Kevin Grant
kevindgrant.bsky.social
Kevin Grant
@kevindgrant.bsky.social

All-in on the future of journalism and our democracy.

History 23%
Computer science 22%

Reposted by Kevin Grant

We’re looking at another very big Dem overperformance tonight—in a Trump+13 district. Dem Chasity Martinez is up 61-39 with more than half the vote in. Notably, like in TX last weekend, the e-day vote has been even *better* for her than the early vote. voterportal.sos.la.gov/graphical
ICE told nurses this Minneapolis man “purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall.”

What actually happened is that they pulled him from a car, beat him so viciously with a steel baton that he had 8 skull fractures, 5 life-threatening brain hemorrhages, and couldn’t remember he had a daughter.
By the way, for those of you not in MN: Homan’s strategy was to withdraw some agents, so it felt like we were in the denouement of the crisis, and then escalate hard against observers. They’re being incredibly aggressive with observers now. National media may not want to check out just yet
Again, if you were alive in the 1980s, this is among the most wonderful & truly incredible things you have ever witnessed in your lifetime.
Just because good news is worth celebrating:

There is now a Prep medication that is an *every six month* injection.

HIV has, effectively, a vaccination.
VA Gov. Spanberger (moderate, was in CIA) and NYC Mayor Mamdani (left, is in DSA) both taking steps to block local law enforcement from helping ICE as it violently violates people's rights is a good example of how the relevant divide in the Dem coalition isn't center-left, it's fight-don't fight.
NEW: A federal judge in Oregon issued a sweeping rebuke of the Justice Department’s nationwide push to seize state voter rolls, ruling that the department can no longer be presumed to be acting in good faith and warning that its conduct threatens voters and states’ rights.
Federal judge rules DOJ can ‘no longer’ be trusted in voter roll crusade
The judge pointed to a letter from Bondi to Minnesota that tied federal immigration enforcement to demands for voter data as the smoking gun.
www.democracydocket.com

Reposted by Kevin Grant

Some of working-class voters are changing their minds about Donald Trump as his administration’s war on renewable energy has cost them their jobs, labor leaders and workers said.
https://www.notus.org/energy/trump-wind-energy-blue-collar-support
Trump's War on Wind Energy Is Costing Him Blue-Collar Support
“A lot of my members voted for President Trump in the last election, and they completely turned around on him,” one union chapter president, whose members work on offshore wind projects, said.
www.notus.org
One reason Minneapolis remains in the world's eye is we have one of the most robust & independent media ecosystems remaining in the country. You all need this...and more! @mprnews.org @startribune.com @sahanjournal.bsky.social @minnesotareformer.com @minnpost.bsky.social @racketmn.com etc.

Reposted by Kevin Grant

In almost any newsroom, the Sports section works the hardest, but also has the most fun and often produces the best journalism. This was especially true with the sports section of the Washington Post. Wonderful obituary by @sallyjenx.bsky.social
www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...
You Can’t Kill Swagger
My old corner of The Washington Post raised some of the best journalists in the business.
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Kevin Grant

Scenes outside of the Washington Post headquarters right now:
holy shit
In an interview with NPR, Melinda French Gates confirmed that she ended her marriage with Bill Gates because of allegations contained in the Epstein files.
In an interview with NPR, Melinda French Gates confirmed that she ended her marriage with Bill Gates because of allegations contained in the Epstein files.
ICE tear gassed a bunch of children on Saturday. This was a massive escalation of force. They were shooting tear gas at the back of the crowd, it took these unmasked people maybe 3-5 minutes in the cloud of tear gas to escape in without trampling. www.theverge.com/policy/87278...
ICE is afraid of children protesting
“Next time, I’ll be back with a gas mask.”
www.theverge.com
In many of the first generation of modern concentration camp systems (near the turn of the twentieth century), the vast majority of deaths were caused by disease and malnutrition. Most of the victims were women and children.
It appears there is now a measles outbreak at the Dilley family detention facility. www.sacurrent.com/news/san-ant...
Source: Measles outbreak reported at ICE's Dilley family detention facility
DPS troopers stand guard in front of the Dilley detention center during a protest last weekend. After a week of public outcry over the Dilley, Texas South
www.sacurrent.com

Reposted by Kevin Grant

Lawyers can't reach clients in ICE detention. I've heard it anecdotally, but scale of issue is horrifying.

Bloomberg Law is a legal trade pub so many may miss this. Screenshot from their CA newsletter summarizes "bleak" situation for justice and rule of law.

news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/l...
Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept."

Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
every epstein file drop underscores how elite power operates through shared socio-economic networks, regardless of people's ideological differences, populist posturing, or public feuds
Georgia Fort, an independent journalist and vice president of the Minnesota NABJ chapter, was also arrested by federal agents this morning

I was sent this video of agents at her door:

Reposted by Kevin Grant

Don Lemon on January 20 after the Justice Dept. first threatened him:

"We were there chronicling protests... Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people who were involved... That's it... It's called journalism. First Amendment."

Reposted by Kevin Grant

“Since July, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved hazard mitigation grants that cost more than $100,000 in only three states, according to a NOTUS review of publicly available data and internal FEMA documents.”
Kristi Noem Is Holding Up More Than $1 Billion in Hazard Mitigation Funds
Only three states have gotten through Noem’s logjam, according to data obtained by NOTUS.
www.notus.org

Reposted by Kevin Grant

NEW: Trump's immigration agenda is under scrutiny — and so is Stephen Miller

"I have no confidence in Mr. Miller," Sen. Thom Tillis said

Other Senate Republicans demurred when I asked them about him

Meanwhile, a WH official said Miller won't be fired
www.notus.org/immigration/...
Republicans Aren’t Rushing to Defend Stephen Miller
One Republican senator said he has “no confidence” in Miller, while others demurred.
www.notus.org

definitely a scoop of an idea.

Reposted by Kevin Grant

This is what FEMA’s hazard mitigation spending looks like for the last two years. That sudden drop into the red is when Noem’s personal review process began.

Reposted by Kevin Grant

scoop: Kristi Noem has more than $1 billion in disaster prevention projects piling up on her desk.

Somehow, three states w/ powerful GOP politicians have escaped the logjam — Georgia, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

Everyone else left begging for help.
Kristi Noem Is Holding Up More Than $1 Billion in Hazard Mitigation Funds
Only three states have gotten through Noem’s logjam, according to data obtained by NOTUS.
www.notus.org
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., rolls out his demand for supporting a DHS appropriations bill: fire Stephen Miller

Reposted by Kevin Grant

Flood of court cases challenging immigration arrests continues, with dozen filed in Minnesota just today through 3PM local. My colleague @kyledcheney.bsky.social wrote earlier on how the suits are tying up judges nationwide & leading to denunciations of ICE tactics www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Judges, inundated with immigration cases, don’t mince words on ICE tactics
Federal judges in Minnesota are overwhelmed with cases stemming from Operation Metro Surge.
www.politico.com

Reposted by Kevin Grant

It says something that the nationalist far-right globally is pulling away from Trump
prospect.org/2026/01/26/s...
The Stillbirth of the Nationalist International - The American Prospect
Trump’s attempted Greenland grab has alienated the ultranationalist Europeans who viewed him as their beau ideal.
prospect.org