Politics Random, Random

[ti-amie]

Read: Gov. Mills issues statement regarding state's alleged Title IX violations
The governor's office said Maine was issued a notice that the U.S. Department of Education was directed to investigate the state for alleged Title IX violations.

Author: NEWS CENTER Maine Staff
Published: 6:46 PM EST February 21, 2025
Updated: 6:46 PM EST February 21, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump went head-to-head Friday during a governors' meeting at the White House over Maine's compliance to a recent executive order.

The president sought out Mills from the podium, asking if Maine would comply with his executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports.

Prior to Friday's spat, Mills had already declared Maine would follow the state's Human Rights Act, which prevents discrimination based on gender identity.

During the meeting, Trump challenged Mills, saying "are you going to comply?" Mills responded, saying, "We are complying with state and federal law." Trump responded, "Well, I'm -- we are the federal law."

The president again threatened to withhold federal funding from Maine until it complied.

"See you in court," Mills responded.

Trump then said he looked forward to the legal action, saying, "it should be a real easy one," and followed that by saying to Mills that he does not think she will be in elected politics after her term as governor.

Mills terms out in 2026.

Several hours later, federal officials reportedly issued a notice, stating they were directed to investigate the state over alleged Title IX violations and its interpretation of gender discrimination.

Mills released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education notifying the Maine Department of Education about the investigation.

Mills' statement in full:
“I have spent my career – as a District Attorney, as Attorney General, and now as Governor – standing up for the rule of law in Maine and America. To me, that is fundamentally what is at stake here: the rule of law in our country.

“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.

“Maine may one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.

“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article ... 3a237c0faa

[ti-amie]

[ti-amie]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is greeted by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. at the Pentagon on Jan. 27. (Shawn Thew/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Trump ousts Joint Chiefs chairman, other leaders in major Pentagon shake-up
The Navy’s top admiral and a senior Air Force general also were dismissed as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moves to align the military with Trump’s agenda.

Updated
February 21, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. EST 10 minutes ago

By Missy Ryan and Dan Lamothe

The Trump administration abruptly dismissed the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers on Friday night, as the Pentagon moves to bring new military leaders in line with its “America First” agenda.

In a post on social media, President Donald Trump said he would be replacing Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. and would take the unusual step of tapping a three-star officer, Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, as the next chairman.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a statement distributed shortly after Trump’s post, said he would be replacing other senior officers, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as chief of naval operations, and Gen. James Slife, a top Air Force officer.

“Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars,” Hegseth said.

It was not immediately clear whether Brown, whom Trump nominated during his first term in office to become the Air Force’s first African American chief of staff and later became the second Black chairman after his elevation by President Joe Biden, would stay on the job until Caine can be confirmed by the Senate.

The dismissal of Brown and the other officers appears to represent the opening move of an anticipated campaign to purge the Pentagon of what Hegseth has decried as “woke” policies and personnel and, despite the military’s role as a nonpartisan institution spanning administrations of both parties, to reshape its highest ranks.

Hegseth attacked senior officers by name, including Brown, whom he said was overly focused on diversity issues. Hegseth also criticized Franchetti suggesting she was selected for the leadership post because of her gender.

In a podcast shortly before Trump tapped him for the Pentagon’s to job, Hegseth suggested the president should dismiss Brown and other officers involved in diversity initiatives. Hegseth’s initial weeks as defense secretary have been dominated by his steps to freeze diversity initiatives he has called “racist” and “illegal.”

At a Pentagon town hall this month, Hegseth said diversity initiatives have “served a purpose of dividing the force as opposed to uniting” the military. “The single dumbest phrase in military history is ‘our diversity is our strength,’” he said.

The administration already fired one uniformed leader, Adm. Coast Guard Linda Fagan, shortly after the inauguration, for alleged leadership failures. The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... dan-caine/

[ti-amie]

Is anyone else noticing how this stuff always happens at night instead of during the day so that the major news organizations can't really cover their shenanigans?

[texasniteowl]

Is anyone else noticing how this stuff always happens at night instead of during the day so that the major news organizations can't really cover their shenanigans?

I'm reminded of an episode of one of the best television shows ever. The show: The West Wing; the episode: Take Out the Trash Day. Make announcements that you want ignored on Friday nights because people don't watch the news on the weekends and by Monday, other stuff is in the headlines.

[ponchi101]

That is straight out of the playbook by modern dictators.
You sack people on Friday night. Then, the news cycle cannot report as fast as they want, because people are asleep.
And.
The other part straight out of the S. American dictator playbook is sacking the heads of the military. Now, he will promote people partial to him, and in that way, he will also hold the military in his pocket.
The SCOTUS, the senate, the congress, and the military.
YAIT.

[Owendonovan]

I can't escape the feeling that we're running out of time.