Dana Brandt
@danaejbrandt.bsky.social
Madison, WI. UW-Madison journalism & creative writing alum. Formerly Wisconsin Watch, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel & Daily Cardinal.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Maraniss's "A Good American Family"-- the story of his family's traumatic experience with McCarthy's blacklist during the Red Scare, is suddenly frighteningly timely. I caught up with him to discuss politics, censorship and demagoguery then and now
On our Commentary page: Editor @rconniff.bsky.social talks to Dave Maraniss about his family Red Scare story and about McCarthyism then and now wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/09/19/m...
McCarthyism then and now • Wisconsin Examiner
David Maraniss's powerful book about the Red Scare's impact on his family is chillingly timely as McCarthyism returns
wisconsinexaminer.com
September 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Maraniss's "A Good American Family"-- the story of his family's traumatic experience with McCarthy's blacklist during the Red Scare, is suddenly frighteningly timely. I caught up with him to discuss politics, censorship and demagoguery then and now
Reposted by Dana Brandt
pretty much say it all www.vanityfair.com/news/story/c...
Charlie Kirk, Redeemed: A Political Class Finds Its Lost Cause
By ignoring the rhetoric and actions of the Turning Point USA founder, pundits and politicians are sanitizing his legacy.
www.vanityfair.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:28 PM
pretty much say it all www.vanityfair.com/news/story/c...
My uncle wrote a book! He's interviewed about it here in the Isthmus:
Miller's book depicts a Madison that’s long gone, a small town looking for community, where the field hosted contests between teams from Gardner Bakery and Borden Dairy, as well as the city’s high schools.
isthmus.com/arts/books/m...
isthmus.com/arts/books/m...
Madison’s ballpark, Breese Stevens Field
A new book delves deep into the history of Breese Stevens Field.
isthmus.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:27 PM
My uncle wrote a book! He's interviewed about it here in the Isthmus:
Reposted by Dana Brandt
I’m glad a former Barboncino worker got the chance to write about what happened with the closure of what was once far and away my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn thebaffler.com/latest/a-fai...
A Fair Slice | Becca Young
Unionizing at Brooklyn’s Barboncino was the easy part—then came the negotiations
thebaffler.com
September 3, 2025 at 1:05 AM
I’m glad a former Barboncino worker got the chance to write about what happened with the closure of what was once far and away my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn thebaffler.com/latest/a-fai...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Kristen Painter, business editor for the Minnesota Star Tribune, has a second-grade daughter and a preschool son who attend the school.
“It sounds so cliché, but it’s your worst nightmare,” she said.
“It sounds so cliché, but it’s your worst nightmare,” she said.
Live: 23-year-old identified as suspect in shooting that killed two children, wounded 17 at Minneapolis church, two sources say
Dozens of squads en route to Annunciation Church, casualties reported.
bit.ly
August 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Kristen Painter, business editor for the Minnesota Star Tribune, has a second-grade daughter and a preschool son who attend the school.
“It sounds so cliché, but it’s your worst nightmare,” she said.
“It sounds so cliché, but it’s your worst nightmare,” she said.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Adam Raine, 16, died from suicide in April after months on ChatGPT discussing plans to end his life. His parents have filed the first known case against OpenAI for wrongful death.
Overwhelming at times to work on this story, but here it is. My latest on AI chatbots: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Overwhelming at times to work on this story, but here it is. My latest on AI chatbots: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.
www.nytimes.com
August 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Adam Raine, 16, died from suicide in April after months on ChatGPT discussing plans to end his life. His parents have filed the first known case against OpenAI for wrongful death.
Overwhelming at times to work on this story, but here it is. My latest on AI chatbots: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Overwhelming at times to work on this story, but here it is. My latest on AI chatbots: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
never take freedom of the press or access to news for granted. www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/...
August 10, 2025 at 10:54 PM
never take freedom of the press or access to news for granted. www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
I bet that reading Andrea Long Chu on Thomas Chatteron Williams will brighten up my day. www.vulture.com/article/post...
Zero Tolerance
Five years after the George Floyd protests, many liberals blame “wokeness” for stifling open debate. So why can’t they handle being disagreed with?
www.vulture.com
August 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I bet that reading Andrea Long Chu on Thomas Chatteron Williams will brighten up my day. www.vulture.com/article/post...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
The Culinary Workers Union representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada has achieved a historic victory on the Las Vegas Strip. For the first time in its 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized.
