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February 17, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/fbi-bca-shooting-evidence/
FBI officially refuses to give local investigators any evidence in Minneapolis shootings
The FBI is covering up the murder of these two heroes.
The FBI has officially notified Minnesota officials that it will not provide evidence from the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti to local law enforcement.
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-02-16T17:45:32Z
https://www.rawstory.com/fbi-bca-shooting-evidence/
The FBI has officially notified Minnesota officials that it will not provide evidence from the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti to local law enforcement.
In a statement on Monday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said the FBI had contacted it about three shootings by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents.
"The FBI formally notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Feb. 13 that it will not provide the BCA with access to any information or evidence that it has collected in the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti," the statement said. "The BCA reiterated the request to receive information, access to evidence, and cooperation in the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good and the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. It remains unclear if there will be any cooperation or sharing of information related to those two shootings."
"The FBI formally notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Feb. 13 that it will not provide the BCA with access to any information or evidence that it has collected in the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti," the statement said. "The BCA reiterated the request to receive information, access to evidence, and cooperation in the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good and the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. It remains unclear if there will be any cooperation or sharing of information related to those two shootings."
"While this lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented, the BCA is committed to thorough, independent and transparent investigations of these incidents, even if hampered by a lack of access to key information and evidence," the statement added. "Our agency has committed to the FBI and Department of Justice that should its stance change we remain willing to share information that we have obtained with that agency and would welcome a joint investigation. We will continue to pursue all legal avenues to gain access to relevant information and evidence."
The BCA said it would continue to investigate the shootings without the FBI's cooperation..
In a statement on Monday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said the FBI had contacted it about three shootings by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents.
"The FBI formally notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Feb. 13 that it will not provide the BCA with access to any information or evidence that it has collected in the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti," the statement said. "The BCA reiterated the request to receive information, access to evidence, and cooperation in the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good and the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. It remains unclear if there will be any cooperation or sharing of information related to those two shootings."
"The FBI formally notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Feb. 13 that it will not provide the BCA with access to any information or evidence that it has collected in the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti," the statement said. "The BCA reiterated the request to receive information, access to evidence, and cooperation in the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good and the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. It remains unclear if there will be any cooperation or sharing of information related to those two shootings."
"While this lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented, the BCA is committed to thorough, independent and transparent investigations of these incidents, even if hampered by a lack of access to key information and evidence," the statement added. "Our agency has committed to the FBI and Department of Justice that should its stance change we remain willing to share information that we have obtained with that agency and would welcome a joint investigation. We will continue to pursue all legal avenues to gain access to relevant information and evidence."
The BCA said it would continue to investigate the shootings without the FBI's cooperation..
February 17, 2026
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2675271494/
Lawyers urge federal court to stop Trump's latest 'chill on voting rights'
This lawsuit will be fun to follow. The grant of the search warrant was clearly not justified by the affidavit or filings. The magistrate who granted that search warrant gave the plaintiffs some great ammunition.
Lawyers urge federal court to stop Trump's latest 'chill on voting rights'
— Jim Swanson (@jimswanson.bsky.social) 2026-02-16T04:14:25.432Z
Lawyers filed an emergency motion on Sunday night requesting that a federal judge in Georgia stop President Donald Trump’s latest “chill on voting rights.â€
www.rawstory.com/trump-267527...
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2675271494/
Lawyers filed an emergency motion on Sunday night requesting that a federal judge in Georgia stop President Donald Trump's latest "chill on voting rights."
Earlier this month, the Trump administration dispatched FBI agents accompanied by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to raid the Fulton County, Georgia, election office. Agents took around 700 boxes of material related to the 2020 general election, including ballots, voting data, and the county's voter rolls. The warrant for the raid said the administration can turn over the documents to technical analysts who contract with the Trump team, raising concerns that the data may be used to manipulate the result of future elections.
Lawyers from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the NAACP argued in a court filing before the federal court in the Northern District of Atlanta that the raid violated their clients' civil rights. They also argued that Trump's repeated attempts to undermine U.S. elections are only "heightening the chill on registration and voting."
The lawyers also asked the court to approve an expedited review and response process for the federal government, suggesting they respond to the motion by February 24.
