Authoritarians Hate Sunlight: Courts Push Back While the Resistance Gears Up
Another week, another round of authoritarian chaos from the Trump machine—but here’s the thing about power grabs: they tend to collapse when the public actually pays attention. Across the country, courts are challenging questionable policies, journalists are digging into corruption, and everyday people are organizing faster than the regime can spin its propaganda. The strategy from the top remains the same—intimidate the press, rewrite the rules, and flood the zone with outrage—but the resistance is learning how to fight smarter. Today’s update breaks down the biggest political developments and, more importantly, what you can do about them.
Pedo von Schitzenpantz
Ethics Watchdog Demands White House Reveal Jared Kushner’s Financial Conflicts
Government ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is demanding that the White House disclose and address potential financial conflicts involving Jared Kushner after his appointment as a Special Envoy for Peace in the Trump administration. The group says Kushner must file a legally required public financial disclosure report within 30 days of his appointment, a standard rule for senior executive branch officials meant to identify conflicts of interest and ensure transparency in government decision-making. CREW argues that the disclosure is particularly urgent because Kushner has been involved in sensitive diplomatic efforts tied to major global conflicts while also maintaining business and investment ties that could intersect with foreign policy decisions. Critics say the situation raises serious ethics concerns given Kushner’s history of securing billions in investment from foreign partners after his previous time in government. In other words, watchdog groups say that before Kushner helps shape U.S. policy abroad, the public deserves to know exactly where his financial interests are — and whether they overlap with the governments and conflicts he’s now helping manage.
Department of War Crimes
The Iraq War Playbook Coming Home? How “Identity Warfare” Could Be Used to Target Activists
A new analysis warns that a little-known military strategy developed during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars—called “identity operations” or “individualized warfare”—may now be influencing how governments monitor and target dissent at home. The strategy focuses on identifying individuals within a population using biographic data, biometrics, digital forensics, and social-network analysis so authorities can map networks and isolate “high-value individuals.” Originally designed to track insurgents who did not wear uniforms, the approach relies on massive data collection, watchlists, and intelligence systems that link people to activities, contacts, and locations. Critics argue that as surveillance technology expands—through license-plate readers, biometric databases, and data-broker information—the same techniques could increasingly be applied to activists, immigrants, or political movements. In other words, the tools once used to hunt insurgents overseas may now be shaping how governments identify, map, and monitor individuals inside their own societies.
Iran Says Israel’s Spy Network Ran Deeper Than Expected — and the Shadow War Is Getting Messier
If you thought the Iran–Israel conflict was just missiles and angry speeches, think again. New reporting reveals the quiet intelligence war between Tehran and Israel is far deeper — and far stranger — than most people realize. According to internal Iranian intelligence briefings reviewed by journalists, Iranian operatives have spent years trying to recruit ordinary Israelis for small sabotage and influence operations, while Israeli intelligence has run its own long-standing covert campaigns inside Iran. The result is a full-blown shadow war of spies, propaganda, cyber-operations, and psychological tactics, where both sides attempt to infiltrate the other’s society and stir political chaos from the inside. Israeli intelligence operations inside Iran have historically been far more extensive and lethal, including sabotage and assassinations targeting military and nuclear infrastructure. In other words: while the world watches bombs and headlines, the real battle may be happening quietly in encrypted messages, fake social media accounts, and the occasional very nervous spy wondering if their cover just blew.
Guardians of Pedophile
Far-Right Activist Jake Lang Caught in “Catch-a-Predator” Sting — and the Internet Is Not Letting Him Forget It
A bizarre scandal is unfolding around far-right activist Jake Lang, after a vigilante “catch-a-predator” operation allegedly caught him communicating online with someone he believed was a teenage girl. According to reporting, Lang — known for organizing inflammatory protests and promoting extremist rhetoric — was lured into explicit conversations by a decoy account posing as a minor, a tactic commonly used in online predator stings. The episode reportedly began when Lang contacted the account under the pretense of discussing activism and a planned “bikinis-and-burkas” protest, but the conversation allegedly turned sexual, prompting the sting organizers to expose the messages publicly. The revelations quickly spread across social media and political circles, amplifying scrutiny around Lang, who has already been a controversial figure in far-right activism. In other words, the internet’s newest scandal isn’t just another extremist meltdown — it’s a reminder that some of the loudest culture-war crusaders keep getting tripped up by their own online behavior.
