Anyone who has read my blog over the past 17 plus year since August 2008 know I am not a fan of Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul.
His father, former Congressman Ron Paul, was also not someone I would endorse.
Both Pauls were and are “libertarians”, which is a viewpoint I totally disagree with on principle.
When Rand Paul contended for the Presidency in 2016, it was made clear by this author and blogger that the thought of him in the White House was horrifying.
However, in the present, Rand Paul has taken stands that this author and blogger can agree with.
Paul has been a critic of the invasion and overthrow of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, particularly in regard to the Trump Administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio not informing Congress under the War Powers Act of 1973.
Also, Paul has been a critic of the tactics and actions of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and has been concerned about the damage to civil liberties and the Bill of Rights. He is calling for testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, for which he is the Chairman, by the heads of ICE and Customs and Border Protection, in February, in the light of the murder of Alex Pretti and Rene Good in Minneapolis in January.
Paul has been willing to go against Donald Trump openly, more than almost any other Republican Senator, except for Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and soon retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis.
So as a Senator with true beliefs, and an element of courage, it is appropriate that Rand Paul be saluted for behaving in a proper, principled manner on these issues, while this author and blogger reserves the right to be critical of Paul on other matters.
As of January 30, 2026, former CNN Amchor journalist Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles regarding his presence at a January 18, 2026, anti-ICE protest inside a Minnesota church. Lemon, who was covering the event, maintains he was acting as a journalist, not a participant in the disruption.
Federal agents took Lemon into custody in Los Angeles while he was covering the Grammy Awards.
The incident occurred on January 18, 2026, when protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, to protest against immigration enforcement.
While a magistrate judge previously rejected an initial bid to charge Lemon due to insufficient evidence, federal authorities moved forward with the arrest. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated they would “fight these charges vigorously,” arguing that Lemon was engaging in protected journalistic activity.
The incident has been characterized as a high-tension clash between protesters and the Trump administration.
I thought the same thing. For once Paul pleased me.
Peggy, I see we think alike! 🙂