"These repeated efforts to access 2020 election records, including by the entity that now has custody of them, heightens concerns about the privacy and security of sensitive voter data and exacerbates the chill on voting rights," the lawyers wrote in their brief......
"This relief does not turn on the legality of the warrant or the seizure," the lawyers argued. "Rather, its justification lies in the constitutional and statutory protections for the right to vote, voter privacy, and ballot secrecy, which are fundamentally critical given the unprecedented assaults on the administration of elections."
Earlier this month, the Trump administration dispatched FBI agents accompanied by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to raid the Fulton County, Georgia, election office. Agents took around 700 boxes of material related to the 2020 general election, including ballots, voting data, and the county's voter rolls. The warrant for the raid said the administration can turn over the documents to technical analysts who contract with the Trump team, raising concerns that the data may be used to manipulate the result of future elections.
Lawyers from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the NAACP argued in a court filing before the federal court in the Northern District of Atlanta that the raid violated their clients' civil rights. They also argued that Trump's repeated attempts to undermine U.S. elections are only "heightening the chill on registration and voting."
The lawyers also asked the court to approve an expedited review and response process for the federal government, suggesting they respond to the motion by February 24.
"These repeated efforts to access 2020 election records, including by the entity that now has custody of them, heightens concerns about the privacy and security of sensitive voter data and exacerbates the chill on voting rights," the lawyers wrote in their brief......
"This relief does not turn on the legality of the warrant or the seizure," the lawyers argued. "Rather, its justification lies in the constitutional and statutory protections for the right to vote, voter privacy, and ballot secrecy, which are fundamentally critical given the unprecedented assaults on the administration of elections."
February 17, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-efforts-to-politicize-the-u-s-military-become-even-more-brazen-and-radical
MaddowBlog-Trump's efforts to politicize the U.S. military become even more brazen and radical
The more the president delivers highly partisan messages to active-duty troops, the more he targets a bedrock principle of the United States.
The more Trump hosts overtly partisan campaign-style events with active-duty troops on military bases, the more it might start to seem normal.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-16T14:16:45.102Z
But nothing about this dangerous trend should be seen as routine.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-efforts-to-politicize-the-u-s-military-become-even-more-brazen-and-radical
But the audiences aren’t always the same. When the Republican meanders his way through partisan red meat when speaking at a political rally, it’s tiresome but predictable. When he delivers the same message to active-duty military personnel, it’s a qualitatively different kind of story. The Washington Post reported:
.....“You have to vote for us,” Trump told the troops, referring to his party and the 2026 midterm elections.
There is no modern precedent for any American president engaging in such radical politicking with active-duty servicemembers, though over the last several months, it’s become a more common sight. In June, for example, Trump also spoke at Fort Bragg and treated U.S. troops like they were just another MAGA audience, even goading troops to boo Joe Biden, the free press and American elected officials whom the president doesn’t like. (A report in The Bulwark described the display as “grotesque.”)
Three months later, he did it again, summoning the nation’s generals and admirals to listen to him ramble about tariffs, the Nobel Peace Prize, his hatred for Democrats, his contempt for independent news organizations and his belief that his 2020 election defeat was “rigged.”.....
Just as notably, acknowledging the frequency with which the incumbent president takes these steps, Politico added that this is becoming “the new normal” when it comes to Trump and civil-military affairs.
The problem, however, is that this can’t become our “new normal.” An apolitical military is a foundational, bedrock principle of the United States. Partisan, ideological and electoral considerations must be utterly irrelevant to what the military is and how it functions.
It is nevertheless a principle for which Trump appears to have no use, creating an untenable dynamic. The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols recently highlighted what he described as an ongoing “civil-military crisis,” arguing, “Trump and his valet at the Defense Department, Secretary of Physical Training Pete Hegseth, are now making a dedicated run at turning the men and women of the armed forces into Trump’s personal and partisan army.”
On Friday, the president offered fresh evidence to bolster that point.
President Donald Trump’s rally on Friday followed a familiar plan: He entered to Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA,’ promoted GOP candidates, bashed his predecessor and implored the audience to vote Republican in the midterm elections. The speech ended to the thump of the Village People’s ‘Y.M.C.A.’