Trump’s Louisiana Pick Sparks Vetting Panic After Old Police Report Surfaces
A surprise controversy is swirling around Louisiana Republican congressional candidate Blake Miguez just weeks after receiving Donald Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.” The endorsement initially boosted Miguez’s campaign for the state’s safely Republican 5th Congressional District, but a 2007 police report alleging sexual assault—which never led to charges—recently resurfaced and reportedly caught some White House allies off guard during the vetting process. The allegation, made by a former partner at the time, was reported to local law enforcement but did not result in prosecution after the accuser declined to pursue charges. Miguez has denied the accusation and his campaign calls it politically motivated, while supporters argue the claims lack credibility. Still, the episode highlights a recurring political reality in the Trump era: an endorsement from the former president can instantly elevate a candidate — but it can also bring intense scrutiny of their past right along with it.
Nevada GOP Chair Indicted in $500K COVID Relief Fraud Scheme
The chairman of the Nye County Republican Party in Nevada, Leonardo “Leo” Blundo, has been indicted by a federal grand jury over an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $500,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his restaurant in Pahrump. Prosecutors say Blundo inflated the business’s payroll, revenue, and employee numbers when applying for federal aid programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and submitted false documentation to support the claims. Federal prosecutors charged him with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering, and if convicted he could face decades in prison along with significant fines. The case is part of a broader federal crackdown on pandemic-era fraud schemes that targeted billions in emergency relief funding — and it’s another reminder that some of the biggest COVID cash grabs didn’t happen on Wall Street, but in small local programs that were rushed out during the crisis.
The Resistance
The Backfire Effect: Critics Say GOP Policies Rooted in White Nationalism Are Now Hurting Their Own Base
A sharp political commentary argues that policies critics describe as rooted in white nationalist ideology within parts of the modern Republican movement are beginning to backfire on the very voters who once supported them. The analysis claims that aggressive immigration crackdowns, trade policies, and escalating geopolitical tensions have led to rising costs, instability, and increased government enforcement that now affect white working-class communities that helped fuel Trump’s political rise. According to the commentary, the political strategy relied on grievance politics and culture-war messaging aimed at immigrants and minorities, but the economic and policy consequences are increasingly impacting the broader population as well. In other words, the argument goes that policies driven by exclusionary politics rarely stay targeted at one group — eventually the fallout spreads, and the political base that once cheered the policies may end up feeling the consequences too.
Trump’s Iran War Could Slam the U.S. Economy — Oil Prices, Markets, and Global Trade at Risk
A new analysis warns that escalating conflict between the United States and Iran could have serious economic consequences far beyond the battlefield. Economists argue that war in the Persian Gulf would likely send oil prices surging, destabilize global markets, and increase the risk of recession, since the region remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. The warning comes as tensions and military strikes between the U.S., Israel, and Iran have intensified, with leaders signaling that the conflict could last indefinitely. Analysts say the ripple effects would hit ordinary Americans through higher gas prices, inflation, and supply-chain disruptions, while global investors brace for volatility if shipping lanes or oil infrastructure in the region are threatened. In other words, while the political argument over war plays out in Washington, the real economic impact could quickly show up at the gas pump, in the stock market, and across the global economy.
