Note @schiff.senate.gov's descriptions here don't describe IMPACT of the corruption for normal people. For example, the Elon corruption matters bc people looking to govt for justice in legal/regulatory fights w/richest man in the world--on workers' rights, privacy, investing--are not getting it. - ThreadSky

emptywheel.bsky.social • 21 days ago

Note @schiff.senate.gov's descriptions here don't describe IMPACT of the corruption for normal people.

For example, the Elon corruption matters bc people looking to govt for justice in legal/regulatory fights w/richest man in the world--on workers' rights, privacy, investing--are not getting it.

Reposted from Sen. Adam Schiff

I just left the Senate floor, where I laid out Trump's real "Art of the Deal."

For himself.

Here are Donald Trump's 10 most outrageous displays of corruption yet.

🧵

Comments

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Elizabeth Warren explained corruption better than anyone, whether professorially or like a schoolteacher. No one wanted to listen to her, not even Democrats. I say that as someone who canvassed for her for three months.
You’re going to be disappointed if politicians and the public don’t follow…

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

…your precise prescriptions on what message to deliver. I’m personally happy that Schiff is talking about the big, fat bordello in the sky. It’s an image and emblem that comes with a garland of sheikhs, something the public notices. If it was a “gift” to Trump, it is also a propaganda gift…

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

…but effective propaganda entails dinning in primitive messages for a correspondingly primitive electorate. The messages might even change, but the effect is cumulative. I personally spend spare time in the real world protesting Musk. People seem to respond with revulsion to a supervillain.

nadinefeldman.bsky.social•21 days ago

When Warren ran for President, she always said "I have a plan for that," and she was ridiculed. Now everyone's screaming that the Dems don't have a plan. This is why we can't have nice things.

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

She would have made a great cabinet member—she created her own government bureau, after all.
As for “plans”, though, that doesn’t seem to resonate with the public, and there’s no one prescription for an opposition message that resonates. Let people and politicians attack what repels them most.

nadinefeldman.bsky.social•21 days ago

I agree with you that "plans" don't resonate. My point in mentioning that was that these days I'm constantly hearing criticism that Dems don't have plans. It feels as if no matter what Dems do, it's somehow wrong or not enough.

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

I understood your point and agree. I think Democrats suck on balance, but some have been excellent (e.g., my Rep., Beyer), and most have tried. They tried in that marathon hearing night before last, for instance. I think the problem is with leadership: Jeffries and, worse, Schumer…

brendanamartin.bsky.social•21 days ago

…both of whom, not coincidentally, are from New York, which has a corrupt Democratic organization and where the major constituencies seem to be Wall Street and Betar. Those two don’t have the moral qualities to lead and are demoralizing—in the original sense of that word—the Democratic Party.

huffandpuff.bsky.social•21 days ago

https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/may-13-2025?r=ggj7g&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

flyby9.bsky.social•21 days ago

Is Elon still the richest man in the world⁉️

philoof.bsky.social•21 days ago

As a normal person I find that disappointing

marilynfrenche.bsky.social•21 days ago

Lawrd everyday a new horror.

mjdavis1988.bsky.social•21 days ago

💙
Folks — Just dropped this article on Trump’s extreme corruption. Would love folks to read, repost, and free subscribe if you like my writing. Thanks!

https://mdavis19881.substack.com/p/the-absolutely-staggering-corruption

axeshun.bsky.social•21 days ago

Gee...you'd almost think that status-quo establishment democrats needed better communications strategies and message marketing...but naaaahh.
Don't mind me. I'm just talking silly now.

johnvoltz.bsky.social•21 days ago

All of these examples should be put in contrast (e.g.):

Paying for rooms at his hotels, while firing people who launch weather balloons that make weather forecasts accurate.

Advertising Tesla who’s biggest operations are in China, screws GM, Ford, & all their US workers and suppliers.

emptywheel.bsky.social•21 days ago

Right wingers objected to Trump's flying bribe palace bc they it had import for them -- their bigotry about Muslims and belief that Qatar's ties to Hamas makes them terrorist sympathizers.

To make corruption matter you need to describe it in turns of impact.

https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/05/14/trumps-mob-understands-skeezy-better-than-the-corruption-beat-journalists/

momny.bsky.social•21 days ago

They don't forget the Muslim ban. Shiff is the example of messaging problem dems have. He is to in the weeds even for me.

john.muccigrosso.org•21 days ago

How about this beaut? As if this weren't still a fringe theory and the consensus didn't still exist.

drgeophysics.bsky.social•21 days ago

Excellent thread. Thanks.

tmaloney.bsky.social•21 days ago

True for every issue actually, including “democracy”

margiem.bsky.social•21 days ago

We don’t give them a minutes peace. Let’s go! Find a protest get loud. We are headed into fascism.

Keep calling your reps Everyday and Dem/Republican leaders
Schumer, Jefferies
Johnson, Thune,
202-224-3121

Tell them to remove Trump by impeachment or treason charges.

Need help use 5calls.org

pseudonymice.bsky.social•21 days ago

In political comms, I used to say that every oppositional story needs to have a villain, a victim, and a bad act.... otherwise it's not a story.

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