I often write about bad people in this newsletter. Usually because they are doing bad things. Frequently, they are allowed to continue doing those bad things. And when that happens, innocent people die, elections get interfered with, and the steamroller of fascism just keeps trundling along.
In the second of my occasional "Bad People Updates," I offer these three examples:
Genocide Don
As I wrote in August, "it's horrifying to imagine a major-party candidate would hint at delaying a ceasefire for his political benefit. But Trump is no normal candidate." Back then, we already knew Trump had successfully put the kibosh on the bipartisan border deal and unsuccessfully tried to keep Evan Gershkovich locked in a Russian prison until after the election.
In August, Judy Woodruff reported that, following Netanyahu's recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, "former president Trump is on the phone with the prime minister of Israel urging him not to cut a deal right now because it's believed that would help the Harris campaign."
It was denied, of course. Woodruff walked her comments back, etc.
But Dementia Don can't help himself.
This week, after claiming on Saturday that the Israeli leader "wants my view on things," he told the crowd at a Believers and Ballots event in Zebulon, Georgia what many suspected all along: he's speaking to Bibi on a near daily basis, encouraging him to ignore Biden's ongoing attempts to stop the killing in Gaza.
"Fortunately they didn't listen to Biden," he said.
As Salon notes:
The Logan Act, which became law in 1799, bars private U.S. citizens from having, "directly or indirectly," any unauthorized "correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government … in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States."
Anyone else would be locked up for doing what Trump is doing.
But it's only Donald Trump, so whatevs, right?
The Elon-emy Within
Since writing my latest Musk piece noting that Elon had "turned his failing GOTV effort into a fully criminal $1-million-a-day lottery," the Department of Justice intervened.
The Justice Department sent a letter to the super PAC founded by Elon Musk this week warning that awarding $1 million to registered voters who signed a petition might violate federal laws against paying voters, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.
Similar warning letters from the department’s public integrity unit have been sent to businesses and organizations that tied promotions to voting and are intended to suggest that continuing such an activity could result in a criminal investigation.
"Hooray!" You scream. At least that's taken care of, right?
Not so fast.
Yesterday, Elon proudly announced that Jason in Michigan was his latest illegal lottery winner.
At least he was polite enough not to tweet, "Fuck you, Merrick Garland."
Meanwhile, Musk is talking to Putin even more than his running mate Donald Trump, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Want more about how bad Elon is?
Here, I write about how Trump has been turned into: Musk's Marionette. Here's my take on Elon's attempt to become: America's Rasputin.
Or try this from Jared Yates Sexton:
The Billionaire’s Puppet: The Buying of the American Presidency
One of the biggest stories in American history is going largely unnoticed
Jared Yates Sexton
... And last but not least in today's "Bad People Update":
Ron DeFascist
Ron "The Next Great White Dope" DeSantis was famously the fascist originally preferred by Elon "Trump's Too Old" Musk as the 2024 GOP candidate.
Since flaming out in the primaries, DeSantis has continued to wage war on the one thing Elon claims to support most: The First Amendment.
No doubt encouraged by his past successes at thwarting the will of Florida's people, DeSantis has this year devoted a lot of energy to blocking Florida's vote on a constitutional amendment to restore a right to abortion in the state.
Things got particularly bad when DeSantis said he wanted to start jailing TV executives for airing ads in support of the abortion rights amendment.
But Floridians Protecting Freedom, whose ads DeSantis was trying to ban, fought back. And DeSantis's fascist plan started falling apart.
As Slate's Mark Joseph Stern tweeted:
Wow: The Florida official who sent letters threatening TV stations for airing pro-choice ads has filed a declaration in federal court stating that (1) DeSantis' office directed him to send them, and (2) he resigned rather than sending more.
And U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted FPF's request for a preliminary injunction against the state, concluding his ruling with these words:
"To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid."
Score one for the good guys.
We'll have to wait until November 5 to humiliate Trump and Musk.
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