Author: HP McLovincraft

Seeker of rabbit holes. Pessimist. Libertine. Contrarian. Your huckleberry. Possibly true tales of sanity-blasting horror also known as abject reality. Prepare yourself. Veteran of a thousand psychic wars. I have seen the fnords. Deplatformed on Tumblr and Twitter.

How Gabbard’s ‘hunters’ pounced on secret CIA warehouse for Kennedy files

The officials arrived at the secret CIA archival facility in the Washington area one morning in early April. Their mission: to seize still-classified CIA files on the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

The team pulled up in their vehicles unannounced, catching the spy agency off-guard, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

They were acting on behalf of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who wanted to take documents out of the hands of the Central Intelligence Agency and start the process of declassifying them at the National Archives, the people said.

One of the people familiar with the matter said the CIA wasn’t aware that it was about to receive direction that day “from a higher government agency.” The person also described the moment as probably the most confrontational point in the still young relationship between Gabbard’s office and the CIA.

The official leading the search, a Defense Intelligence Agency official named Paul Allen McDonald II who was on temporary assignment to Gabbard’s office, declared that they were “on a mission” from Gabbard, two of the people said.

A Trump administration official who made a brief appearance that day after arriving in her minivan, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, was a CIA veteran herself and the daughter-in-law of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She did not have the necessary badge to access the warehouse but was waved in, the two people said. One said Fox Kennedy spent about an hour there, focusing on efforts to digitize the massive archive of papers.

The early April episode, which has not been previously reported, lasted until 2 a.m. the next morning when a massive trove of documents was eventually transferred to the National Archives, according to two of the people.

The case casts new light on the tension between two forces in Washington, the CIA and Gabbard’s ODNI, as Trump appointees sought to act on the president’s orders to swiftly release the full accounting of Kennedy’s murder in 1963, as well as the high-profile 1968 assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.

White House spokesman Steven Cheung said Trump had full confidence in both Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. “Efforts by the legacy media to sow internal division are a distraction that will not work,” Cheung said.

A spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence said the ODNI “has worked in close coordination with the CIA since the beginning of the administration to carry out this historic release of files.”

Trump issued an executive order in January instructing Gabbard and the other intelligence agencies to declassify records related to the JFK, RFK and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations.

Reuters could not independently determine if Gabbard directed this specific mission at the archives or the extent to which Trump may have been briefed ahead of time about individual missions related to the declassification effort.

The Director of National Intelligence serves as principal intelligence adviser to the president and has oversight over the 17 other agencies, including the CIA. The job typically includes managing interagency tensions.

In a joint statement, Gabbard’s ODNI and the CIA said the two agencies “have and will continue working hand-in-hand to release and declassify documents of public interest and execute President Trump’s mission of restoring trust in the intelligence community.”

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GOP-Controlled Senate Committee Warns DC That Marijuana Is Federally Illegal, With ‘Enhanced Penalties’ For Sales Near Schools

GOP members of a powerful Senate committee are issuing a reminder that marijuana remains illegal under federal law and that the sale of cannabis near public schools and playgrounds can carry “enhanced penalties”—an issue they are specifically highlighting in relation to the location of dispensaries in Washington, D.C.

The Republican majority in the Senate Appropriations Committee released the text of a Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) spending bill and an attached report on Tuesday. As expected, the legislation itself retains a rider long championed by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) barring D.C. from using its tax dollars to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana sales, despite voters approving a ballot initiative to allow possession and home cultivation more than a decade ago.

In the report, a section on funding for “emergency planning and security costs” associated with the federal government’s presence in the District includes additional language related to cannabis enforcement and zoning issues.

Here’s the text of that section:

“Marijuana Dispensary Proximity to Schools—The Committee reminds the District that the distribution, manufacturing, and sale of marijuana remains illegal under Federal law, which includes enhanced penalties for such distribution within one thousand feet of a public or private elementary, vocational, or secondary school or public or private college, junior college, or university, or a playground, among other real property where children frequent.”

The report language is being released months after anti-marijuana organizations formally narced on several locally licensed cannabis businesses in D.C.—sending a letter to President Donald Trump, the U.S. attorney general and a federal prosecutor that identifies dispensaries they allege are too close to schools despite approval from District officials.

The groups said that while they were “pleased” to see former interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin “take initial steps against one of the worst offenders” by threatening a locally licensed medical marijuana dispensary with criminal prosecution back in March, “we have not seen any public progress since then.”

Martin, for his part, has since been tapped by Trump to serve as U.S. pardon attorney.

