Welcome to the Sh*tshow: Extremists, Grifters, and Congress on Autopilot
S.S. MAGA Titanic
FBI No. 2 Dan Bongino Announces Resignation — A Shift in Law Enforcement’s Power Center
FBI Deputy Director **Dan Bongino — once a conservative media personality turned senior law-enforcement official — has announced he plans to resign next month, according to reporting. The departure of the Bureau’s second-in-command comes at a moment of intense political pressure on federal law enforcement, with right-wing attacks over prosecutions, investigations, and claims of bias. Bongino’s tenure was marked by controversy from both sides of the aisle: praised by some as a bulwark against political interference and derided by others for political rhetoric he carried into office. His coming exit reshapes the FBI’s leadership team and raises questions about how the Bureau will navigate ongoing investigations into domestic extremism, threats to democracy, and high-profile political prosecutions in a hyper-polarized environment. Resistance Kitty readers should watch how this transition affects DOJ and FBI priorities — especially as pressure mounts from lawmakers seeking to curb or weaponize federal enforcement for political ends.
Courts
Court Blocks Michigan Ban on Conversion Therapy — Citing “Free Speech” Grounds
In a startling decision with serious consequences for LGBTQ+ rights, a federal judge has blocked Michigan’s law banning conversion therapy, saying the state’s prohibition infringed on free speech protections. The ruling didn’t focus on the deep, well-documented harms of conversion therapy — which major medical groups call abusive and dangerous — but instead framed the ban as a restriction on what therapists are allowed to say. That legal logic effectively prioritizes the speech rights of those practicing conversion therapy over the safety and dignity of queer youth who were meant to be protected. The decision leaves activists, LGBTQ+ families, and mental health advocates reeling, and underscores the uphill battle for meaningful legal protections in the courts even when the science and human cost are clear. Resistance Kitty readers should see this for what it is: a judicial win for extremists masquerading as free-speech defenders, at the expense of vulnerable communities who deserve real protection — not loopholes.
America’s Gestapo
DHS Fast-Tracks Nearly $1 Billion Contract to Trump Donor’s Company — Questions of Favoritism Follow
The Department of Homeland Security quietly fast-tracked a nearly $1 billion federal contract to Salus Worldwide Solutions, a company led by a prominent donor to a pro-Trump nonprofit — even though the firm had no prior federal contracting experience and was incorporated only in 2023. The deal, part of the administration’s controversial Project Homecoming migrant policy, triggered a lawsuit from a competing bidder that alleges nonpublic information was shared with Salus during the bidding process, raising red flags about insider access and political favoritism. DHS has since launched an internal review and shifted the procurement toward a limited competitive bid, but the optics are stark: big money being steered to well-connected firms while transparency and fair competition are sidelined. Republican appointees with ties to the same circles have also been involved in awarding additional multi-million-dollar contracts to companies linked to allied donors, prompting concern from congressional Democrats and watchdogs alike.
Department of Injustice
Prosecutors Tried — and Failed — to Add a Third Felony Charge Against NY AG Letitia James
In the latest twist of what has become a political justice spectacle, federal prosecutors tried and failed to tack a third felony charge onto the indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James — a rare misstep underscoring how weak this case actually is. Court filings show the Justice Department proposed adding another serious count, only to drop it amidst mounting legal pushback and two grand juries already refusing to indict James after a judge threw out the initial charges. The indictments stem from allegations she misrepresented information on a mortgage application — a claim so thin that even back-to-back grand juries in Virginia wouldn’t sign off on it. Critics across the legal spectrum have blasted the prosecution as politically motivated, tied to President Trump’s public campaign against James after she successfully sued him and his business interests. Instead of justice, this saga looks increasingly like a vendetta packaged as law enforcement — and another blow to the credibility of an already politicized Department of Justice.
Cheeto Von Schitzenpantz
Trump Media and TAE Technologies Announce $6 Billion Merger — What’s Really Behind the Headlines?
In a splashy business announcement, Trump Media & Technology Group — the social-media outfit tied to former President Donald Trump — revealed a $6 billion deal to merge with clean-energy firm TAE Technologies, the company behind the FLAG fusion experiment. The headline paints a picture of big innovation and blockbuster cash — but a closer look shows this merger is as political as it is financial. Investors and analysts warn that the economics don’t yet match the hype: fusion power remains decades from commercialization, and Trump Media has seen shaky traffic, mounting losses, and regulatory skepticism. Critics argue the deal could be a speculative bet propped up by political branding, funneling capital toward an unproven energy tech in a way that blurs the line between hype, ideology, and real innovation.
