Democrats truly are addicted to “It isn’t what it is,” or Yoo’s Rationalization. It is this characteristic that has led them so deep into George Orwell territory and why the 21st Century mutation of the party is so untrustworthy. “War is Peace,” and an open border was a secure border, according to Biden’s Secretary of Homeland Security. “Slavery is Freedom,” and President Biden was sharp as a tack even as he descended into gibberish on national TV. And, as we all know, “Ignorance is Strength,” and Kamala Harris was the most qualified Presidential candidate ever, ran a perfect campaign, and only lost because Americans are sexists and racists.
Maura Healy, the Democratic governor of my original home state (which has always been a little bit nuts) really opted in to Yoo’s Rationalization big time this week. She submitted a radical pro-illegal immigration bill to designate schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses as official “ICE-free zones,” which would have the effect of sharply (and I believe illegally) limiting where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can operate in the Bay State.
Healy’s bill would require ICE agents to obtain a judicial warrant before making civil immigration arrests in so-called “sensitive locations,” effectively placing some of the most common public spaces off-limits to routine federal enforcement. I.C.E. agents would have to obtain a judicial warrant before making civil immigration arrests in so-called “sensitive locations,” effectively placing some of the many public spaces off-limits to routine federal law enforcement. The bill would direct state agencies not to allow I.C.E. to use state-owned property for enforcement operations and restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. And the proposed legislation does not distinguish between non-violent illegal immigration cases and criminal offenders: apparently in the Bay State, any illegal immigrant is a Good Illegal Immigrant.
Why not start off the day with a humiliating confession? Nothing else has been working lately…
Back in May, I wrote about that ad above in which a goofy pitchman for the Allied Injury Group nicked or squashed a couple of legal ethics rules in the course of exactly the kind of lawyer advertising the profession was afraid would result when it had to eliminate the unconstitutional ban on the practice. It was a harsh post and should have been. I wrote in part,
“…the spokesperson calling himself “Your Favorite Attorney” is an actor, indeed a stand-up comic named Shaun Jones. All of the jurisdictions prohibit lawyer advertising in any form that is misleading or that includes false information. A sole practitioner can’t call her firm “X & Associates,” for example, if she’s the only lawyer in the firm. Putting a non-lawyer in front of a camera and calling having him call himself an attorney is an undeniable violation, and an intentional one… Jones also says that if the client doesn’t make money, “I” don’t make money. That is deceit. The firm will argue that the actor is only saying that if the firm doesn’t win its cases, the actor won’t get paid. But his statement is intended to refer to contingent fees for attorneys, and he isn’t one. “
Having done my duty to flag these hacks, I then proceeded to put the wrong law firm name in the headline! I have a typo and proofreading problem, as even casual visitors here know; I’ve gotten better, but the fact that these posts are usually written in fits and starts while I try to complete actual income-relating work [Thank you, by the way, to those of you who sent me generous contributions or gifts over the holidays, or kind words of encouragement that I appreciated just as much.] means that I sometimes miss glaring errors. That’s not an excuse. But it’s true.
This one was a doozy, made worse by my obstinate habit of proofing everything but the headlines. And so it was that The Allied Law Group, a distinguished and, based on my research, an impeccably professional and trustworthy firm that specializes in civil appellate law, media and First Amendment law, open government laws, regulatory litigation, legislation and general litigation, but not personal injury law, was unjustly and wrongly impugned.
That firm’s clients include lawyers, public interest groups, trade associations and media organizations. Their website is impressive and professional; I would even say, as one who is often asked to review the content of lawyer websites for ethics violations, exemplary.
So this was a really bad mistake on my part, and I could not be more sorry, embarrassed, contrite and remorseful. I apologize to the firm, its lawyers, its staff and clients. The post has been corrected, and let us never speak of it again.
I want to note that the firm attorney I spoke with was thoroughly civil, respectful, and, frankly, nicer than I might have been in a similar situation. She did not threaten me, as many lawyers are wont to do. She did inform me of the undeserved abuse that her firm has been getting—even death threats!—from people who have confused the firm with Allied Injury Group. People want to kill unethical lawyers now? I did not see that coming. I do have a hard time believing that anyone inclined to send death threats reads an ethics blog, but never mind: I accept responsibility for contributing to the confusion.
