Timeline Events

Fireworks CEO Provides $750K-$1M Gift After Trump Delays Tariffs

Phantom Fireworks CEO Bruce Zoldan met with Trump in May 2019 to lobby against tariffs on Chinese fireworks. Shortly after, Zoldan’s company provided an estimated $750,000-$1,000,000 in fireworks and services for Trump’s “Salute to America” July 4th event. The administration …

Facebook Removes 5.4 Billion Fake Accounts in 2019, Exposing Massive Bot Network Infrastructure

Facebook removes a staggering 5.4 billion fake accounts during 2019, revealing that automated bot networks spreading misinformation and fake engagement vastly outnumber real users. The massive bot infrastructure demonstrates how Facebook’s platform design incentivizes coordinated inauthentic …

Academic Studies Document PredPol's Racial Bias and Ineffectiveness

Multiple academic studies and internal police audits published in 2019 provide comprehensive evidence of PredPol’s racial bias and failure to demonstrate effectiveness, undermining the fundamental claims that have justified the technology’s widespread adoption.

An internal audit by the …

Federal Judge Sentences Russian Agent Maria Butina to 18 Months for Conspiracy to Infiltrate Conservative Movement

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan sentenced Maria Butina to 18 months in federal prison on April 26, 2019 for conspiring to act as a Russian agent without registering with the Justice Department. The sentencing took place in Washington, D.C. federal court. Butina had been in custody since her arrest …

Trump Declares Total War on Congressional Oversight: "We're Fighting All the Subpoenas"

President Donald Trump explicitly declares blanket resistance to congressional oversight, stating “We’re fighting all the subpoenas” and dismissing House Democrats as not “impartial people.” This systematic escalation represents an unprecedented challenge to legislative …

Trump Files Lawsuit to Block House Subpoena of Financial Records from Mazars USA

President Trump filed a federal lawsuit to block a House Oversight Committee subpoena seeking eight years of his financial records from accounting firm Mazars USA, challenging Congress’s investigative authority. The lawsuit sought to prevent the release of tax returns and financial statements, …

Trump Administration Claims Absolute Immunity from Congressional Oversight, Systematically Accelerating WHIG Constitutional Crisis Precedent

President Trump and White House Counsel Pat Cipollone declare ‘absolute immunity’ from all congressional oversight, systematically implementing and accelerating WHIG-established constitutional crisis precedents for executive branch bypass of legislative authority. The …

Mueller Report Released - 448 Pages Documenting Russian Interference and Obstruction Episodes

The Department of Justice released Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 448-page Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, the culmination of a 22-month investigation that issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and …

Mueller Report finds 140+ contacts between Trump campaign and Russians

The Mueller Report documented at least 140 contacts between Trump and 18 associates with Russian nationals and WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign and transition. The report found Russian interference was “sweeping and systematic” and violated U.S. criminal law. While establishing …

Trump Vetoes Bipartisan Resolution to End U.S. Support for Saudi War in Yemen, Protecting MBS After Khashoggi Murder

On April 16, 2019, President Trump vetoes S.J. Res. 7, a bipartisan congressional resolution invoking the War Powers Resolution to end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The veto protects Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman six months after the CIA concluded with high confidence that …

Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Refuses Congressional Demand for Trump Tax Returns

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defied a congressional request by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, refusing to provide six years of President Trump’s tax returns. Mnuchin claimed the request ’lacks a legitimate legislative purpose’, marking an unprecedented …

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt Confirmed Despite Extensive Conflicts from Oil and Gas Lobbying Career

The Senate confirmed David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary on April 11, 2019, by a vote of 56 to 41 despite extensive conflicts of interest from his career as an oil and gas lobbyist. A Center for American Progress analysis determined Bernhardt had the dubious distinction of being the most …

