David Kurtz
@davidkurtz.bsky.social
TPM editor at large + all things Morning Memo: https://morningmemo.talkingpointsmemo.com/
Signal: davidkurtz.88
Proton: davidmkurtz@proton.me
Signal: davidkurtz.88
Proton: davidmkurtz@proton.me
Let the record show that President Donald Trump issued mass preemptive pardons to those involved in his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election five years to the day since the Four Seasons Landscaping debacle in Philadelphia. talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Trump Completes Jan. 6 Autocoup With Mass Preemptive Pardons
For My Friends, Everything … Let the record show that President Donald...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Let the record show that President Donald Trump issued mass preemptive pardons to those involved in his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election five years to the day since the Four Seasons Landscaping debacle in Philadelphia. talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Reposted by David Kurtz
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
Reposted by David Kurtz
At #FedSoc, just-departed Bondi chief of staff and acting DOJ No. 3 Chad Mizelle urges Congress to step up campaign to impeach federal judges who've blocked Trump policies. Mizelle also rejects Roberts' stance that rulings can't be grounds for impeachment. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
November 7, 2025 at 4:18 PM
At #FedSoc, just-departed Bondi chief of staff and acting DOJ No. 3 Chad Mizelle urges Congress to step up campaign to impeach federal judges who've blocked Trump policies. Mizelle also rejects Roberts' stance that rulings can't be grounds for impeachment. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
From losing the DC sandwich guy case to violating a court order on SNAP to winning on its anti-trans passport initiative, just another day in Trump II paradise.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The Absurdity and the Abuse: Another Day In Trump II
DC Sandwich Guy Acquitted Setting aside all the bad puns and the...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
From losing the DC sandwich guy case to violating a court order on SNAP to winning on its anti-trans passport initiative, just another day in Trump II paradise.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts’ initial defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with the raging antisemite Nick Fuentes has now ignited an open revolt at the venerable right wing think tank, WaPo reports.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Heritage Foundation Implodes Over Carlson-Fuentes Lovefest
The Groyper Takeover of the GOP Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts’ initial...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts’ initial defense of Tucker Carlson’s interview with the raging antisemite Nick Fuentes has now ignited an open revolt at the venerable right wing think tank, WaPo reports.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The MAGA feedback loop: FBI provides Hill GOP with internal documents from the Trump probes->Hill GOP culls the docs for agent names->agents get put on blast by the MAGA propaganda machine->White House orders the agents to be fired->Kash Patel races to comply.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
What a Glorious Time for Criming in America
The Purges: FBI Edition The MAGA feedback loop continues to decimate the...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:35 PM
The MAGA feedback loop: FBI provides Hill GOP with internal documents from the Trump probes->Hill GOP culls the docs for agent names->agents get put on blast by the MAGA propaganda machine->White House orders the agents to be fired->Kash Patel races to comply.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Judge's response is: Read the discovery order.
The discovery order *agreed to by the parties* already contemplates this issue and provides a mechanism for it, in the first footnote:
Judge's response www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
Discovery order: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
The discovery order *agreed to by the parties* already contemplates this issue and provides a mechanism for it, in the first footnote:
Judge's response www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
Discovery order: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
November 4, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Judge's response is: Read the discovery order.
The discovery order *agreed to by the parties* already contemplates this issue and provides a mechanism for it, in the first footnote:
Judge's response www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
Discovery order: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
The discovery order *agreed to by the parties* already contemplates this issue and provides a mechanism for it, in the first footnote:
Judge's response www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
Discovery order: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71601...
Reposted by David Kurtz
Where America stands, one year after the election.
A fascistic movement controls the government; they are building an authoritarian state; but they have not been able yet to extend authoritarian rule across society. A democracy no more, but not a consolidated autocratic regime yet.
New piece:
A fascistic movement controls the government; they are building an authoritarian state; but they have not been able yet to extend authoritarian rule across society. A democracy no more, but not a consolidated autocratic regime yet.
New piece:
Escalation, Authoritarian “Normalization,” or a Democratic Turnaround?
One year after the election: What we can say with certainty about the state of the Trumpist assault, where uncertainty lies, and where America might go from here
steady.page
November 4, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Where America stands, one year after the election.