The setting, however, was an Army base, and the audience was in uniform.
.....“You have to vote for us,” Trump told the troops, referring to his party and the 2026 midterm elections.
There is no modern precedent for any American president engaging in such radical politicking with active-duty servicemembers, though over the last several months, it’s become a more common sight. In June, for example, Trump also spoke at Fort Bragg and treated U.S. troops like they were just another MAGA audience, even goading troops to boo Joe Biden, the free press and American elected officials whom the president doesn’t like. (A report in The Bulwark described the display as “grotesque.”)
Three months later, he did it again, summoning the nation’s generals and admirals to listen to him ramble about tariffs, the Nobel Peace Prize, his hatred for Democrats, his contempt for independent news organizations and his belief that his 2020 election defeat was “rigged.”.....
Just as notably, acknowledging the frequency with which the incumbent president takes these steps, Politico added that this is becoming “the new normal” when it comes to Trump and civil-military affairs.
The problem, however, is that this can’t become our “new normal.” An apolitical military is a foundational, bedrock principle of the United States. Partisan, ideological and electoral considerations must be utterly irrelevant to what the military is and how it functions.
It is nevertheless a principle for which Trump appears to have no use, creating an untenable dynamic. The Atlantic’s Tom Nichols recently highlighted what he described as an ongoing “civil-military crisis,” arguing, “Trump and his valet at the Defense Department, Secretary of Physical Training Pete Hegseth, are now making a dedicated run at turning the men and women of the armed forces into Trump’s personal and partisan army.”
On Friday, the president offered fresh evidence to bolster that point.
February 17, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/kristi-noem-generates-another-mess-says-dhs-is-ensuring-the-right-leaders-get-elected
MaddowBlog-Kristi Noem generates another mess, says DHS is ensuring 'the right leaders' get elected
“This is Trump’s idea of democracy: Leaders get to select their voters instead of the other way around,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said.
The idea that the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to ensure that “the right leaders†get elected is ridiculous.
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-16T13:03:02.416Z
But that’s precisely what Kristi Noem said is happening during a press conference Friday in Arizona.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/kristi-noem-generates-another-mess-says-dhs-is-ensuring-the-right-leaders-get-elected
Kris Mayes, Arizona’s Democratic state attorney general, soon after issued a written statement that accused Noem of “lying to the American people,” adding, “Arizona’s elections are safe and secure. The election deniers now staffing the Trump administration have spent the past six years lying to the American people in a deliberate effort to destroy trust in our election system. Multiple investigations, independent audits, and courts across this country have all reached the same conclusion: Voter fraud is exceedingly rare and has not played a meaningful role in the outcome of an election.”
But as part of the same press conference, where Noem pushed for a federal overhaul of state election laws, the DHS secretary went further than her party’s usual talking points.
“I would say that many people believe that it may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day, that we’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country through the days that we have, knowing that people can trust it,” Noem said.
In case this isn’t obvious, the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for helping protect U.S. election infrastructure from threats, but it has nothing to do with preventing election fraud......
Key congressional Democrats, meanwhile, were even less guarded. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for example, responded to Noem’s comments via social media, arguing, “This is Trump’s idea of democracy: leaders get to select their voters instead of the other way around.” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wasn’t pleased either.
It’s likely that the Department of Homeland Security will pitch the most benign explanation possible for the unscripted comments. But given the broader context, and the Republican administration’s unsubtle campaign targeting elections, it’s tough to give Noem the benefit of the doubt.
Indeed, the incident seemed like the latest in a series of instances in which leading GOP officials said the quiet part loud: The secretary wants to use the levers of federal power to ensure those she sees as “the right leaders” prevail in future elections, which is a power she isn’t supposed to have.
But as part of the same press conference, where Noem pushed for a federal overhaul of state election laws, the DHS secretary went further than her party’s usual talking points.
Kristi Noem: "When it gets to Election Day, we've been proactive to make sure we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-02-14T14:51:25.730Z
“I would say that many people believe that it may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day, that we’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country through the days that we have, knowing that people can trust it,” Noem said.
