By Elie Honig / New York Magazine / April 10, 2025
Donald Trump’s presidential payback tour rages on, and now it’s personal. It’s one thing to target multibillion-dollar law firms, universities, and media outlets for organizational retribution; those efforts, aimed at stifling and punishing any criticism or dissent, are reprehensible in their own right. But now Trump is going after individual private citizens, using the might of the executive branch to potentially throw his detractors in prison.
In a pair of official proclamations — rendered no less unhinged by the use of official fonts and White House letterhead — Trump identifies two targets who worked in the federal government during his first tenure and dared to speak out publicly against him.
First: Chris Krebs, who led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency from 2018 to 2020 and made headlines when he publicly contradicted Trump’s false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. For this act of heretical truth-telling, Trump labels Krebs “a significant bad-faith actor” — whatever the hell that means — who poses grave “risks” to the American public.
And then there’s Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who publicly criticized the president in an anonymous book and various media appearances. Taylor, like Krebs, purportedly poses “risks” to the United States, is a “bad-faith actor” (though apparently not a significant one like Krebs), and “stoked dissension” with his public commentary.
Are you scared? Don’t you fear the “risks” posed by these two monsters?
True to the form he has displayed when going after disfavored law firms, Trump hits below the belt. The president ordered security clearances stripped not only from Krebs and Taylor but also from everyone who works with them (Krebs at a private cybersecurity firm, Taylor at the University of Pennsylvania). He’s punishing his targets — plus their employers and colleagues, First Amendment freedom of association be darned.
It gets worse. In a separate set of orders, Trump directed the attorney general to open criminal investigations of Krebs and Taylor. Notably absent from the orders is any plausible notion that either might have committed a federal crime. This hardly needs to be said, but it’s not a federal crime to be a “bad-faith actor,” to “stoke dissension,” or even to be a “wise guy,” as Trump called Krebs from the Oval Office.
The next move is Pam Bondi’s — and we know how this will go.
Any reasonable, ethical attorney general would follow the bedrock principle that a prosecutor must have “predication” — some kernel of fact on which to believe a crime might have been committed — to open a criminal investigation. The bar is low, but it serves the vital purpose of preventing precisely the baseless retributive inquests that Trump has now ordered up. In observance of this foundational precept, even Bill Barr — the subject of sharp criticism in my first book, Hatchet Man — generally ignored Trump’s public pleas for the arrests of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and others. Like the exhausted parent of an unruly toddler, Barr would mostly sit back and let the tantrum pass.
Don’t count on Bondi taking the same course of passive resistance to the president. She has already shown her true colors, and they’re whatever shade Trump pleases. For example, despite the distinct possibility of criminality by top administration officials around the Signal scandal, the AG refused even to investigate. Instead, she decreed — after zero inquiry, with zero evidence — that information about military attack plans was somehow not classified, and that nobody had acted recklessly. Case closed; no inquiry needed.
Bondi no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt. She’s in the bag for Trump. The question now is whether she’ll cross the line that even Barr, her crooked predecessor, would not, and use the Justice Department’s staggering investigative power as an offensive weapon.
Even if the DoJ investigates but concludes it cannot bring a criminal charge, the threat to Krebs and Taylor is real. Any criminal inquiry takes an enormous toll on its subject; subpoenas fly, friends and colleagues get pulled into the grand jury, phones get seized and searched, legal costs mount, professional reputations suffer, personal ties fray. Ask anyone who has been investigated by the Justice Department but not indicted. They’ll tell you it’s a nightmare.
If Bondi does somehow convince a grand jury to indict somebody for something, Trump has unwittingly handed both Krebs and Taylor a potent defense: selective prosecution, which applies when an individual has been singled out for improper purposes. Exhibit A (for the defense): Trump’s own grand proclamations, which openly confess to his personal and political motives for ordering a Justice Department inquiry. Selective-prosecution defenses rarely succeed, often because prosecutors typically don’t commit their improper motives to paper. But this would be the rare case in which the evidence is so plain — it’s on White House letterhead, signed by the president — that a judge could hardly overlook it.
