Badlands News Brief
Secrets of the Secret Service ... and Circling Sharks in DC
The News Cycle is almost impossible to track these days. At least, to do so fully.
That’s where we come in.
In the Badlands News Brief, the Badlands Media team hand pick news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community with some Badlands flavoring to help wash it down.
Now, onto the news from Monday, July 22 …
"You're Full Of Sh*t": Secret Service Director Grilled, Says Agency Has 'No Radio Communications' From Assassination Attempt
Today's hearing in front of the House was a complete disaster for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle - as both Republicans and Democrats grilled her over agency failures leading up to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump July 13th.
Numerous Republican and at least one Democrat lawmaker demanded that Cheatle resign from her position, saying that her agency fell short of its "zero-fail mission."
In one heated exchange, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) told Cheatle that she was 'full of shit today,' after Cheatle continued to give vague, or no, answers to pointed questions.
MACE: Okay. Is the Secret Service fully cooperating with our committee? Yes. Okay. You say you’re fully cooperating with this committee? On July 15th, this committee sent you a list of demands of information that we wanted. Has the Secret Service provided this committee a complete list of all law enforcement personnel that were there that day? Have you done that? Have you provided a list to the oversight Committee? Yes or no? I’ll have to get back to you on that. That is a no. Have you provided all audio and video recordings in your possession to this committee, as we asked on July 15th? Yes or no?
CHEATLE: I would have to get back to you.
MACE: That is a no. You’re full of shit today. You’re just being completely dishonest.
Perhaps most stunning was an admission that the Secret Service has no recordings of radio communications from the 13th. — ZeroHedge
Our Take: Director of the US Secret Service Kim Cheatle showed up to the House Oversight Committee on Monday, but largely refused to answer questions.
Bipartisan outrage was on display, with both sides of the aisle calling for Cheatle to resign. Both the committee chair and ranking member signed a letter demanding the Director’s resignation immediately following the hearing.
The questioning was campaign theater, with several House democrats attempting to make the USSS failures a matter of gun control. This was a transparent and bad look for those that attempted the argument.
The narrative that Americans need to trust law enforcement with their self defense died on July 13. Every attempt at disarmament must be met with unified calls for resignation. Politicians calling for disarmament are literally violating their oaths of office.
My biggest takeaway from this hearing is that bureaucrats fundamentally misunderstand the concept of accountability. It’s time for show don’t tell. —
Another Take: That hearing was a disgrace—obviously. Some feel that it was a waste of time, but I disagree. I think that it became clear to those who were maybe uncertain that we are all peasants lorded over by a managerial elite that have nothing but disdain and contempt for our existence, and consider us nothing more than tax slaves. (As I wrote in yesterday's Brief, this community needs to dig on Cheatle and figure out what skeletons she is hiding.)
I posted this on X during the hearing.
As for the efforts of the congressmen, aside from a few others who did somewhat legit cross-examinations with presentation materials, I thought AOC had the best performance in today's kabuki theater. (None of the cross-examinations were amazing... just good.)
She didn't pander or use partisan talking points, and she even called out the others who were using the opportunity to get a campaign soundbite. She calmly presented an objectively reasonable position, and when she did invoke the shooter's use of an AR-15, it was only to establish the range of the weapon and how that related to the security failure.
Her demeanor was actually the most stoic, with a subtle but strong disdain, making her come across as the only real adult in the room. The notion that she is an actress playing a Judas-goat resonated in this moment.
She also referred to Trump as the President… twice. (Very, very respectful.) —
AND … another take: While the memes are flowing and should continue to do so, the Cheatle Hearing is, thankfully, a bright mirror of what could be a dark repeat of the Warren Commission following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
And I don't think these comparisons are lost on the Collective American Mind.
It isn't difficult for the MAGA faithful, Q followers and Info Warriors to believe the Deep State Establishment want to stop Donald J. Trump by any means necessary ... hell, they've been saying as much for the better part of a decade, loudly and proudly.
But now, EVERYONE saw SOMEONE attempt to do that very thing, and now, they're witnessing the very people who should at the very least be able to answer simple questions about the battlespace that was created (or allowed) on that day rendered blind, mute and dumb.
Trump and Kennedy are names that have been linked in the Info War for years. Now, they're linked in a way that is sparking the sort of awakening we've long anticipated.