A fascistic movement controls the government; they are building an authoritarian state; but they have not been able yet to extend authoritarian rule across society. A democracy no more, but not a consolidated autocratic regime yet.
New piece:
A fascistic movement controls the government; they are building an authoritarian state; but they have not been able yet to extend authoritarian rule across society. A democracy no more, but not a consolidated autocratic regime yet.
New piece:
Reposted by David Kurtz
A few months before I left TPM, Dick Cheney got a heart transplant and we thought he might die, so @davidkurtz.bsky.social asked me to prewrite his obituary. I did as instructed, David never even gave it so much as a copy edit, and now, 13 years later, it’s live, purple prose, TKs and all.
Time Capsule: Our Dick Cheney Obituary … From 2012
Editor’s Note: I mentioned in today’s Morning Memo that while TPM doesn’t...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
A few months before I left TPM, Dick Cheney got a heart transplant and we thought he might die, so @davidkurtz.bsky.social asked me to prewrite his obituary. I did as instructed, David never even gave it so much as a copy edit, and now, 13 years later, it’s live, purple prose, TKs and all.
It’s an interesting time-capsule artifact from when our memories of Bush II were fresher, the wounds no longer raw but also not fully healed. Not contemporaneous, but also not further clouded by the passage of another 13 years and the upheavals of the Trump era.
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dick-...
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dick-...
Time Capsule: Our Dick Cheney Obituary … From 2012
Editor’s Note: I mentioned in today’s Morning Memo that while TPM doesn’t...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:01 PM
It’s an interesting time-capsule artifact from when our memories of Bush II were fresher, the wounds no longer raw but also not fully healed. Not contemporaneous, but also not further clouded by the passage of another 13 years and the upheavals of the Trump era.
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dick-...
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dick-...
Former Teen Vogue politics editor Allegra Kirkland pays homage to ... what ... OUUUUCH:
talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-we...
talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-we...
November 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Former Teen Vogue politics editor Allegra Kirkland pays homage to ... what ... OUUUUCH:
talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-we...
talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-we...
In a remarkable filing in both the Jim Comey and Letitia James cases, AG Pam Bondi declared more than a month after Comey’s indictment that she was retroactively ratifying everything that interim USA Lindsey Halligan had done to secure the 2 indictments.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Pam Bondi Waves Magic Wand To Solve Her Lindsey Halligan Problem
Big Oops Energy In a remarkable filing in both the Jim Comey...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:45 PM
In a remarkable filing in both the Jim Comey and Letitia James cases, AG Pam Bondi declared more than a month after Comey’s indictment that she was retroactively ratifying everything that interim USA Lindsey Halligan had done to secure the 2 indictments.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Clean up on aisle 2: On Friday, more than a month after the indictment of Jim Comey, AG Pam Bondi signed a document purporting to ratify everything Lindsey Halligan has done as interim US attorney in the Comey and Letitia James cases. Nothing to see here folks.
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459...
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459...
Exhibit A – #137, Att. #1 in United States v. Comey (E.D. Va., 1:25-cr-00272) – CourtListener.com
RESPONSE in Opposition by USA as to James B. Comey, Jr re 60 MOTION to Dismiss Indictment based on Unlawful Appointment (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Whitaker, Henry) (Entered: 11/03/2025)
www.courtlistener.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Clean up on aisle 2: On Friday, more than a month after the indictment of Jim Comey, AG Pam Bondi signed a document purporting to ratify everything Lindsey Halligan has done as interim US attorney in the Comey and Letitia James cases. Nothing to see here folks.
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459...
www.courtlistener.com/docket/71459...
A federal judge permanently barred Trump from requiring proof of citizenship on federal voter registration forms. In a March EO, Trump had tried to strong arm the Elections Assistance Commission into imposing the proof of citizenship requirement.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Big Win for Voting Rights as Judge Blocks Trump EO
‘The President Does Not Feature At All’ In a ruling Friday, U.S....
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:21 PM
A federal judge permanently barred Trump from requiring proof of citizenship on federal voter registration forms. In a March EO, Trump had tried to strong arm the Elections Assistance Commission into imposing the proof of citizenship requirement.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Reposted by David Kurtz
This is really appalling: Rep Adam Smith tells me that in a briefing, Pentagon officials said they reserve the right to kill people who are "affiliated" with their list of "narco-terror groups."