All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory
The Culinary Workers Union representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada has achieved a historic victory on the Las Vegas Strip.
bit.ly
August 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM
The Culinary Workers Union representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada has achieved a historic victory on the Las Vegas Strip. For the first time in its 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Rümeysa Öztürk describes the library in the prison where she was held for 45 days for co-authoring an op-ed
July 17, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Rümeysa Öztürk describes the library in the prison where she was held for 45 days for co-authoring an op-ed
Reposted by Dana Brandt
I didn’t find any of the explanations for what’s going on with the bad job market for new college grads satisfying, so I spent a week trying to figure out what was up and what it means for the larger economy. Turns out it’s not AI! Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
What the Tough Job Market for New College Grads Says About the Economy
A sudden lack of career mobility is a problem for every worker.
www.bloomberg.com
July 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I didn’t find any of the explanations for what’s going on with the bad job market for new college grads satisfying, so I spent a week trying to figure out what was up and what it means for the larger economy. Turns out it’s not AI! Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Resources for covering today's 6-3 SCOTUS decision on Tennessee's ban on medical care for transgender youth:
www.transjournalists.org/2025-skrmett...
www.transjournalists.org/2025-skrmett...
What journalists should know in advance of the U.S. v. Skrmetti U.S. Supreme Court decision
In advance of what will likely be a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in the U.S. v. Skrmetti case, the Trans Journalists Association offers the following guidance to reporters, newsrooms, and othe...
www.transjournalists.org
June 18, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Resources for covering today's 6-3 SCOTUS decision on Tennessee's ban on medical care for transgender youth:
www.transjournalists.org/2025-skrmett...
www.transjournalists.org/2025-skrmett...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government.
That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.
That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.
June 14, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government.
That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.
That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Some of y’all noticed I’ve been uncharacteristically offline. This is why, and I remain on leave for a few weeks to handle a PTSD relapse. CJR was dogged in its pursuit of my story. Because of what I do and who I am, I felt that I had to answer their questions honestly.
www.cjr.org/feature-2/we...
www.cjr.org/feature-2/we...
Journalists Attest to Experiences of Sexual Misconduct with Wesley Lowery
Lowery rose to prominence as a reporter and media thinker. Women in the industry say he engaged in sexual harassment and assault.
www.cjr.org
May 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Some of y’all noticed I’ve been uncharacteristically offline. This is why, and I remain on leave for a few weeks to handle a PTSD relapse. CJR was dogged in its pursuit of my story. Because of what I do and who I am, I felt that I had to answer their questions honestly.
www.cjr.org/feature-2/we...
www.cjr.org/feature-2/we...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Being Trans in Country Is Dangerous. It Didn’t Stop This Singer From Coming Out
Jenni Rose, who fronts the cowpunk group
@vandoliers.bsky.social embraces her life as a woman on the band’s new album.
Jenni Rose, who fronts the cowpunk group
@vandoliers.bsky.social embraces her life as a woman on the band’s new album.
Being Trans in Country Is Dangerous. It Didn't Stop This Singer From Coming Out
Vandoliers singer Jenni Rose embraces life as a trans woman on the Texas country-punk band's new album 'Life Behind Bars.'
rollingstone.com
April 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Being Trans in Country Is Dangerous. It Didn’t Stop This Singer From Coming Out
Jenni Rose, who fronts the cowpunk group
@vandoliers.bsky.social embraces her life as a woman on the band’s new album.
Jenni Rose, who fronts the cowpunk group
@vandoliers.bsky.social embraces her life as a woman on the band’s new album.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
The international graduate student was enrolled at the school’s Twin Cities campus, according to the email sent Friday evening.
University of Minnesota says ICE detained a graduate student
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials Thursday detained a University of Minnesota graduate student at an off-campus residence. The international graduate student was enrolled at the scho...
www.mprnews.org
March 28, 2025 at 11:04 PM
The international graduate student was enrolled at the school’s Twin Cities campus, according to the email sent Friday evening.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
it's been years upon years of labored "campus culture" op-eds from salaried writers hectoring students about free speech, and now the state is kidnapping students for their speech in broad daylight
March 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM
it's been years upon years of labored "campus culture" op-eds from salaried writers hectoring students about free speech, and now the state is kidnapping students for their speech in broad daylight
Reposted by Dana Brandt
There's a great story behind this @wisconsinwatch.org story behind the story. Hallie Claflin found Larry by cold-calling names in the phone book!
'Just plain old Larry': A Wisconsin man's testimony about gender-affirming care went viral. Here's his story. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/03/wisc...
'Just plain old Larry': A Wisconsin man's testimony about gender-affirming care went viral. Here's his story. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/03/wisc...
Wisconsin man's testimony about gender-affirming care went viral
Retired Milwaukee prison maintenance worker Larry Jones sat through seven hours of committee testimony before changing his mind.
wisconsinwatch.org
March 24, 2025 at 2:13 PM
There's a great story behind this @wisconsinwatch.org story behind the story. Hallie Claflin found Larry by cold-calling names in the phone book!
