emptywheel
@emptywheel.bsky.social
Coverage of American authoritarianism with a focus on legal cases. An American-Irish in Limerick, Ireland.
Legendary potty mouth!
Legendary potty mouth!
Reposted by emptywheel
America has 925 billionaires as of this year. Collectively they have a record $6.9 trillion in wealth.
The bottom 50% of Americans control $4.2 trillion in wealth.
When 925 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
The bottom 50% of Americans control $4.2 trillion in wealth.
When 925 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
December 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
America has 925 billionaires as of this year. Collectively they have a record $6.9 trillion in wealth.
The bottom 50% of Americans control $4.2 trillion in wealth.
When 925 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
The bottom 50% of Americans control $4.2 trillion in wealth.
When 925 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
Reposted by emptywheel
"Shit, Trump will be lucky if this only goes on for another month and not twelve."
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence - emptywheel
I have no doubt that Todd Blanche's actions will one day amount primarily to a cover-up -- such as when he is eventually cornered about his actions to silence Ghislaine Maxwell. But thus far, the chao...
www.emptywheel.net
December 26, 2025 at 2:17 PM
"Shit, Trump will be lucky if this only goes on for another month and not twelve."
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence - emptywheel
I have no doubt that Todd Blanche's actions will one day amount primarily to a cover-up -- such as when he is eventually cornered about his actions to silence Ghislaine Maxwell. But thus far, the chao...
www.emptywheel.net
December 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Much of Todd Blanche's Perceived Cover-Up Is Actually Incompetence
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/26/m...
Reposted by emptywheel
Your president is spending 11% more days at his private company’s properties and 25% more days playing golf than at this point in his first term.
www.pbump.net/o/an-officia...
www.pbump.net/o/an-officia...
December 25, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Your president is spending 11% more days at his private company’s properties and 25% more days playing golf than at this point in his first term.
www.pbump.net/o/an-officia...
www.pbump.net/o/an-officia...
Reposted by emptywheel
Thanks to @magaziner.house.gov, who named and shamed Noem in a televised Congressional hearing on Dec 12th — it only took him one minute to plead the case of Donna Hughes Brown. When big social media influencers highlight the work that Dems are doing to help Trump’s voters, voters will take notice.
December 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Thanks to @magaziner.house.gov, who named and shamed Noem in a televised Congressional hearing on Dec 12th — it only took him one minute to plead the case of Donna Hughes Brown. When big social media influencers highlight the work that Dems are doing to help Trump’s voters, voters will take notice.
Thanks to Netflix watching my single Detroit Kitties game of the year.
And, of course, some young man got injured seconds into the game.
And, of course, some young man got injured seconds into the game.
December 25, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Thanks to Netflix watching my single Detroit Kitties game of the year.
And, of course, some young man got injured seconds into the game.
And, of course, some young man got injured seconds into the game.
Reposted by emptywheel
Catholics represent fewer than 20% of U.S. adults, however, they make up 61% of the population at risk of deportation. Trump’s immigration crackdown is disproportionately hitting Catholic communities.
chico.newsreview.com/2025/12/24/t...
chico.newsreview.com/2025/12/24/t...
Trump’s War on ICE-Fearing Catholics • Chico News & Review
We are a group of award-winning free alternative weekly newspapers published by Chico Community Publishing, Inc. We publish the Chico News & Review in Chico, California, the Sacramento News & Review…
chico.newsreview.com
December 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Catholics represent fewer than 20% of U.S. adults, however, they make up 61% of the population at risk of deportation. Trump’s immigration crackdown is disproportionately hitting Catholic communities.
chico.newsreview.com/2025/12/24/t...
chico.newsreview.com/2025/12/24/t...
This is VERY high up on my list of things we need to do better in 2026: Find a way to use the Admin's claim they oppose antisemitism to impose a cost for the antisemitism they routinely push out.
There's literally an EO forbidding federal funding for antisemitism!
There's literally an EO forbidding federal funding for antisemitism!
As a Jew, it’s fun watching the administration post Christian nationalist messages while also saying they are doing everything they can to curb antisemitism.
Here’s the U.S. government being officially religious in a country with no official religion.
December 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
This is VERY high up on my list of things we need to do better in 2026: Find a way to use the Admin's claim they oppose antisemitism to impose a cost for the antisemitism they routinely push out.
There's literally an EO forbidding federal funding for antisemitism!
There's literally an EO forbidding federal funding for antisemitism!
