Eric Brignac (He/Him)
@ericbrignac.bsky.social
Chief Appellate Atty @ EDNC Federal Public Defender & Adjunct Professor at UNC-CH Law School. Enjoy N.O. Saints, BBQ, & craft beer.
Who, physically, has the Epstein files?
November 12, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Who, physically, has the Epstein files?
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Schumer led Senate Democrats in fighting Trump over healthcare, period.
If you think Senate leaders can control members of their caucus, you don’t know much about the Senate. And before you say “McConnell,” remember why we still have the ACA when Trump and McConnell wanted it gone.
If you think Senate leaders can control members of their caucus, you don’t know much about the Senate. And before you say “McConnell,” remember why we still have the ACA when Trump and McConnell wanted it gone.
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Schumer led Senate Democrats in fighting Trump over healthcare, period.
If you think Senate leaders can control members of their caucus, you don’t know much about the Senate. And before you say “McConnell,” remember why we still have the ACA when Trump and McConnell wanted it gone.
If you think Senate leaders can control members of their caucus, you don’t know much about the Senate. And before you say “McConnell,” remember why we still have the ACA when Trump and McConnell wanted it gone.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
And, instead, 42 million Americans just received a stark reminder that voting for Democrats prevents them from dying.
November 11, 2025 at 6:29 PM
And, instead, 42 million Americans just received a stark reminder that voting for Democrats prevents them from dying.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Look, 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits. Quite a few of those food stamp recipients vote. Many of them woke up last week and found out Republicans weren't going to help feed them and their kids.
If the shutdown kept going much longer many of them would have started to blame Democrats.
If the shutdown kept going much longer many of them would have started to blame Democrats.
November 11, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Look, 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits. Quite a few of those food stamp recipients vote. Many of them woke up last week and found out Republicans weren't going to help feed them and their kids.
If the shutdown kept going much longer many of them would have started to blame Democrats.
If the shutdown kept going much longer many of them would have started to blame Democrats.
It is worth noting that there are a lot of us who are happy that we’re going to start getting paid again.
I know that there are larger issues at stake. But hundreds of thousands of public servants working for a month without pay isn’t nothing.
I know that there are larger issues at stake. But hundreds of thousands of public servants working for a month without pay isn’t nothing.
November 10, 2025 at 11:11 PM
It is worth noting that there are a lot of us who are happy that we’re going to start getting paid again.
I know that there are larger issues at stake. But hundreds of thousands of public servants working for a month without pay isn’t nothing.
I know that there are larger issues at stake. But hundreds of thousands of public servants working for a month without pay isn’t nothing.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
I have thoughts, and they aren’t going to fit neatly into Bluesky posts. Briefly:
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I have thoughts, and they aren’t going to fit neatly into Bluesky posts. Briefly:
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
The party in the position of “just pass the clean CR” has always had the advantage in shutdown politics. So the Dems always had the harder lift here. 1/6
November 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
The party in the position of “just pass the clean CR” has always had the advantage in shutdown politics. So the Dems always had the harder lift here. 1/6
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Wish people with any kind of audience would please focus on this shitshow still actually being Republican’s fault entirely
November 10, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Wish people with any kind of audience would please focus on this shitshow still actually being Republican’s fault entirely
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Every time a tech entrepreneur says “we don’t need to stop global warming because AI will” I want to slap them with a fish that says, “if a superhuman intelligence came into being and we asked it how to stop global warming, it would say ‘stop burning fossil fuels, you fools.’”
I’m going to regret asking this, but… what mechanism are people proposing whereby AI will “end scarcity”?
This feels like literal underpants gnomes thinking, and as I never tire of pointing out, it’s being driven by a lot of the same actual people
This feels like literal underpants gnomes thinking, and as I never tire of pointing out, it’s being driven by a lot of the same actual people
AI could end scarcity, end humanity - or boost trend growth by 0.2 percentage points
November 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Every time a tech entrepreneur says “we don’t need to stop global warming because AI will” I want to slap them with a fish that says, “if a superhuman intelligence came into being and we asked it how to stop global warming, it would say ‘stop burning fossil fuels, you fools.’”
I'm always impressed by how seriously jurors take their charge. Every time you get a peek into the black box, you see things that reveal that they understand the gravity of their choices.
'Sandwich Guy' jury note and verdict form: www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
November 7, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I'm always impressed by how seriously jurors take their charge. Every time you get a peek into the black box, you see things that reveal that they understand the gravity of their choices.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
The jury must decide if the defendant is to be a hero or poor boy
The sandwich guy jury has begun to deliber-ATE
sorry not sorry
sorry not sorry
“This case, ladies and gentleman of the jury, is about a sandwich.”
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
Closing arguments from the defense in the DC sandwich guy case are now underway.
November 5, 2025 at 8:20 PM
The jury must decide if the defendant is to be a hero or poor boy
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Perhaps the NYT should run some articles about how the Republicans need to listen to the concerns of ordinary Democratic voters.
November 5, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Perhaps the NYT should run some articles about how the Republicans need to listen to the concerns of ordinary Democratic voters.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
My takeaway from the elections yesterday is that it’s one thing to be unpopular and have a large portion of the media apparatus desperate to pretend that’s not the case but it’s another thing to be unpopular and have that be an undeniable fact
November 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
My takeaway from the elections yesterday is that it’s one thing to be unpopular and have a large portion of the media apparatus desperate to pretend that’s not the case but it’s another thing to be unpopular and have that be an undeniable fact
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Democrat Larry Krasner, a national figurehead for reform prosecutors, has won reelection as Philadelphia’s district attorney.
