we’re waiting for our train back south, and I’m sitting on the ground leaning against a pillar and in danger of falling asleep when a nondescript young man stops in front of me and shuffles his feet nervously. “Hey. I just- I saw you guys, down at City Hall, and I just… I’m so happy for you. I’m so proud of what you could do. I’m- I’m just really glad, glad you could get to do this.”

He shakes my hand, clasps it with both of his and shakes it. I thank him and he smiles and then hurries away as fast as he can without running.

Our train arrives and the trip south passes in a semilucid blur.

We get back to our car and climb in.

It’s 4:30 and we are starving.

There’s a Carls Jr near the station that we stop off at and have our first official meal as a married couple. We sit by the window and watch people walking past and pick out others who are returning from San Francisco. We're all easy to pick out, what with the combination of giddiness and water damage.

We get home about 6-7. We take the dog out for a good long walk after being left alone for two days in a row. We shower. We bundle ourselves up. We bury ourselves in blankets and curl up and just sort of sit adrift in the surrealness of what we’d just done.

We wake up the next day, Tuesday, to read that the California State Supreme Court has rejected the petition to shut down the San Francisco weddings because the paperwork had a misplaced comma that made the meaning of one phrase unclear.

The State Supreme Court would proceed to play similar bureaucratic tricks to drag the process out for nearly a full month before they have nothing left and finally shut down Mayor Newsom’s marriages.

My parents had been out of state at the time at a convention. They were flying into SFO about the same moment we were walking out of City Hall. I apologized to them later for not waiting and my mom all but shook me by the shoulders. “No! No one knew that they’d go on for so long! You did what you needed to do! I’ll just be there for the next one!”

00000

It was just a piece of paper. Legally, it didn’t even hold any weight thirty days later. My philosophy at the time was “marriage really isn’t that important, aside from the legal benefits. It’s just confirming what you already have.”

But maybe it’s just societal weight, or ingrained culture, or something, but it was different after. The way I described it at the time, and I’ve never really come up with a better metaphor is, “It’s like we were both holding onto each other in the middle of the ocean in the middle of a storm. We were keeping each other above water, we were each other’s support. But then we got this piece of paper. And it was like the ground rose up to meet our feet. We were still in an ocean, still in the middle of a storm, but there was a solid foundation beneath our feet. We still supported each other, but there was this other thing that was also keeping our heads above the water.

It was different. It was better. It made things more solid and real.

I am forever grateful for all the forces and all the people who came together to make it possible. It’s been twenty years and we’re still together and still married.

We did a domestic partnership a year later to get the legal paperwork. We’d done a private ceremony with proper rings (not just ones grabbed out of the husband’s collection hours before) before then. And in 2008, we did a legal marriage again.

Rushed. In a hurry. Because there was Proposition 13 to be voted on which would make them all illegal again if it passed.

It did, but we were already married at that point, and they couldn’t negate it that time.

Another few years after that, the Supreme Court finally threw up their hands and said "Fine! It's been legal in places and nothing's caught on fire or been devoured by locusts. It's legal everywhere. Shut up about it!"

And that was that.

00000

When I was in highschool, in the late 90s, I didn’t expect to see legal gay marriage until I was in my 50s. I just couldn’t see how the American public as it was would ever be okay with it.

I never expected to be getting married within five years. I never expected it to be legal nationwide before I’d barely started by 30s. I never thought I’d be in my 40s and it’d be such a non-issue that the conservative rabble rousers would’ve had to move onto other wedge issues altogether.

I never thought that I could introduce another man as my husband and absolutely no one involved would so much as blink.

I never thought I’d live in this world.

And it’s twenty years later today. I wonder how our line buddies are doing. Those babies who were running around the wide open rooms playing tag will have graduated college by now. The kids whose parents the one line-buddy was worried would see him are probably married too now. Some of them to others of the same gender.

I don’t have some greater message to make with all this. Other then, culture can shift suddenly in ways you can’t predict. For good or ill. Mainly this is just me remembering the craziest fucking 36 hours of my life twenty years after the fact and sharing them with all of you.

The future we’re resigned to doesn’t have to be the one we live in. Society can shift faster than you think. The unimaginable of twenty years ago is the baseline reality of today.

And always remember that the people who want to get married will show up by the thousands in rain that none of those who’re against it will brave.

[mightyflamethrower]

15 Facts About E. Jean Carroll’s Allegations Against Trump the Media Don’t Want You to Know

1.  Bergdorf Goodman has no surveillance video of the alleged incident.

2.  There are zero witnesses to the alleged sexual attack.

3.  Carroll first came forward — conveniently — with the allegations while promoting her book What Do We Need Men For? in 2019, which featured a list of “The Most Hideous Men of My Life.”

4.  Carroll was unable to remember when this alleged attack even occurred. She told her lawyer in 2023, “This question, the when, the when, the date, has been something I’ve [been] constantly trying to pin down.” She has jumped years — originally beginning with 1994, then moving to 1995, and even floating to 1996. She cannot remember the season in which the alleged attack occurred either.

5.  The Donna Karan blazer dress she claims to have worn during the alleged incident was not even available at the time of her claims. Trump Attorney Boris Epshteyn told reporters, “She said, ‘This is the dress I wore in 1994.’ They went back, they checked. The dress wasn’t even made in 1994.”

“And that’s why the date’s moved around. This is the 80s. Is it the 90s? Is it the 2000s? President Trump has consistently stated that he was falsely accused, and he has the right to defend himself,” he added.

6.  She never came forward with these allegations over the years despite constantly being open about sexuality, posting things that were very sexual in nature on social media — many of which Trump has shared. They include remarks such as “How do you know your ‘unwanted sexual advance’ is unwanted, until you advance it?” and “Sex Tip I Learned From My Dog: When in heat, chase the male until he collapses with exhaustion … then jump him!”

7.  She said she was never raped, telling the New York Times’ podcast, The Daily,“Every woman gets to choose her word. Every woman gets to choose how she describes it. This is my way of saying it. This is my word. My word is ‘fight.’ My word is not the ‘victim’ word. I have not — I have not been raped,” she continued. “I have — something has not been done to me. I fought. That’s the thing.”

8.  She named her cat “Vagina.” “Her dog, or her cat, was named ‘Vagina.’ The judge wouldn’t allow us to put that in — all of these things — but with her, they could put in anything: Access Hollywood,” Trump told CNN.

9.  Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Trump, pointed out in May 2023 that Carroll’s entire story has incredible similarities to a 2012 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In that episode, titled “Theatre and Tricks,” an individual talks about a rape fantasy in Bergdorf Goodman — the same department store where Carroll claims the incident took place.

10.  Speaking of shows, Carroll loved Trump’s show The Apprentice.

“I was a big fan of the show. Very impressed by it,” Carroll said on the witness stand, adding that she “had never seen such a witty competition on TV, and it was about something worthwhile, competing.”

11.  Carroll made a joke associating sex with Bergdorf Goodman in a November 1993 edition of Elle, which was before the alleged Trump attack took place. As Breitbart News detailed:

Carroll was responding to a letter from a female reader concerned that she was having trouble achieving orgasm through sexual intercourse alone while the reader said that she could climax through foreplay. “Is there any way I could learn to reach orgasm through sex?” asked the reader in the November 1993 edition. “Maybe books I could read?” Carroll replied with the following advice (emphasis added): Dear Snowed Under: Stop flagellating yourself. Gadzooks! At least you have orgasms. And if that isn’t spontaneous sex I don’t know what is. Most women (about 70 percent) experience difficulties climaxing through intercourse alone. So you’re perfectly normal. Begin by reading For Yourself by Dr. Lonnie Barbach. She’ll give you excellent instructions on how to have an orgasm during intercourse. Then after 313 queenhell love-wiggles, move on to Gretta Garbo’s favorite love position – the top. (In erotic scenes, Garbo is always above the man. So are Sharon Stone, Bette Midler and Katherine Hepburn). Indeed, this location works better for women than the fourth floor of Bergdorf’s.