Give it time. —
Top Dems threatened to forcibly remove Biden from office unless he dropped out, set him up to fail at Trump debate: Sources
Operatives at the very highest levels of the Democratic Party threatened Joe Biden with forcibly removing him from office unless he stepped down, sources told The Post.
The well-orchestrated “palace coup” to stop the faltering president seeking re-election has been in place for weeks, but stubborn Biden fought against it every step of the way, a source close to the Biden family told The Post Monday.
The insider also made clear the anger, paranoia and frustration Biden displayed as the party elite circled around him and piled on the pressure.
Part of the “elaborate” strategy to remove Biden from the race – as he announced in a shock letter posted on X Sunday – was allowing him to debate Republican candidate Donald Trump last month on live TV in Atlanta.
During the car crash 90-minute debate, Biden appeared confused, slack-jawed and at one point he froze up, with his shocking performance turning the tide against him. — NY Post
Our Take: There are almost too many converging and competing narratives surrounding the US presidency (right now, never mind come November,) that to commit to any one predictive path is unwise.
That said, I firmly believe the chaos IS the point.
Donald Trump has been putting out shark comms for months, almost comically-so, much to the entertainment (and confusion) of his supporters. I floated the idea Sunday night that he was prepping the ground for the inevitable feeding frenzy that's not only consuming the DNC in the weeks leading up to the convention, but the American sociopolitical zeitgeist.
Keep in mind, while we prognosticate on who the next fake candidate for the fake presidency is going to be ahead of the fake election, the existential dread is beginning to seep into the normie layers of the Collective Mind that the country as it CURRENTLY stands is effectively without a leader.
We're not only four months from the election, but six months from inauguration.
If they admit Joe Biden is withdrawing for political reasons, they're admitting they don't have a candidate capable of defeating Donald Trump in a (real) election.
If they admit Joe Biden is withdrawing for medical reasons, they're going to trigger an intra-party 25th Amendment War for current "leadership" of the nation ... all while normieville watches Trump campaign with vigor, strength and newly-deployed humility in a narrative cycle defined by national discord and international strife.
Which way, western man?
Game Theory's a bitch ... if you're on the wrong side of it. —
"Joe Biden's F**k You": Biden Megadonor Refuses To Fundraise For Kamala Harris
While America digests the unprecedented social media resignation of Joe Biden from the 2024 race, megadonor John Morgan on Sunday announced that he will not fundraise for the Democrats if Kamala Harris is the nominee - and suggested that Biden's decision to endorse her 30 minutes after he announced he was pulling out was a "fuck you" to those who pushed him out.
(That of course assumes Biden knows he pulled out of the race and endorsed Harris.)
"If Trump World could pick anybody to run against, I think they pick her," Morgan told ABC News.
"You have to be enthusiastic or hoping for a political appointment to be asking friends for money. I am neither," he said in a follow-up post on X.
Morgan suggested that 'any combination' of: Joe Manchin, Andy Beshear, Gretchen Whitmer and Josh Shapiro would win, while "@MichelleObama wins in a landslide with any of these picks." — ZeroHedge
And …
Harris has support of enough Democratic delegates to become party’s presidential nominee: AP survey
Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump, according to an Associated Press survey, as top Democrats rallied to her in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his bid for reelection.
The quick coalescing behind Harris marked an attempt by the party to put weeks of internecine drama over Biden’s political future behind them and to unify behind the task of defeating Trump with just over 100 days until Election Day. Prominent Democratic elected officials, party leaders and political organizations quickly lined up behind Harris in the day after Biden’s exit from the race and her campaign set a new 24-hour record for presidential donations on Monday.
Several state delegations met late Monday to confirm their support for Harris, including Texas and her home state of California. By Monday night, Harris had the support of well more than the 1,976 delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot, according to the AP tally. No other candidate was named by a delegate contacted by the AP. — AP News
Our Take: Democrats want you to believe they’re unified. They’re not. Don’t take my word for it. Listen to AOC.
This article about Morgan refusing to fundraise for Kamala supports AOC’s position. But Morgan reveals much when he, ‘suggested that Biden's decision to endorse her 30 minutes after he announced he was pulling out was a fuck you to those who pushed him out.’
