Michael Hawthorne
@scribeguy.bsky.social
Midwesterner. Pulitzer finalist. Dig into environment/public health for the Chicago Tribune. Confidential tips welcome via SIGNAL: scribeguy.35
EPL/NBA/MLB obsessive. Victoria Concordia Crescit. https://www.chicagotribune.com/author/michael-hawthorne
EPL/NBA/MLB obsessive. Victoria Concordia Crescit. https://www.chicagotribune.com/author/michael-hawthorne
Pinned
Michael Hawthorne
@scribeguy.bsky.social
· Jan 15
EPA warns of toxic forever chemicals in sewage sludge used on farmland, including thousands of acres near the Chicago area
In northeast Illinois, more than 777,000 tons of sludge from Chicago and Cook County have been spread on farmland — in many cases near residential areas.
www.chicagotribune.com
Update from me: More than 777K tons of PFAS-contaminated sludge from Chicago and Cook Co. have been spread on farmland during the past 8 years — in many cases near residential areas.
Only LA gave more sludge to farmers.
EPA confirms cancer risks for farmers and neighbors. Unclear about gen pop.
Only LA gave more sludge to farmers.
EPA confirms cancer risks for farmers and neighbors. Unclear about gen pop.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Trump: "The oil business has been a bust.
Pumping almost nothing. We’re going to have our very large oil companies spend billions of dollars and start making money for the country."
Pumping almost nothing. We’re going to have our very large oil companies spend billions of dollars and start making money for the country."
January 3, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Trump: "The oil business has been a bust.
Pumping almost nothing. We’re going to have our very large oil companies spend billions of dollars and start making money for the country."
Pumping almost nothing. We’re going to have our very large oil companies spend billions of dollars and start making money for the country."
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
ah yes, news focused on the concerns of the average american
NEW from me:
Currently on tap for Tony Dokoupil on his first day as CBS Evening News anchor -- taking a private plane to Miami to so he can go jet skiing with DJ Khaled and play soccer with David Beckham.
Take that, elites!
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Currently on tap for Tony Dokoupil on his first day as CBS Evening News anchor -- taking a private plane to Miami to so he can go jet skiing with DJ Khaled and play soccer with David Beckham.
Take that, elites!
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Private jets and ‘Bari pitches’: Inside Weiss’ chaotic CBS Evening News reboot
EXCLUSIVE: The new CBS News editor-in-chief has chartered private flights for her armed security detail, made last-minute logistical changes and fired off ‘Bari Pitches.’ Weiss is once again accused o...
www.independent.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 1:05 AM
ah yes, news focused on the concerns of the average american
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Trump abandoned his duty to defend the Constitution on January 6. It was a profound betrayal of American democracy. And Republicans, MAGA, and right-wing media have tried to erase one of the most treacherous acts in US history.
Smith: He was getting calls from people he trusts, people he relies on—and he still refused to come to the aid of the people at the Capitol. That’s very important evidence for criminal intent in our case.
January 1, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Trump abandoned his duty to defend the Constitution on January 6. It was a profound betrayal of American democracy. And Republicans, MAGA, and right-wing media have tried to erase one of the most treacherous acts in US history.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Jack Smith in just-released House Committee interview … about Trump:
“The attack that happened at the Capitol … does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit”
youtu.be/1NOVLkzycPI?...
“The attack that happened at the Capitol … does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit”
youtu.be/1NOVLkzycPI?...
Jack Smith in House Cmte interview re: Trump: “Attack.. at the Capitol does not happen without him”
YouTube video by Scott MacFarlane Reports
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Jack Smith in just-released House Committee interview … about Trump:
“The attack that happened at the Capitol … does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit”
youtu.be/1NOVLkzycPI?...
“The attack that happened at the Capitol … does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit”
youtu.be/1NOVLkzycPI?...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Sending prayers to her family. She was an extraordinary young woman.
If you haven’t, read her superb essay in @newyorker.com about her journey since her cancer diagnosis. A remarkable person. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
If you haven’t, read her superb essay in @newyorker.com about her journey since her cancer diagnosis. A remarkable person. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
December 30, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Sending prayers to her family. She was an extraordinary young woman.
If you haven’t, read her superb essay in @newyorker.com about her journey since her cancer diagnosis. A remarkable person. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
If you haven’t, read her superb essay in @newyorker.com about her journey since her cancer diagnosis. A remarkable person. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
Bizarre reality of the Trump/Miller invasion of Chicago: Detained protesters tell the @chicagotribune.com about "unprofessional, disorganized and downright strange treatment. Multiple arrestees said they were released without charges and then dropped off at a random gas station."
Rioters? Agitators? Immigration agents’ claims against US citizens mostly fall apart in court.
Time and again, Donald Trump’s immigration agents claimed horrific crimes at the hands of protesters in Chicago. Those allegations of abuse did not withstand the scrutiny of judicial review.
www.chicagotribune.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Bizarre reality of the Trump/Miller invasion of Chicago: Detained protesters tell the @chicagotribune.com about "unprofessional, disorganized and downright strange treatment. Multiple arrestees said they were released without charges and then dropped off at a random gas station."
