After the Applause: What the State of the Union Didn’t Tell You

Last night’s State of the Union was full of standing ovations, patriotic imagery, and carefully tested lines designed to sound reassuring. But speeches are messaging — policy is evidence. When you compare what was said on the stage to what is happening in courts, agencies, and investigative reporting, a very different picture emerges. While viewers were reacting to one-liners and partisan moments, decisions affecting surveillance, immigration enforcement, corporate influence, and accountability for powerful figures continued moving quietly in the background. This morning’s Resistance Kitty briefing isn’t about the performance. It’s about the gap between the speech and reality — and why that gap matters.

Department of Injustice

Kash Patel’s use of jet delayed FBI team’s mass shooting response, whistleblower tells top senator

This report covers a Senate oversight dispute after a U.S. senator called for an investigation into Kash Patel’s reported use of an FBI aircraft, arguing the travel may have been inappropriate or outside normal government purpose. The article explains the complaint focuses on whether federal resources were used for personal or political activity rather than official duties, a potential violation of ethics and appropriations rules governing executive-branch officials. The senator requested a formal review to determine who authorized the flight, what business justified it, and whether reimbursement is required, while Patel allies say the travel was legitimate and tied to government work. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over politicization of federal law-enforcement institutions and broader congressional oversight battles over how security agencies use taxpayer-funded assets.

Pam Bondi Net Worth: How Florida’s Former AG Built a Multimillion-Dollar Fortune

This profile reviews the finances and career trajectory of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, outlining how her time in public office, lobbying work, consulting roles, media appearances, and political affiliations contributed to significant personal wealth after leaving government. The article describes her transition from elected office into private-sector legal and advocacy positions, including work connected to political organizations and policy campaigns, and notes how speaking engagements and advisory roles expanded her income and national visibility. It frames her financial growth within the broader “revolving door” pattern in which high-profile public officials leverage name recognition and connections into lucrative post-government opportunities, while critics argue such arrangements can blur ethical boundaries between public service and private influence.

Guardians of Pedophiles

Mace files resolution requiring Ethics Committee to release all sexual misconduct reports

This report details an ethics investigation involving Rep. Nancy Mace after allegations of sexual harassment were brought before the House Ethics Committee. The article explains the complaint centers on accusations of inappropriate workplace conduct and potential violations of congressional standards governing staff treatment and professional behavior. Mace has denied wrongdoing and characterized the claims as politically motivated, while the committee has opened a formal review process that could include interviews, document requests, and possible disciplinary recommendations. The case highlights how congressional ethics procedures operate largely behind closed doors and underscores broader scrutiny in Washington over workplace conduct, accountability, and how lawmakers handle internal complaints involving power imbalances between elected officials and staff.

The Trump boys are Making Corruption Great Again

This report examines the Trump family’s expanding involvement in cryptocurrency ventures and the ethical and legal concerns surrounding them, arguing the projects blur the line between private business and political power. It describes how memecoins, token sales, and affiliated crypto platforms tied to Trump-branded entities have drawn investors who may be motivated as much by political loyalty as financial speculation, raising questions about influence-buying and conflicts of interest if policy decisions affect the crypto market. The article also notes the lack of clear regulatory oversight in the industry, the volatility and risk to small investors, and the possibility that political messaging and financial promotion are becoming intertwined, presenting the ventures as part of a broader pattern of monetizing political identity and access.

Department of Human Sacrifice

Exposing Republicans’ Bad-Faith Abortion ‘Coercion’ Obsession

This explainer defines “abortion coercion” as pressure placed on a pregnant person to terminate or continue a pregnancy against their will, emphasizing that true reproductive freedom includes the right to decide without manipulation from partners, family members, abusers, or institutions. The article outlines common forms of coercion — including threats, financial control, housing dependence, immigration fears, or medical misinformation — and explains how it often overlaps with intimate-partner violence and power imbalances. It argues that the issue is frequently overlooked in polarized political debates, which focus on legality rather than autonomy, and stresses that policies, healthcare screening, and social support systems must center consent and safety so individuals can make decisions about pregnancy free from intimidation or control.

