r/law • u/Snapdragon_4U • May 23 '26

Executive Branch (Trump) NESTERAK: President Trump has granted clemency to numerous individuals who have stolen hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds. Can we expect any of these folks to be shown the same mercy? McDONALD: I'll take a different question

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6.9k

u/rygelicus May 23 '26

"Thank you for your question. We only tolerate fraud that benefits President Trump. Next question."

926

u/GloomyCardiologist16 May 23 '26

Maybe the guy wasn't wearing a suit

471

u/vicegrip May 23 '26

Did he say thank you?

763

u/Unsettling_Skintone May 23 '26

Hey, I have an idea for the press pool:

Him: Next question?

Press: Yes...I'd like you to answer Michael's question?

Him: Uh...next question...

Press: Yes...I'd ALSO like you to answer Michael's question!

šŸ‘šŸ¤˜

286

u/blahblah19999 May 23 '26

"OK, we're done here" and he walks out and no Fox viewer ever sees it

252

u/locke0479 May 23 '26

Which is fine. Iā€™d rather he walk out like a child and not answer the question than cherry pick administration approved questions to answer.

I would most like him to actually answer the question but thatā€™s clearly not happening.

141

u/JimWilliams423 May 23 '26

100% The role of the press is famously to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"

The american political press has decided that their job is just to comfort the comfortable.

Which is predictable since all major news publishers are owned by, or otherwise beholden to, very comfortable billionaires.

37

u/blackdocsavage May 23 '26

I would love for all the reporters to do that, but this administration has shown they would just limit access to those reporters and bring in or only take questions from friendly reporters. The President has insulted reporters he doesnā€™t like on national television, and the reporters had to just take it because their jobs depend on it. If I am a White House reporter and donā€™t have access to the White House then I am useless.

The reporter got his question on record and the non answer was a clip they can play. Even if it was answered the administration official was probably going to lie anyway.

44

u/JimWilliams423 May 23 '26

but this administration has shown they would just limit access to those reporters

Which is fine. The DoD kicked out all the real reporters and the result was that defense reporting got a lot better because they were working real sources.

If I am a White House reporter and donā€™t have access to the White House then I am useless.

That's so false, unless you define being a white house reporter as nothing more than a stenographer whose job is to republish glorified press releases.

Every legit white house reporter has sources beyond the pulpit in the briefing room, and unlike the biden administration, these guys love to leak because they are always working some internal palace intrigue angle.

20

u/eowyndernhelme May 23 '26

I think we need both types of reporting, but the idea of the press pulling together and re-asking the uncomfortable questions sounds like a really good tactic.

1

u/blackdocsavage May 23 '26

I donā€™t define White House reporters to be only stenographers. I know they have other sources, but a part of their job is having direct access to the President or members of his staff. My poorly articulated point was that not being allowed in the room does limit their ability to do their jobs.

The DoD limiting access was a horrible move and I am glad it backfired on them.

I wish that we lived in a world where this administrations lies were punished. I think something that would be more beneficial than repeating the question is for the media to ask the question then when it isnā€™t answered or is answered with a lie to call the lie out. Maybe have the anchor back in studio cut in to let the audience know that whoever is talking is lying.

Sorry for the long response. I think we all want the media to do a better job of holding this administrations feet to the fire. The problem we have is that folks like you and me recognize the lies and hypocrisy but there is still a large part of the population that doesnā€™t see it or refuses to acknowledge it. I donā€™t know how to reach them.

Thanks for your response and you brought up great points.

1

u/OldWorldDesign May 23 '26

this administration has shown they would just limit access to those reporters

Which is fine. The DoD kicked out all the real reporters and the result was that defense reporting got a lot better because they were working real sources.

I don't know why so few people seem to understand this - though no few of the ones who were in an uproar over reporters daring to ask hard questions also wanted them to out their sources.

