The investigations are coming – and Donald Trump and his cronies know it and are running scared. It’s not like Trump hasn’t called for Democrats to be jailed before, but this week, he posted an especially unhinged rant ordering his Justice Department to launch its own investigations into Dems calling for probes into his administration when they take control of Congress next year. “The imprisonment should be against these EXTORTIONISTS,” he ridiculously declared.
His White House lawyer followed up with a threatening letter to the incoming House Oversight Committee chair. And surprise, surprise… Trump’s AG Todd Blanche suggested he’d do as the president says.
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies continued their sick antics to subvert courts to deport migrants to places where they’re likely to face danger or persecution, and they moved to cut SNAP benefits for 6 million families and free school lunches for nearly 2 million children. Here’s more on all of that and other ways the president and his cronies harmed democracy, undermined the Constitution, and hurt free societies worldwide this week:
Saturday, Nov. 7 – Trump Calls for Jailing Dems
On Truth Social, Trump ordered his Justice Department to investigate Democratic politicians over their calls to investigate members of the president’s administration.
Trump ridiculously referred to the efforts as “extortion” and called for the “imprisonment” of Democratic lawmakers.
Sunday, Nov. 8 - AG Blanche Doesn’t Rule Out Locking Up Dems
On CNN, Attorney General Todd Blanche suggested he would follow through with Trump’s orders and launch investigations into Democrats, claiming that since the election, some lawmakers “have done nothing but threaten everything that’s happening in this administration.”
It’s unclear what, if any, crime the Democratic targets of this probe could be charged with, but Blanche is leaving the door open to putting them in jail depending “on what the crime is and what they’ve done.”
Monday, Nov. 9 – Trump Using Loophole to Return Migrants to Home Countries
The New York Times reported that more than 110 people who had court-ordered protections from being deported to their home countries have been removed from the U.S. by the Trump administration and sent to countries that act as intermediaries and ultimately hand them off to their home countries, where they face torture, sexual abuse, or persecution.
Human rights groups told the Times that the move is an effort by the Trump administration to evade both court orders and international law.
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Trump Admin Moves to Eliminate SNAP Benefits for Millions
The Trump administration issued a proposed rule that could eliminate SNAP benefits for over 6 million people. The rule would prevent some people who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also known as welfare, from automatically qualifying for SNAP benefits.
It would also result in nearly 2 million children losing free school meals if their families don’t meet new income eligibility requirements.
Wednesday, Nov. 11 – White House Lawyer Threatens Congress
Punchbowl News reported that the White House’s top lawyer sent a threatening letter Monday to incoming House Oversight Committee chair Robert Garcia, claiming that Democratic lawmakers have “evinced a clear intent to transgress” constitutional limits on congressional investigations and suggested that efforts to investigate the Trump administration “may cross the line into blatant criminality.”
In response, Garcia told NPR that Democrats will not “be deterred” or “intimidated by Donald Trump or anyone in the administration.”
Thursday, Nov. 12 – New Rule Leaves 80,000 People At Risk of Homelessness
The Trump administration issued a new final rule making entire families ineligible for most federal housing assistance if one member is an undocumented immigrant, a move that will force families to choose between separation and being evicted from their homes.
The rule, set to go into effect in mid-December, will result in about 80,000 people – nearly half of them children – losing federal housing assistance and facing the threat of homelessness.
Friday, Nov. 13 – Supreme Court Set to Hear Asylum Ban Case
The Supreme Court agreed to decide the fate of Trump’s executive order banning asylum at the southern border.
The order was blocked by lower courts for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act, which specifically allows migrants to claim asylum.
Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:
