Today in Politics, Bulletin 96. 3/21/25

… HHS Secretary RFK Jr. told Fox that cell phones cause cancer: “Cell phones cause electromagnetic radiation which has been shown to do neurological damage to kids who are around them all day - cause cellular damage, and cancer.”

… I posted the RFK Jr. clip on X, and got hit with a Community Note. Thanks, Junior. The Note cited the FDA: “While RF radiation from cell phones is different from other types of radiation like X-rays, which are known to be harmful, there is no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk in humans, according to the National Cancer Institute.”

… The hearing continued today between Judge Boasberg and DOJ over the migrant flights of Venezuelans, who were alleged to be gang members, to the prison in El Salvador. It came out at the hearing per Politico that some of the people on the flight were returned from El Salvador because they either weren't Venezuelan or were women. The hard-labor prison is men-only, but the Trump Admin flew women there anyway.

… Judge Boasberg also remarked that recent filings by DOJ in the case have used "the kind of intemperate and disrespectful language I’m not used to hearing from the United States."

… NYT reported that Elon Musk was scheduled to receive a briefing at the Pentagon today about the US military’s plan for any war that might break out with China. The Times cited multiple sources who came forward because they were concerned that Musk would be receiving that info since he has extensive ties to the Chinese government with his businesses.

… When NYT tried to confirm their reporting with the Pentagon and WH, both refused to give statements prior to publication. Then after the story broke late last night and a firestorm ensued, Trump and others issued a series of denials as it appears they have walked back a plan that the public wasn’t supposed to find out about.

… The WSJ confirmed the accuracy of the NYT reporting with their own Pentagon sources.

… Trump posted: “China will not even be mentioned or discussed.”

… Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, who refused to respond to NYT prior to publication, later posted on X: “This is 100% Fake News. Just brazenly and maliciously wrong. Elon Musk is a patriot. We are proud to have him at the Pentagon.”

… Sec Def Pete Hegseth: “This is NOT a meeting about ‘top secret China war plans.’ It’s an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies & smarter production. Gonna be great!”

… Musk angrily posted that he wants to hunt down the people in the Pentagon who leaked info about his briefing so they can be put in prison: “The NYT is pure propaganda. I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found.”

… So it isn’t true, but we need to find the people who leaked a made-up story and put them in prison?

… Trump posted that he wants to send anyone who vandalizes a Tesla to a Salvadoran prison for 20 years: “I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla. Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!

… Ron Desantis’s AG James Uthmeier wanted in on the action: "Elon Musk is trying to eliminate government. If you try to hurt one of these cars, we're gonna put you away. We're gonna have law enforcement patrolling these dealerships."

… Rep. Anna Paulina Luna: “Leftists attack Elon Musk, meanwhile they’re shilling and paid for by Soros. They don’t hate billionaires. They hate this country. And people like Elon are in the way.”

… Fox host Brian Kilmeade falsely accused ‘Say Anything’ actor John Cusack and Rep. Jasmine Crockett of telling people to blow up Teslas: “This guy, John Cusack, who’s an actor with marginal success, is actually calling on March 29th to be the day to blow up Teslas! And Crockett too! She should be indicted!”

… Cusack responded: “What a shock! Another bootlicking pathological liar - on Swasticar State TV - spreading lies. Tesla cars blow up by themselves - they don’t need any help.”

… Business Insider reported that Musk flew to an emergency meeting of major Tesla investors in Texas with rumors swirling that some want him removed as an officer of the company. Many feel he simply does not have the time needed to devote to the running the company, and his political involvement and statements are making their brand increasingly toxic to the public worldwide.

… Employees were sent a link to watch Musk address skittish investors: “Hang on to your stock. Frankly, the car business is a tough business, so, there are times when there are rocky moments, like things are, like a little bit of stormy weather. If you read the news, it feels like Armageddon. Tesla stock goes up and it goes down, but actually it’s still the same company. I guess it’s just very emotional.”

… Reuters reported that a record number of people have traded in Teslas this month. Data from Edmunds showed that 1.4% of all the vehicles traded in through March 15 were Teslas, which is up from 0.4% in March last year. It is the highest percentage ever registered for Tesla and is expected to go up even more the second half of March.

… Fred McKinney, who traded in his 2018 Tesla Model 3: "I thought about putting a bumper sticker on my car saying, 'I hate Musk.' But selling the car feels so much better. If you are considering a new EV, under no circumstances consider buying a Tesla."

… Only 1.8% of the people surveyed last month said they were considering a Tesla for their next car, which is their lowest number in nearly three years.

… Musk just gave Don Jr’s daughter Kai Trump a Cyberbeast truck as a gift. The sales price of the vehicle is $100,000.

It has certainly been a long week of more insanity, and I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow and the end of my first winter living in Maine. My cat Luigi (who likes to go outside) is looking forward to some warmer weather soon. Hopefully. I will be back with my next Bulletin covering the entire weekend on Sunday night.

I told everyone at Meidas that the comments section is starting to resemble Parisians before they stormed the Bastille. For the first time, I think our political leaders are starting to hear us and get the level of anger that is out there. We need to make this party a bottom-up grassroots driven movement instead of a top-down DC consultant controlled party. We will call them out, we aren’t taking excuses anymore, and will not accept the same old tired approaches and strategies.

They are listening to us because of you. The size of our audience and our following on social media gives up power - clout that we do not intend to use to benefit ourselves, but to benefit the cause of resisting and defeating this toxic MAGA movement. We hear from you, then they hear from us. So keep your excellent comments going because we read them every day. Thank you for your support as we continue to grow this movement.

If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can read it here.

… AOC and Bernie Sanders kicked off their tour last night with huge and energized crowds in Las Vegas and Arizona. Some highlights:

• AOC: “Alina Habba said, ‘What intellectual thought. You were in a bar AOC - not to have a drink but to serve one.’ I don’t care what this woman says about me but I want you to understand that she isn’t just talking about me, she’s talking about all of us. Trump hired her to speak for him. Imagine what it means for our country that the President’s own lawyer cannot even conceive of a working class person