Comic Sands

Presidential pardoning power has been part of the United States government since the first president. While most pardons are vetted through the Department of Justice, there is no set process required. Friends, political allies, and family members have been pardoned by past presidential administrations. Many pardons have been controversial. MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's pardons have drawn backlash. Shortly after beginning his second term, Trump pardoned all of the insurrectionists who attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, despite the deaths of at least five people, injuries to over 150 members of law enforcement, and millions of dollars in damages. Other pardons were believed to be influenced by political donations—a frequent criticism against most presidential administrations—or personal enrichment of Trump or his family, a criticism that seems to dog the POTUS for almost all his actions. CBS News' 60 Minutes recently did a hidden camera exposé on the business of pardon brokering, where lobbyists sell their access to Trump to gain pardons—an activity that is unethical, but not illegal. Known conspiracy theorists, political agitators, Trump loyalists, and known grifters Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman were caught on camera engaging in pardon brokering. 60 Minutes shared a clip from their footage on X. > California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom called out the Trump administration on social media for allegedly taking payments for pardons. He reposted the clip captioned: > "A little louder for the people in the back: The Trump Administration is the most corrupt administration in the history of the United States." > Newsom wasn't alone in condemning the Trump administration's corruption. > Many recognized Wohl from his previous grifts. @ColoradoNana6/X > @nogg_the/X > @imduckymex/X > > > > > > > The Trump administration told 60 Minutes: > "Anyone spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money. President Trump performs his constitutional duties in an ethically sound manner, and to suggest so otherwise is either ill-informed or malicious."

Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell's very spaced-out expression sparked a flurry of memes after he was filmed by TMZ being loaded into a car to go to the Senate after months of public questions surrounding his health. The 84-year-old—who chairs the Senate Rules Committee—was found unconscious at his Washington residence in June, prompting an advanced life support response. Over the summer, his office said his condition was improving. In a July 13 social media post, McConnell said he had been hospitalized after a fall that left him "briefly unconscious" and revealed he was also recovering from a mild case of pneumonia. He included a photo of himself in a hospital bed, but the image only intensified speculation online, with some users claiming it had been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence. McConnell's aides have declined to say whether they have recently spoken with him, adding to speculation about his condition. The Daily Beast reported that a semi-permanent security detail remained stationed at George Washington University Hospital, where McConnell received treatment. Weeks later, the senator, who also spend time in a rehabilitation center, returned to cast a vote when the chamber decided on a nomination to fill a district court bench opening in Ohio. He assured voters that he will “do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me.” But things did not look good when TMZ shared footage of McConnell being loaded into a car heading to Capitol Hill on Monday with his mouth agape. You can see what happened in the video below. > Let's be real, this display really hasn't done anything to inspire our confidence in McConnell or GOP leadership—things look just as bad as expected, if not worse. And like clockwork, social media users pounced to mock the entire situation and tell some harsh truths about McConnell's condition and his spaced-out expression. > > > > > > > > > > > It's way past time for the country to have a productive conversation and do something about term limits for our legislators.

As you may have seen, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence recently—finally—joined Instagram, and the results have already been hilarious in a way that is quintessentially JLaw. Lawrence's first post itself was hilarious, with her joking that if anyone was mean to her she would immediately delete her account. And the post of course instantly went viral, racking up more than 4.5 million likes and 162,000 comments as of this writing. One of those comments really threw everyone for a loop, in which beauty magnate Tracy Dubb claimed to not know who Lawrence is. And JLaw's response was priceless. > It's not clear what exactly Dubb was getting at because at 38 years old and the CEO of a skincare brand there is simply no way she doesn't actually know who Jennifer Lawrence is. Nevertheless, she commented on Lawrence's hilarious first Instagram post in which she jokingly insisted nobody be mean to her by asking: > "Does anyone know who this woman is?" > See on Instagram Was it shade? A reference to the scrutiny over Lawrence's supposed plastic surgery procedures? Or was she just going along with Lawrence's joke about people being mean to her on Instagram? We may never know. But whatever the case, Lawrence responded with her trademark sense of humor and a reference to her bestie, Emma Stone. Lawrence replied: > "A woman with one less Oscar than Emma Stone." Classic. Lawrence is no slouch in the Oscar department of course, having won Best Actress for 2012's Silver Linings Playbook. She has three other nominations, including 2010's Winter's Bone, the film that made her a star, along with 2013's American Hustle and 2015's Joy. > See on Instagram Emma Stone, on the other hand, has two Best Actress statuettes, for 2016's La La Land and 2023's Poor Things. Seems like there might be a bit of competition between the two! In reality, the two are not just close friends but collaborators: They are currently producing a film about iconic Muppet Miss Piggy, with Oh Mary! creator Cole Escola slated to write the script. But the two have had a playful joking rivalry for years, that reportedly extends way back to 2010 when Lawrence lost out on the lead in Easy A to Stone. Anyway, whatever Dubb meant by her comment, she seems to have since deleted it. But that's done nothing to dull the hilarious shine of Lawrence's perfect response—fans are absolutely loving it. > > > > @danwalsh007/Instagram @drsaqibmahmood/Instagram @sarah_bayaty/Instagram Anyway, as fans pointed out, Stone may have Lawrence beat on Oscars, but Lawrence has Stone beat on Golden Globes, with three to Stone's two. So there! @yarstarua/Instagram Perhaps both are en route to win more statuettes with the potential Miss Piggy film. Fans have taken notice that both women joined Instagram for the first time on the same day, and both immediately followed Miss Piggy herself. They've obviously got something up their sleeves!

