Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social
Historian, novelist, gardener, cook
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
President Trump’s spiteful defamation suit against the Pulitzer Prize Board may backfire, as the latter is now demanding Trump’s psychological records, prescription medication records, and tax returns in the discovery process. trib.al/NTMmKZQ
December 29, 2025 at 1:39 AM
President Trump’s spiteful defamation suit against the Pulitzer Prize Board may backfire, as the latter is now demanding Trump’s psychological records, prescription medication records, and tax returns in the discovery process. trib.al/NTMmKZQ
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
The President of the United States appears to be getting regular IV infusions, the public doesn’t know anything about it, & the DC media evidently doesn’t care.
We are months into the mystery of Trump’s hands, the White House is lying, & I’ve seen a grand total of one serious news story about it.
We are months into the mystery of Trump’s hands, the White House is lying, & I’ve seen a grand total of one serious news story about it.
Trump looked pretty rough today -- note that both of his hands are discolored
(Joe Raedle/Getty)
(Joe Raedle/Getty)
December 29, 2025 at 1:40 AM
The President of the United States appears to be getting regular IV infusions, the public doesn’t know anything about it, & the DC media evidently doesn’t care.
We are months into the mystery of Trump’s hands, the White House is lying, & I’ve seen a grand total of one serious news story about it.
We are months into the mystery of Trump’s hands, the White House is lying, & I’ve seen a grand total of one serious news story about it.
That was tough.
December 29, 2025 at 12:42 AM
That was tough.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Someone at FBI/DOJ was monitoring reporter Julie Brown (@jkbjournalist.bsky.social), who broke the Epstein story, right around the time of his arrest on July 8, 2019: these flights were on July 6 and 8. The public deserves to know when her records were searched for. Before the arrest, or after? 1/
December 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Someone at FBI/DOJ was monitoring reporter Julie Brown (@jkbjournalist.bsky.social), who broke the Epstein story, right around the time of his arrest on July 8, 2019: these flights were on July 6 and 8. The public deserves to know when her records were searched for. Before the arrest, or after? 1/
What the fuck?
Trump's DOJ was monitoring all the movements of the Miami Herald reporter who was covering the Epstein case.
December 28, 2025 at 9:08 PM
What the fuck?
Shame on the United States. We need to take our democracy back.
Zelensky lands in Miami. Not a single US official is on hand to greet him. In the language of diplomacy this send an unequivocal message of coldness and hostility. Compare it with the lavish pomp and red carpet shown to Putin when he landed in Alaska a few weeks ago.
December 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Shame on the United States. We need to take our democracy back.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
“They sponsor this? Fuck them. No, really. Fuck them—I mean it. And you can quote me on that.”
For nearly two decades, the government has been hiring workers for border enforcement at rodeos.
For nearly two decades, the government has been hiring workers for border enforcement at rodeos.
How the Border Patrol uses rodeos to recruit
At fairgrounds full of young men, the government sets up shop to hire immigration agents.
www.motherjones.com
December 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
“They sponsor this? Fuck them. No, really. Fuck them—I mean it. And you can quote me on that.”
For nearly two decades, the government has been hiring workers for border enforcement at rodeos.
For nearly two decades, the government has been hiring workers for border enforcement at rodeos.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Read Jim's whole thread! I also want to add some historical context. During the 1918 pandemic, there was so much confusion because many scientists still thought that a bacteria, not a virus caused the flu (because, as Jim notes, we couldn't even see viruses under a microscope yet).
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the 1918 flu pandemic was caused by a lab virus from vaccine research, a defective influenza vaccine. Let’s analyze what a lie this is. First, in 1918, 107 years ago, virology was in its infancy
December 28, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Read Jim's whole thread! I also want to add some historical context. During the 1918 pandemic, there was so much confusion because many scientists still thought that a bacteria, not a virus caused the flu (because, as Jim notes, we couldn't even see viruses under a microscope yet).
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Of all the examples of people dying because somebody inexperienced was in charge, the biggest, most horrifying was Elon Musk and DOGE. No idea what AID did, didn’t care, blew it up and at least 600,000 people died unnecessarily as a consequence. Mass murder out of ignorance and bias. Thanks, Elon.
the very last person who should be prattling on about the dangers of inexperience is the grifting troglodyte who killed millions when he was put in charge of “efficiency”
Best Twitter riposte of the day
December 28, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Of all the examples of people dying because somebody inexperienced was in charge, the biggest, most horrifying was Elon Musk and DOGE. No idea what AID did, didn’t care, blew it up and at least 600,000 people died unnecessarily as a consequence. Mass murder out of ignorance and bias. Thanks, Elon.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
ICE agents spent Christmas Eve arresting a man in a Walmart parking lot—even taking his groceries for themselves.
A bystander asked ICE if she could take down the phone number of his wife to let her know her husband had been detained. The ICE agents refused.
trib.al/EBdU1Rf
A bystander asked ICE if she could take down the phone number of his wife to let her know her husband had been detained. The ICE agents refused.
trib.al/EBdU1Rf
December 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
ICE agents spent Christmas Eve arresting a man in a Walmart parking lot—even taking his groceries for themselves.
