In an unsigned order, the justices granted Hampton Dellinger, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, permission to continue in his role until at least February 26. This decision extends the temporary protection granted to him by a lower court.
This ruling demonstrates the Court’s recognition of the importance of safeguarding whistleblowers and upholding the rule of law. It sets a precedent for future cases involving government accountability and transparency.
Overall, this decision highlights the Court’s commitment to ensuring that individuals like Hampton Dellinger can fulfill their duties without fear of retaliation or interference. Story here
Elon Musk and his team are pushing for budget cuts and layoffs throughout the federal government, yet the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Musk, has seen its funding skyrocket to nearly $40 million. Despite being hailed as “maximally transparent” by Musk, details about the department’s spending and operations remain shrouded in secrecy.
President Donald Trump has acknowledged that around 100 individuals are employed by DOGE, but his administration has been reluctant to disclose any information regarding the department’s activities. Both Trump and Musk have defended DOGE as a necessary tool for streamlining a bloated bureaucracy, but the consequences of their actions have been devastating. Essential programs that catered to vulnerable populations have been forced to shut down due to the budget cuts.
In the midst of numerous lawsuits related to DOGE, a federal judge has questioned the government’s contradictory stance on the department’s status. While Musk has praised the cuts made by DOGE and criticized targeted agencies, Trump officials now claim that he is not directly overseeing its operations.
The operating practices of DOGE have raised serious doubts and left many unanswered questions. The department’s ambiguous status and lack of transparency have sparked concerns about potential legal violations.
In 2022, undocumented immigrants contributed a substantial $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. The majority of this amount, totaling $59.4 billion, was paid to the federal government, with the remaining $37.3 billion distributed to state and local entities.
On an individual basis, undocumented immigrants paid an average of $8,889 in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. This translates to a significant $8.9 billion in additional tax revenue for public services for every 1 million undocumented immigrants residing in the country.
Interestingly, over a third of the tax dollars paid by undocumented immigrants are allocated towards payroll taxes, which fund programs that these individuals are typically unable to access. Specifically, in 2022, undocumented immigrants contributed $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes, $6.4 billion in Medicare taxes, and $1.8 billion in unemployment insurance taxes.
At the state and local levels, nearly half (46 percent, or $15.1 billion) of the tax payments made by undocumented immigrants are derived from sales and excise taxes on their purchases. The remaining contributions are made through property taxes, such as those imposed on homeowners and renters (31 percent, or $10.4 billion), as well as personal and business income taxes (21 percent, or $7.0 billion).
Overall, it’s pretty clear that undocumented immigrants are making a huge dent in tax contributions, and it really shows their economic influence and how important they are for keeping public services running across different government levels. Just remember, they don’t get to reap the benefits from the taxes they’re putting in.
President Trump’s audacious assertion that Ukraine instigated the war is a blatant affront to the very ideals that America embodies. This appalling departure from U.S. policy, boldly aligning with Russia against Ukraine in its struggle against the ruthless Russian invasion, has ignited a firestorm of indignation among policymakers and national security experts alike.
Let’s face the facts: Russia invaded Ukraine not once, but twice, in 2014 and 2022. By echoing Russian propaganda, President Trump has abandoned Ukraine in its darkest hour, betraying our allies and democracy itself.
Trump’s strong-arm tactics to force peace talks that heavily favor Russia are nothing short of a betrayal. His plan to end Russia’s invasion by offering Ukraine a deal to hand over 50 percent of its resource revenue for essentially nothing is depraved and foolish. This is a blowtorch to our values and principles.
Team Trump seems to have lost its way in a fog of its own creation. Making ill-advised concessions and prioritizing a rushed end to the war over strategic thinking is dangerous. Negotiating without Ukraine and NATO at the table only serves Putin’s interests, not America’s.
General George Patton once said, “Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser.” It’s time for Team Trump to remember that America plays to win, and that means standing with our allies, defending NATO, and protecting our national security interests. Let’s not sacrifice our values for a quick fix.
President Trump and Elon Musk made the brilliant decision to fire the National Nuclear Security Administration staff, who were responsible for safeguarding our nuclear weapons and weapon systems. Clearly, they were just a bunch of DOGEY incels who didn’t understand the importance of their job. Now, in a shocking turn of events, they are desperately trying to rehire these knowledgeable individuals, but oops – they deleted their contact information. How convenient. I’m sure this will make the USA a safer place for all of us. Thanks, guys.
Oh, and let’s not forget the uproar over Social Security payments to 150-year-olds. Because, you know, Trump and Musk are experts in deciphering software code that was designed to flag dates of persons that they could not verify, all they had to was ask a Social Security employee. But wait they fired them! I’m sure retired citizens in the USA are sleeping soundly at night knowing these two are on the case.
And who needs FAA employees anyway? Trump has fired over 300. More plane crashes and deaths in the last month than in the past four years? Sounds like a great track record. I’m sure GOP Senator So-and-So is booking a flight for his family as we speak.
Cutting funding for cancer studies and medical research? Brilliant move. Who needs smart, educated people running colleges and universities anyway? Clearly, Trump and Musk have it all figured out.
CDC employees being fired and muzzled while epidemics run rampant? Sounds like a recipe for success.
And let’s not forget the plan to fire IRS phone staff right before tax season. Because who needs help with taxes, right? I’m sure honest taxpayers will figure it out on their own.
