Associated Press: Trump’s $600 million war chest: How he plans to wield his power in the midterms and beyond

Between a barrage of executive orders, foreign trips and norm-shattering proclamations, Donald Trump has also been busy raking in cash.

The president has amassed a war chest of at least $600 million in political donations heading into the midterm elections, according to three people familiar with the matter. It’s an unprecedented sum in modern politics, particularly for a lame-duck president who is barred by the U.S. Constitution from running again.

The only way for MAGA & King Donald to survive is to buy their way through the mid-term elections in 2026.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-fundraising-midterms-leverage-ccee4d19d5b41f08504370839fb36364

NSNBC: Trump isn’t cutting red tape. He’s creating more of it for average Americans.

Trump plans would make it harder to get Medicaid, register to vote and pay your taxes.

But when it comes to average Americans, the president and his allies in Congress are fine with making it harder to file your taxes, receive benefits, access government services or register to vote.

Consider a few recent examples:

• The Trump administration plans to end an IRS pilot program that allowed some taxpayers with simple returns to file their federal taxes online for free. 

• In the megabill comprising much of Trump’s first-year agenda, House Republicans are moving ahead with new work requirements to qualify for health insurance through Medicaid.

• The Trump administration developed a plan (since rescinded) to require more Americans applying for Social Security to visit offices in person to prove their identities.

• Another Republican bill would require ID such as a passport or a birth certificate to register to vote (and a marriage certificate, too, if you’re a woman who changed her name).

Let’s call this what it is: red tape — needless box-checking, form-filling and drudgery that accomplishes nothing except making it harder for Americans to get what they need.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-medicaid-social-security-red-tape-rcna207999

Associated Press: Justice Department moves to cancel police reform settlements reached with Minneapolis and Louisville

The Justice Department moved Wednesday to cancel settlements with Minneapolis and Louisville that called for an overhaul of their police departments following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that became the catalyst for nationwide racial injustice protests in the summer of 2020.

The Trump administration also announced it was retracting the findings of Justice Department investigations into six other police departments that the Biden administration had accused of civil rights violations.

But:

Police reform advocates denounced the move to walk away from the agreements, saying a lack of federal oversight will put communities at risk.

“This move isn’t just a policy reversal. It’s a moral retreat that sends a chilling message that accountability is optional when it comes to Black and Brown victims,” said the Rev Al. Sharpton, who worked with the Floyd and Taylor families to push for police accountability. “Trump’s decision to dismiss these lawsuits with prejudice solidifies a dangerous political precedent that police departments are above scrutiny, even when they’ve clearly demonstrated a failure to protect the communities they’re sworn to serve.”

Kristen Clarke, who led the Civil Rights Division under the Biden administration, defended the findings of the police investigations of her office, noting that they were “led by career attorneys, based on data, body camera footage and information provided by officers themselves.”

“To wholesale ignore and disregard these systemic violations, laid bare in well-documented and detailed public reports, shows patent disregard for our federal civil rights and the Constitution,” Clarke said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Most of these eight police departments will probably revert to their old ways, sooner rather than later. Federal intervention and supervision has been the only effect way to reform bad policing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/justice-department-moves-to-cancel-police-reform-settlements-reached-with-minneapolis-and-louisville/ar-AA1FcWMo

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

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.

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

Raw Story: Trump Justice Department appointee suggests criminal charges for Jill Biden

As the country grapples with the news that former President Joe Biden has stage four prostate cancer, the right wing made jokes and attacks that extended beyond the president.

One of those came from a President Donald Trump’s political appointee to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Leo Terrell.

Internet personality Ian Jaeger posted a photo of Dr. Jill Biden, calling her “evil” for “knowing” that her husband had health problems but still wanting him to run for the presidency.

In actuality the Bidens learned of his cancer diagnosis only 3 days before this Raw Story article went to press.

Terrell reposted it, questioning whether it qualified as “elder abuse” and if “criminal charges” should be filed against the former first lady, flagged former DOJ appointee Eric Columbus on Bluesky.

Seriously? File criminal charges against a woman for believing in and supporting her husband? Trump fanatics apparently will stop at nothing.

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-justice-department-2672134549

USA Today: In latest Trump overhaul, Justice Department may change who prosecutes public corruption

The review comes after President Donald Trump criticized the alleged ‘weaponization’ of prosecutions of public officials including him.

The Justice Department is considering moving decisions about whether to prosecute public officials such as members of Congress to regional U.S. attorney’s offices rather than at headquarters, part of President Donald Trump‘s overhaul of the department and its public corruption enforcement.

The review aims to ensure that U.S. attorneys in 94 offices nationwide share equal responsibility with headquarters officials in choosing whether to pursue public corruption cases, according to a department official speaking on background. No final decisions have been made, the department official said.

