{"id":823096,"date":"2025-01-30T10:14:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T16:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/30\/as-california-burns-republicans-try-to-help-trump-seize-panama-canal\/"},"modified":"2025-01-30T10:14:15","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T16:14:15","slug":"as-california-burns-republicans-try-to-help-trump-seize-panama-canal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/30\/as-california-burns-republicans-try-to-help-trump-seize-panama-canal\/","title":{"rendered":"As California Burns, Republicans Try to Help Trump Seize Panama Canal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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While one of the most devastating <\/span>wildfires<\/span><\/a> in American history rages on in Southern California, Republicans in Congress have decided to focus on retaking the Panama Canal.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Thursday, Representative Dusty Johnson <\/span>introduced<\/span><\/a> a bill that authorizes the president to begin negotiations to reacquire the canal, with 15 of his fellow Republicans as co-sponsors.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The move follows Donald Trump\u2019s <\/span>public calls<\/span><\/a> to reacquire the canal even though Panama\u2019s leadership has said the idea isn\u2019t up for discussion. Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> Tuesday that \u201cthe sovereignty of our canal is not negotiable and is part of our history of struggle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump claimed last month that Chinese troops were stationed in the canal zone, which Panamanian President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino called \u201c<\/span>nonsense<\/span><\/a>,\u201d saying that \u201cthere is not a single Chinese soldier in the canal.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Johnson seems to be playing to Trump\u2019s ego with the bill, if his <\/span>words to Fox News<\/a> on Wednesday are any indication.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is a Teddy Roosevelt moment,\u201d the South Dakota representative said. \u201cAnd frankly, America used to run this canal, and it was very well run under American leadership.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In recent weeks, Trump has also floated taking over Greenland and adding Canada as the <\/span>fifty-first U.S. state<\/span><\/a>. Whether his plans are serious or not, they\u2019ve already received pushback from leaders in the Danish territory, Canada, and even <\/span>France<\/span><\/a>, speaking on behalf of the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The case of Panama is unique, though: Trump has an outstanding <\/span>tax evasion case<\/span><\/a> in the country and could be looking to settle scores (and protect his wallet) with some saber-rattling. Maybe he also has some kind of financial interests in Greenland and Canada. If only the president-elect saw dollar signs in Southern California. Maybe then, people who are losing their homes and livelihoods to wildfires would be his priority.
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More on the LA wildfires:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The right is blaming diversity, equity, and inclusion and \u201cwokeness\u201d for the response to massive wildfires in Southern California.<\/span><\/p>\n

Several conservative pundits and personalities have gone after their favorite bogeymen on social media this week as fires have spread throughout the Los Angeles metro area, afflicting liberals, conservatives, the wealthy, and the poor alike.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Some bizarrely claimed that the shortage in firefighters was because \u201cLos Angeles deliberately set out to exclude white men from becoming firefighters,\u201d in the words of Matt Walsh.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Others blamed DEI and wokeness more broadly.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Megyn Kelly went on a tirade on her radio show Wednesday, blaming Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley for prioritizing \u201cdiversity,\u201d attacking Crowley\u2019s background.
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\u201cWho gives a s\u2013t if the fire chief is gay? I\u2019m sorry but who gives a flying fig about who she likes to sleep with; can you fight the f\u2013king fires, madam? That\u2019s the relevant question,\u201d Kelly <\/span>said<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chaya Raichik, the bigot behind the \u201cLibs of TikTok\u201d account, also went after Crowley.