Meanwhile, the underlying FSGG spending bill put forward by the committee’s GOP majority would continue to prohibit D.C. from creating a regulated, commercial cannabis market.

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“Hate Speech Disguised as Activism”: Controversy Erupts Over Statements Against White Men

A new controversy has erupted in the United States after an activist, in an interview recorded in public, openly celebrated the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and made a series of radical statements against white men, whom she described as “the greatest threat” to human well-being.

In the recording, which quickly went viral, the interviewee not only expressed joy over the death of a conservative leader but also justified her stance based on “personal experiences,” making it clear that she does not rely on data, studies, or concrete evidence. Her aggressive rhetoric has sparked outrage among Republican circles and analysts who consider this type of identity-based discourse extremely dangerous.

In her statements, the woman asserted that “white men are literally the greatest threat to humans being fed, housed, clothed, and having their basic needs met,” claiming that her judgment comes solely from what she “knows” rather than verifiable data. When asked to provide examples or statistics to support her claims, she replied: “I’m not a data analyst, I just know the experiences.”

The conversation grew even tenser when the activist directly held the reporter accountable—simply for being a white man—implying that he has supposed “privilege” just by being present conducting the interview. She tried to reinforce this argument by pointing to the presence of homeless individuals nearby, claiming that “none of them” looked like the reporter, although he immediately clarified that white people also experience homelessness.

When the reporter attempted to steer the discussion into a rational direction by asking, “What do you think we should do about white men?”, the interviewee evaded a concrete answer but made it clear that, in her view, the mere existence of white people in public positions constitutes a form of oppression.

The most serious point, however, was her initial statement: “F*** Charlie Kirk… I’m glad that guy is dead.” For Republican analysts and free speech advocates, this kind of rhetoric not only normalizes hate speech but also seeks to dehumanize a specific group of people based on race, justifying symbolic and social violence under the guise of “activism.”

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Democratic Senator Appears to Threaten Military Amid Mark Kelly Investigation: ‘There Will Be Consequences’

One wonders: Have the Democrats thought this through? Do they have an endgame?

Either way, their reckless rhetoric can only lead to a dark place — as it has already.

Monday on CNN’s “The Arena with Kasie Hunt,” Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona appeared to threaten “consequences” for military service members who take part in a potential court-martial of his colleague, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.

In a clip posted to the social media platform X, host Kasie Hunt asked Gallego about his “level of trust in the U.S. military justice system,” to which the senator, with shocking brazenness, replied that service members need to remember that President Donald Trump will not be around to protect them forever.

“I trust them, actually, a lot,” Gallego began.

That sounded like a compliment, of course. But if you listen closely, you will hear the Democrats’ seditious anti-Trump message embedded in the senator’s response.

“These are professionals,” Gallego said moments later. ‘They are also swearing to the Constitution of the United States. They know that there will be fallout and consequences if they are used in a hard way to basically railroad someone like Senator Kelly, ’cause Donald Trump’s gonna be gone in a couple years.”

What a slimy way to insinuate that Trump either has or will give orders at odds with the Constitution.

“And if you’re part of the military that’s going after sitting senators, sitting members of Congress, and part of the weaponization of government,” Gallego continued, “there will be consequences, without a doubt.”

Incredibly, Gallego then predicted that officers who participate in a potential Kelly tribunal would be “looking over their shoulders because they know that Donald Trump will be gone and they will not have that protection there, and they’re gonna have to do the safest thing possible, which is follow the Constitution of the United States, and you’ll be fine.”

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NHS Doctors Were Paid to Knowingly Implant Deadly Heart Device

Two of the UK’s leading transplant centres continued fitting a heart device that they knew was deadlier than its rival product. Medtronic’s HeartWare HVAD was a pump surgically implanted for end-stage heart failure – and it was well documented that its mortality rate was significantly higher than other options. But top cardiologists at both hospitals were found to be paid consultants for Medtronic, the hospitals were aware of their involvement, and the NHS had already raised concerns. Were leading doctors deliberately implanting deadly devices? 

The Staggering HVAD Mortality Rate

Patients with a weakened heart can be offered a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) if they are deemed unsuitable for a transplant, or stuck waiting for one. For many people, the LVAD helping to pump blood around the body is their only chance of survival outside of a transplant.  