The Allied Law Group’s representative also didn’t make any demands during our conversation, because before she finished her second sentence I said: “I’ll fix that post immediately.” Nor did not instruct me to post this: I told her that I would compose an apology and get it up as soon as possible, because that’s my policy when I screw up.
Finally, I want to thank commenter Ric, who sent in a comment flagging the error last November. As Herman Kahn said, unlikely disasters occur when there’s a 1% confluence of bad management and bad luck. I try to read all reader comments. I missed that one.
A few final notes after a crappy day, culminating in a defamation suit threat:
1. Today DOJ released more than 3 million pages, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images from the Epstein files, after staff sorted through more than 6 million records. What a ridiculous waste of time and resources. Now the Axis will either claim that the Trump DOJ protected the boss by destroying those damning videos of Trump being covered in Bosco and licked clean by a bevy of 13-year-olds, or it will scream about rumors, hearsay, and unsubstantiated accusations that have no evidentiary value. The latter has already started; “Woman Told FBI Trump Abused Her at 13, Epstein Files Reveal,” is the “bombshell” headline at the gutter-dwelling Daily Beast. This was one of many uncorroborated tips, with no names attached and no way to investigate further. But, of course, they must be true, because Trump. Remember, the Biden Justice Department had four years to release all this, but was too busy concocting other ways to put Donald Trump in jail. lest he win the election.
2. This is the kind of legal accountability our Leftist states think is appropriate, at least when the miscreants are “of color.” District Court Judge Angel Kelley said, in sentencing Monica Cannon-Grant, a non-profit fraudster, “Ms. Cannon-Grant’s actions were crimes of greed and opportunity but will not go unpunished thanks to the law enforcement community, who have dedicated their mission to uncovering and putting an end to such devious schemes. This case illustrates that anyone who defrauds state programs and exploits their position in the community, will be held accountable for their actions.” Then she pronounced a slap on the wrist: four years’ probation, with six months of home detention and 100 hours of community service. Cannon-Grant was also ordered to pay restitution of $106,003 as well as forfeiture of an amount to be decided at a later date.
Once again, I was torn what to use to introduce a post. This choice was especially tough. You see, AI-produced fake conjoined twins Valeria and Camila are gaining the status of web “influencers” despite the fact that they don’t exist. The only possible explanation for why anyone, never mind 280,000 (and rising) followers, would care what this imaginary creature would have to say is that two heads are better than one…but that only applies if they are real heads.
Their (wait…what are their pronouns?) Instagram page tells you they are digital creations not real people but apparently that doesn’t matter to their fans. The fans seem to like being lied to. “Our spines were dangerously fused together, so we had to undergo several surgeries and operations throughout our lives after birth, and that’s why we have these beautiful scars,” Valeria and Camila revealed in one post.
It’s too bad Doublemint gum doesn’t have TV ads these days.
Oh, I almost forgot. The losing nomination to kick-off this post? This old stand-by, from Sheriff Bart and the Waco Kid, which applies exactly to anyone who would spend more than a nanosecond paying attention to the musings of imaginary—but sexy!— freaks:
Among the dozens of immediately likes, “hearts” and LOL emogis, right at the top, was the name of a long-time dear friend, usually wise, kind, and rational, a religious woman who believes in the Golden Rule. But she is hopelessly Trump Deranged, so all of those qualities go AWOL when the President is the topic.
I thought a lot of the attacks on Michelle Obama from the Right were vicious and indefensible, but her conduct was being criticized on its own terms rather than simply consisting or contempt for having the bad taste to marry Barack. Michell also kicked the bees nest more than any previous First Lady and had more than her share of well-earned ridicule…
….but no First Lady has ever been savaged like Melania. (Rachel Jackson’s treatment by her husband’s opponents was the closest.)
If she were not a public figure, a public statement that Melania was a sex worker would be per se defamation. But she’s the President’s wife, and apparently even to good Christians when they are Trump Deranged, Melania is fair game, just as David Letterman (who is scum, in case you have forgotten) thought it appropriate to suggest on national television in 2009 that Sarah Palin’s 14-year-old daughter had sexual relations with Alex Rodriguez, the Yankee All-Star steroid cheat.