If Trump decides to fire NOAA staff and destroy the US weather service, well, we can all just rely on our instincts to predict the weather. Who needs accurate forecasts anyway?
Their record is evidently lacking in reason and detrimental to the interests of America. As they continue their clandestine endeavors, it is possible that the worst may still lie ahead for us.
Well, well, well, looks like Trump is really sticking it to the taxpayers by spending $10.7 million on golf trips already. Who knew playing golf could be so expensive? Apparently not the experts at DOGE, who are too busy ransacking the federal budget to notice. And let’s not forget about Elon Musk and his “high-IQ” team, who are too busy labeling things they don’t like as “fraud” to notice Trump’s golfing habits.
It’s not like Trump has played golf every weekend since taking office… oh wait, he has. And he’s managed to visit his own properties nine times in his first 30 days. But hey, as long as the money ends up in the president’s pocket, it’s not corruption, right?
In Trump’s world, spending $152 million on golf over his first four years is just business as usual. Who needs to worry about wasteful spending when you can profit off the government’s dime? So much for draining the swamp, more like filling it with sand traps.
Elon Musk’s assertion is just a tad off the mark. Contrary to his belief, FEMA did not hand out cash directly to New York hotels; they actually provided funding to New York City. Shocking, I know. And guess what? It wasn’t some shady, under-the-table deal either. It was all part of a program established by Congress and financed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. So, before you go accusing FEMA of throwing money at luxury hotel rooms for immigrants, maybe do a little fact-checking first.
Oh, and by the way, FEMA didn’t just decide to start splurging on fancy accommodations for migrants out of the blue. In Trump’s first term they’ve been supporting states and organizations that assist immigrants with essential services. It’s all part of a little thing called the Shelter and Services Program, which was created in 2023 with the help of Congress. But hey, who needs accurate information when you can just jump to conclusions.
And let’s set the record straight – New York City isn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for migrants in luxury hotel rooms. In 2024, they were actually spending less than the government’s per diem rate per night on hotel rooms. So, before you start spreading false claims about FEMA funding lavish accommodations, maybe take a closer look at the facts.
But hey Elon, who needs truth and accuracy when you can just stir up some controversy. So, in case you were wondering, we rate this claim as False. Shocking, I know.
Standing resolutely beside the president in the hallowed halls of the Oval Office on Tuesday, Elon Musk fervently dismissed any apprehensions surrounding conflicts of interest. With unwavering confidence, he proclaimed that his role as chief executive officer in his companies bears little correlation to the contracts being negotiated. Are we truly so naive as to accept such a notion?
Elon Musk, the epitome of a walking conflict of interest, seems to have a knack for skirting around federal laws that prohibit Executive Branch employees from participating in matters that could impact their own financial interests. Tesla recently sealed a lucrative deal worth $767 million to supply batteries to Genera, the company now running Puerto Rico’s power plants. Meanwhile, SpaceX managed to secure an additional $7.5 million contract with NASA, adding to the already hefty $38 million deal with Musk’s private rocket company.
But wait, there’s more! Musk’s empire extends beyond Tesla and SpaceX to include X (formerly Twitter), xAI (a competitor to OpenAI), Neuralink (a startup focused on brain implants), Starlink (a satellite internet service), and the Boring Company (a tunnel drilling venture). Together, these companies have raked in a staggering $20 billion in US government contracts and subsidies. It’s almost as if Musk has mastered the art of leveraging his various ventures to line his pockets with taxpayer dollars.
In case you were wondering, the federal code 18 USC 208 clearly states that Executive Branch employees are prohibited from participating in government matters that could impact their financial interests or those of individuals they have ties with outside of the government. But hey, rules are made to be broken, right?
Despite the vital role these dedicated federal employees play, critics often decry government waste without acknowledging the fact that the civil service remains the same size as it was in the 1950s, despite the American population tripling since then. In reality, the federal government is at its smallest per capita in history, with many crucial agencies and services suffering from chronic understaffing. Drastically reducing the federal workforce would have catastrophic consequences not only for veterans but for all Americans.
The rapid and expansive efforts of individuals like Elon Musk have sparked frustration among some of President Trump’s aides, who lament a lack of coordination, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to sources cited by Reuters.
“I’ve given my all for this country, serving in the army and working for the Department of Defense for 17 years,” said Nick Gioia, a veteran feeling betrayed by a country he once proudly served. Trump claims to support veterans, but it’s clear he only cares about his billionaire friends.
To the veterans who backed Trump and the GOP, how does it feel to be betrayed and exploited? It’s time to lay aside those red hats and embrace what it truly means to be an American! The Army instills a powerful creed: we leave no man (person) behind!
Apparently, DOGE (not the cute dog meme, but the Department of Government Efficiency) thought it would be a great idea to share some super classified NOFURN info about the intelligence community’s headcount. Now, everyone is running around like headless chickens trying to figure out if their sensitive information has been compromised.
One Defense Intelligence Agency employee, who shall remain nameless to avoid getting on the bad side of the big bosses, mentioned that NOFURN means “Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals.” In other words, keep your hands off unless you have a fancy authorization slip.
Elon Musk, the man behind SpaceX and a $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office, can’t really play dumb here. I mean, come on, he knows a thing or two about intelligence agencies.
So, now the National Reconnaissance Office is on high alert, trying to figure out if their offices have been infiltrated. It’s like a real-life spy thriller, but with less glamour and more panic. Oh, the joys of government efficiency under Musk and Trump!
Blue Press Journal 