Tag Archives: New Jersey

MSNBC: The charges against Rep. McIver aren’t about assault. They’re about intimidation.

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The Trump administration wants to see how far it can go in silencing dissent.

Earlier this week, the Department of Justice took the unusual step of filing federal charges against Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver, alleging that she assaulted federal law enforcement officers during a protest outside an immigration detention facility. (McIver has denied wrongdoing and called the charges “purely political.”)

Let’s get something straight: what’s happening to McIver is not about law and order. It’s not about whether she assaulted a federal agent or obstructed justice. It’s about the federal government weaponizing its power to intimidate those who dare to push back — and, in this instance, against Black women in positions of authority.

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Under a recent law, members of Congress have a legal right to show up to conduct oversight of federal detention facilities without prior notice.

But President Donald Trump’s administration doesn’t see this as public servants doing their jobs. It sees a threat to its claims to be free from oversight, whether that’s from Congress, the courts or the media.

…

This is not just about McIver, though. And it is not just about race —though that is central. What’s happening to her should send a chill down the spine of every elected official — Democrat or Republican, Black, white, or otherwise.

Because this isn’t isolated; this is an escalation.

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Trump wants to send a message to silence dissent, criminalize opposition and remind all of us that we are not safe under his regime. That if we stand up, we may pay the price.

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Because Trump is just getting started.

Opinion | Trump is trying to intimidate Congress one member at a time
The Trump administration wants to see how far it can go in silencing dissent.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/lamonica-mciver-criminal-charges-trump-ice-rcna207996

MSNBC: Trump admin regulators launch investigation into Media Matters, adding to pattern

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If it seems as if there have been a lot of new federal investigations into Democrats and their allies lately, it’s not your imagination.

But it’s important to remember that many of the White House’s political antagonists are, in fact, facing the kind of investigations that Trump has in mind. The New York Times reported:

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday opened an investigation into Media Matters, a liberal advocacy organization that has published research on hateful and antisemitic content on X, according to two people familiar with the inquiry. The regulator said in a letter sent to the organization that it was investigating the group, which is aligned with Democrats, over whether it illegally colluded with advertisers, according to the people.

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The public has learned in recent weeks that the administration — led by a president whose second-term “revenge tour” has been unsubtle — is also investigating and/or prosecuting a variety of Democratic officials and candidates, including Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

This dovetails with the president directing the Justice Department to go after Christopher Krebs, who led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; which came on the heels of Trump pressing the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Miles Taylor, a former high-ranking DHS official. The president did this not because there’s evidence of Krebs or Taylor having done anything wrong, but because they defied him several years ago. They went on his enemies list, and now he’s exacting revenge.

Around the same time, Trump also directed the Justice Department to investigate ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s most important fundraising platform.

And did I mention the investigation into former FBI director James Comey? Because that’s underway, too.

Trump and his team are also going after law firms, universities and news organizations they consider political foes of the White House.

What’s more, given Ed Martin’s new responsibilities at the Justice Department, this overtly and abusive partisan pattern is likely to intensify.

So Trump hates everybody?

Axios recently noted, “In the final days of the 2024 campaign, Axios identified a list of perceived adversaries who fit what Trump ominously described as ‘the enemies from within.’ As president, he has taken steps to retaliate against virtually all of them.” That was two months ago. The problem is vastly worse now, and there’s no reason to believe conditions will improve anytime soon.

Trump admin regulators launch investigation into Media Matters, adding to pattern
If it seems as if there have been a lot of new federal investigations into Democrats and their allies lately, it’s not your imagination.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-admin-regulators-launch-investigation-media-matters-adding-patte-rcna208780

Fortune: Influencer who attended Trump’s memecoin dinner says he got a ‘Walmart steak’—and no access to the president

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Nicholas Pinto, a 25-year-old social media influencer, accumulated more than $360,000 in President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency to attend an “unforgettable Gala DINNER” with the commander-in-chief. The food, though, was forgettable. “Trash,” Pinto texted Fortune during the banquet. “Walmart steak, man.”

The menu included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut. “Everyone at my table was saying the food was some of the worst food that they ever had,” said Pinto after the meal.

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Was the price tag worth it? “I was hoping for either Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto said, referring to the president’s well-known taste for McDonald’s. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

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Pinto was still hungry after the underwhelming meal. “The only good part,” he told Fortune, “[was] the bread and the butter.”

