Badlands News Brief

Whistleblowers and Witch Hunts

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.

---

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 picks news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community.

Some items feature original commentary from members of our growing team of citizen journalists. Feel free to follow the corresponding link to see their other work.

Now, onto the news from Wednesday, July 19 …

---

Dems at IRS whistleblower hearing couldn't offer counterargument, only invoked Trump, George Floyd: critics

Democrats who grilled IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler could not offer effective counterarguments to their testimony, and only could muster emotional diatribes targeting former President Donald Trump and invoking George Floyd, critics said Wednesday.

During the hearing, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., invoked George Floyd when speaking about Republicans' claims of a two-tiered justice system favoring the Bidens, while House Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin of Maryland made a "Pink Panther" reference in calling the probe an "Inspector Clouseau-style quest for something that doesn't exist."

Several other Democrats invoked Trump during their speaking time, including Kweisi Mfume of Baltimore and Gerald Connolly of Northern Virginia.

Mfume quipped that he wanted to thank Republicans for gathering lawmakers and "almost distracting us from the biggest investigation that is going on right now… involving the former president." — FOX News

Our Take: “It seems like there are a half dozen earth-shattering news items coming out on a daily basis of late, and this week is no exception.

Yesterday, the IRS Whistleblower hearing went about as poorly as you could possibly imagine from the perspective of the Biden Crime Family.

While there were a few dramatic moments—including one in which Marjorie Taylor Greene went over some of the more salacious allegations and proclivities against Hunter Biden—the overall tenor of the engagement took on a somewhat surreal feeling, as House Dems found themselves in the unenviable position of tacitly accepting virtually all allegations against Hunter, while desperately attempting to separate his father from involvement in the same.

Of course, this went about as well as you’d expect from politicians who clearly aren’t nearly as read in to the particulars of this investigation as they’re used to being. What resulted was a farcical display that leaves little doubt in the minds of much of the American public that they’re watching a criminal Administration desperately trying to distance itself from proven criminal activity over a lengthy period of time … that likely stretches back to previous Administrations.

This show is just getting started. Try to enjoy it.” —

Burning Bright

---

McCarthy Defends Trump over January 6: ‘Don’t See How He Could Be Found Criminally Responsible’

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) came to Trump’s defense over reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been weighing potential charges against the former president for his alleged conduct during the January 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the U.S. House Speaker said he does not see any reason for the former president to be found criminally responsible for January 6.

“I don’t see how he could be found criminally responsible,” McCarthy said. “What criminal activity did he do? He told people to be peaceful.”

This past Sunday, the former president revealed on Truth Social that he would have to appear before a grand jury this week and that he would likely be indicted by “deranged” special counsel Jack Smith.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before, or even close…THIS WITCH HUNT IS ALL ABOUT ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND A COMPLETE AND TOTAL POLITICAL WEAPONIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT! It is a very sad and dark period for our Nation!” he said.

McCarthy said that he and the former president spoke on Tuesday and that Trump was frustrated with being targeted by the justice department. He also denied ever conducting a “strategy session” with Republicans on how to respond to Trump’s indictments. — Breitbart

Our Take: “There’s a ‘Trump or Bust’ movement that’s beginning to gain steam in the MAGA and America First community, and while I largely agree with the sentiment, I believe that part of what we’re watching unfold in the public Narrative is battle lines being drawn within the GOP/Republican theater, as McCarthy and other prominent Republicans choose the right path, at least optically, while others stump for Ron DeSantis and other Establishment, UniParty candidates.

Of course, supporting Trump seems easy when he’s running away with every poll imaginable, but doing so when he’s eyeing his third indictment of the year—and possibly even convictions in the future for process crimes he may only be tangentially involved with, and that will likely set useful precedent for the cases we’re all waiting for down the line—is of added significance.

Along these same lines, another headlined sees Matt Gaetz putting his political capital where his mouth is, continuing to lead the Vanguard of the America First contingent within Congress:

Whatever comes of Trump’s ‘trial’ regarding J6, I have a feeling the outcome will shed significantly more light on the events of that fateful day to the American people, and I have a feeling that those who stand up publicly for Trump now will be remembered well for having done so, while those who cast stones and kick the MAGA King while they THINK he’s down will rue the day.” —

Burning Bright

***

Another Take: “Who doesn't want to be on the winning side?

Our President Donald J.Trump is always the first to signal his own indictments and charges. Let us recall that he was first to announce his own raid by the D.O.J., which is also telling.

Another consideration is the optics America First Republicans can take advantage of going into the General Election in 2024. Statements from Jordan Greene, Miller, and even McCarthy, whether you’re a fan of each or not places a perception in voters' minds. It grasps the reality of how important this next election is, as highlighted by President Trump, as the future of our country is swinging like a pendulum.

