The Drumpfster Fire Chronicles Week 5

The

Drumpfster Fire

chronicles Week

5

The

Drumpfster Fire

chronicles Week

5

A Talbot‑‑Heindl Experience LLC Zine By: Chris Talbot‑‑Heindl

February

18 2017

n his re-election rally in Florida, Drumpf cited a bunch of cities and countries that he said had terror attacks, including Sweden, which never happened. Sweden has taken in more refugees per capita than any other European nation, but it has been without terrorist incident. In fact, the only immigrant related violence in Sweden was last month when three neo-Nazis attacked a refugee center with a homemade bomb.

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rumpf announced at his rally that refugees coming into the US were not screened. “There was no way to vet those people.

There was no documentation, there was nothing.” This is absolutely an #altfact. Refugees are vetted extremely carefully by multiple federal immigration and intelligence agencies, and the process takes two years.

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rumpf then took credit for an increase in jobs. “Jobs are already starting to pour back in. They’re coming back in like you haven’t seen in a long time.” In truth, the unemployment rate was around 4.8%, which is 0.1% higher than it was in January.

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tape was leaked from a speech Drumpf gave at a party held November 18 at one of his golf clubs where he encouraged his club members, who he referred to as his “real group” and “the special people,” to help him choose his Cabinet. “We’re doing a lot of interviews tomorrow – generals, dictators, we have everything…You may wanna come around.” He also asked for recommendations for who he should pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission.

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hite House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus was asked by CBS’ John Dickerson if the American people should take Drumpf serious when he calls the media the “enemy.” Priebus said that the American people should take him seriously. When pressed about the use of the word “enemy,” Priebus answered, “I mean, certainly we would never condone violence. But I do think that we condone critical thought.” He added, “the media is willing to run with unnamed sources, apparent false leaked documents, to create stories.” This despite that Drumpf has already confirmed that the leaked documents were real and anonymous sources are needed as whistle-blowers.

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February

19 2017

n a press gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, she was asked about the administration staffers who were fired for criticizing Drumpf. Sarah Sanders responded, “He [Craig Deare] was just sent back to his original position, so he wasn’t fired.” The reporter than asked point blank if government employees should be concerned that they may lose their job if they criticize Drumpf. She responded, “Well, I don’t think that any person that is there in order to carry out the President’s agenda should be against the President’s agenda. It seems pretty silly that you would have somebody that’s not supportive of what you’re trying to accomplish there to carry out that very thing.” She later stated “I think the broader point her is if you don’t support the President’s agenda, you shouldn’t have a job in the White House.”

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February

20 2017

rumpf sent Vice President Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to the Munich Security Conference to try and reassure the European Union that despite Drumpf’s ridiculous statements against the EU and NATO, including calling the EU “basically a vehicle for Germany”, the US would keep its commitments. Pence delivered a bunch of boilerplate rhetoric, but Daniela Schwarzer, director of the German Council on Foreign Relations said they were not reassured. “[The people] think that Trump is erratic and incalculable.”

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rumpf, upset by the backlash from his made up incident in Sweden responded on twitter with: “Give the public a break THE FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!”

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ities all over the nation held Not My President Day rallies on Presidents Day. Amazingly, Drumpf refrained from tweet-ranting about it.

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February

21 2017

ive days after yelling at a Jewish reporter and chastising him saying his question about the rise of anti-Semitic violence was “repulsive” and after visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Drumpf finally said, “The antiSemitic threats targeting our Jewish community centers are horrible and painful, and a very sad reminder of the work that must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.”

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uring the press briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked if Drumpf regrets his comment that the media are an “enemy of the American people.” Spicer stated that he did not. “He has a healthy respect for the press. But I think that it’s a two-way street.”

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hen asked for a reaction to the resignation of 10 people (of the 14 remaining; 6 resigned on Inauguration Day) on the Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who enumerated their objection to Drumpf’s “portrayal of immigrants, refugees, people of color, and people of various faiths as untrustworthy, threatening, and a drain on our nation,” Spicer tried to pass it off as normal, saying that they were Obama’s appointees so he wasn’t surprised.

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hen asked to respond to Anne Frank Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center comments about Drumpf’s lateness denouncing anti-Semitism, when xenophobia during the campaign increased the amount of anti-Semitic violence and tripled the amount of anti-Muslim groups, Spicer stated Drumpf’s statement was “unbelievably forceful” and “there’s a big difference between preventing attacks and making sure that we keep this country safe so that there is no loss of life in allowing people to express themselves in accordance with our First Amendment.”

