Author: North Coast BBQ

again, from Heather Cox Richardson. with tonight’s post i have decided to also include her extensive footnotes. this woman does her research, folks! noting the diversity and credibility of her sources, she is to be believed.

trump is escalating illegal actions and attacking his perceived “enemies.” in his view anyone that doesn’t agree with him is an enemy. republicans in congress who have fully supported him are now starting to push back–they become his enemies also.

in my life of 83 years i have often disagreed with someone about whatever–but that never made them my enemy.

read and be appalled at the direction our top executive is leading us. does anyone besides me see the possibility of WW3?

with a heart filled with foreboding of serious consequences for the stability of our world.

CAPITALIZATION OF PHRASES AND SENTENCES BELOW ARE MINE. I WOULD CHANGE THE PRINT TO BOLD AND RED IF BBQ TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED IT.

lucy brook
nehalem resident
U.S. citizen

January 11, 2026
HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

The news has seemed to move more and more quickly in the last week.

The story underlying all others is that the United States Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Justice to release all the Epstein files—the files from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the activities of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—no later than December 19, and it has not done so.

Epstein and President Donald J. Trump were close friends for many years, and the material the Department of Justice (DOJ) has released suggests that Trump was more closely tied to Epstein’s activities than Trump has acknowledged. Although Trump ran in 2024 on the promise of releasing the Epstein files, suggesting those files would incriminate Democrats, HIS LOYALISTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION AR ENOW OPENLY FLOUTING THE LAW to keep them hidden.

Despite the clear requirement of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that they release all the files by December 19, to date they have released less than 1% of the material.

Another part of the backstory of the past week is that the Supreme Court on December 23, 2025, rejected the Trump administration’s argument that it had the power to deploy federalized National Guard troops in and around Chicago, a decision that seemed to limit Trump’s power to use military forces within the United States.

Yet another part of the backstory is that on New Year’s Eve, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee released a 255-page transcript of former special counsel Jack Smith’s December 17 closed-door testimony before the committee. In that testimony—under oath—Smith said that his office had “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump ENGAGED IN A CRIMINAL SCHEME to overturn the results of the 2020 election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power. Our investigation also developed powerful evidence that showed that President Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office in January of 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a ballroom and a bathroom. He then repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents.”

With pressure building over the Epstein files and Jack Smith’s testimony, and with the Supreme Court having taken away Trump’s ability to use troops within the United States, the administration went on the offensive.

Only a week ago, on January 3, the military captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. After months of suggesting that he was determined to end what he called “narco-traffickers,” Trump made it clear as soon as Maduro was in hand that he wanted control of Venezuela’s oil.

Then, on January 6, the fifth anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters determined to keep Trump in office despite Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s majority of 7 million votes, Trump’s White House REWROTE THE HISTORY OF JANUARY 6, 2021, claiming that the rioters were “peaceful patriotic protesters” and blaming the Democrats for the insurrection.

That same day, after the Supreme Court had cut off the administration’s ability to federalize National Guard soldiers and send them to Democratic-led cities, the administration surged 2,000 federal agents to Minneapolis in the largest federal immigration enforcement operation ever launched.

The next morning, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good, and the administration responded by calling Good a domestic terrorist.

On Thursday, January 8, as protests broke out across the country, REPUBLICANS IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS BEGAN TO PUSH BACK against the administration. In the House, Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), the leading sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, asked U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer to appoint “a Special Master and an Independent Monitor to compel” the DOJ to produce the Epstein files as the law requires. The House also passed a measure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years.

The Senate advanced a bill to stop the Trump administration from additional attacks on Venezuela without congressional approval. And, just two days after Trump had reversed the victims and offenders in the January 6, 2021, insurrection, suggesting that Capitol Police officers had been among the offenders, the Senate unanimously agreed to hang a plaque honoring the police who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Congress passed a law in March 2022 mandating that the plaque be hung, but Republicans until now had prevented its installation.

Friday was a busy day at the White House.

On Friday, Trump threatened Greenland, saying that he was “going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.”

