Derek B. Johnson
@derekbjohnson.bsky.social
Reporter and knowledge broker at CyberScoop, covering privacy, AI and elections. Priors at Federal Computer Week and SC Media. Send tips, leaks and well-wishes to derek.johnson@cyberscoop.com or DM for Signal.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
in 2026 we are NOT hustling, we are NOT grinding, we are doing just enough Job to have money for Video Game
December 27, 2025 at 5:22 AM
in 2026 we are NOT hustling, we are NOT grinding, we are doing just enough Job to have money for Video Game
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Iowa-based journalist Laura Belin compares Bari Weiss' adventures at CBS to Putin's makeover of supposedly independent Russian media, which she covered for RFE-RL twenty years ago. www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/12/25/o...
On "fair" reporting and what happened at "60 Minutes"
Laura Belin: I was alarmed (though not surprised) when CBS News boss Bari Weiss intervened to stop “60 Minutes” from airing a segment.
www.bleedingheartland.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Iowa-based journalist Laura Belin compares Bari Weiss' adventures at CBS to Putin's makeover of supposedly independent Russian media, which she covered for RFE-RL twenty years ago. www.bleedingheartland.com/2025/12/25/o...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The Dallas Cowboys' epic decline over the past 30 years is why in fact we call them "America's Team."
December 27, 2025 at 3:06 AM
The Dallas Cowboys' epic decline over the past 30 years is why in fact we call them "America's Team."
I am to the Knives Out movie franchise what The Grinch is to Christmas.
December 26, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I am to the Knives Out movie franchise what The Grinch is to Christmas.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
I’d never heard of John Doar before. If you haven’t either, give him a google. People like this, all the allies through history, give the lie to “but those were different times”. There have always been people raised in privilege who still knew right from wrong and took on the status quo.
Well, after eight years of research, writing and revision, I just sent the full manuscript for THE DIVISION: JOHN DOAR, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT to my publisher.
This is happening, people. Whether you want it or not.
This is happening, people. Whether you want it or not.
a man with a mustache wearing a blue jacket and scarf
ALT: a man with a mustache wearing a blue jacket and scarf
media.tenor.com
December 26, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I’d never heard of John Doar before. If you haven’t either, give him a google. People like this, all the allies through history, give the lie to “but those were different times”. There have always been people raised in privilege who still knew right from wrong and took on the status quo.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
(Allowing exceptions. Many age before their time, and all of us born later are under the sway of a culture that fetishizes a self-image of individual rebelliousness, which replaced one the fetishized a self- image of duty and obedience.)
December 24, 2025 at 7:13 PM
(Allowing exceptions. Many age before their time, and all of us born later are under the sway of a culture that fetishizes a self-image of individual rebelliousness, which replaced one the fetishized a self- image of duty and obedience.)
This is why the endless stories and TV segments in the wake of Jan. 6 about whether Trump "knew" the mob had turned violent and when were so frustrating.
Beyond that being clearly established by the facts, the WHOLE POINT was for lawmakers to physically fear for their lives and vote accordingly.
Beyond that being clearly established by the facts, the WHOLE POINT was for lawmakers to physically fear for their lives and vote accordingly.
Terror is not a byproduct of Trumpism; it is central to governing, which is to win over hold-outs via fear.
One thing I did not expect here is that foreign actors who support Trump or seek to sow division may be joining this form of stochastic terrorism.
One thing I did not expect here is that foreign actors who support Trump or seek to sow division may be joining this form of stochastic terrorism.
“I’m 84 years old. Threats against my life expectancy are kind of hollow. I don’t have much time anyway. I’m more concerned that our democracy is at risk because of the trends against the rule of law.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
December 24, 2025 at 3:46 PM
This is why the endless stories and TV segments in the wake of Jan. 6 about whether Trump "knew" the mob had turned violent and when were so frustrating.
Beyond that being clearly established by the facts, the WHOLE POINT was for lawmakers to physically fear for their lives and vote accordingly.
Beyond that being clearly established by the facts, the WHOLE POINT was for lawmakers to physically fear for their lives and vote accordingly.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
How did it change you as a law school to give torture memo author and evident war criminal John Yoo a tenured professorship?
“How does it change us as a nation to witness countless acts of cruelty by our government?” asks the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law.