This is what it took to shame Kristi Noem into letting an Irish green card holder who bouncing $80 in 2 checks 10 years ago free after 5 months in detention:
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
ICE Releases Grandma With Green Card After 5 Months in Time for Christmas
Donna Hughes Brown's case was highlighted during a hearing with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
www.star-telegram.com
December 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
This is what it took to shame Kristi Noem into letting an Irish green card holder who bouncing $80 in 2 checks 10 years ago free after 5 months in detention:
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
Reposted by emptywheel
The NYT asked me to write about Christmas in the Trump economy, but also assigned too many holiday columns so mine didn't make it in. But here it is! The Hallmark Christmas movie you didn't ask for: www.elizabethspiers.com/a-hallmark-c...
A Hallmark Christmas, Through the Dark Lens of the Trump Economy
A lump of coal from President Scrooge
[The NYT assigned me a column about Christmas and affordability in the Trump economy but also assigned approximately four million other columns for the holidays ...
www.elizabethspiers.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The NYT asked me to write about Christmas in the Trump economy, but also assigned too many holiday columns so mine didn't make it in. But here it is! The Hallmark Christmas movie you didn't ask for: www.elizabethspiers.com/a-hallmark-c...
Reposted by emptywheel
Christ on a bike, this is brilliant.
And disgustingly historically accurate. 10/10
And disgustingly historically accurate. 10/10
December 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Christ on a bike, this is brilliant.
And disgustingly historically accurate. 10/10
And disgustingly historically accurate. 10/10
Reposted by emptywheel
My good friend Howie Klein passed away today and I am bereft. He was a fierce progressive, music impressario, creative organizer, passionate world traveller and the mensch of all mensches.
Howie always fought the good fight and inspired many to do the same. I will miss him terribly.
Howie always fought the good fight and inspired many to do the same. I will miss him terribly.
December 25, 2025 at 3:57 AM
My good friend Howie Klein passed away today and I am bereft. He was a fierce progressive, music impressario, creative organizer, passionate world traveller and the mensch of all mensches.
Howie always fought the good fight and inspired many to do the same. I will miss him terribly.
Howie always fought the good fight and inspired many to do the same. I will miss him terribly.
Reposted by emptywheel
So I have the cover story in next month's TNR.
I interviewed the heads of police groups; immigration defense attorneys, ex-judges and ex-prosecutors; former DOJ and DHS officials, and the former head of Border Patrol.
They're all horrified at what we've seen, and they all fear what's coming.
I interviewed the heads of police groups; immigration defense attorneys, ex-judges and ex-prosecutors; former DOJ and DHS officials, and the former head of Border Patrol.
They're all horrified at what we've seen, and they all fear what's coming.
Trump’s Immigration Nightmare: It Is Happening Here
With astonishing speed, the administration has toppled the most cherished pillars of a free society. And the experts agree: It’s all going to get much, much worse.
newrepublic.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
So I have the cover story in next month's TNR.
I interviewed the heads of police groups; immigration defense attorneys, ex-judges and ex-prosecutors; former DOJ and DHS officials, and the former head of Border Patrol.
They're all horrified at what we've seen, and they all fear what's coming.
I interviewed the heads of police groups; immigration defense attorneys, ex-judges and ex-prosecutors; former DOJ and DHS officials, and the former head of Border Patrol.
They're all horrified at what we've seen, and they all fear what's coming.
Reposted by emptywheel
The FBI was supposed to deliver all the Epstein files to @AGPamBondi's desk by 8 AM on Feb. 28, 2025. That's almost ten months ago. This seems like something @JusticeOIG would need to dig into www.justice.gov/ag/media/139...
December 24, 2025 at 8:57 PM
The FBI was supposed to deliver all the Epstein files to @AGPamBondi's desk by 8 AM on Feb. 28, 2025. That's almost ten months ago. This seems like something @JusticeOIG would need to dig into www.justice.gov/ag/media/139...
Reposted by emptywheel
In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.
youtu.be/R9XN1iOungs?...
youtu.be/R9XN1iOungs?...
I Talked To 50 Dads at the Taylor Swift Eras Tour
YouTube video by DARK WEB | Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel
youtu.be
December 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.
youtu.be/R9XN1iOungs?...
youtu.be/R9XN1iOungs?...
Reposted by emptywheel
Imagine looking like Stephen Miller and thinking you’re genetically superior
December 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Imagine looking like Stephen Miller and thinking you’re genetically superior
Reposted by emptywheel
American social media platforms are banned in Russia. Have you noticed Donald isn't sanctioning anyone over that?
December 24, 2025 at 10:46 AM
American social media platforms are banned in Russia. Have you noticed Donald isn't sanctioning anyone over that?
Read Rayne on the human cost of having a conspiracist crank as HHS Secretary.
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/23/n...
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/23/n...