Trump’s threat against a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally has had American lawmakers and foreign allies scrambling ever since. In a joint statement, the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom said that “Greenland belongs to its people.” Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) released a video explaining that “what you are essentially talking about here is the United States going to war with NATO, THE UNITED STATES GOING TO WAR WITH EUROPE. You’re talking about the U.S. and France being at war with each other over Greenland.”

Trump’s threats against Greenland came at a meeting with oil executives. When he attacked Venezuela to capture Maduro, Trump told reporters that United States oil companies would spend billions of dollars to fix the badly broken infrastructure of oil extraction in that country. But apparently the oil companies had not gotten the memo. They have said that they are not currently interested in investing in Venezuela because they have no idea how badly oil infrastructure there has degraded and no sense of who will run the country in the future.

What oil executives did suggest to Trump on Friday was that they would quite like to be repaid for their losses from the 2007 nationalization of their companies from the sale of Venezuelan oil Trump has promised to control. ConocoPhillips, for example, claims it is owed about $12 billion. “We’re not going to look at what people lost in the past, because that was their fault,” Trump told them. “That was a different president. You’re going to make a lot of money, but we’re not going to go back.”

Yesterday the government made public an executive order President Donald J. Trump signed on Friday, declaring yet another national emergency—his tenth in this term, by my count—and saying that any use of the revenue from the sale of Venezuelan oil to repay the billions of dollars owed to oil companies “will materially harm the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

Specifically, the executive order says, such repayment would “interfere with our critical efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela” and, by extension, jeopardize U.S. foreign policy objectives including “ending the dangerous influx of illegal immigrants and the flood of illicit narcotics;…protecting American interests against malign actors such as Iran and Hezbollah; and bringing peace, prosperity, and stability to the Venezuelan people and to the Western Hemisphere more generally.” So, it appears, Trump wants to retain control of the money from the sale of Venezuelan oil.

Tonight Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he is under federal criminal investigation related to his congressional testimony about a $2.5 billion renovation of historic Federal Reserve buildings. On Friday the Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve grand jury subpoenas.

Powell, whom Trump appointed, released a video noting that he has kept Congress in the loop on the renovation project and saying that complaints about renovations are pretexts. Trump is threatening criminal charges against Powell because the Fed didn’t lower interest rates as fast as Trump wanted, instead working in the interest of the American people. “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.” Powell vowed to “continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do, with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people.”

The Federal Reserve is designed to be independent of presidents TO AVOID EXACTLY WHAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO. The attempt to replace Powell with a loyalist who will give Trump control over the nation’s financial system PROFOUNDLY THREATENS THE STABILITY OF THE COUNTRY. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), who sits on the Senate Finance Committee, appeared to have had enough. He posted that “[i]f there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none. It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.” He said he would “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”

Kyle Cheney of Politico observed that it is “[h]ard to overstate what a remarkable statement this is from a Republican senator…accusing the Trump White House of weaponizing DOJ to control the Fed.”

Over a picture of the demolished East Wing of the White House, conservative lawyer George Conway noted: “I also must say that it’s a bit rich that Trump and his DOJ think it’s a good idea to gin up a bullshit investigation about supposed illegalities in….{checks notes}…renovating a federal building.”

On social media tonight, Trump posted a portrait of himself with the title: “Acting President of Venezuela.”

—

Notes:

www.cnbc.com/2026/01/10/what-the-big-oil-executives-told-trump-about-investing-in-venezuela.html