This isn’t just a business story — it’s another example of how political celebrity and market narratives can distort real economic value, potentially leading everyday investors into high-risk ventures dressed up in MAGA colors. Resistance Kitty readers should watch beyond the surface: when politics and big money mix without accountability, regular people too often take the risk while the insiders keep the upside.
Trump Commutes Fraudster’s Sentence Days After He Reports to Prison
In a move that has critics howling, President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of David Gentile, a former private equity executive convicted of running a massive $1.6 billion investment fraud that ruined thousands of investors — just days after Gentile reported to federal prison to begin a seven-year term. Gentile’s sentence was cut to time served with no fines, restitution, probation, or conditions, freeing him nearly immediately. The decision underscores the pattern of executive clemency being used to pull powerful or well-connected defendants out of long sentences, even in clear cases of fraud and investor harm. While the White House defended the action on technical grounds, victims and watchdogs say it’s a stark example of justice tilted toward the wealthy and connected at the expense of everyday Americans left holding the bag.
Doctor Sounds Alarm After Trump, 79, Gives ‘Manic’ Primetime Address
A national address meant to reassure the public instead sparked alarm from medical experts who watched President Trump’s rapid-fire, 18-minute speech with growing concern. Dr. Jonathan Reiner — a cardiologist and long-time physician to a former VP — described the delivery as “manic”, noting Trump’s agitated pace and angry tone against a backdrop meant to be festive. Reiner and other commentators questioned the White House’s vague explanations of recent health checks, including an unusual “preventative MRI,” and warned that the defensive messaging only fuels worry about the 79-year-old leader’s condition. Critics across the media spectrum said the speech felt frantic, disconnected from everyday American struggles, and out of step with the tone expected from the nation’s top office.
Trump’s Defamation Lawsuit Just Opened a Pandora’s Box for His 2024 Campaign
Donald Trump’s latest legal offensive — a defamation lawsuit tied to the 2020 election fallout — isn’t just another courtroom headline. As Allen Analysis breaks down, this suit cracks open legal liability in ways that could drag Trump’s campaign deep into discovery, expose internal strategy communications, and potentially unearth evidence that campaign allies worked to subvert the vote. Instead of a simple revenge filing, what the former president aimed at his critics now risks becoming a legal snare — because once discovery starts, nothing stays buried. Opposing lawyers can demand documents, depositions, and testimony, unlocking parts of the campaign playbook that Trump would rather keep private. This lawsuit might’ve been intended to score political points, but it could end up scoring legal headaches that reshape the 2024 narrative.
Trump’s New “Trump Phone” Is Just a Refurbished Android — And the Price Tag Is Worthy of the Con
In a predictable swirl of marketing over substance, the so-called Trump Mobile — billed as the “Trump Phone” — has launched with all the fanfare of a carnival barker and none of the novelty it promises. Despite ads hyping it as a bold new tech statement, it’s essentially a refurbished Android device slapped with a MAGA logo and sold at a premium. The Independent reports that the hardware itself isn’t new, the specs aren’t competitive, and critics are calling the whole thing a cash grab wrapped in political branding rather than any real innovation. Supporters willing to pay more for a glorified rebrand are exactly the target market — but the rest of the world is left asking why anyone would fork over big money for a warmed-over phone with nationalist messaging. It’s another reminder that in this political moment the product often is the politics — and sometimes the politics are just a way to sell you average tech at above-average prices.
Congress and Senate
House Passes GOP Health Care Bill — Strips Out Obamacare Subsidy Extensions, Leaving Millions in the Lurch
In a major setback for affordable health care, the House passed a Republican-led health care bill that ditched extensions of Obamacare subsidies — a change that could leave millions of Americans facing higher premiums and less coverage. Instead of building on existing protections that have helped lower costs for working families, GOP lawmakers chose to strip out the subsidy extensions and push through a scaled-back plan with limited safety nets. Critics warn this move isn’t just policy tinkering; it actively shifts costs onto ordinary people while failing to provide clear alternatives. Supporters frame it as fiscal responsibility, but for many families already struggling with medical debt, skyrocketing prescription prices, and a patchwork insurance market, this vote feels like a betrayal. Resistance Kitty readers should be clear: health care isn’t a bargaining chip — it’s a life-and-death issue for millions, and lawmakers who vote to undermine access need to answer to voters.