'Just plain old Larry': A Wisconsin man's testimony about gender-affirming care went viral. Here's his story. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/03/wisc...
'Just plain old Larry': A Wisconsin man's testimony about gender-affirming care went viral. Here's his story. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/03/wisc...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
New: Tim Walz is planning to hold a town hall-style event in Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s district in Eau Claire, WI, on Tuesday.
Part of swing highlighting Rs not hosting in-person town halls. He’s also expected to talk about state Supreme Court race: www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Part of swing highlighting Rs not hosting in-person town halls. He’s also expected to talk about state Supreme Court race: www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Tim Walz to hold town hall-style event in Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden's district
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will return to Wisconsin next week as part of a tour to highlight Republicans who have stopped holding in-person town halls.
www.jsonline.com
March 14, 2025 at 5:41 PM
New: Tim Walz is planning to hold a town hall-style event in Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s district in Eau Claire, WI, on Tuesday.
Part of swing highlighting Rs not hosting in-person town halls. He’s also expected to talk about state Supreme Court race: www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Part of swing highlighting Rs not hosting in-person town halls. He’s also expected to talk about state Supreme Court race: www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Apropros of nothing, I’m reupping my @theemancipator.org article arguing that the so-called “anti-DEI movement” is a segregationist movement, and journalists should state this clearly.
There is no need to help evil by adopting their language.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
There is no need to help evil by adopting their language.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
Eliminating DEI isn't just racist — it's segregationist
New segregationists’ need to use euphemisms shows the weakness of their intellectual position and the Civil Rights Movement’s moral clarity.
theemancipator.org
January 30, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Apropros of nothing, I’m reupping my @theemancipator.org article arguing that the so-called “anti-DEI movement” is a segregationist movement, and journalists should state this clearly.
There is no need to help evil by adopting their language.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
There is no need to help evil by adopting their language.
theemancipator.org/2025/01/28/t...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
Trans kids are not a bargaining chip. Being trans isn’t a culture war. Not giving an inch in my support for trans and nonbinary people of all ages to live freely and openly, and neither should you. Gender is what we make of it, and that’s what they’re afraid of.
January 29, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Trans kids are not a bargaining chip. Being trans isn’t a culture war. Not giving an inch in my support for trans and nonbinary people of all ages to live freely and openly, and neither should you. Gender is what we make of it, and that’s what they’re afraid of.
Reposted by Dana Brandt
NYT reporting mass immigrant ICE raids have begun in Chicago.
I'm an immigrant & Chicago based human rights lawyer. I wrote this on how to handle ICE, actions to protect our immigrant neighbors, & debunking anti-immigrant hate.
No paywall. Please share widely. www.qasimrashid.com/p/trumps-mas...
I'm an immigrant & Chicago based human rights lawyer. I wrote this on how to handle ICE, actions to protect our immigrant neighbors, & debunking anti-immigrant hate.
No paywall. Please share widely. www.qasimrashid.com/p/trumps-mas...
Trump's Mass Anti-Immigrant Raids to Begin
Here are action items to protect your immigrant neighbors, answers to common FAQs, and insights to debunk anti-immigrant propaganda
www.qasimrashid.com
January 26, 2025 at 7:41 PM
NYT reporting mass immigrant ICE raids have begun in Chicago.
I'm an immigrant & Chicago based human rights lawyer. I wrote this on how to handle ICE, actions to protect our immigrant neighbors, & debunking anti-immigrant hate.
No paywall. Please share widely. www.qasimrashid.com/p/trumps-mas...
I'm an immigrant & Chicago based human rights lawyer. I wrote this on how to handle ICE, actions to protect our immigrant neighbors, & debunking anti-immigrant hate.
No paywall. Please share widely. www.qasimrashid.com/p/trumps-mas...
Reposted by Dana Brandt
I’d been speaking w/ these researchers since the night of the Madison attack. That day, they quickly located the shooter in the online network they were tracking. We were writing THAT story this week. Then Nashville happened, and the researchers realized: another one.
A month after a student opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, another killed a classmate at Antioch High School. Both were active in an internet subculture that glorifies mass shooters and encourages young people to commit attacks. @wisconsinwatch.bsky.social @phoebepetrovic.bsky.social
Madison and Nashville School Shooters Appear to Have Crossed Paths in Online Extremist Communities
A month after a student opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, another killed a classmate at Antioch High School. Both were active in an internet subculture that glorifies mass shooters and en...
www.propublica.org
January 25, 2025 at 1:34 AM
I’d been speaking w/ these researchers since the night of the Madison attack. That day, they quickly located the shooter in the online network they were tracking. We were writing THAT story this week. Then Nashville happened, and the researchers realized: another one.