Currently, at this stage of the game, you are either on the winning team, or you are in the way.

We the people are the key to restoring balance and rejecting communism. We must overwhelm the fraud. Additionally, let's account for the fact that every indictment is raising President Trump in the polls. This adds further power to his upcoming endorsements in 2024.

Remember, the Democrats have 23 seats in the Senate up for grabs. We have a high chance of regaining the Senate and maintaining the House if we act.

Donald J. Trump has been a warrior, the ‘Man In The Arena’, whose fearless, no-nonsense approach can pull this country out of its geopolitical doldrums. If you don't believe me, simply compare and contrast the last two administrations.

People see through the facade of corrupted indictments, while our community can bask in the validations to come. Safe bet … more Republicans will follow suit. Some out of loyalty. Some out of a sense of political preservation.

President Trump becoming a J6 defendant will force a Streisand effect and Boomerang on the Establishment.

Stable Genius.” — Johnny Q

---

---

Meta's Threads 'Bombs' As Daily Active Users Halved

The hype surrounding "Threads," the new social network launched by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has collapsed. Threads has unraveled so quickly that new data shows active users have been halved. 

Threads launched in the US on July 5 and reached over 100 million sign-ups by that weekend. Shortly after, Zuckerberg wrote in a post, "Can't believe it's only been five days!" 

Zuckerberg appears to have prematurely taken a victory lap because early last week, we noted data from SensorTower and SimilarWeb showing an exodus of users and a plunge in engagements. The note was titled Threads Unravels: So-Called 'Twitter Killer' App Sees Exodus Of Users, Plunge In Engagement.

New data from SimilarWeb shows the exodus has worsened. As of last Friday, daily active users on the app collapsed from 49 million to 23.6 million in a week. Usage in the US peaked on July 7 at about 21 minutes of engagement. By Friday, that number plunged to just six minutes. — ZeroHedge

Our Take: “Anti-truth hysteria is a great clickbait strategy, but a terrible business strategy.

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter and allowed opposing ideas to be (somewhat) freely spoken, the crumbling of the central narrative has accelerated. Community Notes and Twitter Spaces have allowed free thinkers a more level playing field to combat propaganda while algorithmic changes, bot reductions, and limits on scraping have restored much-needed balance to the platform — and to the national dialogue.

This predictably resulted in the narrative controllers losing their collective mind, and thus, Threads was born. The sheeple were excited. ‘Ding Dong, the Bird is dead!’ they cried, triumphantly! A week later, Threads was all but forgotten. It’s failure to launch was worse than Clout Hub.

Blowing the engines on that launch was Musk, standing a few feet away with his goofy autist grin, announcing Twitter’s new creator monetization with big ticket payouts to a controversial group of influencers — including $25k to one of the divisive, but socially effective KrassenTool brothers. Everyone rushed back to Twitter, leaving Threads unraveled in a tangled, knotted nest.

The impetus of Threads was that the establishment doesn’t want the truth community to speak. But the NPC class — the target audience for Threads — is visionless and profit-motivated, and they follow the money. In any change effort, you get the behavior you incentivize. A weak-featured platform with an echo chamber brand promise is no match for cold hard cash, especially during the era of Bidenomics.

Whether they’re supporting their favorite influencer’s pursuit of a Krassen-level payout or dreaming of one themselves, users are sticking with the bird. That said, Musk’s monetization strategy needs work. So does the platform — many creators are still banned and pretty much everyone at Badlands is shadow banned. Maybe instead of giving rabid leftist troll accounts tens of thousands of dollars, we could reinvest in free speech?” —

Ashe in America

---

Biden DoD Lets Transgender Service Members Skip Deployments, Receive Indefinite Physical Fitness Waivers: Confidential Memo

The Dossier has acquired a new Department of Defense (DOD) memo that goes into great detail on the topic of “care of service members who identify as transgender.”

The document, which is not classified but has long remained unavailable to Americans, is being published here for the first time for public consumption.

The 34 page memo details the enormous perks granted to service members who identify as transgender

At the beginning of his tenure, President Biden ended President Trump’s ban on people who identify as transgender serving in the military. Since then, the Biden Administration has granted more and more benefits to this cohort, leading to dudes like this being celebrated by the Defense Department.

[…]

The United States military is facing its worst recruiting environment since 1973, when the conscription era ended and the current all-volunteer force was formed. As the Defense Department memo makes clear, the U.S. military in 2023 represents more of a social welfare and social justice program than an entity purposed with defeating an aggressing army. — The Dossier

Our Take: “There are lots of reasons to think that the transgender ideology is toxic, deceptive, irrational, and ultimately, a psyop against the truth itself. The fact the military is allowing trans people in and providing them with benefits that, in effect, destroy the very basis of what makes armed services effective and useful to society is a massive alert signal. Something is wrong with the way we make decisions insofar as meeting goals and objectives.