Seven Democrats Joined Republicans to Pass a Bill With a Perversion Clause That Harms Immigrants
In a stunning example of how politics as usual betrays values and voters alike, seven House Democrats voted with Republicans on immigration legislation that includes a deeply problematic provision critics call a “perversion clause” — effectively making consensual intimacy a potential barrier to citizenship for migrants. The Migrant Insider analysis highlights how this language was slipped into the broader bill, despite serious concerns from immigrant advocates that it could be used to criminalize normal relationships and punish survivors of abuse. Democratic votes for the measure — often justified as a compromise to secure other priorities — instead spotlight how too many lawmakers are willing to trade human rights for political cover. Resistance Kitty readers should be clear: when lawmakers sign onto legislation that weaponizes morality tests against immigrants, it’s not reform — it’s a betrayal. Hold them accountable.
Jack Smith Testifies Before House on DOJ Independence — Republicans Launch Predictable Smear Campaign
Special Counsel Jack Smith testified before the House Judiciary Committee, defending the Department of Justice’s independence and integrity amid unprecedented political attacks. During pointed questioning, Smith stressed that prosecutorial decisions — including those involving former President Trump — are based on evidence and law, not politics. Unsurprisingly, Republican committee members seized the moment to level familiar attacks, trying to paint the investigation as politically motivated — a narrative that falls apart under scrutiny of documented charges and testimony. The hearing highlighted a broader truth: when prosecutors follow the facts, those invested in protecting powerful figures turn oversight into a vehicle for impeachment theatrics and public smears. Smith’s testimony pushed back hard against that distortion, reaffirming that the rule of law should not bend for political convenience.
Senate Sneaks Pentagon Leash Into Defense Bill While Still Funding Endless War
While Congress rushed through a nearly $901 billion defense bill — a perennial must-pass Pentagon funding package — the Senate quietly added language that amounts to a leash on the Pentagon’s most controversial actions. Instead of just handing the military a blank check, lawmakers are now demanding accountability: they’re threatening to withhold 25 % of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget unless he hands over unedited footage and authorization orders from a deadly U.S. strike near Venezuela that has raised war-powers and legal questions.
This isn’t about troop pay or shiny new weapons — it’s about Congress trying to reclaim its constitutional role after repeated executive overreach on military action. Even under a friendly GOP majority, lawmakers are showing signs of frustration with secretive operations and double-tap strikes that skirt oversight.
Congress Shrugs at War Powers, Lets Venezuela Decision Slip Through the Cracks
In a razor-thin vote that should terrify anyone who remembers how endless wars start, the House failed to pass a War Powers resolution on Venezuela — 211–213, with nine members conveniently not voting at all. The resolution would have forced Congress to do its actual job: assert authority over military action instead of quietly handing it to the executive branch. Instead, lawmakers punted. Again. This wasn’t a partisan landslide or a complicated procedural mess — it was a conscious choice to duck responsibility and preserve the status quo where presidents drift toward conflict while Congress plays dead. War by neglect is still war, and this vote is exactly how “we didn’t mean for it to happen” becomes body bags, blank checks, and no accountability.
Hate Watch
This Isn’t Your Granddad’s KKK: Modern Hate Group Patriot Front Expands in Tennessee
A disturbing new breed of white supremacist extremism is taking root in Tennessee — and it’s cloaked in patriotic imagery. Patriot Front, a well-organized hate group known for flash-mob “patriot” marches, racist posters, graffiti, and secretive flash actions, has been expanding its footprint across the state. Despite using American flags and pro-“heritage” rhetoric to mask their agenda, journalists and researchers describe them as hardened white supremacists preparing for street battles, training in combat, and building a compound in East Tennessee for networking and strategizing with other extremists. Law enforcement and watchdog groups have tied Patriot Front members to planned riots, confrontations at Pride events, and Nazi salutes captured in leaked footage — all while they claim to be nonviolent patriots. The group’s ascent in Tennessee exposes how modern hate outfits hide behind coded language and symbolism to spread bigotry and recruit new members. It’s a reminder that this isn’t the old KKK of the past — it’s a more insidious, militarized iteration that deserves public exposure and resistance at every turn.
