24 Comments
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Stasia's avatar

Disturbingly sinister; the underworld which you uncover. Needs dismantling.

Ellie still in the mix in 26's avatar

Her involvement in this cult was known when she got the job. I distinctly remember reading about eating toenails. But the inmates are now in charge of the asylum, and anything goes, as long as enough money is involved.

Mark Morey's avatar

The Church of Scientology denies allegations much the same as those directed at Mr. Butler’s spiritual organization. Everybody in the current regime appears to be on speed dial to some crackpot “religious” group.

Stephen Brady's avatar

A lot of this is traceable back to the leader of a cabal who is remarkably corrupt, breathtakingly unintelligent, utterly amoral. It is going to take the largest turnout in history for the Midterms.

Pamela Tanton's avatar

Tulsi Gabbard, no matter what she belongs to, acts kind of like someone in a trance. That low low voice she uses is spooky. The staring… I’m glad she’s out of that position. But what is she up to now that she’s got so much info/intel? And also—she and Megan McCain are besties. I saw a weird interview someone did with Megan a while ago, who said, in a syrupy way, that Tulsi just wants peace. Heebie jeebies.

Candace's avatar

Always has looked strange.

Pamela Tanton's avatar

Always a strange vibe.

Dr. Robert Bloxom's avatar

That Gabbard didn't know exposing the undue influence of her personal guru was a problem, or knew and didn't care, reflects her boss's attitude.

Donald compromises national intelligence more than the ditzy Gabbard ever could because he put her in a job unsuited for her, as he continually does with other government positions in his quest for unconditional loyalty (another massive problem).

Debi's avatar

Thanks for laying this out so clearly, but for crying out loud - how did such a pack of stupid, psycho, hateful cretins manage to climb out of the primordial ooze filling their lairs under rocks to end up in the American GOP party running our country?

Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

On this very subject, I've been recommending Dana Milbank's THE DESTRUCTIONISTS: The 25-Year Crack-up of the Republican Party. He traces it to the rise of Newt Gingrich (who didn't come out of nowhere either). Too many people seem to think that Trump came out of nowhere. I remind them of the Republican "clown car" of 2016: a collection of mediocrities at best.

Joan P. Kitchen's avatar

Eating toenails??? They’re all crazy, including the Christian Nationalists.

Randy S. Eisenberg's avatar

When the first photos of her started surfacing I got a bad feeling for no discernible reason. And it’s not the Cruella DeVille hair, although in retrospect perhaps it was. Is. Whatever. I just want them all to go away. We all do.

Pam Becker's avatar

Within the Republican Party, substitute donald trump as the cult leader.

Candace's avatar

A disturbing commentary but not a surprise. David Berg. Sun Myung Moon. Manson. Jim Jones. These men troll for the vulnerable and susceptible and hook them. I am so grateful that we still have a free press.

Velovixen's avatar

When she was in the Hawai’i state legislature, she expressed anti-LGBTQ views. When she ran for Congress, she repudiated them and blamed them on the influence of her conservative father. Since leaving the Democratic Party, she is once again espousing opposition not only to same-sex marriage and other LGBT issues, but also to “gender ideology.”

Allison MacKay's avatar

And then there’s Epstein’s clandestine connections to all sorts of people who are not interested in transparency.

Mary Schweitzer's avatar

This might explain why she was gung ho for Bernie Sanders in 2016, then for Trump in 2020.

Linda Roberta Hibbs's avatar

Thank you for the article, Mary. This is totally sinister. I believe Tulsi Gabbard maybe a Russian asset? I asked Mr. Parnas about this he said it’s possible.

Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

Given her admiration for Putin, I wondered along those lines. This reporting adds a dimension that's consistent with that: her willingness to follow authoritarian-type men.