12.  Carroll is financially backed by anti-Trump Democrat megadonor Reid Hoffman, who has openly admitted to visiting convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s private island.

13.  Democrat party activists back her as well, as Breitbart News detailed:

Indeed, one of Carroll’s attorneys is Roberta Kaplan — a Democrat Party activist who led the group Time’s Up. She left the activist group after it was revealed she was aiding former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in attempting to discredit the Democrat’s accusers. It served as a great irony as Time’s Up seeks to defend women from what it claims is discrimination and harassment. This fact has led to mounting speculation that Kaplan only gets involved in cases that she views as politically expedient. Further, Federal District Judge Lewis Kaplan is overseeing the process and has connections to Carroll’s other attorney, Shawn Crowley. She was actually a law clerk for Judge Kaplan, and he officiated her wedding. That aside, Trump has denied knowing the left-wing activist as the only evidence of any contact is a single picture with Carroll greeting Trump and his ex-wife Ivana at an event greeting line over 35 years ago. Carroll has yet to provide solid evidence of this alleged encounter and will not use the dress that she claims had DNA on it from this alleged incident. Even Trump publicly said the dress should be part of the case. Further, there are no eyewitnesses of this alleged incident, which supposedly occurred at the popular New York City department store.

14.  The lawsuit was only able to proceed after Democrats created the Adult Survivors Act in 2022. She conveniently pursued this suit in November following the law going into effect, which allowed her to avoid the statute of limitations for this case.

15.  Carroll once said, “Most people think of rape as sexy.”

Donald Trump Jr. also retweeted a list of facts about Carroll, urging others to take a look:

- She couldn't recall the date, month, season, or year the incident happened -

She never told anyone about it, despite being publicly obsessed with her own sexuality -

The dress she claims to have been wearing didn't exist at the time -

Her description of the dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman was inaccurate, making her sequence of events impossible -

Her lawsuit was bankrolled by Jeffrey Epstein pal and Democrat (and Nikki Haley) mega-donor Reid Hoffman -

Democrats created a law (The Adult Survivors Act in 2022) to enable her lawsuit to proceed - Her accusation is the exact plotline of an episode of Law & Order (one of her "favorite shows") -

Trump's Apprentice was also one of her favorite shows -

She has a history of falsely accusing men of r*pe, including Les Moonves - She told Anderson Cooper, "most people think of r*pe as being sexy. Think of the fantasies." -

She made a career promoting promiscuity, even writing glowingly of sexual assault and naming her cat Vagina

We owe Stalin and Hitler a huge apology. We are ever so bad as they ever were. This isn't Justice. Its punishment for for disobeying the deep state elites.

[cornishpixiez]

CW: climate crisis, floods

hey guys. i'm here to ask for help! as some of my mutuals know, i'm from Brazil and my country is facing it's biggest climate catastrophe in our history.

332 cities in the south of the country are underwater at the moment because of the floods and the government's lousy administration of public money.

80.573 people (and counting) lost everything and are now homeless.

854.000 people don’t have access to clean water. the roads are closed in the south of the country, and the airport will not work until the end of may. we still don’t know how many people died, but the number is definitely high.

all of the country is going to face the economic and social impacts of this tragedy, so i’m spreading awareness!

i’m posting news articles and information on how to donate under the cut, but if you guys are not able to donate, i kindly ask you to reblog my post about it so it can reach more people worldwide.

thank you so much ❤️ we stand with Rio Grande do Sul

media coverage: (3 days ago, BBC) Brazil floods: Dam collapses and death toll rises in Rio Grande do Sul

(17 hours ago, BBC) Landslides and massive flooding kills dozens in Brazil

(6 hours ago, CNN) Brazil floods death toll rises to 83, dozens remain missing

(1 hour ago, The Washington Post) Historic floods kill 83, leaving Brazil and its president angry, shaken

INFORMATION ON HOW TO DONATE

this is the official Instagram page of the government where you can fact-check and stay updated on the situation.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Rinat Harash

In recent days, the Israeli army has exposed evidence of Hamas terror activity inside and underneath Gaza’s Shifa hospital. But instead of simply reporting it, media outlets have downplayed the evidence in various ways: By hinting that it has been faked, by claiming that it did not prove the existence of a Hamas “command center,” by quoting unreliable Hamas officials, or simply by burying the story.

By doing so, media have diverted attention from Israel’s just war against a murderous terror organization and turned it into a parallel war of narratives suggesting that Israel lacks credibility and therefore the war on Hamas loses legitimacy.

Here is the evidence revealed by the army so far:

27/10 – A phone call between two Gazans confirming that Hamas headquarters is located underneath Shifa hospital

28/10 – An interrogation of two Hamas terrorists confirming the organization’s use of hospitals, including Shifa

03/11 – A phone call with a Gaza medical official confirming Hamas holds half a million liters of fuel reserves under Shifa hospital

15/11 – Weapons, military gear with Hamas insignia, and technological assets found in Shifa’s MRI building

15/11 – A tunnel shaft and a a booby-trapped vehicle carrying a weapons arsenal are found at Shifa hospital

19/11 – A fortified terror tunnel, 55 meters-long and 10 meters deep, is exposed underneath Shifa hospital

19/11 – CCTV footage from October 7 showing two hostages taken into Shifa hospital

And here are some “highlights” from media outlets that preferred to choose wilful blindness over the facts.

CNN and BBC’s ‘Investigative’ Efforts

CNN and the BBC have both invested what seems to be a significant effort to debunk the Israeli army’s video showing weapons and ammunition at the MRI ward of Shifa.

The two networks have gone to great lengths to hint that Israel may have manipulated evidence. They have checked details like the time on the wristwatch of the Israeli army’s spokesman and the number of weapons he displayed in comparison to a larger amount shot later by international media. As the BBC reported:

And what we see in the two videos doesn’t precisely match. For example, there’s one gun in the IDF video, two, by the time of the BBC footage. Israel has told ‘BBC Verify’ this is because more weaponry and terrorist assets were discovered throughout the day. Israel also says its video is a single shot with no edits. But this appears to be an edit. We don’t know the reasons for that edit nor how significant it is. The IDF though says suggestions it’s manipulating the media are incorrect.

They did include the army’s claim that more weapons had been found later, but the urgency to debunk IDF evidence is astonishing and one-sided. No such effort was made to debunk the claims of Hamas, which denies operating from the hospital.

The BBC also gave the stage to an “analyst” who claimed that Israel had “doctored” evidence:

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Michael de Adder :: @deAdder:: All the King's men

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 28, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 29, 2024

On Friday, in an interview with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, Trump’s former attorney general William Barr brushed off the recent news that Trump, furious that the story he had taken refuge in a bunker during the Black Lives Matter protests in summer 2020 had leaked, called for the White House leaker to be executed. 

“I remember him being very mad about that. I actually don’t remember him saying ‘executing,’ but I wouldn‘t dispute it, you know,” Barr said to Collins when she asked him about it. “The president would lose his temper and say things like that. I doubt he would’ve actually carried it out.”

Collins followed up, asking if Trump would call for executions on other occasions. “He would say things similar to that on occasions to blow off steam. But I wouldn’t take them literally every time he did it,” Barr answered.