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Many on the right cited a 2017 speech by right-wing comedian <\/span>Adam Carolla<\/span><\/a>, who complained that he was rejected when he applied to be a Los Angeles firefighter because he was \u201cnot Black, Hispanic, or a woman,\u201d as evidence. But Carolla\u2019s story, if true, took place in the 1980s, not recently, a fact lost on these conservatives. And in another bizarre turn, pundit Charlie Kirk <\/span>railed<\/span><\/a> against sign language interpreters during emergency briefings, calling them a \u201cdistraction\u201d and \u201cover the top.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, one major reason for the shortfall in firefighters in Los Angeles is because Bass <\/span>cut<\/span><\/a> the city\u2019s firefighting budget by $17.6 million, while increasing the police department\u2019s by $126 million. But conservatives aren\u2019t going to complain about a higher police budget. Nor are they going to realize that <\/span>climate change<\/span><\/a> is the root cause of increased wildfires. Maybe they think shooting at a wildfire can put it out.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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More on the politicization of the wildfires:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Elon has zeroed in on his next political target: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The world\u2019s richest man has been consulting with his right-wing allies to devise a strategy to oust the Labour Party\u2019s Starmer before the next election, according to a report from the <\/span>Financial Times<\/i><\/span><\/a> Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Musk has been <\/span>antagonizing<\/span><\/a> Starmer on X for some time, but according to people familiar with the matter, he is now focused on finding a way to destabilize the Labour government and bolster other alternatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHis view is that Western civilisation itself is threatened,\u201d one source told FT.<\/i><\/p>\n

Musk has been <\/span>rallying<\/span><\/a> to free far-right, Islamaphobic hooligan Tommy Robinson from prison since the new year and thinks that all-out civil war is \u201c<\/span>inevitable<\/span><\/a>\u201d in the nation. He\u2019s also been calling for a national investigation into the grooming and exploitation cases in the Midlands region of England. Musk blames Starmer, who was a director of public prosecutions at the time, for his oversight on the issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Musk\u2019s attempted toppling of Starmer is another installment in his efforts to exert the same political influence he has in the United States in Europe. The billionaire has been <\/span>singing the praises<\/span><\/a> of Germany\u2019s far-right, nativist Alternative for Germany, or AfD,\u00a0 Party. He published an op-ed in a German newspaper in which <\/span>he wrote<\/span><\/a>, \u201cPortraying the AfD as far-right is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party\u2019s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Come on!\u201d He has since been accused of <\/span>election interference<\/span><\/a> by the German government but has shown no signs of stopping. He is also scheduled to host AfD leader Alice Weidel live on X sometime before the German elections in February.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Musk is also closing in on a massive telecommunications deal with Italy\u2019s far-right government, entrenching himself in the Eurozone.
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The highest court in New York has declined Donald Trump\u2019s request that they stop his scheduled sentencing in his hush-money case on Friday. <\/span>Judge Juan M. Merchan will sentence him unless the Supreme Court steps in to deny him.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The president-elect was convicted on <\/span>34 felony counts of falsifying business records<\/span><\/a> to hide an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Merchan has already said he does not intend to sentence Trump to prison. If he is fined, which also seems unlikely, his attorneys are expected to argue that this process is an undue burden on Trump as he prepares to take office again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump has been <\/span>begging<\/span><\/a> the Supreme Court to help him evade sentencing for weeks now, even trying to incur his presidential immunity\u2014but to no avail thus far. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden\/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!\u201d Trump <\/span>railed<\/span><\/a> on Truth Social last weekend. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This story has been updated.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The star witness who falsely alleged that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter took a $10 million bribe from Ukraine was <\/span>sentenced<\/span><\/a> to six years in prison Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Republicans repeatedly touted the testimony of Alexander Smirnov as the smoking gun against the president and his son, using it in an attempt to <\/span>impeach<\/span><\/a> Biden. But in February last year, Smirnov was <\/span>indicted<\/span><\/a> by special counsel David Weiss and charged with lying about the Bidens\u2019 involvement with Ukrainian energy company Burisma, <\/span>collapsing<\/span><\/a> House Republicans\u2019 case.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Last month, Smirnov <\/span>pleaded guilty<\/span><\/a> to four felony charges, which included one count of obstruction of justice and three tax evasion charges, and admitted to fabricating the conspiracy. As a condition of Smirnov\u2019s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to ask for a maximum of six years in prison. Smirnov, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, also has to pay about $675,000 in restitution to the IRS for his tax evasion charges.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smirnov\u2019s sentencing should end the case against the president and his son, with the only remaining loose end being Weiss\u2019s final report, and Attorney General Merrick Garland will decide whether that should be made public. A jury convicted Hunter Biden on gun charges in June, and he pleaded guilty to tax charges in September. But President Biden <\/span>pardoned<\/span><\/a> his son before he could be sentenced in either case.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Donald Trump set to be sworn in as president in less than two weeks, Republicans could attempt to pretend that this entire saga never happened. Or Representative James Comer and company might try to find another \u201cinformant\u201d and gin up <\/span>new charges<\/span><\/a> against the Bidens, following through on Trump\u2019s threats to go after his enemies. Trump\u2019s pick to run the FBI, <\/span>Kash Patel<\/span><\/a>, zealously wants to put those threats into action. The next few months will show whether this case is really over.