Pedo von Schitzenpantz

Trump admitted to insiders that Jack Smith had him ‘dead to rights’: report

This report covers a federal judge’s recent rulings affecting Special Counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutions connected to Donald Trump, focusing on decisions by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that have delayed or complicated parts of the case. The article explains that Cannon questioned elements of the special counsel’s authority and evidence handling, creating additional hearings and procedural challenges that prosecutors argue slow the path to trial. Legal analysts say the dispute centers on executive power, the independence of special counsels, and whether criminal charges against a former president can proceed without being derailed by pretrial litigation. The outcome could shape not only the timeline of the prosecution but also future limits on presidential accountability and the Justice Department’s ability to bring cases involving high-level officials.

Breaking: Of Course It’s Plausible Trump Raped a 13-Year-Old

This commentary examines newly released Epstein-related records and argues it is increasingly plausible that powerful political and financial figures maintained closer awareness of Jeffrey Epstein’s activities than previously acknowledged. The article focuses on reporting that federal investigators interviewed a woman who accused Donald Trump of sexual assault while she was a minor, along with records showing multiple contacts between law enforcement and witnesses that were not widely known at the time. It frames the issue less as a single allegation and more as a systemic failure — questioning why earlier investigations stalled, why some files disappeared or were sealed, and whether political influence discouraged deeper inquiry into Epstein’s network. The piece ultimately portrays the documents as reinforcing long-standing concerns about institutional protection of elites and the difficulty victims faced in being taken seriously by authorities.

Morning Digest: Trump’s crusade to punish Indiana Republicans isn’t going so hot

This Morning Digest roundup focuses on the political fallout from Donald Trump’s effort to purge or pressure independent agencies and officials he views as disloyal, describing a broader campaign to reshape federal institutions around executive control. The piece highlights legal battles over the removal of regulators and watchdog figures, arguing the moves could test long-standing limits on presidential power and potentially reach the Supreme Court. It also surveys key 2026 election developments, including competitive Senate and House races, candidate recruitment, and early campaign maneuvering in battleground states, framing the coming midterms as a referendum not just on policy but on whether checks and balances within the federal government will remain intact.

Trump Stole Our Money

This article argues that recent economic policy changes — particularly tariffs, trade restrictions, and shifting federal revenue claims — function as an indirect tax on consumers rather than a benefit to them. It explains that tariffs are paid by U.S. importers and typically passed along through higher retail prices, meaning households ultimately shoulder the cost in everyday goods from food to electronics. The piece contends that portraying tariff revenue as a substitute for income taxes is misleading because the amounts collected are relatively small compared with federal spending needs, while the price increases are broad and regressive, hitting lower- and middle-income families hardest. Framed as a pocketbook issue, the commentary concludes that the real economic impact is not abstract trade policy but rising living costs quietly transferred to consumers through higher prices.

The Resistance

Netflix boss dismisses Trump’s demand for Susan Rice to be fired

This article covers a growing clash between major entertainment and media figures and Donald Trump after comments involving film industry executives and political messaging escalated into a public dispute. The report explains that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and other media leaders were pulled into controversy following statements tied to culture-war politics, sparking reactions across Hollywood and conservative media. It frames the episode as part of a broader conflict between the entertainment industry and political actors, where streaming platforms, corporate speech, and political pressure increasingly intersect, raising concerns about political retaliation, corporate influence, and how cultural institutions are drawn into national political battles.

Our State of the Union Response and Fact Check

This State of the Union response and fact-check reviews the 2026 address and argues the speech’s central narrative — a dramatic economic comeback, sealed border, falling crime, and massive investment boom — often stretched beyond available data. The article notes inflation has eased but prices remain high, income growth has been modest, and the administration’s claimed $18 trillion in investment commitments appears significantly overstated compared with public figures. Immigration crossings declined but were not “zero,” and tariff revenue is too small to meaningfully replace income taxes or close deficits. Crime did drop, particularly homicides, but some statistics were exaggerated in scale, while additional claims about drug pricing, foreign wars, and social programs lacked full context. The piece also covers the Democratic rebuttal, which emphasized affordability and executive power concerns, framing the night as a sharp contrast between macroeconomic optimism and everyday cost pressures facing households.

