|
|
|
DOJ Charges Cuba's Raúl Castro With Murder
|
The 94-year-old brother of the late dictator Fidel was charged for the 1996 shootdown of two small planes that killed three Americans. From the Justice Department: “ Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold” ( Justice).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rubio Issues Blunt Message to Cuba’s Thugs
|
Rubio spoke to both the failed and failing leaders of a failed ideology and—past them—to the Cuban people: Thirty years ago, Raúl Castro founded a company called GAESA. This company is owned and operated by the Armed Forces, and has revenues three times greater than your current government’s budget. Today, while you suffer, these businessmen have $18 billion dollars in assets and control 70% of Cuba’s economy…. Today, Cuba is not controlled by any “revolution.” Cuba is controlled by GAESA. A “state within the state” that is accountable to no one and hoards the profits from its businesses for the benefit of a small elite. And the only role played by the so-called “government” is to demand that you continue making “sacrifices” and repressing anyone who dares to complain. President Trump is offering a new relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. But it must be directly with you, the Cuban people, not with GAESA…. Today in Cuba, only those close to the GAESA elite or who are part of it can have profitable businesses. But President Trump is offering a new path between the U.S. and a new Cuba…. This is not impossible. All of this exists in the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and even just 90 miles away, in Florida. If owning your own business and having the right to vote is possible around Cuba, why is it not possible for you in Cuba? In the U.S. we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people and our countries. And, currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future are those who control your country ( State)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indictment of Castro an Emotional Moment for Cubans in Florida
|
It’s clear that the indictment is one piece of something more significant afoot with the administration’s engagement with the aging communist regime. Floridians of Cuban descent are feeling winds of change. CBS: Outside the Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami, crowds waved Cuban flags and chanted “Liberty” as community members described the indictment as a long-awaited step toward justice. “This is it,” one woman told CBS News Miami while describing the emotions she felt throughout the day. “I never felt this way before. And I think everybody here feels the same way.” The woman, visibly emotional during the interview, said the moment brought “smiles, tears, happy smiles” and nervousness after decades of waiting for accountability. “My hands are shaking,” she said. “What can I say?” ( CBS). Fox turned to a man who fled Cuba in 1961, when he was 15 years old: For 67 years, sorry we have been ignored by everybody, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the European Union, everybody. So, we hope this is the beginning of the downfall of the Castro regime. Sorry, little emotional… And we’re ready to go back and help in the reconstruction of our country with work, with money, with investment and with love that has been lucky in Cuba for the last six decades…. This administration is the only administration that is trying to open the door for us and we are not going to let this opportunity go by ( Fox).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Massie’s Defeat Is a Victory for ‘moral hygiene’
|
Trump recognized not just that Massie was a less-than-loyal party member, but his idea set was poisonous for the party and, indeed, the nation at large. Seth Mandel of Commentary: Yet by his telling, Massie’s real opponents were something much bigger. At a fundamental level, the irascible Kentucky libertarian pitted himself against President Donald Trump as well as a collection of forces, real and imagined, that Massie believes are steering Trump’s presidency: the “Zionists,” the “military-industrial complex,” AIPAC, and the “Epstein class.” His defeat is a vindication of Trump’s power, and also a victory for moral hygiene within the GOP. He confirmed as much in his concession speech Tuesday with a joke aimed at Israel: “I would have come out sooner but I had to call my opponent and concede, and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.” … Yet one interest group only seems to have awakened the angry conspiracist inside Thomas Massie: advocates of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. This election is “a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy seats in Congress,” Massie said. He took the extraordinary step of converting his suspicion of Jewish disloyalty into actual legislation, targeting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) with a bill that would force it to register as an agent of a foreign government—despite the fact that AIPAC is an organization of American Jews. Republicans who oppose him are also suspect, Massie has said, because they believe “you better do whatever Israel wants” ( Free Press).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Antisemitic Democrat in Texas Advances to Runoff
|
The virulent head of antisemitism has lifted its head on both the left and the right. On the right, the GOP ought to lead the way with the ‘moral hygiene’ we saw in the defeat of Massie. In Texas, Maureen Galindo is unhinged, arguing she’d “turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists” if elected. Texas Tribune: Galindo finished first in the Democratic primary for Texas’ 35th Congressional District and is in a runoff election against Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Garcia. Democratic leaders in Washington and Texas have backed Garcia amidst a mysterious six-figure advertising campaign to boost Galindo, a sex therapist and housing advocate. Last weekend, Galindo said in an Instagram post that she intends to write legislation to “turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.” “It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists,” Galindo wrote on Instagram in a carousel accusing Garcia of being “paid by Zionist terrorism and trafficking.” The proposal is the latest in a line of antisemitic comments Galindo has made, which include saying that Jews run Hollywood and worship the “synagogue of Satan” ( Texas Tribune). Axios: It’s the latest in a series of inflammatory comments by Galindo, who told Axios she would introduce legislation to have “all American candidates and elected officials who have ever taken Israeli money tried for treason” ( Axios).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nazi Tattooed Democratic Candidate Graham Platner Mocked ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle
|
It looks like Democrats are going to try to thread this needle, i.e.: Damning and separating themselves from Maureen Galindo (above) while trying to fund and embrace Platner who is, simply, vile. Free Beacon: Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner (D.) suggested that legendary “American Sniper” Chris Kyle shot innocent civilians in Iraq in order to inflate his kill numbers. Platner also bristled at the idea of the former Navy SEAL and his platoon being dubbed “heroes.” Platner, running for Senate against Sen. Susan Collins (R.), lashed out at Kyle and members of the SEAL’s “Task Unit Bruiser” in a May 2024 podcast interview on Green Beret Chronicle Show in which Platner, a former Marine, discussed his deployment in 2006 to Ramadi, a hotbed of insurgent activity during the Iraq war. In the interview, Platner—who did not belong to an elite Special Forces unit like the SEALs—took issue with public portrayals of Task Unit Bruiser and Kyle as heroes of the Iraq war…. Platner claimed members of Task Unit Bruiser, led by then Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink, shot unarmed civilians from their position at the Government Center in Ramadi, where American forces were stationed throughout 2006 ( Free Beacon). More from Ed Morrissey: [opp researchers should] force Platner to account for the worst parts of his background, as much and as often as possible ( Hot Air).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pro-Collins Super PAC Launches Website, Warning on ‘Red Flags’ With Platner
|
The website includes some graphic material, but: Platner has posted and spoken in a manner that is graphic. The site: Graham Platner’s Red Flags. Platner blames rape victims, wears a Nazi tattoo, calls police bastards, slanders Mainers, sympathizes with terrorists( BigotedPlatner). Portland Press Herald: The super PAC so far has spent $4 million attacking Platner since Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign last month, effectively handing him the nomination. The spending by the group, formed solely to bolster Collins’ reelection campaign, shows that Republicans are planning to keep up their attacks between now and the general election. As of Wednesday, Republican groups had booked nearly twice as much airtime leading up to Election Day, spending nearly $73 million to Democratic groups’ nearly $42 million, according to the ad tracking firm Ad Impact ( Press Herald). The Maine primary is June 9, but on the Democrat side the field has largely been cleared, making way for Platner ( Maine).
|
|
|
|
|
|
SpaceX Lays Out Plans for Biggest IPO in History; SPCX
|
Elon Musk continues to shape the trajectory of history—particularly of tech, but also in the human spirit, reigniting interest and fascination and curiosity, setting fire in the minds of young people about what the future could look like. Financial Times: SpaceX has revealed plans for the largest initial public offering in history as Elon Musk’s sprawling AI to rockets company kicks off a series of massive market debuts that could reshape Wall Street. The company filed its highly anticipated prospectus with US securities regulators on Wednesday evening, giving investors their first glimpse at its financials, Musk’s sway over the group and sweeping risk factors. SpaceX said that it would list on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX in an offering underwritten by Wall Street’s biggest banks. Goldman Sachs secured the coveted “lead-left” position heading the offering in a blow to its uptown rival Morgan Stanley. While the size of the offering and the proposed valuation were not disclosed, the FT has previously reported that the rocket maker has discussed raising about $75bn at a $1.75tn valuation…. The listing will cement Musk’s control of two of America’s most valuable companies — SpaceX and Tesla — a position without modern precedent. His special class of shares currently gives him control of 85 per cent of the voting power at SpaceX ( Financial Times).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Iran Threatens US, Warning Not to Restart Bombing Campaign
|
Fox News: Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Wednesday that any new attack on Iran would trigger a devastating response. “If any further aggression is committed against the soil of Iran, that fire whose promise was previously given and remained confined within the framework of a limited regional war, this time will erupt into flames and transcend every border and domain; you will receive devastating blows that will leave you in abject defeat and consign your ignominy to the annals of history,” Vahidi wrote in a post shared on X ( Fox News).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trump Has Beaten Xi
|
Not necessarily at this most recent summit, but if you look at the sweep of the last decade of history, there’s no question: China is weaker and less attractive to potential suitors. And, conversely: Freedom and free markets and the U.S. have a renewed appeal. Michael Brenden Daugherty: when you look at the sweep of the last decade, I don’t think there is anything but one conclusion: Trump defeated Xi Jinping…. The Chinese Communist Party was pitching itself as the new custodian of the liberal economic order that America had built and that Trump was threatening to abandon…. The replacement was to be the Belt and Road Initiative, which was enshrined in the CCP constitution that year…. The real turning point was in December 2019 [and Covid]…. The fiscal damage to China is astonishing. China saw a 3.9 percent GDP contraction in 2022…. And now, nearly a decade later, nobody talks about the Belt and Road Initiative as a model for the future. Nobody wants a Chinese future. What they are marveling at is the resilience of the American economy in an era of disruption and revision. Europe is now waking up to Chinese dumping and understanding that some of the institutions of globalization were patterns of dependence that are unfit for their national interest. Trump-style sovereigntist politics is still growing across the European continent. And it has seen victories in Japan, too. Trump deserves real credit…. The chaos and political disruption in the West from 2016 to today is not civilizational decline. It’s a series of free societies — the United States chief among them — sorting through disagreement in real time ( National Review).
|
|
|
|
