Lea Teagarden aka @tencentdress
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leateagarden.bsky.social
Lea Teagarden aka @tencentdress
@leateagarden.bsky.social
380 followers 1.3K following 280 posts
union carpenter/civil engineer/dog lover/bird lover/gardener/
anti-fascist to the core...hence the cussing.
appalachian living in south cackalacka
salting the vibes while fighting severe phenotype of long covid since 3/2020
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leateagarden.bsky.social
<overwhelming existential dread>
The Scream by Edvard Munch 1893 From Wikipedia: The Scream is an art composition created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. The Norwegian name of the piece is Skrik ('Scream'), and the German title under which it was first exhibited is Der Schrei der Natur ('The Scream of Nature'). The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as representing a profound experience of existential dread related to the human condition. Munch's work, including The Scream, had a formative influence on the Expressionist movement.[1] Munch recalled that he had been out for a walk at sunset when suddenly the setting sun's light turned the clouds "a blood red". He sensed an "infinite scream passing through nature". Scholars have located the spot along a fjord path overlooking Oslo[2] and have suggested various explanations for the unnaturally orange sky, ranging from the effects of a volcanic eruption to a psychological reaction by Munch to his sister's commitment at a nearby lunatic asylum.
November 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
I hope this Charleston County SC BOE member gets booted asap
Home schooling, book banning Moms o'Liberty darling: Charleston School Board member Michele Leber accused of domestic violence; being investigated by DSS for putting her 12 year-old in a headlock and throwing him on the floor. From this article: https://www.postandcourier.com/news/crime/michele-leber-arrest-matt-leber-charleston/article_494db0a3-c728-434e-8ba3-32c5447a6e05.html
November 9, 2025 at 3:09 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
In the deposition, Donehue told attorneys Mace once asked him to pressure Bryant into giving her full ownership of their two jointly-held homes and threatened to use images she'd found on her ex's cellphone as leverage if he refused. In his testimony, Donehue estimated that was in November 2023. Soon after Mace’s February floor speech, the State Law Enforcement Division confirmed that Bryant is being investigated for assault, harassment and voyeurism. SLED said their investigation began Dec. 14, 2023, after they were contacted by U.S. Capitol Police. The investigation is ongoing.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
In the court record, they argue she was engaging in “solely personal acts, for her personal gain, without any relationship to her position as a United States Congresswoman.” “At the time of these statements, Mace had not introduced any bill or other proposed legislation regarding the subject of voyeurism, nor had Mace conceived or drafted any measure related to video-voyeurism or sexual-assault reform,” the lawsuit states. Bryant asked Mace to marry him in May 2022. At the time, Mace was in full campaign mode and trying to fend off a pair of GOP primary challengers. Her campaign later shared the proposal on social media. While Bryant and Mace were together, they purchased a nearly 4,000-square-foot home for $3.9 million home on the Isle of Palms and a $1.6 million Capitol Hill townhome. They broke up in the winter of 2023. The suit further claimed Mace had not reported any of the alleged crimes to law enforcement, “by her own admission,” a reference to testimony given under oath by Mace’s former political consultant Wesley Donehue.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
One of the men named in Mace’s speech, Eric Bowman, is currently in jail on domestic violence charges from 2016. That Bryant is suing Mace in her personal capacity is an important legal distinction. A defamation lawsuit brought against Mace, R-Charleston, earlier this year by one of the men she named in her floor speech was tossed out by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said in his ruling that Mace was acting within her official duties when she accused that Fort Mill man of being a sexual predator in a speech on the House floor and in other statements. In his ruling from the bench, Gergel said some of the defamation claims against Mace might have had merit if not for the Westfall Act, which shields members of Congress from facing lawsuits over their official duties. The act, he said, left him no choice but to dismiss the case. In his filing, Bryant and his attorneys claim Mace’s alleged actions against Bryant are not covered by the Westfall Act.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
