MAGA lawmaker claims GOP leadership may have set her up to make her look crazy

A MAGA congresswoman told a New York Times writer that she believes she was given the reins of a task force because it would make her look "a little crazy."

In an interview with Times columnist Ross Douthat, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) agreed with a suggestion about why congressional leadership assigned her to chair the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets.

Luna explained that Trump had been talking "about releasing the M.L.K., R.F.K. and J.F.K. files. We had this stuff outstanding with U.A.P. activity," referring to classified information about historical figures, UFOs, and assassinations.

Rep. James Comer (R-KY) set up a task force to follow through on Trump's promises, but "people were a little spooked about taking the position because of everything that it involved."

Luna said she knew "there was a stigma" with the task force before being assigned to chair it. "If you do this, people are going to think you're crazy," she said.

Douthat asked her, "Do you think that this was something that you were given in part because it was like, let's keep her busy, and also it might make her look a little crazy?"

Luna admitted, "I think so. I think maybe they anticipated that, but I also knew."

Vice President JD Vance and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller have zeroed in on fraud, but an analyst on Friday revealed what has motivated the move.

Salon's Amanda Marcotte pointed out how, as President Donald Trump has become more "impatient" with Vance, the vice president has pivoted to the "tough guy act" with Miller, looking to capture MAGA's attention using accusations that immigrants are scamming the United States "on a scale that, if true, would rate as one of the worst corruption scandals in history."

"Vance, along with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, are similarly embracing the view that law, morality and ethics should not get in the way of their radical political agenda," Marcotte wrote.

The two men have created a "task force" to look into the alleged fraud and "false claims," but it was mostly a "press stunt," Marcotte explained.

And although there is a real problem around fraud in health and welfare spending, Marcotte described how it's unlikely the White House has deep concern for the issue. But for Vance and Miller, that's not exactly the point — it's a way to reach right-wing circles and MAGA voters.

"And while Vance and Miller speak in vague terms, they’re relying on popular MAGA propagandist Nick Shirley to fill the [SIC] in the immigrant-baiting gaps for their audience," Marcotte wrote.

"It’s all to spin a larger, false narrative of evil immigrants overrunning blue states, aided by daft Democratic leaders too dazzled by wokeness to recognize the alleged truth that only racists will admit: Immigrants are out to prey on white Americans," Marcotte wrote. "But as anyone familiar with MAGA social media knows, the truth doesn’t really matter. Any content alleging 'fraud,' especially if a non-white face can be forefronted in the images, quickly goes viral in right-wing circles."

"The right’s war on immigrants is about racism and bigotry. But it’s also a pathetic bid for power from Vance and Miller, who both seem to see the immigration issue as a way to keep the MAGA gravy train going after Trump," Marcotte wrote. "But they are likely to be mistaken."

For the two men eyeing political life after Trump, it's the next step.

"The right’s fixation on immigrant fraud is a real Russian nesting doll of lies," Marcotte wrote. "If Vance and Miller were actual stewards of the public trust, they wouldn’t work for Trump."

One of President Donald Trump's foes, New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, poked fun at the president, who was seen falling asleep in the Oval Office this week — using the moment to suggest a potential design for his $250 bill with his face on it.

Hochul's press office shared an image on X of Trump with his eyes closed on a mockup, following reports that Trump supporters have been pushing to put his face on a banknote ahead of the nation's 250th birthday.

Trump told reporters on Thursday that he was "honored by it."

People had a hilarious response to the sketch online.

"The President wants to put his face on the $250 bill. That requires a vote of Congress. I would vote YES to authorize the below design," Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) wrote on X.

"I paid for my ticket to Weekend at Bernie's with this bill," longtime boxing publicist Fred Sternburg, who has more than 10,000 followers, wrote on X.

"Most large bills like that are used by con artists, drug dealers, tax evaders or money smugglers. So go forth with his face on it," Ezra Mannix Communications & Outreach Manager for the Middle East Institute, wrote on X.

"Put him behind bars and people will be lining up for that little token of American history," user Cherylkartist, a frequent progressive commentator who has more than 10,000 followers, wrote on X.

CBS's cancellation of Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" has devastated the network's late-night ratings.

Its replacement, "Comics Unleashed," lost 65% of its audience compared to the same time slot last year, reports The Daily Beast.

According to Nielsen data, Byron Allen's show drew only 628,000 total viewers and just 82,000 in the crucial 18-49 demographic. Meanwhile, competitors capitalized on the exodus: Jimmy Kimmel's show surged to 2.185 million viewers — a 53% year-over-year increase — with the 18-49 demographic jumping 178%.

Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" drew 1.301 million viewers, a 10% increase.

Despite the drop in viewership, CBS's financial exposure is limited. Under a "time buy" deal, Allen purchased the time slot directly and covers production costs, with Allen absorbing the ratings consequences rather than CBS, reports The Daily Beast. A source explained, this model benefits CBS by protecting the network from exposure to audience and advertiser volatility, even as the show collapses into irrelevancy.

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