This Week’s “Lay Lines”

Carol Lay’s Lay Lines on GoComics (click the toon to go to the page if you care to.)

Political cartoons / memes / and news I want to share. 5-10-2026

 

Hi everyone,

My webcomic about a transgender girlโ€™s page, Assigned Male Comics, is currently down because it got hacked during the night, along with my personal page and the french version of the comic. After receiving several thousands of death threats in the past few days for making my art, my address was also posted on several forums. I am currently in a safe place and my roommate and I will move away before the end of the week.

Today. May 17th. International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. I just want people to be aware that this is what you get for being trans on the internet and for reframing transness into something positive and empowering. Iโ€™d also like to acknowledge that this attack was mostly planned because of four explicit reasons :
1. I am a woman
2. I am trans
3. I support non-binary people
4. I support intersex people.

I will keep making my comics, no worries. Folks at Facebook are currently making sure this wonโ€™t happen again before I can put my page back up. Nothing was lost.

I know many of my readers will be worried. This is my personal profile, also if you can share this as widely as possible so it reaches them, it would be greatly appreciated.

You can still read my comics on tumblr :ย http://assignedmale.tumblr.com
or on paper :ย http://assignedmale.etsy.com
and support my work on Patreon :ย www.patreon.com/assignedmale

I also set up a Paypal donation email if you want to help with the relocating : sophie@assignedmale.com

Thanks everyone for your support. โค

 

(sarcastic voice) โ€œAll of them! Trans women are the source of all evil

 

 

 

Joey Weatherford for 5/9/2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Trump privately advocated for painting the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located next to the White House, with a โ€œmagic paint with silicate." A panel of experts is warning the so-called magic paint could be incompatible with the ornate federal office building's granite exterior.

CNN (@cnn.com) 2026-04-12T07:02:01.730369355Z

 

 

Statue in North Korea.ย 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

โ€˜Trump Is Toxicโ€™: Pete Hegsethโ€™s Pastor Says President Is Like โ€˜Chemoโ€™ For Americaโ€™s โ€˜Cancerโ€™

Mediaite (@mediaite.com) 2026-05-08T20:45:37Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The No-Bid Contract That Is Turning Washingtonโ€™s Reflecting Pool Blue – โ€œPresident Trump handpicked a firm he said had worked on his swimming pool to repair the iconic site near the Lincoln Memorial.โ€www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/u…

Jamie Gangel (@jamiegangel.bsky.social) 2026-05-08T19:47:53.572Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harley Schwadron CagleCartoons.com

 

Turns out the House candidate endorsed by @hoyer.house.gov in MD-5 is a lobbyist for Ellison-owned Oracle, and didnโ€™t initially disclose his six figure bonuses for that work. Vote for @libradunn1.bsky.social on June 23rd. wamu.org/story/26/05/…

Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) 2026-05-08T16:41:43.119Z

 

Press freedom groups allege Larry Ellison promised to fire CNN anchors

Los Angeles Times (@latimes.com) 2026-05-08T16:27:03.030Z

 

 

 

 

John Branch for 5/8/2026

 

 

 

John Darkow Columbia Missourian

 

Political cartoon of the day

 

The findings indicated a 27% decreased risk of Alzheimerโ€™s among study participants who ate at least five eggs per week. #Health

NewsNation (@newsnation.bsky.social) 2026-05-08T18:52:06.268Z

 

 

#politics from Cartoon Politics

 

 

Max Millerโ€ฆ call your office!archive.is/c9VR4

The Rooster (@rooster.info) 2026-05-07T20:46:26.398Z

 

#politics from Cartoon Politics

 

 

 

 

 

 

#politics from Cartoon Politics

 

 

Bill Day FloridaPolitics.com

 

Alabama lawmakers pass plan for new US House primary if courts allow different districts (Associated Press)#Trump

TrumpWatch (@trumpwatch.skyfleet.blue) 2026-05-08T19:42:34.879Z

 

 

Trump, with no evidence, claims Congo sent prisoners to US border with Mexico

Politico (@politico.com) 2026-05-08T19:21:18Z

 

A federal magistrate questioned how Cole Tomas Allen has been placed in near solitary confinement, with little access to visitors and calls. Judge Zia Faruqui said it was like nothing heโ€™d seen with other defendants, including J6ers with prior offenses accused of political violence.

Zach Montague (@zjmontague.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T18:28:29.403Z

 

1. ICE has not paid for detainee medical care for 7 MONTHSThe termination of payments to providers has coincided with a MASSIVE SPIKE in detainee deaths.This is a health crisis and a moral crisis. Follow along for details.๐Ÿงต

Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T13:48:48.736Z

2. On October 3, 2025, the Trump admin stopped paying 3rd parties for medical care for ICE detainees.In November 2025, ICE said the situation was an โ€œabsolute emergencyโ€ that needed to be fixed โ€œimmediatelyโ€ to โ€œprevent any further… loss of life.โ€

Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T13:50:24.285Z

3. According to the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), payments to third parties were supposed to resume on April 30. ICE has contracted with a private firm, Acentra Health, to process reimbursements. But April 30 came and went, and still, nothing is being processed.

Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T13:50:24.286Z

4. Meanwhile, detainee deaths at ICE facilities are skyrocketing.From 2018 to 2024, the average number of people who died in ICE custody annually was 8.9. Since ICE stopped medical reimbursements on October 3, 2025, people have been dying in ICE custody at a rate of 51.7 people annually.

Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T13:52:29.616Z

5. Beyond the data, there are numerous examples of individual cases that suggest essential medical care is being denied to ICE detainees. Details in today's Popular Information.

Judd Legum (@juddlegum.bsky.social) 2026-05-04T13:52:29.617Z

 

 

 

 

 

#politics from Cartoon Politics

 

 

 

 

Joey Weatherford for 5/8/2026

 

 

Joey Weatherford for 5/7/2026

 

 

 

 

 

โšก๏ธ Update: Zelensky's decree authorizing Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow includes coordinates of Red Square.It remains unclear whether Ukraine intends to carry out strikes elsewhere.

The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) 2026-05-08T18:59:55.834Z

 

 

 

 

Political cartoons / memes / and news I want to share. 5-9-2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Trump administration is demolishing Social Securityโ€™s customer service, making it harder and harder for Americans to get their earned benefits. Now, Ted Cruz reveals the full scheme: They are wrecking Social Security so they can rob it.

Martin O'Malley (@martinomalley.bsky.social) 2026-05-08T13:38:37.402Z

 

Trump’s ONLY GOALS AS PRESIDENT –
1) Make a lot of money for himself, his family and his rich supporters – and use the presidency to get business deals for him and his sons around the world
2) Use the DOJ to go after literally anyone he feels slighted him, criticized him or “injured” him, while also covering up and erasing his past misdeeds (Epstein) and erasing the history of January 6
3) Slap his name and likeness on everything he can – cash, coins, buildings, airports, highways, and get royalties for the use of his name
4) Strengthen his ties to Vladimir Putin and other dictators and oligarchs to get as much power as much as he can
5) Going down as one of the great men of history, like Alexander the Great or Napoleon

Trump DOESN’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT –
1) The basic job of a president
2) The economic well being of Americans
3) The functions of government to serve the people
4) America’s relationship with allies or reputation around the world
5) The United States if it doesn’t relate to him or his needs

 

 

Trump is talking about future inaugurations being held in his ballroom

Jake Lahut (@jakelahut.bsky.social) 2026-05-06T11:37:48.024Z

 

Real estate titan compares 'tax the rich' slogan to racial slurs

Politico (@politico.com) 2026-05-05T21:58:13Z

 

Climate campaigners attack Shell over โ€˜windfallโ€™ profits from Iran war

The Guardian (@theguardian.com) 2026-05-07T06:25:19Z

 

 

 

Shell first-quarter profits up 115% from $3.2bn to $6.9bn.Will rise even more due to Trump's illegal wars.Bumper payouts for execs and shareholders; higher inflation, poverty, misery for us.120,000 Britons a year die in fuel poverty,Must levy windfall taxes.

Prem Sikka (@premnsikka.bsky.social) 2026-05-07T13:37:49.160Z

 

NYC board votes to consider rent freeze, keeping Mamdani pledge alive gothamist.com/news/nyc-boa…

Gothamist (@gothamist.com) 2026-05-08T00:14:12.811682Z

 

 

 

 

 

Tennessee Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a proposed congressional map that slices into the stateโ€™s majority-Black district and will likely secure them an all-GOP federal delegation.Tennessee unveils new congressional map poised to erase Dem seatwww.politico.com/news/2026/05…

Lauren Ashley Davis (@laurenmeidasa.bsky.social) 2026-05-06T16:11:45.424Z

โšก๏ธUPDATE – NAACP files emergency petition to Block the racist @GovBillLee Republican 9-0 map that strips representation from majority-Black Memphis: โ€œIn violation of clear and unambiguous Tennessee statutory law and the mandates of the TN Constitutionโ€ http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/p…

The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) 2026-05-07T22:43:41.255Z

 

A red-state governor is facing a recall effort in his own state that was launched by voters upset with him canceling elections amid a redistricting effort.

Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-05-05T22:50:53Z

 

BREAKING: Virginia Supreme Court throws out redistricting referendum results

Axios (@axios.com) 2026-05-08T14:20:05.341Z

Madison Sheahan campaigned on her background as an ICE official, and it didn't work.

