Palm Beach County Dems Fear Looming 'Trump Effect'
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Donald Trump moving to Mar-a-Lago has become worrisome, especially for Dems in the county, who say they fear a Trump effect ... and they're gearing up for a fight.
Believe it or not, Palm Beach County -- which obviously encompasses Palm Beach itself, where DT now lives -- is actually a pretty blue-leaning area ... but top dogs in the party say they're worried 45's influence will seep into their local politics and elections, for the worse.
Palm Beach County Democratic Party Secretary Sophia Nelson tells TMZ ... Trump's presence could be a game-changer in the political landscape, and it's something she and the rest of her cohorts will have to actively monitor in the coming months, and even years.
She says, for now, most Republican politicians -- who make up a minority in the county with an 80/20 split -- are pretty reasonable, and have no problem working across the aisle. But, Nelson warns that could quickly change with fringe GOP candidates who might run for local office going forward, emboldened by the arrival of their hero.
Nelson says she and others have already seen changes in town, especially near Trump properties, where upwards of 100 supporters have been gathering daily to show their love since Trump's arrival last week. She calls them "verbally violent."
As for what Nelson and the Dems plan to do about it ... more outreach, more grassroots campaigning and more voter registration, which she says will be key in fortifying their stronghold and pushing back against any wave Trump might create from here on out.
Moreover, Dems wanna get digital with their approach ... particularly with young folks. That's what Vice Chair Alex Berrios says will help them break through to the new generation.
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Amanda Gorman Spills Inauguration Tea!!! Michelle Told Barack to Stop Doing This ...
We're getting some behind-the-scenes from President Biden's Inauguration courtesy of Amanda Gorman ... who got some scoop on what was going down between the Obamas.
The poet laureate -- who went viral on Inauguration Day for her rousing piece, 'The Hill We Climb' -- dished to Ellen DeGeneres about being in the company of some huge names on that stage.
Amanda says her mom might've been a little more star-struck than she was ... especially for J Lo and A-Rod. But, as far as hanging with former Presidents and First Ladies, it's clear Amanda's a vet.
Anyway, check out what Amanda says Barack was doing behind the lectern that apparently ticked off Michelle enough for her to say something about it ... multiple times.
It's hilarious, and very relevant for the times. Let's just say Michelle was concerned about the former President's COVID-safety.
Amanda says Michelle had to rein him in, but the more telling thing here is how close Amanda was to the action and how tight she is with the Obamas.
Harvard folks ... they stick together!
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Adam Carolla Gov. Newsom Trying to Dodge Recall ... Says 'Too Little, Too Late'
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Adam Carolla is still not a fan of Gov. Gavin Newsom ... if anything, the comedian's more furious as he suspects there's a political motive behind Newsom lifting COVID restrictions in Cali.
The comedian joined "TMZ Live" on Tuesday and said the fact Newsom just lifted restrictions to allow outdoor dining and other businesses to reopen makes the order feel like the initial restrictions were random and arbitrary. To Adam's point, SoCal's ICU capacity is still near 0% -- however, state modeling predicts it will rise to 33.3% in the next 4 weeks.
That being said ... Adam feels Newsom only caved to lift restrictions because he's feeling the heat from a recall campaign that's picked up steam.
As you know ... Adam's had beef with the California Gov. for some time now. Adam voiced his support last month for recalling Newsom ... because he was pissed about outdoor dining getting shut down. In his eyes ... he saw no proof to connect outdoor dining to massive outbreaks of COVID cases.
If Newsom does face a recall, Adam's got his mind set on a replacement -- how about a banjo case? Seriously, he explained that choice.
Now, he admitted he's not one to run for office himself ... but Adam has a couple of ideas about how California can stop its residents from fleeing to other states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee.
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Eric Trump Flies Coach Back to New York ... First Family Times are Over
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7:30 AM PT -- We've just obtained a photo of Eric masked up on the plane, posing with another passenger.
Eric Trump's no longer one of America's First Sons, which means no more rides on Air Force One, and he's also passing on first-class seats on commercial airlines.
The ex-president's son -- along with his wife, Lara, and their 2 kids -- took a Delta flight from Palm Beach, FL back to NYC on Sunday and flew coach ... a witness tells TMZ.
We're told Eric's family was not seen hanging in the terminal like everyone else before boarding, but instead got escorted onto the plane by Secret Service agents.
Our source says Eric put their carry-on luggage up in the overhead bins, and the kids were well behaved ... with Lara taking them to the bathroom a couple times during the flight.