It would put these prosecutions under the control of political appointees who can quickly be replaced to do the President’s bidding, e.g. the appointment of Trump’s Bimbo #4 Alina Habba as the acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. Previously such prosecutions were managed by DOJ’s career professional staff.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/19/justice-department-public-corruption-prosecutions/83722654007

Raw Story: Marjorie Taylor Greene complains nothing gets done ‘even though we’re in charge’

Marjorie Taylor Greene said Sunday she isn’t satisfied with what Donald Trump’s administration has so far been able to accomplish.

After commenting on former President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis, the MAGA ally turned to X to talk about how little Trump’s team has been able to find out about those who tried to assassinate him.

“Thomas Crooks shot Pres Trump and we still know nothing even though we are in charge,” she wrote Sunday.

She continued, saying that “Ryan Routh tried to assassinate him and we still have not seen his trial,” before turning to a more current development. “James Comey threatens to assassinate him and publicly calls for it and he’s on his way to a best seller.”

She then added, “Trump makes a phone call to Zelensky and gets impeached. Trump says ‘go peacefully and make your voices heard’ and gets impeached again. Bannon and Navarro go to jail for refusing to show for a sham congressional subpoena, but Christopher Wray walks free for refusing to show for our congressional subpoena.”

“Don’t tell me to get outraged when nothing is done to hold these people accountable. No accountability means people stop caring,” she concluded.

Must be really difficult being one of MAGA’s biggest airheads! She just rambles from ancient history episode to another.

https://www.rawstory.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-complains-charge

Independent: Elon Musk endorses conspiracy theory around Biden’s cancer diagnosis

Musk endorsed a theory accusing the Democrats of an “evil” plan to get rid of Biden as president and to replace him with former Vice President Kamala Harris

President Donald Trump’s ally, [F’]Elon Musk, endorsed a conspiracy theory about former-President Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis in a post on X.

On Sunday night, right-wing podcast host Clint Russell took to to accuse the Democrats of forging an “evil” plan to get Biden elected into office and strategically drop out because of his diagnosis, to pave the way for Kamala Harris to take the reins.

F’Elon & King Donald are simply despicable. Just have the grace to let Biden deal with his illness peacefully.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-conspiracy-theory-biden-cancer-b2753683.html

CNN: Trump warns America’s businesses: Eat my tariffs, or pay the price

President Donald Trump is sending a stern warning to Corporate America: He will use his bully pulpit to publicly shame companies that dare to raise prices because of tariffs.

Walmart:

After Walmart last week said it would have to jack up some prices because of high costs of the global trade war, Trump on Saturday responded forcefully in a Truth Social post, demanding Walmart reverse its decision.

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump said. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

The rebuke was the White House’s third such public reprimand of a big American business that discussed the possibility of raising prices because of the steep cost of tariffs.

Amazon:

On April 29, after Amazon reportedly considered displaying an additional tariff charge next to the listed price on its Haul platform, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing held up a photo of Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos and called the move a “hostile and political act.” Trump, whom a senior official described as “pissed,” called Bezos to complain, saying the company’s founder “solved the problem very quickly.”

Amazon said that although it was considering displaying the tariff cost, the plan was ultimately not approved and “not going to happen.”

Mattel:

A week later, on May 6, Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Mattel after the Barbie and Hot Wheels maker said it would have to raise prices. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said Trump’s tariffs won’t bring toy manufacturing to America, because toys couldn’t be manufactured in America and still be sold at affordable prices.

“We don’t see that happening,” Kreiz told CNBC after Mattel warned that tariffs will increase toy prices for American consumers.

Trump fired back from the Oval Office, threatening the company and its CEO.

“We’ll put a 100% tariff on his toys, and he won’t sell one toy in the United States, and that’s their biggest market,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t wanna have him as an executive too long.”

Trump = a narcissistic bully suffering a severe case of arrested development!

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/business/trump-tariffs-price-consumers

Raleigh News & Observer: ‘Nullified’: Trump Suffers Blow in Court

A U.S. federal appeals court has temporarily blocked former President Donald Trump’s effort to end benefits from the humanitarian parole program (CHNV) for over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled that the administration did not meet the criteria for an emergency intervention to overturn a prior lower court ruling. Federal Judge Indira Talwani previously halted the cancellation of the CHNV ordered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Trump has since pushed for the Supreme Court to grant him the ability to put an end to the program.

The DHS under Trump has alleged that the CHNV program was misused. Critics argued that its cancellation violates the Immigration and Nationality Act, resulting in detrimental effects for migrants who relied on the established program.

Talwani found that the DHS’s measure did not comply with legal requirements for case-by-case reviews and ordered the reinstatement of the parole process and its associated immigration benefits. Her ruling mandated that notifications sent to individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela remain suspended pending further judicial orders.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nullified-trump-suffers-blow-in-court/ss-AA1EYz0E