Badlands News Brief
Musk vs. the ADL, Truth Social's Future & More
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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.
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 Tuesday, September 5 …
"No Choice": Musk Threatens Suit Against ADL; Blames Activists For "Most Of X's Revenue Loss"
Elon Musk, owner of the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to ban the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) from his platform, adding that he had “no choice” but to file a defamation lawsuit against the advocacy group, which previously called for a pause on ad spending on the social network.
The group alleges Mr Musk has failed to clamp down on hate speech on the social media platform since his takeover last year, allowing disinformation to proliferate – something Mr Musk strongly denies.
Further, it was revealed that the ADL has put pressure on X to deplatform popular anti-woke account Libs of TikTok, which is run by a conservative Jewish woman, Chaya Raichik. — ZeroHedge
Our Take: “Elon Musk is perhaps the best example of a Mind-Mover or a character in the Info War that proves the tendency of this community to label various players ‘white hats’ and ‘black hats’ (and we’ve all been guilty of it,) is reductive at best.
Mileage may vary in terms of where you think Musk’s true intentions and loyalties lie, which is why I’m so fond of examining the Net Effects of his deployments—both Actual and Narrative.
Here, we’ve got a case of both, with Musk threatening to both litigate (Actual) while publicly challenging one of the censorious pillars of the Deep State’s communist control apparatus.
Musk has NOT brought free speech back from the grave, BUT he seems to be pushing the Collective Mind toward the desire for it.” —
Oil Soars To New 2023 High After Saudis, Russia Surprise With Extended Production Cut
Just days after we said that Saudi Aramco floating to sell up to $50 billion in new stock meant that oil is about to soar much higher...
... moments ago oil exploded higher after first Saudi Arabia and moments later Russia surprised markets by announcing that the recently implemented production cuts would be extended through year-end, well beyond the 1 month that was widely expected by the market.
Just after 9am ET, Saudi Arabia said it would extend the voluntary cut of 1 million b/d of for another 3 months, from October until the end of December, well beyond the expectation of just 1 more month. Saudi press agency SPA notes that the voluntary cut decision will be reviewed monthly to consider deepening the cut or increasing production. The extension of cuts is meant to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC countries with the aim of supporting the stability of the oil market. The Saudi announcement came a shock to market as 20 of 25 traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg last week had predicted the additional cutback would be continued for just one additional month.
And then, literally seconds after the Saudi decision, Russian deputy PM Novak said Russia would also extend its reduction of oil exports until the end of the year, reducing its oil output by 300kb/d in voluntary cuts until December 2023.
Similar to the Saudis, Russia said that the decision to reduce oil production to be reviewed monthly to consider possibility of deepening reduction or increasing production depending on situation on the world market. — ZeroHedge
Our Take: “It sure would be nice if we had some strategic petroleum reserves in case of an energy crisis. Unfortunately, while Trump refilled them, Biden has been draining them since he got in office — and Americans are in for a rude awakening as foreign oil creeps up towards $100 per barrel.
The consequences of Biden’s policies are painful for Americans, but the pain is intentional in the Great Reset to the New World Order. The sustainable, resilient, and equitable world that the globalists have been promising requires the elimination of fossil fuels. Biden is simply making good on his commitments.
In any change program, you get what you measure. Our invisible governors are measuring the change towards their new world vision, and increasing American pain is a metric that shows their program is working. Biden is a globalist puppet, doing exactly what he is supposed to do.” —
Trump Media's funding partner gets reprieve only days before possible liquidation
A long-delayed merger between former President Donald Trump's media company and a so-called blank-check company has received a reprieve just days before the latter company faced liquidation, according to reports.
Shareholders in Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) approved a one-year extension of the merger deadline between the two companies, according to the New York Times and Washington Post. Without that extension, DWAC would have faced liquidation on September 8.
DWAC, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, and Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates Trump's social media platform, Truth Social, didn't return requests for comment from CBS News. DWAC shares, which traded for $175 in 2021 shortly after the company's initial public offering, rose 3.9% in afternoon trading to $17.16.
"Thank you for all the outstanding support," wrote DWAC CEO Eric Swider in a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning. "Please understand my silence. We remain focused on the task at hand and are watching every word we say."
The art of the deal has proved elusive for Trump Media & Technology Group and DWAC. The pending merger has been in the works since 2021, when DWAC announced it would combine with Trump Media, sending the company's stock surging on expectations that Truth Social and other Trump-affiliated media properties could profit by providing a conservative-flavored social media service. — CBS News
Our Take: “Great shot/chaser from the last week of MSM bloviating about the impending collapse of DWAC, which is attempting to fight through SEC delays to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group (& Truth Social.)
Institutional experts claimed DWAC would not get the shareholder votes required for the extension on the merger, because we're basically too dumb to understand anything.
The fresh extension puts the 'new merger' timeline right before the 2024 election.
But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.” —
Congress’s Doctor Says There Is No Evidence Mitch McConnell’s Latest Freezing Incident Was Due To Seizure Or Stroke
Congress’s in-house physician said that there was no evidence that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suffered a seizure or stroke in his latest episode in which he froze up while answering questions from reporters.
Brian Monahan, attending physician for Congress, wrote in a letter to McConnell that was released on Tuesday, “My examination of you following your August 30, 2023 brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment. There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease. There are no changes recommended in treatment protocols as you continue your recovery from your March 2023 fall.”