A nation changed: the decline of basic human decency under Trump | Opinion
“How does it change us as a nation to witness countless acts of cruelty by our government?” asks the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law.
bit.ly
December 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
How did it change you as a law school to give torture memo author and evident war criminal John Yoo a tenured professorship?
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
I say that as someone who has started newsrooms from scratch sometimes with two people - if you’re doing your job correctly you will need a lawyer because the first thing rich people do when you write something they don’t like is threaten you legally. It’s cheap for them and expensive for you
December 23, 2025 at 10:49 PM
I say that as someone who has started newsrooms from scratch sometimes with two people - if you’re doing your job correctly you will need a lawyer because the first thing rich people do when you write something they don’t like is threaten you legally. It’s cheap for them and expensive for you
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
As an intel reporter, one occasionally receives random emails from people suffering from mental illness who claim, say, that they are being stalked by KGB officers as part of some massive conspiracy. You simply can’t be that that credulous.
I beg some of ya'll with large audiences not to post unverified tippers sent to the FBI with absolutely no corroborating evidence published in the Epstein files
December 23, 2025 at 7:34 PM
As an intel reporter, one occasionally receives random emails from people suffering from mental illness who claim, say, that they are being stalked by KGB officers as part of some massive conspiracy. You simply can’t be that that credulous.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
It's interesting that people don't seem to notice that the fight we are in right now is: how are the major parties going to realign themselves?
December 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
It's interesting that people don't seem to notice that the fight we are in right now is: how are the major parties going to realign themselves?
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The only Trump renaming that makes sense.
December 23, 2025 at 12:40 PM
The only Trump renaming that makes sense.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
About the card Jeffrey Epstein purportedly sent to Larry Nassar:
* The postmark is from Virginia, not New York where Epstein was jailed
* The return address is incorrect and doesn't include his register number
* FBI sought a handwriting analysis. Don't know outcome.
www.reuters.com/world/us/jus...
* The postmark is from Virginia, not New York where Epstein was jailed
* The return address is incorrect and doesn't include his register number
* FBI sought a handwriting analysis. Don't know outcome.
www.reuters.com/world/us/jus...
Justice Department releases card mentioning Trump, purportedly sent from Epstein to Nassar
The U.S. Justice Department released an image on Tuesday of a card that makes a crude reference to President Donald Trump, purportedly written by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar...
www.reuters.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM
About the card Jeffrey Epstein purportedly sent to Larry Nassar:
* The postmark is from Virginia, not New York where Epstein was jailed
* The return address is incorrect and doesn't include his register number
* FBI sought a handwriting analysis. Don't know outcome.
www.reuters.com/world/us/jus...
* The postmark is from Virginia, not New York where Epstein was jailed
* The return address is incorrect and doesn't include his register number
* FBI sought a handwriting analysis. Don't know outcome.
www.reuters.com/world/us/jus...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The “free speech” and “cancel culture” panics have led to overt state censorship because that was always their purpose. (Gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
December 23, 2025 at 4:54 PM
The “free speech” and “cancel culture” panics have led to overt state censorship because that was always their purpose. (Gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
The year is 2027. A collapsing AI bubble has turned massive data centers into "Trumpvilles." Tesla stock closes up as Musk reveals new prototype genital prosthesis. DOJ releases letter from Jeffery Epstein to "Subway Jared," reminiscing about "hanging out with Trump at the secret pedo convention."
December 23, 2025 at 4:37 PM
The year is 2027. A collapsing AI bubble has turned massive data centers into "Trumpvilles." Tesla stock closes up as Musk reveals new prototype genital prosthesis. DOJ releases letter from Jeffery Epstein to "Subway Jared," reminiscing about "hanging out with Trump at the secret pedo convention."
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
From @parkermolloy.com at New Republic. newrepublic.com/article/2047...
I'd go a bit further. The system needs no conspiracy to function. It just needs everyone to understand the direction things are going in. Bari Weiss was put there not to protect a legacy, but to align its politics differently.
I'd go a bit further. The system needs no conspiracy to function. It just needs everyone to understand the direction things are going in. Bari Weiss was put there not to protect a legacy, but to align its politics differently.
December 23, 2025 at 4:34 PM
From @parkermolloy.com at New Republic. newrepublic.com/article/2047...