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hen asked if people who’s only crime is being here illegally should worry about deportation, Spicer attempted to avoid the question stating that the priority was to deport those who have been convicted of a crime. Later, a different reporter asked about DACA recipients, he added, “Remember, everybody who is here illegally is subject to removal at any time…”

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ocuments released by the Department of Homeland Security revealed a broader deportation plan than Spicer indicated.

Drumpf’s plan included publicizing crimes by undocumented immigrants, stripping immigrants of privacy protections, using local cops as enforcers, building detention centers, discouraging asylum seekers, and speeding up deportations.

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February

21 2017

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fact sheet released by the Department of Homeland Security reaffirmed that deportations would not happen only if there was a serious crime. “Under this executive order, ICE will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement. All of those present in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.”

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epublican Congresspeople on recess returned to their home states to hold town halls and found angry crowds. Drumpf decided those were fake as well, tweeting “The so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!”

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ilo Yiannopoulos lost his speaking slot at the Conservative Political Action Conference, a book deal, and resigned as senior editor at Breitbart after his remarks about pedophilia and endorsement of sex with kids as young as 13 finally offended his #alt-right base. He was still a conservative poster boy following unbelievable comments about Hispanics, African-Americans, Muslims, Jews, and transgender people, but apparently even in today’s climate, Republicans still have a line - and it’s pedophilia.

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fter an investigation by authorities, it was announced that the hunting guides who claimed to be attacked by “illegal aliens” crossing the border and were shot back in early January actually just shot each other. Walker Daughetry believed that an immigrant was in the RV that Edwin Roberts and his wife were sleeping in.

Instead of announcing himself, he tried opening the RV. Roberts shot Daughetry and then Daughetry shot Roberts. The two, fueled by anti-immigrant hysteria shot each other. Of course, the real story didn’t come out until after they had raised over $20,000 on GoFund Me with their harrowing story and Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, Sid Miller’s anti-immigrant tirade about it was a shared 6,500 times on social media.

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February

22 2017

hen asked asked to respond to Drumpf’s assertion those speaking against Obamacare repeal in town halls as “so-called angry crowds,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer answered with the #altfact that they are paid protestors, “I think some people are clearly upset. But there is a bit of professional protestor, manufactured base in there…it is a loud group, small group of people disrupting something, in many cases, for media attention.”

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uring the press briefing, a reporter asked about the DACA program as a follow up to yesterday’s briefing. Stating that during the campaign, Drumpf talked about DACA being an “unconstitutional executive amnesty.” Spicer came back with a non-answer stating that the priority was going after people who are safety concerns and then who knows after that.

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rumpf and Attorney General Jeff Sessions wanted to move quickly to reverse the order from the Obama administration that allow transgender students to use the restroom of their gender identity. It was actually Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos who voiced concern; she worried about potential harm to transgender kids. When faced with the possibility of losing her job if she didn’t sign it, DeVos decided that regardless of the harm to children, she would sign it.

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ouse Republicans started debating legislation to reduce the number of schools in which students receive free or reduced meals, remove the healthier meal rules, and block grants for school meals in three states. The healthier school meals rules set fat, sugar, and sodium levels and require whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The American Academy of Pediatrics have spoken against it saying “the bill would significantly weaken access to healthy, nutritious foods for our nation’s children.”

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February

22 2017

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en people were arrested at the Dakota Access pipeline protest, demonstrators remained in the mandatory evacuation zone.

The evacuation time was set after Drumpf signed an Executive Order abruptly ending the Environmental Impact Study and green lighting the project. The Dakota Access pipeline will illegally go through Native American land and cross Lake Oahe.

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ayleigh McEnany interviewed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during the Conservative Political Action Conference. She stated, “President Trump rescinded the Obama guidelines on transgender, and let’s be very clear why he did that. President Obama acted lawlessly.” She then asked DeVos to defend her letter saying that she wanted to protect all children. DeVos back-tracked on her concerns for transgender students and went with the party line, “overreach…one-size-fits-all, federal government approach, topdown approach to issues that are best dealt with and solved at a personal level and a local level.”

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February

23 2017

ecretary of State Rex Tillerson and Department of Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly spoke with Mexican officials trying to smooth over some of the tensions caused by Drumpf’s rhetoric about building a border wall, “bad hombres,” and the Department of Homeland Security’s new immigration guidelines. The plans in question were ones that included sending those who enter the US illegally via the Mexico border back there even if that’s not where they are from, and that the Drumpf administration would consider nearly all undocumented immigrants subject to deportation.