Why not? Collins asked. 

“Because at the end of the day, it wouldn’t be carried out and you could talk sense into him,” Barr said. “I don’t think he would actually go and kill political rivals and things like that.” Barr said he intends to vote for Trump. 

“Just to be clear,” Collins said, “you’re voting for someone who you believe tried to subvert the peaceful transfer of power, that can’t even achieve his own policies, that lied about the election even after his attorney general told him that the election wasn’t stolen.… You’re going to vote for someone who is facing 88 criminal counts?”

“The answer to the question is yes,” Barr said. “I think the real threat to democracy is the progressive movement and the Biden administration.”

The contention of the former attorney general—who had been responsible for enforcing the rule of law in the United States of America—that a man who has demanded the execution of people he dislikes is a better candidate for the presidency than a man who is using the power of the federal government to create jobs for ordinary people, combat climate change, protect the environment, and promote health and education, illustrates that Republican leaders have abandoned democracy.

In November 2019, in a speech to the right-wing Federalist Society, Barr ignored the Declaration of Independence, which is a list of complaints against King George III, to argue that Americans had rebelled in 1776 not against the king, but rather against Parliament. In the modern world, Barr argued, Congress has grown far too strong. The president should be able to act on his own initiative and not be checked by either congressional or judicial oversight.

That theory is known as the theory of the “unitary executive,” and it says that because the president is the head of one of the three unique branches of government, any oversight of that office by Congress or the courts is unconstitutional, although in fact presidents since George Washington have accepted congressional oversight. 

The theory took root in 1986, when Samuel Alito, then a 35-year-old lawyer for the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice, proposed the use of “signing statements” to take from Congress the sole power to make laws by giving the president the power to “interpret” them. In 1987, president Ronald Reagan issued a signing statement to a debt bill, declaring his right to interpret it as he wished and saying the president could not be forced “to follow the orders of a subordinate.” 

In 2004, when Congress outlawed the newly-revealed U.S. torture program at remote sites around the world, President George W. Bush issued a signing statement rejecting any limitation on “the unitary executive branch.” In April 2020, to justify his demands for states to reopen in the face of the deadly pandemic, Trump told reporters, “When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total….” Now, in 2024, Trump’s lawyers are in court arguing that the president has criminal immunity for his behavior in the White House, possibly including his right to order the executions of those he sees as enemies. 

As Republicans have embraced unlimited power for the president, they have also turned against the right of American citizens to have a say in their government. Beginning with so-called ballot integrity measures in 1986, they embraced methods to knock voters off the voting rolls. That policy intensified after Democrats passed the so-called Motor-Voter Law in 1993, making it easier to register to vote. 

After voters nonetheless elected Democrat Barack Obama in 2008, the Supreme Court handed down the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, permitting unlimited donations to political campaigns, and corporate money flowed into them. In that same year, Republican operatives launched Operation REDMAP to elect Republicans to state legislatures ahead of the redistricting required after the 2010 census. Operation REDMAP resulted in extreme partisan gerrymandering that would make it virtually impossible for Democrats to win elections even if they won a majority of the vote. 

Then, in 2013, the Supreme Court decided Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That law had required states with a history of racial discrimination to get clearance from the Department of Justice before they changed their voting laws. The court said that preclearance was no longer necessary. Within hours of the decision, Republican-dominated states proposed new laws that discriminate against voters of color.   

In 2019, Barr explained to an audience at the University of Notre Dame the ideology behind the strong executive and weakened representation. Rejecting the clear words of the Constitution’s framers, Barr said that the U.S. was never meant to be a secular democracy. When the nation’s founders had spoken so extensively about self-government, he said, they had not meant the right to elect representatives of their own choosing. Instead, he said, the founders meant the ability of individuals to “restrain and govern themselves.” And, because people are willful, the only way to achieve self-government is through religion. 

Those who believe the United States is a secular country, he said, are destroying the nation. It was imperative, he said, to reject those values and embrace religion as the basis for American government. 

The idea that the United States must become a Christian nation has apparently led Barr to accept the idea that a man who has called for the execution of those he sees as enemies should be president, apparently because he is expected to usher in an authoritarian Christian state, in preference to a man who is using the power of the government to help ordinary Americans.  

Saturday night, journalists, politicians, and celebrities gathered for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an annual fundraiser for the White House Correspondents’ Association, which protects press passes for journalists who regularly cover the White House, assigns seats in the briefing room, funds scholarships for aspiring journalists, and gives awards for outstanding journalism. It is traditionally an evening of comedy, but last night, after a humorous speech, President Joe Biden implored the press to take the threat of dictatorship seriously. 

“I’m sincerely not asking of you to take sides but asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment; move past the horse race numbers and the gotcha moments and the distractions, the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics; and focus on what’s actually at stake,” he said. “Every single one of us has…a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures….  I have my role, but, with all due respect, so do you.” 

George Stephanopoulos of ABC’s This Week apparently took this reminder to heart. “Until now,” he said in the show’s opener on Sunday, “[n]o American president had ever faced a criminal trial. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment for retaining and concealing classified documents. No American president had ever faced a federal indictment or a state indictment for trying to overturn an election, or been named an unindicted co-conspirator in two other states for the same crime. No American president ever faced hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments for business fraud, defamation, and sexual abuse….

“The scale of the abnormality is so staggering, that it can actually become numbing. It’s all too easy to fall into reflexive habits, to treat this as a normal campaign, where both sides embrace the rule of law, where both sides are dedicated to a debate based on facts and the peaceful transfer of power. But, that is not what’s happening this election year. Those bedrock tenets of our democracy are being tested in a way we haven’t seen since the Civil War. It’s a test for the candidates, for those of us in the media, and for all of us as citizens.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[madalice31]

Mmmm now I’m triggered lol.

Halle Bailey did not gaslight anyone. It’s not gaslighting when one, you don’t have any relationship with this person, platonic or otherwise, not even a conversation. So exactly how did she gaslight you? What she did was not acknowledge the fact that she was pregnant…to the public. It’s not like she was lying to the people closest to her about being pregnant. And not once did she deny being pregnant! She may have jugged on or ignored a lot of yall’s questions, but she had every right to do that if she didn’t want to share the experience with the public. Let’s not start this narrative that she was “gaslighting” cause yall don’t know how to not project your own shit on other people. Even Chloe never denied it, she just said yall stop gossiping about my sister! As she should have. Period. Halle was never the problem.

It was obvious. She knew it was obvious. People caught on, and she even straight up got caught with those hoodie pics. But you know what, she continued to keep that shit to herself because she ain’t want to talk about it with yall! And guess what, she wasn’t obligated nor required to talk to yall or acknowledge anything.

I’m getting irritated at the comments. “She so weird, why talk about it now? Oh she just didn’t want to be looked at as a baby mama. Oh she was tryna to maintain her Disney image.” Blah, blah, blah. Y’all will never know what her reasons were unless she decides to share that. Speculate all you want. But a woman has the right to be like, hey I don’t want to share my actual pregnancy experience with you guys. I don’t want to be asked questions in interviews. I don’t want yall judgement cause I’m not married or I’m too young in your eyes. I don’t want to deal with yall being all in my business. So no, you don’t get to see me pregnant. No, I’m not gonna answer questions about it. Yes I will sit in this poofy ass dress with my legs crossed, knowing you can tell, but talking to you about everything else BUT. You think this press tour, people didn’t know? All these interviews, people didn’t know? Her team kept that shit on lock and made sure everyone kept their mouths shut! Kudos to them!