In case this isn’t obvious, the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for helping protect U.S. election infrastructure from threats, but it has nothing to do with preventing election fraud......
Key congressional Democrats, meanwhile, were even less guarded. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for example, responded to Noem’s comments via social media, arguing, “This is Trump’s idea of democracy: leaders get to select their voters instead of the other way around.” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wasn’t pleased either.
It’s likely that the Department of Homeland Security will pitch the most benign explanation possible for the unscripted comments. But given the broader context, and the Republican administration’s unsubtle campaign targeting elections, it’s tough to give Noem the benefit of the doubt.
Indeed, the incident seemed like the latest in a series of instances in which leading GOP officials said the quiet part loud: The secretary wants to use the levers of federal power to ensure those she sees as “the right leaders” prevail in future elections, which is a power she isn’t supposed to have.
February 15, 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/14/don-lemon-arrest-trump-administration/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzcxMDQ1MjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzcyNDI3NTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NzEwNDUyMDAsImp0aSI6IjM5MTBmNGE3LTFkODAtNGU5ZC1hNjYwLTZkMjRjZTM4NDQ2ZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS90ZWNobm9sb2d5LzIwMjYvMDIvMTQvZG9uLWxlbW9uLWFycmVzdC10cnVtcC1hZG1pbmlzdHJhdGlvbi8ifQ.0O0DVVzl9vz-ETh8jYuChcoKP41tgy9LNqVGKEdHkkE
Trump officials condemned Don Lemon. He's bigger than ever after arrest. (gift article)
The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.
Trump officials condemned Don Lemon. He’s bigger than ever after arrest.
— H. Walter Muchow (@hwm777.bsky.social) 2026-02-14T21:32:33.033Z
The administration’s attacks on Lemon and independent journalists have boosted their online attention and revenue.
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/14/don-lemon-arrest-trump-administration/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzcxMDQ1MjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzcyNDI3NTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NzEwNDUyMDAsImp0aSI6IjM5MTBmNGE3LTFkODAtNGU5ZC1hNjYwLTZkMjRjZTM4NDQ2ZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS90ZWNobm9sb2d5LzIwMjYvMDIvMTQvZG9uLWxlbW9uLWFycmVzdC10cnVtcC1hZG1pbmlzdHJhdGlvbi8ifQ.0O0DVVzl9vz-ETh8jYuChcoKP41tgy9LNqVGKEdHkkE
But in the nearly two weeks since he was taken into custody, Lemon has enjoyed a triumph of his own. A new audience galvanized by the arrest has flooded his online-media empire, earning him more than 300,000 new followers on Instagram and 140,000 new subscribers on YouTube.
His Substack business has soared 73 percent to more than 140,000 subscribers, many of whom pay $8 a month to be a part of “Lemon Nation.” His online store has even started offering a new line of merchandise: tees, stickers and $55 sweatshirts labeled “We Will Not Be Silenced.”
“I think they did not expect public sentiment to go the way it’s going,” Lemon told The Washington Post in an interview. “They elevated me when they tried to demean me and demote me.”
Lemon’s arrest cast a spotlight on the increasingly aggressive ways the Trump administration has attacked the press, from filing billion-dollar lawsuits to lobbing insults and presenting an official White House “Hall of Shame” for what it says are the worst “media offenders.”....
Lemon declined to talk about his income or company’s revenue but said he’s “very happy” with its growth. In August, he told Variety he was on pace to surpass what he was making at CNN.
Besides YouTube revenue, Lemon said the Lemon Media Network has been able to monetize through his online store, where fans, known as “Lemonheads,” are told they can support independent journalism by buying merchandise like a “Turn the TV Off” T-shirt. (The proceeds from the “We Will Not Be Silenced” collection will go to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a Lemon representative said.)
His Substack business has soared 73 percent to more than 140,000 subscribers, many of whom pay $8 a month to be a part of “Lemon Nation.” His online store has even started offering a new line of merchandise: tees, stickers and $55 sweatshirts labeled “We Will Not Be Silenced.”
“I think they did not expect public sentiment to go the way it’s going,” Lemon told The Washington Post in an interview. “They elevated me when they tried to demean me and demote me.”
