By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) shares a fundraising letter with fellow Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver of New Jersey, boosting the latter’s defense in a federal case charging her with “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers” in an immigration policy protest at Delaney Hall detention center in Newark.
On Nov. 10, U.S. District Court Judge Jamel Semper declined to dismiss the case, ruling that “no genuine purpose was advanced by Defendant’s alleged conduct.” McIver had contended that in seeking to prevent the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka , she was engaged in congressional oversight of a federal facility in her district.
In the fundraising letter, McIver commented, “The Trump administration is trying to intimidate me, go after me for doing my job and drain me of my resources. They’ve made it clear they want to see this through, and because of their meritless charges, I’m facing up to 17 years in prison. … As we look at what next steps we should take to win against Trump and his cruel administration in court, I need your help. Will you split a donation between me and Sara Jacobs TODAY to boost my legal defense?”
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There is media speculation that New York City Controller Brad Lander will challenge Congressman Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th congressional district. Lander ran third in this year’s primary election for New York City mayor, behind the winner, Zohran Mamdani, and former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Lander had campaigned for Mamdani in the general election, but his hoped-for reward, appointment as Mamdani’s chief of staff, didn’t materialize. Lander belongs to the Progressive wing of the Democratic party, whereas Goldman is deemed a moderate.
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The renewed interest into the activities and well-placed political contacts of the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his now imprisoned girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was manifested on many news fronts, including:
–Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) said that a whistleblower reported Maxwell had concierge-style privileges at the minimum-security federal prison in Bryan, Texas. These included permission to use the exercise area outside of normal hours, customized meals, and time to train puppies to become service dogs. She was said to be working on a petition to President Donald Trump for commutation of her 20-year prison sentence. (Maxwell is the daughter of the late publishing magnate Robert Maxwell. She was brought up as an Anglican.)
–President Trump said he might back a primary opponent for his once-faithful ally, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) who has pressed Trump to back the release of the full Epstein files. A few hours later, Greene said her life had been threatened anonymously. “It really makes you wonder what is in those files and who and what country is putting so much pressure on him? I forgive him and I will pray for him to return to his original MAGA promises,” she said
–Saturday’s San Diego Union-Tribune carried a Bill Bramhill cartoon of a near-naked Trump trying to roll an Epstein boulder up a steep hill.
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Two Jewish U.S. Senators were also lampooned on the Saturday “Drawn & Quartered” feature page: In the wake of eight Democratic and Independent senators crossing over to the Republican side to vote for reopening the government without making provisions for improved health care, Randall Enos pictured a canine version of U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York in a doghouse labeled “Chuckie.” and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) was pictured by cartoonist David Horsey as saying “We needed to hold out until the Republicans did the right thing on healthcare” and a federal worker replying “And when, exactly, was hell gonna freeze over so that would actually happen?)
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Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for peace missions, reportedly will meet soon with Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, the New York Times reported on Friday. Sources said the meeting is intended to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the continued exchange of living Palestinian prisoners for dead Israelis held hostage by Hamas or its allies. The Times report was not confirmed by Administration officials.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia employed 430 drones and 18 missiles in overnight attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, killing six people and wounding 35 others in Kyiv, and killing 2 people and wounding 11 others in Odesa. Zelenskyy said the “specially calculated attack [early Friday morning was meant] to cause as much harm as possible to people and civilians.
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Mexico’s President Claudia Scheinbaum has agreed to have her country’s navy intercept vessels suspected of transporting illegal drugs to the United States instead of having the U.S. military attacking those ships off the Mexican coast. Meanwhile White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was among aides deliberating with President Trump on Friday whether to escalate the fight with Venezuela, which has seen the U.S. bomb 20 four-man boats alleged to be in the act of carrying drugs bound for the United States. The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs; Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were in the deliberations.
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U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Sean Lane indicated on Friday that he will approve the latest iteration of a deal between thousands of plaintiffs and the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma. Under the deal, the Sackler family members over 15 years would have to contribute up to $7 billion to compensate plaintiffs for injuries and deaths ascribed to their company’s manufacturing and distributing OxyContin.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.