Republican Gov Hits Back At Trump Official Trying to Limit States' Rights: I'll 'Beat You In Court'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

Feb 18th, 2026, 10:54 pm


President Donald Trump’s Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Brian Selig elicited a stern reply from Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) this week when he promised to stop state governments from regulating prediction markets.

“Over the past year, American prediction markets have been hit with an onslaught of state-led litigation. In response, the CFTC has today filed a Friend of the Court brief to defend its exclusive jurisdiction over these derivative markets,” Selig said in a clip he released to social media on Tuesday. He added:

Prediction markets aren’t new. The CFTC has regulated these markets for over two decades. They provide useful functions for society by allowing everyday Americans to hedge commercial risks like increases in temperature and energy price spikes. They also serve as an important check on our news media and our information streams. Today, the CFTC is taking an important step to ensure that these markets have a place here in America and have the integrity, resilience, and vibrancy that our derivatives markets deserve. To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear: we will see you in court.

Cox hit back, writing, “Mike, I appreciate you attempting this with a straight face, but I don’t remember the CFTC having authority over the “derivative market” of LeBron James rebounds. These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling—pure and simple. They are destroying the lives of families and countless Americans, especially young men. They have no place in Utah.”

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/republican-gov-hits-back-at-trump-official-trying-to-limit-states-rights-ill-beat-you-in-court/

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Don't know why these GOP governors thought they would get a pass in a dictatorship.

Link to tweet

Governor Cox
@GovCox
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Mike, I appreciate you attempting this with a straight face, but I don’t remember the CFTC having authority over the “derivative market” of LeBron James rebounds. These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling—pure and simple. They are destroying the lives Show more
Mike Selig
@ChairmanSelig
I have some big news to announce…
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Last edited
11:21 AM · Feb 17, 2026

[Ol Janx Spirit]

1. Many Republicans actually hate most of what the Administration is doing--they just don't seem to know it yet...

But stories like this show the cracks beginning to form in the façade of willful ignorance.

At some point--far too late--they will wake up and look over at the devil they've been sleeping with and realize they were molested by a serial offender who seduced them with tax cuts and deregulation....

Of course, many of them are in love with him and complicit in the abuse--but there are still many former "normal" Republicans that see that 2.0 is unleashed from all of the things they thought were sacrosanct.

But at this point many are too embarrassed to report the crime and demand the rape kit. Besides, they know they were really asking for it all along....

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Those who cling to the GOP are "users" and "opportunists" by nature

They don't care about his policies as long as they can benefit from continuing to do what they want... until suddenly they find they are not exempt from any of those policies or a new policy occurs that will directly impact them.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

3. I live around many--especially in the business community--in this red corner of a red state...

...that actually don't fit the "users" and "opportunists" by nature profile.

They are pretty much single-issue voters on taxation.

They believe that any taxes--especially federal taxes--are wasted and should be left in the pockets of the people--especially the business owners of course.

They vote R almost exclusively because over the last 40 years they have been told that voting D will mean wasteful big-government programs for things like healthcare, welfare, and saving the planet. Most of them actually believe those things are important, but that the federal government isn't capable of doing them without bankrupting their families in the process.

It is funny though: not too long ago this was a fairly D-friendly area based mostly on the support of rural farmers, coal miners, and factory workers. Many factors ushered in that change, but the three that have really stuck are taxes, gun rights, and abortion. It is really hard to see how Democrats can make inroads in any of those three issues at the moment and still keep their political soul intact.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. "They are pretty much single-issue voters on taxation."

I include that in my "opportunists" category - all those "single issue" GOPers, which can include -

Anti-taxation
Anti-abortion
Pro-gun rights
Pro-Christian religious teaching in all aspects of government
Anti-LGBTQ+
Anti-immigrant
Deregulation
Pro-global intervention

and on and on.

This is a coalition of miscreants who helped to get us here and who are now starting to clash with each other.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

5. I hear where you are coming from. I guess I just think of an opportunist as being...

...someone that fits the classic definition of "an individual who acts to gain personal, selfish advantage from a situation, typically by adapting their behavior and principles without regard for ethics or long-term consequences. They prioritize immediate gain over moral or consistent principles, often viewed negatively as ruthless or manipulative."

I just find that a lot of the people I have to deal with are not that. Many--if not most--of them have been convinced by the real opportunists to vote against their own self-interests. In that way they are kind of the opposite of opportunists.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not trying to let anyone off the hook here. I think they are ignorant on purpose. For most people it is easier to go along to get along. The simplicity of thought processes of so many people is just astounding. I cannot fathom it.

It is a coalition of miscreants. But it feels like some are the capos, some are the crew, and some are just paying their cut in hopes that their bodega doesn't end up burnt to the ground.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "the classic definition of "an individual who acts to gain personal, selfish advantage from a situation"

And in this case, 45 "promised" to enact ALL of my above-listed "single issues" in order to garner the votes of a "collective" of "single-issue" voters. And that is also underscored by the fact that they will ignore all the other listed issues to get their "one"... until suddenly, one of those other issues negatively impacts them somehow.

Then the clashes start.

I think they are ignorant on purpose.

There is a lot of that which is why I have that MLK quote in my sig -