Laura
@thelaurac.bsky.social
Reposted by Laura
NEW: The CBP confirmed to @404media.co that it has been flying Predator drones over LA amid the protests. These Predator B drones are military-caliber UAVs used for aerial reconnaissance that can be armed.
It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:
It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:
The High-Flying Escalation of CBP's Predator Drone Flights Over LA
Custom and Border Protection flying powerful Predator B drones over Los Angeles further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters typically handled by state or local authorities.
www.wired.com
June 13, 2025 at 4:02 PM
NEW: The CBP confirmed to @404media.co that it has been flying Predator drones over LA amid the protests. These Predator B drones are military-caliber UAVs used for aerial reconnaissance that can be armed.
It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:
It further breaks the seal on federal involvement in civilian matters. More here:
Reposted by Laura
New — I wrote about how the 5 bullets email is nothing but an escalation of Musk and the Trump administration’s psychological war on federal workers.
Read here:
Read here:
Move fast and break people
For Elon Musk's government, the psychological warfare is the point.
www.thehandbasket.co
February 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
New — I wrote about how the 5 bullets email is nothing but an escalation of Musk and the Trump administration’s psychological war on federal workers.
Read here:
Read here:
Reposted by Laura
BREAKING: The USDA, under DOGE orders, has accidentally fired staff working to combat bird flu. It’s now trying to rehire them.
It follows the accidental firing of nuclear safety staff last Friday.
And the accidental firing of FAA’s experienced aviation safety staff.
Incompetence will be deadly.
It follows the accidental firing of nuclear safety staff last Friday.
And the accidental firing of FAA’s experienced aviation safety staff.
Incompetence will be deadly.
USDA says it accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is trying to rehire them
In a statement, an Agriculture Department spokesperson told NBC News that officials are "working to swiftly rectify the situation."
www.nbcnews.com
February 19, 2025 at 12:21 AM
BREAKING: The USDA, under DOGE orders, has accidentally fired staff working to combat bird flu. It’s now trying to rehire them.
It follows the accidental firing of nuclear safety staff last Friday.
And the accidental firing of FAA’s experienced aviation safety staff.
Incompetence will be deadly.
It follows the accidental firing of nuclear safety staff last Friday.
And the accidental firing of FAA’s experienced aviation safety staff.
Incompetence will be deadly.
Reposted by Laura
I think it's worth repeating plainly that a federal judge halted Musk's federal funding freeze nearly two weeks ago but funds are still very much being frozen in violation of the court order.
February 11, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I think it's worth repeating plainly that a federal judge halted Musk's federal funding freeze nearly two weeks ago but funds are still very much being frozen in violation of the court order.
Reposted by Laura
My grandmother’s family was murdered in the chambers of Auschwitz. She survived and told me never let it get that far. Make them shoot you in public before they murder you in hiding. Stand up for others. Never cave in fear of the Nazis or the holocaust will happen again.
November 21, 2024 at 8:12 AM
My grandmother’s family was murdered in the chambers of Auschwitz. She survived and told me never let it get that far. Make them shoot you in public before they murder you in hiding. Stand up for others. Never cave in fear of the Nazis or the holocaust will happen again.
Look at these besties. They deserve each other. Ukrainians deserve much better and so do Americans.
“They may make a deal, they may not make a deal, they may be Russian some day, or they may not be Russian someday, but we’re gonna have all this money in there … I want it back,” President Trump said.
Trump Drops Bombshell Statement Ahead of Vance-Zelenskiy Meeting
Hours before JD Vance was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Donald Trump revealed his true thoughts on Ukraine.
newrepublic.com
February 11, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Look at these besties. They deserve each other. Ukrainians deserve much better and so do Americans.
“that feeling of “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨?” is a very common first step.”
I talked to the lovely and intelligent @greenwell.bsky.social about how much what Elon Musk and the DOGE goons are doing resembles the private equity playbook: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
How Elon Musk and his DOGE goons are following the private equity playbook
A q&a with journalist Megan Greenwell.
www.motherjones.com
February 11, 2025 at 3:04 PM
“that feeling of “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨?” is a very common first step.”
Reposted by Laura
Last night Elon Musk moved to kill the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. His team is now inside, and he posted “CFPB RIP 🪦” on X.
This agency has saved Americans billions.
DOGE isn’t about cutting waste—it’s about dismantling the government so Musk and his billionaire friends can take control.
This agency has saved Americans billions.
DOGE isn’t about cutting waste—it’s about dismantling the government so Musk and his billionaire friends can take control.
February 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Last night Elon Musk moved to kill the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. His team is now inside, and he posted “CFPB RIP 🪦” on X.