Resistance Kitty says “This delusional rant should have been a 3:00am Truth Social Post”

Trump’s Minnesota Siege Begins to Break

This article reports on an escalating federal immigration enforcement push in Minnesota, describing a coordinated crackdown that includes expanded arrests, surveillance, and cooperation with local law-enforcement partners. It explains that the operation targets undocumented workers and individuals with prior removal orders, but critics argue it is sweeping broadly into immigrant communities and creating widespread fear among families, schools, and small businesses. Advocates and local officials warn the campaign is straining community trust in police, discouraging crime reporting, and disrupting workplaces that rely on immigrant labor, while supporters frame the actions as restoring immigration law enforcement after years of inconsistent policy. The piece presents the situation as a test case for a more aggressive national deportation strategy, highlighting the legal challenges, humanitarian concerns, and political fallout as immigration again becomes a central issue in the 2026 political cycle.

The Epstein Class

EpsteinWiki News February 25, 2026

The latest EpsteinWiki update shows the case is very much alive behind the headlines. New investigative reporting, resurfaced allegations, and newly disclosed federal records — including evidence some files were removed or redacted from public releases — are expanding the picture of how large and interconnected Epstein’s network was. Reports now touch government investigations, financial transfers, international social circles, academic institutions, and high-profile figures who maintained contact with Epstein even after earlier allegations were known. The takeaway is simple: this story isn’t a single crime or a single person — it’s an ongoing documentation process, and each new record helps clarify what authorities knew, when they knew it, and how accountability may have been delayed.

Guardians of Pedophiles (GOP)

MAGA Senator Deletes Post Accidentally Comparing ICE to Cartel

This article reports that Sen. Mike Lee deleted a social media post after backlash over a comparison he made between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and criminal cartels. The post drew criticism from both immigration-policy advocates and political opponents, who argued the rhetoric inflamed tensions around enforcement and mischaracterized federal agents’ role. After the reaction intensified, Lee removed the message, while the episode highlighted the increasingly charged political debate over immigration enforcement, public messaging by elected officials, and how social media statements can quickly become national controversies shaping broader narratives about border policy and federal authority.

MAGA Favorite Sentenced for Blowing Campaign Cash on Vegas Trips

This report details the sentencing of a conservative political figure and campaign operative who admitted misusing campaign funds for personal expenses, including trips to Las Vegas, luxury entertainment, and other non-campaign purchases. Prosecutors argued donations intended for political activity were diverted for private benefit, violating federal campaign-finance laws, while the defendant’s supporters framed the case as politically charged. The court ultimately imposed a prison sentence and financial penalties, emphasizing that campaign contributions are legally restricted to electoral purposes and cannot be treated as a personal account. The case underscores increased scrutiny of political fundraising practices and highlights how misuse of donor money can lead to criminal liability, restitution orders, and broader questions about accountability in campaign finance.

American Gestapo

DHS confirms ICE agent shot, killed driver during spring break on South Padre Island

Federal officials say an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a driver during a confrontation on South Padre Island, Texas, amid heavy spring-break crowds. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the incident began as a law-enforcement encounter that escalated, though authorities have released limited details while multiple agencies investigate what led to the use of deadly force. Witness accounts and early reports describe a chaotic scene in a busy tourist area, prompting road closures and heightened police presence as officials worked to secure the scene and interview bystanders. The case is now under formal review, with questions focusing on the circumstances of the stop, whether the driver posed an immediate threat, and how federal agents were operating in a vacation hotspot, highlighting ongoing scrutiny over enforcement practices and rules governing use of force.

