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couts.bsky.social
Andrew Couts
@couts.bsky.social
60K followers 2.6K following 840 posts
Security & investigations editor at @WIRED.com, send tips and/or dog pics. Stay safe out there.

Signal: couts.01
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Reposted by Andrew Couts
klasfeldreports.com
The Freedom of the Press Foundation files a disciplinary complaint against the federal prosecutor who signed the search warrant of WaPo reporter Hannah Natanson, arguing he failed to cite a federal law barring the application.

Letter buff.ly/xDHJIy4
February 9, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
klillington.bsky.social
And here is my story: ‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September

www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
Seamus Culleton has been in a detention facility in Texas for nearly five months despite having no criminal record
www.irishtimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
noahshachtman.bsky.social
www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-arr...
Less than 14% of those arrested by ICE in Trump's 1st year back in office had violent criminal records, document shows
The official DHS statistics, which had not been previously reported, provide the most detailed look yet into who ICE has arrested during the Trump administration's crackdown.
www.cbsnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
brbarrett.bsky.social
Meet the brain geniuses that RFK Jr has put on a key US government autism committee. from @davidgilbert.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/rfk-jr...
Among those appointed last week was Daniel Rossignol, a doctor who was sued for alleged fraud after prescribing a 7-year-old autistic child a debunked and dangerous treatment. Tracy Slepcevic, an appointee who Kennedy calls a “dear friend,” offers exposure to a wide range of bogus autism cures at her annual Autism Health Summit, including one that involves the injection of animal stem cells into children. Another appointee, Toby Rogers, has claimed that “no thinking person vaccinates” and that vaccine makers are “poisoning children.” Rogers is a fellow at the Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research and has also called vaccines “one of the greatest crimes in human history.” He has written articles for Children’s Health Defense (CHD), the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy that has linked autism to vaccines. Other appointees are no different: John Gilmore founded the Autism Action Network and has said that his autistic son is “vaccine injured.” Gilmore is also the founder of the New York chapter of Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense group. Ginger Taylor, the former director of the Maine Coalition for Vaccine Choice, has publicly claimed that many autism cases involve “vaccine causation.” Elizabeth Mumper has written for Children’s Health Defense and is a senior fellow with the Independent Medical Alliance, a group formerly known as the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance that has promoted ivermectin as a treatment for Covid.
February 6, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Federal judge: "The presumption of regularity that has previously extended to [the United States Government] that it could be taken at its word—with little doubt about its intentions and stated purposes—no longer holds."

This is in a case where the Trump admin sued Oregon.
While the Court’s decision granting Defendants’ and Intervenors’ motions to dismiss are firmly grounded on the application of law, Plaintiff’s conduct and written demands on states for disclosure of their highly sensitive voter information should not be ignored. Defendants’ and Intervenors’ expressed concerns about Plaintiff’s ulterior motives for seeking the sensitive data require attention. The presumption of regularity that has been previously extended to Plaintiff that it could be taken at its word—with little doubt about its intentions and stated purposes—no longer holds. When Plaintiff, in this case, conveys assurances that any private and sensitive data will remain private and used only for a declared and limited purpose, it must be thoroughly scrutinized and squared with its open and public statements to the contrary.
February 6, 2026 at 9:46 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Attorneys for a man convicted of assaulting ICE agent Jonathan Ross with his car filed a motion today seeking the investigative files in the killing of Renee Good on the grounds they could affect the man's sentencing. @dell.bsky.social w/ the scoop: www.wired.com/story/jonath...
ICE Agent's ‘Dragging’ Case May Help Expose Evidence in Renee Good Shooting
The government has withheld details of the investigation of Renee Good's killing—but an unrelated case involving the ICE agent who shot her could force new revelations.
www.wired.com
February 6, 2026 at 10:15 PM
couts.bsky.social
“Upon becoming aware of the individual’s presence, the patron was asked to leave the premises and was escorted out by staff in accordance with venue policy to maintain a safe and orderly environment for all patrons,” the venue said. lasvegassun.com/news/2026/fe...
Border Patrol boss Gregory Bovino tossed from Las Vegas bar
Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino was reportedly asked to leave a Las Vegas bar out of safety concerns for the venue’s customers.
lasvegassun.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:53 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: Mobile Fortify is not designed to "verify" identity, as DHS claims, and it was only approved after DHS rewrote its privacy review rules, records reviewed by @wired.com show. @dell.bsky.social, @regret.bsky.social & @hudsongiles.bsky.social w/scoops. No paywall. www.wired.com/story/cbp-ic...
ICE and CBP’s Face-Recognition App Can’t Actually Verify Who People Are
ICE has used Mobile Fortify to identify immigrants and citizens alike over 100,000 times, by one estimate. It wasn't built to work like that—and only got approved after DHS abandoned its own privacy r...
www.wired.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:30 PM
couts.bsky.social
new nightmare to prep for
February 5, 2026 at 4:14 AM
couts.bsky.social
nyc rn
snow vs no snow curb depths
February 5, 2026 at 3:34 AM
couts.bsky.social
just let him cook
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 4d
Bongino on MAGA: “I’m here to take back this movement. This movement has been hijacked by dipshits and bums and losers.”
February 5, 2026 at 2:52 AM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
wsj.com
Exclusive: The top Democrat on a House committee overseeing U.S.-China competition has launched a probe into a $500 million investment by an Abu Dhabi royal in a Trump family cryptocurrency company.
Exclusive | Top Democrat Launches Probe into “Spy Sheikh” Deal with Trump Company
More than a dozen Democrats have condemned the company’s decision to accept an investment by Abu Dhabi royal.
on.wsj.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
simonwillison.net
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!

