Cathy Gellis
@cathygellis.bsky.social
Lawyer, writer, all-around-great person
I mostly post about technology, law, and civil liberties (especially free speech), and how they intersect. And mostly at Techdirt: https://www.techdirt.com/user/cathy/
I also post silly things too.
I mostly post about technology, law, and civil liberties (especially free speech), and how they intersect. And mostly at Techdirt: https://www.techdirt.com/user/cathy/
I also post silly things too.
Pinned
Cathy Gellis
@cathygellis.bsky.social
· Jan 3
Oaths Of Office, And How Everyone Not Moving To Impeach Trump Is Violating Their Own
Until very recently the only member of Congress excused from not having moved to impeach Trump was Rep. Grijalva, because until someone swore her in there was nothing she could officially do. But f…
www.techdirt.com
A reminder: any member of Congress not impeaching is violating their own oath of office.
It's not optional.
www.techdirt.com/2025/11/26/o...
It's not optional.
www.techdirt.com/2025/11/26/o...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
BREAKING: Fulton County demanded in court that the federal government return all of the 2020 election related materials the FBI seized from its central election hub last week.
One county official stated that “our Constitution itself is at stake over this fight.”
One county official stated that “our Constitution itself is at stake over this fight.”
‘Our Constitution itself is at stake’: Fulton County officials challenge FBI’s seizure of 2020 election records
"We will fight using all resources against those who seek to take over our elections."
www.democracydocket.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:23 PM
BREAKING: Fulton County demanded in court that the federal government return all of the 2020 election related materials the FBI seized from its central election hub last week.
One county official stated that “our Constitution itself is at stake over this fight.”
One county official stated that “our Constitution itself is at stake over this fight.”
IME GOP poll workers are EXTREMELY proud of doing their job in a non-partisan way. I remember one manager in AZ in particular. He was red in every way (guns, abortion, etc) but he made damn sure that everyone entitled to a countable ballot got one.
one thing worth observing is that a) even republican election officials are very jealous of their authority and b) the more unpopular trump gets, the less likely he is unable to leverage the rhetorical power of his office www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...
Trump’s Call to ‘Nationalize’ Elections Adds to State Officials’ Alarm
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:19 PM
IME GOP poll workers are EXTREMELY proud of doing their job in a non-partisan way. I remember one manager in AZ in particular. He was red in every way (guns, abortion, etc) but he made damn sure that everyone entitled to a countable ballot got one.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”
February 4, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
@samsteindc.bsky.social on Mike Johnson sowing distrust in our elections:
“It's hard to imagine a more irresponsible statement from the Speaker of the House than that…Openly saying, I don't have evidence for what I'm suggesting, but I'm going to suggest it anyway.”
“It's hard to imagine a more irresponsible statement from the Speaker of the House than that…Openly saying, I don't have evidence for what I'm suggesting, but I'm going to suggest it anyway.”
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
@samsteindc.bsky.social on Mike Johnson sowing distrust in our elections:
“It's hard to imagine a more irresponsible statement from the Speaker of the House than that…Openly saying, I don't have evidence for what I'm suggesting, but I'm going to suggest it anyway.”
“It's hard to imagine a more irresponsible statement from the Speaker of the House than that…Openly saying, I don't have evidence for what I'm suggesting, but I'm going to suggest it anyway.”
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Rip to the newspaper that ensured the Pentagon Papers were published after Nixon got an injunction against the Times. 🫡
Had a good run, but as with so many cases, a billionaire bought something he didn’t care about and broke it. A tale as old as time.
Had a good run, but as with so many cases, a billionaire bought something he didn’t care about and broke it. A tale as old as time.
February 4, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Rip to the newspaper that ensured the Pentagon Papers were published after Nixon got an injunction against the Times. 🫡
Had a good run, but as with so many cases, a billionaire bought something he didn’t care about and broke it. A tale as old as time.
Had a good run, but as with so many cases, a billionaire bought something he didn’t care about and broke it. A tale as old as time.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
California and New Jersey have set up online portals where residents can report ICE crimes. The states will keep these databases so they or the federal government can conduct prosecutions in the future.
California: www.offmessage.net/p/california...
New Jersey: bsky.app/profile/kras...
California: www.offmessage.net/p/california...
New Jersey: bsky.app/profile/kras...
February 4, 2026 at 5:47 PM
California and New Jersey have set up online portals where residents can report ICE crimes. The states will keep these databases so they or the federal government can conduct prosecutions in the future.
California: www.offmessage.net/p/california...
New Jersey: bsky.app/profile/kras...
California: www.offmessage.net/p/california...