Pinto must not have bought enough of King Donald’s crypto, clearly not enough to qualify for the White House tour. Poor baby.

Influencer who attended Trump’s memecoin dinner says he got a ‘Walmart steak’—and no access to the president

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/influencer-who-attended-trump-s-memecoin-dinner-says-he-got-a-walmart-steak-and-no-access-to-the-president/ar-AA1FmsvQ

Daily Mail: Alina [Bimbo #4] Habba fires back after liberal mayor caught on hot mic insulting her pro-Trump team

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After a hearing on Wednesday, Baraka was caught on hot mic saying of the judge: ‘Jesus, he tore these people a new a–hole. Good grief.’

U.S Magistrate Judge André Espinosa lambasted Trump’s prosecutors for the misdemeanor charges against Baraka and said at the virtual hearing.

‘An arrest of a public figure is not a preliminary investigative tool. It is a severe action,’ he said.

Habba told the Daily Mail that the case was dismissed due to prosecutorial discretion.

“Prosecutorial discretion” = stupid prosecutor Alina “Bimbo #4” Habba knew she was about to get her ass handed to her on a platter, so she dropped the charges so as to avoid any further embarassment.

However, continuing the prosecution of Congresswoman Rep. LaMonica McIver is going to boomerang even more badly. 😀

Alina Habba fires back after NJ mayor caught on hot mic insulting her
Alina Habba isn’t worried about Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s derogatory comments toward her legal team after she dropped charges against him.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14740513/alina-habba-reacts-newark-mayor-ras-baraka-insult.html

MSNBC: Following vote from Senate Republicans, another ex-con joins Team Trump

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It’s not common for people to transition from prison to a diplomatic position in Paris, but in Trump world, strange things happen.

Two weeks after Election Day 2024, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama assured the public that Donald Trump wouldn’t choose “a criminal” for a governmental position. About a week later, the then-president-elect tapped Peter Navarro, who completed a prison sentence earlier this year after being convicted for contempt of Congress, for an advisory post at the White House.

Trump also announced his intention to nominate Charles Kushner — despite his own criminal past — to serve as the U.S. ambassador to France. As NBC News reported, the Senate has now confirmed Kushner to the post.

Seriously, folks, who’s the biggest crook here?

  1. Peter Navarro, convicted of 2 counts of contempt of Congress.
  2. Charles Kushner, pleaded guilty 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering
  3. King Donald, convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records.

King Donald is the hands down winner!

Navarro & Kushner are petty crooks compared to the King!!!

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/vote-senate-republicans-another-ex-con-joins-team-trump-rcna207957

MSNBC: Something is amiss with DOJ’s decision to charge New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver

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What people should know about the federal charges brought against McIver following an incident at a Newark ICE detention facility.

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., a sitting member of Congress, was released on her own recognizance following a Wednesday hearing. She faces federal charges in connection with the assault of federal law enforcement officers outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. That she was arrested on these charges is rare, and perhaps without a historical analog. In the few instances in which the federal government has pursued charges against a current member of Congress, it is typically for a crime related to political corruption.

There’s little question, per video footage from the May 9 incident, that McIver was in the middle of a scrum of people seeking to stop the arrest of Newark’s mayor, Ras J. Baraka, and enter the ICE facility. As a sitting member of Congress, McIver has the legal right to enter the facility, although she — of course — does not have the right to assault federal officers on the way in. 

But what people should know is that something is amiss with the decision to charge McIver. Before bringing charges against a sitting member of Congress, current, but paused, Department of Justice rules dictate that federal prosecutors confer with the Public Integrity Section. In addition, that section is supposed to sign off before charges are filled.  

But apparently none of that happened.

Opinion | The chilling problem with the decision to charge New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver
What people should know about the federal charges brought against McIver following an incident at a Newark ICE detention facility.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/new-jersey-lamonica-mciver-federal-charges-rcna207794

Raw Story: ‘Partisan hack’: Top House Dem tears into Trump DOJ prosecutor

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The top Democrat in the House took a swipe at Alina [“Bimbo #4”] Habba, the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, after she announced plans to charge a sitting member of Congress with assault.

Habba has held high-profile roles but had no prior prosecutorial experience and limited federal court experience prior to her appointment as interim U.S. attorney in March. On Monday, she sparked fierce backlash for charging Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) with assault during a congressional visit to a federal immigration detention center in Newark.

