Welcome back to Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Let’s break down the latest news.
John Bolton Pleads Guilty in Classified Information Case….Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to one felony count of illegally retaining national security information, admitting in federal court that he unlawfully kept classified materials during his time in the administration. Bolton, who originally faced 18 charges related to the transmission and retention of sensitive defense information, acknowledged his conduct in court and apologized, saying, “I am, your honor.” As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to seek more than five years in prison, and Bolton also agreed to forfeit approximately $2.2 million, perform community service, and give up federal retirement benefits tied to his service. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28.
Common Sense Takeaway: 5 years in prison? $2.2 million? It’s just insane that there is more consequences for John Bolton than there is for a sitting president, who illegally retained MANY, MANY more documents. Where is the justice? Justice for some and not all is actually….injustice.
House Subpoenas Billionaire Leon Black in Epstein Probe After Closed-Door Testimony….House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued two subpoenas to billionaire financier Leon Black after Black walked out of a closed-door deposition tied to the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Lawmakers say Black refused to answer questions about nondisclosure agreements and financial arrangements connected to Epstein, prompting a subpoena requiring him to return for a formal deposition and produce related documents. The committee is examining whether Epstein played a role in structuring payments or agreements tied to Black’s more than $170 million in past dealings with the disgraced financier. Black’s attorney called the move a “political stunt,” while committee members from both parties defended the subpoenas as essential to understanding Epstein’s network and financial ties.
Common Sense Takeaway: If you don’t want to be transparent, it’s probably because you have something to hide. We should not let up on Epstein or the hundreds of billionaires who were accomplices in his activities. The fact that we still don’t know a single other American involved in this case is a complete and total travesty.
House Democrat Moves to Impeach Education Secretary Linda McMahon Over Effort to Dismantle Department of Education….Rep. Suzanne Bonamici introduced articles of impeachment against Education Secretary Linda McMahon, accusing her of attempting to unlawfully dismantle the Department of Education and transferring key functions to other federal agencies without congressional approval. Bonamici argues McMahon has “willfully and systematically” ignored the law, misled Congress, and exceeded her authority by shifting responsibilities to agencies like HHS and the Department of Justice as part of the Trump administration’s effort to scale back the department. McMahon dismissed the impeachment as political theater, saying Democrats are targeting efforts to “improve student outcomes and reduce bureaucracy,” while Republicans defended her actions as consistent with the administration’s education agenda.
Common Sense Takeaway: This is the energy Democrats need to have. Republicans did this to Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024, why shouldn’t we? Even if it’s bound to fail, it’s a symbol for the dangerous and unethical decisions they are making. What Linda McMahon has done to the Department of Education is an abomination.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back on Monday for more.
Happy birthday Ally 🎉