They had a plan. And, at least it appears to this mega donor, Joe Biden didn’t follow the plan. Who else is upset about the endorsement?
Time is running out for democrats to get their act together, and it’s not looking good… for them. For us, the fact that a mega donor just revealed that the oligarchy had a replacement plan and scrotus didn’t play along… well, that’s great.
Make America Great Again. —
Another Take: Consider the current US leadership situation through the lens of an otherwise-disconnected normie:
Kamala Harris was so unpopular as a presidential candidate during the 2020 election cycle, she withdrew BEFORE her own party's primaries, meaning she was considered persona non grata among Democrats even then.
What followed the stolen election was a year of courtesy assignments, where even her most staunch defenders from the 2020 narrative cycle abandoned her in droves as she was saddled with the border czar title, putting her in charge of arguably the worst of the Deep State's failures (ie: planned betrayals of this nation,) during its worst-polling admin since the 1970s.
She's been essentially running silent for the last 2-3 years, and she hasn't received any endorsement from the DNC elite, also known as the Old Guard.
Game of Thrones, DNC edition is going to be the story of the summer, as House Obama and House Clinton jockey for position, with House Newsom posturing on the wings. —
Top UN court says Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and should end
The top United Nations court said Friday that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and called on it to end, and for settlement construction to stop immediately, issuing an unprecedented, sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the lands it captured 57 years ago.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly denounced the nonbinding opinion issued by the 15-judge panel of the International Court of Justice, saying the territories are part of the Jewish people’s historic homeland. But the resounding breadth of the decision could impact international opinion and fuel moves for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
The judges pointed to a wide list of policies, including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, use of the area’s natural resources, the annexation and imposition of permanent control over lands and discriminatory policies against Palestinians, all of which it said violated international law. — AP News
Our Take: This is a subject matter—the International Court of Justice (ICJ)—that seems to trigger some emotional reactions from our side, and I would like to address what I perceive to be cognitive dissonance when it comes to the traditional conservative/MAGA movement, the ICJ, and Israel.
As I've explained before, the ICJ was created as part of the United Nations in 1945. It was intended to be a forum where nations could mediate disputes without kinetic escalation—the court itself having no authority or jurisdiction to do anything other than express its opinion in the form of a judgement. (Any sanctions or actions that result from rulings are taken by the UN Security Council, individual nations, or other organizations.)
Ashe always points out to me that we should NOT be validating international governing bodies, and I completely agree with her. But you must understand that this reaction (outrage on behalf of Israel) falls within the false paradigm—and is the expected reaction from conservatives, by the Party of False Decorum.
Allow me to explain.
The UN's ICJ has existed since 1945—two years before the UN's Partition Plan of Palestine, which officially created the State of Israel.
Up until November of last year, when South Africa filed the war crimes charges with the UN, Israel had only been involved in one other case in the ICJ in its 77-year history. That case was brought by Israel against Bulgaria in 1955, when the latter shot down an Israeli airliner in its airspace. At the time, Bulgaria had not yet formally joined the UN, though Israel argued that it had, in 1921, signed a "compulsory jurisdiction" agreement under the League of Nations—forerunner to the United Nations-- and therefore had agreed to grant jurisdiction to an international court. Bulgaria argued that it still maintained total sovereignty, as the League of Nations was a completely separate treaty organization, and therefore the UN had no jurisdiction.
Ultimately, the ICJ sided with Bulgaria, rejecting Israel's complaint, respecting Bulgaria's sovereignty. (Imagine that?)
Prior to February of this year, no complaint against Israel has ever been given standing by the court, despite the fact that Israel has occupied Palestine since The Six Days War, which was June 1967. Israel has engaged in other acts of aggression against its neighbors over the course of its history, and yet has never been challenged by the UN or its courts.
That is because the UN's courts, according to European leaders, were made to prosecute "African warlords and thugs like Vladimir Putin... not western leaders."
That's the official opinion of the globalist hegemony, who are all apoplectic over the ICJ's new ruling—which, effectively, has branded Palestine under Israeli occupation an apartheid state.
So I suppose I am a little confused by MAGA faithful who claim to oppose the UN, its courts, and the globalists, and yet blindly support the Israeli government-- an institution of men, not gods—and don't seem to see the irony in supporting a government that was literally created by the globalists of the UN in 1947. (Frankly, I blame the propagandists of the 20th century, and the ignorance of historical facts among the general public.)
