Brandon Friedman
@brandonfriedman.bsky.social
Founder, Rakkasan Tea Company • Dallas Police Oversight Board • Former Obama guy • Once a soldier
Dallas, Texas
rakkasantea.com
@rakkasantea.bsky.social
Dallas, Texas
rakkasantea.com
@rakkasantea.bsky.social
Pinned
Fascists are using laws and norms against us. Stop letting them. — The McPherson Square Group
There’s a reason cops don’t wait for red lights when pursuing a suspect.
www.themcphersonsquaregroup.com
My latest today on how strict adherence to the rules is killing Democrats while fascists take cities
USA Today needs to retract this story.
1. The criticism is not widespread.
2. The only people attacking Walz in the article are Trump appointees or allies.
3. Holocaust survivors and historians have validated his perspective for decades.
1. The criticism is not widespread.
2. The only people attacking Walz in the article are Trump appointees or allies.
3. Holocaust survivors and historians have validated his perspective for decades.
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
Tim Walz condemned for comparing Minnesota children to Anne Frank
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 4:52 AM
USA Today needs to retract this story.
1. The criticism is not widespread.
2. The only people attacking Walz in the article are Trump appointees or allies.
3. Holocaust survivors and historians have validated his perspective for decades.
1. The criticism is not widespread.
2. The only people attacking Walz in the article are Trump appointees or allies.
3. Holocaust survivors and historians have validated his perspective for decades.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
Also gave himself a lot of wiggle room on the numbers
Legitimately a feat of carefully calculated writing to issue a Holocaust Remembrance Day statement of this length without mentioning either (1) the people who perpetrated the Holocaust or (2) the people against whom they perpetrated it
January 28, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Also gave himself a lot of wiggle room on the numbers
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
It should be the expectation that all cities move to an eviction moratorium the moment ICE invades
Minneapolis has seen a stunning 1,646% spike in calls from families who can't pay rent because they're afraid to leave their homes to work.
This is state violence manufacturing housing precarity in real time.
People should not be facing eviction when their city is under occupation.
This is state violence manufacturing housing precarity in real time.
People should not be facing eviction when their city is under occupation.
Hotline operators report flood of calls for rental assistance as residents hide during ICE surge
211 calls from Spanish-speakers have increased more than 1,600 percent and requests for rental assistance have more than tripled, according to Greater Twin Cities United Way. Local officials are pushi...
www.mprnews.org
January 28, 2026 at 3:12 AM
It should be the expectation that all cities move to an eviction moratorium the moment ICE invades
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
Legitimately a feat of carefully calculated writing to issue a Holocaust Remembrance Day statement of this length without mentioning either (1) the people who perpetrated the Holocaust or (2) the people against whom they perpetrated it
January 28, 2026 at 3:00 AM
Legitimately a feat of carefully calculated writing to issue a Holocaust Remembrance Day statement of this length without mentioning either (1) the people who perpetrated the Holocaust or (2) the people against whom they perpetrated it
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
The administration's allies are very mad Walz came out with this comment now, when children are merely being hunted by secret police, instead of waiting until some of them die in detention.
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
Tim Walz condemned for comparing Minnesota children to Anne Frank
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 3:26 AM
The administration's allies are very mad Walz came out with this comment now, when children are merely being hunted by secret police, instead of waiting until some of them die in detention.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
this story quotes:
- A trump ambassador
- A museum run by Trump appointees
- Stop Antisemitism, an organization funded by right-wing donors
... aaannnnddd that's it! Not a single scholar of the Holocaust. Not anyone unaffiliated with Walz' political opponents.
- A trump ambassador
- A museum run by Trump appointees
- Stop Antisemitism, an organization funded by right-wing donors
... aaannnnddd that's it! Not a single scholar of the Holocaust. Not anyone unaffiliated with Walz' political opponents.
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
Tim Walz condemned for comparing Minnesota children to Anne Frank
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 3:01 AM
this story quotes:
- A trump ambassador
- A museum run by Trump appointees
- Stop Antisemitism, an organization funded by right-wing donors
... aaannnnddd that's it! Not a single scholar of the Holocaust. Not anyone unaffiliated with Walz' political opponents.
- A trump ambassador
- A museum run by Trump appointees
- Stop Antisemitism, an organization funded by right-wing donors
... aaannnnddd that's it! Not a single scholar of the Holocaust. Not anyone unaffiliated with Walz' political opponents.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
my grandmother, an Auschwitz survivor, was Anne Frank’s neighbor in Amsterdam, and Oma thinks this comparison is perfectly apt
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
Tim Walz condemned for comparing Minnesota children to Anne Frank
The Minnesota governor is getting widespread criticism for comparing children dealing with immigration enforcement to Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 2:37 AM
my grandmother, an Auschwitz survivor, was Anne Frank’s neighbor in Amsterdam, and Oma thinks this comparison is perfectly apt
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
WIthout nonpartisan professional leadership at DHS, ICE & CBP who can institute top-to-bottom reforms, weed out the thugs and hacks, and retrain everyone else to meet best-in-kind law enforcement practices, this will fall far short of what is required to prevent future Minneapolis-type incidents.