Trump has long made a habit of threatening his opponents with criminal prosecution through social-media posts and spontaneous outbursts from the lectern. Until now, it was mostly bluster, a public form of scream therapy for the capricious commander-in-chief. But now it’s in writing, from the president to the attorney general, who typically jumps to attention to serve whatever suits the boss, prosecutorial standards be darned. Trump’s dark fantasies are coming to life.
Where do they plan to hold all these people they’re threatening? Jail are overrun with skeletons crews as it is so good luck with it. I figure they’re just trying to scare people into submission by making an example out of a few. Jeezus
Lily, I am so glad you asked! The answer occurred to me just yesterday. Those who dare to criticize the Supreme Leader will be rounded up and shipped to Mars (as soon as the ship is ready, of course. Elon …?), providing slave labor to build the penal colonies.
Is there any point, in this political passion-pay, when the actions of this Attorney General of the United States crosses the line between execution of their official duties of office, as directed by their superior political boss (the president) and their sworn duty to uphold the law and in turn criminally violates people’s constitutional and civil rights? Is, “I was only following orders”, a supportable legal defense? Someday, someday this whole house of Republican Cards will collapse and there will be hell to pay.
All liars. Here’s more on Buchenwald Barbie:
Trump AG’s brain falls out, can’t stop lying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbhpMtb86SY
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We now live in Hungary:
‘I realized, it might have to be me’: Lawyer resigns from firm over Trump deal, says ‘pay attention’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrX7VVlbHk0
Did anyone else catch her quote about deporting so she can be “saving room in our prisons?”
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To El Salvador? Yep.
Karoline Leavitt Says Trump Is NOT JOKING About Deporting US Citizens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyKPB5BtExc
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Realize that at some point in the future (who knows how long, maybe decades) we are going to need to hold a new Nuremberg Trial for all of these homegrown Fascists. The problem being the corrupted US Supreme court decided anything Trump does during the course of his presidency that is considered “Presidential Duties,” even if it was against the law, he cannot be prosecuted for. So all of his executive orders, even if they are totally against the law, cannot result in prosecution, jail time, or execution. We have to have crimes he did that are not a part of normal presidential activity.
We now have an entire government full of Fascists whose defense will be “I was following orders.” Shades of Nazi Germany indeed.
The SCOTUS is going to have to be tried, too.
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sealintheSelkirks
Seal, it’s confusing how you presented your latest rant. You start off by saying ‘all liars,’ which it either refers to the comments by those before you or the content of the post — neither which you intended. Please see how your comment is presented before hitting the print button.
Sorry Frank. I agree that it was a bit disjointed there. I’ve been dealing with Influenza A for the last three weeks which has just kicked my butt to the curb, and I somehow left out the ‘Trump’s cabinet’ part of ‘are all liars.’
I’m surprised you haven’t caught more mistakes lately. Last time I caught the flu was in 2018 and it did the same thing to me. At least it wasn’t Covid which is still circulating.
‘are all liars’ was supposed to lead to the likes of Bondi, Hegseth, co-President Musk and the rest of the billionaires destroying the government…and most certainly to Trump himself.
Along with those excellent ‘economic advisors’ of his. None of them seem to live in the world most of the rest of us do.
Remember during the not-indicted mass murderer Wbush regime when they told the world that they ‘create their own reality’ and everybody else will be playing catch-up? Here we are at it again.
I think they just don’t care that they are liars which is probably closer to the truth. Who is going to call them out on their blatant lies? Along with their having very little knowledge of US history…or ignoring it.
I am continually gobsmacked by how amazingly ignorant his press secretary is (see, I’m being generous and not using the words ‘grossly stupid!’). She doesn’t seem to know that there are three CO-EQUAL branches of government that share power, and that the ‘free’ press is supposed to call out the inconsistencies of each, and nobody seems to want to correct her but now that this regime is controlling who the Press Corps is and completely ignoring the courts which, as you well know, absolutely destroys the checks & balances this political system was set up with. And the questions from these so-called press conferences are often so inane that it makes me want to tear out my hair. Or throw up. I’m not sure which!
But can I expect anything less with a country full of citizens who don’t read above a 6th grade level (54%)? Probably not. So if a majority of adults are this handicapped, can they really even THINK above a 6th grade level? Trump said ‘I love the under-educated.’
Search engine that stat by the way!
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Imagine if Project Censored journalists were allow in?