This agency has saved Americans billions.
DOGE isn’t about cutting waste—it’s about dismantling the government so Musk and his billionaire friends can take control.
This agency has saved Americans billions.
DOGE isn’t about cutting waste—it’s about dismantling the government so Musk and his billionaire friends can take control.
Listen to people who have lived under dictators. If Putin got control of the U.S government, what would he do differently?
February 9, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Listen to people who have lived under dictators. If Putin got control of the U.S government, what would he do differently?
How U.S. media would cover this if it were happening in another country: “It is perhaps not surprising, in retrospect, that the United States government might be overthrown by such a radical, youthful, tech-enabled junta.”
“Two weeks into a fast-moving coup by a South African tech oligarch, the USA hangs suspended this weekend in a liminal state between the constitutional republic it has been for 249 years and an authoritarian regime akin to Europe’s fallen democracy, Hungary.” www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/white-nati...
White Nationalist Forces Consolidate Power Alongside Musk’s Junta
A second update on Elon Musk's coup from our intrepid imaginary foreign correspondent
www.doomsdayscenario.co
February 9, 2025 at 2:33 PM
How U.S. media would cover this if it were happening in another country: “It is perhaps not surprising, in retrospect, that the United States government might be overthrown by such a radical, youthful, tech-enabled junta.”
Reposted by Laura
Tesla paid $0 in federal income tax last year.
2022: $0
2021: $0
2020: $0
2019: $0
2018: $0
Tesla reported $6.7 billion in profit in those years.
2022: $0
2021: $0
2020: $0
2019: $0
2018: $0
Tesla reported $6.7 billion in profit in those years.
February 8, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Tesla paid $0 in federal income tax last year.
2022: $0
2021: $0
2020: $0
2019: $0
2018: $0
Tesla reported $6.7 billion in profit in those years.
2022: $0
2021: $0
2020: $0
2019: $0
2018: $0
Tesla reported $6.7 billion in profit in those years.
Reposted by Laura
February 9, 2025 at 2:09 AM
My favorite song from Hamilton was Wait For It, Just You Wait, Keep Waiting, Your Call is Very Important to Us, Please Stay On the Line
My favorite song from Hamilton was They Wouldn't Let Us In So We Went Back Home (reprise)
February 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
My favorite song from Hamilton was Wait For It, Just You Wait, Keep Waiting, Your Call is Very Important to Us, Please Stay On the Line
“terrified and struggling to articulate the scale of the crisis” sums up the last week for many of us, but apparently still not enough of us
New: We spoke to government IT employees/contractors about DOGE. Their warnings were dire. The people who maintain the systems that keep the country working are terrified. "This is the largest data breach and the largest IT security breach in our country’s history—at least that’s publicly known."
The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified
Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be.
www.theatlantic.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:29 PM
“terrified and struggling to articulate the scale of the crisis” sums up the last week for many of us, but apparently still not enough of us
Reposted by Laura
My favorite song from Hamilton was They Wouldn't Let Us In So We Went Back Home (reprise)
February 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
My favorite song from Hamilton was They Wouldn't Let Us In So We Went Back Home (reprise)
Reposted by Laura
Trump and Musk’s attacks on the civil service—from air traffic controllers to food and drug inspectors—aim to destroy Congressional power, which is the people's power.
The real “Fork in the Road” is between democracy and autocracy. Don’t quit on American democracy.
The real “Fork in the Road” is between democracy and autocracy. Don’t quit on American democracy.
February 5, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Trump and Musk’s attacks on the civil service—from air traffic controllers to food and drug inspectors—aim to destroy Congressional power, which is the people's power.
The real “Fork in the Road” is between democracy and autocracy. Don’t quit on American democracy.
The real “Fork in the Road” is between democracy and autocracy. Don’t quit on American democracy.
Finally the NYT allows some real coverage by @jamellebouie.net: “Again, [even] if Musk had been elected to some office, this would still be one of the worst abuses of executive power in American history.”
Yeah so the Constitution isn’t really in effect right now
February 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Finally the NYT allows some real coverage by @jamellebouie.net: “Again, [even] if Musk had been elected to some office, this would still be one of the worst abuses of executive power in American history.”
Reposted by Laura
We were just told that they won’t let us in. They are denying entry to 2 dozen members of Congress. Elon Musk has all our private information & we have no idea what he’s doing with it. This is happening completely behind closed doors. HELL NO. It’s illegal. We demand oversight!
February 4, 2025 at 10:18 PM
We were just told that they won’t let us in. They are denying entry to 2 dozen members of Congress. Elon Musk has all our private information & we have no idea what he’s doing with it. This is happening completely behind closed doors. HELL NO. It’s illegal. We demand oversight!