Dems coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE, I'm told:
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
A Dem Senator’s Harsh Takedown of Trump Hits Home: “Breaking Point”
As Trump scrambles to contain the damage from the latest ICE horrors, Senator Chris Murphy offers a sharp indictment of Trump-ICE lawlessness—and explains how Dems can meet the urgency of the moment.
newrepublic.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:55 PM
WIthout nonpartisan professional leadership at DHS, ICE & CBP who can institute top-to-bottom reforms, weed out the thugs and hacks, and retrain everyone else to meet best-in-kind law enforcement practices, this will fall far short of what is required to prevent future Minneapolis-type incidents.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
This should be a huge story
Two Democratic members of Congress attacked in three days. Maxwell Frost was assaulted on Saturday, Ilan Omar tonight.
January 28, 2026 at 2:24 AM
This should be a huge story
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
It’s funny he would say that because that is what believing in phrenology is actually, he hit the nail right on the head
In response to announcement that he will be a new CBS contributor, Andrew Huberman tweeted “I’ve always gone issue-by-issue on health & science, spoken to experts w/a range of takes & presented where I see the center of (data) mass pointed. I’ll do the same with @CBSNews”. In Sept he posted this:
January 28, 2026 at 2:06 AM
It’s funny he would say that because that is what believing in phrenology is actually, he hit the nail right on the head
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
Look, it was either skull measurers at CBS or the ominous threat of pronouns
In response to announcement that he will be a new CBS contributor, Andrew Huberman tweeted “I’ve always gone issue-by-issue on health & science, spoken to experts w/a range of takes & presented where I see the center of (data) mass pointed. I’ll do the same with @CBSNews”. In Sept he posted this:
January 28, 2026 at 2:08 AM
Look, it was either skull measurers at CBS or the ominous threat of pronouns
Two Democratic members of Congress attacked in three days. Maxwell Frost was assaulted on Saturday, Ilan Omar tonight.
January 28, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Two Democratic members of Congress attacked in three days. Maxwell Frost was assaulted on Saturday, Ilan Omar tonight.
Good thing Democratic leaders told everyone to calm down because they got this with Schumer's push to "restrain, reform and restrict"
before you take any of the "Trump is pivoting/lamenting/lowering the temperature after the Pretti murder" stories too seriously, absolutely nothing has changed in Minneapolis: "an absolutely brutal day of raids and abductions" says one friend
January 28, 2026 at 1:39 AM
Good thing Democratic leaders told everyone to calm down because they got this with Schumer's push to "restrain, reform and restrict"
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
before you take any of the "Trump is pivoting/lamenting/lowering the temperature after the Pretti murder" stories too seriously, absolutely nothing has changed in Minneapolis: "an absolutely brutal day of raids and abductions" says one friend
January 27, 2026 at 9:25 PM
before you take any of the "Trump is pivoting/lamenting/lowering the temperature after the Pretti murder" stories too seriously, absolutely nothing has changed in Minneapolis: "an absolutely brutal day of raids and abductions" says one friend
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
ICE agents would be disqualified from working in California law enforcement and inside the public school system under a new bill introduced in the Legislature this week.
California bill would ban ICE agents from jobs in teaching and policing
ICE agents would be disqualified from working in California law enforcement and inside the public school system under a new bill introduced in the Legislature this week.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 12:20 AM
ICE agents would be disqualified from working in California law enforcement and inside the public school system under a new bill introduced in the Legislature this week.
Very pleased to see Dallas on here
Nine DAs are coalescing to work on prosecuting federal agents for 'overreach':
—L. Krasner in Philly
—J. Creuzot in Dallas
—M. Moriarty in Minneapolis
—L. Conover in Tucson
—S. Descano in Fairfax (VA)
—R. Fatehi in Norfolk (VA)
—S. Morales in Portsmouth (VA)
—P. Dehghani-Tafti in Arlington (VA)
—L. Krasner in Philly
—J. Creuzot in Dallas
—M. Moriarty in Minneapolis
—L. Conover in Tucson
—S. Descano in Fairfax (VA)
—R. Fatehi in Norfolk (VA)
—S. Morales in Portsmouth (VA)
—P. Dehghani-Tafti in Arlington (VA)
January 28, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Very pleased to see Dallas on here
Very cool to live in a police state. From a fitness place in Dallas.