A woman also has the right to say, now that my child is here, I’m willing to share more. I’m going to acknowledge my child. And y’all still ain’t gonna get every bit of info, but y’all can stop talking now. Like y’all done done now?

Nothing wrong with that. Nothing weird about that. Hence why in her caption she says the world was “desperate” to meet him. Cause folks was hella pressed.

Now do I have some opinions on who with and why now, yes I do. Do I have some opinions about the black community and baby mama/baby daddy culture, yes I do.

But that’s neither here nor there. The point is she didn’t owe us shit! So let’s stop throwing around words like “gaslighting” when it comes to people that haven’t even had a conversation with us, and most likely NEVER WILL.

If you asked her in person if she was pregnant and she told you no, that’s still not gaslighting lol. Cause if you come back and say oh so you were pregnant, you lied. The response? Yes, I did lie. Because I didn’t feel like sharing that with you at the time. But now, yeah, obviously I was pregnant. Last I checked, a lot of your mothers, daughters, aunties, and cousins have done the same. For whatever their reasons, they have done the same. You’ve kept secrets for them. So how is this any different? Just cause she a celebrity yall feel so entitled and it’s ridiculous.

I blame it on the celebrities who do that shit tho. Who think they need to share everything, like that’s normal. Even to the point of announcing divorces and break ups. Like celebrity divorce announcements have always been the dumbest shit to me. Like I give a fuck about your shit relationship ending. Why is that shit on CNN? We talk more these days about their personal lives than their actual projects and creative endeavors. These days, the people are more so the commodity, versus what they actually sell, create, or provide and it’s sad. Anyway, I digress.

Can I just say this before I leave? If we gonna give Rihanna praise for changing the maternity game, and showing us how to style a pregnant belly on full display. Let’s give Halle credit for showing us how to style a pregnant belly you don’t want to showcase or flaunt, but still look stylish and sexy. Cause every outfit and dress she wore throughout her whole pregnancy was spot fucking on! Her stylist understood the assignment!

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Americans’ Social Security checks will get a lot smaller in 2034 if lawmakers don’t act to address the pending shortfall, according to an annual report released Friday by the Social Security trustees.

That’s because the combined Social Security trust funds – which help support payouts for the elderly, survivors and disabled – are projected to run dry that year. At that time, the funds’ reserves will be depleted, and the program’s continuing income will only cover 80% of benefits owed.

The estimate is one year earlier than the trustees projected last year. About 66 million Americans received Social Security benefits in 2022.

Medicare, meanwhile, is in a more critical financial condition. Its hospital insurance trust fund, known as Medicare Part A, will only be able to pay scheduled benefits in full until 2031, according to its trustees’ annual report, which was also released Friday.

At that time, Medicare, which covered 65 million senior citizens and people with disabilities in 2022, will only be able to cover 89% of total scheduled benefits. Last year, Medicare’s trustees projected that the hospital trust fund’s reserves would be depleted in 2028.

LONG-STANDING FISCAL TROUBLES

Immensely popular but long troubled, Social Security and Medicare are on shaky financial ground in large part because of the aging of the American population. Fewer workers are paying into the program and supporting the ballooning number of beneficiaries, who are also living longer. Also, health care is becoming increasingly expensive.

Social Security has two trust funds – one for retirees and survivors and another for Americans with disabilities.

Looking at them separately, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund is projected to run dry in 2033, at which time Social Security could pay only 77% of benefits, primarily using income from payroll taxes. The date is one year earlier than estimated last year.

The Disability Insurance Trust Fund is expected to be able to pay full benefits through at least 2097, the last year of the trustees’ projection period.

Merging the two trust funds would require Congress to act, but the combined projection is often used to show the overall status of the entitlement.

Social Security’s projected long-term health worsened over the past year because the trustees revised downward their expectations for the economy and labor productivity, taking into account updated data on inflation and economic output.

However, the long-term projection for Medicare’s hospital trust fund’s finances improved, mainly due to lowered estimates for health care spending after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the program is projected to take in more income because the trustees estimate the number of covered workers and average wages will be higher.

ADDED PRESSURE ON CONGRESS

The trustees’ reports are the latest warnings to Congress that they will have to deal with the massive entitlement programs’ fiscal problems at some point soon. But addressing their issues is politically challenging. Elected officials are hesitant to suggest any changes that could lead to benefit cuts, even though that could reduce their options in the future.

“With each year that lawmakers do not act, the public has less time to prepare for the changes,” the trustees warned in a fact sheet.

The programs’ shortfalls are back in the spotlight this year as President Joe Biden and House Republicans battle over how to address the nation’s debt ceiling drama and mounting budget deficits. GOP lawmakers want to cut spending in exchange for resolving the borrowing limit, while the White House has said it will not negotiate.

In a memorable moment in his State of the Union address in February, Biden garnered public acknowledgment from congressional Republicans about keeping Social Security and Medicare out of the debt discussions.

But “not touching” Social Security means a hefty cut in benefits within a decade or so.

“Change is inevitable because without changes to current law, both Social Security and Medicare Hospital Insurance would go insolvent, subjecting program participants to sudden and severe payment cuts,” said Charles Blahous, senior research strategist at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and former Social Security and Medicare trustee. “The outstanding question is whether change will be tolerably gradual, or instead highly damaging because it is too long delayed.”

Though Biden has repeatedly vowed to protect Social Security, his latest budget proposal did not include a plan to stabilize its finances.

However, his proposal did call for extending Medicare’s solvency by 25 years or more by raising taxes on those earning more than $400,000 a year and by allowing the program to negotiate prices for even more drugs.

Spending on the entitlement programs is also projected to soar and exert increased pressure on the federal budget in coming years.

Mandatory spending – driven by Social Security and Medicare – and interest costs are expected to outpace the growth of revenue and the economy, according to a Congressional Budget Office outlook released in mid-February.

[the1975attheirverybest]

I’m not disagreeing with you that its simple, it’s genocide. But lots of people don’t think that way which makes the situation difficult for her. Her team definitely does not want her to talk about it because of that.

No, see, I’m done believing that. Because, at this specific point in time, the “it’s complicated” “I don’t know enough about it to speak out” and “there is bad stuff on both sides” have been revealed to be Zionist talking points.

It’s very embarrassing when her own fans are more outspoken than she is. Yall know Nuha on tiktok? She’s a swiftie and used to do Taylor related news analysis and stuff. She’s applying the same level of fact checking and media literacy that she learned from years of parsing out people magazine articles to stuff about Gaza now. And her coverage is better than CNN. Swifties for Palestine on twt also do amazing stuff in similar ways. It’s really fuckin gross when ordinary fans with no power or influence work harder than her. What fans is she going to lose? The millennials and gen z folks who are staging sit ins, walk outs, protests? Jewish voice for peace? Or zionists who profit from her silence? Why oh why is she worried about losing pro Israel fans? Could it be because she cares more about money and fame than about genocide? Hmmm.

[beardedmrbean]

Elon Musk caused a flurry on social media after the tech CEO posted a meme mocking CNN’s concerns about free speech on Twitter. 

Musk posted a picture of CNN’s Don Lemon on Monday, alongside a satirical chyron that read "Elon Musk could threaten free speech on Twitter by allowing people to speak freely."

Some Twitter users were confused about whether the meme was from an actual CNN broadcast. The image is originally from Geniuses Times, a satirical website that describes itself as "the most reliable source of fake news in the planet." 

Nevertheless, Musk’s post prompted a wide range of responses, from conservative praise to liberal meltdowns. 

