Buffalo Is Still Reeling From Racist Massacre

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) doesn't appear to know, and he likely hasn't seen whatever video, speech, or statement reporters want to ask him about.

For the past several weeks, as reporters peppered Johnson with questions about President Donald Trump's cognitive decline, violence at the hands of ICE and other federal agents, and even things said by members of his own caucus. He answered simply that he doesn't know and hasn't seen it, heard it or examined it.

A Religious News Service reporter caught Johnson in a fib, while others couldn't help but notice that Johnson doesn't seem to know anything about anything.

Asked about a pastor being shot in the face by a pepper round by federal agents, Johnson responded, “I can't comment on any of those instances. I haven't seen or heard any of those videos…Religious freedom does not extend and give you the right to get in the face of an ICE officer and assault them.”

"Note: I asked this question, and you’ll hear me say 'yes you have' here — because Johnson was already *directly asked* about one of these instances in one of earlier shutdown press conferences," said Jack Jenkins, national reporter for Religion News Service.

It comes after Johnson was leveled by Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" on Monday. He showed a clip of Johnson being asked about Trump's demand for $230 million from the DOJ for himself. Johnson said he hadn't spoken to Trump and didn't know any specifics.

"Uhhhh, I'm just f---ed up," Stewart said, mocking Johnson.

The day after the DOJ question, another reporter followed up, asking Johnson's opinion on it. The Speaker swore he wasn't trying to dodge the question: "I haven't had time to dig into the details."

Stewart mocked Johnson for claiming he had a lot to do, alleging it was only to cover up the investigation files surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. Republican members are out of Washington for another week, and Johnson is refusing to negotiate on the budget or healthcare. So, many people have questions about what exactly Johnson knows.

"Mike has never seen or heard of anything happening," posted CJ Fogler.

"When not appearing at a podium, does Mike Johnson go to his office, stand facing a corner and stick his fingers in his ears? The man never seems to have heard or seen anything ever," Broadway lawyer Michael Salerno questioned.

"More s--- Mike Johnson doesn’t know," said Mueller, She Wrote's Allison Gill on Bluesky.

"Can a reporter grow a pair and just say what we all are thinking already?" asked national security lawyer Bradley P. Moss. "He is deliberately refusing to look at information so he can remain ignorant. Pure and simple."

Even "Mother Jones" commented, "Mike Johnson, the perpetually unaware, strikes again."

"Has Mike Johnson ever considered holding his daily presser an hour later to give him time to read a paper?" influencer Schooley asked.

The teetering campaign of Maine oysterman Graham Platner to be the Democratic Party’s nominee to oppose Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) should she run for re-election in 2026 suffered another blow over the weekend.

According to a report from Axios’ Holly Otterbein on Monday, Kevin Brown, who took the place of departed former political director Genevieve McDonald on the Platner campaign, is bowing out after taking the job last Tuesday.

Brown, a longtime friend of the potential nominee for the U.S. Senate seat, issued a statement to Axios explaining, “Graham is a dear friend. I started this campaign Tuesday but found out Friday we have a baby on the way. Graham deserves someone who is 100% in on his race and we want to lean into this new experience as a family, so it was best we step back sooner than later so Graham can get the manager he deserves."

The political neophyte has been battered by revelations about his past for days after making a splash as a potential threat to Collins, whose seat is considered vulnerable because of Donald Trump’s unpopularity.

As Otterbien wrote, “It's the latest in a series of personnel shakeups for Platner's campaign, which was endorsed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) but has been thrown into turmoil because Platner made controversial social media posts in the past and had a tattoo that looked like a Nazi symbol.”

“The Democratic Senate primary in Maine has become a battle between the party establishment and its progressive wing. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is the top target for Senate Democrats in the 2026 midterms,” she added before pointing out the Gov. Janet Mills (D) jumped into the race last week, adding more turmoil to the closely-watched race.

You can read more here.

Progressive Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh spoke out against President Donald Trump's administration for prosecuting her after she participated in a protest against an immigration raid in her home state of Illinois.

The indictment, which was filed on Oct. 23, accuses Abughazaleh of one count of conspiracy and one count of forcibly impeding an officer. Abughazaleh told NBC News that she plans to self-surrender to authorities next Wednesday and described the incident as "political prosecution."

Abughazaleh joined Jon Lovett, a former Obama administration staffer, on a new episode of the "Pod Save America" podcast on Thursday, and further discussed the prosecution.

"It's scary. It's surreal, and it's also totally expected," she said. "This is what this administration does. They go after people who disagree with them, and this case is an attempt to criminalize protest, to criminalize freedom of speech, and to criminalize freedom of association."

"This is what authoritarians do," she added. "They try to find any excuse to punish their political enemies, to punish populations they deem as enemies. We've seen that a lot in how ICE is functioning."

Abughazaleh noted that the Trump administration has admitted to catching very few criminals during its immigration raids. She suggested that reveals something more sinister about the raids.

"That is one of the best examples to show that this has never been about crime," she said. "This has never even been about immigration. This is about securing and cementing power for the Trump administration."