Lemon’s arrest cast a spotlight on the increasingly aggressive ways the Trump administration has attacked the press, from filing billion-dollar lawsuits to lobbing insults and presenting an official White House “Hall of Shame” for what it says are the worst “media offenders.”....
Lemon declined to talk about his income or company’s revenue but said he’s “very happy” with its growth. In August, he told Variety he was on pace to surpass what he was making at CNN.
Besides YouTube revenue, Lemon said the Lemon Media Network has been able to monetize through his online store, where fans, known as “Lemonheads,” are told they can support independent journalism by buying merchandise like a “Turn the TV Off” T-shirt. (The proceeds from the “We Will Not Be Silenced” collection will go to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a Lemon representative said.)
February 15, 2026
Maddowblog-Conversation about Jared Kushner served as basis for Gabbard whistleblower complaint
New details are bringing the DNI whistleblower controversy into sharper focus.
https://x.com/AndreasBoos/status/2022483331221270927
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/conversation-about-jared-kushner-served-as-basis-for-gabbard-whistleblower-complaint
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s troubles managed to get worse early last week when The Wall Street Journal reported that an unnamed U.S. intelligence official accused the DNI of wrongdoing in a highly sensitive whistleblower complaint that was supposed to be shared with Congress....
On Thursday, one of the core details of the story also came to the fore. The Wall Street Journal reported:
....And when that same official filed a complaint that was supposed to be shared with Congress, Gabbard apparently chose a different path.
There are still other unanswered questions — we don’t know what country the foreign nationals were from or what they had to say about Kushner — but the latest revelations should probably renew the broader conversation about the president’s son-in-law and his role in the administration.
In Trump’s first term, Kushner had an almost comically broad policy portfolio, but in the wake of Trump’s defeat in 2020, his son-in-law shifted his focus away from domestic policymaking and toward international business, launching a private equity firm and picking up $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
In the president’s second term, he’s nevertheless brought Kushner back into the fold, tapping his son-in-law to serve as a special envoy, representing the White House in Russia and the Middle East — despite concerns about Kushner’s experience, skill set, potential conflicts of interest and role in the private sector.
On Thursday, one of the core details of the story also came to the fore. The Wall Street Journal reported:
The highly classified whistleblower complaint against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is related to a conversation intercepted last spring in which two foreign nationals discussed Jared Kushner, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
It couldn’t be determined which country the foreign nationals are from or what they discussed about Kushner. But the connection to Kushner sheds further light on the top-secret whistleblower complaint that bureaucratically stalled within Gabbard’s agency for eight months and was kept locked in a safe until it reached Congress in heavily redacted form last week.
....And when that same official filed a complaint that was supposed to be shared with Congress, Gabbard apparently chose a different path.
There are still other unanswered questions — we don’t know what country the foreign nationals were from or what they had to say about Kushner — but the latest revelations should probably renew the broader conversation about the president’s son-in-law and his role in the administration.
In Trump’s first term, Kushner had an almost comically broad policy portfolio, but in the wake of Trump’s defeat in 2020, his son-in-law shifted his focus away from domestic policymaking and toward international business, launching a private equity firm and picking up $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
In the president’s second term, he’s nevertheless brought Kushner back into the fold, tapping his son-in-law to serve as a special envoy, representing the White House in Russia and the Middle East — despite concerns about Kushner’s experience, skill set, potential conflicts of interest and role in the private sector.
February 15, 2026
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/its-not-just-bannon-republican-lawmakers-want-ice-agents-at-local-voting-precincts
To think that some might have a problem with this “does not make sense” is ridiculous.
MaddowBlog-It's not just Bannon: Republican lawmakers want ICE agents at local voting precincts
“There’s no reason for us to deploy to a polling facility,” the acting head of ICE said. Some GOP officials want to see it happen anyway.
#Republicans the #fascist party in the #USA It’s not just #Bannon: Republican lawmakers want #ICE agents at local voting precincts www.ms.now/rachel-maddo... #EVIL has taken over in te #US under #Trump stealing the #midterms #elections the world has to unite a against Trumps's America. #ASAP
— Pi-Qui Djinn Djinni (@pi-qui.bsky.social) 2026-02-13T21:43:48.345Z
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/its-not-just-bannon-republican-lawmakers-want-ice-agents-at-local-voting-precincts
“You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November,” Bannon said on his podcast earlier this week.....