New Jersey: bsky.app/profile/kras...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Gotta love China being the vanguard of consumer safety. How far the US has fallen in so many ways.
February 4, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Gotta love China being the vanguard of consumer safety. How far the US has fallen in so many ways.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
JUST IN: Texas A&M professor Melissa McCoul sues over firing linked to gender-related content in youth literature class. TX Gov. Abbott called for her firing. Among the defendants: former POLITICO owner & NOTUS founder, Robert Allbritton. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
#1 in McCoul v. Texas A&M University System (S.D. Tex., 4:26-cv-00865) – CourtListener.com
COMPLAINT against All Defendants (Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ATXSDC-35013427) filed by Melissa McCoul. (Reichek, Amanda) (Entered: 02/04/2026)
storage.courtlistener.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:58 PM
JUST IN: Texas A&M professor Melissa McCoul sues over firing linked to gender-related content in youth literature class. TX Gov. Abbott called for her firing. Among the defendants: former POLITICO owner & NOTUS founder, Robert Allbritton. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Wait wait wait, this "drawdown" is because sheriffs agreed to break state law to help DHS with nazi crimes on the stipulation their legal costs are covered when people rightly say hey fucko thats illegal? This isn't a drawdown, it is just replacing some DHS goons with regular cops
February 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Wait wait wait, this "drawdown" is because sheriffs agreed to break state law to help DHS with nazi crimes on the stipulation their legal costs are covered when people rightly say hey fucko thats illegal? This isn't a drawdown, it is just replacing some DHS goons with regular cops
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Whistleblower puts Tulsi on notice that he will go to Congress himself if her office doesn’t respond by Friday.
February 4, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Whistleblower puts Tulsi on notice that he will go to Congress himself if her office doesn’t respond by Friday.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Suburban observers say ICE has only been more aggressive since Homan: “I think they’re getting angry that we’re winning and the country is rallying around us. We’re so organized and we act with such integrity. They don’t want to admit they feel threatened by us.”
share.google/ei9giIFLsuEJ...
share.google/ei9giIFLsuEJ...
Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved
After a frightening pursuit by federal agents, suburban ICE observers say fear hasn’t stopped them from protecting their communities.
share.google
February 4, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Suburban observers say ICE has only been more aggressive since Homan: “I think they’re getting angry that we’re winning and the country is rallying around us. We’re so organized and we act with such integrity. They don’t want to admit they feel threatened by us.”
share.google/ei9giIFLsuEJ...
share.google/ei9giIFLsuEJ...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Trump administration lying some more
Bessent: Fed lost trust of American people over inflation, threatening independence reut.rs/4af4LPg
Bessent: Fed lost trust of American people over inflation, threatening independence
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday said that the independence of the Federal Reserve was based on Americans' trust of the central bank, which it lost because it allowed inflation to get out of control and "ravage" their incomes.
reut.rs
February 4, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Trump administration lying some more
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
I completely agree with this, and think it's a variation on what happened to Musk and countless others. It starts with right wing culture war brainworms, leads to an audience of sycophantic trolls who think you're edgy and cool, and ends in the orbit of the President of the United States.
People keep saying Bezos wrecked the Post on purpose but he could have just done that if he wanted to, no need to drag it out for years. I think he and his fellow traveler billionaires have thoroughly cooked their worldview and honestly believe there is a vast, silent, ignored right wing audience
February 4, 2026 at 5:11 PM
I completely agree with this, and think it's a variation on what happened to Musk and countless others. It starts with right wing culture war brainworms, leads to an audience of sycophantic trolls who think you're edgy and cool, and ends in the orbit of the President of the United States.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
We at the @postguild.bsky.social are raising money for the hundreds of journalists the Post just laid off. This goes to the people who are hurting, not the Post. Or if you'd rather, go subscribe to an independent journalist. Support is hugely appreciated.
www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...
www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...
Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel
On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund
www.gofundme.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
We at the @postguild.bsky.social are raising money for the hundreds of journalists the Post just laid off. This goes to the people who are hurting, not the Post. Or if you'd rather, go subscribe to an independent journalist. Support is hugely appreciated.
www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...
www.gofundme.com/f/standing-t...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
I think one thing people outside Minnesota don't understand is that after Good and Pretti were killed by feds while observing, the most normal people you could imagine have made peace with the fact that they could be next, and they are still out there because they say it's the right thing to do.