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Good thread. A reminder how heartening and significant it is that the American people are resounding rejecting the Trump/Miller worldview and agenda:
Trump's attempting to transform the US from a country that welcomes immigrants into a radically xenophobic nation that demonizes immigrants of color, and even their US born children. But Trump didn't campaign on this destructive/reactionary remaking of America and most Americans don't support it. 1/
December 30, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Good thread. A reminder how heartening and significant it is that the American people are resounding rejecting the Trump/Miller worldview and agenda:
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
There was a liberal court for a few years in the mid 20th century and the right wing response was to delegitimize for DECADES right up to the point they had a supermajority, at which point it became Wrong to do so. These people think you are stupid bsky.app/profile/chri...
NEW: Jan Crawford's attack on SCOTUS "corruption" narrative was its own substance-free narrative.
On Face the Nation, CBS News's chief legal correspondent went after Supreme Court critics as "dangerous." And yet, her court defense was completely lacking in specifics.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
On Face the Nation, CBS News's chief legal correspondent went after Supreme Court critics as "dangerous." And yet, her court defense was completely lacking in specifics.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
Jan Crawford's attack on SCOTUS "corruption" narrative was its own substance-free narrative
On Face the Nation, CBS News's chief legal correspondent went after Supreme Court critics as "dangerous." And yet, her court defense was completely lacking in specifics.
www.lawdork.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
There was a liberal court for a few years in the mid 20th century and the right wing response was to delegitimize for DECADES right up to the point they had a supermajority, at which point it became Wrong to do so. These people think you are stupid bsky.app/profile/chri...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
"Rebecca Solnit...said, you know, Donald Trump only has one power, and that's the power to make commands. But we also have only one power, which is to refuse those commands. And if we refuse those commands, Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot or anyone doesn't have any power."
![RICK PERLSTEIN: So very simply, Moby-Dick is about the most profound question every person of liberal and humanitarian temperament asks every day about Donald J. Trump. How can people follow someone who is so bad for their lives, so bad for their family, is so bad for their prosperity, so bad for their moral core and their connection to their, you know, whatever is their faith or their wisdom tradition, right. And yet they enthusiastically join forces with him, right. And that is the most deep theme in Moby-Dick, which is like, why do all these -- not, why is there this crazy obsessed authoritarian dictator who wants to kill everyone named Ahab, right? Just in order to redeem his wounded narcissism, right? Just like, you know, a dictator like Adolf Hitler or Donald Trump is trying to redeem their wounded narcissism by leading people into destruction. Why do people follow Ahab? Why do people enthusiastically not mutiny and get just as excited about killing this white whale, which is, you know, literally an impossibility as he does. And it's, it's about this very profound, strange death drive that human beings have to follow charismatic, totalitarian, evil people. And, you know, there's a wonderful writer named Rebecca Solnit. She said, you know, Donald Trump only has one power, and that's the power to make commands. But we also have only one power, which is to refuse those commands. And if we refuse those commands, Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot or anyone doesn't have any power. You know, so why do we follow the commands? The fact is, a lot of people do, right? And that's what he is examining in this very strange and wonderful book that sold 500 copies while he was alive. [laughs] https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/the-books-that-explained-2025-transcript-9.7029424](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ya7gfadgypyypiva5pboi6mi/bafkreicwirutqpzerxli4aendcb3p3uxeylrzcdfs6cmga22sdsccczoaa@jpeg)
December 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
"Rebecca Solnit...said, you know, Donald Trump only has one power, and that's the power to make commands. But we also have only one power, which is to refuse those commands. And if we refuse those commands, Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot or anyone doesn't have any power."
A @chicagotribune.com analysis found that, time and again, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security claimed horrific abuses at the hands of protesters. Yet time and again, their allegations of abuse did not withstand the scrutiny of judicial review.
Rioters? Agitators? Immigration agents’ claims against US citizens mostly fall apart in court.
Time and again, Donald Trump’s immigration agents claimed horrific crimes at the hands of protesters in Chicago. Those allegations of abuse did not withstand the scrutiny of judicial review.
www.chicagotribune.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:30 PM
A @chicagotribune.com analysis found that, time and again, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security claimed horrific abuses at the hands of protesters. Yet time and again, their allegations of abuse did not withstand the scrutiny of judicial review.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
After 45 years as a daily editorial cartoonist, Walt Handelsman is retiring. Here he is in 1990 for The Times-Picayune.
December 30, 2025 at 2:50 PM
After 45 years as a daily editorial cartoonist, Walt Handelsman is retiring. Here he is in 1990 for The Times-Picayune.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Compare and contrast this deeply sick Stephen Miller tweet (left) with the rhetoric that was used on people like his ancestors when they immigrated to the United States (right):
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
December 29, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Compare and contrast this deeply sick Stephen Miller tweet (left) with the rhetoric that was used on people like his ancestors when they immigrated to the United States (right):
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
Typical NYT.
