#kakistocracy Top vaccine official resigns from FDA, criticizes RFK Jr. for promoting 'misinformation and lies' https://www.10tv.com/article/news/nation-world/fda-official-resigns-rfk-vaccine-criticism/507-d149c537-25b1-4cbc-9f37-9593eee25cf8
#RFKJr. forces out Peter Marks, #FDA’s top #vaccine scientist
Marks, an architect of Operation Warp Speed, warned that a recent #measles outbreak shows how confidence in #science & #PublicHealth is being “undermined.”
#Trump #idiocracy #medicine #disease #pandemic #health #healthcare #kakistocracy #ConspiracyTheories
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/28/rfk-jr-fda-vaccine-scientist-peter-marks/
$100M in bribes.
#corruption #kakistocracy https://mstdn.social/@GottaLaff/114241231353695669
This should piss off all the moderately-rich petite-bourgeoisie type people. Understand that Trump isn’t your ally (because he isn’t anyone’s ally but his own). Your money will be stolen, and he will pardon the thief if it made him a million dollars.
#corruption #bribery #pardonsForSale #kakistocracy
“Nikola founder Trevor Milton pardoned after $1.8m bribe to Trump”
At least we know what the going rate is for getting the convicted felon to pardon a convicted felon, just in case anyone is contemplating turning to a life of crime. 
I've taught dystopian fiction, Buddhist compassion, and other subjects for nearly 30 years now.
Holy fuck, I tried.
Now, I'm going to just quit my job, exit the Authoritarian workforce, retire early, get a reverse mortgage, and move out of Floriduh to my house on the Oregon Coast, and just try to live my best life with what little time I have left.
If it gets too bad, we will move back to Japan.
Good luck, people.
It's been real.
#Kakistocracy
#Trump’s instructions to his team late this week remained to attack #JeffreyGoldberg & #TheAtlantic, & not “produce a scalp” by firing any members of his Cabinet, in the words of one outside adviser consulted by the White House who described the discussions to us.
#law #NationalSecurity #military #intelligence #SignalGate #Signal #idiocracy #kakistocracy #propaganda #authoritarianism #autocracy #tyranny
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-hegseth-waltz-signal/682220/
#Hegseth added:
“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME).”
This text was two hours in advance of the strikes.
“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package).”
And then, “1536: F-18 2nd Strike Starts — also first sea-based Tomahawks launched.”
That text gave almost three hours’ notice.
He & other pilots said that each day since Mon, when #TheAtlantic published an article about the chat disclosures, had brought a stunning new revelation. First came the news that #Hegseth had put the operational sequencing, or flight schedules, for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the #Houthi militia in #Yemen on March 15 in the unclassified #Signal group chat, which included several other snr #Trump ofcls.
The #intelligence breach was bad enough, current & former #FighterPilots said. But #Defense Secy #PeteHegseth’s refusal to acknowledge that he should not have disclosed sensitive info about when American fighter pilots would attack sites in #Yemen, they said, was even worse.
On #AirBases, in #AircraftCarrier “ready rooms” & in communities near #military bases this week, there was consternation.
#Signal Chat Leak Angers US #Military Pilots
Men & women who have taken to the air on behalf of the #UnitedStates expressed bewilderment after the leak of attack plans.
“You’re going to kill somebody,” one pilot said.
#law #NationalSecurity #Trump #SignalGate #Signal #idiocracy #kakistocracy #USIntelligenceAgencies #JDVance #Hegseth #TulsiGabbard #Ratcliffe #MikeWaltz #MarcoRubio #SusieWiles #Witkoff #StephenMiller
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/pilots-signal-leak.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7E4.ZPcI.ZHMyML38GPF9&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
American Oversight v. #Hegseth (#Houthi #Signal Group Chat)
Minute Entry for proceedings held before Chief Judge James E. #Boasberg: Motion Hearing held on 3/27/2025 re 6 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. Oral arguments heard. Order forthcoming. (Court Reporter Tammy Nestor) (znbn)
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69788832/american-oversight-v-hegseth/
Image content: a Bluesky post by Gillian Branstetter: “No matter your station in life, there is astoundingly little separating you from those men in that cage behind Kristi Noem. No charges, no attorneys, no hearings, no trial. Just conjecture and brute force could be enough to justify completely dehumanizing you, too.”
#kakistocracy #fascism #concentrationCamps https://thepit.social/@peter/114235140901587311
The #DOJ is considering merging the lead agencies enforcing #drug & #gun laws in a major shakeup as it moves to follow #Trump's instructions to sharply *streamline* the govt.
In addition to merging the Drug Enforcement Agency #DEA & Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives #ATF, DOJ leaders are considering eliminating field offices that handle #antitrust & #environmental cases, according to a March 25 memo seen by Reuters.
#law #idiocracy #kakistocracy
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-justice-department-considers-merging-dea-atf-major-wave-cuts-memo-shows-2025-03-27
…#Hegseth & other snr officials have argued that the information he shared was not #classified, & that it was ultimately up to his dept to decide what of its info should be considered classified.
#NationalSecurity experts said that argument fails a test of basic common sense about the danger of letting #military plans leak before an operation, & that it goes against longtime practice among military & #intelligence agencies.
Dating back to at least the Reagan admin, the govt has considered the details of “#military plans, weapons, or operations” to be #classified.
…Under federal #law, it is possible for people to be charged with crimes for mishandling national #defense information that is not classified, but such prosecutions are very rare.
The #DOJ opened investigations into Clinton & Biden in those instances, but neither ultimately faced criminal charges. She did not mention the prosecution of #Trump over his mishandling of #ClassifiedDocuments after his first term — a case which was ultimately abandoned when he won a second term.
In this case, #PamBondi seemed to be ruling out any similar investigation to determine all the facts.