Heated Rivalry has become such a sensation that the stars' real-life dating lives have become something of an obsession among fans. And star Francois Arnaud had a perfect response when fans began inquiring—or maybe "prying" is the better word—into his romantic life. The bisexual actor recently posted an Instagram photo with Josh Silver, the author of wildly popular new book Fruit Fly. > See on Instagram The pair had met up so Arnaud could interview Silver for Interview magazine. But fans, of course, were convinced there was more to it. The post was immediately flooded with comments from fans demanding to know if there is something else going on between the two. One such comment caught Arnaud's eye—and, seemingly, his waning patience with the constant scrutiny about his private life. In it, a user named @slava_13 asked if Arnaud and Silver "are [a] couple now." To which Arnaud pithily responded: > "Yes. But I’m also in a relationship with everyone I’ve been photographed with this year! It’s really hard to keep track > Near/far/wherever they are." Translation: Arnaud cannot be seen out with anyone without immediately being suspected of being in a romance with them. Or, at least, that's true of the men he's photographed with. As several people online pointed out, there is almost zero scrutiny about the women that bisexual Arnaud is seen with. @happy_fuseli/Threads As one Threads user put it: > "The biphobia is strong in [Heated Rivalry's] fandom." > "Francois is in a relationship with every man he's been photographed with, but the women he's been photographed with? No one bother to speculate. Says a lot." Clock it! And of course that double standard is likely part of why Arnaud is so annoyed by this constant discourse about his love life. Naturally, though, several fans completely missed the point, like one who insisted that Arnaud's willingness to deny this rumor but not the one about him and Connor Storrie being in a relationship must of course mean that rumor is true. @daisy_bh89/Instagram Oh brother. Sit this one out, Daisy. You're being very weird to someone who does not owe you an explanation! Anyway, Arnaud's clapback definitely generated some discourse online, with many people applauding him for the way he handled it. > > > > > The scrutiny may have Arnaud feeling annoyed, but it will surely be good for Silver's book, which has become something of a sensation. Fruit Fly is a satirical story about a down-and-out author who decides her best solution is to write about a gay man's addiction struggles. Many readers have praised its combination of humor and darkness. As for Arnaud, the scrutiny isn't likely to die down any time soon. He's currently filming season two of Heated Rivalry in Canada right now, and has two films coming out, Someone's Daughter and Godstar, as well as a forthcoming French-language TV drama called Alice.

On Saturday in Kodiak, Alaska, Senate candidates faced off at the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce fishery debate. Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan was to spar with his Democratic opponent, former Representative Mary Peltola, who is Yup'ik and was the first Alaska Native ever elected to Congress. Sullivan is a lawyer and former state Attorney General. Peltola was a commercial fisher and former member of the state legislature. Peltola's prior professional experience was likely to give her an advantage in a debate focused on Alaska's fishing industry, which might explain what happened during the debate. Sullivan and Peltola were given paddles that said "yes" or "no" which they were to use for certain questions. At one point in the debate, Sullivan was stumped, had to be prompted by the moderator to answer the question, then looked to Peltola's raised paddle for help. You can see the now viral moment, shared by Peltola, here: > The moderator asked: > "Do the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries adequately consider impacts on subsistence users, salmon migration, habitat, and Indigenous ways of life?" Peltola, with her extensive experience, immediately answered by raising her "no" paddle. However Sullivan shuffled through the papers in front of him until the moderator prompted him to please answer the question. At that point, Sullivan leaned forward to look at Peltola's answer, then raised his "no" paddle as well. People found the moment very telling. > View on Threads > > Before that iconic moment, Sullivan was shuffling papers, writing things down, looking down on what was in front of him, instead of engaging with debate moderators, the audience, & Peltola.It was as though he had brought work from the office and the debate was a mere afterthought, a distraction. > — Christopher Clark (@alaskanewsguy.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 10:35 PM > If I were a debate moderator again, I might have called him out on it.People at the event may not have noticed his behavior, but a television audience couldn't help but notice.Not only was he distracted, he was distracting. > — Christopher Clark (@alaskanewsguy.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 10:38 PM > View on Threads > > It’s no wonder America is a mess - republicans are inept and incapable of governing. Sen Sullivan is clearly CLUELESS!!! Go, Alaska!! Vote for someone who cares about you and about making our lives better - Mary Peltola!!!!!💙🇺🇸🗽☮️💙🇺🇸🗽☮️ > — freedomkao.bsky.social (@freedomkao.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 9:31 AM > View on Threads > > People who have a 50:50 chance of getting an answer correct & need to cheat are... > — AarBarr (@4vcarb.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 10:32 AM > View on Threads > > He was frantically searching thru his notes for the pre-planned attempt of looking informed and knowledgeable. Then he cheated. Clueless that everyone was laughing at him, not with him. > — Robin (@robinreissitar.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 9:32 AM > View on Threads Alaska had been considered a sure bet to go red. The state hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. But this year's race is considered as a "toss-up" with Peltola holding a slight advantage in recent polls.