December 30, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Typical NYT.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Well *this* extremely bleak paragraph is gonna haunt me for a while. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/o...
December 30, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Well *this* extremely bleak paragraph is gonna haunt me for a while. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/o...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Another reminder that FBI tasked 934 agents and other personnel to review & redact Epstein files between March & May & prepare the docs for public release. FBI paid $851K in OT/premium pay for a week's worth of work. Via my #FOIA
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
December 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Another reminder that FBI tasked 934 agents and other personnel to review & redact Epstein files between March & May & prepare the docs for public release. FBI paid $851K in OT/premium pay for a week's worth of work. Via my #FOIA
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
“He is a man who rose to the moment.” — Tom Nichols on President Zelenskyy
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
December 28, 2025 at 9:22 PM
“He is a man who rose to the moment.” — Tom Nichols on President Zelenskyy
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
@radiofreetom.bsky.social
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Over the holidays, the administration quietly initiated a review of all Wildlife Refuges, something that could preface yet another attempt to steal your land: open.substack.com/pub/wessiler...
They’re Coming For Your Wildlife Refuges
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s over-holiday review, and what it means for 850 million acres of public land and water
open.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Over the holidays, the administration quietly initiated a review of all Wildlife Refuges, something that could preface yet another attempt to steal your land: open.substack.com/pub/wessiler...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
gray has made a name for himself as the most prominent anti-wind politician in wyoming.
now he’s running for the state’s lone at-large congressional seat.
now he’s running for the state’s lone at-large congressional seat.
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray announced Monday he will run for U.S. House. Gray's decision is the latest development in political musical chairs ahead of the 2026 election.
Chuck Gray announces bid for U.S. House - WyoFile
The secretary of state’s announcement is the latest development in political musical chairs ahead of the 2026 election.
wyofile.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:23 PM
gray has made a name for himself as the most prominent anti-wind politician in wyoming.
now he’s running for the state’s lone at-large congressional seat.
now he’s running for the state’s lone at-large congressional seat.
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
We’re murdering fishermen in handmade peñeros with $40K in motors using $300K in missiles to depose Maduro so Rubio can come 5th in the 2032 primaries 🎁 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/world/americas/trump-boat-strikes-gulf-of-venezuela-wreckage.html?unlocked_article_code=1.AVA.OLR8.KODM5zTAI3xD
December 29, 2025 at 9:42 PM
We’re murdering fishermen in handmade peñeros with $40K in motors using $300K in missiles to depose Maduro so Rubio can come 5th in the 2032 primaries 🎁 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/world/americas/trump-boat-strikes-gulf-of-venezuela-wreckage.html?unlocked_article_code=1.AVA.OLR8.KODM5zTAI3xD
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
reminder that caldwell’s most recent book argues that the civil rights act of 1964 was something akin to a constitutional abomination that produced a world of white subordination
This is how Christopher Caldwell begins his essay on Zohran Mamdani for the Claremont Review of Books.
Why are these people such freaks?
Why are these people such freaks?
December 29, 2025 at 11:13 PM
reminder that caldwell’s most recent book argues that the civil rights act of 1964 was something akin to a constitutional abomination that produced a world of white subordination
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Trump is ending 2025 the same way he started 2025: vouching for Putin’s interest in “peace” in defiance of reality.
The pièce de résistance came when he declared, in apparent seriousness, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.” www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
The pièce de résistance came when he declared, in apparent seriousness, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.” www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Trump ends the year the way he started it: Vouching for Putin’s interest in ‘peace’
The pièce de résistance came when the American president declared, in apparent seriousness, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.”
www.ms.now
December 29, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Trump is ending 2025 the same way he started 2025: vouching for Putin’s interest in “peace” in defiance of reality.
The pièce de résistance came when he declared, in apparent seriousness, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.” www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
The pièce de résistance came when he declared, in apparent seriousness, “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed.” www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
if there's one thing we all remember sauron for, it's the impenetrability of his security
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
Sauron, the high-end home security startup for "super premium" customers, plucks a new CEO out of Sonos | TechCrunch
Sauron is appearing on the scene as concerns rise about crime among the most wealthy.
techcrunch.com
December 29, 2025 at 9:10 PM
if there's one thing we all remember sauron for, it's the impenetrability of his security
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
Speaking as someone who just wrote a book on the Manhattan Project, I can assure you that refugee immigrants were the *entire* reason the US mastered the atom first. The most chilling part of writing my book was reading about them fleeing fascism … abroad. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/fleeing-on...
December 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Speaking as someone who just wrote a book on the Manhattan Project, I can assure you that refugee immigrants were the *entire* reason the US mastered the atom first. The most chilling part of writing my book was reading about them fleeing fascism … abroad. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/fleeing-on...
Reposted by Michael Hawthorne
A long way to say, “He lied to the voters.”
December 28, 2025 at 9:48 PM
A long way to say, “He lied to the voters.”