The Senate is returning from recess this week, with some reports of Republicans concerned about McConnell’s future as Republican party leader. Last week, while answering questions at an event in Kentucky, McConnell stared straight ahead for more than 30 seconds, before resuming. There was another episode in July, when he stopped in the middle of a sentence as he was speaking to reporters at a regularly scheduled press conference. Later, he returned to the press conference and told reporters, “I’m fine.”
McConnell suffered a fall in March that left him hospitalized for the treatment of a concussion. — Deadline
Our Take: “Four neurologists signed off on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s mental state, begging the question of who is paying these doctors? He didn’t have a stroke or TIA, and he doesn’t have Parkinson’s, but curiously they don’t mention whether or not he has dementia.
This man cannot function at an average elderly person level, but he is the most powerful Republican in the Senate. McConnell is just the latest incapacitated elected official, joining Biden, Feinstein, Fetterman, Pelosi and others who seem to have lost their cognitive function.
The people are not being served by these corrupt and incapable dinosaurs, and we need to implement term limits now. We also probably need to require cognitive testing by independent — unlike these four who signed off on Glitchy Mitch — doctors, as a prerequisite for elected office.” —
BONUS ITEMS
Supreme Court to Decide Whether to Kick Trump Off Ballot
The legal debate about whether or not former President Donald Trump should be allowed to appear on the 2024 ballot has made its way before the Supreme Court.
The court distributed John Castro v. Donald Trump to the justices for conference on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming term, which will begin on October 2. Conference is to take place on September 26 and the case is expected to be decided on or before October 9.
Castro, a tax attorney running for the Republican nomination next year, sent his petition to the Supreme Court last month, asking the justices to answer whether political candidates can challenge the eligibility of another candidate of the same party running for the same nomination "based on a political competitive injury in the form a diminution of votes."
The lawsuit is seeking to argue that Trump should not be allowed to run for the White House based on section three of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies individuals from holding public office if they have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States. While Trump has not been charged with insurrection, Castro is pointing to Trump's role in the January 6 Capitol riot. — Newsweek
Mark Meadows pleads not guilty in Georgia election interference case, waives arraignment
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a sweeping election interference case in Georgia involving former President Trump.
Meadows also waived his arraignment scheduled for Wednesday, when he was set to hear the charges against him and enter a plea before a judge.
“I fully understand the nature of the offenses charged and my right to appear at arraignment,” Meadows wrote in the court filing. “Understanding my rights, I do hereby freely and voluntarily waive my right to be present at my arraignment on the Indictment and my right to have it read to me in open court.”
Trump’s former chief of staff faces two charges in Georgia, where he and 18 co-defendants are accused of entering a criminal conspiracy to keep Trump in the White House after he lost the 2020 presidential election.
The defendants face a combined 41 charges, including under the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which is designed to combat organized crime. — The Hill
Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio gets 22-year prison sentence, longest yet from Jan. 6 riot
Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, was sentenced to 22 years in prison Tuesday after being convicted of seditious conspiracy to disrupt the 2020 presidential election certification on Jan. 6, 2021.
Tarrio’s sentence is four years longer than the second-longest prison term received by any of the 1,100-plus people who have so far been charged in connection with the Capitol riot.
The Department of Justice sought to put Tarrio behind bars for 33 years, saying he used his skills as a “naturally charismatic leader” and “savvy propagandist” to organize and execute the plan to forcibly stop the peaceful transfer of power from former President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden.
A defense attorney for Tarrio had asked the judge to issue a sentence of no longer than 15 years.
Before he was sentenced, Tarrio approached the bench to express remorse and to disavow some of his statements surrounding the events of Jan. 6.
“To the men and women of law enforcement who answered the call that day, I’m sorry,” Tarrio said, NBC News reported.
Tarrio said he “failed miserably” to hold himself to a higher moral standard. “I thought of myself morally above others and this trial has humbled me,” he said. — CNBC
The Great American Restoration Tour Hits Cocoa Beach This Week! Virtual Stream Tickets Available Now!
Experience everything you love about Badlands in the form of a live, ticketed event.
While in-person tickets are still available for any late-comers (including single-day options,) the Virtual Stream is also on sale now, which grants access to all three days of GART panels, access to an exclusive Telegram Chat with fellow viewers and attendees (access continues beyond the event,) and permanent access to the video replay of all GART Cocoa Beach panels.
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.
Cocaine Mitch is a Bad Actor... Im not falling for the "FREEZE". Its a conveiniant way to avoid the questions. Whats the story with the 90lbs of cocaine on your ship Mitch?....FREEZE. Whats the deal with J6 and you and Nancy setting up this staged Insurrection Mitch? FREEZE. What do you know about the transporting of trafficked children in shipping containers you own Mitch? FREEZE. Mitch is preparing to answer the hard questions with a' FREEZE'... Poor Mitch... 'Hes not of sound mind to stand trial' your Honor..... Im not buying what Mitch is selling!
The Marxists have enjoyed an under-the-radar infiltration for well over a century. Now that they are being exposed we seem to have non-ending panic-induced desperate acts on a regular basis. Asking the Supreme Court to rule on disqualifying Trump from running in 2024?! Oh poor John Castro, can’t win the hearts and minds of conservative (nor independent) Americans so resort to legal dirty tricks. Since allegations are not convictions, why would the SC even bother to consider?
Anyway, Happy Read a Book Day (can most young Americans still read?)
I’m reading:
Battle for the American Mind, Uprooting a Century of Miseducation by Pete Hegseth and David Goodwin (good read so far, half way)
❤️🇺🇸🌎