But under questioning, they wouldn't define what "affiliated" means!
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
But under questioning, they wouldn't define what "affiliated" means!
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
October 31, 2025 at 6:14 PM
This is really appalling: Rep Adam Smith tells me that in a briefing, Pentagon officials said they reserve the right to kill people who are "affiliated" with their list of "narco-terror groups."
But under questioning, they wouldn't define what "affiliated" means!
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
But under questioning, they wouldn't define what "affiliated" means!
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
During the sentencing of a pardoned Jan. 6 defendant in an unrelated case, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols of D.C. praised the two prosecutors who were suspended by DOJ this week after they referred to those who attacked the Capitol as a “mob of rioters.”
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Trump-Appointed Judge Praises Suspended DOJ Prosecutors
Down The Memory Hole During the sentencing of a pardoned Jan. 6...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:57 PM
During the sentencing of a pardoned Jan. 6 defendant in an unrelated case, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols of D.C. praised the two prosecutors who were suspended by DOJ this week after they referred to those who attacked the Capitol as a “mob of rioters.”
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Reposted by David Kurtz
Put another way:
Trump's DOJ is sending their No. 3 lawyer (a go-to attorney for Trump's allies) to shield their No. 2 lawyer (Trump's criminal defense attorney) from a subpoena, all in an effort to argue that Kilmar Abrego Garcia isn't being vindictively prosecuted by the Trump administration.
Trump's DOJ is sending their No. 3 lawyer (a go-to attorney for Trump's allies) to shield their No. 2 lawyer (Trump's criminal defense attorney) from a subpoena, all in an effort to argue that Kilmar Abrego Garcia isn't being vindictively prosecuted by the Trump administration.
Notable:
Stanley Woodward, who repped Trump's co-defendant in the classified docs case, just signed a brief attempting to quash a subpoena to Todd Blanche in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case.
He's a go-to lawyer for Trump allies turned DOJ No. 3. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Stanley Woodward, who repped Trump's co-defendant in the classified docs case, just signed a brief attempting to quash a subpoena to Todd Blanche in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case.
He's a go-to lawyer for Trump allies turned DOJ No. 3. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 30, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Put another way:
Trump's DOJ is sending their No. 3 lawyer (a go-to attorney for Trump's allies) to shield their No. 2 lawyer (Trump's criminal defense attorney) from a subpoena, all in an effort to argue that Kilmar Abrego Garcia isn't being vindictively prosecuted by the Trump administration.
Trump's DOJ is sending their No. 3 lawyer (a go-to attorney for Trump's allies) to shield their No. 2 lawyer (Trump's criminal defense attorney) from a subpoena, all in an effort to argue that Kilmar Abrego Garcia isn't being vindictively prosecuted by the Trump administration.
"U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said at a sentencing hearing that the prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, were among the best attorneys who have appeared before him."
Trump-appointed judge praises prosecutors placed on leave after calling Jan. 6 a 'riot'
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Trump-appointed judge praises prosecutors placed on leave after calling Jan. 6 a 'riot'
The comments came at the sentencing of a former Jan. 6 defendant who was arrested in 2023 after he showed up to Barack Obama's neighborhood carrying weapons.
www.nbcnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:51 PM
"U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said at a sentencing hearing that the prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, were among the best attorneys who have appeared before him."
Stan Woodward joins the party and for first time gov't raises the prospect of a significant delay in the Abrego Garcia criminal case so it can fight the subpoena of DAG Todd Blanche and other senior DOJ officials at the appeals court, if the trial judge won't quash it.
Notable:
Stanley Woodward, who repped Trump's co-defendant in the classified docs case, just signed a brief attempting to quash a subpoena to Todd Blanche in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case.
He's a go-to lawyer for Trump allies turned DOJ No. 3. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Stanley Woodward, who repped Trump's co-defendant in the classified docs case, just signed a brief attempting to quash a subpoena to Todd Blanche in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case.