How a Racial Conspiracy Theory Took Hold in America

This article traces how a modern racial conspiracy theory — often referred to as the “Great Replacement” narrative — moved from fringe internet spaces into mainstream political rhetoric and media ecosystems. It explains that the theory claims immigration and demographic change are being intentionally engineered to displace white Americans, despite a lack of evidence for coordinated policy or planning. The piece outlines how online influencers, partisan outlets, and political figures amplified the message, reframing demographic trends and immigration policy debates into an existential cultural threat, and shows how the rhetoric increasingly shaped campaign messaging and voter mobilization. It concludes that the spread of the theory has real-world consequences, normalizing extremist language in public discourse and influencing policy arguments around immigration, voting, and national identity.

In a Tennessee Town, ICE Is Eyeing a Detention Complex Bigger Than Almost Anything in American History

This report looks at a small Tennessee community where residents fear a potential immigration enforcement operation after federal authorities began monitoring a local meat-processing plant employing many immigrant workers. The article describes how workplace raids or audits can ripple far beyond employees, affecting schools, churches, and local businesses as families worry about sudden detention or deportation. Local officials and advocates warn that even the anticipation of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement action causes people to avoid public spaces, skip medical care, and keep children home from school, while federal authorities frame enforcement as part of routine compliance efforts. The piece ultimately highlights the tension between labor dependence on immigrant workers in rural economies and aggressive immigration enforcement policies, showing how uncertainty alone can reshape daily life in tight-knit communities.

Featured Resisters

Trump–Epstein Network Map (Kumu Relationship Visualization Project): Reading thousands of pages of documents is overwhelming. Seeing how people connect is different. This interactive Kumu map visualizes relationships between individuals, companies, properties, legal cases, and events connected to the Jeffrey Epstein network. Instead of scrolling through transcripts and court filings trying to remember names, users can visually follow associations and see how figures appear across timelines and locations.
HavenWatch — Public Safety & Extremism Threat Monitoring Network: A lot of people assume someone, somewhere is watching for organized harassment campaigns, extremist threats, and coordinated violence risks. Most of the time… nobody is. HavenWatch exists to fill that gap. The organization monitors online and real-world warning signs of targeted intimidation, stalking, hate incidents, and organized threats against journalists, activists, election workers, and community members.
ALIADO (ALEPH Human Rights Platform) — Investigative & Human Rights Data Analysis Tool: Some investigations fail because people don’t care. Most fail because the information is scattered across thousands of records nobody can organize. ALIADO is a professional-grade investigative analysis platform used by journalists, researchers, and human-rights investigators to connect large volumes of documents, communications, financial records, and open-source intelligence into a coherent network.

What We Are Watching Today

Today’s Call to Action

1. Read up on State Bills to Watch

Florida

2. Take a Free Training

Private Credit and the Dangerous Rise of Unregulated Finance

3. Attend an Event

MomsRising Monthly Community Meeting Thursday Feb 26 7:30 – 8:30pm CST
The Real Impact of Vouchers on Public Schools Thursday, February 26, 2026 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET

4. Submit a public comment to the Office of Government Ethics

Ask for strengthened conflict-of-interest rules and transparency requirements for federal advisory appointments.

https://www.oge.gov/web/OGE.nsf/Contact

5. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide

RSG #210 How Data Brokers Track Activists (And How to Remove Yourself)

6. Sign and Share These Petitions

Let’s Roll!

The State of the Union always tries to create a feeling: stability, control, progress. But democracy doesn’t run on feelings. It runs on attention. Governments count on citizens tuning out after the speech ends — because public pressure drops the moment the cameras turn off. So here’s the real takeaway: the speech is not the event.
Public response is the event. If you watched last night, good. Now do the part that actually changes outcomes — stay informed, talk to people in your life, and engage locally. Power responds to persistence, not applause.

Kitty’s Resistance Projects

Resistance Directory: https://resistancedirectory.com/
EpsteinWiki: Epsteinwiki.com

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