mastodon.ie is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
Irish Mastodon - run from Ireland, we welcome all who respect the community rules and members.

Administered by:

Server stats:

1.7K
active users

#extortion

10 posts6 participants0 posts today
Continued thread

…On Wed, the #US & #Ukraine signed the #minerals deal. While it does not explicitly mention #security guarantees for Ukraine, it ensures the *possibility* of shipments of American weapons to Ukraine if a peace deal is not reached w/ #Russia.

While Ukraine is still receiving weapons authorized under #Biden, those supplies are expected to end this summer.

#extortion #MafiaState #geopolitics #StandWithUkraine
nytimes.com/2025/04/30/world/e

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, and Yulia Svyrydenko, the Ukrainian economy minister, signing the minerals deal.
The New York Times · U.S. and Ukraine Sign Minerals DealBy Alan Rappeport

Torres was earning ~$80/wk in MX. When his wife became pregnant w their 4th child -decided to cross into the US to look for better-paying work.

He was arrested by st police officers in TX on a trespassing chg. Bail was set at $1,000 >1/4/ann income.

He appeared in ct on the trespassing case - normal circumstances his bail$: returned to him -never happened.

Since Gov Abbott stepped up #immigration ops -Kinney Co: forfeited bail from 100s of migrants.

#Extortion #USPol nytimes.com/2025/05/01/us/migr

Kinney County has collected large amounts of money from border crossers arrested on suspicion of trespassing.
The New York Times · How One Texas County Has Profited Off of Migrant DeportationsBy Jack Herrera

> CBS owner Paramount reportedly intends to settle Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit arstechnica.com/tech-policy/20

Translation: The #PendejoInChief is basically extorting CBS, who needs FCC approval for a merger. Still, CBS is basically folding like a cheap suit.

Large CBS News signs on the outside of the company's broadcast center.
Ars Technica · CBS owner Paramount reportedly intends to settle Trump’s $20 billion lawsuitBy Jon Brodkin
Continued thread

The economic agreement is intended to provide #Ukraine w/ an *implicit* [so no real promises] #security arrangement while addressing #Trump’s concerns that the #US has provided Kyiv w/ a *blank check*.

“This agreement signals clearly to #Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a *peace* process centered on a #free, #sovereign, & prosperous Ukraine over the long term,” Treasury Secy #ScottBessent said in a statement.

The #UnitedStates & #Ukraine announced the creation of a new reconstruction & investment fund, formalizing an economic agreement between the 2 that is intended to give the US access to proceeds from Ukraine’s reserves of rare earth #minerals.

The agreement concludes months of fraught negotiations over whether the #US will continue to provide Ukraine w/ #economic & #military support to Ukraine as it tries to broker an end to its war w/ #Russia.

#geopolitics #extortion
nytimes.com/2025/04/30/world/e

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, and Yulia Svyrydenko, the Ukrainian economy minister, signing the minerals deal.
The New York Times · U.S. and Ukraine Sign Minerals DealBy Alan Rappeport

The threat #Trump poses 2 law & decency is clear. US courts issue rulings, Trump not only ignores them he targets the judges who made them. He attacks opponents law firms, & asks them to give his Administration free legal advice or take consequences. #Extortion must be condemned, Many Americans must be fearful of what is to come. For those of us who considered the US a good friend, the situation is heartbreaking.
#StandwithUkraine #RejoinEU #ClimateCrisis #TrumpOut

"Two major law firms are expected to ask separate judges on Wednesday to permanently block President Donald Trump’s executive orders that were designed to punish them and hurt their business operations.

"The firms — Perkins Coie and WilmerHale — have said the orders imposed in March are unconstitutional assaults on the legal profession that threaten their relationships with clients and retaliate against them based either on their past legal representations or their association with particular attorneys who Trump perceives as his adversaries...

"The executive orders taking aim at some of the country’s most elite and prominent law firms are part of a wide-ranging retribution campaign by Trump designed to reshape civil society and extract concessions from perceived adversaries."
apnews.com/article/trump-law-f

The big box CEOs flat out told Trump the prices aren't going up, they're steady right now, but they'll go up. & this wasn't about food. But he was told that shelves will be empty" -an admin official. Another official briefed on the meeting said the CEOs told Trump disruptions could become noticeable in 2 weeks.

Trump says the #tariffs on CN will be lower, but only that "they'll be north of zero." His "governing style" is that of a mob boss.
#Extortion #Kleptocracy #USPol
axios.com/2025/04/23/trump-eco

Illustration of an American flag, with the stripes made out of empty grocery store shelves with a few leftover cans and red "sold out" signs.
Axios · Trump softens tariff tone amid empty shelves warning, market slumpBy Marc Caputo

" The situation has raised concerns at FEMA that the White House is playing politics with critical emergency management funds. President Donald Trump and his allies have criticized FEMA for months as partisan, ineffective and unnecessary. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said she will “eliminate FEMA” altogether."

cnn.com/2025/04/22/politics/fe

CNN · When billions in emergency funds were stalled, the Trump administration sped FEMA money to some GOP-led statesBy Gabe Cohen

The Trump WH is sabotaging itself with its unbridled hostility toward the #courts. The SC has been doing its best to defuse the looming clash w the admin.

Form of govt we're living in right now: closest analogue is the Mafia -using #extortion to achieve his objectives.

For Trump, law is nothing but politics -apply his tactics for pol battles in the legal realm: attack -never admit error -stoke griev...

Openly, repeatedly: #unconstitutional viewp #discrimination
#USPol
thefp.com/p/is-donald-trump-br

The Free Press · Is Donald Trump Breaking the Law? Seven Experts Weigh In.By The Editors