Case in point, we say we want women to have a fair shot in sports, and yet we destroy their ability to compete by allowing men in the competition.

First, let’s consider military readiness, defined as ‘the military’s capacity to engage in combat and fulfill assigned missions and tasks.’

Military readiness is a multifaceted concept, which includes the fact that personnel working for the armed services have to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit for duty.

In the past, this meant any compromise to physical, emotional, and mental health could hinder readiness and therefore reduce the capacity of the military to do its primary function—to protect and serve the interests of the people and the government.

The problem is that gender-affirming care has been shown to compromise physical, emotional, and mental health. Trans people are not fit for duty by the old metric we used for over 100 years.

Secondly, let’s compare the justification for mandatory military vaccination and readiness. Again, it’s claimed that, to be fit for the battlefield, military personnel have to receive a full dose of the COVID vaccines. Of course, we can stop here and declare a foul, given that the clot shots compromise health and hinder readiness. But let’s argue their point and use it to consider the trans policy.

The trans policy, by definition makes trans people unable to serve in active duty. Allowing trans people in the military hampers readiness.

So based on these two points, can we safely say the military has made a decision to compromise readiness?

What might be the biggest slap in the face is that, again citing readiness, military personnel were required to get vaxxed, and yet trans personnel can, in effect, wave the requirement because their trans. Two different standards for what should be the same category of personnel.

You can’t claim people need the vax for readiness and in the same breath argue that trans people don’t need to meet the same requirements—unless, of course, the real agenda here has nothing to do with military readiness and everything to do with undermining the military itself.

Why might the globalists want to do this, I wonder?

‘The ONLY WAY is the military.’

Q” —

Justin Deschamps

***

Another Take: “We’ve gone from ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ to ‘don’t expect mission readiness, I’m hormonal and dilating.’

What an absolute mockery of the United States Armed Forces, once considered the most elite defense capability in the world. The access of equity has led to a permanent class of non-deployable, never-to-be combat ready, taxpayer-funded mental patients.

I have a few questions:

(1) Since gender-affirming hormones are taken for life, does the 300-day waiver on deployability ‘render the transgender identifying service member as permanently unable to deploy’?

(2) Is laser hair removal offered to any other military cohort?

(3) Is Admiral Rachel Levine the gold standard example of an ‘indefinite waiver for physical fitness standards?’

(4) Is there now a musical theatre option for boot camp?

(5) Are they trying to get us all killed?

The memers should have a blast with this story, and we will all certainly have a few laughs, but the national security threat of intentionally undermining the capability and mission readiness of the United States Armed Forces cannot be overstated.

The Comrade in Chief of this off-broadway drag show must be immediately relieved of his duty and given due process, while we simultaneously work to undo the damage of his treason.” —

Ashe in America

---

Judge signals December may be too soon for Trump’s classified documents case but doesn’t set a date

A federal judge signaled Tuesday that December may be too soon to begin former President Donald Trump’s landmark criminal trial concerning the mishandling of classified documents, but did not say whether she would agree to Trump’s request to put the trial off until after the 2024 election.

Judge Aileen Cannon said she would issue a written order “promptly” after the nearly two-hour hearing in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, where Trump’s lawyers pressed for an indefinite delay of a trial date.

The sparring over setting a trial date, a routine matter in criminal cases, underscores the unprecedented nature of prosecuting a former president who is also running to reclaim the White House in 2024. — AP News

Our Take:

This isn't just a boilerplate talking point of MAGA and Trumpism heading into 2024.

It's observable reality.

With every indictment, lawsuit, smear campaign and possibly even conviction that comes Donald Trump's way, he is literally gaining ground in the Collective Mind, solidifying his/our base of support, and coaxing on-the-fence independents and a growing number of disillusioned lefties who are beginning to see what we've been saying for years.

Trump is THE anti-Establishment candidate.

There's a lot of reaction to moves the Justice System is making against Trump, from classified documents to his 2020 election fraud claims, and those of his allies.

That said, if we are in a period of Disclosure, public battles of the Narrative, Political and even Legal variety are not only acceptable, but needed.

These public rows over everything from the Biden Crime Family to Trump's executive powers, and now the veracity of the election system itself, shouldn't be dismissed or ridiculed, but encouraged.

Let them fight.” —

Burning Bright

---

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.

The Badlands Media team will continue to combine our cognitive powers in order to slow things down and find the signal amidst the noise as this series expands.

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.