Epstein Trump Pedo”files”
1 more days until the release of the Epstein Files
Epstein Associate Ghislaine Maxwell Asks Court to Toss Conviction — Threatening Accountability for Abuse Network
In a troubling legal move, Ghislaine Maxwell — Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate and convicted sex-trafficker — has asked a federal court to set aside her conviction, arguing procedural and evidentiary issues in her trial. Maxwell’s motion isn’t just a thin legal filing: if successful, it could undermine one of the few major legal victories in the decades-long battle for justice by Epstein’s survivors. Her appeal comes amid ongoing scrutiny of how elite networks protected Epstein and his associates, and why so many powerful figures evaded accountability. The push to overturn a conviction for operating part of Epstein’s abuse web deepens wounds for victims and highlights how the legal system can be leveraged to delay or dismantle accountability for high-profile abuse cases. Resistance Kitty readers should see this for what it is: a legal strategy that could weaken the message that sexual exploitation and trafficking — especially by the powerful — must carry consequences that stick.
New York Times Magazine Exposes How Jeffrey Epstein’s Fortune Was Built on Scams, Secrets, and Hidden Money
A New York Times Magazine deep dive unpacks the mystery behind Jeffrey Epstein’s wealth — and the truth is far darker than the slick financier image he cultivated. Instead of a legitimate empire, investigators found a tangled web of scams, schemes, and ruthless cons that helped Epstein climb into elite circles and stay there. From offshore accounts to shadowy ties to powerful bankers and patrons, the article shows how his money wasn’t a sign of genius but a product of manipulation and exploitation that paved the way for his decades-long sex trafficking operation. This isn’t just about how Epstein made money — it’s about how wealth and power can hide crimes and protect predators while victims are left voiceless. The piece underscores why transparency in his finances, files, and networks matters — not just for history, but for justice.
New York Times Exposes Deepening Questions About Trump’s Epstein Ties as Federal Files Are Released
A new New York Times investigation revisits Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein just as long-sealed records, photos, and testimony continue to surface through congressional pressure and court releases. The reporting traces how Trump and Epstein moved in overlapping social circles, highlights inconsistencies in Trump’s public distancing from Epstein, and underscores how much information about powerful figures remained buried for years. As fresh evidence enters the public record, the article makes clear this isn’t about rumor or recycled gossip — it’s about accountability, transparency, and why elite connections were minimized or ignored while victims were silenced. The Epstein story is still unfolding, and the question is no longer whether the public deserves answers, but why it took this long to force them into the open.
We’re Building the EpsteinWiki—And We Need More Eyes on the Evidence
EpsteinWiki is recruiting researchers, timeline builders, document readers, and careful truth-seekers who want to help make sense of the growing Epstein document dumps. This is slow, methodical work—cataloging evidence, verifying sources, connecting dots, and documenting what powerful people would prefer stay buried. If you care about accountability, transparency, and survivor-centered truth, we need your help. No credentials required—just patience, integrity, and a commitment to facts.
👉 Join us here: https://epsteinwiki.com/become-an-epstein-sleuth/
What We Are Watching Today
- Environmental Law Advocates Testify on “Forever Chemicals” Regulations
- Federal Officials Testify on the Implementation of the CHIPS & Science Act
- HHS Secy. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Holds News Conference on Child Health Care Policy
- President Trump Signs the National Defense Authorization Act
Today’s To-Do List (Because Yelling at the Screen Isn’t Enough):
- Call your House Rep and demand they publicly commit to extending ACA subsidies — name the bill, name the harm, ask for a written response.
- Email the House Judiciary Committee urging them to protect DOJ independence and reject political retaliation against prosecutors and investigators.
- Support LGBTQ+ youth protections by donating or amplifying orgs fighting conversion therapy bans in court (e.g., Trevor Project, Lambda Legal).
- Track DHS contracts: submit a comment or tip to a watchdog group about donor-linked federal contracts (Project Homecoming deserves sunlight).
- Pressure Senate leadership to enforce War Powers oversight — secret wars don’t become legal just because Congress looks away.
- Share verified reporting (not screenshots) on extremist group expansion — sunlight beats secrecy every time.
- Boycott Trump-linked grift products (yes, including rebranded phones and speculative stock hype) and tell people why.
- Support survivors by backing organizations that provide legal aid and trauma-informed care — accountability requires resources.
- Make sure to check out the No King’s Next Page
- Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide: Follow the Money (and Expose the Grift)
Featured Petitions
- Tell Congress: Restore Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Standards
- Don’t let white nationalists buy our elections. Staff the FEC!
- Stop the Pentagon’s Political Attack on Sen. Mark Kelly
Final Rally Call
They want exhaustion. They want confusion. They want you numb. Don’t give it to them. Pick one thing above and do it today — democracy only survives if we show up louder, smarter, and meaner than the grift.