As long time readers know, each year we do a big annual survey of our readers. It takes about ten minutes to fill out. It’s really basic questions. And it is a huge help to our whole organization, because it goes right to our bottom line, how we pay staff and all the expenses that keep this small independent publication going. We’re going to be running the survey later this week. So when you see my post announcing it, please take a few moments to fill it out. We really appreciate it.
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TPM’s Catherine Thompson will visit the Hive (sub req) to talk about her recent coverage of the BridgeGate scandal and the conspiracy theories swirling around “Jade Helm 15,” a U.S. military exercise that Texas right-wingers fear is cover for the implementation of martial law. Catherine will answer questions about her recent reporting and what it’s like to cover domestic politics from TPM’s New York office. She’ll also offer her take on a wide array of current events.
Get your questions in now and then join us Wednesday in The Hive.
From our piece on the notorious anti-Muslim extremists behind last night’s Muhammed cartoon contest, this nugget from Matt Duss: “Even among people here in Washington that promulgate these ridiculous claims about the insidious Muslim menace in America, Spencer and Geller are seen as kind of an embarrassment.”
Police reportedly shot a black man in Baltimore within the last few minutes … in front of a Fox News correspondent, who is reporting that the man was running away when he was shot and that he didn’t see the man make any aggressive moves. Watch the video here.
Late Update: Baltimore police are saying no one was shot at that location, period.
The reports of a man being shot at North and Pennsylvania Ave are NOT true. Officers have arrested a man for a handgun at the location
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) May 4, 2015
Later Update: Fox in full retraction mode now. Wow, this was just an epic failure. Shep Smith is prostrating himself before viewers with a full-on apology for the mistaken reporting.
We’re trying to keep you updated on people who think we need to be worried that President Obama may be plotting to take over Texas with US military special operations forces operating under the guise of a military training exercise. So far we’ve got the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz, Chuck Norris, Rand Paul and Ron Paul.
So far the only people to push back in the opposite direction seem to be people who’ve already been tossed from politics for being RINOs.
One of the best parts of the conspiracy theory embraced by top Republicans in Texas is the idea that shuttered Walmart stores are actually being prepared as either staging areas or detention facilities for President Obama’s planned military takeover of Texas. Some theorize that the military and Walmart may be preparing tunnels connecting the shuttered Walmarts as part of the takeover. But Walmart now says there’s “no truth to the rumors” that they’re involved.
Pentagon denies “wild speculation” that it is preparing a military takeover of Texas.
American right wingers claiming that hate group leader Pam Geller is the new Charlie Hebdo will be sad to hear that of a surviving member of the magazine’s staff says Geller is no Charlie Hebdo.
Was ISIS behind the failed attack on Pam Geller’s Muhammad cartoon event in Garland, Texas? Today ISIS has taken responsibility for the attack and claimed more will be coming. Predictably, right-wingers have swelled at this claim of responsibility to elevate the significance of the attack and claim that ISIS has mounted its first attack on the US mainland.
Let’s wait to see if there turns out to be any evidence at all for this claim.