SilverAA

@KevinKileyCA Your votes do not reflect your speech.

Gerrymandering is a plague on democracy, one that Gavin Newsom has brought back to California. But there’s a way we can fight back and protect our democracy from his partisan games: by removing partisanship from the equation. Today, I filed for reelection as “No Party Preference.” This means I will not have a party affiliation on the ballot or as an officeholder. That’s how it already is with most offices in our state: mayors, city councilors, school board members, county supervisors, sheriffs, and DAs are all nonpartisan. As an elected representative, I’ve always seen my role as being an independent voice for our community, holding politicians in Sacramento and Washington accountable to serve my constituents. I answer to you, not party leaders. That’s the kind of representation I believe the newly-drawn Sixth District deserves. It is no secret I’ve been frustrated, at times disgusted, by the hyper-partisanship in Congress. In the last year it’s led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, a massive increase in healthcare costs, and of course, a pointless redistricting war. The epidemic of gerrymandering has spread from Texas to California to states all across the country. Both parties are complicit. If there is one thing Americans agree on, it is that political division has become a serious problem for our country. We need to find ways for politics to bring us together as Americans rather than tear us apart as partisans. That means, for example, finding pragmatic solutions to make life more affordable rather than each side blaming the other for why it isn’t. We are also living in a moment of dramatic transformation, where technological change could bring incredible opportunities along with unfamiliar risks and dislocations. The ordinary rituals of partisan politics are simply inadequate in these extraordinary times – are simply incapable of meeting this generational challenge. Our ability to work as one team, serving all Americans, is now more important than ever.

@realDonaldTrump 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

MELANIA, the Movie, is a MUST WATCH. Get your tickets today — Selling out, FAST! Photo: Regine Mahaux amazon.com/salp/melaniamo…

@wake_up_girl_3 Tell us you hate your son and don't care about his future without telling us.

My son applied to work for ICE today. Please send him well wishes and prayers! He really wants to get the job!

@IsraelWarRoom @BillAckman is only concerned when Iranians are shot in the head by their government. Not so much when it happens to Americans.

Robina Aminian. Murdered by the Iranian regime. Say her name.

@BillAckman Dude. There is video. Did all that money make you blind?

And to be clear, Ross has only been convicted by some in the world of public opinion. He has not been charged with a crime.

I have been widely reviled (and worse) by many on social and mainstream media for giving $10,000 to a @gofundme for Jonathan Ross, the officer who tragically killed Renee Good. [I had also attempted to support the gofundme for Renee Good’s family, but it was already closed as it had achieved its $1.5 million fundraising objective.] My donation to Ross has been characterized in social media by the press as my “giving a reward to the murderer of Renee Good” likely in an effort to generate clicks and boost virality, and by some to advance their political objectives. My purpose in supporting Ross and attempting to support Good was not to make a political statement. I was simply continuing my longstanding commitment to assisting those accused of crimes of providing for their defense. I strongly believe that only a detailed forensic investigation by experts and a deep understanding of the law that applies will enable us to determine whether Ross is guilty of murder. In light of the strongly negative reaction by perhaps half the country (in contrast to cheers of support from the other half of the country), I thought it might be helpful to provide context on my decision to support Ross (and Good). I could of course have avoided the controversy by giving anonymously, but I thought my public support would help Ross more easily raise the funds needed for his defense. 23 years ago almost to the day, I was accused of a crime that I did not commit. I was confident that I had done nothing wrong, but I was convicted in the headlines. I was under investigation for nearly a year before it ended without any finding of wrongdoing, but it would be years later before I was exonerated in the public eye. Fortunately, I had the financial resources to pay for my defense and support my family during the investigation, a period during which I was unemployed. in 2010, I met Barry Scheck and the Pershing Square Foundation became one of the largest funders of the Innocence Project (@innocence), an organization which seeks to exonerate the wrongfully convicted and to help reform elements of the criminal justice system to decrease the likelihood an innocent person is convicted of a crime they did not commit. When Barry approached me about the Innocence Project, I was an easy mark for supporting its work in light of my personal history of being falsely accused. I was particularly receptive to his pitch because the Innocence Project focuses its work on people it believes have been wrongfully convicted, are in prison for life, and are unable to pay for their defense. Years earlier, I had the opportunity to serve as a juror in a date rape case where the jury concluded that the accused, who was represented by a public defender, was innocent after a careful examination of the evidence. I have tremendous respect for how our jury system works and its critical importance. I also have real-life perspective on what life is like for the accused, particularly someone who believes and/or knows that they are innocent. In a typical case, the entire world believes you are guilty. You quickly become unemployed and unemployable. You and your family suffer from extreme public scorn in addition to severe financial pressure. And in the social media era, it is much, much worse. You are immediately doxed. You receive hundreds of death threats. Your and your family’s safety is seriously threatened, some of your friends and family abandon you, and your public life basically ends while you wait years to have an opportunity to defend yourself in court. As a result of all of the above, I am a fierce advocate for the American legal principle that one is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a judge or by a jury of one’s peers. Over the years, I have invested substantial funds providing for the legal defense of individuals that I believe are innocent. As we speak, I am spending millions funding the legal costs for two people accused of wrongdoing. My instinctual reaction to the media convicting someone before an investigation has begun – let alone a trial and a determination by a court and/or jury – is to be very open to the possibility that the accused is innocent. When the tragic Ross/Good case blew up on X, I did not do any due diligence on the case other than quickly reviewing the handful of videos that were circulating online. A few minutes later, I contributed $10,000 to the first gofundme I found which supported Ross. My modest financial support reflected my limited due diligence on the case. I then attempted to do the same for Good’s family, but I was unable to do so as it had already achieved its $1.5 million goal. I supported Ross because I knew he would need significant funds to cover his defense costs. I supported the gofundme for Good’s family as I thought that it was the right thing to do. When making the donation, I considered whether to check the box on the gofundme to allow for an anonymous donation – as I thought my support could be viewed by some as controversial – but I chose not to do so as I believed doing so would help Ross raise more funds for his defense. It is very unfortunate that we have reached a stage in society where we are prepared to toss aside longstanding American principles depending on who is accused and on what side of the aisle one sits. Our country and its citizens would be vastly better served by our not rushing to judgment and letting our justice system do its job. One day you may find yourself accused of a crime you did not commit without the financial resources needed to defend yourself. From that moment on, you will strongly regret the times you have rushed to judgment on the basis of a headline and the then-limited available evidence about a case, and you and your family will pray that someone will be open to believing you are innocent and will be willing to help you pay for your defense. The fact that people will invest their personal funds to help an accused person provide for his or her legal defense is one of the great aspects of our country. A world in which the accused cannot afford to pay for their defense is not a world any of us should want to live in.

