Pablo Torre on Bad Bunny's Radical Joy; the failure to support survivors; the Atlantic shame gap; unchallenged systemic racism; the resilience of the Latino community; & a special Live "Talking Feds"
The AP has reported that Maxwell was sent to Florida to a cozy low-security prison camp in Texas last summer after she participated in two-days of interviews by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. It does not appear that at any time during those 2 days that she invoked her 5th Amendment rights.
We all recall that Todd Blanche was Donald Trump’s former personal unsuccessful attorney in Trump’s New York trial after which the jury convicted him of multiple felonies. Blanche is now Trump's Deputy Attorney General and obviously still representing Trump regardless of whatever hat Trump may be wearing at the time. Let's remember that Attorney General Bondi refused to disclose the conversations she had with Trump about Epstein because Trump is her client and that her conversations with him are protected by the attorney/client privilege.
Well, Trump is also the client of her Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche who is now supposedly interviewing Maxwell for 2 days on behalf of his client the President of the United States about his other client Donald J. Trump. Such a gross and blatant conflict of interest would offend the morals of every law student in the country.
Returning to Blanche's interview of Maxwell last summer for 2 full days, she obviously did not invoke her 5th Amendment rights, and Blanche was eager to release the transcript of Maxwell's statement to him that “I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”
It probably took days to legally craft the statement that she "never actually saw" or "witnessed" Blanche's clients, Donald J. Trump as the President of the United States and Donald J. Trump as his personal client, rape, molest, fondle, abuse or engage in sexual activity or other such conduct, as if Trump would have invited her to a be a spectator in the front row.
Blanche's conflict of interest in this and similar matters in which he was simultaneously acting on behalf of Trump personally and as the President to the detriment of the American people would clearly warrant the referrals of these conflicts to his bar associations for disbarment proceedings.
Which brings us up to date. Why is Maxwell now invoking her 5th Amendment rights and claiming that she is only willing to waive these rights if Trump grants her a pardon?
First of all, it may be argued that she did in fact already waive her 5th Amendment rights by spending 2 full days supposedly answering Blanche's questions last summer without invoking her 5th Amendment rights. If so, she could be held in Contempt of Congress by refusing to answer their questions if she has already waived her 5th Amendment rights.
If Trump does in fact grant her a pardon, I believe that the country would be outraged by allowing her to go free after the destruction of so many lives of young women committed by Epstein and Maxwell as his pimp.
If an association with Jeffrey Epstein means someone enabled a pedophile even though they didn’t directly participate in the salacious activities of that dirt bag then they should fall as far into the abyss at every single turn. Anyone in a high place or a lofty position should completely crash and burn. This includes every politician and every business person because your foundation is built on a house of cards.
The Eliza Orlins video from last week was absolutely sickening. What was done to that child is beyond my comprehension. Fighting back nausea and tears .😭
Fabulous! Y’all bring me the Light here in Minnesota. You keep bolstering my flagging spirit…transmitting succor and hope through the power of your very beings. I love yous! ❤️💕
I'm not a football fan, so I didn't watch the Superb Owl, although having adopted Seattle as my "hometown," I was happy for them. I learned radical joy from the Grateful Dead, and very happy to see the concept passed on. It stays with you and changes your life. Maybe I'll become a Bunnyhead? Possible.
NFL chose Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show & not some clownish suck up to the Chosen One like Kid Rock. But hey Kid Rock may still be entertainment for some...enjoy. Most of us enjoyed Bad Bunny enjoyed Bad Bunny (138 Mil, more than 30x more than watched the right wing alternative): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZbfgIZfnw
Resist MAGA gangster grifter authoritarianism! Vote Sane. #VoteBlue!
ICE detainees no longer have due process rights in Texas and Louisiana. The 5th Circuit is the most conservative, pro-tRump appellate court but it is well aligned with the current SCOTUS. This means that US Citizens detained in these facilities also lose their due process rights to prove their citizenship and can be detained indefinitely without access to legal representation or even a phone call to let someone outside the hell hole begin the advocacy process. It is now abundantly clear that either everyone has full due process rights or no one does, because any exception will result in the entire population being pushed into that exception. This is how the judiciary can void the constitution.
Fifth Circuit Ruling on ICE Detention
[AI generated except for square bracketed text]
Overview of the Decision
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld a policy from the Trump administration that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants without providing them the opportunity for bond hearings during removal proceedings. This ruling represents a significant shift in immigration enforcement practices.
Key Points of the Ruling
• Mandatory Detention: The court ruled that all NONCITIZENS who entered the U.S. without legal admission can be detained without bond while their cases are processed. This includes individuals who have lived in the U.S. for years.
[How does ICE know someone is a noncitizen? Answer: They don't have to know; they only need to make the assertion, and now that assertion cannot be challenged.]
• No Bond Hearings: The decision reverses a long-standing interpretation of immigration law that allowed many immigrants to request bond hearings. Now, those deemed "applicants for admission" are not eligible for such hearings.
• Judicial Review Limitations: The ruling also restricts the ability of detainees to challenge their detention through habeas corpus petitions, making it harder for them to seek judicial relief.
Implications
This ruling could affect thousands of immigrants, particularly in states under the Fifth Circuit's jurisdiction, such as Texas and Louisiana. Legal experts warn that this could lead to longer detention periods and increased challenges for immigrants seeking to contest their detention. The decision may also set the stage for further appeals, potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court for a final determination.
TRUMP & MAXWELL: CAN THEY RESCUE EACH OTHER?
The AP has reported that Maxwell was sent to Florida to a cozy low-security prison camp in Texas last summer after she participated in two-days of interviews by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. It does not appear that at any time during those 2 days that she invoked her 5th Amendment rights.