We're told Eric and Lara were very friendly with everyone and didn't seem a bit worried about drawing attention to themselves. However, Eric did get asked to pose for some selfies ... and happily obliged while wearing a mask with USA written on it.
As you know ... Donald Trump and his family bailed on President Biden's inauguration last week and took one final flight on AF1 to Florida. It seems Eric and his fam were returning home after spending the long weekend in the Sunshine State.
Before he left office, Trump reportedly extended post-presidency Secret Service protection for all his kids for 6 months ... which explains why Eric had agents with him.
While it may seem odd to see the Trumps flying with all the regular folks now that Donald's no longer POTUS, it's actually something Ivanka did often ... especially during the earlier days of her dad's term.
Seems like her bro had a better experience, though.
Originally published -- 12:50 AM PT
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'MyPillow Guy' Mike Lindell Banned from Twitter ... Over Trump, Election Lies
8:19 AM PT -- Lindell tells us he'll be contacting his legal team to figure out what, if any, action can be taken. He claims Twitter posted on his behalf on his own account during his initial suspension.
Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, is just like his pal, Donald Trump -- Twitter's permanently banned him for continuing to push the baseless claim Trump won the election.
Twitter says it decided to pull the plug on the "MyPillow Guy's" account "due to repeated violations of our Civic Integrity Policy" ... according to a spokesperson.
The Twitter policy was put in place in September to combat misinformation -- specifically about the election -- and has primarily been used since the January 6 Capitol riots as the basis for permanently suspending people.
It's unclear which of Lindell's tweets was the final straw, but he's continued to claim the election was rigged, even after President Biden's inauguration.
His allegations also led to his MyPillow products being pulled from shelves at Bed Bath & Beyond earlier this month. Shortly after the attack on the U.S Capitol, Lindell called it "very peaceful" and blamed the mayhem on "undercover Antifa" ... while continuing to voice support for Trump and insist he'd remain President for 4 more years.
As he left office, Trump vowed he'd be back in some form -- though clearly not on Twitter. His MyPillow BFF might have to follow in his footsteps.
Originally Published -- 6:37 AM PT
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Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Back on the Table ... Biden Relaunches Project
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Remember the plan to make Harriet Tubman the face of the new $20 bills? Well, it's back on ... and President Biden's administration's looking for ways to speed things up.
The Prez's Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, just told reporters ... the 2016 Obama-era effort to put the famous abolitionist on the front of the new twenties is being resumed in order for American money to "reflect the history and diversity of our country."
Psaki says they are trying to expedite the process -- which was originally announced in April 2016 -- but the Dept. of Treasury is handling it.
As you may recall ... President Obama's Treasury Secretary, Jacob Lew, said the Tubman $20 bills were going to replace Andrew Jackson in a U.S. currency redesign.
But then, as you definitely recall, when Donald Trump -- a self-proclaimed Jackson fan -- became POTUS, he dismissed the plan for the Tubman twenties as "pure political correctness." His Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, said the new bills wouldn't be out until 2028 and never mentioned Tubman.
It looks like President Biden's looking to finish what his pal Barack started ... so Oprah can start cheering again.
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President Biden Dogs Arrive at the White House ... Let's Move In Pawready!!!
President Biden just brought a tradition back to the White House -- his dogs are now officially residents at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The Bidens' 2 German Shepherds, Major and Champ, were introduced to their new doggy digs over the weekend, becoming D.C. residents anew -- this a few days after their humans flew in from Delaware and got their new home situated.
As for the delay ... the White House says the first couple wanted to get settled in before bringing the pooches. Makes sense, gotta get some of those family smells they're used to around the place.
Photos of Champ and Major frolicking were posted by the WH. Yeah, they're total posers ... especially with the Washington Monument now as a background. The First Lady's press secretary says, "Champ is enjoying his new dog bed by the fireplace and Major loved running around on the South Lawn." The pics match up with that description.
Champ's around 12 years old and has been with the Bidens a mighty long time. Meanwhile, Major's relatively new to the fam ... having just been adopted in 2019, and sitting pretty at a whole 2 years. You can tell which one is which right off the bat.
Remember, the return of dogs is a step back to tradition -- up until Donald Trump, who didn't have any pets during his 4-year term, there'd been a canine in the White House for about a century. The last Prez to not have a dog before 45 was ... William McKinley, in 1897.
Ah, a return to normalcy at long last.
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Sky Banner to Trump in Florida 'You Pathetic Loser ...' 'Worst President Ever'!!!