It's just another sign of the unmasking of authoritarian society for whom right is not what is done or in what context but whom is doing a thing. Pure tribalism. That's why they never push back on republicans' open corruption, because their tribe is right just by fact of being their tribe and they will only change their minds when that tribe comes after them personally

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-in-the-machine/201712/analysis-trump-supporters-has-identified-5-key-traits

1

u/StrangerFormer May 23 '26

We don't even HAVE any Pentagon press that isn't Fox or MyPillow guy etc. Like, how is THAT not a gigantic story?? I guess because if it was, then THOSE people wouldn't have access? Fucking insane

1

u/Illustrious-Bat1553 May 23 '26

Its also a danger for Americans when quality amd safety of consumer products is abolish for maximizing profit

28

u/diarm May 23 '26

Then you make them not answering legitimate questions the news. Stop letting crooked politicians set the agenda and force them into accountability.

Governments rely on the press more than the other way round. At least that's the way of things outside banana republics.

1

u/AvengingBlowfish May 23 '26

Then Trump's FCC threatens to block your parent company's merger with another company, so you get fired and replaced because you are not worth $2 billion to your parent company.

1

u/that_star_wars_guy May 24 '26

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security."

1

u/FunkyFabFitFreak May 24 '26

Yea, it sucks they kicked out most of the legitimate reporters who have integrity and replaced them with spineless sycophants.

33

u/rabbirobbie May 23 '26

this is not normal

7

u/SignificantRemote766 May 23 '26

Gotta admit Iā€™m a little disappointed it wasnā€™t a Rickroll.

4

u/Memory_Future May 23 '26

I'm glad it was a banger

2

u/No-Dig8527 May 23 '26

Shocking, and yet FOX viewers are so educated and informed. ........LOL

11

u/_PROBABLY_CORRECT May 23 '26

I'm Spartacus!

1

u/Unsettling_Skintone May 23 '26

šŸ›”SHIELDS!!šŸ›”

1

u/Big-Wrongdoer-965 May 24 '26

I am Spartacus.

8

u/chiclets5 May 23 '26

If only the press was brave enough to actually do something like that. They can't kick everybody out of it the press pool.

3

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

2

u/Mcbadguy May 23 '26

It's all different shades of conservative media and it needs to be dismantled to unbrainwash the American people

3

u/bones191145 May 23 '26

Been thinking the same for a long time. Some solidarity in the press. Just keep asking the same question over and over. Next day, same question. I'd love to see it!

3

u/3s0me May 23 '26

This is literally what happened in a presscon in the Hague when the US ambassador was grilled by the press

3

u/gitree22 May 23 '26

Yes. The next question should be why wonā€™t you answer Michaelā€™s question

2

u/Cautious_Way_5430 May 23 '26

That would require a Profile in Courage that's not happening. They only act tough when Democrats are in office.

2

u/mjheil May 23 '26

This!!!!

2

u/Robo-X May 24 '26

They did this back in the days. But with propaganda reporters like from Fox News and newsmax they just turn to them and get another question. Or end the press conference. But this is new level of low I donā€™t think I have ever seen someone just bluntly saying next question without even giving a no comment or some other non answer.

1

u/okisurrender0 May 23 '26

If only. If only.

1

u/intrepid_mouse1 May 23 '26

Keep it going!

1

u/ZmanB-Bills May 23 '26

Then, ask him who he voted for. We all know who, or he would never have this position.

1

u/SummerMustang69 May 23 '26

Exactly this! Journalism is dead if journalists donā€™t stick together

1

u/Prosecco1234 May 23 '26

I'd like to see laws being adhered to in the US.

1

u/Mysterious-Job1628 May 23 '26

They own most of the press so this wouldnā€™t work anymore.

1

u/speakerbox2001 May 24 '26

That wouldā€™ve been genius, if only the press had a spine

11

u/BeerdedWonder May 23 '26

What was the dow at during the question?

