Since 2020, Elon Musk has donated at least $656 million in publicly known contributions to Republican-aligned committees, super PACs, and election efforts.
Musk's political giving transformed entirely after 2020. During the 2020 election, he did not financially back Donald Trump or Republican national efforts, choosing instead to vote for Joe Biden. His large-scale financial alignment with the Republican party began in 2022 and escalated heavily through the 2024 and 2026 election cycles:
Total Known Donations by Election Cycle
• 2022 Midterms: (Minimal direct federal PAC contributions, though he publicly endorsed voting for Republicans). He also reportedly routed roughly $50 million to a conservative issue-advocacy group, Citizens for Sanity, in the lead-up to these elections.
• 2024 Election: Approximately $290 million, primarily driven by his newly created America PAC to fund massive ground-game and voter turnout efforts to elect Donald Trump and down-ballot Republicans.
• 2026 Midterm Cycle: Approximately $366 million. Recent campaign filings revealed a massive surge in his giving, officially making him the single largest known donor of the 2026 midterms.
Where the 2026 Midterm Money Went
Musk's recent $366 million push is heavily consolidated into saving the Republican congressional majorities:
• Senate Leadership Fund: $158 million (The main super PAC backing Republican Senate candidates).
• America PAC: $76 million (His personal super PAC driving nationwide GOP door-knocking operations).
• Congressional Leadership Fund: $20 million (The main super PAC for House Republicans).
• State & Local GOP Groups: $22 million (Including $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC supporting Texas Republicans, $10 million to the Republican Governors Association, and $2 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association).
• Prior 2026 Contributions: $90 million contributed earlier in the cycle before July.
All sorts of misdirection on this subject going on.
I don't see the relationship to or comparison to or even a whatabout that warrants a discussion about communism, Hezbollah or gay marriage.
Sticking to some of the facts:
- No one is defending the person or minimizing the atrocity that he committed. - No-one here appears to be suggesting he shouldn't face the death penalty. - What has been questioned / criticized is the announcement of the live-streaming of an execution. - The only place live streaming of executions has taken place is: Terrorists, Iran and North Korea. - This is not the same as a public hanging or public execution that may have happened decades ago.
For me it comes down to a simple ethical or moral perspective - and whether live streaming someone facing a firing squad for horrific crimes makes the country better, worse or makes zero difference to our society.
I can only speak for myself - I find it disgusting. I find it performative. I can only see the direction of travel for what "normal" might be in the USA as downwards. People might be able to watch any sort of depraved and sick thing they want to on the internet - of which surely some of which would be illegal - that does not mean the Government of the USA should add to that pond of filth. I'd ask:
- Does it deter anyone? No. - Who would watch this? Sick people. (pretty certain the victims families are already able to watch executions) - In what way does this benefit anyone/society? It doesn't.
It's no surprise to see the fake Christian cheerlead for this. I am sure Jesus would be 100% for live streaming this, especially if young children can be assured to access footage after the event.
The attack at the Saudi Airport seems substantial. 12 dead and 309 injured
I understand and accept that part of Trump's schtick is to spout off and talk crap a good amount. When that's about the democrats and some of the political nonsense - maybe it matters less. Maybe. I mean there's a good part of me that says that by accepting the new norm of constant lies we are heading down the wrong path. Politicians lie and they always have ... what Trump does is on a different level and shouldn't be accepted as the norm really ... BUT ... for the sake of my comment here and now and for some who think that accepting that side of trump is worth it because he's not a commie Democrat ....
My comment is - the lies and unfactual or ignorant comments at home about domestic issues is one thing. What we're seeing in Iran is a level of incompetence and ignorance and lying that is astronomical.
- The nuclear facility and capacity was completely obliterated. June 2025. - March this year - after the initial attacks: “The war is very complete, pretty much.” - April “Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their missiles are just about used up or beaten.” - April “Iran leadership just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!” -- to which they immediately said, no they didn't. - April about the Strait of Hormuz “We will have that open fairly soon.” - April - “Militarily, we've wiped them out. They have no military left.” - May - about the Stait - “There hasn't been a ship that's been able to get through without our approval.” ... some ships continued to move thru the straight until October. - August - “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.” ... an absolute outright lie.
I'll set aside the dozens of claims throughout the process that negotiations were close, that they were desperate to finish the war and the constant claims of an imminent end.
But now we have a unilateral announcement of a deal with Russia (that contradict sanctions placed on Russia by Congress less than a month ago).
1. It aids Russia in it's war with Ukraine. 2. Trump is now blaming high oil prices on Ukraine instead of his war vs Iran. (yet one more Russian propaganda talking point coming out of Trump's moouth) 3. The amount of oil talked about in his deal is [A] going to go on the open market and won't come to the USA [B] if it ALL came to the USA it would be *maybe* a 10 day supply. [C] I have seen reports that Russia simply don't have the infrastructure to transport that much oil remotely quickly.