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Elon Musk is reneging on his biggest DOGE promise.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a live <\/span>interview<\/span><\/a> on X Wednesday evening with political strategist Mark Penn, the billionaire conceded that his initial goal of cutting the federal budget by \u201c<\/span>at least $2 trillion<\/span><\/a>\u201d was a taller task than he first believed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDo you think the $2 trillion is a realistic number now that you\u2019re looking more closely at it?\u201d Penn asked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ll try for $2 trillion. I think that\u2019s the best-case outcome,\u201d Musk responded. \u201cBut I do think that you kind of have to have some overage. I think if we try for $2 trillion, we\u2019ve got a good shot at getting one [trillion].\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is vindicating for budget specialists who have been deeply skeptical about Musk\u2019s claims from the jump, as cutting $2 trillion from a $6.8 trillion budget is essentially unfeasible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Musk has been <\/span>touting<\/span><\/a> DOGE as a fiscal savior fighting big government ever since Trump named him as co-chair of the advisory body in November. But its potential grows more and more questionable as Trump\u2019s inauguration draws nearer\u2014and as Republican <\/span>intraparty<\/span><\/a> <\/span>rifts<\/span><\/a> grow more pronounced. Musk\u2019s retraction on the $2 trillion he boldly <\/span>proclaimed<\/span><\/a> onstage at the Madison Square Garden Rally is only the latest example.\u00a0
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Donald Trump appears to have a cozier relationship with the Supreme Court than previously thought.<\/p>\n

The president-elect reportedly had a private call with Justice Samuel Alito on Tuesday, according to <\/span>ABC News<\/a>. Hours later, Trump filed a request with the court to dismiss his hush-money sentencing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Alito spoke with Trump to recommend one of his former law clerks to a position within the forthcoming administration. Then, the following day, Trump\u2019s lawyers had their own request of the bench: <\/span>Block<\/a> Trump\u2019s criminal hush-money sentencing, reported ABC\u2019s <\/span>Katherine Faulders<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWilliam Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position,\u201d Alito told the network on Wednesday. \u201cI agreed to discuss this matter with President-elect Trump, and he called me yesterday afternoon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Levi is reportedly being considered as general counsel of the Department of Defense. Court analysts who spoke with ABC said that while it\u2019s not wholly unusual for sitting justices to recommend their former clerks to future positions, it is rare that they would have a direct conversation with a president in order to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Alito also denied discussing the hush-money case with Trump, telling the network that he and the president-elect \u201cdid not discuss any other matter that is pending or might in the future come before the Supreme Court.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Alito has faced calls from within the government to recuse himself in cases relating to Trump. In July, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced <\/span>impeachment articles<\/a> against Alito and Justice Clarence Thomas for their bad habit of accepting lavish gifts from Republican billionaires (and failing to properly disclose them).<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump requested an administrative stay Wednesday on the sentencing for his sole criminal conviction, claiming that the high court\u2019s July <\/span>immunity ruling<\/a> should prevent him from having to face consequences. Trump\u2019s sentencing is currently scheduled for Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Read more about the Supreme Court:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Officials at the Federal Reserve are worried<\/a> that Trump\u2019s policies will cause inflation to rise once again. Recent meeting notes included four separate mentions of the economic impact of changes on immigration, inflation, and trade policy, according to CNBC reporting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost all participants judged that upside risks to the inflation outlook had increased,\u201d the minutes said. \u201cAs reasons for this judgment, participants cited recent stronger-than-expected readings on inflation and the likely effects of potential changes in trade and immigration policy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Trump has been making broad threats about hardline tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico, as well as promising mass deportations and deregulation. All of these things are causing the Fed to move carefully.<\/p>\n