HuffPost (@huffpost.com) 2026-05-06T02:12:58.230Z

Max Millerโ€ฆ call your office!archive.is/c9VR4

The Rooster (@rooster.info) 2026-05-07T20:46:26.398Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BREAKING:ABC has accused Trump's FCC of violating its free speech rights โ€” arguing that regulators had a "chilling effect" on free speech by trying to punish political content they disagreed with.

Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1.bsky.social) 2026-05-08T15:50:28.873Z

 

 

Exclusive: A frustrated President Trump over the weekend upbraided FDA Commissioner Marty Makary for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vapes and nicotine products.

The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) 2026-05-05T16:44:05.954907Z

 

F.D.A. Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe http://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u…

Rita Oโ€™Reilly (@ritaoreilly.bsky.social) 2026-05-05T18:51:46.939Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A white male New York Times employee filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that the paper discriminated against him by not giving him a promotion because he is a white male.

New York Magazine (@nymag.com) 2026-05-05T19:54:59.171Z

Anti-woke Vivek Ramaswamy confronts racism in his run for Ohio governor

Freedom Writers Collaborative (@fwcollaborative.bsky.social) 2026-05-08T09:05:21Z

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Since SCOTUS ruled in Callais v. Louisiana, weโ€™ve been answering questions about what it means for elections.But one still stands: who is Callais, one of the plaintiffs who targeted the stateโ€™s second majority-Black district?Heโ€™s an election denier who attended the Jan. 6 protest.

Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) 2026-05-05T17:12:22.696731869Z

 

BREAKING: In a PANIC, Kash Patel ordered polygraphs for at least two dozen current and former members of his security detail looking for leaks. Those would be the folks that would see him drinking or wake him the next morning. http://www.ms.now/news/kash-pa…

Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) 2026-05-07T21:11:00.093Z

 

 

Activist who gave out fliers with Stephen Millerโ€™s address wonโ€™t face charges

Freedom Writers Collaborative (@fwcollaborative.bsky.social) 2026-05-05T21:41:16Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOJ seeks to take on Trumpโ€™s E. Jean Carroll case

Politico (@politico.com) 2026-05-06T17:33:25Z

 

DOJ Plans to Intervene in Trumpโ€™s Supreme Court Carroll Appealwww.bloomberg.com/news/article…

Mike Walker (@newnarrative.bsky.social) 2026-05-06T17:00:58.347Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump says he is pausing "Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz already

MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) 2026-05-05T22:57:39.270Z

 

Breaking: U.S. intelligence says Iran can outlast Trumpโ€™s Hormuz blockade for monthswww.washingtonpost.com/national-sec…

Mike Walker (@newnarrative.bsky.social) 2026-05-07T15:34:59.304Z

 

US launches review of Mexican consulates reut.rs/4ngD6DP

Reuters (@reuters.com) 2026-05-08T03:50:09Z

 

 

This Week’s “Lay Lines”

https://www.gocomics.com/lay-lines

This Week’s “Lay Lines”

https://www.gocomics.com/lay-lines

Pig Is My Spirit Animal

https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2026/04/20

This Week’s “Lay Lines”

https://www.gocomics.com/lay-lines/2026/04/20

Happy Tax Day; Have Some Toons

Woke Pope

Trump attacks Pope Leo

Clay Jones

Before Donald Trump posted the ridiculous AI image of him as Jesus healing the sick, he attacked Pope Leo in a lengthy tirade on Truth Social.

Trump wrote, โ€œPope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy. He talks about โ€˜fearโ€™ of the Trump Administration, but doesnโ€™t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside. I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA.โ€ (snip-MORE)


Trump posts image of himself as Jesus

Or a doctor, depending how gullible you are

Ann Telnaes

Iโ€™m not religious so the fact that Trump posted an image showing himself as Jesus doesnโ€™t personally insult me. But some of the criticism have described his actions as blasphemous, which I think is dangerous territory for a secular society. There are countries which have blasphemy laws that have led to horrendous murders, just because someoneโ€™s religious sensibilities have been offended. It has no place in a democracy. What Americans ought to be outraged about was the gaslighting response Trump gave to a reporter when asked about the image. Either he was lying through his teeth or his dementia is further along than I thought.

Hereโ€™s an cartoon from 2020 when Trump pandered to Christian voters by demanding governors open houses of worship during the Covid pandemic shutdown.


Viktor Orban loses election

If Hungary can get rid of its autocrat, America can too

Ann Telnaes


Jesus Trump

A lot of people say “JESUS!” in response to Donald Trump’s latest social media posts.

Clay Jones

Yesterday, after posting a tirade against the Pope on Truth Social, Donald Trump shared an AI-created image of himself as Jesus Christ. A lot of people didn’t take kindly to this, probably because Donald Trump posted a picture of himself as Jesus Christ.