January 28, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Very cool to live in a police state. From a fitness place in Dallas.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
Sesame Street is now offering tips for parents on post-trauma comfort because the federal government is physically and mentally abusing our country's children.
January 27, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Sesame Street is now offering tips for parents on post-trauma comfort because the federal government is physically and mentally abusing our country's children.
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
The nuremberg race laws were legal, so they were ok! Amazing fucking take, congratulations bsky.app/profile/joel...
To avoid the possibility Holocaust remembrance might lead to empathy for migrants, Trump's antisemitism envoy claims Anne Frank "was in Amsterdam legally."
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
January 27, 2026 at 3:41 PM
The nuremberg race laws were legal, so they were ok! Amazing fucking take, congratulations bsky.app/profile/joel...
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
"Everything I've done, I've done at the direction of the president and Stephen," Noem told a person who relayed her remarks to Axios.""
Anyone paying attentions - it's been President Miler calling the shots.
Now the vipers are going after each other. 🐍🐍🐍
Anyone paying attentions - it's been President Miler calling the shots.
Now the vipers are going after each other. 🐍🐍🐍
January 27, 2026 at 8:49 PM
"Everything I've done, I've done at the direction of the president and Stephen," Noem told a person who relayed her remarks to Axios.""
Anyone paying attentions - it's been President Miler calling the shots.
Now the vipers are going after each other. 🐍🐍🐍
Anyone paying attentions - it's been President Miler calling the shots.
Now the vipers are going after each other. 🐍🐍🐍
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
Dear Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats,
If you think you are just going to “restrain, reform and restrict" this. You need to find new jobs.
If you think you are just going to “restrain, reform and restrict" this. You need to find new jobs.
Here's what ICE is up to in Northeast Minneapolis today. Absolutely heartbreaking.
Warning: video is hard to watch
Warning: video is hard to watch
January 27, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Dear Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats,
If you think you are just going to “restrain, reform and restrict" this. You need to find new jobs.
If you think you are just going to “restrain, reform and restrict" this. You need to find new jobs.
These are the reported tentative Democratic demands for funding DHS:
- DHS required to cooperate with state probes
- CBP stays at border
- Warrants for arrests
- IDs, bodycams
- ICE out of churches, schools
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS FIXES THE BEHAVIOR BELOW.
- DHS required to cooperate with state probes
- CBP stays at border
- Warrants for arrests
- IDs, bodycams
- ICE out of churches, schools
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS FIXES THE BEHAVIOR BELOW.
"You raise your voice, I erase your voice."
ICE in Minneapolis are erasing your rights.
Please share our new video of what's happening in our city. youtu.be/W1dyNcRGRXY
ICE in Minneapolis are erasing your rights.
Please share our new video of what's happening in our city. youtu.be/W1dyNcRGRXY
January 27, 2026 at 7:39 PM
These are the reported tentative Democratic demands for funding DHS:
- DHS required to cooperate with state probes
- CBP stays at border
- Warrants for arrests
- IDs, bodycams
- ICE out of churches, schools
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS FIXES THE BEHAVIOR BELOW.
- DHS required to cooperate with state probes
- CBP stays at border
- Warrants for arrests
- IDs, bodycams
- ICE out of churches, schools
NOT ONE OF THOSE THINGS FIXES THE BEHAVIOR BELOW.
Huge shifts in public opinion toward abolishing ICE, if not dismantling DHS entirely, and the people doing the most to stymie this momentum are Democratic leaders
January 27, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Huge shifts in public opinion toward abolishing ICE, if not dismantling DHS entirely, and the people doing the most to stymie this momentum are Democratic leaders
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
getting feds to say shit like this on camera with their face exposed is NUTS -- you can not reform this agency, everyone involved must go, there is no practical way to root out all of these guys
"You raise your voice, I erase your voice."
ICE in Minneapolis are erasing your rights.
Please share our new video of what's happening in our city. youtu.be/W1dyNcRGRXY
ICE in Minneapolis are erasing your rights.
Please share our new video of what's happening in our city. youtu.be/W1dyNcRGRXY
January 27, 2026 at 6:10 PM
getting feds to say shit like this on camera with their face exposed is NUTS -- you can not reform this agency, everyone involved must go, there is no practical way to root out all of these guys
Reposted by Brandon Friedman
A whole bunch of people who will never have to pay for a beer in Minneapolis for the rest of their lives
TOM HOMAN: “We’re going to create a database where those people that are arrested for interference, impeding and assault, we’re going to make them famous. We’re going to put their face on TV. We’re going to let their employers, in their neighborhoods, in their schools, know who these people are.”
Story: www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/u...
January 27, 2026 at 7:19 PM
A whole bunch of people who will never have to pay for a beer in Minneapolis for the rest of their lives