(Not) Home for Christmas - emptywheel
I didn’t expect to hear my dad swear about RFK Jr.’s gross mismanagement of HHS. Instead he said something worse.
www.emptywheel.net
December 24, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Read Rayne on the human cost of having a conspiracist crank as HHS Secretary.
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/23/n...
www.emptywheel.net/2025/12/23/n...
Reposted by emptywheel
I’ll just note that the US didn’t do this to China, which outright bans US social media websites
US bars former EU commissioner Breton and others over tech rules ft.trib.al/TgoG45B
US bars former EU commissioner Breton and others over tech rules
France hits out at visa sanctions as Washington targets what it calls the ‘global censorship-industrial complex’
ft.trib.al
December 24, 2025 at 11:12 AM
I’ll just note that the US didn’t do this to China, which outright bans US social media websites
Reposted by emptywheel
I wanted to figure out what changed between the DOJ's initial Epstein Files Vol. 8 document dump (which they quickly pulled) and the version they replaced it with.
I had a few hours of free time for PDF forensics hacking today. Here's my initial analysis of what changed: github.com/chad-loder/e...
I had a few hours of free time for PDF forensics hacking today. Here's my initial analysis of what changed: github.com/chad-loder/e...
December 24, 2025 at 7:39 AM
I wanted to figure out what changed between the DOJ's initial Epstein Files Vol. 8 document dump (which they quickly pulled) and the version they replaced it with.
I had a few hours of free time for PDF forensics hacking today. Here's my initial analysis of what changed: github.com/chad-loder/e...
I had a few hours of free time for PDF forensics hacking today. Here's my initial analysis of what changed: github.com/chad-loder/e...
Reposted by emptywheel
Here’s some more analysis on how the new ban on the import of foreign drone components is going to impact drone manufacturing (the impacts are not, I imagine, gonna be good)
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
FCC Bans Foreign-Made Drones, Drone Parts...Plus Motors and Batteries?
The FCC has effectively banned the importation of all foreign-manufactured drones as well as foreign sources of drone components that include batteries and motors.
www.electronicdesign.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Here’s some more analysis on how the new ban on the import of foreign drone components is going to impact drone manufacturing (the impacts are not, I imagine, gonna be good)
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
www.electronicdesign.com/blogs/nonlin...
Reposted by emptywheel
Brett Kavanaugh (September 2025): The facts and how they relate to the law don’t matter. Assume ICE and other federal forces always act with integrity, always respect rights, and consistently impose minimal burden.
Brett Kavanaugh (December 2025): Should I not have done that? Was that wrong?
Brett Kavanaugh (December 2025): Should I not have done that? Was that wrong?
Kavanaugh in a footnote in today's opinion says "the officers must not make interior immigration stops or arrests based on race or ethnicity."
December 23, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Brett Kavanaugh (September 2025): The facts and how they relate to the law don’t matter. Assume ICE and other federal forces always act with integrity, always respect rights, and consistently impose minimal burden.
Brett Kavanaugh (December 2025): Should I not have done that? Was that wrong?
Brett Kavanaugh (December 2025): Should I not have done that? Was that wrong?
Reposted by emptywheel
One last thing: Whren doesn’t say that it’s sometimes OK to profile people on the basis of race. It says that’s an EP violation if you can prove intent to do it. So, no, it’s not right to read this as saying “racial discrimination is cool if it’s one factor among many.” He‘s backtracking, full stop.
December 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
One last thing: Whren doesn’t say that it’s sometimes OK to profile people on the basis of race. It says that’s an EP violation if you can prove intent to do it. So, no, it’s not right to read this as saying “racial discrimination is cool if it’s one factor among many.” He‘s backtracking, full stop.
Holy shit!
On the morning of the Delaney Hall confrontation, an ICE thug who would shove @replamonica.bsky.social later in the day used a racial slur.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
On the morning of the Delaney Hall confrontation, an ICE thug who would shove @replamonica.bsky.social later in the day used a racial slur.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 23, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Holy shit!
On the morning of the Delaney Hall confrontation, an ICE thug who would shove @replamonica.bsky.social later in the day used a racial slur.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
On the morning of the Delaney Hall confrontation, an ICE thug who would shove @replamonica.bsky.social later in the day used a racial slur.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Guo will eventually be pardoned, once Trump gets his price from Bannon or someone else (like the Emirates).
The sentencing of Miles Guo, the Chinese exile and former billionaire convicted in July 2024 of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from followers of a cult like anti-CCP group he started with Steve Bannon, has been delayed again, from January to April.
December 23, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Guo will eventually be pardoned, once Trump gets his price from Bannon or someone else (like the Emirates).