How or why is this not a much, much, much bigger issue for the entire country including Republicans?
Yeessss! That is it. I had forgotten the Fridge and Mike and a few others. Thanks for the memory, Pit! So hip, it hurts. You do not see choreography like this every day. Ditka rocked!
Maybe they should have just made one excuse and stuck with it then instead fo trying to use three different excuses...................
• The "Hypothetical Threat" Argument: White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and administration spokespersons stated that Trump was not encouraging an attack, but was instead warning about what would have happened to U.S. cities if a nuclear-armed Iran had not been stopped by his administration's actions.
• The "Misinterpretation" Claim: Trump and his supporters argued that his words were misinterpreted out of context, claiming the remark was part of a broader, off-the-cuff point about Americans accepting temporary economic sacrifices (such as higher gas prices) in exchange for long-term national security.
• The "Deterrence / We Protect Our Cities" Clarification: At a subsequent rally in San Antonio, Texas, Trump attempted to reframe the statement, adding that the U.S. actively defends its territory and would never actually let such an attack happen ("We're not going to let that happen, we protect our cities").
He's either evil or stupid. Watching his actions and hearing his words for years now, probably both.
Trump wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for ending 8 wars and ending one war (the war in Iran) 34 times. Trump was gracious in his acknowledgement and acceptance of the award and the world applauded. 🤣
Coulda, woulda, shoulda---- Nothing in this forum since the Jax massace. WOW, now 3-1 and in FIRST PLACE. Coulda kept Ski....JMHO, Stefanski’s message had run stale in Cleveland. Woulda our OLD DC been 3-1....I doubt it. Shoulda hired our current head coach, he has worked hard to get the best out of an offensive line with whole new crew.....and they are doing well. He has brought "freshness to the O, and has Watson playing his best football since the trade......GREAT, go Browns!!!!
Alito says Supreme Court can’t stem emergency appeals and voices concern over Trump’s rhetoric
WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says the escalating volume of emergency appeals before the court isn’t a good thing, but he adds there’s little the court can do to change the trajectory.
The number of petitions asking the justices to intervene quickly has skyrocketed during President Donald Trump’s second administration, putting the court at the center of hotly debated issues such as the Republican president’s new ballroom construction and his proposed restrictions on mail ballots in the midterm elections.
The number of emergency applications now rivals the annual tally of cases the justices consider with full briefing and oral arguments, Alito wrote in a new book released Tuesday.
The justice told The Associated Press in a rare interview that the rhetoric about the court from Trump and his administration doesn’t sit well with him.
“I personally am not pleased with that,” he said. “Everybody in this country has the right to criticize what we do. The substance of their criticism can be quite harsh. If we deserve it, then that’s fine. But rhetoric is a different story.”
Alito spoke in connection with his first book, “So Ordered: An Originalist’s View of The Constitution, The Court and Our Country.”
Coming 20 years after he was confirmed to the court after his nomination by President George W. Bush, a Republican, the book is a collection of speeches the 76-year-old has given over the years on religious liberty, his judicial philosophy and constitutional rights.
Alito calls it ‘offensive’ to cast his opinions as MAGA
Alito is perhaps best known for writing the decision that reversed Roe v. Wade and ended abortion as a nationwide right, and he has been one of the most consistent members of the court’s conservative bloc. He’s also voted in favor of some of Trump’s signature policies, even those the rest of the conservative wing has struck down. But he rejects the idea that his decisions are in the “Make America Great Again” camp.
“It’s offensive,” he said. “I honestly try to decide every single case on the merits, every single application on the merit. And that’s true whether the president is Donald Trump or Joe Biden or Barack Obama or anybody else.”
Trump, for his part, has cheered Alito as “one of the Greatest of All Time” even as he maligned justices whom he appointed as “unpatriotic” and “merely a shell of their original selves.” Alito said the harsh rhetoric from across the spectrum doesn’t affect how the justices rule but does play a role in the public’s declining trust in the court.
“The terms used by presidents and by members of their administration, Cabinet officers, other high-ranking officers in describing the Supreme Court and their decisions, and sometimes individual justices, is far different from what we saw 15 years ago,” Alito said.
Much of the president’s frustration has come after the court ruled against him on some of his central initiatives, including tariffs and birthright citizenship. Those decisions have been handed down after months of consideration, including oral arguments.
Surge in court’s emergency decisions is likely ‘going to continue’
In emergency decisions, by contrast, the president has a much stronger track record of wins.
Typically made in days or weeks, emergency orders are designed to be temporary, lasting only as cases continue to play out in lower courts. But since that process can take years, those decisions can still have important real-world consequences.
Critics, including Alito’s liberal-leaning colleague Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, have complained about the court’s recent handling of the emergency docket and outlined proposed steps the justices could take.
Alito, though, said there’s little the court can do to stem the tide. Presidents have increasingly used executive orders to enact their policies rather than passing laws through Congress, leading to lawsuits and “robust” decisions from lower-court judges that send a case quickly to the Supreme Court, he said.