In a written statement, Bryant said he’s had to remain quiet while Mace made “completely false accusations” about him. “Mace continues to frame herself as a victim, while she was one of the people who originated these claims and helped push them forward,” Bryant said. “She now tries to hide behind the privileges of her office, but this has nothing to do with governing. It's a completely personal attack.” Mace, who is also a GOP candidate for governor, pushed back against Bryant’s claims in a string of Nov. 7 social media posts. “What kind of guy sues his own rape victim and sues women he filmed without their knowledge, permission or consent for YEARS? Who does that?” Mace wrote in one of her posts, adding, “Can't wait for a court hearing on this!!! Put me in coach - I'm ready to testify, under oath - this guy should be rotting in a jail cell…” In her Feb. 10 floor speech, Mace accused her ex-fiancé and three of his male business associates of recording incidents of sexual exploitation, voyeurism and assault involving multiple women without their knowledge. She too was a victim, Mace said in her speech. All the men have denied Mace's accusations.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
The filing is part of a response to a larger lawsuit brought against Bryant and three other men earlier this year by an unidentified Jane Doe who claimed in court records that she was assaulted by one of Bryant’s business associates at the home of Eric Bowman. Doe further claimed both Bowman and Bryant filmed the alleged crime. Soon after that lawsuit was filed in May, Mace called a press conference at her congressional office where she read aloud from the complaint and took no questions. In the new court filing, Bryant alleges he is the only victim and that Mace worked with Bowman’s estranged wife, Melissa Britton, to make up the assault that involved Doe. Bryant said Doe previously worked for him. Bryant claims Doe filed her lawsuit based on Mace’s false accusations and told another person that Mace never showed her the footage she claimed to have of the alleged crime. Bryant said Mace believed he was cheating during their relationship and tried to hack his phone. The two ended their relationship in late 2023.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Almost nine months after U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace accused her former fiancé of sexual crimes in a speech on the House floor, he is suing her and says the claims were fabricated by Mace as part of a coordinated, personal scheme to obtain two houses. Patrick Bryant filed the counterclaim Nov. 6 in Charleston County court. In the 33-page document, Bryant alleges Mace hacked into his cellphone and worked with a friend’s estranged wife to orchestrate what he calls a “conspiracy.” “The citizens of South Carolina and the United States rightly expect that elected leaders will wield the immense power of public office only for the public good,” the suit said. “But when a sitting United States Congresswoman instead privately weaponizes falsehoods to extort private property, fabricates criminal allegations to destroy citizen’s reputation, and abuses her private relationships to coerce private citizens, that conduct shocks the conscience of every voter who entrusted her with their vote.” Bryant is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Since she's our Rep in Congress, and she's running for SC Governor, I feel it is my responsibility to get this out there.
I sincerely hope Nancy Mace gets the help she needs.
Copying @nothoodlum.bsky.social because whew
1/7
Headline to article: Nancy Mace’s ex-fiancé sues, says she made up sexual assault claims with friend for personal gain
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Screenshot of my twitter subpost: Scream this from the fucking rooftops. Republicans want us to DIE. From @ kellakeWV: With 2026 ACA plans officially live, we can now see the impact of Congress' failure to extend enhanced premium tax credits. A 64 YO couple in Morgantown with household income of $85k will see their premiums for the same plan increase by over $4,000 *per month* Screenshots on her post show that for a Silver Plan, monthly premiums go from $552 to $4,826.
October 31, 2025 at 7:35 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
jfc
This has raised concerns among legal experts. Margy O’Herron, a senior fellow in the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program, wrote in September that the administration’s plan will pull JAGs “away from the important work they are trained and assigned to do, risking military readiness.” Earlier this year, Hegseth said he fired the Air Force and Army TJAGs because they were "roadblocks to orders that are given by a commander in chief.” JAGs often provide guidance to commanders and navigate them through U.S. and international laws relevant to military operations. John Richardson, a retired Navy officer and former chief of naval operations, praised the expertise JAGs offer the military at a Center For New American Security think tank event earlier this month. “I always wanted to have a very professional and knowledgeable and capable JAG corps,” Richardson said. “They need to win their case for the service and advise commanders how to do their jobs.”