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Donald Trump might think he can escape ridicule and scathing criticism at his Florida hideout, but he's wrong ... 'cause someone took to the skies to get a clear message to 45.
A sky-writing plane was spotted in the air Sunday heading toward Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, and it had a banner trailing behind it ... taking direct aim at the former President. One set of letters read, "TRUMP YOU PATHETIC LOSER GO BACK TO MOSCOW."
Another one read, "TRUMP WORST PRESIDENT EVER" ... talk about subtle, huh?
No word on who might've commissioned the fly-over, but what is clear is that not everyone is happy about DT moving into town. He's been at his private club since Wednesday, when he departed D.C. following a farewell rally ... and it looks like he's back to his usual routine.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Trump spends his first weekend as ex-president golfing at his West Palm Beach club before being greeted by supporters https://t.co/3SapyZbFdv pic.twitter.com/lvfbIgmr6t
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) January 23, 2021 @DailyMail
Photos surfaced this weekend of Trump golfing at Mar-a-Lago with some supporters in tow, who greeted him with signs of encouragement. Trump, donning a white polo shirt and a MAGA hat, waved at the crowd and even flashed some smiles from inside his SUV.
Later, he hit the links and drove his own cart ... and didn't seem too concerned about his upcoming impeachment trial or the looming prospect of criminal prosecution.
While the pro-Trump crowd on the ground could give the impression he's among friends, the big blue sky tells a different story. His stay there won't be all smooth sailing.
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Dr. Fauci Opens Up on Death Threats ... Once Covered in Powder from Suspicious Letter
Dr. Fauci has offered up the nitty-gritty about receiving death threats since the pandemic began, and it sounds awful ... especially one time when he got powdered.
The top infectious disease doc in the U.S. told the NYT, during the last year of the Trump Administration, his whole family was getting threats ... "The threats would come directly to my children's phones, directly to my children's homes. How the hell did whoever these assholes were get that information?"
8/5/20
He says there was lots of online chatter, with people saying stuff like, "Hey, we got to get rid of this guy. What are we going to do about him? He’s hurting the president’s chances," which he characterized as "right-wing craziness."
One of the scariest incidents ... Fauci says he once received a letter in the mail ... "I opened it up and a puff of powder came all over my face and my chest." He says he didn't know what to do, but his security said, "Don't move, stay in the room." A hazmat team came and sprayed him down.
Fauci was fatalistic, saying ... "It had to be one of 3 things: A hoax, or anthrax, which meant I'd have to go on Cipro for a month. Or if it was ricin, I was dead, so bye-bye."
Dr. Fauci also says this ... he has no idea if Trump was ever told about this, nor did he want to alert anyone or make a fuss. He explains, "What good would it be to tell anyone? Also, it was under F.B.I. investigation, and they don’t like you to talk about it."
Fauci and his family have been receiving Secret Service protection since late March ... and clearly, with good reason.
@FBI @FBIWFO @FBIMiamiFL @NewYorkFBI @SecretService @CNN @cnnbrk @MSNBC @ABC @NBCNightlyNews @CBSNews @NicolleDWallace @maddow @JoyAnnReid @ChrisCuomo @donlemon
— Char Chapman-Morehead (@PromotionsPro) November 5, 2020 @PromotionsPro
Steve Bannon made a death threat against Dr. Fauci & Christopher Wray. Is this a violation of his bail on video. pic.twitter.com/zGNwpv6E94
BTW, these threats weren't abstract or coming just from faceless trolls on the Internet -- none other than Steve Bannon suggested beheading Fauci and putting his head on a pike.
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New Senate Pro Temp Patrick Leahy 3rd in Line for POTUS ... First in Line for Batman Movies!!!
The guy who's third in line to be Commander-in-Chief of this country is also well-equipped to hit the Bat-signal every now and again ... because he's got quite the movie resume.
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont -- who was recently voted to become the new president pro tempore of the Senate, replacing Chuck Grassley -- has made cameos in a whopping FIVE Batman movies over the years, even in roles you might vaguely remember.
Sen Patrick Leahy introduced at the inauguration.
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) January 20, 2021 @newschambers
A reminder, he’s been in a rake of Batman movies. pic.twitter.com/10rZYGjqKG
His appearances date back to 1995, when he first showed up in "Batman Forever," and the hits kept on coming from there ... he starred in 1997's "Batman & Robin," 2008's "The Dark Knight," 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises," and 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Sen. Leahy also did some voice acting in the Batman animated series in the '90s, so the guy definitely has his spot reserved in Gotham's HOF. He often played politicians in his portrayals, which makes sense. That's kind of his day job.