American Gestapo
Is Trump Building “Concentration Camps”? Critics Warn Mass-Detention Plans Are Expanding
A growing debate is unfolding over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies, with critics warning that the expanding detention system for migrants increasingly resembles a large-scale mass-detention infrastructure. The discussion centers on plans to dramatically increase detention capacity, including proposals to expand facilities such as the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center to hold tens of thousands of migrants and new immigration detention sites across the country. Critics argue that these policies — combined with mass deportation proposals and large warehouse-style detention facilities — could create a network capable of holding huge numbers of people while their immigration cases are processed. Supporters of the policies say the facilities are necessary for enforcing immigration law and managing border crossings, while opponents warn the scale and conditions of detention raise serious human-rights and civil-liberties concerns. In other words, the fight over immigration enforcement is increasingly turning into a larger argument about how far the government should go in detaining migrants — and what kind of system the U.S. is building in the process.
DHS Turmoil: More Than 15 Senior Border Officials Forced Out During Noem’s Leadership Shake-Up
A major internal shake-up at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reportedly pushed at least 15 senior career officials out of their positions during the tenure of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to federal sources. Many of the officials — some with decades of experience — were pressured to resign, retire, relocate, or were removed outright between late 2025 and early 2026 as political allies of the administration attempted to reshape leadership inside the agency. The departures reportedly targeted officials aligned with longtime CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, who had clashed with Noem and political adviser Corey Lewandowski over immigration strategy and internal control of the agency. The purge has sparked concerns inside DHS about political interference in what is traditionally a career civil-service structure, highlighting the ongoing power struggles and instability that have rocked the department during the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration push.
Department of Injustice
Kentucky Student Indicted for Manslaughter After New Evidence in Newborn Death Case
A former University of Kentucky student, Laken Snelling, has been indicted by a Fayette County grand jury on first-degree manslaughter and additional charges in connection with the death of her newborn baby discovered in her off-campus apartment in 2025. Investigators say the infant was found wrapped in a towel inside a trash bag in a closet, and a medical examiner later determined the baby had been born alive and died from asphyxia by undetermined means, which led prosecutors to add the manslaughter charge. Snelling had previously been arrested on charges including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant, and she has been under house arrest in Tennessee while the case proceeds. The case has drawn national attention as investigators and advocates debate the forensic methods used to determine whether a newborn was born alive and how such cases are prosecuted. In other words, what began as a disturbing discovery in a college apartment has now turned into a complex legal case that raises broader questions about forensic evidence, pregnancy outcomes, and criminal liability.
How Trump Reshaped the Courts: The Judiciary Is Now a Political Battleground
A new analysis argues that Donald Trump’s long-term strategy to reshape the federal judiciary is paying dividends as his administration pushes expansive claims about presidential power and emergency authority. Over the past decade, Trump and his allies have relied heavily on friendly lower-court rulings and legal theories about sweeping Article II powers to justify controversial actions ranging from immigration crackdowns to foreign military operations. Critics say this strategy reflects a broader effort to test the limits of executive authority while relying on a judiciary increasingly shaped by conservative appointments. Supporters argue the courts are simply correcting decades of legal overreach by federal agencies. Either way, the result is clear: the courts have become one of the central arenas in the fight over the future of American democracy, with major constitutional questions about presidential power now being decided case by case in the federal judiciary.
“Fight Club Quantico?” FBI’s New UFC Training Program Raises Eyebrows
A new training initiative at the FBI Academy in Quantico is drawing criticism after the bureau announced a partnership with UFC fighters to teach mixed martial arts techniques to agents and trainees. The two-day seminar, organized under FBI Director Kash Patel, will feature well-known fighters such as Justin Gaethje, Jorge Masvidal, and Renzo Gracie demonstrating combat techniques and physical training methods for FBI personnel. Critics inside and outside law enforcement say the optics are strange at a time when agents are facing complex threats like cybercrime, terrorism, and organized financial networks. Some former trainers note that FBI training traditionally focuses on de-escalation, situational awareness, and controlled restraint, rather than cage-fighting style tactics. In other words, the program may have real physical-training benefits, but to many observers it looks less like modern investigative preparation and more like a very odd crossover between federal law enforcement and celebrity fight culture.