October 23, 2025 at 5:17 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Enrollment for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans begins on Nov. 1, and premiums are set to soar because enhanced premium credits were not extended in the big budget bill earlier this year. That’s one of the big sticking points in federal budget talks, along with the large cuts to Medicaid. As the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported, more than 630,000 South Carolinians have Obamacare policies and 95 percent of them have been paying reduced costs — saving $500 to $700 monthly — due to the subsidies that are poised to end. Don’t have Obamacare or Medicaid? Employer-provided health insurance premiums are expected to rise by double-digits for 2026, the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker projected based on rate filings. That’s a lot of financial doom and gloom there, but forewarned is forearmed. Knowing that health insurance costs are likely to rise sharply, for example, could inform household budget decisions about holiday spending.
September 30, 2025 at 12:30 AM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Enrollment for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans begins on Nov. 1, and premiums are set to soar because enhanced premium credits were not extended in the big budget bill earlier this year. That’s one of the big sticking points in federal budget talks, along with the large cuts to Medicaid. As the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported, more than 630,000 South Carolinians have Obamacare policies and 95 percent of them have been paying reduced costs — saving $500 to $700 monthly — due to the subsidies that are poised to end. Don’t have Obamacare or Medicaid? Employer-provided health insurance premiums are expected to rise by double-digits for 2026, the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker projected based on rate filings. That’s a lot of financial doom and gloom there, but forewarned is forearmed. Knowing that health insurance costs are likely to rise sharply, for example, could inform household budget decisions about holiday spending.
September 30, 2025 at 12:30 AM
leateagarden.bsky.social
The Federal Employees Benefits Association suggests reaching out to creditors and landlords if you expect to be late on payments but know you’ll have the money when the government reopens. A federal shutdown is an unusual financial challenge for the impacted workers, because despite the president’s threat of mass layoffs, a shutdown typically means that workers stay home but, by law, get paid in full when they return. So the challenge is in preparing to pay the bills for days or weeks without income. I’ve written previously about emergency funds, and why people should try to set aside enough money — outside of retirement accounts — to cover several months of expenses. Those who’ve managed that difficult financial task should pat themselves on the back, because they’re already prepared to weather the storm. But sometimes one big storm follows another, and the big storm lurking behind the shutdown fight is health care costs.
September 30, 2025 at 12:30 AM
leateagarden.bsky.social
Sorry about that. I keep forgetting.
Let me know if you would like any of the links that are embedded in the article.
This week could see the start of another federal government shutdown that would leave countless workers without paychecks — possibly for weeks — as Democrats press to roll back health care budget cuts enacted earlier this year. That leaves regular folks in a no-win situation, all but certain to get either a costly government shutdown, soaring health costs or possibly both. In South Carolina people are used to being prepared for disasters, with a hurricane season that spans six months. We see those storms marching across the Atlantic and make plans to protect lives and property — where to go, what to take, supplies we should have on hand, important papers we might need, cash for when the ATMs go down and so on.
September 30, 2025 at 12:30 AM
leateagarden.bsky.social
"Collective courage is the cure."
/
In the U.S. today, Franco’s rise stands as a stark warning to Americans about how Trump’s dreams could become reality. It’s a warning about how democracies can wither from within through any number of brutal tactics employed by a repressive leader who rules without restraint. But an authoritarian government is neither a natural state nor an inevitability. It’s the result of millions of choices, both by the powerful and by the everyday people. Autocracy thrives on apathy and complacency, but even in dark times, people can accomplish the unexpected by choosing to take risks and fight back. Passivity is the enemy. Collective courage is the cure.
September 29, 2025 at 11:13 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
TW: Heinous pedophile
This guy has been a judge for over 20 yrs!
In SC, no law degree is required iot be a magistrate judge. All that's required apparently is that one be part of the good ol' boys' club. Then lots of serious complaints against them are ignored and covered up.
In those conversations, he allegedly admitted to abusing children in his care, traveling internationally to molest children and offering training to others, according to a Sept. 22 filing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina. “The conversations detailed the children … that Gosnell had raped and abused, and formed plans for Gosnell to travel to Florida in November to rape and potentially (kill) a very young child. All of this was done while he served as a judge for Charleston County,” a detention hearing brief reads.