[ I rate that meme as “mostly true.” There were no sanctuary cities and states arrayed against Obama. His I.C.E. operations were not as sweeping, but that’s because his predecessor hadn’t deliberately stopped enforcing immigration laws. Obama and Trump both employed Tom Homan to oversee I.C.E. operations, something the Axis media notes as seldom as possible.]
I have rarely made one of my replies to commenters a “Comment of the Day,” and I’m not about to today but one of my long retorts this morning made me realize how absolutely tangential and non-substantive the arguments being made by the Mad Left to support defunding or metaphorically castrating I.C.E are. I challenged an intrepid and respected commenter to justify the dishonest and misleading lyrics sung by a Bruce Spingsteen wannabe, genuinely hoping that he could enlighten me.
But the esteemed Democrat contrarian had nothing; just repurposed “Off the pigs!” and “Fry ’em like bacon!” -inspired stuff, as I suspected. When you begin an inquiry having already decided that one side is evil because, you know, they just are, it does not tend to generate an objective analysis. (The exchange is here.)
Notably absent from the courageous response was a feasible suggestion of a better policy to effectively and quickly remove millions and millions of illegal aliens from our land. Without that, the clear message is, “Ha Ha! We opened the borders, and now there’s nothing you can do about it with being compared to the Nazis hunting down the Frank family!”
I’ll be happy to see lively inquiries today on other topics, of course.
Nah, I don’t want to post the song itself because it’s hacky crap and sloppy virtue signaling. I like Judy singing “Stormy Weather” better. That’s a classic.
The Boss seems might proud of himself for spitting out this junk in time to attract some hate-buying. “I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” the well over-the-hill pop star said. State terror! Funny, none of the states that aren’t proto-Confederate nullification fans, which is what “sanctuary” states and cities have been allowed to get away with for far too long, have experienced any “terror.’
Through the winter’s ice and cold Down Nicollet Avenue A city aflame fought fire and ice ‘Neath an occupier’s boots King Trump’s private army from the DHS Guns belted to their coats Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law Or so their story goes
[Verse 2] Against smoke and rubber bullets In the dawn’s early light Citizens stood for justice Their voices ringin’ through the night And there were bloody footprints Where mercy should have stood And two dead, left to die on snow-filled streets Alex Pretti and Renee Good
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Singing through the bloody mist We’ll take our stand for this land And the stranger in our midst Here in our home, they killed and roamed In the winter of ’26 We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Verse 3] Trump’s federal thugs beat up on His face and his chest Then we heard the gunshots And Alex Pretti lay in the snow dead Their claim was self-defense, sir Just don’t believe your eyes It’s our blood and bones And these whistles and phones Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Crying through the bloody mist We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Harmonica Solo]
[Verse 4] Now they say they’re here to uphold the law But they trample on our rights If your skin is black or brown, my friend You can be questioned or deported on sight In our chants of “ICE out now” Our city’s heart and soul persists Through broken glass and bloody tears On the streets of Minneapolis
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Singing through the bloody mist Here in our home, they killed and roamed In the winter of ’26 We’ll take our stand for this land And the stranger in our midst We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Outro] ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out
I don’t have the energy to bother deconstructing that doggerel. I do like the call for “mercy.” Sounds nice, yet completely meaningless in context. Mercy to illegals who are facing accountability? Mercy for the criminals who breached our borders? Mercy for militant protesters who are breaking the law and assaulting officers?
Maybe I should be merciful to poor Bruce. One of the most embarrassing things about folk singers was that their anthems were usually hysterical and revealed the singers as none-too-bright. Dylan stood out because he dealt in irony and self-reflection. But even Bob: “too many people have died”? Gee, that’s profound.
As I stated in the first installment, today I’m forced to post piecemeal what would normally be an ethics warm-up with 4-6 items.
2. I suggest that if Republicans are sick of the Axis “autocracy” trope, they should persuade the President to have his cabinet meeting feature less egregious boot-licking.
The first Cabinet meeting of 2026 was just partially broadcast, and like the previous 2025 installments, it was wall-to-wall happy-talk by Trump’s appointees, all telling everyone around the table and, of course, TV viewers how successful, bold and brilliant “this President” has been.
Yecchh.
This is neither credible, admirable, or professional. The ostentatious obsequiousness naturally raises questions: Are they afraid? Have they been ordered to act like lackeys? Why? Is the President’s ego so fragile and in need of affirmation that he has to be told how wonderful he is?