The Epstein Class
Epstein Files Fallout Widens as Congress, Foreign Investigators, and New Evidence Reopen the Case
The Jeffrey Epstein investigation is far from finished as new developments across government, journalism, and international investigations continue to expand the scope of the case. U.S. lawmakers are increasing pressure on the Department of Justice over its handling of the Epstein files, with the House Oversight Committee preparing to question financial insiders who helped manage Epstein’s complex web of shell companies and accounts. At the same time, foreign authorities are launching or revisiting investigations connected to Epstein’s trafficking network, while disturbing allegations tied to his properties and associates are resurfacing in newly released records and media reports. Together these developments highlight a reality many victims and investigators have long argued: the Epstein scandal was never just about one man, but about a global system of money, influence, and protection that allowed the network to operate for years.
Featured Resisters
- Project Saltbox – Activist Skills, Training & Community Network Project Saltbox is a coordination hub that connects people with organizing education, community action resources, and practical skills for civic participation. Instead of focusing only on news or commentary, it directs participants toward concrete actions such as local organizing, public engagement, civic process education, and coordinated advocacy efforts. The platform aggregates guides, campaigns, and educational materials so new volunteers can quickly move from “concerned observer” to active participant.
- Phreeli (Phreeli.com) Phreeli is a privacy-first wireless mobile carrier built around a privacy-by-design philosophy that minimizes personal data collection, does not sell customer information, and separates user identity from network activity to protect freedom, security, and digital autonomy. Founded by privacy advocate Nicholas Merrill, Phreeli offers prepaid mobile plans with nationwide coverage, no contracts, and options for anonymous signup requiring as little as a ZIP code, while prioritizing user control over data and resisting surveillance-based business models common in traditional telecom services.
What We Are Watching Today
- Defense Secretary Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Caine Provide Iran War Update
- Washington Journal: Elise Labott Discusses U.S.-Israeli Combat Operations Against Iran
- Washington Journal: Benjamin Glasner Discusses Pres. Trump’s Proposal to Create Private-Sector Retirement Accounts Live
- The EO singing has been closed to the press (this is not good)
Today’s Call to Action
1. Attend a Virtual Event
- Thursday, March 26, 2026 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET Join our March People Power Action Call
- Wed, Mar 18 · Redistricting Action
Redistricting Action Monthly Volunteer Virtual Meeting › - Mon, Mar 16 · Minnesota DFL
The DFL Daily › - Thu, Mar 19 · No Kings
No Kings 3 Kickoff Call ›
2. Volunteer with a Movement
3. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide
4. Sign and Share These Petitions
- Block Trump’s MAHA “Influencer” Surgeon General Pick
- Congress must subpoena Pete Hegseth and launch a full investigation into the bombing of an elementary school in Iran.
- The Department of Justice needs to release Donald Trump’s “enemies list.”
- Congress should reject the SAVE Act and all attempts to make it harder to vote
- Tell Pam Bondi to release the Epstein files!
- Tell Congress: Stop Trump’s one-man march to war
- Tell Trump: Stop Lying About Tylenol
5. Send these Pre Written Letters (They make great call scripts also)
- Urge your members of Congress to block any executive order that would federalize or seize control of our elections.
- Tell your members of Congress to block any executive order that would federalize or seize control of our elections.
- Pass the Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act
- Urge Attorneys General to Stop Paramount’s Mega-Media Monopoly
6. RSVP for the International March 28th No Kings Protest
Let’s Roll!
Authoritarian movements survive on silence and exhaustion. They want you overwhelmed, distracted, and convinced that nothing can change. Don’t give them that satisfaction. Every protest, every phone call, every local meeting, every voter registration drive chips away at their power. The truth is simple: democracies fail when people disengage. So stay loud, stay organized, and keep showing up. Resistance Kitty’s advice today is the same as always—sharpen your claws and make some noise.
Kitty’s Resistance Projects
- Resistance Directory: https://resistancedirectory.com/
- EpsteinWiki: Epsteinwiki.com
Support Resistance Kitty’s Work
- Kitty Merch: https://tr.ee/–Pu9s-BUL
- Support Kitty: https://buymeacoffee.com/resistancekitty