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/safeguarding-venezuelan-oil-revenue-for-the-good-of-the-american-and-venezuelan-people/

www.whitehouse.gov/j6/

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/world/americas/trump-greenland-annex.html

www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-01-09/sen-king-says-its-nonsense-that-u-s-needs-to-own-greenland-for-national-security

www.cnbc.com/2026/01/12/fed-jerome-powell-criminal-probe-nyt.html

www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm

www.scotusblog.com/2025/12/supreme-court-rejects-trumps-effort-to-deploy-national-guard-in-illinois/

judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/2025-12/Smith-Depo-Transcript_Redacted-w-Errata.pdf

khanna.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/khanna.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/khanna-sdny-letter-1-8_0.pdf

www.politico.com/news/2026/01/08/17-republicans-vote-to-restore-lapsed-obamacare-subsidies-00717497

www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-republican-senators-venezuela-war-powers/

www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/2000-federal-agents-sent-to-minneapolis-area-to-carry-out-largest-immigration-operation-ever-ice-says

www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/01/08/congress/senate-unanimous-approves-jan-6-plaque-law-enforcement-00717799

www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4405/text

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/06/epstein-files-release-justice-department

Bluesky:

chrismurphyct.bsky.social/post/3mc4iyclym222

gtconway.bsky.social/post/3mc73ftktkj2w

gtconway.bsky.social/post/3luuiczrpis2e

federalreserve.gov/post/3mc6san2usk2g

justinwolfers.bsky.social/post/3mc6wyjaqwk2g

muellershewrote.com/post/3mc6vzhk2dk2o

kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3mc6xpvvtez26

Saturday, members of the North County Resistance gathered to pay tribute to Renee Goode, a woman from Minneapolis who tragically lost her life at the hands of an ICE agent this past week. This solemn event marked a significant moment for Nehalem, drawing a crowd of 70 people, the largest ever seen in the town—to share in their collective grief and outrage.

The attendees voiced their refusal to accept the killing of Renee Goode as well as their opposition to the conduct of ICE agents throughout the United States. The gathering demonstrated the community’s strong resistance to ICE’s heavy-handed tactics, regardless of whether these occur in larger cities or smaller towns. The message from North County Resistance was clear and unwavering: the community says “NO” to ICE.

While some may dismiss the efforts of these 70 individuals, it is important to recognize that their participation reflects the sentiments of many more who may not feel safe enough to attend. For example, a conversation with a woman at the Post Office revealed she avoids public gatherings due to concerns over her skin color. This sentiment underscores the broader climate of intimidation faced by many, though the recent tragedy involved a white woman.

North County Resistance members have witnessed negative responses to their protest, such as trucks passing by in Nehalem emitting black smoke, cars and trucks hugging the sidewalk as they go around the corner, and individuals making hostile hand gestures. These actions, while within the rights of those expressing dissent, are viewed as attempts to intimidate protesters. Fewer people are expressing dissent as they pass by, and we are gaining more protesters each week and we are not giving up.

North County Resistance meets again this coming Saturday, January 17 in Nehalem from noon to 2 PM. Please join us for this peaceful protest. Thank you.
Patty

Fascism develops in times of economic or cultural trouble. What you do is you convince folks that their troubles are caused by someone they don’t love, someone *else*. You give permission to hate. You give permission to oppress. You give permission to dehumanize and then kill, as Renee Good’s murderer did after losing control of his temper when Good and her wife declined to show him the expected terrified deference. “I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy,” he was told before the murder.

The penalty for backtalk in fascism is death. “Fucking bitch,” he spat afterwards.

But a fascist government doesn’t give you anything your family needs to be safer or more prosperous unless you’re already part of the elite. It just gives you permission to hate, and to act on that hatred, leaving you poorer and more hateful than when you started.

Come back.

Feel the love for your community.
Feel the pain of your neighbors.
Turn away from cruelty and towards care.
Help us turn back towards democracy.

Heaven save us.
Will Irace
Nehalem

After many doctor visits, I’ve learned that I need a special treatment to address these complications. Unfortunately, this treatment, along with the necessary appointments and medications, isn’t covered by insurance. The financial burden is heavy, and I’m doing everything I can to manage these costs while staying focused on my health and future.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will go directly toward my treatment, appointments, and medicine. Your generosity will help me regain my health and independence, and I am deeply grateful for your encouragement and belief in my recovery.

