Action 215: “Wagging the Dog” – AGAIN!

Background:
For information about the 1997 movie, see (1). In a nutshell, the plot involved distracting the public from a
Presidential sex scandal (involving an underage girl) by creating a war (2). Some have changed the name of the
new “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran into “Operation Epstein Fury” (3). Congress must not allow the Epstein
files to be swept away in the fog of war!

But distracting from the Epstein files may be only part of the reason the Trump administration is attacking Iran.
In addition to his longstanding record of pleasing Israel (4), Trump may consider the war as a foot in the door to
control the midterm election. Marc Elias of Democracy Docket makes this argument persuasively today.

Apparently, two hours after announcing the bombing in the wee hours of Saturday morning, Trump wrote “Iran
tried to interfere in the 2020 and 2024 elections to stop Trump and now faces renewed war with the United
States.” Trump is constantly looking for something to blame for his loss: currently it’s Iran. Look for Trump to
attempt to ban mail-in voting and the use of certain voting machines, claiming that they are “vectors of foreign
interference” (5).

Regarding the notion that ordinary Iranians will use the opportunity of US aggression to rise up and shake off
their brutal leaders, Malcolm Nance has a long interview throwing cold water on the notion, due in part to Iran’s
“depth on the bench” of military leaders, and the Iranian government’s ability to deploy many thousands of
regime-loyal militia dedicated to controlling domestic disturbances (6).

Senator Schumer – one of many Senate Democrats whose campaigns have received huge contributions from
AIPAC (7) – said:” The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by
passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act.” This causes the obvious question, “What’s in
the War Powers Act?” The best description is probably the one from the Congressional Research Service (8).

Reading through that description, one is struck by the procedural maneuvering and delay that is possible per the
statute. Key points: “Failure by the President to properly consult with Congress prior to committing U.S. forces
into hostilities does not directly trigger any adverse statutory action. In contrast, the WPR’s more clearly
defined reporting requirements … start the clock on an automatic termination of the use of force and makes
available procedures that allow for expedited congressional consideration of legislation that would authorize its
continued use.” No wonder Congress keeps falling in line behind presidential overreach! Its feet are tangled in
red tape of its own making, and the majority of its members are too cowardly or compromised to assert their
prerogatives under the Constitution!

Action: Contact our delegation. All four of them.

(1) No more delays. Release ALL the Epstein files NOW! Contempt proceedings for failure to do so.
(2) Shut down the war machine NOW! Invoke the sections of the War Powers Act that allow it!
(3) Protect our elections! Pre-emptively declare as illegal any attempt at Executive Branch takeover of, or
interference with, the rights of the States to conduct our free and fair elections.

Extra Credit:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wag_the_Dog#:~:text=Wag%20the%20Dog%20is%20a,and%20directed%20by%20Barry%20Levinson%2C .
(2) https://substack.com/home/post/p-189510131
(3) https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/2/28/2370915/-Iran-Hit-with-Operation-Epstein-Fury
(4) https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/06/netanyahu-trump-iran-war-dangerous-power
(5) Donald Trump’s attack on Iran and the plot against your vote, https://newsletters.democracydocket.com
(behind a paywall)
(6) https://open.substack.com/pub/malcolmnance/p/us-iran-warcast-day-2-live-with-black?r=2ycvh&utm_medium=ios see also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_Command_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran
(7) https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary?cycle=All&ind=Q05&mem=Y&recipdetail=S
(8) emphasis added https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47603