As for how he got into it ... apparently, his son (an actor) told some Hollywood bigwigs back in the day that his dad was a HUGE Batman fan, so they hooked him up with a cameo ... and the rest is history. All his earnings from the films have been donated to charity.
Like we said earlier, Leahy now is the third person who would step in as POTUS if push came to shove ... behind, of course, VP Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He's used to the pressure, he had this gig from 2012 to 2015.
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Bigfoot Hunting Season Bill Upsets Believers, Doubters Alike ... OK Lawmaker Feels Wrath
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The Oklahoma elected official who introduced a real-life bill to establish an official hunting season for Bigfoot says he's getting called "stupid" ... who'd a thunk it?!?
OK State Rep. Justin Humphrey, the lawmaker who drafted up the Bigfoot bill, tells TMZ ... he's getting tons of backlash from believers and non-believers alike.
Rep. Humphrey says he's been flooded with calls, emails and Facebook notifications from Bigfoot deniers, calling him an "idiot" and cussing him out. He says folks are telling him they'll NEVER vote for him and they're gonna make sure he loses his next election.
The Bigfoot non-believer beef -- the proposed bill is a big waste of time because sasquatches don't exist and there are more important things for lawmakers to worry about.
Rep. Humphrey tells us Bigfoot believers are annoyed with him too, but they're laying off the verbal attacks and keeping it civil. He says these folks don't want anyone disturbing Bigfoot or the forests where he supposedly lives.
BTW ...the lawmaker says the bill's not calling for Bigfoot's death ... rather, it's asking for someone to catch the creature, and he's hoping for a $25,000 reward for the first trapper.
Oklahoma's infamous for its Bigfoot sightings, particularly in the southeastern and southern parts of the state, which Humphrey reps ... but he tells us he's seen no evidence Bigfoot exists, aside from some mysterious photos.
Rep. Humphrey says the point of his bill is to generate revenue with tourism, hunting licenses and tags, encouraging folks to enjoy the outdoors after spending more time inside due to the pandemic. But, it seems like most folks didn't read between the lines.
Who figured a Bigfoot bill would stir up such a response?!? 😉😉
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Bill Maher Unveils 'Hello, Douchebags!" Segment
Bill Maher broke with tradition Friday night from his "Goodbye Douchebags" segment celebrating the end of an administration ... this time it was "Hello, Douchebags!"
Bill did not disappoint with his list of "up-and-comers" ... as he put it, "the new, fresh-faced hate-for-profit, truth-bending opportunist that you'll be cursing out for years to come."
Senator Josh Hawley tops Bill's list ... we won't spoil it for you, with one exception -- Maher calls Hawley "the far-right JFK with a little dash of KKK."
Then there's Rep. Lauren Boebert, whom Bill describes this way ... "what would happen if Michele Bachmann smoked bath salts?"
Senator Tommy Tuberville made the list ... Bill notes 3 of his business associates were convicted of financial crimes, to which Tommy said, "I'm not smart enough to understand all the numbers." To that Bill notes, "Did I mention he wants to be on the Senate Banking Committee?"
Rep. Madison Cawthorn is on the list as well. Bill mused, "This one brags that he carries a gun on the House floor, but not irresponsibly. It's safely secured in his Paw Patrol lunchbox."
And, what would the list be without Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene ... well, just watch.
Per usual ... hilarious!
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Senator Warnock Compares First Day at Office to 2017 Arrest ... How You Like Me Now?!?!
Sen. Raphael Warnock's come a long way since he was last at the U.S. Capitol ... and he's letting everyone know he's there to stay a bit longer this time.
The Georgia Senator and Reverend just posted a powerful tweet reflecting on his journey -- which was capped off by winning a runoff election against Kelly Loeffler earlier this month.
Warnock shared a photo of himself arriving to work at the Capitol, saying ... "The last time I was here in 2017, Capitol police were escorting me to central booking for leading a non-violent protest of an immoral budget."
He adds ... "This time they just had to show me to my office."
How it's started. How it's going. pic.twitter.com/AXu1QM6Bgi
— Rejina Sincic (@QueenSincic) January 22, 2021 @QueenSincic
It's true -- Warnock, along with other pastors -- got arrested in July 2017 in the Russell Senate Office building for leading a peaceful protest against the proposed budget and efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
He was handcuffed by Capitol Police as he and the others were singing and praying. Warnock said at the time it was a small price to pay to bring attention to those who would suffer.