Asย The New York Timesย describes it, โ€œThe image had showed Mr. Trump (sic) dressed in white and red robes, with the presidentโ€™s hands emitting shining lights. His right hand was touching the forehead of a man lying on a bed in a hospital gown, evoking religious art that depicts Jesus healing the sick.โ€ (snip-MORE)

Still Workin’ On My Sunday Comics …

But I love this one, and want you all to have it, too!

https://www.gocomics.com/wallace-the-brave/2026/04/12

It’s Sunday. Have Some Clay Jones Work!

Ketchup Tacos

I love tacos, but I HATE ketchup

Clay Jones

I had a few other ideas I could have gone with today, but I decided to put them aside and have a little fun with something I wrote a few days ago. I honestly didn’t expect to draw this cartoon the day that I wrote it, along with three other ideas, but as I showed each of those ideas to a couple of friends, it was the one that made them both laugh.

So I decided to take it easy today by drawing this, and I still ended up working until 6 PM on a Saturday. Basically, I feel like this is a cartoon I did not have to draw, but I just wanted to. If nothing else, I should get some satisfaction out of it because I always end up pissing off a MAGAt or two anytime I bring up the word taco.

Fine. I’ll come clean. The biggest reason I wanted to draw this cartoon was for the twist on the Jack in the Box car antenna.

I never thought anyone would put ketchup on a taco, but one of my friends told me some people do. And I thought putting ketchup on eggs was gross. Taco Bell doesn’t stock ketchup, do they? (snip-a bit MORE; click the title. Also I know a couple of people who put ketchup on their Mexican entrees, and yeesh.)


Barron’s Daddy

Melania’s surprise statement that came out of nowhere raises new questions

Clay Jones

Melania Trump came out of nowhere yesterday to deliver a 6-minute address to let us know that she never had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. OK, did somebody ask?

Delivering scripted remarks at a podium in the same room Donald Trump used to address the nation on the war in Iran last week, Melania declared that she โ€œnever had a relationshipโ€ with, or was ever one of the victims of the late pedophile Epstein she also claimed she never had a relationship with Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, despite there being an email between the two where Melania signed it with โ€œlove.โ€

โ€œI have never been friends with Epstein,โ€ she said in her statement. โ€œI am not Epsteinโ€™s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.โ€

She went on to say that she and Donald were invited to the same parties as Epstein โ€œfrom time to timeโ€ as โ€œoverlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beachโ€. But she specifically denied that her emails to Maxwell were anything more than โ€œcasual correspondence.โ€

Melania claimed that she met Epstein for the first time in 2000, at a party she attended with Donald. โ€œI had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings,โ€ she said. โ€œNumerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating (sic) on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe.โ€

The Epstein files released by the Department of Justice earlier this year did contain one brief exchange that appeared to be between Melania and Maxwell. It was signed: โ€œLove, Melania.โ€

The first email, sent by Melania in October, 2002, with the subject line โ€œHI!โ€ begins โ€œDear G!โ€ Melania writes that there is a โ€œnice story about JE in NY magโ€ before asking Maxwell about their travels and to call them when they are back in New York.

In her reply, โ€œG. Maxโ€ wrote that while they are already on their way back to the city, they would not have time to see Melania, but they would โ€œtry and call.โ€

Melania and Ghislaine were photographed together a little over two weeks later. Two months later, Epstein was presented with the infamous birthday card containing a drawing of a naked woman and a weird note by Donald Trump. But remember, they’re all just casual acquaintances.

Then, Melania called on Congress to take sworn testimony in a public hearing from Epstein victimsโ€ฆprobably just so long that they don’t compel her to testify. They forced Hillary Clinton to testify, who never met Jeffrey Epstein or Maxwell, and congressional Republicans are not going to force former Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify, but sure, let’s hear from all the victims whose names Bondi left unredacted, while leaving Melania alone.

So what spurred Melania to make this public announcement from the White House when Donald Trump is trying to distract all of us from the Epstein files? What was the point of starting a war with Iran to distract us from the Epstein files if Melania was just going to turn our attention right back to them a month later?

Trump even said that he didn’t know this announcement was going to happen, and it took him by surprise, like Kristi Noemโ€™s husband with helium-filled balloon titties.

What happened? Did Barron ask, โ€œWho’s my daddy?โ€ Did Barron ask why there were so many photos of his mother and father with a pedophile? Did Barron eventually come around to asking why there are so many nude photos of his mommy on the internet? Did Barron ask about his father’s claim that you are allowed to grab women by the pussy as long as you are famous? Maybe Barronโ€™s follow-up question was, “Mom, am I famous?โ€ (snip-MORE-it’s great! Click the title to go see.)