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middleagedmuppetma.bsky.social
Middle-aged Muppet Mama
@middleagedmuppetma.bsky.social
1.1K followers 890 following 1.2K posts
Here; trying to do what little I can. Politics, Animals, & Humor. Grew up in a trailer court, so I guess I'm "poor white trash."
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middleagedmuppetma.bsky.social
Middle-aged Muppet Mama @middleagedmuppetma.bsky.social · Jan 21
This is me. www.ajc.com/opinion/opin...

It's easy to pull back right now, & try to just ignore what's happening, but at the very least you need to stay informed. Don't be caught off guard by what's going on around you.
Opinion: In defense of ‘helpers’
They remind us that authentic leadership is about serving, not wielding power.
www.ajc.com
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
atrupar.com
MAGAZINER: A hardworking man w/no criminal record who raised 3 sons to be Marines -- ICE agents tackled him while he was mowing lawn & imprisoned him. Will you consider him for parole?

NOEM: Everyone in this country illegally has an opportunity to voluntarily go home

M: He raised 3 Marines
December 11, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
jeannakelley.com
My favorite part of this particular video is Glasheen's dramatic accordion hands when he realizes Thompson is not going to let him lie, deflect, deny his way out of this question
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5h
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing

BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?

GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now

THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 11, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
atrupar.com
Ramirez to Noem: "You lied on the record and you lied to members of this committee. You violated court orders by not turning around deportation flights bound for El Salvador where we know that hundreds of people under your leadership reported they were raped, beaten, and nearly died."
December 11, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Full opinion here. Judge Xinis is clearly hopping mad with the government's repeated refusals to comply with her requests to be forthright about the situation, and suggests she will take it into account in pending sanctions motions. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Memorandum Opinion – #110 in Abrego Garcia v. Noem (D. Maryland, 8:25-cv-02780) – CourtListener.com
MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Paula Xinis on 12/11/2025. (kns, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 12/11/2025)
storage.courtlistener.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
mjsdc.bsky.social
This is really incredible. The government's battle to deport Abrego Garcia has apparently been based on a lie from the start. Not even the "gang affiliation" lie or the "human smuggling" lie, but the more basic assertion that he was ordered to be deported in the first place.
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 5h
🚨Judge Xinis finds that, incredibly, Mr. Abrego Garcia was never ordered deported in 2019. She notes that every since this saga began all the way back in March, the government has NEVER been able to produce any evidence that the immigration judge actually issued a removal order.
B. No Order of Removal Exists for Abrego Garcia No such order of removal exists for Abrego Garcia. When Abrego Garcia was first wrongly expelled to El Salvador, the Court struggled to understand the legal authority for even seizing him in the first place. At the first hearing in Abrego I, the Court inquired of Respondents’ counsel: The Court: I want to ask, though, the very specific question, if there is a final order of removal, what . . . document got this process started? There is no warrant for his arrest by an order of removal. There is no statement of probable cause. There’s no charge. There’s no report that says that anyone saw Mr. Abrego Garcia doing anything illegal or criminal. So what is the actual document that gave these officers the authority to start this process? Counsel: That is not in the record, and the government has not put that into the record. And that’s the best I can do. Abrego I, ECF No. 33 at 21:11–22. The Court continued to press counsel about the existence of a removal order and was told plainly that none can be found: The Court: Okay. So if there’s a Title 8 removal order, there would be an order of removal that’s being executed, and we don’t have one for Mr. Abrego Garcia, right? . . . Do you have that order? . . . Is it in the record? Counsel: I do not have that order. It is not in the record. Id. at 23:7–24:4. Since that time, Respondents have never produced an order of removal despite Abrego Garcia hinging much of his jurisdictional and legal arguments on its non-existence. ECF No. 1 ¶¶ 68–69; ECF No. 32 at 10, 15–17, 27; ECF No. 87 at 11–12. Indeed, Respondents twice sponsored the testimony of ICE officials whose job it is to effectuate removal orders, and who candidly admitted to having never seen one for Abrego Garcia. See ECF No. 107 at 30:16–22 (testimony of Cantú) (“Q: Based upon your many years of experience you described to us, you know what a final order of removal looks like, right, sir? Cantú: I do. Q: And have you seen a final order of removal in regard to Mr. Abrego Garcia? Cantú: I have not.”). See also Abrego I, ECF No. 234 at 46:6–12 (testimony of interim Assistant Director for ICE Removal Operations, Thomas Giles (“Giles”)) (“Q: You have not seen the final order of removal, have you, sir? Giles: What do you mean by that? Q: I mean, you have not seen a piece of paper that represents the final order of removal vis-a-vis Mr. Abrego Garcia, correct? Giles: No, I have not.”).15 Based on this, the Court concludes that no order of removal exists.
December 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
kenwhite.bsky.social
Imagine serving as a Marine and then having a distinguished career in the FBI investigating actual terrorist threats and then having to go in front of Congress and say you’re afraid of Antifa. Absolutely humiliating.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5h
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing

BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?

GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now

THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
atrupar.com
MAGAZINER: How many veterans have you deported?