“Unless something changes there, and I don’t foresee it right now, I’m afraid this is going to continue,” he said. “An application is something that I think we have to rule on.”
Alito says recusal from climate change case wasn’t required but a ‘judgment call’
Alito also detailed his decision to step away from hearing a climate change case that opened the term. Dozens of similar lawsuits have been filed on whether cities can sue oil and gas companies over damage linked to global warming. Billions of dollars could be at stake, a potentially serious threat to the industry, according to court documents.
Alito had faced calls to recuse himself because he owns stock in oil companies. He told the AP that the stock came from an inheritance his wife received from her father that she doesn’t want to sell.
He initially stayed on the case because he doesn’t have stock in the companies involved, he said, adding that the court’s legal office agreed that he could hear the case under its ethics code.
But as he delved deeper into the substance of the case, he decided to step aside.
“This particular decision was a judgment call,” he said. “I gave it very, very serious consideration.”
I would suggest this may be longer with injuries; before the end of the year, the number of QB's injured and the severity of each injury will determine who is playable/out and for how long. Some clubs are having headaches with their declared starters, much less than the second, third, or other alternate starters. DW has proven to be a surprise. Small favor, that, but the alternative is not brilliant. That market for a quality starter in a picked over market for QB could be challenging, especially with playoffs' imperatives.
NFL suspends officials Jeff Seeman, Adrian Hill for conduct toward players
The NFL has suspended line judge Jeff Seeman for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one game as punishment for instances of unprofessional conduct toward a player.
NFL Vice President of Officiating Ramon George issued the suspensions.
Seeman was caught on camera apparently cursing at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride during Sunday's 36-24 loss to the New York Giants.
McBride felt he was interfered with by Giants cornerback Dru Phillips on a third-and-8 pass from quarterback Jacoby Brissett that fell incomplete. McBride got hit and complained to Seeman, who appeared to yell a profanity at McBride, according to video of the incident.
After the McBride incident, NFLPA Executive Director J.C. Tretter posted a statement on X that called for the same scrutiny of officials as for players.
"This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable. Players are consistently held accountable when roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard," Tretter wrote.
Hill's incident involved Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson in their 15-10 win over the visiting Miami Dolphins.
Wilson was pushed into Hill by Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II midway through the first quarter after a third-and-10 play was whistled dead because of a Minnesota penalty. Gordon drove Wilson away from quarterback Malik Willis and right into Hill, who was knocked down. As Wilson tried to help him up, Hill jumped up while pointing and yelling at Wilson to get away.
Wilson said he laughed off the incident with Hill.
"That was funny, honestly," Wilson told reporters in the Vikings' locker room. "I ended up apologizing to him and explained the situation. He was cool about it. He understood what was going on. He just said he didn't want us fighting, me and [Gordon]. He said he was just trying to break us up."
Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said he didn't get a great view of the play, but did defend Hill as an official in the league.
"I think Adrian's a really good official and does a really good job," O'Connell said Monday. "And I think that was just kind of a fast moment that happened and we can put it behind us hopefully."
So trump's FCC goes after talk shows over equal time of political parties and then trump says this........
Trump says ‘MAGA and REAL Patriots’ will never like Fox News over hosting Democrats
President Trump on Wednesday went after Fox News over hosting Democrats on its network, with the president saying “MAGA, and REAL Patriots will never like Fox!”
“Why does FoxNews always put Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Jessica Tarlov, and every Democrat on, saying bad things about the Republican Party and, of course, me?” the president said in a Wednesday afternoon Truth Social post.
“I actually think they get more airtime than Pro Republicans. This is why MAGA, and REAL Patriots, will never like Fox! They repeat a completely negative narrative, on and on it goes, and then we get a quick retort. It’s truly amazing that I won all three Elections,” he added, repeating his false claim that he won the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has a long history of attacking the media and press outlets, but Fox News has a history of being praised by the president, and he has also hired former Fox News personalities for his administration.
Last month, Trump went after “Fox News Sunday” anchor Shannon Bream because of on-air guests, charts and polls he claimed did not show off successful actions by his administration.
“In any event, Shannon’s ‘show’ is beyond redemption. Fortunately, MAGA, which is close to 100% of the Republican Party, understands that, and watch her ‘Ratings’ start to fall,” Trump said on Truth Social at the time.
“Chris Wallace was bad, but Shannon is even worse,” he added, referring to her predecessor.
Fox News is also one of the major TV networks that rotate covering the president for wider media distribution and recently said it would not do so after Trump barred three media outlets from the White House earlier this month.
So Trump's own FCC launches punitive threats against what they claim to be the left wing news media for not giving equal time to Republicans on one hand. Then trump himself lambastes a conservative network tor giving Democrats equal time. Yet from people who support trump they act like this is no big deal and never mention it.