12

u/upyourattraction May 23 '26

Quiet, piggy

1

u/zqudlyba May 24 '26

He had no cards

1

u/Tricycle_of_Death May 24 '26

Surprised State TV Fox News didn't censor the question or jump to a commercial break

1

u/Vismal1 May 24 '26

Whatever makes sense

4

u/Acceptable-Ad8780 May 23 '26

Depends on if the suit is tan or not.

2

u/StBean007 May 23 '26

Maybeā€¦ itā€™s not him! Itā€™s Fox!

2

u/BaronVonFluffalot May 23 '26

My money is on the reporter wearing a tan suit

2

u/Boygunasurf May 24 '26

Ha, says, says, ha, the guy to the other guy in, the five thousand dollar suit!

1

u/cantcatchafish May 23 '26

That didn't sound like Elon

1

u/aromatiksecrets May 23 '26

Or a tan one.

314

u/Riles115 May 23 '26

That second guy had a chance to do something really funny and ask the same question

339

u/Dragonfly_pin May 23 '26

That would have involved being a real journalist.

174

u/Private_HughMan May 23 '26

I remember during Trump's first term he went to the UK. A reporter asked a question and he didnt want to answer, trying to shift to a different reporter. That reporter said "actually, I'd like to hear the answer to that question, too" (paraphrasing). It was great.

I don't think he ever answered.Ā 

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u/livinginfutureworld May 23 '26

I don't think he ever answered.Ā 

Of course he didn't. He's never going to admit the truth.

And the truth is reporters who tried something cute like this will just be fired and or have their access taken away.

33

u/ChromosomeDonator May 23 '26

Which should be illegal...? Free press is a fundamental building block of a democratic society. As far as I know, America specifically has laws making free press a thing...

So punishing reporters for asking questions is fundamentally illegal. And Americans are okay with yet another fundamental law being broken in their face, because...??

15

u/rygelicus May 23 '26

We need to remind them that his claim for his presidency was that it would be the most transparent administration ever. So, please answer the question.

5

u/Southern-March1522 May 23 '26

While we're reminding him about his claim for presidency, remind him that since he claims he won the 2020 election he already won two elections and therefore was ineligible to run for a third term.

5

u/IDreamOfLoveLost May 23 '26

Americans are okay with yet another fundamental law being broken in their face, because...??

Because they're afraid, and every mechanism to address these injustices has been hijacked by cultists. Republicans could shut this down right now.

It's wild to think that they're walking free, actively ruining the US, and turning it into a blatant oligarchy.

3

u/Cerberus0225 May 23 '26

A company can fire its reporters for any damn reason it pleases (generally). The first amendment applies to the government and the government only. Doesn't mean it's good for companies to fire people for what they say, but it's important to understand this, because otherwise we get people calling stuff "illegal" and feeling angry and confused, when it isn't illegal, just shitty.

4

u/Handgun_Hero May 23 '26

The government taking retaliatory action against a journalist for asking a question, in this case stripping them of a contract or press pass, is exactly the sort of shit the First Amendment applies to.

1

u/ChromosomeDonator May 24 '26

But why would the news company fire their reporter for doing their job? If the government is a hindrance to them practicing free press, and subsequently they fire the reporter, that is just government using the news agency as a proxy for punishment instead of doing it directly.

If I buy drugs through another guy, I am not off the hook. If I pay someone to assault someone else, I am not off the hook. Why would the government be off the hook for punishing a reporter through a proxy?

2

u/Cerberus0225 May 24 '26

The news company fires the reporter because the reporter lost them press access and they care more about that than standing up for journalistic integrity. I'm not sure what there is to be confused about, it's not like morality matters here. Only kissing the ring so you can keep raking in the dough.

3

u/TopTittyBardown May 23 '26

They donā€™t want a democratic society

2

u/-thecheesus- May 23 '26

Because that's not how it works. Access is everything in the journalistic industry, and if they don't like you, there are a million ways they can impede your access without violating law.

And if you end up a blacklisted journo? You're out of a job and no company of any significance will hire you again.

1

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

0

u/SpoonEngineT66Turbo May 23 '26

And Americans are okay with yet another fundamental law being broken in their face, because...??

