Latest news with #governmentcritics
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge Torches Trump For Turning Into Henry II With His Wild Rants
A federal judge compared Donald Trump to Henry II for his blatant efforts to punish his administration's critics. While overseeing a lawsuit Monday concerning the Trump administration's crackdown on noncitizens' pro-Palestinian speech, U.S. District Judge Willliam Young referred to the twelfth-century English king while mulling whether the president's penchant for publicizing his every personal problem ever inspired his underlings to take action. Young cited Henry II's famous line, 'Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?' The offhand remark led errant knights to murder Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who'd sought to increase the power of the Catholic Church. Trump 'doesn't have errant knights, but he's got Stephen Miller,' Young quipped, according to Politico's senior legal correspondent Kyle Cheney. Young pointed out that whenever the president had a problem with someone, especially in government, that person tended to find themselves facing a spate of problems they hadn't had before. For example, after Trump had his explosive feud with Elon Musk, the government began to review its contracts with SpaceX. After beefing for months with Senator Adam Schiff, last week, the president accused him of 'mortgage fraud' and said he should 'pay the price of prison.' Young also questioned Trump's motor-mouthed attitude, while his administration appeared intent on violating the First Amendment. 'The president is a master of speech and certainly brilliantly uses his right to free speech,' said Young. 'Whether he recognizes or not whether other people have any right to free speech is questionable.' Last week, Young heard testimony from four veteran officers from the Department of Homeland Security who recounted their superiors' unusual requests to arrest green card holders and noncitizen academics who had committed no crime.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge Warns Trump Is Turning Into Henry II With His Dangerous Rants
A federal judge compared Donald Trump to Henry II for his blatant efforts to punish his administration's critics. While overseeing a lawsuit Monday concerning the Trump administration's crackdown on non-citizens' pro-Palestinian speech, U.S. District Judge Willliam Young referred to the 12th-century English king while mulling whether the president's penchant for publicizing his every personal problem ever inspired his underlings to take action. Young cited Henry II's famous line, 'Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?' The offhand remark led errant knights to murder Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who'd sought to increase the power of the Catholic Church. Trump 'doesn't have errant knights, but he's got Stephen Miller,' Young quipped, according to Politico's senior legal correspondent Kyle Cheney. Young pointed out that whenever the president had a problem with someone, especially in government, that person tended to find themselves facing a spate of problems they hadn't had before. For example, after Trump had his explosive feud with Elon Musk, the government began to review its contracts with SpaceX. After beefing for months with Senator Adam Schiff, last week, the president accused him of 'mortgage fraud' and said he should 'pay the price of prison.' Young also questioned Trump's motor-mouthed attitude, while his administration appeared intent on violating the First Amendment. 'The president is a master of speech and certainly brilliantly uses his right to free speech,' said Young. 'Whether he recognizes or not whether other people have any right to free speech is questionable.' Last week, Young heard testimony from four veteran officers from the Department of Homeland Security, who recounted their superiors' unusual requests to arrest green card holders and non-citizen academics who had committed no crime.
CNN
07-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Kenyan police fire water cannon and tear gas at protesters as anti-government outrage grows
Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters marking the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy rally that has stirred anti-government resentment among Kenyan youths, who were already enraged over allegations of corruption, police brutality and abductions of government critics. The East African country has been hit by a wave of bloody protests that began last year over an unpopular finance bill that raised taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis. Kenya's government withdrew the tax bill in June last year in the wake of the demonstrations, but outrage has intensified over the recent death of a teacher in police custody and the shooting of an unarmed street vendor by police. At least 16 people were killed and hundreds injured during anti-government protests last month. Dozens more died during the anti-tax demonstrations in 2024. On Monday, several parts of Kenya saw gatherings as people marked the anniversary of the July 7, 1990, pro-democracy march known as Saba Saba. In the capital Nairobi, Kenyan security forces repelled protesters with tear gas and water cannon hours after blocking major roads leading into the city. Roads leading to the Kenyan Parliament building, as well as the president's office and residence, were also barricaded ahead of the demonstrations. The clampdown comes after individuals described by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission as 'hired goons' who were 'sent by the state to silence dissent' stormed the NGO's offices. In a statement on Sunday night, the human rights body said those who entered the building 'violently disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting protesters ahead of Saba Saba demonstrations.' CNN has contacted the Kenyan police and government on the allegation. Earlier on Sunday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said security agencies were 'on high alert to deal decisively with criminals and other elements of ill intent who may seek to infiltrate peaceful processions to cause havoc, mayhem, or destruction of property.' Murkomen previously described last month's demonstrations as 'terrorism disguised as dissent,' in a statement that further reignited outrage.
CNN
07-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Kenyan police fire water cannon and tear gas at protesters as anti-government outrage grows
Kenyan police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters marking the 35th anniversary of a pro-democracy rally that has stirred anti-government resentment among Kenyan youths, who were already enraged over allegations of corruption, police brutality and abductions of government critics. The East African country has been hit by a wave of bloody protests that began last year over an unpopular finance bill that raised taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis. Kenya's government withdrew the tax bill in June last year in the wake of the demonstrations, but outrage has intensified over the recent death of a teacher in police custody and the shooting of an unarmed street vendor by police. At least 16 people were killed and hundreds injured during anti-government protests last month. Dozens more died during the anti-tax demonstrations in 2024. On Monday, several parts of Kenya saw gatherings as people marked the anniversary of the July 7, 1990, pro-democracy march known as Saba Saba. In the capital Nairobi, Kenyan security forces repelled protesters with tear gas and water cannon hours after blocking major roads leading into the city. Roads leading to the Kenyan Parliament building, as well as the president's office and residence, were also barricaded ahead of the demonstrations. The clampdown comes after individuals described by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission as 'hired goons' who were 'sent by the state to silence dissent' stormed the NGO's offices. In a statement on Sunday night, the human rights body said those who entered the building 'violently disrupted a press conference by Kenyan mothers calling for an end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings targeting protesters ahead of Saba Saba demonstrations.' CNN has contacted the Kenyan police and government on the allegation. Earlier on Sunday, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said security agencies were 'on high alert to deal decisively with criminals and other elements of ill intent who may seek to infiltrate peaceful processions to cause havoc, mayhem, or destruction of property.' Murkomen previously described last month's demonstrations as 'terrorism disguised as dissent,' in a statement that further reignited outrage.