LVADs have saved lives for decades and the two top competitors were Medtronic, who produced the HVAD device, and Abbott, who made the Heartmate III. In 2018, an audit was conducted by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to compare the pumps’ performance, and shocking results were published in 2019: 

  • Medtronic: 54 of 119 patients (45%) died within two years 
  • Abbott: 15 of 97 patients (15%) died within the same period 
  • The number of strokes and instances of people requiring a new pump was also significantly higher for Medtronic 

They Knew – and Kept Implanting

The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and Harefield in London continued using the pump for years, deciding to question the data rather than prioritise patient safety. Other hospitals, such as the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, made the call before the NHS analysis was even shared – they had picked up on the pattern themselves and stopped using the Medtronic device in February 2018, considering the Heartmate III to be superior. 

The Newcastle and London hospitals, however, continued to solely use the Medtronic device until 2021 when the manufacturer withdrew it from sale “in the interest of patient safety”. In the three years between the 2018 audit and 2021 withdrawal, 50% of patients with the Medtronic device died, compared to 19% of recipients of the Abbott device. 

Were They Paid to Implant It?

Until recently, the head of Freeman’s cardiothoracic department was Prof Stephan Schueler, also known as “king of the castle” by former colleagues. Public records later revealed that he had a decade-long relationship with the Medtronic manufacturer. Patients were not made aware of his financial relationship with the company, despite disclosure being a requirement of the General Medical Council (GMC) – the doctor’s regulator. 

The Freeman Hospital stated publicly that it was “aware” of the NHS data published in 2019, but felt its scientific reliability was lacking. 

At Harefield Hospital, André Simon was the director of heart and lung transplantation and ventricular assist devices. He had a similarly long-standing relationship with Medtronic, dating back to 2014. The hospital said it was “aware” of his work for Medtronic, and that it had been declared in multiple papers. They also confirmed that he was one of a number of senior people “involved” in deciding which devices are used and that there was “collective support” for the continued use of the Medtronic device until 2021.  

Dr John Dunning, who replaced André Simon at Harefield, said they continued to use the Medtronic device as “it was the preference” of his predecessor.  

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Takes Victory Lap Over ‘First Rebuilt House’ in Pacific Palisades After Fires – There’s Just One Little Problem

Los Angles Mayor Karen Bass recently did a little victory dance about the ‘first rebuild’ of a house in the Pacific Palisades after the wildfires. Hey, it has only been almost a year, right?

There is one little problem with the house that Bass is celebrating, however.

It was a developer project that was in the works before the fires even happened. That’s right, this house wasn’t even one of the average homes destroyed by fires and her incompetence. What a surprise.

The New York Post reports:

LA Mayor Karen Bass called out for ‘phony’ Palisades rebuild after devastating wildfire

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is getting called out for prematurely taking a victory lap for touting the “first Palisades fire rebuild.”

Locals are calling the latest announcement from Bass misleading, and a glaring sign the city didn’t bother to check whether the house it was showcasing was even a fire-loss rebuild at all.

In fact, the house Bass used as a beacon of hope for families returning is a developer project that was already in motion before the blaze. The teardown and rebuild were planned well in advance, with nothing to do with the fire that later tore through the Palisades.

Property records show the Kagawa Street home was purchased in early November 2024. The owner received a demolition permit on January 7, just hours before the Palisades Fire roared back to life and wiped out 6,831 structures, including the original home on Kagawa.

After debris removal, inspections, and the city’s routine reviews, the project cleared final approval in April. When the house passed its last inspection Friday, City Hall rushed to declare it the first official rebuild.

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Thailand orders suspension of iris scans and deletion of data collected from 1.2 million users

Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Committee has ordered TIDC Worldverse to suspend its iris-scanning services and delete biometric data collected from 1.2 million users, citing non-compliance with Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act.

TIDC Worldverse is part of Sam Altman’s World ID project, which has faced scrutiny over potential links to cryptocurrency scams and unauthorised data use, including cases where people were allegedly hired to scan irises for others.

The National Health Security Office in Thailand has ordered the suspension of iris biometric data collection by TIDC Worldverse and has demanded the deletion of biometric data already collected from approximately 1.2 million Thai citizens.

TIDC Worldverse is the Thai representative of Sam Altman’s Tools for Humanity, which operates the World ID project (formerly Worldcoin) in Thailand. The initiative uses iris-scanning “Orb” devices to provide a digital “proof-of-human” credential.  Participants receive Worldcoin (“WLD”) tokens as an incentive for biometric verification.

Explaining in simple terms what the “Orb” is, Business Insider said, “The Orb is a polished, volleyball-sized metal sphere that scans irises to generate a ‘World ID’ – a kind of digital passport meant to distinguish humans from machines online.”

