Welcome to your Wednesday Read! I’m here to help you cut through the chaos with some steady reasoning and common-sense commentary. Here is what I’ve lined up for us to dive into today:

• Montana’s U.S. Senators
• Trump’s Tantrum
• Trump & Epstein Files
• Government is Open
• One More Thing

MONTANA’S U.S. SENATORS:

Fox News Digital recently reported that several Republican Senators, including U.S. Senator Steve Daines of Montana, warned the Trump administration that floods of “illicit Chinese e-cigarettes” entering the country carried a darker side effect.

The lawmakers charged that the “highly sophisticated” vapes had the ability to connect to a person’s cellphone and have become extremely commonplace.

“These devices have the capacity to initiate data breaches or malware infections and can also access and collect sensitive user data,” they wrote. “Given the interconnected relationship between Chinese industry and state intelligence services, the targeting of U.S. military personnel with these devices raises profound national security concerns.” (Source)

I wonder how the Vapes data breaches compare to using a group chat messaging service called Signal to announce military operations (Signalgate). 

The Daily Montanan reported that U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy has signed onto a friend-of-the-court brief filed at the United States Supreme Court that argues against the common understanding of birthright citizenship, and leans heavily on a case that was originally used to deny Native Americans citizenship in the nineteenth century.

I’m sure the United States Supreme Court will look closely at Sheehy’s suggestion. 😉

I hope the Court leaves birthright citizenship as it is. 

TRUMP’S TANTRUM:

President Donald Trump did not like CNN’s Kaitlan Collins line of questioning about Jeffrey Epstein and decided to attack her. 

The Guardian reported it this way:

When Collins noted that “a lot of women who are survivors of Epstein are unhappy with” the way the justice department redacted the documents, including, “entire witness interviews are totally blacked out”, Trump attempted to end the discussion by saying: “I think it’s really time for the country to get on to something else, now that nothing came out about me”.

When Trump tried to end the exchange by repeating, “I think it’s time, now, for the country maybe to get on to something else”, Collins asked: “But what would you say to people who feel they haven’t gotten justice, Mr President?”

“What did you say?” an irritated Trump shot back. He then launched into a personal attack on Collins, a former reporter for the conservative Daily Caller who he has repeatedly vented anger at during both of his terms in office.

“What would say to people the survivors who feel that they haven’t gotten justice?” Collins asked.

“You know, you are the worst reporter,” Trump said disdainfully. “You know, she’s a young woman,” Trump said the Republican lawmakers arrayed around his desk. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile,” he said, turning back to Collins. “

“I’ve known you for ten years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face,” Trump said bitterly.

“Well,” Collins interjected, “I’m asking you about survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, Mr President.”

Ignoring her reply, Trump continued his rant: “You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth. And you’re a very dishonest organization, and they should be ashamed of you.”

“These are survivors of a sexual abuser” Collins replied.

The Guardian also reported that Trump’s aides were so proud of the tantrum he threw at Collins on Tuesday that they immediately clipped video of the exchange and posted it on an official White House social media account with a caption suggesting he had “nuked” her.

Shame on the White House staff. 

Trump has difficulty handling tough questions. He frequently turns into an asshole, especially toward women, when they ask him tough questions. He is childish. 

Collins is one of the best White House reporters I have seen. I applaud her for her work that provides valuable information about the Executive Branch. 

TRUMP & EPSTEIN FILES:

The New York Times reported this week that using a proprietary search tool, they identified more than 5,300 files containing more than 38,000 references to Mr. Trump, his wife, his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, and other related words and phrases in the latest batch of emails, government files, videos and other records released by the Justice Department. Previous installments of the Epstein files, which the department released late last year, included another 130 files with Trump-related references.

The New Republic is reporting that the president’s name appears in an FBI tip sheet several times in abuse allegations, including one in which an unknown source accuses Trump of forcing one of Epstein’s victims, presumed to be 13 or 14 years old, to perform oral sex on him, “approximately 35 years ago” in New Jersey.

That’s our President. Beam me up, Scotty! 

GOVERNMENT IS OPEN:

The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion spending package to end the partial government shutdown on Tuesday, just hours after the House passed the bill in a bipartisan vote.

The AP contends that the measure funds most of the federal government through Sept. 30, while providing the Department of Homeland Security with short-term funding for two weeks. Lawmakers will return to negotiate potential changes for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as Democrats demand more restrictions on its operations.

ONE MORE THING: 

I’d rather live next door to a family that doesn’t speak English than a family that speaks MAGA. 

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