And on Wednesday’s Alina “Bimbo #4” Habbas ridiculous charges against the mayor of Newark were dismissed with prejudice.

But House Minority Hakeem Jeffries gave a more blunt assessment of Trump’s acting attorney.

“Alina [“Bimbo #4”] Habba is a partisan hack and Trump lackey who will never be confirmed as a United States Attorney,” he chided on X on Tuesday evening.

That post came hours after he and other House Democratic leaders said in a shared statement that the charge was “extreme, morally bankrupt and lacks any basis in law or fact.”

‘Partisan hack’: Top House Dem tears into Trump DOJ prosecutor

https://www.rawstory.com/alina-habba-2672172937

NJ.com: Judge chides feds in dismissing ICE trespassing charge against Newark mayor

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A federal judge in Newark on Wednesday agreed to dismiss trespassing charges against Mayor Ras J. Baraka, chiding the federal prosecutors he said had filed the charges in a “worrisome” rush.

U.S. Magistrate Judge André Espinosa granted a motion for dismissal from the acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, during a hearing in the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Courthouse, two blocks from Baraka’s office at Newark City Hall.

At the request of Habba’s office, Espinosa dismissed the charge “with prejudice,” meaning the case cannot be reopened.

But Espinosa harshly criticized federal authorities for acting with speed over caution.

“The hasty arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka followed swiftly by the dismissal of these trespassing charges a mere 13 days later suggests a worrisome misstep by your office,” Espinosa told Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Demanovich, whose boss, Habba, was not in court. “An arrest, particularly of a public figure, is not a preliminary investigative tool. It is a severe action, carrying significant reputational and personal consequences, and it should only be undertaken after a thorough, dispassionate evaluation of credible evidence.”

Espinosa, who addressed the parties remotely and not face-to-face in a courtroom, added that the conduct of the case was in sharp contrast to the stellar reputation of New Jersey’s U.S. attorney’s office over the past two decades.

What were you expecting when the U.S. Attorney with the stellar reputation was replaced by one of Trump’s loyal and not-particularly-bright sycophants, Alina “Bimbo #4” Habba?

“The apparent rush in this case, culminating today in the embarrassing retraction of charges, suggests a failure to adequately investigate, to carefully gather facts, and to carefully consider the implications of your actions before wielding your immense power.”

That criticisim applies equally well to all four of Trumps pathetic bimbos, not only Alina “Bimbo #4” Habba, but also Karoline “Bimbo #1” Leavitt, Kristi “Bimbo #2” Noem, and Pam “Bimbo #3” Bondi, each of whom is dumber than a rock, with all due respect to rocks.

Click the link below to read the rest of the judge’s scathing comments.

Judge chides feds in dismissing ICE trespassing charge against Newark mayor
Mayor Ras J. Baraka was arrested May 9 outside an immigrant detention center, though federal prosecutors later decided to drop the charges.

https://www.nj.com/essex/2025/05/judge-chides-feds-in-dismissing-ice-trespassing-charge-against-newark-mayor.html

Knews: AOC Rips ‘Anti-American’ Trump Over Democratic Arrests

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) criticized President Donald Trump and his administration for being “anti-American” following a confrontation involving Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Democratic lawmakers at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Baraka was accused for trespassing and released after arrest. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused New Jersey Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Robert Menendez of trespassing and assaulting ICE agents.

Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said, “If anyone’s breaking the law in this situation, it’s not members of Congress, it’s the Department of Homeland Security. It’s people like Tom Homan and Secretary Kristi Noem.” She added, “You lay a finger on someone, on Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman … or any of the representatives that were there, you lay a finger on them, we are going to have a problem. Because the people who are breaking the law are the people not abiding by it.”

AOC Rips ‘Anti-American’ Trump Over Democratic Arrests
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/aoc-rips-anti-american-trump-over-democratic-arrests/ss-AA1F5sac

Miami Herald: Multiple Democrats Under Investigation — DHS Accused of ‘Lying’

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A confrontation at the Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey may lead to criminal charges against several House Democrats. The incident has prompted an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into alleged assaults on ICE officers during a protest at the facility. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing after ignoring warnings to leave the premises.

I’ve watched the video of the “assaults”. It was the mayor and House representatives who were assaulted by ICE thugs outside the premises.

Multiple Democrats Under Investigation — DHS Accused of ‘Lying’
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/multiple-democrats-under-investigation-dhs-accused-of-lying/ss-AA1F6an4