Link for donation:
www.gofundme.com/f/help-crissi-heal-with-hope-and-strength

thank you,
Crissi

a modern fable.

om peace namaste
lucy brook
U.S. citizen

The Mad Stamp Collector
TIMOTHY SNYDER
JAN 11

The boy grew up in a happy neighborhood, among good friends. People shared what they had, and looked after one another. When a neighbor needed a hand with a chore, others
were there to help. If someone wanted to borrow a tool, or anything else, it was readily provided. The boy never knew anything else.

The boy liked to greet the mailman, and he took an interest in stamps. One of his neighbors, a teenager, invited the boy to come look at his own collection. The boy was delighted. “Here,” said the teenager, handing the boy the album, “borrow it for as long as you like.” And so the boy took it home. He kept it for years, for decades. As the boy and the teenager grew into manhood, the borrowed stamp collection was a sign of friendship.

As the boy aged, however, his interest in stamps grew into an obsession. He ceased to enjoy the stamps, to think about their beauty and their history. He simply wanted to possess them. He began to say puzzling things to the neighbor about the collection. Rather than seeing the loan as a sign of friendship, he seemed resent that the neighbor had any claim on the stamps at all.

One night he broke into his neighbor’s house with a gun. When the neighbor awoke, he pointed the gun and said: “You see that I can invade your house. If the stamp collection had been here instead of in my house, I could have stolen it. From now on that stamp collection is mine, and you have to admit it.”

What had the mad stamp collector done? He has the stamp collection, but of course he had it before. He wants everyone to say that now it is his possession, but no one does, least of all his neighbor. He has lost the neighborhood, and all the more important forms of cooperation. He sits at home and turns pages of the album. He writes his name in big letters on its cover.

Though the stamp collector is too mad to see it, he has destroyed the foundations of his own life. Until the night of the break-in, he could have borrowed anything he wanted from that neighbor, or from anyone on the block. Now every house is closed to him, and he no longer has friends, nor will ever have any. He has nothing except for his madness.

The fable of the mad stamp collector is the story of American foreign policy. It expresses the president’s approach to Greenland, Denmark, and our allies in general. There is nothing in Greenland, or for that matter on the territory of other American allies, that we could not have, if we asked. That is the nature of old, trusting relationships, and the order represented by the NATO alliance.

As matters stand right now, the United States has the use of the territory of Greenland. We have had a military base at Pituffik for decades. We now station about two hundred troops there; if we wanted to station thousands instead of hundreds, we could do so. We did during the cold war. If American companies are interested in the Greenland’s natural resources, they can sign contracts.

If we believe, as the president and vice-president keep saying, that there is a Russian or Chinese threat to the island, then we could station more troops there, or invite the Danes or any other ally to do so. Or we could ask the Danes to build another base on another part of the island. Or we could do something meaningful about Arctic security, instead of denying global warming and letting Russia build all the icebreakers.

The Danes have been among the closest allies of the United States for three quarters of a century. The base at Pituffik is a sign of that friendship. When the Americans realized in 1951 that they had urgent need of that site of Greenland for nuclear defense, the Danes readily agreed. This was one of the crucial moments in the history of NATO, the alliance that both nations had helped to found two years before.

It is the NATO alliance that enables the American presence on Greenland, and it is the NATO alliance that the United States threatens when it threatens its ally Denmark. So long as the United States and Denmark are promised to defend one another from attack, Greenland is defended by both of them, and indeed by all of the other NATO allies. If the NATO alliance ceases to exist, then Greenland immediately becomes much less secure — and, for that matter, so does every other member of the alliance, including the United States. Nothing could strengthen Russia and China more than the end of NATO.

Trump, the mad stamp collector, has everything he could possibly want, except the ability to appreciate any of it, or be appreciative of the work that others do to create it. He can gain nothing for the United States by insisting on owning Greenland, but he can lose everything which has helped to make Americans safer and more prosperous. He can lose the neighborhood.

It might seem odd to describe all of this as a fable — and I am sorry to Greenlanders for having compared their island to a stamp collection. But the fabular form is far more honest than pretending that Trump has a notion of the United States and its interests. He just wants to see a flag in the snow. He just wants his name on the album. This is nothing more than madness, and that is where we must begin.