The past is the past, and we are where we are, and I don't support the killing of innocents or their forced migration. I don't harbor any ill will toward the innocent people of Israel or Palestine, and I recognize that the radicalized elements within their cultures are circumstantial—and in the case of Hamas: explicitly created by western intelligence agencies (globalists) to be self-destructive.
I do have a real issue with the radical elements within the Israeli government, which have been afforded absolute impunity by the [globalist] UN during its 57-year military occupation of Palestine, but really for its entire 77-year existence. I want to see a two-state solution emerge, where all parties can live in peace, but that's not going to be possible until these radical elements are isolated from their respective populations and forever driven from power, if not destroyed, entirely.
So you can upset about this ICJ ruling, but understand that you are siding with the globalists, as this ruling is a sign of a major turning point in this story, where the globalist agenda is being thwarted. The way I see it, this is evidence of a circular firing squad forming within the globalist tent. And I maintain that the entire process was initiated by President Donald Trump on May 3rd, 2017—17 days before he received the legendary Sword Dance from the Saudis—when Trump looked Mahmoud Abbas in the eyes, and promised him that he would liberate Palestine from the clutches of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump's promise to Abbas is the culmination of a process that was started by two old rivals in 1993, with the Oslo Accords. Both of those old war horses—who had spent decades fighting one another on the battlefield—were prepared to ride off into the sunset, and pass the torch to the next generation, ushering in an era of peace. Instead, both of those war horses (Arafat and Rabin) were murdered for having the courage to do what weaker men are always incapable of doing.
The world needs men with exceptional courage and strength, who are prepared to do what weaker men never will. —
Ben-Gvir: Israel will dismantle Palestinian Authority if US imposes sanctions on ministers
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has warned that if the Biden administration imposes sanctions on Israeli government ministers, Israel will respond by "completely dismantling the Palestinian Authority, including all its institutions and economy."
In response to recent reports that the Biden administration is considering imposing sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister Ben-Gvir issued a strong statement on Saturday condemning the potential move. The administration’s reported frustration with the Israeli government's policy of expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the ministers' support for such actions has led to discussions of escalating measures against them.
According to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, who cited three senior American officials, the National Security Council at the White House held a significant meeting this past week to discuss these potential sanctions. The Biden administration holds Smotrich and Ben-Gvir responsible for undermining security in Judea and Samaria and leading the government's policies in these areas. — Jerusalem Post
Our Take: A lot of people are wondering why Joe Biden is suddenly being forced out of power...
Could it be because he is implementing Donald Trump's agenda, and going after the radical elements in the Israeli government?
On yesterday's Badlands Daily, I explained to Brian the recent history behind these radical elements—which I have covered multiple times here on the Brief— and the short version is that the leader of the Lehava movement, Benzion Gopstein, who in 2015 called for the expulsion of Christians from Israel, the burning of churches, and for the Jewish People to recognize Christians as their ancient enemy.
In response, the Israeli government charged Gopstein with incitement of violence, and due to lawfare and the circumstances of the COVID pandemic, the trial was delayed until this past January, when Gopstein was found guilty. His lawyer was none other than Itamar Ben-Gvir, the current National Security Minister to Bibi Netanyahu. Ben-Gvir, along with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, are loyal followers of the teachings of Meir Kahane, the late mentor to Benzion Gopstein—who took over the movement after Kahane was assassinated in New York City in 1990.
This network is connected to the Israeli oligarchy, which includes Dan Gertler— scion to the Israeli Diamond Cartel—who was targeted by President Trump's Executive Order 13818 in December 2017 because he was using child slaves to mine cobalt and copper in the Congo. (As was revealed in the Paradise Papers leak, Gertler was disseminating funds from this operation to his fellow oligarchs.)
These mining rights that were seized through EO 13818 were legally stripped from him through prosecution by the Biden DOJ in 2022. Those rights were ultimately acquired by Mohammed bin Zayed—the leader of the UAE and closest ally of Saudi Crown Prince MBS—as well as China and Russia.
But that's not the only reason that the followers of Kahane and the Israeli oligarchy hate President Trump. They also hate him because just 15 days after entering office, in a press conference with Netanyahu—where I suspect Trump was expected to "kiss the ring"—Trump told Netanyahu that he needed to stop the construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank, a practice that is sponsored and spearheaded by the followers of Kahane.
