The Political Thread

[Chris]

IRS reportedly preparing to give Musk’s Doge agency access to taxpayer data

US tax agency has received request for access to classified system containing personal financial records of US taxpayers

www.theguardian.com

The US federal tax collection agency is reportedly preparing to give a team member of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge), which has already gutted several federal agencies and sparked multiple lawsuits, access to personal taxpayer data.

The New York Times and the Washington Post both reported early on Monday that the Internal Revenue Service had received a request for access to a classified system that contains sensitive personal financial records.

The request, which is reportedly under review, would give Doge officials “broad access to tax-agency systems, property and datasets, including tax returns”.

 

[Samoa Looch]

Well... that TRO won't get through, since, you know, "no damage has been done so far" basically

Spoiler

 

[Chris]

4 Top Officials Expected to Resign Over Adams’s Cooperation with Trump

Four deputy mayors to Eric Adams are planning to leave in coming days after Eric Adams embraced President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

www.nytimes.com

Four top New York City officials are expected to resign in the coming days, after the outgoing U.S. attorney for Manhattan accused the mayor of trading cooperation with President Trump’s mass deportation agenda for a dismissal of his criminal indictment, according to three people with knowledge of their plans.

The four officials — Maria Torres-Springer, the first deputy mayor, and Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker, all also deputy mayors — oversee much of New York City government, and their departure is poised to blow a devastating hole in the already wounded administration of Mayor Eric Adams.

Mr. Adams, a Democrat, is resisting growing calls to resign. Gov. Kathy Hochul is also under increasing pressure to remove him from office.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

4 Top Officials Expected to Resign Over Adams’s Cooperation with Trump

Four deputy mayors to Eric Adams are planning to leave in coming days after Eric Adams embraced President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

www.nytimes.com

Four top New York City officials are expected to resign in the coming days, after the outgoing U.S. attorney for Manhattan accused the mayor of trading cooperation with President Trump’s mass deportation agenda for a dismissal of his criminal indictment, according to three people with knowledge of their plans.

The four officials — Maria Torres-Springer, the first deputy mayor, and Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker, all also deputy mayors — oversee much of New York City government, and their departure is poised to blow a devastating hole in the already wounded administration of Mayor Eric Adams.

Mr. Adams, a Democrat, is resisting growing calls to resign. Gov. Kathy Hochul is also under increasing pressure to remove him from office.

Neo Liberalism at its worst.

 

[Chris]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/americas/toronto-airport-delta-plane-intl-latam/index.html

Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport said it is aware of an incident involving a Delta Air Lines plane that was arriving from Minneapolis.

“Emergency teams are responding. All passengers and crew are accounted for,” the airport said in a statement on X.

All runways have been closed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, according to the FAA.

 

[CraigPelton]

Elon is firing a bunch of FAA workers so that he can replace them with SpaceX engineers. Has there even been such a blatant conflict of interest? This is as corrupt as it gets. Yet all the so-called constitutionalists and corruption police on the right don't say a word about it. Almost as if they have no principles beyond sucking the dick of any billionaire who validates their stupid anti-humanity and anti-science views.

 

[Comrade Khan]

I do find it interesting all the constitutionalists as you said, the centrists, the fiscal conservatives, the small governmenters and libertarians...completely quiet and mum. Where are all the rightoids who constantly complain about being censored as the AP is being muzzled? Where are all the ones who were telling us we were exaggerating and being too loud? Where are all the right leaning slippery slopers too?

 

[Grim]

I do find it interesting all the constitutionalists as you said, the centrists, the fiscal conservatives, the small governmenters and libertarians...completely quiet and mum. Where are all the rightoids who constantly complain about being censored as the AP is being muzzled? Where are all the ones who were telling us we were exaggerating and being too loud? Where are all the right leaning slippery slopers too?

"B-but both sides!"

 

[Samoa Looch]

View attachment 88741

Elon is firing a bunch of FAA workers so that he can replace them with SpaceX engineers. Has there even been such a blatant conflict of interest?

Yea, I guess? Y'all don't remember how Trump basically just shoved his business stuff into his kids' hands the moment he became President for the first time, while them were heavily involved in governmental proceedings anyways and claimed there is no conflict of interest with it?

 

[Samoa Looch]

 

[Chris]

Old people became woke

 

[Grim]

"It is not the duty of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to protect the senior citizens of the United States of America."

 

[Samoa Looch]

"It is not the duty of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to protect the senior citizens of the United States of America."

"Instead we want to announce our new DOGE Old Yeller program!"

 

[Chris]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/17/doge-social-security-musk/

The acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration left her job this weekend after a clash with billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service over its attempts to access sensitive government records, three people familiar with her departure said Monday.

Michelle King, who spent several decades at the agency before being named its acting commissioner last month, left her position Sunday after the disagreement, the people said.

 

[Chris]

https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/cannot-be-ignored-gov-hochul-to-meet-with-nyc-leaders-on-tuesday/

The unexpected resignation of four senior officials in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has drawn the attention of Governor Kathy Hochul, who has summoned key leaders to meet with her in Manhattan on Tuesday.

The decision comes just hours after Deputy Mayors Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker stepped down from their roles.

In a statement released Monday night, Hochul says she spoke with Torres-Springer and expressed gratitude for her years of service to New York City.

The statement reads in part: “She, along with Deputy Mayors Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker, have been strong partners with my Administration across dozens of key issues. If they feel unable to serve in City Hall at this time, that raises serious questions about the long-term future of this Mayoral administration… The alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored. Tomorrow, I have asked key leaders to meet me at my Manhattan office for a conversation about the path forward, with the goal of ensuring stability for the City of New York.”