Law, Power, and Justice

LIFE AND NEWS NOTES FROM A CHILDLESS CAT LADY (PER J. D. VANCE) BEAVERING AWAY IN ONE OF THE SUB-BASEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF SNARK:

· THE RIGHT-WING SCAM

· UKRAINE

· TRUMP’S ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE: ICE

· PLATNER

· ISRAEL SHORTS

Thursday 16 July 2026

Well, it’s finally daybreak with the Spanish moss hanging off the branches of the live oads. The marsh is a soft yellow-green with a brown strip down the center. It looks like mid-low tide.

The cats have been fed and have finally settled back down to wait for their father to come down stairs.

I”ive been working on headlines and listening to a Podcast Episode of Pod Saave America with Dan and Alex Wagner. It was vicious and personal on the part of Alex in a way that was surprising to me

While covering headlines I managed to put some $500 of merchandise on my shopping cart for our trip to Spain. My left hand is numb. Daddy’s hands used to get numb – and his neck hurt all the time. Just like me.

I painted for two hours last afternoon, a porch fish that I think looks pretty damn good, but boy what a strain on the body, especially on this shoulder that hasn’t been replaced yet.

But, I’m 75 years old and so I get to stay in bed (I work in bed like Proust) and chase down headlines and stories in some two dozen newspapers and news outlets. I would like to write something about Platner today, if my scatterbrained old body can manage it.

NEWS NOTES

THE RIGHT-WING SCAM

Article: LeVine, Marianne (7/16/26) “The Mystery money powering Trump’s second term.” The Wall Street Journal.

· Trump has raised over half a billion dollars from wealthy donors and “stashing it in a sprawling network of nonprofits, cultural institutions and committees that he and his allies control.”

· Companies seeking lucrative contracts, or favorable policies. “…details about where the cash is coming from or how it is being spent are shrouded in secrecy…”

· See article for break down of funds.

UKRAINE

Article: Harding, Luke (7/16/26) “Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine’s defense minister on eve…” The Guardian.

· Despite pleas from foreign partners and civil groups, Zelensky has dismissed Mykhailo Fedovor widely credited with transforming the defense ministry and reducing corruption.

· He was only in office for six months. This coincided with “a dramatic improvement in Ukraine’s position on the battlefield,” according to Luke Harding at the Guardian.

· Fedorov in his parting speech listed his achievements as disabling Starlink for Russian troops, procuring more drones, improved the procurement system. He revealed that Ukraine has successfully tested a ballistic missile.

· The removal has outraged his supporters and comes “amid rumors of a feud with Ukraine’s commander in chief Col. Gen. Olesksandr Syrskyi. Even Michagl McFaul, former US ambassador to Moscow urged Zelensky to keep him on.

Article: Vakulina, Sasha (7/16/26) “Dismissed Ukraine defense minister denounces incompetence…” Euronews.

· Thousands of Ukrainians have taken to the streets over the dismissal of the defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov publicly acknowledged his conflict with Ukraine’s commander in chief had contributed to his removal. Zelensky, he said, had been forced to choose between him and Oleksandr Syrskyi.

· Fedorov maintains that his reform agenda “quickly encountered resistance from the military’s top command.” Fedorov also accused Syrskyi of splitting the country.

· Zelensky offered Fedorov an advisory role but Fedorov declined. He said that his departure was the “result of entrenched institutional resistance to his efforts to modernize the military through greater technological innovation and a more decentralized approach,” wrote Harding.

· There were protests in Kyiv and other cities as a result.

· The dispute has been an open secret and presented as a generational clash between a “young, tech-driven reformer…and a more conventional military commander,” reports Harding.

· He is credited with curbing Russia’s unauthorized use of Starlink, and making changes so that civilians could get government services through a smart phone rather than a cumbersome bureaucracy.

· More recently he “oversaw the launch of the campaign to ‘turn Crimea into an island.’

Article: Vakulina, Sasha (7/16/26) “Ukrainians hold rare wartime protest over defense minister’s dismissal.”

· Protests over the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov are the first protests since last summer’s in support of their country’s anti-corruption watch-dogs.

TRUMP’S ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE: ICE

Podcast: “How ICE became so deadly. (7/15/26) The Guardian. Stateside Podcast.

Article: Kilgore, Ed () “MAGA won’t stand for limits on ICE brutality. New York. The Intelligencer

Article: Olivares, Jose (7/15/26) “Venezuelan man becomes 22^nd person to die in ICE custody this year.” The Guardian.

PLATNER

Democratic Candidates: Troy Jackson, Paige Loud (social worker), Nirav Shah (former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention).

Statewide nominating convention July 25.

Article: Billings, Randy (7/14/26) “How the Biddleford ICE killing upended the Maine Senate race. Portland Press Herald.