“If I am killed doing this, throw my body at the White House, martyr the shit out of me & raise hell. Do not be sad. Do not think I would do anything differently. I would do it over & over again — this is too important to sit down & shut up and not do anything.” www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved
After a frightening pursuit by federal agents, suburban ICE observers say fear hasn’t stopped them from protecting their communities.
www.mprnews.org
February 4, 2026 at 4:30 PM
I think one thing people outside Minnesota don't understand is that after Good and Pretti were killed by feds while observing, the most normal people you could imagine have made peace with the fact that they could be next, and they are still out there because they say it's the right thing to do.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
"When we say it is time for Kristi Noem to go, we mean it now," Representative Ilhan Omar said.
Lawmakers Issue Kristi Noem Impeachment Threat at ICE HQ—’Not Backing Down’
www.newsweek.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:18 PM
"When we say it is time for Kristi Noem to go, we mean it now," Representative Ilhan Omar said.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Not fired today was noted torture enthusiast Marc Thiessen. More edgy content the woke mob doesn't want you to see coming.
February 4, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Not fired today was noted torture enthusiast Marc Thiessen. More edgy content the woke mob doesn't want you to see coming.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
“The values of The Post do not need changing. The paper’s duty will remain to its readers and not to the private interests of its owners. We will continue to follow the truth wherever it leads,” -Jeffrey Preston Bezos, August 5, 2013 www.washingtonpost.com/national/jef...
Jeff Bezos on Post purchase
Letter to the employees of The Washington Post
www.washingtonpost.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
“The values of The Post do not need changing. The paper’s duty will remain to its readers and not to the private interests of its owners. We will continue to follow the truth wherever it leads,” -Jeffrey Preston Bezos, August 5, 2013 www.washingtonpost.com/national/jef...
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
If we want to maintain what's left of our Democracy we really need to abolish ICE before the midterms.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Threatening to ring polling places with ICE is illegal voter intimidation, not “election security.” ICE has zero authority over voting. Elections are protected by law and courts—not armed scare tactics. This is authoritarian posturing, plain and simple.
February 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
If we want to maintain what's left of our Democracy we really need to abolish ICE before the midterms.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Bring back honor. If you are in charge of an organization and send an email detailing this many failures in its strategic vision, you need to resign at the end of it.
Matt Murray's full email to staff about today's cuts at the Washington Post
February 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Bring back honor. If you are in charge of an organization and send an email detailing this many failures in its strategic vision, you need to resign at the end of it.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
Facts. —> 51st.news
I like that @51st.news is being built from the ground up, and with support from individual readers. But that we are building something this way makes what Jeff Bezos did to the Post even more shameful. He has endless resources to sustain a great newspaper. He chose not to.
February 4, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Facts. —> 51st.news
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
A few replies to this post last night asked what ought to be done instead, and I thought that deserved a response. So I posted a thread this morning with a handful of ideas, and wanted to post a link to it here. There are a million ways to lead right now, and people are dying for someone to do so.
Some people are asking what I want Schumer to do. He should be screaming over medical care and access to facilities. He should be going to detention facilities himself and putting his body on the line, as he did at the border in 2019. He should lean into stories about New Yorkers in detention. [1/4]
February 4, 2026 at 4:45 PM
A few replies to this post last night asked what ought to be done instead, and I thought that deserved a response. So I posted a thread this morning with a handful of ideas, and wanted to post a link to it here. There are a million ways to lead right now, and people are dying for someone to do so.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
This is what he was willing to do in front of a news crew. Imagine when the cameras are gone.
This is from the seldom discussed portion of the NBC News video footage of Donald partying with Epstein in which he's very clearly groping women in Epstein's presence.
February 4, 2026 at 4:47 PM
This is what he was willing to do in front of a news crew. Imagine when the cameras are gone.
Reposted by Cathy Gellis
We have enough evidence for UBI in general that this policy should be a given. But the difference is, to understand UBI works is to believe that people are fundamentally good. And a big chunk of society is built around the belief, *must maintain the belief* that people are fundamentally bad.
"By the end of the two-year period, 94% of participants reported they were housed."
A million pilot programs show the same thing: when people are given enough money to afford housing, homelessness ends.
Other supports matter, but housing comes first. Not policing. Not moralizing. Homes.
A million pilot programs show the same thing: when people are given enough money to afford housing, homelessness ends.
Other supports matter, but housing comes first. Not policing. Not moralizing. Homes.
Homeless Oregon youth got $1,000 a month for two years. Most found housing after • Oregon Capital Chronicle
Oregon is the second of its kind in the nation to implement the direct cash transfer program after New York City.
oregoncapitalchronicle.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:54 PM
We have enough evidence for UBI in general that this policy should be a given. But the difference is, to understand UBI works is to believe that people are fundamentally good. And a big chunk of society is built around the belief, *must maintain the belief* that people are fundamentally bad.