🌡️ RollingBoil Daily - November 20, 2025
Welcome to November 20th, where the machinery of the right-wing movement continues its relentless work to reshape American institutions. Today's newsletter cuts through the noise to focus on what matters: the systematic campaigns targeting vulnerable communities, the officials who enable them, and the legal battles that could determine accountability for years to come. From the courtroom where a judge is investigating potential contempt by Trump administration officials over migrant flights, to the sprawling anti-trans infrastructure built by conservative activists, the stories we're tracking today reveal the coordinated nature of this moment.
You'll notice a pattern in today's coverage—whether it's Riley Gaines' transformation into a right-wing media fixture, the surprising political evolution of Marjorie Taylor Greene, or the FBI veteran fired for displaying a pride flag, these aren't isolated incidents. They're part of a broader strategy to normalize discrimination, evade accountability, and consolidate power. The Dominion lawsuits against Giuliani and Powell remind us that some battles for truth are still being fought, even as new fronts open in education, sports, and civil rights.
These stories matter because they're not just about policy—they're about who gets to participate fully in American life. Let's dig in.
⚡ Quick Hits
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DOJ admits most grand jurors never saw Comey indictment
The Trump administration's DOJ faces serious procedural challenges in its prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, with admissions that grand jurors never saw the final indictment potentially invalidating the case. Defense lawyers argue this represents selective and vindictive prosecution directed by President Trump, while former White House lawyer Ty Cobb has called for disbarment of prosecutors, highlighting internal Republican criticism of the case's handling. The case exemplifies Trump's post-2024 return to power and his administration's pursuit of perceived political adversaries through the justice system. -
President Trump's tariffs cut trade deficit 24% in August
This article reports on a major Trump administration economic policy outcome showing a 24% reduction in the U.S. trade deficit following newly implemented tariffs in August. The report demonstrates a core Trump administration priority and a key Republican policy initiative aimed at reducing trade deficits and reshoring economic activity. The tariff policy represents a significant departure from traditional Republican free-trade orthodoxy and is central to Trump's 2024-2025 economic agenda. -
Trump Approves the Epstein Files Release, but Some May Be Withheld
Trump claimed credit for approving Epstein files release legislation while the bill contains significant exemptions allowing document withholding, reflecting typical Trump administration messaging strategy of taking credit while maintaining discretionary control. The article highlights tensions between transparency demands and executive discretion, relevant to understanding Trump's approach to information control and political narrative management. -
C.D.C. Website No Longer Rejects Possible Link Between Autism and Vaccines
The CDC's shift in messaging on vaccine-autism links reflects the influence of Trump administration Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic. This represents a significant policy change aligned with right-wing and alternative health movements that have long questioned vaccine safety narratives. The move signals the administration's willingness to alter federal health guidance based on alternative viewpoints previously considered fringe. -
'This is a structural goods recession': U.S. freight market is starting to roll over as Chinese trade plummets
This article directly addresses the economic consequences of Trump administration tariff policies on Chinese goods, a core policy initiative of right-wing economic nationalism. The freight market downturn and holiday shipping collapse represent measurable impacts of Trump-era trade policies that are central to Republican economic debate and Trump's 2024 campaign messaging. The story reflects ongoing tensions between Trump's protectionist trade stance and its real-world economic effects on American logistics and retail sectors. -
9/11 victim's son on Trump-Saudi crown prince meeting: 'Disgusting display'
A 9/11 victim's family member criticized President Trump's diplomatic approach to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, alleging Trump avoided holding the Saudi leadership accountable for potential connections to the 2001 attacks. This represents internal conservative/right-wing criticism of Trump's foreign policy priorities and his willingness to maintain strategic relationships with Saudi Arabia over pursuing accountability for 9/11 victims' families. -
Cheney Service to Underscore How Politics Has Changed Since He Was in Office
The funeral service for former Vice President Dick Cheney at Washington National Cathedral serves as a symbolic moment to examine the transformation of Republican politics and the party's ideological shifts since his tenure. The article's focus on who attends versus who boycotts reflects deep fractures within the GOP between traditional conservatives and Trump-aligned Republicans, highlighting the ongoing struggle for the party's direction and identity. -
Ending voter registration at citizenship ceremonies tarnishes democracy
This article addresses the elimination of voter registration at citizenship ceremonies, a policy position aligned with Republican efforts to restrict voter registration access and tighten election administration. The move reflects conservative priorities on voting eligibility verification and immigration policy implementation. The article's framing as 'tarnishing democracy' indicates criticism of right-wing voting restriction policies.
