February 2021 - Page 6 of 10

Trump Campaign Poured Millions Into Trump Business

February 8, 2021 Buck Banks

$2.8 million

Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, which never received a cent from the former president, moved an estimated $2.8 million of donor money into the Trump Organization—including at least $81,000 since Trump lost the election, Forbes reports.

GOP Lawmakers Fined for Dodging Security

February 8, 2021 Buck Banks

$5,000

Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Andrew Clyde (R-GA) were fined $5,000 for bypassing newly-installed metal detectors as they entered the House floor, NBC News reports.

Trump’s Tariffs Didn’t Reduce the U.S. Trade Deficit

February 8, 2021 Buck Banks

$679 billion

“The U.S. trade deficit over the four years of President Donald Trump’s presidency soared to its highest level since 2008, despite his tough tariff tactics intended to bring it down, a new Commerce Department report showed on Friday,” Politico reports. “The combined U.S. goods and services trade deficit increased to $679 billion in 2020, compared to $481 billion in 2016, the year before Trump took office. The trade deficit in goods alone hit $916 billion, a record high and an increase of about 21 percent from 2016.”

Biden: We Can’t Do Too Much

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

The one thing we learned is we can’t do too much here. We can do too little. We can do too little and sputter.”

— President Joe Biden, quoted by Bloomberg, meeting with House Democratic leaders and committee chairs on the Covid-19 relief package.

Apps Tracked the Insurrectionists from Ellipse to Capitol

February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

40%

Charlie Warzel and Stuart Thompson: “About 40 percent of the phones tracked near the rally stage on the National Mall during the speeches were also found in and around the Capitol during the siege — a clear link between those who’d listened to the president and his allies and then marched on the building.”

That Comes Out to About 46 Million

February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

1 million

“More than 1 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims for the 46th consecutive week last week,” Axios reports. “There is no historical precedent for the ongoing rate of job losses in the U.S.”

Trump is taking on the mantle of itinerant provocateur,
Setting forth to sully the unfaithful with Trumpian manure.
He’s hitting the road
To chastise and goad
His enemies, on what is being heralded as his revenge tour.

Schiff: GOP Not a ‘Functional’ Party

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

“Sadly, it has already become essentially a cult, not just of QAnon, but a whole range of conspiracy theories orbiting around Donald Trump. Which of course is a disaster not only for the Republican Party, but is a disaster for the country. We really rely on two functional parties for our system to work, and right now we don’t have that.”

— Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) told CBS News that the Republican Party has “become essentially a cult” in recent years, evident from its embrace of President Trump and controversial figures such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

A Progressive Wave Is Building

February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

6,554

CNN: “Run For Something, the PAC that supports young progressives running for state and local office, says 6,554 people signed up for its pipeline in January, many of whom indicated their interest to run in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6.”

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The Final Word on MTG

February 5, 2021 Buck Banks

$2.8 million

Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, which never received a cent from the former president, moved an estimated $2.8 million of donor money into the Trump Organization—including at least $81,000 since Trump lost the election, Forbes reports.

$5,000

Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Andrew Clyde (R-GA) were fined $5,000 for bypassing newly-installed metal detectors as they entered the House floor, NBC News reports.

$679 billion

The one thing we learned is we can’t do too much here. We can do too little. We can do too little and sputter.”

— President Joe Biden, quoted by Bloomberg, meeting with House Democratic leaders and committee chairs on the Covid-19 relief package.

40%

1 million

“More than 1 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims for the 46th consecutive week last week,” Axios reports. “There is no historical precedent for the ongoing rate of job losses in the U.S.”

— Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) told CBS News that the Republican Party has “become essentially a cult” in recent years, evident from its embrace of President Trump and controversial figures such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

6,554

CNN: “Run For Something, the PAC that supports young progressives running for state and local office, says 6,554 people signed up for its pipeline in January, many of whom indicated their interest to run in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6.” Tweet

“She’s just batshit crazy.”

— An unnamed GOP lawmaker to Fox News, about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.

CNN: “Run For Something, the PAC that supports young progressives running for state and local office, says 6,554 people signed up for its pipeline in January, many of whom indicated their interest to run in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6.”

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