@BillAckman @gofundme Dude it was on Video. We all saw it. Nice try cleaning up your fuck up though. This one is going to haunt you for a while so buckle up.

@FBICharlotte @USAO_WDNC Sure Jan.

#BREAKING The #FBI and our law enforcement partners thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year's Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. The @USAO_WDNC and FBI Special Agent in Charge will announce details at an 11:30 am news conference in Charlotte.

@MarioNawfal What protects them from the loneliness of being a cyber truck owner though?

🚨 CYBERTRUCK BULLETPROOF GLASS: THE ULTIMATE ROAD RAGE DEFENDER (OR APOCALYPSE GETAWAY CAR) Tesla’s Cybertruck isn’t just a rolling stainless steel brick - it’s a fortress on wheels, and the armored glass windows are the real star of the show. These aren’t your average car windows. They’re engineered to laugh off high-velocity bullets from common firearms (think AR-15s, handguns, shotguns). Tesla has publicly demonstrated the glass taking multiple rounds - cracking but not shattering - while keeping the cabin sealed and occupants safe. Here’s where it gets wild: because the glass holds up under fire, someone inside could theoretically return fire through the window without the bullets coming back in. Shooters outside would be spraying rounds at a near-impenetrable barrier, while the person inside stays protected and can engage back - if needed. It’s like a mobile shooting range with you as the target and the Cybertruck as the backstop.' This isn’t accidental design - Tesla built the Cybertruck with an ultra-hard 30X cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton and reinforced cabin, making it one of the most durable production vehicles ever made. The armored glass is just one piece of the “survive anything” puzzle. Elon has joked about the Cybertruck’s toughness, but the bulletproof demo videos are no joke - glass taking 9mm and .45 rounds without letting shards fly inside. And yes, the windows still roll down (slowly, carefully). Tesla doesn’t market it as a tactical or military vehicle (they can’t legally), but the internet has already dubbed it the ultimate zombie-apocalypse rig or VIP escort car. Reviewers have tested it extensively, confirming the glass holds up under sustained fire better than most armored SUVs on the market. So next time you’re stuck in traffic and someone’s road-raging, just remember: your Cybertruck might not only survive the encounter - it could win it. Source: @Tesla, ArmoredCG, independent ballistic tests (2024–2025), @teslaownersSV

@RealJamesWoods Woods

If you could choose one person responsible for the decline in Western civilization, who would it be?

Hey @grok why doesn't @elonmusk just cancel all the clearly fake MAGA accounts overseas?

Just checking in to see how you all are faring now that you know you have been following and worshiping sites from communist countries pretending to be American. You good?

@AFpost This dude just became the most unhireable kid in America.

Boston University students are now trying to hunt BU CRs President Zac Segal after he successfully reported illegal immigrants to ICE. Follow: @AFpost

Dick Cheney's last words were that he wanted to be buried with Harry Whittington who he accidentally shot in 2006. Harry, who is 95 apologized for still being alive and has agreed to do it anyway.

@E_Barcohana @OC_Scanner @Schwarzenegger @anthonycabassa @GOPLosAngeles @jamesklug @RealWillONeill You are about to find out that none of that is true.