ELON MUSK TROLLS CRITICS WITH NEW 'STAY AT WORK' MERCHANDISE, FOLLOWING 'WOKE' DISCOVERY

Ronald Brownstein, a senior editor at The Atlantic, claimed that Musk was simply repackaging hate speech as free speech to empower extremism on the far right. 

"Simple equation: Musk repackages hate speech racism anti-semitism homophobia and far-right intimidation as ‘free speech’ & any effort to hold him accountable for injecting it into US society as the ‘woke mob.’ On both ends, same goal: amplifying & empowering far-right extremists," he tweeted. 

Meanwhile, The Jewish Voice, a news and opinion site dedicated to promoting classical Judaism, asserted that Don Lemon’s continued presence on CNN would ensure most Americans would click off the channel. 

"How ridiculous can it get?" author James Arthur Ray chimed in. 

"I’ve always said what I want and always will speak from heart," actor and comedian Tommy Chong tweeted. 

MSNBC’S CHRIS HAYES FRETS HIS ‘WORST FEARS' HAVE BEEN REALIZED SINCE MUSK ACQUIRED TWITTER

Morten Øverbye, a tech entrepreneur and former managing editor of CNN Norway, slammed Musk for appearing to float his own rule to label parody. 

"Just 17 days ago, Musk made up a new rule saying accounts engaged in parody must include ‘parody’ in their name," he said.

Musk said on November 10 that accounts engaged in parody must include the word "parody" in their actual name, not just their bio.

Musk’s criticism of CNN and Lemon comes days after the network anchor attempted to fact-check the Twitter owner, claiming that context was needed after Musk posted a tweet calling the "Hands up, don’t shoot" myth "made up."

ELON MUSK SWIPES ANOTHER NEWS OUTLET FOR 'MISINFORMATION,' AFTER STRIKING DOWN 'FLAT WRONG' REPORTS YESTERDAY

The phrase originally stemmed from Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, when he was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson. Soon after, it became a rallying cry for racial justice protests, but the Obama administration’s Department of Justice concluded that Brown did not raise his arms to surrender before his death. 

Lemon admitted that the DOJ report "cast doubt" on the narrative about Brown’s death, but also noted that "some said" Brown did attempt to surrender. 

Musk has previously spoken out against the liberal media network. 

Musk sat down last December with The Babylon Bee, a satirical website that recently had its Twitter account reinstated. During a discussion about "pointless" companies that "shouldn’t exist," a co-host joked they did not feel qualified to interview Musk. 

"You can be on CNN right now," co-host Kyle Mann quipped.

"I’m not perverted enough, I guess," Musk responded, likely referencing a satirical Bee headline, as well as recent allegations of sexual misconduct at CNN. 

[itsmythang]

Oh he's saying he's our main THUG!!! He thinks so low of us to say that we're heavy on his cult list because he was arrested. We love criminals that much. We vibe with him now. He's so full of evil the devil probably has no use for him. He'd take over hell.

He's gaslighting the Black community. As my mother use to say "He's a liar and a sack of s*it!!!"

On Wednesday, Trump claimed in a falsehood-filled interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt that “many Democrats” will be voting for him in the 2024 election because they agree with him that the criminal charges against him in four cases are unfair. He then made this assertion: “The Black community is so different for me in the last – since that mug shot was taken, I don’t know if you’ve seen the polls; my polls with the Black community have gone up four and five times.”

Facts First: National public polls do not show anything close to an increase of “four and five times” in Black support for Trump since his mug shot was taken, either in a race against President Joe Biden or in his own favorability rating; Trump’s campaign did not respond to CNN’s request to identify any poll that corroborates Trump’s claim. Most polls conducted after the release of the mug shot did find a higher level of Black support for Trump than he had in previous polls – but the increases were within the polls’ margins of error, not massive spikes, so it’s not clear whether there was a genuine improvement or the bump was just statistical noise. In addition, one poll found a decline in Trump’s strength with Black voters in a race against Biden, while another found a decline in his favorability with Black respondents even as he improved in a race against Biden.

Because Black adults make up a relatively small share of the overall population, they tend to have small sample sizes in national public polls. That means the margins of error for this group are big and the results tend to bounce around from poll to poll. And even if Trump’s recent polling improvement captures a real change in voter sentiment, there is no evidence that change has anything to do with his mug shot, which no poll asked about; it could just as well have to do with, say, the summer increase in the price of gas or any of numerous other factors affecting perceptions of Biden.

Regardless, Trump greatly exaggerated the size of the recent uptick seen in some polls. Here’s a look at what polls actually show about his recent standing with the Black population, plus a fact check of three of Trump’s many other false claims from the Hewitt interview.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Said by Rep. James Comer, (R) Kentucky 1st district

on CNN July 16, 2019 AM and those Ignorant Hogwashers:

“The Democratic Party is Trying to Lead This Country on a Socialist Agenda”

Hogwash!!! Just before the above testimony, statement, or whatever another title you wish to assign to this garbage, House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, said, “The Republican Party is the party of Lincoln”. Again, Hogwash!!! It’s a fact that the Republican Party was born “the Party of Lincoln”, but they ceased being that long ago. McCarthy was disingenuous in his statement just as was Representative Comer in his, “Socialist Agenda”. There may have been a time when McCarthy was a real Republican; but, in my view, all that has changed, just as the party and his colleagues have changed. It isn’t even the party of Ronald Reagan anymore. They have lost track of their roots. 

Lincoln was an “abolitionist”. He also represented the interests of the people. So also did the party; but, after the Civil War, it has evolved into a party of the rich and powerful, the Corporatocracy and Power elite, which it has represented ever since. In my view, it no longer represents the common man. It has only deceived him. Racism was its footstool then; it is its footstool now. Consistent with its globalist agenda, it has even “sucked in” portions of the Democratic Party which used to be the party of the people. You don’t believe it? Just check out the history of the Great Recession and the crash of 2008 triggered by the fraud of Wall Street for which many were fined, but no one was incarcerated.

The Republican Party of today, however, has evolved. It is “absolutist”. From all appearances, our illustrious president has introduced a mafia-type culture into the party and it is now appearing to become if it hasn’t already, the party of Putin with Trump his man in charge whose strategy is "Divide and Conquer".

Tragically, the American people now supporting the party do not understand what is happening to them and our country as a result. Our democracy is being destroyed in the process. It is even worse than that. If you are willing to look at the whole picture, the whole state of affairs, Our Democracy is under attack on three fronts: One, as we just discussed, it is under attack by the Trump Party (I don’t even want to call it Republican anymore); Two, it is under attack by the Corporatocracy and Power Elite, aka the huge international corporations and the very powerful rich, the 1%, which control our nation through their lobbyists and “big” money; and Three, the severe lack of active and enlightened participation by we the citizenry—far too many of us do not take our responsibilities of democracy seriously. We have become lethargic in our willingness to read, study, and keep abreast of our knowledge of history and current events.

In the overall scheme of things, during my lifetime (and that’s a long time), I have never seen the Republican Party as the party of the people; and now I even question its representation of this nation. It has forsaken the original Republican Party to become a party of hypocrites and bigots, selfishly putting personal agendas and careers ahead of both the party and the nation to follow Trump. The Party has become the party of Trump; and, to be honest, with the people and our nation “sucking hind tit” in the economy. In the meantime, Trump and his family (along with the big corporations and the top one percent of our people, i.e. again, the Corporatocracy and Power elite) are filling their coffers, laughing all the way to the bank to the detriment of our people and our nation. 

One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to see and understand what I have just said. It doesn’t take a college degree. It might help, but one doesn’t even need a high school diploma. Just stop, look, and think. Even when they talk, these so-called Republicans look and sound like fools in their insincere defense of Trump’s lies and deceit.