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Democrat Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Surrenders to Authorities After Allegedly Laundering $5 Million in FEMA Funds — Allegedly Bought 3.14-Carat Yellow Diamond Ring

A sitting Democratic member of Congress from Broward County, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, surrendered to federal authorities Tuesday in Miami amid explosive allegations that she orchestrated a scheme to steal and launder $5 million in FEMA COVID-19 disaster relief funds, and used a portion to bankroll her 2021 congressional campaign and purchase a luxury yellow diamond ring.

The 46-year-old Congresswoman appeared in Miami federal court in handcuffs following a 15-count federal indictment issued last week. She now faces charges including conspiracy, theft of government funds, money laundering, making and receiving straw-donor contributions, and filing false statements on her federal tax return.

According to the Department of Justice, prosecutors allege that Cherfilus-McCormick and her 51-year-old brother, Edwin Cherfilus, siphoned off $5,057,850 FEMA funds.

“The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source. Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants.

The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc, 46, of Miramar, arranged additional contributions using straw donors, funneling other monies from the FEMA-funded Covid-19 contract to friends and relatives who then donated to the campaign as if using their own money.

The indictment also charges Cherfilus-McCormick and her 2021 tax preparer David K. Spencer, 41, of Davie, with conspiring to file a false federal tax return. According to the indictment, they falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions and inflated charitable contributions in order to reduce her tax obligations.”

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War Dept. Battles Internal Resistance To Reinstate 86 Soldiers Ejected By Covid Shot Mandate

It’s been ten months since President Donald Trump ordered the full reinstatement of any willing military employees ejected for declining Covid-19 shots, but as of Nov. 15 just 86 such personnel have been reinstated. The reinstatements so far account for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the military personnel who likely left over the Biden administration mandate, depleting the military of some of its highest-character members and causing a historic personnel crisis.

President Trump’s defense team is “picking up steam” to address the reinstatements more quickly and fruitfully and approval times are down to two to three weeks after the application package is completed, Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata told The Federalist in a Tuesday afternoon phone call from his office. Confirmed in July, Tata said he immediately sought out veterans experiencing impediments to reinstatement. In September and October meetings and memorandums, “I tasked in no uncertain terms to the services that they will treat each of the members with the dignity that they deserve,” Tata said.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces, there’s a lot of good people working very hard on this,” Tata said. “We all understand the president’s executive order and the secretary’s directive, and we are moving out at full speed to welcome every single person that wants to come back from this disaffected community.”

When one service member posted online that a military processing station had turned her away from seeking the reinstatement the Trump administration has promised, Tata said after talking with her he called up the station commander and said, “What part of this don’t you understand?”

More formally, he noted the department is investigating Biden-era Covid policies and their implementation across the branches, and that investigation will make recommendations about whether and which personnel violated law and military policy in carrying out Covid orders. The investigation team includes service members reinstated after the Biden administration drummed them out of the military for their conscientious objections to Covid mandates.

Former Air Force judge advocate general Kacy Dixon, herself reinstated after declining a Covid shot while pregnant, is Tata’s liaison to that investigation and to Covid-separated soldiers seeking reparations the administration has promised for their injuries, including honorable discharges, lost benefits, and back pay, even if they don’t re-enlist. Tata noted that back pay for reinstated soldiers is often between $100,000-$150,000 per person and it includes the proper pay for promotions soldiers would have earned if they hadn’t been punished for exercising their constitutional conscience rights.

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MINNESOTA MADNESS: Radical Democrat Judge Sarah West OVERTURNS Jury’s Guilty Verdict — Frees Somali Immigrant Who Stole $7.2 MILLION in Medicaid Fraud Scheme

Radical Democrat judge Sarah West, appointed by former Democrat Governor Mark Dayton, has tossed out a jury’s unanimous guilty verdict, setting free Abdifatah Yusuf, a Somali immigrant convicted of masterminding a massive Medicaid fraud ring that siphoned off $7.2 million from taxpayers.

A jury had found Yusuf guilty in August on six counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle, following evidence that his home-healthcare company billed Medicaid for hundreds of thousands dollars in “phantom” care, padding bills for services never delivered.

Prosecutors documented that many of those funds were funneled into luxury cars, high-end clothing, and other extravagant personal purchases.

But Judge West, rather than upholding the jury’s verdict, claimed the case hinged on circumstantial evidence and offered “other reasonable inferences” for the billing irregularities, arguing prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Yusuf was personally responsible for the fraud. She issued a judgment of acquittal.

Jurors, prosecutors, and state lawmakers were stunned. One juror told reporters he believed the evidence demonstrated “obvious guilt.” The state’s Attorney General has already filed an appeal, warning the decision undermines public trust.

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