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nder Drumpf’s new immigration orders, federal agents forcibly moved an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador who was waiting for emergency surgery for a brain tumor, from a Texas hospital to a detention center. Sara Beltran-Hernandez was awaiting her deportation when she was transferred to the hospital. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and put on a waiting list for emergency surgery, scheduled for the coming weekend. Agents came to the hospital, tied up her hands and ankles, and wheeled her out of the hospital in a wheelchair to put her back in the detention center.

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uring the press briefing, Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked to comment on Drumpf claiming that the deportations taking place under his watch were a military operation being in direct opposition to Secretary of Homeland Security Kelly saying that the military would not be involved in deportations. Spicer claimed, “The President was using that as an adjective. It’s happening with precision, and in a manner in which it’s being done very, very clearly.”

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February

23 2017

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ress Secretary’s first Skype seat question asked what would happen to Connecticut since the governor directed law enforcement not to take any action against undocumented immigrants. Spencer answered, “if you are a sanctuary city, declared or undeclared, if you are providing benefits and services, we are going to do everything we can to respect taxpayers and ensure that your states follow the law.” Drumpf promised on the campaign trail that he would withhold federal funding from sanctuary cites. The law doesn’t actually require local authorities to detain undocumented immigrants. Federal courts across the country have found complying with the requests is voluntary. The Supreme Court has also ruled that funding can only be withheld if it is relevant “to the federal interest in the project.” In this case – immigration.

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hen asked about the transgender bathroom protections, Press Secretary Spicer repeated the #altfact that a matter such as this should be in the states’ hands. When pressed that it was actually a civil rights issue, and therefore an issue for the federal government, he replied, “The President on a lot of issues believes in these various issues being states’ rights. I don’t see why this would be any different.”

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reporter pointed out the hypocrisy of Press Secretary Spicer claiming that the reason Obama’s transgender bathroom protection was an overreach was that it was “enjoined by a court and there was criticism about the process” but overlooking it for the Muslim Ban. “I mean, can you help us square the circle here? Why are you relying on that same ‘enjoined by a federal court’ criticism of the process for one but not the other?” Spicer answered that there was a difference in that Drumpf had the authority and Obama didn’t.

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ress Secretary Spicer was asked what the administration planned to do about state laws that included medical and recreational marijuana use when federal law still prohibits it.

Spicer hesitated to speak on recreational but agreed that medical was understandable. When pressed, he said that it would be a question for the Department of Justice but that the Department “I think will be further looking into” recreational use. So, basically civil rights are a state issue, but recreational marijuana may be a federal issue now.

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ellyanne Conway was interviewed at the Conservation Political Action Conference about feminism of all things. She said, “it’s difficult for me to call myself a feminist in the classic sense because it seems to be very anti-male and it certainly is very pro-abortion in this context. And I’m neither anti-male or proabortion, so. There’s an individual feminism, if you will, that you make your own choices…And that’s really clearly what conservatives’ feminism, if you will, is all about.” What she failed to realize is that women being allowed to make their own choices is just “feminism,” no need for “conservative” to preface it.

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hief Strategist Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus were interviewed together at the Conservative Political Action Conference. In responding to the criticism of Drumpf, Bannon said, “we have a team that’s just grinding it through on President Donald Trump promised the American people…all of those promises are going to be implemented.” What he seems to misunderstand is that Drumpf won less than half of the voting public’s votes, so maybe compromising on some things are in order.

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February

23 2017

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ecretary of Education Betsy DeVos spoke at the Conservation Political Action Conference and carried over the #altfact mentioned yesterday at her interview that students are bullied at college for being conservative, claiming that the “education establishment…tell you what to do, what to say, and more ominously, what to think. They say that if you voted for Donald Trump, you’re a threat to the university community. But the real threat is silencing the First Amendment rights of people with whom you disagree.”

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February

24 2017

uring the Conservative Political Action Conference, Drump repeated slammed the “dishonest media” saying “And I want you to know that w are fighting the fake news. It’s fake, phony, fake.

A few days ago I called the fake news the enemy of the people.

And they are. They are the enemy of the people.” Later, he added, “I love the First Amendment. Nobody loves it better than me.

Nobody.”

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rumpf continued his media rant, slamming them for using anonymous sources, claiming that they “shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name.” His own staff regularly provide reporters with information on the condition that officials’ names not be used.

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rumpf claimed that a story with nine anonymous sources was completely fake. The story was one from the Washington Post about Michael Flynn’s discussions about sanctions, and all the information provided in it from anonymous sources was confirmed true by the White House.