The revolting display reminds me of how the Politburo would stand and applaud when Stalin entered the room and everyone was afraid to stop because the first member who did was frequently shot. Eventually they had to install a bell to signal when the applause should commence and when it should cease.
I think the Cabinet’s sucking-up is insulting to Americans. I certainly am insulted by it. I am quite capable of deciding whether “this President” is doing a good job or not.
This is a strange day for me, so I’m forced to post piecemeal what would normally be an ethics warm-up with 4-6 items. Sorry.
1. I listed to “Border Czar” Tom Homan’s press conference in Minnesota. Those conservatives who were frantic that I.C.E. was going to stand down in the state, representing a Trump surrender to a mob and the unethical, inciting elected officials egging the mob on, were, of course, wrong.
It would have been nice if he had acknowledged that some of the statements coming from Administration officials following the tragic deaths of two protesters interfering with I.C.E. operations were premature, inappropriate, and gratuitously inflammatory, but such a concession was strategically and diplomatically impossible, since he would have been criticizing his superiors.
Homan’s best moment was when a female reporter, her tone throbbing with anger and hostility, asked if, as she thought was what Trump had promised during the campaign, I.C.E. would focus only on illegal immigrants who had committed serious or violent crimes. That this would be a responsible policy is a persistent progressive delusion stemming from the “Good Illegal Immigrant” narrative, and Homan knocked the question out of the metaphorical park.
He said that if the government’s position became what the reporter was advocating, then it would be an invitation to those living anywhere in the world where conditions and opportunities are worse than in the U.S.—a.k.a. “everywhere”—to try to get into this country by any means necessary. That, he noted, was basically the message the Biden administration was sending for four disastrous years. Yes, the first priority of I.C.E. must be to apprehend the most violent and worst criminals among the illegal immigration population, but no illegal immigrants belong here regardless of when or why they arrived and what they have done since arriving. Sending a clear message that breaching our borders is forever sufficient to warrant deportation is a crucial element of border security.
1. (a) It’s more than annoying that Homan is such a mushmouth. I suppose he can’t help it, but the man is only marginally more understandable than Gabby Johnson (“Rarit!”) in “Blazing Saddles.” Being able to communicate clearly is an element of professional competence. The substance of Homan’s presentation was excellent, but there were whole sentences I couldn’t translate at all.
I admit it: I have been occasionally engaging with these lunatics off my own Facebook page, when I don’t know the miscreant and there is little chance of insulting or upsetting someone I care about even a little bit. Pointless and futile, of course, except that it gets some pent up disgust and frustration out of my system.
I didn’t bother responding to the jerk who posted that thing above. Clearly, she is beyond hope. Ethics Alarms is still seeking evidence that anyone west of the great ideological divide has posted something similar. I haven’t seen any, not one example. In contrast, many of my show-biz and academic friends have posted virtually the same message: “If you voted for President Trump or supporthim, get out of my life. I hate you.”
In my continuing quest for symptoms of Trump Derangement to shake in the faces of those, including some commenters, who say the diagnosis is just an ad hominem attack and not based on substance, I find these social media posts especially persuasive that some kind of mental break is responsible. To use one of the Trump Deranged’s favorite refrains in a correct context for once, this “isn’t normal.”
There was much discussion during the respective administrations about “Clinton Derangement,” “Bush Derangement” and “Obama Derangement,” yet I never heard or read anyone suffering from those alleged emotional handicaps announce, “If you support this President or voted for him, you are evil and I want no contact with you, forever.” Literally and historically, no President in our history justified that attitude. Someone who would write, say, or even think that is, to use the kind of metaphor that once got me sued here for defamation, a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Proportion? Respect? Empathy? Fairness? Restraint? The Golden Rule?
Bueller? Hello? McFly?
My next job will be to identify what causes this unique brain dysfunction. CNN and MSNBC? Falling IQs? Social media itself? Advocacy journalism? Educational indoctrination? Wet markets? “Gain of function” research? The C.I.A.? Fluoride?
Whatever it is, I believe it is important to identify the cause and fix the problem, as I hope that the cure won’t require deprogramming. Meanwhile, I find myself less and less inclined to regard “Nah, there’s no such thing as Trump Derangement!” as a legitimate or supportable position.
Ethics Alarms 