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Friday, August 22, 2025

Sauce for the Gander: John Bolton's home raided by the FBI in national security probe

 


By Monica Showalter

Former NSC official John Bolton's home (and office) were raided by the FBI this morning, most likely in connection with the effort to rat out those responsible for the Russia Hoax and hold those involved accountable. The media is packaging it as tit-for-tat but actually, Trump's administration seeems to be getting to the bottom of the nest of coup plotters who bedeviled his first term.

The most likely reason may be this one:

And an anonymous FBI official reportedly says this:

And this is worthy of attention:

Svetlana Lokhova was one of the people smeared in the Russiagate hoax as a Russian agent, which she was not.

Lokhova, citing investigative reporter Paul Sperry, also says Bolton was involved in this:

And her bombshell:

So that was what the Mar-a-Lago raid was about -- covering up for Joe Biden's crimes.

There also is this background, which may or may not be related:

DOGE Police Blotter: A deep dive into John Bolton finances and relationships point to very disturbing relationships with deep state operatives. In particular, his relationship with deep state operative and ex-lobbyist Matthew C. Freedman.

And this could be a part of it, too.

 

This, too is worth noting:

Bolton did seem to know that Kash Patel, who currently leads the FBI, knew something about him:

Whatever it is, he could now be in deep trouble:

Live by the swamp, die by the swamp and its ethos. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media is making a fool of itself, claiming the move was all about Trump not 'liking' John Bolton, or Bolton saying something bad about Trump, which is his First Amendment right.

Actually, Trump is hosing out the swamp. The trading of secrets for filthy lucre, commercial or foreign. The book deals for big dollars. The profiteering off the labors of countless spies, and the revolving doors between the public and private common among swamp things. The overclassification of vast troves of data and their usage as currency for prestige, cash exchange, or new jobs. All of these are swamp games that have nothing to do with Trump's view of Bolton's rude statements -- which seem to be part of the plot, actually.

Not surprisingly, many are saying what goes around, comes around:

This is from the Latino dude who ran the Proud Boys, the man was thrown into prison for decades over the Jan. 6 Capitol storming who was not anywhere near the action. President Trump pardoned him.

They started it. Now it's coming for Bolton -- and that's just to start. Many more may follow.

Some in the mainstream press made fools of themselves, and their scorings were picked up by Twitchy:

 

One wonders what sauce for the gander is like for Bolton himself:

The pieties from the swamp are flowing as the swamp circles its wagons:

 

Sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander. But what's different is the emerging picture that those who launched the attacks on Trump from so many directions seem to have been breaking the law themselves and trying to cover it up by taking out Trump. That's where the real arrestable material is going to be if this pans out as we think it will. This is what we call 'draining the swamp' for real.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/08/sauce_for_the_gander_john_bolton_s_home_raided_by_the_fbi_in_national_security_probe.html

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Bolsonaro's defense says drafted asylum request not evidence of flight risk

 Lawyers for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told the Supreme Court on Friday that the draft of a request for asylum in Argentina found on his phone by police cannot be considered an indication of flight risk, since it was dated last year.

"The fact is that, with or without the draft, the former president did not flee," his lawyers said.

In the document sent to the court, the defense also denied that Bolsonaro breached any restraining order imposed by the court against him.

Bolsonaro's defense was responding to an order by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to clarify an alleged failure to comply with court-imposed restraining orders and his flight risk, after police presented a report with fresh accusations against the former president.

Police formally accused Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo on Wednesday of working to interfere with the former president's Supreme Court trial for allegedly plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election.

In Friday's document, Bolsonaro's lawyers called the police report a "political tool" aimed at demoralizing the former president.

Earlier this month Bolsonaro was put under house arrest and banned from using his phone, after Moraes found the former president failed to comply with restraining orders imposed on him for allegedly courting U.S. President Donald Trump's interference in the case.

On Friday, Bolsonaro's lawyers asked Moraes to reconsider the house arrest order.

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/bolsonaros-defense-says-drafted-asylum-request-not-evidence-of-flight-risk

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Texas, Florida seek to join legal challenge to abortion pill

 Texas and Florida on Friday asked a federal judge to let them join a lawsuit seeking to restrict the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone, saying that they need to step in to protect their abortion policies after changes to other Republican-led states’ abortion laws.

The lawsuit is currently being led by Missouri, Kansas and Idaho, which argue that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration acted improperly when it eased restrictions on mifepristone, including by allowing it to be prescribed remotely and dispensed by mail.