“All Governments Lie”: Why We Need a Radical and Independent Free Press Now
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/04/09/all-governments-lie-why-we-need-a-radical-and-independent-free-press-now/
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Anyway, this page is doing its vibrating wiggle thing again, and it’s not my imagination because the page refuses to scroll. Weird.
You feel the Julian quake this morning? Back to taxes.
sealintheSelkirks
My computer hiccuped, and I lost my reply as I don’t think it was sent before it disappeared.
Sorry Frank. I somehow scrubbed off the first part: ‘All of Trump’s picks are’ and just didn’t catch it. But I have an excuse; I’ve been kicked to the curb by an awful strain of Influenza A for the last three weeks. I’ve not been at my sharpest, and surprised you haven’t caught any other mistakes I’ve probably made.
For the first time in five years, I walked into a store March 17th without a mask on as I was trying to keep a 6 yr old from getting squashed in a parking lot full of dangerous drivers. I left it on the dashboard and didn’t realize it until we passed a woman with one on in the store. By the 20th I was coughing hard with a swollen throat and fever. The strain of Influenza A is the most likely culprit as it’s circulating quite strongly up here.
Won’t do that again, but I’m still dealing with the repercussions. Last time I had the flu was Fall 2018 and it did the same thing to me. Face plant! Lost 10 pounds in the last three weeks…and still coughing up sticky orange crap in the mornings. At least my appetite is coming back, and it wasn’t Covid.
So I had something else pasted and it disappeared, too, but I don’t remember what that bad news was. So I’ll give you this one that just came up:
Sunday, Bloody Sunday?
The defense and homeland security leaders have until April 20 to issue a report that could lead Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/sunday-bloody-sunday/
Anybody think the Puppy & Goat Killer and the Drunken Abuser/Anger Management candidate won’t find something to essentially give Trump the go-ahead to do what he wants? This is exactly what his Presidential Proclamation TOLD them to do.
Quite close to Martial Law with the domestic deployment of federal troops. The enemy within is definitely in all our faces.
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And this page is vibrating again like it was this morning before my computer glitched. Won’t scroll with the mouse, and it’s moving so much it makes my eyes a bit blurry!
sealintheSelkirks
Again, sorry Frank. My first reply obviously did get sent when my computer hiccuped and froze just after noon yesterday. Which is why I re-wrote it and posted it again in late afternoon when I came back inside from chores and re-started it and noticed it didn’t show up as submitted. Now you end up with two. Didn’t mean to do that.
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But this showed up yesterday, too…Trump talking privately with the El Salvador dictator…
Trump heard on hot mic saying to the Dictator of El Salvador that he needs to build 5 more prisons for “HOMEGROWN.” Wait’ll the first planeload of student protesters gets sent…
Trump exposed in hot mic moment planning further abuse of power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0PhviW_vek
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Trump Dares the Supreme Court to Do Something
David A. Graham / The Atlantic
https://www.rsn.org/001/trump-dares-the-supreme-court-to-do-something.html
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This is getting too real.
An old friend who owns property in San Francisco talked with me the other night. She’s been preparing since November and is about to leave the country, but she has the financial ability and also has family living outside the US…
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sealintheSelkirks
More chilling news:
Phase Two Will Be Worse Than DOGE
David A. Graham / The Atlantic
https://www.rsn.org/001/phase-two-will-be-worse-than-doge.html
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In 3 days he’ll have been in office for 90 days. The amount of destruction to this country in the next 6 months or the first year, based on what has already happened, is stupefying, horrifying, and at least to me unimaginable at this point.
If his Fascist stormtrooper picks for AG, Defense Secretary, and Homeland Security give him what he wants on April 20th, we’ll be effectively under Martial Law with the imposition of the Insurrection Act and declaring a National Emergency at the border.
sealintheSelkirks
Bring on the Nazi to “arrest” me for speaking my mind. It would not be a pretty site.
Steven Richardson: These two vids puts out some tough questions.
It’s hard for US citizens to be aware…do they understand the gravity of the situation…will they continue to go on with their daily lives as if nothing is happening…
I have a suspicion that the German people of 1933-1940 had the same question and we know how that turned out…
Expert on Fascism Has a CHILLING Warning About What Comes Next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1TGlDB5uB0
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And this one talks about letting them shove you into a box car… As he says, Trump and his minions want to turn this country back 250 years.