I'd go a bit further. The system needs no conspiracy to function. It just needs everyone to understand the direction things are going in. Bari Weiss was put there not to protect a legacy, but to align its politics differently.
I'd go a bit further. The system needs no conspiracy to function. It just needs everyone to understand the direction things are going in. Bari Weiss was put there not to protect a legacy, but to align its politics differently.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Scoop: The lone employee behind CISA's Pre-Ransomware Notification Initiative resigned on Friday rather than take a forced reassignment to FEMA.
CISA says PRNI will continue, but sources said David Stern's loss will be a major setback for it.
My story: www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-ra...
CISA says PRNI will continue, but sources said David Stern's loss will be a major setback for it.
My story: www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-ra...
December 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Scoop: The lone employee behind CISA's Pre-Ransomware Notification Initiative resigned on Friday rather than take a forced reassignment to FEMA.
CISA says PRNI will continue, but sources said David Stern's loss will be a major setback for it.
My story: www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-ra...
CISA says PRNI will continue, but sources said David Stern's loss will be a major setback for it.
My story: www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-ra...
People will be like "You can tell Stephen Miller is evil because he's all ugly and looks like a bad dude" and then talk about this dude like he's a cutest, fluffiest bunny.
December 23, 2025 at 1:50 PM
People will be like "You can tell Stephen Miller is evil because he's all ugly and looks like a bad dude" and then talk about this dude like he's a cutest, fluffiest bunny.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
“And Weiss is apparently doing this all for – sources in and close to the Trump administration tell Zeteo – people who don’t even like her, or who think she’s merely a “useful idiot” embedded in the legacy media that the president loves to trash.”
Bari Weiss praised El Salvador's dictator before spiking '60 Minutes' story on his torture prison.
new w/ @premthakker.bsky.social @swin24.bsky.social @zeteo.com
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
new w/ @premthakker.bsky.social @swin24.bsky.social @zeteo.com
zeteo.com/p/bari-weiss...
Bari Weiss Praised El Salvador’s Dictator Before Spiking '60 Minutes' Story on His Torture Prison
Weiss touted El Salvador’s brutal leader while her blog published jokes about Trump sending immigrants to the CECOT prison.
zeteo.com
December 23, 2025 at 1:12 PM
“And Weiss is apparently doing this all for – sources in and close to the Trump administration tell Zeteo – people who don’t even like her, or who think she’s merely a “useful idiot” embedded in the legacy media that the president loves to trash.”
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
if bari weiss had tried to do 9/11 there'd be three towers now
December 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM
if bari weiss had tried to do 9/11 there'd be three towers now
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
I send my kids to a small Bay Area school where a high percentage of parents work in tech. My informal survey of popular holiday gifts found that the two most popular were the Yoto mini music player and Tin Can phone.
Tells you something that all these families want their kids to be screen-free.
Tells you something that all these families want their kids to be screen-free.
December 22, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I send my kids to a small Bay Area school where a high percentage of parents work in tech. My informal survey of popular holiday gifts found that the two most popular were the Yoto mini music player and Tin Can phone.
Tells you something that all these families want their kids to be screen-free.
Tells you something that all these families want their kids to be screen-free.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
Anyone in the business knows this. Every cub reporter learns this day one from his or her editors. The whole affair insults the intelligence of 60 Minutes staff.
"We need to be able to make every effort to get the principals on the record and on camera."
Bizarre. If you offer officials the chance to speak on camera and they decline, it isn't your job to hold a critical story until they change their minds. The right of reply is not a right to delay.
Bizarre. If you offer officials the chance to speak on camera and they decline, it isn't your job to hold a critical story until they change their minds. The right of reply is not a right to delay.
Weiss concluded: “We need to be able to make every effort to get the principals on the record and on camera. To me, our viewers come first, not a listing schedule or anything else. And that is my North Star, and I hope it's the North Star of every person in this newsroom.”
December 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Anyone in the business knows this. Every cub reporter learns this day one from his or her editors. The whole affair insults the intelligence of 60 Minutes staff.
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
i came out to have a good time and honestly....
December 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
i came out to have a good time and honestly....
Reposted by Derek B. Johnson
people have FOMO about parties but i have FOMO about homeownership
December 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
people have FOMO about parties but i have FOMO about homeownership