Texas and Florida said in a court filing in Texas federal court that Missouri, Kansas and Idaho may no longer be able to adequately represent Republican-led states’ opposition to the abortion pill.

Missouri and Idaho banned elective abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court ended nationwide legal protections for abortion in 2022. But Missouri’s abortion regulations were blocked by a state constitutional amendment passed in 2024, and Idaho’s ban could be reversed in a referendum on the November 2026 general election ballot, according to the court filing.

Kansas is also in a weak position to challenge mifepristone, because the Kansas Supreme Court recently affirmed a “broad” constitutional right to an abortion in that state, according to Texas and Florida.

Texas and Florida said that they need to defend their abortion policies from other states, like New York, that have passed "shield laws" that enable patients to get mail-order mifepristone in other states.

The lawsuit is challenging FDA actions that loosened restrictions on the drug in 2016 and 2021, including allowing for medication abortions at up to 10 weeks of pregnancy instead of seven, and for mail delivery of the drug without a woman first seeing a clinician in person.

The lawsuit began during Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration, but Republican President Donald Trump has continued to defend the FDA’s decisions.

Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid by anti-abortion groups and doctors to restrict access to the drug. After the Supreme Court ruling, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, allowed Missouri, Kansas and Idaho to step in and continue the lawsuit.

https://www.investing.com/news/general-news/texas-florida-seek-to-join-legal-challenge-to-abortion-pill-4207834

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Trump to tap Airbnb co-founder Gebbia to improve government websites, sources say

 U.S. President Donald Trump will appoint Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to spearhead the new National Design Studio that will seek to make digital services at federal agencies more efficient, two officials familiar with the plan said.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to create the studio - a new body that one of the officials said appears to be a stripped-down successor to the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), formerly headed by billionaire Elon Musk.

Gebbia, who has led efforts to revamp the federal retirement process at the federal human resources agency, will be named Chief Design Officer, the official said, adding that tackling problems at the Internal Revenue Service would be a focus.

The sources were not authorized to speak on the matter and declined to be identified.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether the National Design Studio is aimed at replacing DOGE. Gebbia did not respond to a request for comment on the appointment.

DOGE sought to slash federal payrolls, shutter agencies and modernize government software, but public action from the agency has dwindled dramatically since Musk, once a key Trump advisor, left the government in May amid an acrimonious spat with the president.

According to Trump's executive order, the National Design Studio will improve the “usability and aesthetics” of federal digital services.

The studio will advise agencies on how to reduce duplicative design costs and use standardized design on sites where people interact with the government.

The order also said that the effort to improve government websites will end in three years. It will be supported by an administrator who will report to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. It was not immediately clear who would fill that position.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-signs-executive-order-creating-193409484.html

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US tells Orsted to halt work on offshore wind project off Rhode Island

 The Trump administration on Friday ordered Denmark's Orsted to halt all activities related to its Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island, according to a letter posted on the website of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

The stop work order is related to unspecified national security concerns arising from the administration's review of offshore wind projects in federal waters, the letter, signed by BOEM acting Director Matthew Giacona, said.

"In particular, BOEM is seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interests of the United States and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas, and the territorial seas," Giacona said.

The letter was addressed to Rob Keiser, head of asset management for Orsted's North American business. Orsted was not immediately available for comment.

The move is the administration's latest in a string of efforts to hinder offshore wind and clean energy development.

On his first day in office earlier this year, President Donald Trump suspended new offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review of projects. He has repeatedly criticized wind energy as ugly, unreliable and expensive.

Earlier this month, Orsted asked shareholders for $9.4 billion to help fund another U.S. project because potential partners were put off by Trump's hostility to wind power.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/us-halts-work-on-orsted-offshore-wind-project-off-rhode-island/ar-AA1L3hX2

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Adams’ supporters spotted handing out red envelopes with cash at 3 summer campaign events

 Allies of Mayor Eric Adams were spotted at several July campaign events handing out red envelopes stuffed with cash to attendees, including journalists from Chinese-language outlets, according to a bombshell report.

The cash handouts were observed by New York Times reporters at a trio of Adams campaign rallies, including in Flushing, Queens on July 13, in Manhattan’s Chinatown on July 18 and in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on July 27.

Supporters of the mayor at those event, according to The Times, gave out money in traditional Chinese red envelopes.