The Reverend was booked, fined and released, but later added ... "As a pastor, I believe that the national budget is not just a fiscal document, but a moral document. It reflects what we believe and who we are for one another. And if this mean spirited budget were an EKG, it would indicate that America has a heart condition."
Now that he's a member of Congress himself ... he's got a chance to get American on a heart-healthy track.
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Chuck Schumer Trump Responsible for 'Erection!!!'
Senator Chuck Schumer went in hard Friday on Donald Trump, saying he's responsible for the "erection."
Schumer was on the Senate floor when he pressed for an impeachment trial. There's conflict over when that trial will be held. Mitch McConnell wants to delay it for a few weeks, while many Democrats want the trial held STAT.
Schumer said, "There will be a trial and when the trial ends, Senators will have to decide if they believe Donald John Trump incited the erection." He realized what he had said almost immediately, and corrected himself with the word, "insurrection."
No reaction from his colleagues, but Twitter certainly noticed. One person wrote, "Well, it WAS an uprising!" Another person wrote, "There are gonna be a lot of hard questions asked during the erection hearing."
And, as you may recall, a few days after the Capitol riots a woman confronted Schumer and told him she was "sexually excited" by the insurrectionists.
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AOC Offers Her Office to Nat'l Guard ... After They Got Sent to Freezing Garage
Like many of her colleagues, AOC condemned the decision to force hundreds of National Guard soldiers to take their breaks in a frigid parking garage instead of the warm Capitol building, but she went a step further by offering them her office couch for a nap ... and snacks.
The National Guard members were ordered out of the Capitol Building Thursday by Capitol Police, and told to either take their rest breaks outside or in a nearby parking garage ... which resulted in some truly bad optics and, frankly, shockingly inhumane treatment.
Yeah this is not okay.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 22, 2021 @AOC
My office is free this week to any service members who’d like to use it for a break or take nap on the couch. We’ll stock up on snacks for you all too.
(We’re in the middle of moving offices and it’s a bit messy so don’t judge, but make yourself at home!) https://t.co/JyEvC4kg6o
The Guardsmen and women were packed like sardines in the parking garage -- "breathing in exhaust fumes and covid" as one reporter put it -- after spending the past several days in D.C. to protect the Capitol and provide increased security for Joe Biden's inauguration.
Though the reason behind the Capitol Police ordering the Guard to move out Thursday is unclear, it sure seems the reasoning is that they didn't want the building to look like an armed camp. The move drew condemnation by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and some of the guard members said they felt betrayed.
The good news -- AOC's tweet and the outrage of other members apparently forced an about face ... all of the service members were allowed back inside the building for the night.
A National Guard spokesperson shed some light on what went down Thursday, saying ... "As Congress is in session and increased foot traffic and business is being conducted, Capitol Police asked the troops to move their rest area. They were temporarily relocated to the Thurgood Marshall Judicial Center garage with heat and restroom facilities."
Well, there was just one restroom with 2 stalls available to the 5,000 troops who were told to leave the Capitol ... and temperatures dipped into the low 40s by nightfall.
And, if you want to know what it might be like to be exposed to the elements in D.C. ... well, just look at frigid Tom Hanks during the Inauguration show.
The troops will be allowed to take breaks indoors Friday, near the Emancipation Hall.
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VP Kamala Harris Blair House Will Be Temporary Pad ... It's Got 119 Rooms!!!
While President Biden's already getting comfy in the White House, Vice President Harris can't unpack just yet ... but her temporary home is pretty rich in history.
The Veep and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will be living at Blair House ... a 19th-century row house situated across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It's also steps away from the White House.
The house -- dubbed The President's Guest House -- is usually reserved for former presidents and other dignitaries when they're in town. It consists of 4 distinct buildings merged into one ... featuring 14 guest bedrooms, 35 bathrooms and a total of 119 rooms.
It's unclear how long VP Harris will be at Blair -- the traditional Vice President's mansion at the Naval Observatory is getting a bunch of repairs -- such as new chimney liners -- at the Navy's request. Once Harris does move in, she'll be the 8th VP to live there since it was built in 1893.
Blair House is also where incoming Presidents typically stay the night before Inauguration Day, just as the Bidens did this week. Another fun fact: President Truman lived there too while the White House underwent renovations after World War II.
Harris and Emhoff own a condo in Washington but for security reasons could not stay there.