David Bernhardt Confirmed as Interior Secretary Despite 27 Conflicts of Interest

Senate confirmed David Bernhardt as Interior Secretary despite him having the most conflicts of interest of any Trump Cabinet nominee - 27 former clients and employers actively lobbying the Interior Department. A former oil and gas lobbyist, Bernhardt had so many potential conflicts he literally …

Trump Claims Absolute Immunity from Congressional Oversight

The Trump administration claimed ‘absolute immunity’ to block all congressional oversight, with White House Counsel Pat Cipollone declaring Congress had no ’legitimate legislative purpose’ for investigations. Don McGahn defied House subpoenas despite federal judges ruling …

HUD Inspector General Finds Ben Carson Violated Ethics Rules by Involving Son in Official Business

The HUD Office of Inspector General investigated allegations that Secretary Benjamin Carson used his office for the personal benefit of his son, Benjamin Carson Jr., a federal contractor, by allowing him to participate in official Department matters including a June 2017 HUD “listening …

Attorney General Barr Releases Misleading 4-Page Summary of Mueller Report

Attorney General William Barr released a four-page letter to Congress purporting to summarize the 448-page Mueller Report’s “principal conclusions” just 48 hours after receiving it. Barr’s summary fundamentally mischaracterized the report’s findings on obstruction of …

Christchurch Mosque Massacre: 8chan-Radicalized Terrorist Kills 51, Live-Streams Attack

On March 15, 2019, a white nationalist terrorist killed 51 people and wounded 40 others in attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the first major mass casualty event demonstrating 8chan’s radicalization infrastructure producing real-world terrorism. The shooter announced his …

FAA Finally Grounds 737 MAX After 51 Other Countries Act First, Exposing Regulatory Capture

The Federal Aviation Administration finally grounded the Boeing 737 MAX on March 13, 2019, three days after the Ethiopian Airlines crash and only after 51 other countries had already banned the aircraft. China acted first on March 11, followed by Indonesia, Singapore, India, the European Union, …

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Crashes Due to MCAS Malfunction, Killing All 157 Aboard

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 people aboard from 35 countries. The crash was caused by the same MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) malfunction that downed Lion Air Flight 610 five …

Paul Manafort Sentenced to Combined 7.5 Years in Federal Prison, Longest Mueller Investigation Sentence

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort received a combined sentence of 7.5 years (90 months) in federal prison across two separate criminal cases stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, representing the longest prison term imposed on any defendant in the Mueller …

During Sprint merger review, T-Mobile executives spent ~$195,000 at Trump's D.C. hotel

While seeking federal approval of the T-Mobile–Sprint merger, T-Mobile executives sharply increased spending at Trump International Hotel in Washington—about $195,000 on rooms, meeting space, and services—according to company letters and reporting. The company said the stays did not affect the …

Federal Judge Rules Epstein Plea Deal Violated Crime Victims' Rights Act

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra rules that federal prosecutors violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by failing to inform victims about the 2008 non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein. The ruling found that prosecutors deliberately concealed the agreement from victims and their …

YouTube Pedophile Ring Enabled by Recommendation Algorithm Exposed by Matt Watson

On February 17, 2019, YouTuber Matt Watson published a viral investigation exposing how YouTube’s recommendation algorithm facilitated what he called a “wormhole into a soft-core pedophile ring”—systematically clustering videos of minors and serving them to predators while …

William Barr Confirmation as Attorney General Enables Systematic DOJ Politicization Using WHIG Template for Crisis-Accelerated Institutional Capture

William Barr’s confirmation as Attorney General represents the systematic implementation of WHIG template for crisis-accelerated institutional capture, transforming the Department of Justice from independent law enforcement into executive political weapon for constitutional crisis …

Northrop Grumman Pays $5.2 Million for Fraudulent USPS Contract Labor Billing

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation agreed to pay $5.2 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it fraudulently billed the United States Postal Service for personnel who lacked the required education and experience qualifications specified in their contract labor categories. The …