He's a go-to lawyer for Trump allies turned DOJ No. 3. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Stan Woodward joins the party and for first time gov't raises the prospect of a significant delay in the Abrego Garcia criminal case so it can fight the subpoena of DAG Todd Blanche and other senior DOJ officials at the appeals court, if the trial judge won't quash it.
Republicans on the Hill and right-wing media in tandem with the Trump administration are creating a MAGA feedback loop by releasing DOJ and FBI records from the “Arctic Fox” investigation ...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The MAGA Disinfo Machine Takes New Aim at Jack Smith
The Retribution: Arctic Frost Edition Republicans on the Hill and right-wing media,...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Republicans on the Hill and right-wing media in tandem with the Trump administration are creating a MAGA feedback loop by releasing DOJ and FBI records from the “Arctic Fox” investigation ...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
In the midst of raging discovery dispute, the US attorney in Abrego Garcia criminal case revealed to the judge today that he himself just obtained *yesterday* from HSI agent John VanWie in Baltimore "a significant number of documents, almost all of which the [prosecutor] did not previously have."
October 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM
In the midst of raging discovery dispute, the US attorney in Abrego Garcia criminal case revealed to the judge today that he himself just obtained *yesterday* from HSI agent John VanWie in Baltimore "a significant number of documents, almost all of which the [prosecutor] did not previously have."
In what is now the third such ruling, a federal judge disqualified Bill Essayli as acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.
The ruling has major implications for the corrupt political prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The ruling has major implications for the corrupt political prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Judge Gives LA U.S. Attorney The Alina Habba Treatment
Essayli Ruled Ineligible In what is now the third such ruling, a...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:21 PM
In what is now the third such ruling, a federal judge disqualified Bill Essayli as acting U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.
The ruling has major implications for the corrupt political prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The ruling has major implications for the corrupt political prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and New York AG Letitia James.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
A Homeland Security Investigations officer accompanying local police fired his gun into a car during a traffic stop in DC earlier this month, but the police report of the incident contained no mention of shots being fired. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
A D.C. task force shot at a driver. It’s not in the police report.
Neither D.C. police nor the Department of Homeland Security have explained why the Homeland Security agent fired his weapon.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:41 PM
A Homeland Security Investigations officer accompanying local police fired his gun into a car during a traffic stop in DC earlier this month, but the police report of the incident contained no mention of shots being fired. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
It’s become apparent now that the Trump administration is not driven by a desire for any particular outcome in the case of Abrego Garcia, but for whatever outcome among the available choices in front of it inflicts maximum pain and suffering on the him.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
The Administration’s Ghastly Game Plan for Savaging Abrego Garcia
The Savagery Is the Point It’s difficult to convey the full scope...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
It’s become apparent now that the Trump administration is not driven by a desire for any particular outcome in the case of Abrego Garcia, but for whatever outcome among the available choices in front of it inflicts maximum pain and suffering on the him.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
Motion to quash Abrego Garcia's subpoena in vindictive prosecution claim reveals who was subpoenaed in addition to DAG Todd Blanche:
Associate DAG Aakash Singh
Counselor to the DAG James McHenry
Acting USA Robert McGuire
HSI agents John VanWie and Rana Saoud
www.courtlistener.com/docket/70476...
Associate DAG Aakash Singh
Counselor to the DAG James McHenry
Acting USA Robert McGuire
HSI agents John VanWie and Rana Saoud
www.courtlistener.com/docket/70476...
Quash – #181 in United States v. Abrego Garcia (M.D. Tenn., 3:25-cr-00115) – CourtListener.com
MOTION to Quash Subpoenas and Incorporated Memorandum of Law by USA as to Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. (McGuire, Robert) (Entered: 10/27/2025)
www.courtlistener.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Motion to quash Abrego Garcia's subpoena in vindictive prosecution claim reveals who was subpoenaed in addition to DAG Todd Blanche:
Associate DAG Aakash Singh
Counselor to the DAG James McHenry
Acting USA Robert McGuire
HSI agents John VanWie and Rana Saoud
www.courtlistener.com/docket/70476...
Associate DAG Aakash Singh
Counselor to the DAG James McHenry
Acting USA Robert McGuire
HSI agents John VanWie and Rana Saoud
www.courtlistener.com/docket/70476...