đź“Š By The Numbers
- 24% - Drop in U.S. trade deficit in August after Trump tariffs
- 16 years - FBI veteran's tenure before firing over pride flag display
- 25 years - Duration of unresolved 9/11 accountability issues families face
đź“° Today's Big Stories
1. How Right-Wing Superstar Riley Gaines Built an Anti-Trans Empire
Riley Gaines: From College Swimmer to Anti-Trans Movement Leader
Riley Gaines has transformed from a collegiate swimmer into one of the right-wing's most prominent voices against transgender athletes, culminating in her appearance at a White House ceremony where President Trump signed an executive order threatening federal funding to schools that allow trans girls to participate in girls' sports. Gaines has built what amounts to an anti-trans empire, leveraging her experience competing against trans swimmer Lia Thomas into a lucrative career as a conservative media darling and activist.
The political context is significant: Gaines represents the Republican Party's strategic focus on transgender issues as a wedge issue to mobilize their base and appeal to moderate voters. Her personal narrative—presenting herself as a victim of "unfair competition"—has been weaponized by conservative organizations, think tanks, and media outlets to push legislation restricting transgender rights across the country. She's become a fixture at GOP events, on Fox News, and in state legislatures considering anti-trans bills, providing what conservatives frame as a sympathetic face for policies that target vulnerable transgender youth.
The impact extends far beyond sports. Trump's executive order, which Gaines helped champion, threatens billions in federal education funding and creates a hostile environment for transgender students nationwide. Her advocacy has contributed to a wave of state-level legislation restricting not just sports participation but also healthcare access and basic accommodations for trans youth. This represents a coordinated effort to erase transgender people from public life, using the sports debate as an entry point for broader discrimination.
What to watch: Monitor how aggressively the Trump administration enforces this funding threat and whether states comply or resist. Track Gaines' continued influence in shaping GOP policy and whether her movement expands beyond sports into other areas of LGBTQ+ rights. The legal challenges to these policies will be crucial, as will the real-world impact on transgender students facing increased marginalization in schools nationwide.
2. Marjorie Taylor Greene Was Not on Our Bingo Card
Marjorie Taylor Greene Was Not on Our Bingo Card
In a development that has stunned political observers across the spectrum, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene appears to be positioning herself as a post-Trump power broker within the Republican Party. The Georgia congresswoman, long dismissed as a fringe provocateur trafficking in conspiracy theories, has been making calculated moves that suggest a more sophisticated political operation than many credited her with. Whether through strategic committee appointments, carefully timed media appearances, or surprising alliances with establishment Republicans, Greene seems to be building infrastructure for influence that could outlast Trump's grip on the party.
The political context is crucial here. As Trump faces mounting legal challenges and questions about his 2024 viability intensify, a power vacuum is emerging on the MAGA right. Greene has spent years cultivating an intensely loyal base through social media and right-wing media appearances, while simultaneously—and this is the surprising part—developing working relationships with Republican leadership. She's leveraged her fundraising prowess and media savvy to become someone GOP leaders can't simply ignore or sideline, even when they might prefer to. Her recent moves suggest she's studied Trump's playbook while learning from his tactical mistakes.
Why should progressives care? Because underestimating Greene has been a consistent error. If she successfully transitions from bomb-thrower to power broker, she could prove even more effective at advancing far-right policy than Trump himself. She combines his combative style and conspiracy-minded base appeal with better party relationships and none of his legal baggage. A more institutionally savvy version of Trumpism, one that can actually pass legislation and build durable coalitions, poses a significantly greater threat to progressive priorities than Trump's chaotic approach ever did.
Watch for: Greene's committee activities and whether she can deliver actual policy wins for her base; her fundraising numbers and whether establishment GOP donors start taking her seriously; any daylight she creates between herself and Trump; and whether other MAGA Republicans begin orbiting her rather than competing with her. The 2024 election cycle will reveal whether this is genuine political evolution or just another attention-seeking phase.
3. Dominion still has pending lawsuits against election deniers such as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell
Dominion Keeps the Pressure On Election Deniers
While Fox News's $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems grabbed headlines last year, the voting technology company isn't done seeking accountability for the lies that fueled the "Big Lie." Dominion continues to pursue active defamation lawsuits against key architects of 2020 election conspiracy theories, including Donald Trump's former attorney Rudy Giuliani and lawyer Sidney Powell. These cases represent some of the most significant legal reckonings for those who amplified baseless claims that Dominion's machines were rigged to steal the election from Trump.
The defendants read like a who's who of the election denial movement. Giuliani, once celebrated as "America's Mayor," became one of the most vocal promoters of voting machine conspiracy theories, appearing at press conferences and on media outlets to claim Dominion was part of an international plot. Powell, who briefly joined Trump's legal team, made even more outlandish allegations, including claims that Dominion was connected to Venezuelan socialism and had "flipped" votes. Both face potentially devastating financial consequences if Dominion prevails, with the company seeking billions in damages across its various lawsuits.