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ater in his speech, Drumpf went on about the #altfacts about his extreme victory and the “mess” he inherited. “Our victory was a win like nobody has ever seen before.” And “This is the situation I inherited. I inherited a mess, believe me. We also inherited a failed health care law that threatens our medical system with absolute and total catastrophe.”

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rumpf continued his tirade on Obamacare and again suggested that he let it “implode completely.” “The Democrats will come to us and beg for help, they’ll beg and it’s their problem.”

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February

24 2017

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fter Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Department of Homeland Security Chief John Kelly tried to smooth things over in Mexico the day before, and after Drumpf promised the Mexican President he would stop talking about the wall, Drumpf started talking about the wall at the Conservative Political Action Conference. “We’ve taken swift and strong action to secure the southern border of the United States and to begin the construction of a great, great border wall.”

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rumpf insulted NAFTA after all the work Vice President Pence painstakingly did to help smooth relations in the European Union. He said, “Just take a look – by the way, take a look at NAFTA, one of the worst deals ever made by any country, having to do with economic development. It’s economy un-development, as far as this country is concerned.”

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rumpf then congratulated himself on a job well done as a “prepresident” in keeping Ford, Fiat Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Intel in the country, despite the fact that they were never leaving in most cases. (See Week 3).

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rumpf made mention of Sweden and stated the #altfact that there was an incident in Sweden that just wasn’t reported on.

“And then a day later, I said has anybody reported what’s going on? And it turned out that they didn’t – not too many of them did.” Nothing did happen in Sweden. Since his comments blaming immigrants for an increase in crime across Sweden though, there have been a few riots in predominantly immigrant neighborhoods.

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rumpf repeated the #altfact that the Keystone pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs, this time claiming 10,000 more jobs than last time – “somewhere around” 42,000 jobs. The State Department has already stated that 50 workers would be required to operate the pipeline.

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rumpf supporters were given Russian flags with “Trump” written on them by two protestors and were waving them at the Conservative Political Action Conference. They either didn’t realize or didn’t care that it was the Russian flag and not the American.

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ress Secretary Sean Spicer held an off-camera gaggle with handpicked reporters instead of the traditional on-camera daily briefing. The news outlets not permitted were ones that Drumpf had problems with including CNN, The New York Times, The Hill, Politico, Buzzfeed, The Daily Mail, BBC, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Daily News. Non-news outlet Breitbart was of course, permitted.

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hen pressed about whether or not the Department of Justice would investigate the Russia issue during the gaggle, Press Secretary Sean Spicer at first avoided the question, then said that the question was “insulting” and asked if they had ever asked the Obama administration whether or not they asked the Attorney General to follow the law, which wasn’t quite what was asked. “I will definitely try to look for whether or not CBS asked the same question to the White House during the eight years of the Obama administration.”

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new report found that one of Drumpf’s deputy assistants, Sebastian Gorka, co-founded a political party with former members of Jobbik, a fascist party. Gorka was also interviewed and photographed at Trump’s inauguration wearing the uniform and medal of Vitézi Rend, a Hungarian Nazi-linked group, according to the US State Department.

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February

24 2017

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nalysts at the Department of Homeland Security’s draft report showed that there was no evidence that citizens of the countries listed in Drumpf’s Muslim Ban posed a terror threat to the United States. Despite the report and all research to the contrary, Drumpf reiterated his #altfacts on terrorism during his speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee and added, “We are going to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country!”

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rumpf signed another Executive Order to create “regulatory reform” task forces to evaluate all federal rules and recommend whether to keep, repeal, or change them. He did it while surrounded by business executives after pledging to chop 75% of regulations. “…we don’t need 75% of the repetitive, horrible regulations that hurt companies, hurt jobs.”

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he Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe reacted to Press Secretary Spicer claiming that the Drumpf administration has “been in contact with all the parties involved…we are constantly in touch with them” regarding the Dakota Access pipeline. In a press release, they state that no one from the Administration has contacted the tribe at all. Tribal Chairman, Harold Frazier, wrote “On January 27, 2017, I sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of the Army formally requesting government-to-government tribal consultation as required under Department of Defense Instruction and Policy on any decisions under Trump’s January 24, 2017 memorandum. I received no response, no contact, no consultation.”

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n response to certain media being shut out from Spencer’s gaggle, Drumpf tweeted: “FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesn’t tell the truth. A great danger to our country. The failing @nytimes has become a joke. Likewise @CNN. Sad!”

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or a bit of good news, The Supreme Court sent a letter to Liberty Counsel, the anti-gay conservative Christian law firm, informing them not to misgender Gavin Grimm in their amicus brief “and other cases in the future.�

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