Today in Politics, Bulletin 263. 12/4/25

… ABC: “A federal grand jury in Norfolk, VA, refused to indict NY AG Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud on Thursday, rejecting DOJ’s attempt to refile the case just 10 days after a federal judge dismissed an earlier case based on the unlawful appointment of the US Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.”

… The incompetent Clown Show continues. The old joke that any prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich because it’s so easy to get indictments in America clearly doesn’t apply to these fools, who repeatedly get rejected.

… MS NOW: “In a stunning break in one of the FBI’s most high-profile unsolved cases, agents arrested Brian Cole, Jr., Thursday morning who investigators believe placed pipe bombs outside Republican and Democratic headquarters in the hours before the Jan. 6, 2021, US Capitol riot. The suspect has been charged with placing the bombs, which did not detonate.”

… “Authorities have not yet determined a motive. The FBI’s case against the suspect is not based on a new breakthrough, according to two sources, but instead on a review the FBI conducted in recent weeks of evidence that had already been gathered and which the department had in its possession. That voluminous trove of material was largely collected in 2021 and 2022.”

… Pam Bondi and Kash Patel held a press conference after the arrest. MS NOW’s Ken Dilanian: “We learned nothing from the J6 pipe bomber news conference—not even whether the alleged crime was or was not related to the J6 attack. The only hint of how the crime was solved came from Jeanine Pirro, who suggested it involved data analysis of purchasing records related to the bomb parts.”

… Patel: “When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation’s capitol, you attack the very being of our way of life. This FBI will always refute it and combat it. We will provide the safest country the nation has ever seen under President Trump’s leadership. That’s what we have done today with great resolve.”

… I assume he isn’t talking about the J6 insurrectionists pardoned by Trump.

… I’m also a bit skeptical of this whole thing. The timing is suspicious. Maybe they got the right guy. I will wait and see.

… Politico: “Taylor Taranto, a pardoned J6 defendant who was convicted for bringing weapons to Obama’s neighborhood, has returned to DC and has been roaming Rep. Jamie Raskin’s neighborhood — alarming police. Today, DOJ asked a judge to immediately re-jail him. Taranto lives in WA state but drove across the country in recent weeks. He has filmed ominous videos from the Pentagon parking lot and was wandering Raskin’s Takoma Park area at 2AM. DOJ says it’s nearly identical conduct to what he was charged for in 2023.”

… The Pentagon’s IG issued their report on SignalGate: “The Secretary sent info identifying the quantity and strike times of manned US aircraft over hostile territory over an unapproved, unsecure network approximately 2-4 hours before the execution of those strikes. Although the Secretary wrote in his July 25 statement to the IG that ‘there were no details that would endanger our troops or the mission,’ if this info had fallen into the hands of US adversaries, Houthi forces might have been able to counter US forces or reposition personnel and assets to avoid planned US strikes.”

… “Even though these events did not ultimately occur, the Secretary’s actions created a risk to operational security that could have resulted in failed US mission objectives and potential harm to US pilots.”

… Pete Hegseth responded to those findings with this: “No classified information. Total exoneration. Case closed. Houthis bombed into submission. Thank you for your attention to this IG report.”

… Hegseth’s equally repulsive spokesperson Sean Parnell: “The IG review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along - no classified information was shared. This matter is resolved, and the case is closed.”

… Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on CNN: Q - “Secretary Hegseth is framing it as total exoneration. Is that how you view this report that came out today? Tillis: No. No one can rationalize that as an exoneration.”

… CNN: “The repercussions of Hegseth’s action are less clear since the IG concluded that the defense secretary has the authority to declassify info and Hegseth asserted he made an operational decision in the moment to share that info, though there is no documentation of such a decision. Messages sent from Hegseth’s Signal account to the group chat offered specific, real-time updates about planned military strikes. They were so specific that one even read: ‘This is DEFINITELY when the first bombs will drop.’”

… “It remains unclear if Hegseth properly declassified that info before sharing it with other top Trump officials, and a reporter, the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, who was accidentally added to the chat.”

… WaPo national security reporter Dan Lamothe: “Secretary Hegseth’s actions could have endangered US objectives or pilots. Hegseth does have the power to declassify. The IG did not explicitly address whether Hegseth did so appropriately in this case.”