September 23, 2025 at 12:31 AM
leateagarden.bsky.social
People w/ ME/CFS have 8 significantly different genetic regions compared with those who do not, new research has found. This discovery, made during the University of Edinburgh's landmark DecodeME genetic study, is "huge for the patient population," co-investigator Andy Devereux-Cooke
From The Week magazine: It's not all bad People with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have eight significantly different genetic regions compared with those who do not, new research has found. This discovery, made during the University of Edinburgh's landmark DecodeME genetic study, is "huge for the patient population," co-investigator Andy Devereux-Cooke told The Guardian. ME/CFS is an often misunderstood ailment, and the finding will hopefully "turn the tide" toward more research.
August 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
BREAKING NEWS in white letters on red background in lower left-hand corner. Scene is at night. Adult in dark clothing stands in front of protest crowd. They hold up a can of soup and say, "Soup for my family". They are apparently on their way home from grocery shopping, and it would never occur to them to throw the can as a part of the ongoing protest.
July 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
What does this symbol signify?
For context, they are visiting a far right extremist.
Symbol on back windshield of black Honda. Black, 3-pronged shape within white circle within white triangle.
June 17, 2025 at 4:03 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
<slams forehead on table several times>
It's always always always the christofascists. Always.
And...I have questions. The username, for one.

Bond denied for SC state lawmaker (and co-founder of the Far Right Freedom Caucus!) RJ May indicted on 10 counts of distributing child sexual abuse material
The app managers at Kik flagged several videos from the username “joebidennnn69” as containing child sexual abuse. "Investigators connected the account to the home IP address and mobile device of May and identified at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse that were shared from the account," the news release said. If convicted, May faces a minimum five years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years. A fine of $250,000 can also be assessed. The U.S. Attorneys Office paperwork described depictions of graphic videos showing the sex organs and acts performed by and on children and toddlers. The motion went on to state May distributed approximately 220 different child pornography videos about 479 times over the course of five days, some of which included distributing the same video sometimes multiple times in the online community.
June 12, 2025 at 9:08 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
What a damning report. 40 out of 44 Lowcountry restaurants are committing "shrimp fraud"--meaning those 40 are most likely supporting suppliers who use forced labor, i.e. slavery.
These are the restaurants we will be supporting:
The four restaurants tested in May that were found to sell domestic, wild-caught shrimp are Rappahannock Oyster Bar on East Bay Street, Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on the Isle of Palms, Grace & Grit in Mount Pleasant, and Coosaw Crab Shack on Dorchester Road in North Charleston.
June 10, 2025 at 6:28 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
not sure our garden can sustain these young'ns
Three young opossums nestled together—sleeping in between three black fabric pots in the garden.
May 31, 2025 at 6:07 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
We are all depressed, right? So that makes *everyone* eligible for a COVID vaccine, right?
www.pbs.org/newshour/hea...
There are some exceptions for people with underlying conditions, including: Asthma Cancer Diabetes Pregnancy Depression Chronic lung diseases HIV
May 29, 2025 at 3:41 PM
leateagarden.bsky.social
❗With this fascist administration, eliminating the filibuster means Project 2025 on steroids.

"It could reverse the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a medical treatment—like mifepristone, the first drug in a medication abortion—or even a vaccine."
Please read:
slate.com/news-and-pol...
It is difficult to overstate the ramifications of such a move. The Senate would be radically expanding the CRA to encompass far more agency actions than the law was intended to cover. It would do so by asserting congressional authority to redefine every action taken by the executive branch as a “rule” that could be repealed through the CRA by a simple majority. A diverse coalition of interest groups has warned of some likely targets, including “energy infrastructure permit approvals, approvals of corporate mergers, or approvals of particular drugs.” Congress could use the CRA to kill an energy project cleared by the government. It could nix a corporate merger or attempt to overturn the denial of a merger. It could reverse the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a medical treatment—like mifepristone, the first drug in a medication abortion—or even a vaccine. And these repeals would bar the targeted agency from ever taking a “substantially” similar action again
May 15, 2025 at 12:02 AM