The Lincoln Project throws out some extremely disturbing questions to all of us:
The Tipping Point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNKazutp8qQ
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As for today April 20th, still no word on the imposition of the Insurrection Act of 1807, or the declaration of a National Emergency to put US troops on the streets. So far. The day isn’t over yet.
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But today IS the ancient celebration of Eostre, the goddess of fertility and the Ostara Wheel of the Year Spring Equinox that the Catholic Church stole, just like Winter Solstice, from the northern European ancestors which many of us descend from. Look up how ‘Easter’ is celebrated and be shocked at how badly it was twisted from its original form.
Will we awaken from the horror of this winter’s slumber where a Fascist dictator has taken our country away from us? Will life burst forth across the land or will it stay asleep and buried beneath the icy dead tundra of the bleak insanity of MAGA and its anti-Ostara/Easter?
SR: you said being arrested for speaking your mind by Nazis would not be a pretty ‘sight.’ Being murdered by the faceless killers with overwhelming military advantage in the pay of the State never has been throughout history.
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sealintheSelkirks
Chilling reality:
Lawrence: Because of Trump, America has become a place where ‘they can do that to anyone’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9WZeWEfGc
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They, of course, being the Party of Small Government, State’s Rights, Low Taxes, and Freedom, only have your best interests at heart.
As in, you know, Bless Your Little Heart’ as they say in Texas! And since these people just passed a bill with $175,000,000 for their Stasi enforcers budget (more than the US Marines get!), I guess they’ll make sure you get what you deserve.
sealintheSelkirks
Sorry, I keep forgetting to add another three zeros to the bill funding the ICE Secret Police. It’s $175,000,000,000. That’s 175 BILLION dollars a year, more than the budget for the US Marine Corps.
Just what kind of internal domestic shooting war are the MAGA Fascists planning to start do you think?
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And this is only going to use about $45 billion of that enormous number of dollar bills:
‘Blatantly unconstitutional’: Democracy professor on ICE tactics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6URwWEhmCw
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sealintheSelkirks
The rhetoric is getting far more violent day by day, and straight from Hitler’s playbook and (of course) the latest form of Project 2025. Where is this leading the US? To the same place that the Deep South Slave States took us in 1850.
From Oct of 2022. Just in case people don’t remember this article:
Where Will This Political Violence Lead? Look to the 1850s.
In the mid-19th century, a pro-slavery minority — encouraged by lawmakers — used violence to stifle a growing anti-slavery majority. It wasn’t long before the other side embraced force as a necessary response.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/10/29/political-violence-1850s-paul-pelosi-00064107
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sealintheSelkirks
Random bits of information before tomorrow’s protest marches:
Two reads that fit together:
Who Will Protect Us From the Protectors?
President Trump’s recent federalization of troops and Presidential National Security Memorandum completely disregards the Constitution, says Judge Andrew Napolitano.
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/10/06/who-will-protect-us-from-the-protectors/
JOHN KIRIAKOU: Militarized Police
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/10/10/john-kiriakou-militarized-police/
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If the 79 yr old obese leader of the USA in the next three years dies of being an obese old 79 yr old, this guy is going to take over and this is what he says about bribery:
Lawrence: Did Trump ‘czar’ Tom Homan take $50,000 from the FBI? JD Vance’s answer is, ‘I don’t know’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=916w4l7QFsA
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Republicans get away with LIES:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_MwNFtOS8as?feature=share
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And if he can’t indict them, his despicable followers will do this:
https://sfist.com/2025/10/06/home-of-south-carolina-judge-who-recently-blocked-feds-from-accessing-voter-data-burns-to-ground/
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Even the Brits know what’s going on:
All Democrats are now extremist terrorists:
‘They’re saying…show me your papers’: Simon Marks on Trump’s ICE crackdown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQAgAlEFtoM
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Wonder if DJT will declare the 1804 insurrection Act tomorrow. All those ANTIFA Terrorist Democrats in the streets are quite scary in their inflatable costumes of unicorns, dinosaurs, frogs etc, and maybe they’ll need to be ‘suppressed’ and if they don’t like it, DJT’s Gestapo can declare they ‘FEARED FOR THEIR LIFE’ before they opened fire.
sealintheSelkirks