This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell
Somewhat devastating news today from the CIA: One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. There's not even a hint as to why they …
simonwillison.net
February 5, 2026 at 12:25 AM
couts.bsky.social
Need some data hoarders to save the CIA's World Factbook—a definitive source on many topics—since they're now killing it www.cia.gov/stories/stor...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell - CIA
www.cia.gov
February 4, 2026 at 9:30 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: @telliotter.bsky.social got an inside look at an online forum where ICE and CBP agents often post about how the agencies have changed for the worse. “[T]his agency has managed to turn a righteous mission into a complete clown show,” one longtime user wrote. Scoop: www.wired.com/story/inside...
Inside the ICE Forum Where Agents Complain About Their Jobs
“I'm all for removing illegals, but snatching dudes off lawn mowers in Cali and leaving the truck and equipment just sitting there? Definitely not working smarter,” writes one forum user.
www.wired.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:05 PM
couts.bsky.social
In case you're wondering what having Lockdown Mode enabled is like, @lhn.bsky.social has you covered www.wired.com/story/apple-...
February 4, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
phillewis.bsky.social
WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Post says one-third of its staff across all departments, not just the newsroom, is being laid off.
February 4, 2026 at 2:54 PM
couts.bsky.social
Homan says he’s pulling 700 immigration agents from Minnesota, leaving 2,000 in place www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02...
Trump Administration Live Updates: Border Czar Plans to Pull 700 Agents From Minnesota
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM
couts.bsky.social
not new advice to all you beautiful people, but for anyone in your life who needs to hear it: DO NOT GET A DOG SIMPLY BECAUSE THE BREED WON BEST IN SHOW—ESPECIALLY NOT A FREAKIN' DOBERMAN IF DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. EVEN THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB SAYS SO! thank you www.akc.org/expert-advic...
February 4, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
timmarchman.bsky.social
NEW: NEW: HHS is working on an AI tool to analyze VAERS—a database of vaccine injury claims to which anyone can make submissions—and "generate hypotheses." This is from @emilymullin.bsky.social:
HHS Is Making an AI Tool to Create Hypotheses About Vaccine Injury Claims
Experts worry Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Health Department will use an internal AI tool to analyze vaccine injury claims in a way that furthers his anti-vaccine agenda.
www.wired.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
josepagliery.bsky.social
According to FOX 9, a Minneapolis federal judge demanded to know why DOJ is missing deadlines & AUSA Julie Le said, "The system sucks, this job sucks" & asked to be held in contempt so she could sleep.

PACER shows she got assigned to defend the govt in 88+ cases since Operation Metro Surge started.
February 3, 2026 at 9:27 PM
couts.bsky.social
NEW: @awinston.bsky.social breaks down why ICE and CBP's special response teams and BORTAC units are very different from the basic "cops" the Trump administration often characterizes US immigration enforcement agents to be. www.wired.com/story/ice-cb...
The Paramilitary ICE and CBP Units at the Center of Minnesota's Killings
Two agents involved in the shooting deaths of US citizens in Minneapolis are reportedly part of highly militarized DHS units whose extreme tactics are generally reserved for war zones.
www.wired.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
wired.com
As Trump’s mass deportation program unfolds, immigration policy and enforcement is shifting fast.

That’s why we’re launching Tracker, a limited-series newsletter navigating what’s happening and what’s next. Sign up for free: www.wired.com/newsletter/I...
Tracker Newsletter: ICE in Focus
As federal agents carry out Trump’s program of mass deportation, this limited-series newsletter will track what’s happening and what’s coming next.
www.wired.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:51 PM
couts.bsky.social
👀
taniel.bsky.social Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 8d
Wow, buckle up.

The early vote just came in Tarrant County, and Democrat Taylor Rehmet is up 56% to 44% in the special election for a Texas state Senate seat.

This is a seat that went for Trump by 17%. This would be a huge upset.

This is already 45K votes.
February 1, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Reposted by Andrew Couts
startribune.com
Thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Minneapolis in protest of federal immigration enforcement for the second consecutive Friday.

📷️: Aaron Lavinsky
January 30, 2026 at 9:42 PM