The Needle: Blue Tsunami Crashes Into the U.S., Elon Musk Spent $736 Million on Elections But Lost This One, Another Pardoned Jan. 6 Criminal Charged for Threatening D.C. Judges, and More
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Gail O'Hara (via Washington CityPaper)
Suddenly there is a tidal wave: Recent polls show that roughly 75 percent of Americans are angry and dissatisfied with convicted felon and President Donald Trump’s policies and they took it out on him at the polls, regardless of whether he wants to accept blame. Democrats took the House and Senate and flipped many states including Texas and North Carolina. Women governors and AGs won across the country. Amy Actonbeat Vivek Ramaswamy, Susan Collins is gone (girl, bye), and Lindsay Graham’s sister lost to a Dem in South Carolina. Abdul El-Sayed will be the first Muslim senator. Democrats won a Kansas Senate seat for the first time in 100 years. Gina Hinojosa will be the first Latina governor of Texas, Keisha Lance Bottoms will be the first Black woman governor of Georgia, and Deb Haaland became the first Native American governor of New Mexico. Plus 50 points for the people reclaiming power. +50 [AP News]
You lost: Tech bro and former DOGE destroyer Elon Musk spent $736 million total between this election and 2024’s, and in return has received around $54 billion of taxpayer funds, according to New Republic. DOGE claimed it would cut government spending, but it spent $517 billion, which doesn’t include Musk’s $6.3 billion in federal contracts or the $10 billion he got later. Musk had already gotten $38 billion in contracts before Trump retook office. Minus two points for using our tax dollars as an ATM but plus 15 points because all the money in the world apparently can’t stop votersfrom taking back power. +13 [New Republic]
So offensive: The Intercept reviewed more than 24 incidents of ICE using unmarked cars to attack immigrants and U.S. citizens alike, including multiple incidents where citizens were injured and some died. DHS has claimed that immigrants and activists “weaponized” their vehicles against federal agents, but it’s DHS agents who are weaponizing their vehicles against civilians They use common tactics such as ramming cars into crowds; “brake-checking” observers of ICE activity; and, in some cases, just driving into civilians, according to reports. Customs and Border Protection expanded its officers’ ability to use such techniques since Trump started his second term. DHS did not respond to specific allegations. Minus two points for offensive driving. -2 [Intercept]
Pardon you: Georgia man, QAnon devotee, and Jan. 6 defendant Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr. has been charged for threatening D.C. judges involved in the Capitol riot case. Meredith, who previously threatened former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, drove into D.C. from Colorado on Jan. 6, 2021, “with a cache of guns, 2,500 rounds of ammunition and high-capacity magazines” and sent his family ominous texts about his plans. After receiving a pardon last year, he wrote, “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!” on Facebook in April. He is among many Jan. 6 defendants who have continued committing crimes after receiving pardons from Trump. Minus one point because none of these people should have been pardoned. -1 [Post]