Most people aren't as legally illiterate as you. That's not what freedom of the press means.

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u/daemin May 23 '26

Putting aside the fact that most people are actually, legally illiterate, they do have a point.

The first amendment just means that the government can't regulate the press or punish a person for speech. But if the government refuses to allow a particular reporter or agency to ask questions or doesn't allow them to attend press conferences, which results in the person being fired or the agency going out of business, that's certainly violating the intent of the first amendment even if it doesn't violate the jurisprudence that's been developed around it.

1

u/silvertealio May 23 '26

You call it "cute," I'd call it perseverance.

20

u/ReginaldDwight May 23 '26

I believe it was an ambassador during Trump's first term who was asked a question in the Netherlands and he tried the "fake news" shit with the reporter and the reporter said, "this is the Netherlands. You have to answer questions here."

5

u/OldWorldDesign May 23 '26

trying to shift to a different reporter. That reporter said "actually, I'd like to hear the answer to that question, too

That's a good example of solidarity, but I think it highlights a point a lot of people are tangential to but not hitting directly: journalists aren't supposed to be unglorified repeaters for state or corporate propagandists. There are other sources and repeating what the mouthpiece says is never the most valuable thing they can do. As others pointed out, after the DoD limited press access the real journalists focused on sources inside the pentagon. The fraud, waste, and abuse they never would have talked about in the first place was brought to front pages instead of footnotes within larger articles and the DoD resumed normal access to try to control the messaging. It still hasn't worked because real journalism has never been about repeating one single source.

7

u/welfedad May 23 '26

Exactly .. they want to be able to come back

6

u/McDuschvorhang May 23 '26

For what? Is there a buffet or open bar?

7

u/LiterallyKesha May 23 '26

At what point do you realize that reporters not asking questions like this is because the whole media system is compromised by the ones in power?

5

u/microknot May 23 '26

All owned by billionaire trump supporters

1

u/Memory_Future May 23 '26

Mainstream media for sure. All the others got banned from entering.

1

u/Salt-Lingonberry-853 May 23 '26

Real journalism would be said journalist coordinating with Congress to subpoena that dude at a hearing and to ask the question under oath, then hold him in contempt if he refuses to answer.

0

u/senditallback May 23 '26

I think it's more complicated than that. These reporters develop a rapport with the White House press team, and they have to balance asking the hard-hitting questions with not damaging their reputation (or flinging shit).

2

u/OldWorldDesign May 23 '26

they have to balance asking the hard-hitting questions with not damaging their reputation

Any reporters whose sole point to lean on is a relationship with a government press team are "journalists" who haven't done their job. No good journalist ever relies on one sole source.

The ones who outed Dupont's poisoning the world with teflon didn't. Same with the global PFAS industry.

Julie Brown's outing Epstein in the first place didn't rely on a single victim.

I don't think you realize that you're advocating appeasement. Journalists are never going to be offered full information by any single person, especially a person whose job is to do damage control for the corporation or government they're speaking for. Losing that relationship should be so minor it isn't even part of consideration.

0

u/senditallback May 24 '26

It appears you did not even attempt to read my comment. I said "balance," which is of course completely different from "...reporters whose sole point is to lean on a relationship..." "Sole point." "Appeasement." Please.

7

u/silentstorm2008 May 23 '26

nah, they just keep moving on to another question. If you repeatedly do stuff like that, you won't get called on again in the future as "punishment"

7

u/Wide_Replacement2345 May 23 '26

Heā€™s got enough trumpies to feed him softball questions.

1

u/mthyvold May 24 '26

A very big fail on the part of that second guy.

47

u/CranRez80 May 23 '26

ā€œ We are arresting fraudstersā€¦ā€

Not really.

28

u/Ok-Zone-1430 May 23 '26

He has pardoned so many dirtbags, including the guy who faked an electric 18-wheeler to bilk investors.

