Trump's "Weirdness and Destruction" Fuels Constant Scandals

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "Moby Dick" - The show mentioned acting out most of its plot in a past episode to make a point about John Boehner and the debt ceiling.

Articles & Papers

• "Trump administration has now stopped the FBI and other Justice Department personnel not only from working on counterterrorism cases but also the Trump administration has stopped federal law enforcement officers in multiple agencies from working on child sex trafficking and child exploitation cases" (New York Times) - This reporting details how federal agents were reassigned from child sex crime cases to immigration work, hindering investigations.
• "Trump Justice Department May Have Committed Misconduct in James Comey Case" (New York Times) - This article reports on a federal magistrate judge's statement that the criminal case against James Comey could be in trouble due to apparent errors by the prosecutor.
• "Federal Judge Blasts Potential Government Misconduct in Comey Case" (The Washington Post) - This article covers the same topic as the New York Times piece, detailing the judge's blistering ruling on alleged misconduct by the Justice Department.
• Reporting on Trump appointee Bill Pulty (Wall Street Journal) - This article reported that Bill Pulty, who crusaded to bring a case against Tish James, reportedly fired oversight and ethics officials at his agency while trying to access information about James.
• "Immigration crackdown inspires uniquely Chicago pushback that's now a model for other cities" (Associated Press) - This headline describes how Chicago's community resistance strategies against immigration enforcement are becoming a model for other cities.

People Mentioned

• John Boehner - Referenced in the context of a past show segment that acted out "Moby Dick" to make a point about him and the Republicans' actions on the debt ceiling.
• Kash Patel (FBI Director) - Mentioned because the FBI reportedly assigned a full-time protective security detail to his girlfriend and his office sought to increase the monetary value of gifts he could receive.
• Mike Flynn (Disgraced former National Security Advisor) - Mentioned in reports that Trump's DOJ is considering giving him a large settlement.
• James Comey (Former FBI Director) - The subject of a criminal case where a federal magistrate judge found potential misconduct by the Trump Justice Department.
• Lindsey Halligan (Prosecutor) - Identified as the inexperienced prosecutor picked by President Trump to oversee the James Comey case, and accused by a judge of making "fundamental and highly prejudicial misstatements of the law to the grand jury."
• Tish James (New York Democratic Attorney General) - Mentioned as facing a prosecution that she is moving to dismiss, claiming it's the product of illegal and unethical behavior by government officials.
• Bill Pulty (Trump appointee at the Federal Housing Finance Agency) - Reported to have fired oversight and ethics officials at his agency while trying to gin up a case against Tish James.
• Elon Musk - Referenced as someone who left the Trump administration after protesters targeted Tesla, demonstrating the effectiveness of protesting public-facing entities.
• Brendan Carr (FCC) - Mentioned as someone who was targeted by protesters, along with other public-facing entities, to highlight the effectiveness of such tactics.
• David Gomberg (Oregon State Representative) - An Oregon state legislator representing Newport, Oregon, who spoke about the community's concerns regarding the potential ICE facility and the removal of the Coast Guard rescue helicopter.
• Stephen Miller - Mentioned as someone who would not want to see people smiling and celebrating their community in the face of his tactics, suggesting he wants agitators.

Organizations & Institutions

• US Department of Justice (DOJ) - Mentioned in relation to the Jeffrey Epstein files, the James Comey case, and reports of considering a settlement for Mike Flynn.
• FBI - Mentioned in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein files, the protective detail for Kash Patel's girlfriend, and being stopped from working on child sex trafficking cases by the Trump administration.
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Mentioned as the agency whose agents were reassigned from child sex crime cases to immigration work.
• General Services Administration (GSA) - The agency in charge of federal real estate, where Trump is reportedly installing a new top lawyer who previously said he had a "Nazi streak."
• US Conference of Catholic Bishops - Mentioned for issuing a special message opposing the "indiscriminate mass deportation of people," indicating a galvanized stance against Trump's immigration policies.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC) - Co-founded with Albert Einstein, this organization provides humanitarian aid to refugees in conflict and disaster zones like Gaza and Ukraine.
• Siembra NC - A local immigrant rights group in Charlotte, North Carolina, that started the "Defend and Recruit" project and publishes guides and videos for community protection against federal immigration agents.
• K2 - A local news station that reported on the turnout at a public meeting in Newport, Oregon.

Websites & Online Resources

• release the files now org - A website or online initiative mentioned as being projected onto the US Department of Justice headquarters, advocating for the release of Jeffrey Epstein files.
• Online map of federal immigration agents in North Carolina - Created by advocates for immigrants in North Carolina to show where agents are known to be operating.

Other Resources

• Yellow crime scene tape - Used by protesters in Washington D.C. to wrap the White House, symbolizing their "Trump must go" message.
• Whistles - Carried by people in Chicago as a tactic to sound the alarm when immigration agents showed up, inspiring other cities.
• "Live Laugh Love" style poster about judicial warrants - A poster created by Siembra NC, styled like a common home decor item, but with text advocating for the requirement of a judicial warrant for federal agents to enter a home.
• "This Little Light of Mine" - A song mentioned as being taught to people at community trainings in Charlotte to sing when protecting community members, aiming for a positive and uplifting atmosphere.