NOEM: We haven't deported veterans

MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea
December 11, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
acw1234.bsky.social
🙃
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
thetnholler.bsky.social
ICYMI — “I identified myself as a U.S. citizen and a veteran, but that didn't matter. ICE Agents smashed my window, sprayed tear gas and pepper spray into my car, dragged me out… this experience violated the very principles I fought to defend.”
December 11, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
krassenstein.bsky.social
BREAKING -- Judge Xinis has just ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be released from ICE custody immediately.
December 11, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
emptywheel.bsky.social
Remind me: Did Brett Kavanaugh include having your wedding band cut in pieces among the minor inconveniences of being arrested by ICE as a US citizen?
December 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
atrupar.com
House Intel Chair Rick Crawford on why he doesn't want video of the second Sept 2 boat strike released: "What the trained eye can detect from these videos may reveal sources and methods that would imperil troops." (But releasing video of the first strike didn't?)
December 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Started / Going
December 11, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
thetnholler.bsky.social
AP: “Hundreds of immigrant children lingered in federal detention beyond a court-mandated limit, some more than five months… Attorneys highlighted the government’s own admissions to longer custody times, contaminated food, lack of medical care…” apnews.com/article/immi...
December 10, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
simplyskye.bsky.social
The Ellison family’s desire to take over Warner Bros should alarm anyone concerned with U.S. propaganda & media consolidation—

They would own Paramount, Warner Bros, CNN, CBS, HBO, TikTok & a host of major cable channels
Larry & David Ellison
December 9, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
This is still VERY illegal. The Trump admin says anyone who pays $1 million will be deemed to have "exceptional business ability" and become eligible for an employment-based immigrant visa.

But there's nothing stopping someone from just getting a loan or using parents' money.
Sec. 2. The Gold Card. (a) The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall establish a "Gold Card" program authorizing an alien who makes an unrestricted gift to the Department of Commerce under 15 U.S.C. 1522 (or for whom a corporation or similar entity makes such a gift) to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa using an expedited process, to the extent consistent with law and public safety and national security concerns. The requisite gift amount shall be $1 million for an individual donating on his or her own behalf and $2 million for a corporation or similar entity donating on behalf of an individual. (b) in adjudicating visa applications, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, consistent with applicable law, treat the gift specified in subsection (a) of this section as evidence of eligibility under 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(1)(A), of exceptional business ability and national benefit under 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)(A), and of eligibility for a national-interest waiver under 8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(2)(B).
December 10, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
atrupar.com
Powell: "Inflation for goods has picked up, reflecting the effects of tariffs."
December 10, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
pbump.com
Every part of this is bonkers. The intro is bonkers. The transition to his health is bonkers. The mention that other presidents didn't need cognitive exams is bonkers. The claim that this screening test is somehow hard is bonkers. The idea that criticism of him is treason is bonkers. All of it.
There has never been a President that has worked as hard as me! My hours are the longest, and my results are among the best. I’ve stopped Eight Wars, saving many millions of lives in the process, created the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country, brought Business back into the United States at levels never seen before, rebuilt our Military, created the Largest Tax Cuts and Regulation Cuts, EVER, closed our open and very dangerous Southern Border, when previous Administrations were unable to do so, and created an “aura” around the United States of America that has led every Country in the World to respect us more than ever before. In addition to all of that, I go out of my way to do long, thorough, and very boring Medical Examinations at the Great Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, seen and supervised by top doctors, all of whom have given me PERFECT Marks — Some have even said they have never seen such Strong Results. I do these Tests because I owe it to our Country. In addition to the Medical, I have done something that no other President has done, on three separate occasions, the last one being recently, by taking what is known as a Cognitive Examination, something which few people would be able to do very well, including those working at The New York Times, and I ACED all three of them in front of large numbers of doctors and experts, most of whom I do not know. I have been told that few people have been able to “ace” this Examination and, in fact, most do very poorly, which is why many other Presidents have decided not to take it at all. Despite all of this, the time and work involved, The New York Times, and some others, like to pretend that I am “slowing up,” am maybe not as sharp as I once was, or am in poor physical health, knowing that it is not true, and knowing that I work very hard, probably harder than I have ever worked before. I will know when I am “slowing up,” but it’s not now! After all of the work I have done with Medical Exams, Cognitive Exams, and everything else, I actually believe it’s seditious, perhaps even treasonous, for The New York Times, and others, to consistently do FAKE reports in order to libel and demean “THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.” They are true Enemies of the People, and we should do something about it. They have inaccurately reported on all of my Election Results and, in fact, were forced to apologize on much of what they wrote. The best thing that could happen to this Country would be if The New York Times would cease publication because they are a horrible, biased, and untruthful “source” of information. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
December 10, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
barackobama.bsky.social
I had fun reading to some Burke Elementary students at the Chicago Public Library today. When the Obama Presidential Center opens next year, we’ll have a new branch of the library for the community to enjoy.
December 10, 2025 at 12:37 AM
middleagedmuppetma.bsky.social
Dogs are seriously the best of us! This little dude was on the lookout to pick up the kid from band practice, and of course, was incredibly anxious to see his 2nd favorite person 🤪 (No 🦴🦴🦴 I know I am top 🐶) #dogsofbluesky
December 9, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
adamparkhomenko.bsky.social
It is absolutely wild that the guy who won’t stop yelling about law and order is now personally stepping in to keep January 6 documents hidden from the police officers who were attacked that day. He knows exactly what’s in those files and he is terrified the country will see it.
December 9, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
kairyssdal.bsky.social
My girlfriend's in Canada...you wouldn't know her
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Brooke Rollins: "These deals are real. No one in the history of our country has ever been able to effectuate deals like this. We won't see the effect until next year."
December 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
moranstephen1000.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
donmoyn.bsky.social
New, from me: by embracing unitary executive theory, the Supreme Court is moving towards making all public employees fireable at the will of the President.

This will not just hurt government competence, it will aid democratic backsliding. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/at-will-wh...
At will? Whose will?
Removing independent agency heads is part of a broader assault on a nonpartisan government
donmoynihan.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Reposted by Middle-aged Muppet Mama
thetnholler.bsky.social
Trump’s racist ice goons leaving children stranded
December 8, 2025 at 5:05 PM