Trump Overrides 25+ Security Clearance Denials for Family and Allies

President Trump overrode security clearance denials for at least 25 individuals including Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, despite FBI and CIA objections citing foreign influence, conflicts of interest, personal conduct, financial problems, and drug use. Kushner’s clearance was denied due to …

Erik Prince's Frontier Services Group Announces Xinjiang Training Facility Amid Uyghur Detention Campaign

Frontier Services Group announced plans to build a training facility in Xinjiang province, the western Chinese region where as many as 1 million Uyghur Muslims had been placed in extrajudicial detention camps under comprehensive surveillance. FSG’s Chinese website posted a statement saying the …

HHS Inspector General Reveals Thousands More Children Separated Than Disclosed

A damning report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General revealed on January 17, 2019 that the Trump administration had separated thousands more children from their parents than previously disclosed, beginning as early as summer 2017—nearly a year before the …

Pam Bondi Joins Ballard Partners as Lobbyist, Monetizing Government Connections

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi joined Ballard Partners, the powerful Trump-connected lobbying firm, as chairwoman of the Corporate Regulatory Compliance practice immediately after leaving office in January 2019. Over the next five years, Bondi would lobby on behalf of more than 30 clients …

The Intercept reveals Ring employees in Ukraine had unfettered access to customer video feeds

The Intercept published an investigation on January 10, 2019 revealing that beginning in 2016, Ring provided its Ukraine-based research and development team with virtually unfettered access to a folder on Amazon’s S3 cloud storage service containing every video created by every Ring camera …

Vance Returns to Ohio, Launches Narya Capital

J.D. Vance returns to Ohio and co-founds Narya Capital venture firm with $93 million in capital, backed by Peter Thiel, Eric Schmidt, Marc Andreessen, and Scott Dorsey. The firm focuses on investing in startups in under-served cities across fields of science and advanced technology.

Vance Returns to Ohio, Launches Narya Capital

J.D. Vance returns to Ohio and co-founds Narya Capital venture firm with $93 million initial funding, backed by Peter Thiel, Eric Schmidt, and other Silicon Valley elites. This strategic move positioned Vance for a future political career while leveraging his connections with tech billionaires. The …

Peter Thiel Backs J.D. Vance's $93 Million Narya Capital Venture Fund

Peter Thiel becomes anchor investor in J.D. Vance’s new venture capital firm Narya Capital, which raises $93 million. Fund focuses on investments outside Silicon Valley, particularly in Midwest, aligning with Vance’s populist branding while maintaining elite financial networks. …

Noem uses state aircraft for political events violating state law

Governor Kristi Noem used state airplanes to travel to political events hosted by organizations including the National Rifle Association and Republican Jewish Coalition, violating South Dakota law that bars state aircraft from being used for anything other than state business. Democratic lawmakers …

Intellexa Alliance Forms as "Star Alliance of Spyware" to Compete with NSO

The Intellexa Alliance is formed as a marketing consortium of mercenary surveillance vendors to compete against NSO Group and Verint. The alliance includes Nexa Technologies (formerly Amesys), WiSpear/Passitora Ltd., Cytrox, and Senpai Technologies. Former Israeli Defense Forces commander Tal Dilian …

ICE uses 230+ contracted detention facilities (2019); public lists undercount due to varied custody arrangements

Public dashboards and FOIA releases often show fewer sites than ICE’s full contracting footprint. GAO documented ‘over 230’ facilities for 72‑hour‑plus detention in FY2019. TRAC’s 2025 analysis shows ~181 authorized detention facilities and ~63k contractual capacity …

Trump Foundation Admits to Misusing Charity Funds, Agrees to Dissolve Under Court Supervision

The Donald J. Trump Foundation reached a settlement with the New York Attorney General agreeing to dissolve under court supervision and admitting to a pattern of illegal coordination with Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The stipulation filed in New York State Supreme Court required the …

New York Judge Orders Trump Foundation Dissolved, Assets Distributed to Charities

New York State Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla issued an order formally dissolving the Donald J. Trump Foundation and directing the distribution of its remaining $1.78 million in assets to eight legitimate charities under court and Attorney General supervision. The dissolution order came …