 Rep. Comer said (see above), “The Democratic Party is trying to lead this country on a Socialist agenda”. What is Socialism? You may know what it is; or, when you stop to ask yourself and think about it, you may not. Frankly, most people don’t. They couldn’t sit down and write a paragraph about it to save their lives. I know one thing for sure. Over the years, the word has become a pejorative. The minute it is spoken and heard, people become angry, caused by its poor and incompetent governance and abuse in the past. We get mad, we argue, we fight, and the discussion ends. All is lost. So, let’s not use this word. We can gain nothing.

We are a nation of three hundred plus million people, each has their own opinion, thus three hundred million ideas. Also, there are always those who go off in their directions; but, given responsible knowledgeable leadership with integrity and reliable information, we can usually arrive at reasonable decisions and get things done. With that in mind, let’s start from there.

First, as indicated above, there may be some exceptions, but Democrats are not “trying to lead this country on a Socialist agenda”. In our nation, the very rich and powerful have been plundering the income and wealth of us the people, slowly reducing the standard of living of the common citizen over the past forty years. Look it up. Google it. The Democrats are just trying to get back our country for the people to whom it belongs and provide them their fair share of the economy. Every able-bodied citizen is entitled to the value of his (or her) productivity. Livable wages on the worth of their products are the right of everyone. Those who for reasons beyond their control are unable to produce should be provided appropriate aid or relief. So also are equal opportunity, quality healthcare, education, and the right to vote the right of everyone. These should be inscribed in our Constitution. A healthy, educated, and prosperous people make for a strong and prosperous nation—call it what you will.

Lastly, our nation is in the condition we find it because of neglect, neglect of the people, and neglect of those who govern us. Democracy by its very definition must have the participation of the people to survive. First, they must vote, in support of which, they must be and stay informed. Mental laziness is the plague of all of us—just some more than others. Also, those who govern us must be honest and govern with integrity, putting the country ahead of the party, patriotism, and service ahead of self. Without both of these on an overall basis, democracy will ultimately fail. Dictatorship will inevitably take its place. Failure of loyalty is a prescription for failure. Do not forget those famous words, “United we stand, divided we fall”. From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ, Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, https://twitter.com/StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman URL: linkedin.com/in/steven-miller-b1ab21259 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElderStevenMiller#GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller,#Eldermiller1981

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[Steve Brodner]

* * * *

I didn't watch the political hate-porn last night on CNN, but I caught enough clips this morning to see that it was a trainwreck for which the network should be ashamed.

They won't be. But they should.You could dig in anywhere you want, and hit Trumpian venality - lies, distortions, offense, cruelty, filth, hate, and narcissism - but the sharp gravel that sticks in my craw this morning isn't him, it's network's audacity to bill this as a "Townhall."

The whole point of a townhall is that EVERYONE IS WELCOME. The doors of the townhall are thrown open and the entire community is welcome to ask questions, participate, interact with the speaker, and have their own voices heard.

That is NOT what happened last night.

Last night, the audience was Trump supporters and MAGA-adjacent Republicans - which gave the Tangerine Tyrant what he craves most: An echo chamber for his viciousness and petulant cruelty - which CNN surely understood they were creating when they gave him the format he desired.

To understand where we're headed for the next few years, understand that first: CNN, a business entity that is also, supposedly, a news organization, MADE A CHOICE to give Trump the kind of room he wanted to work, the kind of room where he is the chief bully and the toadies and acolytes cheer on his diabolical ego and rage because doing so fills their hearts with vicarious warmth.

To understand where we're going, recognize and wrestle with the fact that CNN could have said no.

CNN, had they wanted to do an actual "townhall" could have invited those of us who are disgusted by his . . . his totality. They could have opened the doors to an audience that represents the nation as it truly exists. But they did not. Instead, they chose to play his game, because Trump would not have agreed to a room wherein he might be meaningfully challenged, and if he said no, then they'd lose the audience, and the ad sales, they generated last night.

He makes them money, simple as that, and all they have to do is help murder what's left of our decency as a nation to cash those big, fat checks.

It's allllll a choice - made by a CEO, made in a boardroom, made to service shareholders, not the public, not the truth, not the news. THAT is a great and impactful tragedy for our nation, but ignoring it won't make it go away.It is where we are, so we better get ready for more.

I'm disgusted by the whole sad affair. I don't want to emotionally descend back into the septic tank of Trumpism. It has been a joy, of sorts, to have had the volume of this sex-offender and serial liar dialed back since early 2021, but that's gone now so gird your loins, grab the barf bag, and let's get ready to chunk this motherfucker back into the fires of hell one last time, just don't expect any help from CNN to do so.

They're here for the paycheck. They're here for the eyeballs, and they don't give a damn if Swastikas, mass-shootings, and potential Kristallnachts are what bring the heat and light to those glowing, Children of the Corn, lily-white scleras. When it comes to Trump - and therefore when it comes to ANYTHING - CNN will do whatever makes CNN money.

No journalistic integrity, nor morality. Dollars.

Last night was a perfect example. Last night they didn't host a townhall. They broadcast a Klan rally from the edge of town and made bank at the concession stand.

Welcome to 2024.

Michael J. Tallon

[internetnewsworldblog]

Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-begins-deliberations-verdict-near/?feed_id=7353&_unique_id=6659e977c04ad Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near Business Business Top Line Jurors won’t decide until Thursday at the earliest whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Deliberations began that morning, but the jury wrapped up the day’s deliberations without reaching a verdict. Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist as he arrived at his criminal trial in Manhattan. … [ ] May 29, at New York City Criminal Court. Getty Images Business Key Facts Jurors began deliberations around 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday after Judge Juan Marchan delivered his jury instructions. Closing Argument On Tuesday it continued into the night. They were then asked to leave work just after 4 p.m. Hear the testimony The jury was then given further instructions but was unable to reach a verdict in the case. Marchant instructed jurors to base their verdict solely on the evidence, not on any personal bias, and warned that Trump “Plotting a conspiracy “Promoting or hindering the election of any person to public office by unlawful means,” making falsifying records a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records based on repayment checks he sent in 2017 to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who made payments to pornographic actresses. Stormy Daniels She paid $130,000 to silence allegations of an affair with Trump, which the former president denies, just before the 2016 election. Trump’s lawyers have tried to discredit Cohen. testified Trump knew about both the Daniels payment and the reimbursement scheme, but in his closing arguments, his lawyer, Todd Blanche, blasted Trump as the “MVP of lying” and said Cohen “was aware of the facts and circumstances surrounding the payment and the reimbursement scheme.” [jurors] Many things that were said from the witness stand were lies.” Prosecutors countered that argument on Tuesday, telling jurors they have phone records and other evidence that corroborates Cohen’s testimony and arguing that Trump hired Cohen “for the same qualities that his lawyers are urging him not to testify” – to “lie and deceive on Trump’s behalf.” Business What we don’t know How long will it take for the jury to deliberate? POLITICO He speculated Wednesday that a verdict would come no later than the end of this week, but ultimately it’s too early to say when a verdict will be reached or what decision the jury will make, and they can deliberate for as long as they need to. Business Amazing facts According to CNN, Marchan informed the parties that while the courtroom was in session, no one, including Trump, could leave the courtroom while the jury was deliberating until a verdict was reached. It is “unusual” that Trump would not be allowed to leave the courtroom, his lawyer Mitchell Epner told Forbes in an email, noting that while most criminal defendants are allowed to leave the courtroom, “he must remain near the courtroom so that he can be present promptly in the event of a verdict.” Epner speculated that Trump’s requirement to remain inside the courtroom “may have something to do with the security measures necessary to transport a former president in and out of the courtroom.” Business Points to note The jury will decide whether to acquit or convict Trump of some or all of the charges, but could end up with a unanimous verdict if they cannot reach a unanimous decision. Trump was convictedEach of the charges against him carries a possible fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to four years in prison. $170,000 fine and 136 years in prison If he is convicted on all charges, legal experts say believe That’s unlikely, but unprecedentedPresident Trump will be going to prison as a first offender.