At the campaign event in Flushing, organizer Steven Tin, the director of Better Chinatown USA, was seen “holding out” $50 bills and distributing envelopes to reporters from Chinese-language media, the newspaper reported.

The Times report was published one day after disgraced City Hall advisor Winnie Greco was caught doling out dough to a reporter from THE CITY.

The practice of receiving anywhere from $20 to $300 is common among Chinese-language journalists in the Big Apple, one anonymous reporter for a Chinese-language publication who previously attended Adams’ events told The Times. 

That anonymous reporter stated that the groups organizing the press events hand out the money with a tacit understanding that reporters will write positive articles.

The Adams campaign claimed that it was unaware of any payments to reporters.

Red envelopes decorated with pigs and Chinese characters for the Lunar New Year.
Traditional Chinese red envelopes containing cash have been doled out to Chinese-language journalists by some organizers of Mayor Adams’ campaign events, The New York Times reported.Liz Sullivan

“Mayor Adams had absolutely no knowledge of this and does not condone it. He had never — and would never — authorize anyone to hand out cash or gifts to reporters. Any such behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable,” spokesman Todd Shapiro told The Times.

In comments to the outlet, Tin justified the apparent unethical distribution of dough as “common practice” in Chinese culture — stating it is considered a “courtesy” to the “reporters, YouTubers, [and] photographers” who attend press events.

Tin further stated that he would ask the Adams campaign to cover expenses like water and banners for the event — but had not discussed whether they would reimburse him for the cash handouts, according to the report.

Neither Tin nor Better Chinatown responded to The Post’s request for comment.

Mayor Eric Adams speaking at the US Open.
Mayor Adams has denied any knowledge of cash payments going to reporters at his campaign events.Getty Images

Robert Mui, CEO of Sing Tao Newspapers, an organizer of some Adams’ rallies, and the head of a local New York Chinese journalists’ group, also confirmed that cash handouts took place at campaign events.

Mui’s Sing Tao Newspaper is registered as foreign agent with the Department of Justice. Sing Tao News Corporation, the parent company of Mui’s publication, publishes a pro-Beijing newspaper in Hong Kong.

Mui told the Times that red envelopes of cash are a “form of appreciation” to cover expenses and generally “subsidize” the salaries of reporters, the outlet reported.

The CEO said Tin, an organizer, “had to” pay reporters cash “otherwise they don’t write their stories,” the report stated.

Mui could not be reached for comment.

Both Mui and Tin stated that red envelope gifting is considered common practice in China, though it is considered highly unethical in the US.

A Big Apple reporter also told The Post that it’s “very common” for local leaders in the Chinese community to give out cash to members of the Chinese media covering events.

“They want those Chinese press to write in their favor, or even just copy and paste their prepared press release,” the reporter, who works for a Chinese-language outlet, said of the community leaders.

“In some ways, it is a cultural thing, during lunar new year or something. But most of the time, it is a way for them to manipulate Chinese press, who in fact make very little money. So they take this advantage,” the reporter added.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and others making heart shapes with their hands at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.
Adams and Greco (right) attend the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival at FLushing Meadows-Corona Park in 2023.Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

On Wednesday, Greco handed a reporter from The CITY a red envelope filled with $300 hidden in a Herr’s sour cream and onion rigged potato chip bag. 

The former Adams advisor claimed to the outlet a “cultural” misunderstanding was to blame for the mistake.

Steve Brill, a lawyer for Greco, similarly argued instead of nefarious and unethical — the practice of handing out cash to reporters showed his client is caring.

“I think that what we have here is a disconnect between American and Chinese culture,” Brill said. “Handing out red envelopes of cash may be a foreign concept in America, but among Chinese Americans, it is a normal occurrence.

“What I believe is important to remember is that even if it is an unusual practice, that doesn’t make Winnie’s intent, nefarious or immoral. Quite the contrary, Winnie’s intent was a gesture of kindness and friendship,” Brill concluded.

Both Greco and Mui traveled to China with the mayor in 2014, the Times reported.

Mui was the force behind the annual Asian-American parade in Midtown, which was organized with the help of Greco and approved by Adams in 2021, Newsweek reported citing emails obtained by FOIA.

Greco resigned from her post as the mayor’s director of Asian community affairs in October 2024 after she was targeted in multiple federal investigations and has long been scrutinized for her ties to Chinese nationals.

https://nypost.com/2025/08/21/us-news/mayor-adams-supporters-spotted-handing-out-red-envelopes-with-cash-at-3-summer-campaign-events-report/

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