Officials noted that they still expect inflation to get down to 2 percent, but not until 2027 at the earliest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn discussing the outlook for monetary policy, participants indicated that the Committee was at or near the point at which it would be appropriate to slow the pace of policy easing,\u201d the meeting minutes said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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During the 2024 elections, the Israel lobby poured at least $45.2 million into winning candidates for Congress, the most by any organization in history, according to a new report from Sludge<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The report states that 349 senators and members of the House of Representatives, or 65 percent of Congress, received money<\/a> from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or its affiliated super PACs in both parties. For example, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson received at least $654,000, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, received at least $933,000. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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AIPAC in particular targeted two Democratic members of the House: Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, each known for their progressive reputations and for being among the first in Congress to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. AIPAC spent $20 million to back their primary election opponents Wesley Bell and George Latimer, respectively, successfully unseating Bush and Bowman. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a massive increase from AIPAC\u2019s spending in 2022, which only amounted to $13 million in contributions to congressional campaigns. This time, the lobby upped its spending due to opposition to Israel\u2019s brutal war in Gaza, which has created a humanitarian catastrophe<\/a> and led to a massive civilian death toll<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Candidates that it backed oppose a ceasefire to end the war, which has continued unabated for more than a year and led to war crimes<\/a> charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif. But Israel still receives unconditional backing from the United States from President Biden<\/a> as well as President-elect Donald Trump<\/a>, and that will only become stronger when Trump is sworn in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Rudy Giuliani is trying to get out of attending in-person trial proceedings, after being held in contempt<\/a> of court, by pretending that his life is in danger.<\/p>\n

Lawyers for the former New York City mayor argued in a <\/span>filing<\/a> Wednesday that their client cannot attend a session in person at the end of the week. Giuliani had appeared virtually in court on Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe is 80 years old and suffers from a number of medical conditions,\u201d the lawyers explained, noting that he has issues with his knee, lungs, and heart. <\/span><\/p>\n

The filing also cited \u201ca number of credible death threats\u201d against the disgraced politician. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs one of the more outspoken critics of the current Iranian regime, at a time of heightened terrorism concerns following the recent events in New Orleans and Las Vegas and the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and its various proxies, it is reasonable to take extra precautions regarding Mayor Giuliani\u2019s safety, and limit travel whenever possible,\u201d the filing said. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019ll be interesting to see whether the profound concern for Giuliani\u2019s safety extends to two weeks from now, when his lawyers <\/span>requested permission<\/a> for their client\u2019s trial to be delayed so he could attend Donald Trump\u2019s presidential inauguration festivities. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Read about Giuliani\u2019s legal woes:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Hafiz Rashid
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While one of the most devastating wildfires in American history rages on in Southern California, Republicans in Congress have decided to focus on retaking the Panama Canal. On Thursday, Representative Dusty Johnson introduced a bill that authorizes the president to begin negotiations to reacquire the canal, with 15 of his fellow Republicans as co-sponsors. The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":823097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1449,921],"tags":[8354,5229],"class_list":{"0":"post-823096","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-burns","8":"category-california","9":"tag-burns","10":"tag-california"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823096"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823096\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/823097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}