· Jackson appeared in three protests over the ICE killing in Biddeford, Maine. He joined protestors who marched to Collins’ office to voice their disapproval. Jackson, in a video of himself, advocated abolishing ICE.

· Collins voted to fund Trump’s immigration agenda. She supported the Secure America Act, a budget bill that allocated $70 billion for ICE, and then voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a 2025 law that tripled ICE’s budget.

· The funding for ICE “without substantial reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to a 75-day partial government shutdown.”

· Recently, Collins’ people have noted that there was a separate funding bill which included $20 million for the expanded use of body cameras, $2 million for de-escalation training and $20 million for increased oversight of detention centers.

· Collins’ spokesperson, Blake Kernen, said: “Anyone calling for abolishing ICE is calling for the agency to cease critical efforts to combat human trafficking, child exploitation, forced labor and international drug smuggling.”

· The Department of Homeland Security told the Associated Press that only half of ICE field offices have body cameras. “The federal agents involved in Monday’s shooting in Biddeford were not wearing them,” according to the Portland Press Herald.

· Loud advocated abolishing ICE and publicly prosecuting the officers “that are murdering our neighbors.’

· Shah criticized Collins’ support for ICE funding, “saying he would support shutting down the federal government to oppose funding the agency.”

· Several Democratic candidates have switched from themes of affordability to immigration after the shooting.

· Shah is the son of immigrants and did a press conference. “There is a straight line from Senator Collins to the lawlessness we saw yesterday,” Shah said. “She confirmed ICE’s leaders, she funded its abuses and she chairs the one committee…with the power to put conditions on every dollar the agency gets.”

· “…three times, she gave ICE a blank check instead of demanding accountability.”

· Sec. of State Shenna Bellows went to Biddeford. She refused to give federal agents unmarked license plates, a decision that caused Republicans to consider impeaching her this year.

Article: Kilgore, Ed (7/15/26) “As Maine goes, so goes the senate?…” New York.

Article: Choi, Matthew (7/15/26) “Haley Stevens polls ahead of Abdul El-Sayed in key Michigan Senate test.” The Washington Post.

Article: Posik, Jacob (7/11/26) “Good riddance, Graham.” Portland Press Herald.

Article: (7/16/26) “Time for Maine’s leaders to show some backbone on ICE.” Portland Press Herald.

Article: Billings, Randy (7/14/26) “8 Democratic Maine Senate hopefuls to face off in TV debate.” Portland Press Herald.

Article: Ball, James () “The Democrats have screw up – big time. The New World.

Devine, Miranda (7/15/26) “The Dems’ attempt to become the party of manly men proves they’re getting dumb and dumber.” New York Post

ISRAEL

Article: Wright, Thomas (7/16/26) “The opening after Netanyahu.” The Atlantic.

Article: Borger, Julian (7/16/26) “Trump’s board of peace drops full Gaza recovery plan in favour of tiny polit scheme. The Guardian.

Article: Taheri, Mandy (7/16/26) “AIPAC is betting big on Michigan democrat in public feud with Netanyahu.” Newsweek.

Article: Weisz, Zac (7/16/26) “Can Netanyahu survive again? GZeromedia

Article: “At least a third of Likud lawmakers tried to oust Netanuhu after October 7,” Haaretz.

Article: Bodkin, Henry (7/16/26) “Netanyahu accused of ordering special protection for his son. The Telegraphy.

Article: “Netanuahy pushes ultra-Orthodox laws. KGW8 News.

Article: Rahmanan, Anna (7/16/26) “JD Vance and the Democrats put Netanyahu’s Israel on notice. Newsweek.

Article: Neev, Keshet (7/15/26) “Netanyahu coalition passes controversial law weakening attorney-general’s authority.” The Jerusalem Post.

Article: Editorial (7/16/26) “Once again, Netanyahu ran away…” Haaretz.

Article: Analysis (7/16/26) “How far will Netanyahu go in his campaign of revenge against Israel’s institutions.” Haaretz

Article: (7/16/26) “In first since election called, poll shows opposition defeating Netanyahu without Arab parties. Haaretz.

Article: Shelah, Ofer (7/16/26) “Netanyahu delusional Iran campaign damaged Israel as deeply as October 7. Haaretz.

Prokop, Andrew (7/16/26) “When Israel lost Democratic voters…” Vox.

SHORTS:

(7/16/26) “Fetterman says he will switch parties if Democrats officially become the anti-Israel party.” NBC News.

McCoy, Robert (7/16/2) “Clarence Thomas pal Harlan Crow maxed out donations to John Fetterman. The New Republic.

(7/16/26) “Ukraine targets Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov.” NBC News.