A bystander asked ICE if she could take down the phone number of his wife to let her know her husband had been detained. The ICE agents refused.
trib.al/EBdU1Rf
A bystander asked ICE if she could take down the phone number of his wife to let her know her husband had been detained. The ICE agents refused.
trib.al/EBdU1Rf
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
A 📹of Mariupol during the holidays in 2021,before Russia "liberated"the city
Look how beautiful it was.In a few months,a Russian bomb will hit Mariupol drama theater,killing hundreds
Thousands of Mariupol residents were killed by Russia,tens of thousands fled.The city is full of ghosts
📹SunVideo
Look how beautiful it was.In a few months,a Russian bomb will hit Mariupol drama theater,killing hundreds
Thousands of Mariupol residents were killed by Russia,tens of thousands fled.The city is full of ghosts
📹SunVideo
December 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM
A 📹of Mariupol during the holidays in 2021,before Russia "liberated"the city
Look how beautiful it was.In a few months,a Russian bomb will hit Mariupol drama theater,killing hundreds
Thousands of Mariupol residents were killed by Russia,tens of thousands fled.The city is full of ghosts
📹SunVideo
Look how beautiful it was.In a few months,a Russian bomb will hit Mariupol drama theater,killing hundreds
Thousands of Mariupol residents were killed by Russia,tens of thousands fled.The city is full of ghosts
📹SunVideo
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
America's richest 10% now hold 60% of the nation's wealth.
The bottom half of America? It holds just 6%.
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive.
The bottom half of America? It holds just 6%.
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive.
December 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
America's richest 10% now hold 60% of the nation's wealth.
The bottom half of America? It holds just 6%.
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive.
The bottom half of America? It holds just 6%.
Wealth inequality is eating this country alive.
Or the archivist who hid a file in a woman professor’s archive from me and then when I complained to higher ups, made a copy of the file, put on a trench coat and hat, and dropped it at the door of my research partner’s husband before scurrying off.
Or the archivist in the departmental archives in Rouen, who declared upon hearing my inquiry about 19th century colonial emigration records, “Bah, vous savez, mademoiselle, que votre sujet ne passionne personne.”
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Or the archivist who hid a file in a woman professor’s archive from me and then when I complained to higher ups, made a copy of the file, put on a trench coat and hat, and dropped it at the door of my research partner’s husband before scurrying off.
Nailed it.
Historians: Quibbling Over Exact Definition Of Concentration Camp Sign Of Healthy Society https://theonion.com/historians-quibbling-over-exact-definition-of-concentration-camp-sign-of-healthy-society/
December 28, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Nailed it.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
DOJ official Todd Blanche promised to dump his crypto holdings no later than 90 days after his Senate confirmation in March.
But about a month into the job — before divesting — he ordered an end to investigations into crypto companies.
By @coreygjohnson.bsky.social @shaw.al
But about a month into the job — before divesting — he ordered an end to investigations into crypto companies.
By @coreygjohnson.bsky.social @shaw.al
Top DOJ Official Todd Blanche Shut Down Crypto Enforcement While Holding Crypto Assets
The second-highest official at the DOJ, Todd Blanche rose to prominence as Trump’s personal defense attorney. His actions violated the federal conflicts of interest law and his ethics agreement, exper...
www.propublica.org
December 28, 2025 at 2:30 AM
DOJ official Todd Blanche promised to dump his crypto holdings no later than 90 days after his Senate confirmation in March.
But about a month into the job — before divesting — he ordered an end to investigations into crypto companies.
By @coreygjohnson.bsky.social @shaw.al
But about a month into the job — before divesting — he ordered an end to investigations into crypto companies.
By @coreygjohnson.bsky.social @shaw.al
I own Pablito Velarde’s ice bucket. She was a longtime neighbor. When she died, her son had a yard sale.
I own Cindy Sherman's bedside radio
"I own William Faulker's cake knife," a sentence that is both straightforward and true, and yet sounds completely deranged
December 28, 2025 at 1:36 AM
I own Pablito Velarde’s ice bucket. She was a longtime neighbor. When she died, her son had a yard sale.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Phang: If that happened in January, how in the actual hell is Blanche now telling the American people that they suddenly discovered a million more documents?
GTFOH. As far back as January, the entirety of the Epstein files were transferred to Main Justice at DOJ…
GTFOH. As far back as January, the entirety of the Epstein files were transferred to Main Justice at DOJ…
December 26, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Phang: If that happened in January, how in the actual hell is Blanche now telling the American people that they suddenly discovered a million more documents?
GTFOH. As far back as January, the entirety of the Epstein files were transferred to Main Justice at DOJ…
GTFOH. As far back as January, the entirety of the Epstein files were transferred to Main Justice at DOJ…
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
ICE has long used the latest spy tech to pursue immigrants — but now it’s also targeting anti-ICE protesters and anyone who allegedly funds them. bit.ly/3Kq348R
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
December 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
ICE has long used the latest spy tech to pursue immigrants — but now it’s also targeting anti-ICE protesters and anyone who allegedly funds them. bit.ly/3Kq348R
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
December 26, 2025
December 26, 2025
On Tuesday, December 23, the U.S.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:11 AM
December 26, 2025
It me
December 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
It me
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Noem is incompetent.
Hundreds of residents signed up for FEMA buyouts after Hurricane Helene. Not one has been approved.
Hundreds of residents signed up for FEMA buyouts after Helene. Not one has been approved.
More than a year after applying for a federal buyout, many North Carolina homeowners have heard almost nothing definitive.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 27, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Noem is incompetent.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Oh, hey, that's my article.
The U.S. government just banned five people from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech. This ban, according to the State Department, is necessary to protect free speech.
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.
Opinion | Marco Rubio is using real censorship to fight fake censorship
Mike Masnick: In the name of protecting free speech, the U.S. government just banned five Europeans from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech.
www.ms.now
December 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Oh, hey, that's my article.