That said, it wasn’t long before his idea gained favor among Republicans on Capitol Hill.
For example, Rep. Jason Smith, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, appeared on CNBC and said, “Why should you ban ICE from being at polling places? Because illegals aren’t supposed to vote in this America.”
The Missouri Republican said he believes that prohibiting ICE agents from patrolling local voting precincts “does not make sense.”
Around the same time, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah asked by way of social media: “If noncitizens don’t vote, then why are Democrats worried about ICE agents going anywhere near a polling location?”
If these GOP lawmakers are genuinely confused, I think I can help.
Only American citizens can register to vote and cast ballots in federal elections. Republicans have spent years trying to find evidence of a national crisis of noncitizens voting, but the party has so far come up empty, chasing a mirage....
There’s no great mystery here. Too many on the right apparently want to create an environment of fear and intimidation, deploying federal immigration agents in the hopes that it might discourage voters from minority communities, fearing harassment and possible detention, from showing up and participating in their own country’s democracy.
If lawmakers such as Smith and Lee continue to find this confusing, they could take up the matter with Todd Lyons, the acting ICE chief, who testified at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing Thursday that he didn’t see the point of what some Republicans were proposing.
“There’s no reason for us to deploy to a polling facility,” he told Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan at the hearing.
That said, it wasn’t long before his idea gained favor among Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Rep. Jason Smith: "Why should you ban ICE from being at polling places? Illegals are not supposed to vote in America. It does not make sense."
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-02-12T13:26:12.197Z
For example, Rep. Jason Smith, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, appeared on CNBC and said, “Why should you ban ICE from being at polling places? Because illegals aren’t supposed to vote in this America.”
The Missouri Republican said he believes that prohibiting ICE agents from patrolling local voting precincts “does not make sense.”
Around the same time, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah asked by way of social media: “If noncitizens don’t vote, then why are Democrats worried about ICE agents going anywhere near a polling location?”
If these GOP lawmakers are genuinely confused, I think I can help.
Only American citizens can register to vote and cast ballots in federal elections. Republicans have spent years trying to find evidence of a national crisis of noncitizens voting, but the party has so far come up empty, chasing a mirage....
There’s no great mystery here. Too many on the right apparently want to create an environment of fear and intimidation, deploying federal immigration agents in the hopes that it might discourage voters from minority communities, fearing harassment and possible detention, from showing up and participating in their own country’s democracy.
SLOTKIN: Do you believe that ICE has the authority to be deployed to polling places?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-02-12T18:13:16.625Z
LYONS: There's no reason for it
S: So if the president says he needs you to go and physically deploy around polling places, you'll say no?
L: There's no reason for us to deploy, but we do investigate voter fraud
If lawmakers such as Smith and Lee continue to find this confusing, they could take up the matter with Todd Lyons, the acting ICE chief, who testified at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing Thursday that he didn’t see the point of what some Republicans were proposing.
“There’s no reason for us to deploy to a polling facility,” he told Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan at the hearing.
To think that some might have a problem with this “does not make sense” is ridiculous.
February 15, 2026
Navalny Was Poisoned With Frog Toxin, European Governments Say (NYT Gift Subscription)
The toxin was found in the body of the Russian dissident Aleksei A. Navalny, who died in prison two years ago, five governments said, challenging Russia’s official account.
https://x.com/davidaxelrod/status/2022725245703241790
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/world/europe/russia-navalny-poison.html?unlocked_article_code=1.MFA.R4jW.xcTUGM3fevsI&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Aleksei A. Navalny was most likely poisoned by a toxin found in a South American frog, five European countries said on Saturday, making the most concrete Western accusation yet that Russia’s leading opposition figure was murdered by his government in an Arctic prison two years ago.
Samples taken from Mr. Navalny’s body showed the presence of a toxic substance, epibatidine, according to a statement released by the foreign ministries of Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
“Epibatidine is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America. It is not found naturally in Russia,” the statement read.
