Wertheimer Political Report, October 3, 2025
D21 NEWS
The statement said:
“We of course unequivocally reject political violence. But we won’t mince words. No president–Democrat or Republican–should have the power to punish nonprofit organizations he disagrees with. That is not about protecting Americans or defending the public interest. It is about using unchecked power to silence opposition and voices he disagrees with. That is un-American and flies in the face of the Constitution, including the First Amendment bar on targeting organizations for their advocacy.
“Political violence is unacceptable. But efforts by the president of the United States to defund, discredit, and dismantle nonprofit groups he simply disagrees with are reprehensible and dangerous—a violation of a fundamental freedom in America. This Administration is trying to bully people into silence but speaking out is, and has always been, our collective mission. We stand with those wrongly targeted and with each other. No exceptions.”
NATO for Nonprofits: Groups organize to band together if targeted by Trump
“Nonprofit groups with disparate missions are banding together in an alliance aimed at protecting one another if they become targets of President Donald Trump’s ire, people involved in the initiative said. Referring to the effort colloquially as a kind of “NATO for nonprofits,” the groups plan to rally behind an embattled nonprofit by offering strategic and legal support, issuing supportive statements and loaning staff who would help keep it afloat until the crisis passes.”
TRUMPWATCH 2.0
Heather Cox Richardson on Trump and Hegseth speeches to top military leaders
“In his speech, Hegseth reiterated his vision of a military based in what he calls the ‘warrior ethos.’ Ignoring the military’s mission of preventing wars through deterrence, its professional and highly educated officer corps, and its modern structure as a triumph of logistics, he told the military leaders that today was ‘the liberation of America’s warriors, in name, in deed and in authorities. You kill people and break things for a living. You are not politically correct and don’t necessarily belong always in polite society.'” – Letter from an American
It’s Time for the States to Start Investigating Trump
“States have the right—and the obligation—to investigate the Trump administration. And they don’t have to stop there. They can propose constitutional amendments, federal legislation, and state legislation. All this and more they ought to do because Trump’s second term is spiraling out of control.” – The Bulwark
US Supreme Court expands its ’emergency’ docket – and Trump’s power too
“Since Trump returned to office on January 20, the court has acted in 23 cases on an emergency basis involving his policies, siding with him fully or partially 21 times, with one case declared moot. In doing so, the court has expanded how it uses its emergency power, following at least six different legal paths to side with Trump, usually in decisions powered by the conservative justices, a Reuters analysis has found.” – Reuters
Trump Quietly Grants Defense Guarantee To Autocracy That Gave Him A Luxury Jet
“Just months after soliciting and receiving a $400 million luxury airliner for himself from Qatar, President Donald Trump has now quietly granted the oil-rich autocracy a NATO-like defense guarantee, promising a U.S. response if it is attacked.” – Huffington Post
Trust in Media at New Low of 28% in U.S.
“Americans’ confidence in the mass media has edged down to a new low, with just 28% expressing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. This is down from 31% last year and 40% five years ago.” – Gallup
We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown – Washington Post
Rank-and-file senators in both parties seek breakthrough on shutdown – The Hill
The Right Wanted a MAGA Pope. Let’s Check In on How That’s Going – Slate
VOTER SUPPRESSION, MONEY, & OTHER ELECTION THREATS
The Supreme Court Is Poised to Wreck Campaign Finance Laws Again – New Republic
What to Expect Next in the Trump Administration’s Strategy to Meddle with the Vote – Brennan Center for Justice
Talarico outraises Allred with massive fundraising haul to kick off Senate Democratic primary – Texas Tribune
Quotes of the Week
Retired US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Reagan appointee, in an interview with NPR’s Nina Totenberg, expressed his fear that “democracy is not guaranteed to survive.””We live in an era where reasoned, thoughtful, rational, respectful discourse has been replaced by antagonistic, confrontational conversation… It seems to me the idea of partisanship is becoming much more prevalent and more bitter. And my concern is that the court in its own opinions … has to be asked to moderate and become much more respectful.
U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, in an opinion found that “the President’s palpable misunderstanding that the government simply cannot seek retribution for speech he disdains poses a great threat to Americans’ freedom of speech.”
“Can you imagine a masked Marine? It is a matter of honor—and honor still matters. To us, masks are associated with cowardly desperados and the despised Ku Klux Klan. In all our history we have never tolerated an armed masked secret police. Carrying on in this fashion, ICE brings indelible obloquy to this administration and everyone who works in it.”