November 5, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Democrat Larry Krasner, a national figurehead for reform prosecutors, has won reelection as Philadelphia’s district attorney.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Wow it turns out the entire country is not permanently reactionary because Trump won an election by 1.5%
November 5, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Wow it turns out the entire country is not permanently reactionary because Trump won an election by 1.5%
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Why don’t the Democrats do something? you ask.
They did. They are.
Here’s one huge victory right now, courtesy of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
They did. They are.
Here’s one huge victory right now, courtesy of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
🚨BREAKING: Federal Court permanently BLOCKS the administration from implementing part of Executive Order requiring documentary proof of citizenship on the federal voter registration application.
A BIG VICTORY for our clients--DNC, DGA, DSCC, DCCC, Sen Schumer and Leader Jeffries--and all voters!
A BIG VICTORY for our clients--DNC, DGA, DSCC, DCCC, Sen Schumer and Leader Jeffries--and all voters!
League of United Latin American Citizens v. Executive Office of the President
Learn more.
www.democracydocket.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Why don’t the Democrats do something? you ask.
They did. They are.
Here’s one huge victory right now, courtesy of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
They did. They are.
Here’s one huge victory right now, courtesy of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
But that is for another day. Today, let’s revel in the resurrection of Nanotyrannus. And congratulate @jgn-paleo.bsky.social & Lindsay Zanno on their work, and saving this new skeleton for science.
October 30, 2025 at 4:39 PM
But that is for another day. Today, let’s revel in the resurrection of Nanotyrannus. And congratulate @jgn-paleo.bsky.social & Lindsay Zanno on their work, and saving this new skeleton for science.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
GOP behavior right now has to be understood in the context of the character of the American people coming through. We are in a race between democracy destroying the modern GOP and the modern GOP destroying democracy. They understand that and are trying to win.
October 31, 2025 at 1:50 PM
GOP behavior right now has to be understood in the context of the character of the American people coming through. We are in a race between democracy destroying the modern GOP and the modern GOP destroying democracy. They understand that and are trying to win.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
This is why Gavin Newsom is a non-starter for me.
Sure, he's "a fighter" who's landed a few good punches on Trump, but that's not the same thing as a leader.
A real leader doesn't fight back against an authoritarian takeover by using the most vulnerable as his shield.
Sure, he's "a fighter" who's landed a few good punches on Trump, but that's not the same thing as a leader.
A real leader doesn't fight back against an authoritarian takeover by using the most vulnerable as his shield.
I keep seeing people say, oh, trans people must take a hit for the greater good and, first of all, no, you don't get to discard someone else's rights and second, we know from past experience that marginalized communities like theirs are merely the first to be targeted. They'll come for you next.
The White House plans to bar hospitals that treat transgender children and youth from getting any Medicare and Medicaid payments. The move would affect trans youth who have private insurance, too. n.pr/4qFa1mY
October 31, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This is why Gavin Newsom is a non-starter for me.
Sure, he's "a fighter" who's landed a few good punches on Trump, but that's not the same thing as a leader.
A real leader doesn't fight back against an authoritarian takeover by using the most vulnerable as his shield.
Sure, he's "a fighter" who's landed a few good punches on Trump, but that's not the same thing as a leader.
A real leader doesn't fight back against an authoritarian takeover by using the most vulnerable as his shield.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Remember how just a few years ago during the worst of the pandemic when we saw how the govt can actually do big things and saw that our collective health & well-being are intertwined, and then corporations got mad that they lost a modicum of power and helped fund a backlash of amnesia and fascism?
October 30, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Remember how just a few years ago during the worst of the pandemic when we saw how the govt can actually do big things and saw that our collective health & well-being are intertwined, and then corporations got mad that they lost a modicum of power and helped fund a backlash of amnesia and fascism?
I get the appeal of the “Congress is getting paid even though they are not working” argument.
But there are much worse things about keeping the people’s House permanently adjourned than their salaries.
But there are much worse things about keeping the people’s House permanently adjourned than their salaries.
October 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I get the appeal of the “Congress is getting paid even though they are not working” argument.
But there are much worse things about keeping the people’s House permanently adjourned than their salaries.
But there are much worse things about keeping the people’s House permanently adjourned than their salaries.
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
Two Illinois National Guard members speak out: "I won't turn against my neighbors."
2 Illinois National Guard members speak out: "I won't turn against my neighbors"
Staff Sgt. Demi Palecek and Capt. Dylan Blaha say they'll defy federal orders regarding Trump's immigration enforcement operation in Chicago.
cbsn.ws
October 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Two Illinois National Guard members speak out: "I won't turn against my neighbors."
Reposted by Eric Brignac (He/Him)
"time to log into a website before bedtime and get mad again" - all of us for some reason??
October 27, 2025 at 3:24 AM
"time to log into a website before bedtime and get mad again" - all of us for some reason??
American conservatism became incompatible with the existence of a functioning legislature. And the unquestioned response by the GOP was to just shut down the legislature.
This outcome has been building for a while, but it is still kind of crazy that it actually happened.
This outcome has been building for a while, but it is still kind of crazy that it actually happened.
October 26, 2025 at 4:46 PM
American conservatism became incompatible with the existence of a functioning legislature. And the unquestioned response by the GOP was to just shut down the legislature.
This outcome has been building for a while, but it is still kind of crazy that it actually happened.
This outcome has been building for a while, but it is still kind of crazy that it actually happened.