“Only the Russian government had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment in Russia,” it read.
The finding directly challenges Russia’s official account of Mr. Navalny’s death, which was that he died of natural causes. Instead, the statement said, the presence of a foreign toxin shows that the Russian authorities most likely killed Mr. Navalny, who was the government’s most prominent political opponent when he died in a maximum-security prison in the Russian Arctic in 2024.
It was also clear evidence that Russia has not ended its use of chemical weapons, disregarding international law, the statement added.
Samples taken from Mr. Navalny’s body showed the presence of a toxic substance, epibatidine, according to a statement released by the foreign ministries of Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
“Epibatidine is a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America. It is not found naturally in Russia,” the statement read.
“Only the Russian government had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin against Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment in Russia,” it read.
The finding directly challenges Russia’s official account of Mr. Navalny’s death, which was that he died of natural causes. Instead, the statement said, the presence of a foreign toxin shows that the Russian authorities most likely killed Mr. Navalny, who was the government’s most prominent political opponent when he died in a maximum-security prison in the Russian Arctic in 2024.
It was also clear evidence that Russia has not ended its use of chemical weapons, disregarding international law, the statement added.
February 15, 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/14/dc-public-golf-course-trump-lawsuit
Golfers sue Trump administration over public course takeover in D.C.
Some area golfers say the president’s ambitions for East Potomac Golf Links could put low-cost entry points to the game out of reach.
Golfers sue Trump administration over public course takeover in D.C.
— Helena (@gatomedianoche.bsky.social) 2026-02-15T01:21:04.126Z
Some area golfers say the president’s ambitions for East Potomac Golf Links could put low-cost entry points to the game out of reach.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/14/dc-public-golf-course-trump-lawsuit
A pair of Washington-area golfers sued the Trump administration Friday over the president’s plan to overhaul a public golf course, alleging it violated several laws and the original spirit of the park.
Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, who describe themselves as frequent patrons of East Potomac Golf Links, say the Interior Department skipped required environmental and health reviews to rush the project. The DC Preservation League, a nonprofit that advocates for protecting historic sites, joined the lawsuit, which watchdog groups and lawyers who have frequently opposed President Donald Trump’s agenda filed in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit seeks to halt the project, vacate federal approvals and block any reassignment or termination of the existing lease, pending a full review. The complaint alleges possible violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, along with the 1897 congressional act that created the park and called for it to be “forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people.”
Trump, an avid golfer, and his allies have moved to remake East Potomac Golf Links and other local public courses, arguing that they are overlooked, often worn-down and in need of attention. Last year, the Interior Department terminated the lease of National Links Trust, a nonprofit that previously managed East Potomac and two other local courses.....
The Democracy Forward Foundation, Lowell & Associates and Democracy Defenders Fund brought the lawsuit.
“We are acting to save this priceless part of our national park system from being another casualty of a reckless administration. We are honored for the partnership of our plaintiffs in fighting back against this unlawful assault on our cherished public space,” said Skye Perryman, the president and chief executive of Democracy Forward.
Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, who describe themselves as frequent patrons of East Potomac Golf Links, say the Interior Department skipped required environmental and health reviews to rush the project. The DC Preservation League, a nonprofit that advocates for protecting historic sites, joined the lawsuit, which watchdog groups and lawyers who have frequently opposed President Donald Trump’s agenda filed in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit seeks to halt the project, vacate federal approvals and block any reassignment or termination of the existing lease, pending a full review. The complaint alleges possible violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, along with the 1897 congressional act that created the park and called for it to be “forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people.”
Trump, an avid golfer, and his allies have moved to remake East Potomac Golf Links and other local public courses, arguing that they are overlooked, often worn-down and in need of attention. Last year, the Interior Department terminated the lease of National Links Trust, a nonprofit that previously managed East Potomac and two other local courses.....
The Democracy Forward Foundation, Lowell & Associates and Democracy Defenders Fund brought the lawsuit.
“We are acting to save this priceless part of our national park system from being another casualty of a reckless administration. We are honored for the partnership of our plaintiffs in fighting back against this unlawful assault on our cherished public space,” said Skye Perryman, the president and chief executive of Democracy Forward.
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