Judge Sullivan's Harsh Questioning of Flynn at Sentencing - "Arguably You Sold Your Country Out"

On December 18, 2018, federal Judge Emmet Sullivan delivered a scathing rebuke to Michael Flynn during what was scheduled to be his sentencing hearing, telling Trump’s former National Security Advisor “arguably you sold your country out” for working as an unregistered foreign agent …

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Resigns Facing 18 Federal Investigations

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke resigned while under at least 18 federal investigations for corruption, conflicts of interest, and ethics violations. Scandals included: involvement in a Montana land deal benefiting himself and Halliburton chairman, using wildfire funds for personal travel, chartered …

Maria Butina Pleads Guilty to Conspiring as Russian Agent, Admits Years-Long Clandestine Influence Scheme

Maria Butina pleaded guilty in federal court on December 13, 2018 to one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation without registering with the U.S. government, while the original charge of failing to register as a foreign agent was dropped. She became the first Russian …

University of Phoenix Enrollment Collapses 80% After Fraud Investigations - $191M FTC Settlement

The University of Phoenix’s enrollment collapsed from a peak of 470,000 students in 2010 to approximately 95,000 by fall 2018—an 80% decline—as federal and state investigations exposed systematic fraud including deceptive advertising that falsely promised job opportunities with major companies …

NYPD Begins Secret Trial of Clearview AI Facial Recognition Technology

The New York Police Department signed a nondisclosure agreement with Clearview AI on December 6, 2018, beginning a secret trial period that would run through March 6, 2019. The trial marked one of the first major law enforcement deployments of Clearview’s controversial facial recognition …

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty to Lying to Congress About Trump Tower Moscow Timeline

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and longtime fixer, pleaded guilty on November 29, 2018, to making false statements to Congress about the Trump Organization’s negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. This was Cohen’s second guilty plea in 2018 …

Georgia Purges 1.4 Million Voters Under Exact Match System

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office purged approximately 1.4 million voters from registration rolls between 2012-2018 using an ’exact match’ system that required perfect alignment between voter registration and DMV/Social Security records. Discrepancies as minor as a …

Trump Defends Saudi Arabia Despite CIA High-Confidence Finding MBS Ordered Khashoggi Murder - "Maybe He Did, Maybe He Didn't"

On November 20, 2018, President Trump issues an extraordinary written statement titled “Statement from President Donald J. Trump on Standing with Saudi Arabia” that explicitly rejects CIA findings and defends Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman despite the intelligence community’s …

Mexican Journalists Targeted with Pegasus Days After Colleague's Assassination

On May 15, 2017, award-winning Mexican journalist Javier Valdez Cárdenas, co-founder of the investigative outlet Río Doce and renowned for reporting on drug trafficking and organized crime in Sinaloa, is assassinated in broad daylight in Culiacán. Just two days later, on May 17, two of his …

Amazon Selects NYC and Arlington for HQ2—Extracting at Least $4.6 Billion in Subsidies

Amazon announced on November 13, 2018 that it would split its HQ2 project between Long Island City in Queens, New York and Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia (rebranded as “National Landing”). While Amazon claimed the combined subsidies totaled approximately $2.8 billion, analysis by …

Michigan Voters Approve Independent Redistricting Commission, Ending Partisan Gerrymandering

Michigan voters approve Proposal 2 with 61% support, amending the state constitution to create an independent redistricting commission that removes politicians from the line-drawing process. The grassroots “Voters Not Politicians” initiative directly responds to Michigan’s status …

Florida Voters Approve Amendment 4 Restoring Voting Rights to 1.4 Million with Felony Convictions

Florida voters approve Amendment 4 by 64.55%, automatically restoring voting rights to an estimated 1.4 million Floridians with past felony convictions who have completed their sentences. The constitutional amendment represents the largest expansion of voting rights in the United States since the …