… NYT: “Several US officials told NYT that military officials had used a written texting system known as ‘Strike Bridge’ to communicate, both during planning scenarios ahead of the attack and during the operation itself. The written messages, they said, included communications between Admiral Bradley and the SEAL Team 6 operators directing the drone.”

… “Strike Bridge automatically saves those messages, officials said. Several congressional officials said lawmakers had asked to review logs related to the operation, along with written documentation like Hegseth’s ‘execute order’ and the rules of engagement. It is not clear whether the Pentagon will turn them over.”

… The Independent: “Pete Hegseth asked a top US Navy admiral to step down after the military chief expressed concern about the ‘murky’ legality of the lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. The shock departure of Admiral Alvin Holsey one year into his tenure as head of US Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean, was announced by Hegseth on Oct.16.”

… It followed “months of discord” between the pair that intensified in the summer when the Trump admin began bombing the alleged drug boats.” Multiple sources told WSJ that Hegseth told Holsey: “You’re either on the team or you’re not. When you get an order, you move out fast and don’t ask questions.”

… Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), who was chair of the House Intel Committee until Trump ordered Mike Johnson to remove him: “Quite frankly, many members have very much concerns as to whether or not the accuracy of what info is being used is to the level for us to even know what’s happening in this area. Members are very concerned. These individuals, if they were captured and tried and convicted, would be guilty of criminal activity for which they’re not subject to capital punishment. But these people are being killed.”

… On MS NOW, Turner also talked about the fact that Congress has received no briefings or info on the apparent plan to invade Venezuela: “Congress has made it clear that the admin has not provided us with sufficient information as to what the admin is doing to have the support of Congress for any actions inside Venezuela.”

… Sen. Rand Paul on CNBC: “I think the boat attacks are a prelude to an invasion of Venezuela. I don’t like the idea of an offensive war or regime change.”

… WaPo: “As exasperation among Republicans over the lack of transparency grows, Adm. Frank Bradley met with lawmakers Thur to discuss a Sept. 2 missile strike on a boat that killed 11 people, including two survivors who died in a follow-up attack as they clung to the wreckage. He oversaw the mission and is expected to tell them that he considered the survivors viable targets, not shipwrecked, defenseless mariners.”

… “Bradley is expected to tell lawmakers that US personnel observing the Sept. 2 operation believed the survivors possessed communications equipment and may have been capable of calling other drug smugglers for help recovering the cargo on their boat, though it is unclear if they made contact with anyone.”

… “The military’s assessment was that the survivors appeared singularly focused on their goal - to transport drugs - even minutes after their boat erupted in flames, killing several other occupants. Lawmakers are likely to scrutinize that suggestion along with the extent of Hegseth’s involvement when Bradley weighed his next moves once it was apparent people had survived the initial strike. The briefing will include extended surveillance video of the operation, including the second strike.”

… Sen. Intel Committee Chair Tom Cotton coming out of the breifing: “These were righteous strikes. The first strike, the second strike, and the third and the fourth strike on Sept. 2 were entirely lawful and needful and they were exactly what we would expect our military commanders to do. I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat - loaded with drugs, bound for the US - back over, so they could stay in the fight.”

… Ranking member of House Armed Services Adam Smith: “This was a highly questionable decision that these two people on that obviously incapacitated vessel were still in any kind of fight. The broader assumption that they were operating off of was that the drugs could still conceivably be on that boat, even though you could not see them, and it was still conceivable that these two people were going to continue on their mission. They have an unbelievably broad definition of what ‘the fight’ is.”

… Rep. Jim Himes, House Intel Ranking Democrat on the briefing: “What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service. You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, who are killed by the United States.”

… Trump was asked if he would release video of the second strike to the public: “Whatever they have, we’d certainly release. No problem.”

… Ranking Dem on the Senate Intel Committee Jack Reed: “DOD has no choice but to release the complete, unedited footage of the strike, as the President has agreed to do. This briefing confirmed my worst fears about the nature of the Trump Admin’s military activities, and demonstrates exactly why the Senate Armed Services Committee has repeatedly requested — and been denied — fundamental info, documents, and facts about this operation. This must and will be the only beginning of our investigation into this incident.”

… Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) to Punchbowl: “I think that the video of the distressed, shipwrecked or incapacitated people on those boats being bombed — that video should be shown to every American.”

… Sen. Thom Tillis on Trump pardoning the Honduran drug trafficking kingpin this week: “How on Earth can you threaten a potential land war against a thug and a narco terrorist who plays like he’s the president of Venezuela, and then go easy on someone whose investigation that started in the first Trump admin led to his indictment?”

… CNBC: “Announced job cuts from US employers moved further ahead of 1 million for the year in Nov as corporate restructuring, AI and tariffs have helped pare job rolls. Layoff plans totaled 71,321 in Nov, a step down from the massive cuts announced in Oct but still enough to bring the 2025 total up to 1.17 million. That total is 54% higher than the same 11-month period a year ago and the highest level since 2020, when the Covid pandemic rocked the global economy.”

… Kobeissi Letter: “US employers made 71,321 new layoff announcements in Nov, officially bringing the 2025 total up to 1.17 million layoffs. This now marks the FIRST year with 1.1+ million job cuts since the pandemic lockdowns in 2020. American consumers are in trouble.”

… WH Econ Advisor Kevin Hassett was on Fox again trying to spin the terrible economic numbers in the most pathetic way: Q - “76% of people say the economy is “only fair” or “poor” and 62% of people say Trump is responsible for economic conditions. What would you say? Hassett: When there’s a govt shutdown, the survey data tends to really really tank because everybody’s in a terrible mood.”

… Q - “Year to date job cuts are up 54%. That seems like a troubling number. What’s your take? Hassett: The flow of jobs in and out is a little higher, there’s a little more turnover. A lot of times that can happen because people feel like they’re actually able to get another job if they leave this one.”

… Mediaite: “The NYT has announced it is suing the Pentagon, accusing DOD of engineering an unprecedented purge of traditional reporters in favor of pro-Trump digital influencers. The lawsuit, names DOD, Hegseth, and Sean Parnell, and asks a federal judge to strike down new access rules imposed in Oct. Beat reporters refused to sign the policy and instead surrendered their passes in a mass act of protest – including journalists from conservative-leaning networks like Fox and Newsmax.”

… NYT spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander: “The policy is an attempt to exert control over reporting the govt dislikes, in violation of a free press’ right to seek information under their First and Fifth Amendment rights protected by the Constitution. The Times intends to vigorously defend against the violation of these rights, just as we have long done throughout administrations opposed to scrutiny and accountability.”

… Jon Konrad, who is one of the right-wing ‘New Media’ at the Pentagon, posted this last night after a tough day on the job: “Hegseth answered my questions. It’s off the record so no details, but I’m very pleased with his leadership!”

… Outstanding investigative journalism.

… I’m still waiting on the stories they break to keep the public informed about military affairs. Most just continued to post selfies of themselves in the Pentagon briefing room and office cubicles.

If you missed my weekly podcast Uncovered yesterday where I do a deep dive into the top stories of the week you can find it here. Thanks again also for all your great questions for Ask the Editor, it is always so difficult for me to choose just 5 and this week was especially difficult because there were so many great ones.

… Daily Mail: “The Trump admin’s frantic push to hire 10,000 new deportation officers by year’s end has spiraled into what insiders describe as a national embarrassment - with lax vetting and a signing bonus of up to $50,000 luring in a wave of woefully unfit recruits. An exhaustive DM investigation has exposed how ICE has lowered standards so dramatically that the new cohort now includes recent high school graduates and applicants who can ‘barely read or write’ as well as those who lack basic physical fitness and even have pending criminal charges.”

… “Most of the new hires in the $30 billion initiative are retired law enforcement who are receiving virtual training and being repurposed for desk duty. Meanwhile, total novices are being fast-tracked into the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in GA, where instructors have been left astounded at the levels of incompetence.”

… One DHS official: “We have people failing open-book tests and we have folks that can barely read or write English. We even had a 469-lb man sent to the academy whose own doctor certified him not at all fit for any physical activity.”

… “Insiders say the vetting process has been so rushed that officials didn’t even wait for drug test results to come back before hiring recruits and flying them off to GA, only to discover afterward that tests came back positive. In one shocking incident,