Business Chief Reviewer Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and blasted the incident in a series of Truth Social posts before the hearing began on Wednesday. Blame The so-called “kangaroo court” length During the prosecution’s closing argument, he exclaimed about the hush money arrangement with Daniels, “The non-disclosure agreement is completely legal and acceptable!” The former president, as is customary, made no comment to reporters before entering the courtroom. Business Main Background Trump’s trial in Manhattan is the first of the former president’s four criminal cases to go to trial and the first time a former or sitting president has been criminally charged. Trump was indicted in March 2023 after a years-long investigation. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified records to falsely state repayment checks to Cohen were for legal services. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have argued in court that Trump is innocent, arguing that the checks to Cohen were for the then-president’s legal services and were correctly listed. Cohen took the stand for four days as the trial’s main witness. testified Trump personally approved the payment to Daniels and was present at the meeting where the Trump Organization’s then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, told Cohen that the check would be written as for legal services. The jury deliberations came after Trump was already disciplined for violating plea bargain rules during his trial. Gag order The order prohibits him from speaking about witnesses, jurors or anyone else involved in the case, and Judge Marchan ordered him to pay $1,000 for each of the 10 violations. Business References ForbesTrump trial prosecutors finish closing arguments after nearly five hours; jury instructions expected Wednesdayby Allison Durkee ForbesWhat happens if Trump is convicted? The trial goes to the jury next week.by Allison Durkee Source of this program “This plugin is awesome!!” “Topline jurors began deliberating Wednesday on whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, following nearly six weeks of testimony and arguments…” Source: Read more Source link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/05/29/jury-now-deliberating-in-trumps-hush-money-trial The post Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Business, Global

[blogbusinesswebsite]

Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near - #Business #Global https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-begins-deliberations-verdict-near/?feed_id=7352&_unique_id=6659e97694c9b Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near Business Business Top Line Jurors won’t decide until Thursday at the earliest whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Deliberations began that morning, but the jury wrapped up the day’s deliberations without reaching a verdict. Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist as he arrived at his criminal trial in Manhattan. … [ ] May 29, at New York City Criminal Court. Getty Images Business Key Facts Jurors began deliberations around 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday after Judge Juan Marchan delivered his jury instructions. Closing Argument On Tuesday it continued into the night. They were then asked to leave work just after 4 p.m. Hear the testimony The jury was then given further instructions but was unable to reach a verdict in the case. Marchant instructed jurors to base their verdict solely on the evidence, not on any personal bias, and warned that Trump “Plotting a conspiracy “Promoting or hindering the election of any person to public office by unlawful means,” making falsifying records a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records based on repayment checks he sent in 2017 to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who made payments to pornographic actresses. Stormy Daniels She paid $130,000 to silence allegations of an affair with Trump, which the former president denies, just before the 2016 election. Trump’s lawyers have tried to discredit Cohen. testified Trump knew about both the Daniels payment and the reimbursement scheme, but in his closing arguments, his lawyer, Todd Blanche, blasted Trump as the “MVP of lying” and said Cohen “was aware of the facts and circumstances surrounding the payment and the reimbursement scheme.” [jurors] Many things that were said from the witness stand were lies.” Prosecutors countered that argument on Tuesday, telling jurors they have phone records and other evidence that corroborates Cohen’s testimony and arguing that Trump hired Cohen “for the same qualities that his lawyers are urging him not to testify” – to “lie and deceive on Trump’s behalf.” Business What we don’t know How long will it take for the jury to deliberate? POLITICO He speculated Wednesday that a verdict would come no later than the end of this week, but ultimately it’s too early to say when a verdict will be reached or what decision the jury will make, and they can deliberate for as long as they need to. Business Amazing facts According to CNN, Marchan informed the parties that while the courtroom was in session, no one, including Trump, could leave the courtroom while the jury was deliberating until a verdict was reached. It is “unusual” that Trump would not be allowed to leave the courtroom, his lawyer Mitchell Epner told Forbes in an email, noting that while most criminal defendants are allowed to leave the courtroom, “he must remain near the courtroom so that he can be present promptly in the event of a verdict.” Epner speculated that Trump’s requirement to remain inside the courtroom “may have something to do with the security measures necessary to transport a former president in and out of the courtroom.” Business Points to note The jury will decide whether to acquit or convict Trump of some or all of the charges, but could end up with a unanimous verdict if they cannot reach a unanimous decision. Trump was convictedEach of the charges against him carries a possible fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to four years in prison. $170,000 fine and 136 years in prison If he is convicted on all charges, legal experts say believe That’s unlikely, but unprecedentedPresident Trump will be going to prison as a first offender.

Business Chief Reviewer Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and blasted the incident in a series of Truth Social posts before the hearing began on Wednesday. Blame The so-called “kangaroo court” length During the prosecution’s closing argument, he exclaimed about the hush money arrangement with Daniels, “The non-disclosure agreement is completely legal and acceptable!” The former president, as is customary, made no comment to reporters before entering the courtroom. Business Main Background Trump’s trial in Manhattan is the first of the former president’s four criminal cases to go to trial and the first time a former or sitting president has been criminally charged. Trump was indicted in March 2023 after a years-long investigation. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified records to falsely state repayment checks to Cohen were for legal services. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have argued in court that Trump is innocent, arguing that the checks to Cohen were for the then-president’s legal services and were correctly listed. Cohen took the stand for four days as the trial’s main witness. testified Trump personally approved the payment to Daniels and was present at the meeting where the Trump Organization’s then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, told Cohen that the check would be written as for legal services. The jury deliberations came after Trump was already disciplined for violating plea bargain rules during his trial. Gag order The order prohibits him from speaking about witnesses, jurors or anyone else involved in the case, and Judge Marchan ordered him to pay $1,000 for each of the 10 violations. Business References ForbesTrump trial prosecutors finish closing arguments after nearly five hours; jury instructions expected Wednesdayby Allison Durkee ForbesWhat happens if Trump is convicted? The trial goes to the jury next week.by Allison Durkee Source of this program “This plugin is awesome!!” “Topline jurors began deliberating Wednesday on whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, following nearly six weeks of testimony and arguments…” Source: Read more Source link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/05/29/jury-now-deliberating-in-trumps-hush-money-trial The post Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy! Business, Global BLOGGER - #Business #Global

[merchant-business]

Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near https://www.merchant-business.com/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-begins-deliberations-verdict-near/?feed_id=7351&_unique_id=6659e6077c6ec Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near Business Business Top Line Jurors won’t decide until Thursday at the earliest whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Deliberations began that morning, but the jury wrapped up the day’s deliberations without reaching a verdict. Former President Donald Trump pumped his fist as he arrived at his criminal trial in Manhattan. … [ ] May 29, at New York City Criminal Court. Getty Images Business Key Facts Jurors began deliberations around 11:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday after Judge Juan Marchan delivered his jury instructions. Closing Argument On Tuesday it continued into the night. They were then asked to leave work just after 4 p.m. Hear the testimony The jury was then given further instructions but was unable to reach a verdict in the case. Marchant instructed jurors to base their verdict solely on the evidence, not on any personal bias, and warned that Trump “Plotting a conspiracy “Promoting or hindering the election of any person to public office by unlawful means,” making falsifying records a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records based on repayment checks he sent in 2017 to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who made payments to pornographic actresses. Stormy Daniels She paid $130,000 to silence allegations of an affair with Trump, which the former president denies, just before the 2016 election. Trump’s lawyers have tried to discredit Cohen. testified Trump knew about both the Daniels payment and the reimbursement scheme, but in his closing arguments, his lawyer, Todd Blanche, blasted Trump as the “MVP of lying” and said Cohen “was aware of the facts and circumstances surrounding the payment and the reimbursement scheme.” [jurors] Many things that were said from the witness stand were lies.” Prosecutors countered that argument on Tuesday, telling jurors they have phone records and other evidence that corroborates Cohen’s testimony and arguing that Trump hired Cohen “for the same qualities that his lawyers are urging him not to testify” – to “lie and deceive on Trump’s behalf.” Business What we don’t know How long will it take for the jury to deliberate? POLITICO He speculated Wednesday that a verdict would come no later than the end of this week, but ultimately it’s too early to say when a verdict will be reached or what decision the jury will make, and they can deliberate for as long as they need to. Business Amazing facts According to CNN, Marchan informed the parties that while the courtroom was in session, no one, including Trump, could leave the courtroom while the jury was deliberating until a verdict was reached. It is “unusual” that Trump would not be allowed to leave the courtroom, his lawyer Mitchell Epner told Forbes in an email, noting that while most criminal defendants are allowed to leave the courtroom, “he must remain near the courtroom so that he can be present promptly in the event of a verdict.” Epner speculated that Trump’s requirement to remain inside the courtroom “may have something to do with the security measures necessary to transport a former president in and out of the courtroom.” Business Points to note The jury will decide whether to acquit or convict Trump of some or all of the charges, but could end up with a unanimous verdict if they cannot reach a unanimous decision. Trump was convictedEach of the charges against him carries a possible fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to four years in prison. $170,000 fine and 136 years in prison If he is convicted on all charges, legal experts say believe That’s unlikely, but unprecedentedPresident Trump will be going to prison as a first offender.

Business Chief Reviewer Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and blasted the incident in a series of Truth Social posts before the hearing began on Wednesday. Blame The so-called “kangaroo court” length During the prosecution’s closing argument, he exclaimed about the hush money arrangement with Daniels, “The non-disclosure agreement is completely legal and acceptable!” The former president, as is customary, made no comment to reporters before entering the courtroom. Business Main Background Trump’s trial in Manhattan is the first of the former president’s four criminal cases to go to trial and the first time a former or sitting president has been criminally charged. Trump was indicted in March 2023 after a years-long investigation. Prosecutors allege that Trump falsified records to falsely state repayment checks to Cohen were for legal services. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have argued in court that Trump is innocent, arguing that the checks to Cohen were for the then-president’s legal services and were correctly listed. Cohen took the stand for four days as the trial’s main witness. testified Trump personally approved the payment to Daniels and was present at the meeting where the Trump Organization’s then-chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, told Cohen that the check would be written as for legal services. The jury deliberations came after Trump was already disciplined for violating plea bargain rules during his trial. Gag order The order prohibits him from speaking about witnesses, jurors or anyone else involved in the case, and Judge Marchan ordered him to pay $1,000 for each of the 10 violations. Business References ForbesTrump trial prosecutors finish closing arguments after nearly five hours; jury instructions expected Wednesdayby Allison Durkee ForbesWhat happens if Trump is convicted? The trial goes to the jury next week.by Allison Durkee Source of this program “This plugin is awesome!!” “Topline jurors began deliberating Wednesday on whether former President Donald Trump should be convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, following nearly six weeks of testimony and arguments…” Source: Read more Source link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/05/29/jury-now-deliberating-in-trumps-hush-money-trial The post Trump hush money trial: Jury begins deliberations, verdict near appeared first on Merchant Business News. Buy, Sell, Get Informed, Negotiate and Be Happy!

[dankusner]

Dallas megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes

FACT CHECK

Snopes: AI-fueled videos spread rumors on bishop

Dallas megachurch pastor’s association with Combs assailed

Some social media videos spreading “false and unfounded rumors” about Dallas megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes in recent months were at least partially created using artificial intelligence, according to a report last week from the fact-checking website Snopes.

Several of the videos posted and shared by TikTok and YouTube users said Jakes resigned from The Potter’s House after being mentioned in a lawsuit against producer Sean “Diddy” Combs.

In reality, Jakes remains senior pastor of the church and preached at its most recent Sunday service.

One YouTube video from April has been viewed more than 845,000 times.

It uses a thumbnail falsely suggesting a news anchor broadcast the development around Jakes’ resignation during a TV segment, Snopes reported.

Snopes also concluded that the video’s script, editing and narration appear to have been done by AI tools.

Another YouTube video from the same month uses a thumbnail image that appears to be AI-generated and shows Jakes and Combs holding hands while shirtless, Snopes reported.

Combs’ hand and wrist in the image appear severely distorted, a telltale sign of AI.

Jordan Hora, director of communications for The Potter’s House, declined to comment on the Snopes report and referred instead to past statements on unsubstantiated rumors involving Jakes.

In response to a rumor that Jakes participated in “sex parties” hosted by Combs, Hora told The Christian Post in December that “recent claims circulating on pockets of social media about Bishop T.D. Jakes are unequivocally false and baseless.”

In February 2024, Jakes was mentioned once in a 73-page lawsuit against Combs but was not named as a defendant.

The suit says Combs “planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to soften the impact on his public image” in the wake of a lawsuit filed by Cassie Ventura accusing Combs of sexual and physical abuse.

Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided by federal agents in March as part of a sex trafficking investigation.

He is the subject of several lawsuits that have accused him of sexual assault and sex trafficking.

In Sunday’s service at The Potter’s House, Jakes appeared to respond to a surveillance video published by CNN last week that showed Combs assaulting Ventura at a hotel in 2016.

‘Debauchery’

“When I saw the images that have been floating all over the news all week, it became difficult to watch — the atrocious, degrading, demeaning debauchery,” he said.

“I know who it was, but I saw my daughters. As a man, I saw my daughters, and it made me angry,” he said.

At a Christmas Eve service last year at The Potter’s House, Jakes appeared to respond to the rumor about him participating in “sex parties” hosted by Combs.

“I’m not going to let the rain stop me. I’m not going to let the weather stop me. And I’m sure not going to let the liars stop me,” Jakes said.

“The worst that could happen, if everything was true, all I got to do is repent sincerely, from my heart,” he said. “There’s enough power in the blood to cover all kinds of sin. I don’t care what it is, the blood would fix it. But I ain’t got to repent about this.”

In November 2022, Jakes attended Combs’ 53rd birthday party, a representative for Jakes confirmed to The Christian Post, and video of him at the party was circulated on social media.

Past partnerships

Derrick Williams, executive vice president of entertainment at T.D. Jakes Enterprises, told The Christian Post in December 2023 that he attended Combs’ birthday party with Jakes.

“We both greeted the family, Bishop Jakes recorded a brief celebratory birthday video and left immediately to take our other scheduled meetings. Any accusation to the contrary is wholly unsubstantiated, unverified and false.”

In 2021, Jakes partnered with Revolt Media, a cable TV network co-founded by Combs, for a sermon series called “Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes.”

Combs stepped down as chair of Revolt Media in November 2023 and reportedly sold his stake in the company in March.

Jakes founded The Potter’s House in 1996 and it now has 30,000 members, according to its website.