We all recall that Todd Blanche was Donald Trump’s former personal unsuccessful attorney in Trump’s New York trial after which the jury convicted him of multiple felonies. Blanche is now Trump's Deputy Attorney General and obviously still representing Trump regardless of whatever hat Trump may be wearing at the time. Let's remember that Attorney General Bondi refused to disclose the conversations she had with Trump about Epstein because Trump is her client and that her conversations with him are protected by the attorney/client privilege.
Well, Trump is also the client of her Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche who is now supposedly interviewing Maxwell for 2 days on behalf of his client the President of the United States about his other client Donald J. Trump. Such a gross and blatant conflict of interest would offend the morals of every law student in the country.
Returning to Blanche's interview of Maxwell last summer for 2 full days, she obviously did not invoke her 5th Amendment rights, and Blanche was eager to release the transcript of Maxwell's statement to him that “I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way. The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”
It probably took days to legally craft the statement that she "never actually saw" or "witnessed" Blanche's clients, Donald J. Trump as the President of the United States and Donald J. Trump as his personal client, rape, molest, fondle, abuse or engage in sexual activity or other such conduct, as if Trump would have invited her to a be a spectator in the front row.
Blanche's conflict of interest in this and similar matters in which he was simultaneously acting on behalf of Trump personally and as the President to the detriment of the American people would clearly warrant the referrals of these conflicts to his bar associations for disbarment proceedings.
Which brings us up to date. Why is Maxwell now invoking her 5th Amendment rights and claiming that she is only willing to waive these rights if Trump grants her a pardon?
First of all, it may be argued that she did in fact already waive her 5th Amendment rights by spending 2 full days supposedly answering Blanche's questions last summer without invoking her 5th Amendment rights. If so, she could be held in Contempt of Congress by refusing to answer their questions if she has already waived her 5th Amendment rights.
If Trump does in fact grant her a pardon, I believe that the country would be outraged by allowing her to go free after the destruction of so many lives of young women committed by Epstein and Maxwell as his pimp.
I'll give you the scenario from the blanche visit to that horrible woman.
So blanche enters the room and asks maxwell: "Have you ever seen drump doing something horrible when visiting epstein?"
The maxwell woman: "Well, he was always around..."
The blanche: "No, no, no... we'll start again".
And he asks the same question.
The maxwell woman: "I saw him only a couple of times...."
The blanche again: "No, wrong again! We'll restart!"
And he asks the same question.
The maxwell woman: "No, I never saw drump anywhere near epstein!"
The blanche: "GOOD! I conclude my "interview" and I predict that you'll be traveling to a Texan holiday prison!"
If an association with Jeffrey Epstein means someone enabled a pedophile even though they didn’t directly participate in the salacious activities of that dirt bag then they should fall as far into the abyss at every single turn. Anyone in a high place or a lofty position should completely crash and burn. This includes every politician and every business person because your foundation is built on a house of cards.
The Eliza Orlins video from last week was absolutely sickening. What was done to that child is beyond my comprehension. Fighting back nausea and tears .😭
Fabulous! Y’all bring me the Light here in Minnesota. You keep bolstering my flagging spirit…transmitting succor and hope through the power of your very beings. I love yous! ❤️💕
I'm not a football fan, so I didn't watch the Superb Owl, although having adopted Seattle as my "hometown," I was happy for them. I learned radical joy from the Grateful Dead, and very happy to see the concept passed on. It stays with you and changes your life. Maybe I'll become a Bunnyhead? Possible.
If You Hate Bad Bunny, I Have Bad News for You: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/opinion/bad-bunny-super-bowl.html?smid=url-share NYT 2/8/26
NFL chose Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show & not some clownish suck up to the Chosen One like Kid Rock. But hey Kid Rock may still be entertainment for some...enjoy. Most of us enjoyed Bad Bunny enjoyed Bad Bunny (138 Mil, more than 30x more than watched the right wing alternative): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZbfgIZfnw
Resist MAGA gangster grifter authoritarianism! Vote Sane. #VoteBlue!
ICE detainees no longer have due process rights in Texas and Louisiana. The 5th Circuit is the most conservative, pro-tRump appellate court but it is well aligned with the current SCOTUS. This means that US Citizens detained in these facilities also lose their due process rights to prove their citizenship and can be detained indefinitely without access to legal representation or even a phone call to let someone outside the hell hole begin the advocacy process. It is now abundantly clear that either everyone has full due process rights or no one does, because any exception will result in the entire population being pushed into that exception. This is how the judiciary can void the constitution.
Fifth Circuit Ruling on ICE Detention
[AI generated except for square bracketed text]
Overview of the Decision
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld a policy from the Trump administration that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants without providing them the opportunity for bond hearings during removal proceedings. This ruling represents a significant shift in immigration enforcement practices.
Key Points of the Ruling
• Mandatory Detention: The court ruled that all NONCITIZENS who entered the U.S. without legal admission can be detained without bond while their cases are processed. This includes individuals who have lived in the U.S. for years.
[How does ICE know someone is a noncitizen? Answer: They don't have to know; they only need to make the assertion, and now that assertion cannot be challenged.]
• No Bond Hearings: The decision reverses a long-standing interpretation of immigration law that allowed many immigrants to request bond hearings. Now, those deemed "applicants for admission" are not eligible for such hearings.
• Judicial Review Limitations: The ruling also restricts the ability of detainees to challenge their detention through habeas corpus petitions, making it harder for them to seek judicial relief.
Implications
This ruling could affect thousands of immigrants, particularly in states under the Fifth Circuit's jurisdiction, such as Texas and Louisiana. Legal experts warn that this could lead to longer detention periods and increased challenges for immigrants seeking to contest their detention. The decision may also set the stage for further appeals, potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court for a final determination.