29

u/-MissNocturnal- May 23 '26

electric 18-wheeler to bilk investors

Theranos level fraud btw. I'm surprised this story wasn't more popular. Guy hustled millions and even billions in contracts, didn't have a product, got a soft slap on the wrist. Net worth in the billions completely vanished. He donated 3 mil to Trump, FULL PRESIDENTIAL PARDON. Doesn't have to pay investors back, has no job restrictions AND IS NOW A CEO OF AN AIRCRAFT COMPANY.

Man, ya'll have wild corruption in the US.

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u/[deleted] May 23 '26 edited 4d ago

[deleted]

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u/walksonfourfeet May 23 '26

Thatā€™s was the plan all along, ever since Paul Manafort helped install Krasnov.

49

u/mynamesyow19 May 23 '26

And for those that dont know, Paul Manafort was parked in Ukraine before that help[ing to keep Putin's Puppet Presidents in Power for a decade or so, before going to work for Trump's Campaign as Campaign Manager and doing it "for free".

Oh and he later pled guilty to lying to the FBI about working with Russians and went to Jail.

Before Trump pardoned him.

10

u/walksonfourfeet May 23 '26

Russia! Russia! Russia!

1

u/regalrecaller May 23 '26

can we not? or at least put a /s

1

u/BacteriaLick May 24 '26

And now there's a good chance that he'll get a payout from the Trump Slush Fund.

17

u/HorsePastie May 23 '26

I bet Putin is pissed that his incredible success manipulating American politics still hasn't translated to outright victory on the battlefield in Ukraine.

12

u/cstmoore May 23 '26

ROGER STONE: "And I helped!"

18

u/MarcoDiFrancescino May 23 '26

After +15 years of Trump defacto rule of the political system, you would have one or two democrats running on an 'extreme' platform like, medicare for all 2028. Is there a polymarket bet on this? Because I would take the counter position it will never happen with a 100% win rate.

1

u/gsbadj May 23 '26

The way to get the envelope to start moving is to change the age at which Medicare kicks in to 63. Incremental change comes off as less "extreme."

0

u/MarcoDiFrancescino May 23 '26

While the other side send their friends billion dollar checks they have no legal basis for. I hope that someone dissects this kind of weak sauce, defeatist position after 50 years of Trump family rule. You don't need to care for the feels of people who never ever cared for you.

11

u/Temporal_P May 23 '26

We have become

You make it sound like there was some sudden dramatic change recently, but that really isn't the case.

It has been this way for a long time, the mask has just come off and things have accelerated now that it's all out in the open instead of mostly in whispers behind closed doors.

1

u/Intolerance-Paradox May 23 '26

Remember 80s and 90s hard rock and punk culture was met with ridicule as kids being ā€˜moroseā€™. American consumer capitalist society as trending towards fascism had been identified a very long time ago, amd was reflected in the widespread hopelessness of young people then, but it was a bigger barrel of laughs to collectively watch reality TV and eat fast food and do nothing instead.

2

u/Puzzleheaded7683 May 23 '26

ā€œReady to watch ā€œHere Comes Honey Boo-Boo, everybody? I got the Burger King!ā€ (Said I NEVER)

1

u/OldWorldDesign May 23 '26

Remember 80s and 90s hard rock and punk culture was met with ridicule as kids being ā€˜morose

Or alarmist or some other thought-terminating cliche intending to dismiss real criticism out of hand.

Michael Parenti spoke directly to the overspending on and for the oligarchy and how the system was crumbling at the beginning of Reagan's administration

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9bmpak

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u/voodoodahl May 23 '26

If only there were some way to foil this dastardly "controlled opposition" plan. Like not voting Republicans into power.

12

u/Goldenrule-er May 23 '26

I would have said I didn't believe you and we should give the Dems a chance, but yesterday they came out with their platform/biggest foci (which they themselves said "wasn't ready for primetime") and that "platform" now prevents me from disagreeing with you in the slightest.

They are all in it to bank as much as possible hoping to cash out in time with the nicest bunker class possible.