I encourage you to watch the video that I embedded in my write-up on the ICJ ruling, where Donald Trump and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a joint press conference to discuss the liberation of Palestine from the control of these radicals. You can sense the tender understanding by Trump, where he recognizes that Abbas was the guy who started the peace movement in Palestine in 1993, with the signing of the Oslo Accords, which created the Palestinian Authority in order to establish the two-state solution.
Hamas was created to subvert the PA's influence and ultimately defeat it. For the same reason that Meir Kahane plotted to blow up the Al Asqa Mosque in the early 1980's. (He was arrested and jailed by the Shin Bet.) Because Kahane wanted to start a forever war between Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land, and subvert any notion of a peaceful coexistence. Because that is what evil men do, and Kahane is one of the most evil men to have plagued this earth over the past half century.
Listen to Trump talk about how 20% of the Israeli electorate "are just bad people." He is talking about the followers of Kahane. (Hint: the guy interviewing Trump in these videos is Barak Ravid, who is cited in this article.)
Unfortunately, Netanyahu has made his bed with these psychopaths, and they now hold his leash... —
BONUS ITEMS
Biden's Brother Says They Will "Enjoy Whatever Time We Have Left"
While Joe Biden provided no reason, other than ‘the greater good’ for no longer being the Democratic nominee, his brother Frank Biden told CBS News that ailing health “absolutely” played a “considerable role” in the decision.
“I’m incredibly proud of my brother. Selfishly I will have him back to enjoy whatever time we have left,” Frank Biden told CBS, making it sound like Biden doesn’t have long left to live.
The CBS anchor was surprised that Frank Biden said this because the White House is still bluntly denying age or health has anything to do with it.
This entire debacle has some asking if Biden is even still alive.
Fox News host Dana Perino noted, “They didn’t even release a White House still photograph. Nothing! I hope he’s fine, but you can forgive people for wondering if we are really living Weekend at Bernie’s right now. Like, proof of life, please! Let’s see it!” — Modernity News
Ukraine ramps up diplomatic efforts amid talks of peace with Russia and potential Trump presidency
Discussions about ending the war with Russia have intensified, becoming a focal point in speeches by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team.
“In the end, everything will come down to the personal relationship between Zelenskyy and Trump,” a government source explained before their phone conversation Saturday.
The Ukrainian government plans to continue intensive diplomatic efforts in the coming months before the U.S. elections and the inauguration in January 2025. Zelenskyy has been very active internationally, attending summits and bilateral meetings to secure long-term funds and weapons, and to promote Ukraine’s vision for ending the war, including NATO integration.
The central question about Trump’s potential return is when and how peace negotiations with Russia might begin. Zelenskyy hinted that the active phase of the war could end this year and that Ukraine might regain some territories through diplomacy.
The term “negotiations” is now more common in Ukrainian media, marking a shift from last year when it was taboo. Although details are scarce, the concept is being normalized. A Razumkov Center survey shows 44% of Ukrainians believe it's time for negotiations, while 35% disagree. However, 61% oppose concessions to Russia. — Badlands News
We hope you enjoyed this brief look back at the major news items you might have missed in this ever-escalating and ever-accelerating news cycle as the Information War continues to rage on around us.
As always, if you have any thoughts on these news items or the MANY others swirling in the digital ether, drop into the comments below to share them with your fellow Badlanders.
Badlands Media will always put out our content for free, but you can support us by becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter. Help our collective of citizen journalists take back the narrative from the MSM. We are the news now.
My biggest takeaway from this hearing is that bureaucrats fundamentally misunderstand the concept of accountability. It’s time for show don’t tell. — Ashe in America
With respect, the issue is there actually is no accountability. I honestly cannot remember an instance of anyone in a position of authority being held to account for anything in this country. Only the people are held accountable (police, IRS, etc).
It's totally disgusting when you think about it. From JFK assassination to the Savings and Loan scandal to 9/11, Benghazi, it just never stops. They are "questioned" but nothing ever happens. There is never any real consequence and therefore no reason to be accountable.
Dear God I hope this ends soon...
It's easier to fool the masses than to convince them they've been fooled.