Bill de Blasio has a girlfriend and you don’t

Love is in the air at Casa Cockburn this Friday — it’s Valentine’s Day and politicos are pairing off. The most shocking? The revelation in the New York Post that divorced former mayor Bill de Blasio is dating Nomiki Konst, a Democratic activist and former host of HillTV’s Rising. 

“Nomi and I have started a really lovely relationship, just in time for Valentine’s Day. We’ve known each other for a long time and are very kindred souls ❤️,” the mayor texted the Post. “We’re going to cuddle up and watch romantic movies and drink Greek wine, in honor of Nomi’s heritage.” Cute.

Forty-one-year-old Konst previously interviewed de Blasio and his then-wife Chirlane McCray in 2018. (What is it about interviewing older male political figures that makes young hacks swoon?) She is perhaps best known for her online scrap with Cockburn’s former Spectator colleague Amber Duke while hosting Rising. “After the segment was over my cohost started screaming and insisting I had done Nazi writings while working for the Daily Caller. We got into it once before off air but nothing like this. It was incredibly toxic,” Duke told the Daily Caller at the time. Cockburn is happy that Konst appears to have found peace alongside 2020’s least successful Democratic presidential candidate.

Having a partner doesn’t necessarily guarantee keeping her happy though: presumably Michelle Obama is furious that her husband Barack has once again posted a picture of them in which he looks far more flattering than she does. The audacity of hope…

On the opposite coast, is there trouble in antisemitic paradise? Reports emerged Thursday suggesting that Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is separating from his wife, Bianca Censori, following his tirade on X and her public exposure at this year’s Grammys.

Last week, West appeared on the red carpet with Censori, who dropped a fur coat to reveal an entirely see-through dress, with nothing underneath. Questions arose about their power dynamic. West responded on X, saying he has “dominion” over his wife. This post was followed by several more antisemitic and offensive comments. TMZ and the Daily Mail reported that both West and Censori have contacted divorce lawyers.

Perhaps, however, there’s hope for true love after all: a longtime Ye rep spoke to the Hollywood Reporter to push back on the divorce rumors. “Ye and Bianca are in Los Angeles, about to enjoy Valentine’s Day together,” said Milo Yiannopoulos (yes, him again). “Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumor in the tabloid press.” Cockburn’s heart is aflutter.

Turn this TV off, turn this TV off

Elsewhere in the rap world, Congressman Robert Garcia is this week’s “pick-me politician” for a series of attention-seeking exploits. The California Democrat decided to quote Kendrick Lamar in a wince-inducing committee appearance this week. Watch if you must.

Garcia, who was famously sworn into Congress on a Superman comic book, also showed a “dick pic” during this week’s DoGE committee hearing — though mercifully his was safer for work than the Hunter Biden photos that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has shown in the past.

Garcia’s “dick” was simply a picture of “President Elon Musk” in a tuxedo — but his limp stunt was panned by CNN. “Do you think that calling Elon Musk a ‘dick’ is effective messaging for confronting what is a potentially an irreversible transformation of the US government?” Brianna Keilar asked Garcia.

“Well, he is a dick,” Garcia insisted, adding that he wants Democrats to “bring actual weapons to this bar fight.” Photos of Musk are, Cockburn should note, not actual weapons, unless the congressman anticipates a particularly vicious paper cut. Garcia doubled down on the dick pic lingo, tweeting about how he had hoisted a “HUGE pic” following the hearing.

Garcia’s comms director tweeted Thursday evening “@RobertGarcia’s account has been hacked, we are not posting any of this content and are handling this situation now.” She did not clarify if the hack extended to his cringe-worthy comments from the subcommittee.

Elsewhere in Congress, Democrats have also focused their broadsides on Musk, who Congressman Emanuel Cleaver bizarrely told to “go to Moscow, you musty, moo, moo, moo.” Your guess is as good as Cockburn’s.

Inside Tulsi’s swearing-in

A spy of Cockburn’s found their way inside the Oval Office for the swearing-in of new director of national intelligence and onetime Speccie diarist Tulsi Gabbard. The former Democratic congresswoman swore her oath with her hand on the Constitution and a collection of America’s founding documents. The bookmark was on Washington’s Farewell Address warning against entangling alliances. Apt!

Two Medal of Honor winners were present at the secondary ceremony, along with Senators Markwayne Mullin and Tedd Budd and Representative Jason Smith.

Welcome to the DoGEhouse

The Department of Government Efficiency launched its official website Wednesday, featuring a recruiting page, a workforce tab displaying the executive branch’s headcount and wages and a regulations tab with additional statistics, including the “unconstitutionality index.”

The site is still undergoing updates, with future additions expected to include information on the legislative and judicial branches, as well as a savings page aimed at addressing criticisms of DoGE. Instead of chocolates or roses, Elon Musk and his team said, “Receipts coming soon, no later than Valentine’s day 💘 [sic].” It’s lunchtime on the East Coast and Cockburn is still refreshing…

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