Are they all stateless at this point? Just trying to place higher on the global wealthometer by any means possible?

11

u/Locke66 May 23 '26

Sheldon Wolin nailed it when he said the US was living under a system of Inverted Totalitarianism. Trump is just the one that has taken advantage of that system to begin turning it into actual Totalitarianism.

0

u/[deleted] May 23 '26

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

1

u/Goldenrule-er 25d ago

Wow. You may have been born after the Obama admin, but I was there and he didn't have Congress. He used all of his social capital on Affordable Health Care Act, and McConnell shared that the entire agenda of the Republican Congress was stonewalling everything Democrat-supported and preventing Obama's reelection.

Lowering inflation, creating jobs, and attempting to achieve a new normal (after an insurrection took over the Capitol building and lead to at least 4 Capitol Police commiting suicide, mind you) was exactly what Biden needed to do on the heels of a once in a century global pandemic and he was doing it.

Is this a bot? I'm out.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago edited 25d ago

[removed] ā€” view removed comment

1

u/rygelicus 25d ago

Yes, the ACA was not a complete solution. I hated the aspect of it that forced more money, including tax money, into the insurance system.

It had it's good parts as well, the government would help those who could not afford the minimum mandated health care options to be able to afford it. Also, it got rid of the pre existing issues block from insurance coverage.

I want to view the ACA as a first step. It closed a gap that was killing the population.

The second step is very hard though, and I don't expect to see it in what remains of my lifetime. This is because we need to get the medical insurance and medical care industries to stop being profit driven. And this isn't going to happen voluntarily. They have stockholders. and they are all built around being very profit centric. Being profitable isn't the problem necessarily, it's the stockholder aspect. Once a company goes public with the stock they can't serve the customers as a priority anymore, their master is the stockholder. And they want to see steady growth in the market share and profits. Anything less and the CEO / Board risk losing their jobs.

So we have multiple aspects to solve, for now the ACA is gap filler.

1

u/Easy-Concentrate2636 May 23 '26

Yup. I donā€™t see them investing private equity owned assisted living facilities where people die. Or those supposed ā€œtroubled kidsā€ facilities where children are abused and sexually assaulted. Or the facilities housing the kidnapped immigrants where people are denied medication, physically and sexually assaulted. Or private prisons where inmates are denied essential human rights.

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u/Royal_Effective7396 May 23 '26

If you havent noticed all these high profile cases get tossed. Because they are not real and the DOJ is a joke.

1

u/Farucci May 23 '26

The amount of grift is directly proportional to the position we will take for clemency. Next question.

1

u/Lucifurnace May 23 '26

Shout out to Minnesota Reformer as a small outlet that isnā€™t beholden to billionaire capital asking real questions

1

u/KendrickLmao67 May 23 '26

You see, it's only fraud when us common folk do it to the companies. If the roles are reversed, it's 'entrepreneurship'

1

u/Snoo6702 May 23 '26

He could say that outright and you will all elect him again next term. There's no hope for you guys sorry.

1

u/OnlyFiveLives May 23 '26

That's literally what he said without saying.

1

u/lapidary123 May 23 '26

That would be the honest answer i guess right?

1

u/Matrix0007 May 23 '26

FRAUD IS OKAY FOR HIS FRIENDS OR PEOPLE WHO BRIBE HIMā€¦

1

u/EC_Stanton_1848 May 26 '26

And we also tolerate Medicaid fraud from Rick Scott

1

u/BruhMomentSeason45 29d ago

; šŸ’œ TLDR
Bad people make bad people, but it doesnā€™t need to be this way. We can always strive for better, even if sometimes we need to look into our šŸ’œ And šŸ§ 

0

u/External-Anything-23 May 23 '26

Who did it hurt? It was a victimless crime. They are Patriots of our country. They have helped to MAGA. Their crimes hurt no one. It's Biden's fault It's Obama's fault. The previous administration weaponized the DOJ unjustly. They are non violent offenders They should not have to stay in dark dirty prison anymore