📊 A majority of Californians, including nearly 75% of Los Angeles, supports having independent commissions draw non-partisan maps. 🙉 Sacramento & DC Democrats didn’t hear us the first, second, or third time we told them. 🗣️Tell them again: NO PARTISAN MAPS. ❌ Vote No on Prop 50

@DHSgov Of all the things that are not true that will be said today this is the most not true thing.

AND STAY OUT! In less than 250 days, 2 MILLION illegal aliens have left the United States.

@PupscanLA If you saw what I did to a bowl of Fruit Loops this morning you would say yes.

Does LA Have A Serial killer?

@OC_Scanner @BarackObama @DemRedistrict Payback for Texas. But you knew that already.

@BarackObama @DemRedistrict Hahahahahahaha SO WHATS CALIFORNIA DOING THEN

Republicans are trying to redraw congressional district lines to keep their grip on Congress in the midterms and beyond. Voters should pick their politicians, not the other way around. Get involved with @DemRedistrict as they fight back: act.redistrictingaction.org/a/recommit-202…

@SfvScanner It's always on fire. I don't even walk out of my house to see when I hear about it.

#lafd #balboapark Is the Sepulveda basin on fire? YES

@lisamurkowski When history speaks of you it will be with disgust for what you did today.

This was one of the hardest votes I have taken during my time in the Senate.   My goal throughout the reconciliation process has been to make a bad bill better for Alaska, and in many ways, we have done that. In addition to extending pro-growth tax cuts, a larger child tax credit, and no tax on tips or overtime, we made a historic investment and modernization of the Coast Guard; enhanced our border security and national defense; funded aviation safety, including AWOS/VWOS systems that will save lives; and provided tax-exempt status for the Community Development Quota Program to help western Alaska communities establish a sustainable economy, among other provisions.   We have advanced new opportunities for resource development in the NPR-A, the Coastal Plain, and Cook Inlet that will help us create jobs and increase the share of revenues our state receives. I also co-led the Senate effort to restore a slightly longer phase-out for wind and solar tax credits while deleting a punitive excise tax targeting them.   Those provisions will benefit our economy, but it is the people of Alaska that I worry about the most, especially when it comes to the potential loss of social safety net programs—Medicaid coverage and SNAP benefits—that our most vulnerable populations rely on.   To address the bill’s shortcomings, we have helped our communities through a $50 billion rural health fund. This will mean hundreds of millions of dollars for Alaska hospitals, community health centers, and other providers. We secured commitments from the CMS Administrator to continue to address longstanding priorities which will directly help Bartlett, Fairbanks Memorial, Central Peninsula, and other hospitals in Alaska.   In the SNAP program, we have added tribal exemptions for work requirements, delayed cost-share penalties to help Alaska get benefits to the people who need them, and included work requirement waivers that align with our Medicaid policies. We also secured commitments from the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional flexibilities to Alaska for SNAP.   But, let’s not kid ourselves. This has been an awful process—a frantic rush to meet an artificial deadline that has tested every limit of this institution. While we have worked to improve the present bill for Alaska, it is not good enough for the rest of our nation—and we all know it.   My sincere hope is that this is not the final product. This bill needs more work across chambers and is not ready for the President’s desk. We need to work together to get this right.

@kencen @jseller @Lin_Manuel The "shut up and dance" crowd doesn't like it when people they hate and take rights away from don't perform for them.

Statement from Ambassador Richard Grenell, President of the Kennedy Center: I'm disappointed to learn that Hamilton Producer @jseller and Hamilton Creator @Lin_Manuel are working with Democratic Senators and the New York Times to boycott the Kennedy Center, refusing to perform for audience members who don't share their personal politics, and cosplay as victims of intolerance. I cannot begin to understand what business it is of Mr. Seller or Mr. Miranda how audience members vote or how it could possibly be relevant to the sacred relationship between performers and ticket holders, but they've made it clear that they won't perform for audiences that might contain Americans who disagree with them on matters irrelevant to the arts. Earlier this month, Senator @Hickenlooper staff asked to rent space at the Kennedy Center for what his team billed as a first annual Talent show. We were pleased to welcome them to the Kennedy Center in this capacity. We were only later notified by the New York Times that Senator Hickenlooper's event was instead an invite-only political stunt where, once again, the Kennedy Center was being used by political operatives to larp as victims of intolerance in order to get a story in the TImes. No one has been cancelled by the Kennedy Center; we welcome everyone who wants to celebrate the arts, including our compatriots on the other side of the political aisle. We especially welcome artists and audience members who come to the Kennedy Center not for partisan political pranks but to experience excellence in the performing arts. I am glad that Mr. Seller or Mr. Miranda have decided to perform at the Kennedy Center after having previously decided to boycott it entirely, but I hope they'll soon consider performing for all the families, school children, and others from across America who come to the Kennedy Center without imposing on them a political litmus test.