These cases matter because they're testing whether there are real consequences for spreading disinformation that undermines democracy. The Fox settlement proved that even powerful media entities can be held accountable when they knowingly amplify lies. But individual propagandists like Giuliani and Powell arguably did even more damage by lending their legal credentials to conspiracy theories, providing a veneer of legitimacy that helped radicalize millions of Americans. A decisive victory against these figures could establish crucial precedent that there are financial and reputational costs to weaponizing defamation in service of anti-democratic movements.
What to watch: Discovery processes in these cases could reveal damning internal communications showing what Giuliani, Powell, and others knew about their false claims. Giuliani has already faced sanctions in other legal matters and declared bankruptcy, which could complicate Dominion's ability to collect damages but won't erase a potential judgment. Meanwhile, watch for whether these lawsuits deter future election denial efforts in 2024, or whether the MAGA movement's most committed actors consider potential legal liability just another cost of doing business.
4. Judge resumes contempt probe into Trump administration migrant flights
Judge Resumes Contempt Probe Into Trump Administration's Migrant Prison Flights
Federal Judge Revives Investigation Into Potential Court Order Violations
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg announced Wednesday he will expedite a contempt investigation into Trump administration officials over controversial flights that transported Venezuelan migrants to a prison facility in El Salvador this past March. After months of procedural delays and legal maneuvering, the judge signaled he's done waiting—he wants answers on whether officials deliberately defied existing court orders in ongoing litigation related to the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act for mass deportations.
The case centers on U.S. government planes that carried Venezuelan migrants not back to their home country, but to El Salvador's notorious prison system—a detail that has raised alarm bells among immigrant advocates and legal experts. The flights occurred while litigation was already underway challenging the administration's invocation of the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act, a wartime-era law from 1798. Judge Boasberg's contempt inquiry will examine whether officials knowingly violated court orders designed to protect migrants' due process rights during removal proceedings. The Justice Department has sought delays in responding to the allegations, but the judge made clear Wednesday that the administration's stalling tactics have run their course.
This investigation matters because it goes to the heart of whether any administration—regardless of party—can simply ignore federal court orders when pursuing its policy agenda. If Judge Boasberg finds Trump officials in contempt, it would represent a significant judicial rebuke and could result in sanctions, though the practical enforcement mechanisms against executive branch officials remain limited. More broadly, the case highlights the administration's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, including partnerships with foreign governments to detain migrants in third-country facilities with questionable human rights records. The use of El Salvador's prison system—known for harsh conditions—as a destination for Venezuelan migrants also raises questions about the safety and legal status of those transferred.
Watch for Judge Boasberg's timeline for the expedited proceedings and any findings on whether officials violated court orders. Also monitor whether this contempt investigation affects other pending litigation challenging the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act, and whether advocates can secure information about the condition and whereabouts of migrants sent to El Salvador. The administration's response—and whether it continues to delay or begins cooperating—will signal how seriously it takes judicial oversight of its immigration enforcement operations.
5. FBI veteran sues after firing over pride flag display
FBI Veteran Fired Over Pride Flag as Patel Purge Sends Chills Through Bureau
David Maltinsky spent 16 years building his FBI career and was weeks away from achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a special agent when Director Kash Patel abruptly ended it all. His offense? Displaying an LGBTQ+ pride flag at his workspace—the very same flag that had been flown outside the FBI's Los Angeles field office and presented to him. Now Maltinsky is suing for reinstatement, arguing the termination violates his First Amendment rights and exposes the Trump administration's willingness to purge federal law enforcement based on ideology rather than performance.
The firing represents a troubling escalation under Patel, Trump's controversial FBI director whose loyalty-focused approach to personnel decisions has alarmed current and former officials. By labeling a pride flag as "inappropriate political signage," Patel's FBI is effectively declaring LGBTQ+ identity itself a political statement—a dangerous precedent that erases the existence of queer federal employees. The timing matters too: this termination came during a government shutdown that already had federal workers on edge, maximizing the intimidation factor. Reporting from The New York Times indicates senior FBI officials are increasingly making personnel decisions based on politics rather than merit, damaging morale and potentially compromising the bureau's core public safety mission.
The impact extends far beyond one employee. Maltinsky reports a "ripple of fear" spreading through the bureau, with LGBTQ colleagues and allies removing pride flags from their desks to avoid becoming the next target. This chilling effect is precisely the point—creating an environment where diversity is seen as dangerous and employees self-censor to survive. When federal law enforcement becomes a vehicle for enforcing ideological conformity rather than upholding the law, everyone loses. The FBI's effectiveness depends on recruiting talented professionals from all backgrounds; turning it into a right-wing loyalty test undermines its ability to protect Americans from actual threats.
Watch for: How the federal courts handle Maltinsky's First Amendment claims, whether other FBI employees come forward with similar complaints, and whether congressional Democrats launch oversight investigations into Patel's personnel purge. This case could set precedent for how far the Trump administration can go in politicizing federal law enforcement and whether LGBTQ+ employees have any protection from discrimination dressed up as "neutrality."
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