Reposted by Laura
Crowd keeps growing outside Treasury as Members who were DENIED entry speak
February 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Crowd keeps growing outside Treasury as Members who were DENIED entry speak
Reposted by Laura
When they say "Move fast, break things" — We're the things.
January 27, 2025 at 11:00 PM
When they say "Move fast, break things" — We're the things.
Reposted by Laura
So the FBI could surveil & then assassinate a 21 year old Civil Rights leader in 1969, but is powerless to take any steps to stop--checks notes--a 19 year old who goes by the name Big Balls from defunding and defrauding a $6 Trillion economy? Do I have that right?
February 4, 2025 at 4:27 PM
So the FBI could surveil & then assassinate a 21 year old Civil Rights leader in 1969, but is powerless to take any steps to stop--checks notes--a 19 year old who goes by the name Big Balls from defunding and defrauding a $6 Trillion economy? Do I have that right?
Unelected goons are looting the U.S. Treasury, that’s $6 trillion of our tax dollars. They’re recoding a system they have no right or authority to even access, and they’re compromising national security at USAID. It’s a hostile takeover and the NYT is driving the getaway car.
In 2016 the NYT ran multiple front page stories page about the grave national security risk of Hillary Clinton's server.
Today's front page, and nary a mention of the successful "plutocratic coup" (said by a sitting House member) or "constitutional crisis (said by a sitting Senator) unfolding
Today's front page, and nary a mention of the successful "plutocratic coup" (said by a sitting House member) or "constitutional crisis (said by a sitting Senator) unfolding
February 4, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Unelected goons are looting the U.S. Treasury, that’s $6 trillion of our tax dollars. They’re recoding a system they have no right or authority to even access, and they’re compromising national security at USAID. It’s a hostile takeover and the NYT is driving the getaway car.
Reposted by Laura
April 2022: USAID delivered 5,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine through a public-private partnership with SpaceX.
March 2024: USAID's inspector general announced it was initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink terminals provided to Ukraine.
Sources: archive.is/NNwNx
March 2024: USAID's inspector general announced it was initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink terminals provided to Ukraine.
Sources: archive.is/NNwNx
PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT: Inspection of USAID's Oversight of Starlink Terminals Provided to the Government of Ukraine | Office of Inspector General
web.archive.org
February 3, 2025 at 9:27 PM
April 2022: USAID delivered 5,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine through a public-private partnership with SpaceX.
March 2024: USAID's inspector general announced it was initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink terminals provided to Ukraine.
Sources: archive.is/NNwNx
March 2024: USAID's inspector general announced it was initiating an inspection of USAID’s oversight of Starlink terminals provided to Ukraine.
Sources: archive.is/NNwNx
Reposted by Laura
NEW: US government websites are disappearing in real time, including sites for the US Agency for International Development, foreign assistance, neglected diseases, and children in adversity. We analyzed more than 1000 .gov websites to track what's been taken down—and what's next. wrd.cm/4aFMs5A
US Government Websites Are Disappearing in Real Time
A growing number of US government websites have gone offline as of Saturday, including several related to USAID and others focused on youth programs, Africa, and more.
wrd.cm
February 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM
NEW: US government websites are disappearing in real time, including sites for the US Agency for International Development, foreign assistance, neglected diseases, and children in adversity. We analyzed more than 1000 .gov websites to track what's been taken down—and what's next. wrd.cm/4aFMs5A
If you see something, say something! Love to see this working. Stay brave, federal employees. Good reminder that we the people — every one of us — can take action and help share critical information.
Hey all, we've gotten a *lot* of tips since this post. Keep 'em coming.
The deep-dive investigations we tend to do will often take longer to source, report, corroborate, fact-check and publish, but our reporters are hard at work following up on leads you’ve sent.
Thanks for your trust in us.
The deep-dive investigations we tend to do will often take longer to source, report, corroborate, fact-check and publish, but our reporters are hard at work following up on leads you’ve sent.
Thanks for your trust in us.
📽️ WATCH: At ProPublica, we’ll be devoting a significant part of our staff to detailing the second Trump administration.
If you are a federal employee and have tips, documents, data or stories you can share that the public should know about, reach out: www.propublica.org/tips/
If you are a federal employee and have tips, documents, data or stories you can share that the public should know about, reach out: www.propublica.org/tips/
February 4, 2025 at 12:37 AM
If you see something, say something! Love to see this working. Stay brave, federal employees. Good reminder that we the people — every one of us — can take action and help share critical information.