Paul Monies
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pmonies.bsky.social
Paul Monies
@pmonies.bsky.social
“Bluesky ain’t real life.” 🤷‍♂️ Native Scotsman. Honorary Texan and Okie. Reporting without fear or favor. #FOI Send me news tips: pmonies@oklahomawatch.org.
https://oklahomawatch.org/author/paulmonies/
Pinned
I’ve been waiting here since September. Just sayin’…. 😉
(Photo by Doug Hoke)
Reposted by Paul Monies
79-year-old Paul Bojerski was born to Polish parents in a WWII German refugee camp. His family legally emigrated to the U.S. when he was 5.

He’s been taken by ICE in Florida.

www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/s...
Sanford grandfather, born in refugee camp, nabbed by ICE after 70 years in U.S.
Paul Bojerski never gained official residency, but he checked in regularly with ICE for years. Then in July, at age 79, he was detained and sent to Alligator Alcatraz.
www.orlandosentinel.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Several votes affecting salaries for #Oklahoma legislators and statewide elected officials may have been invalid owing to a registered lobbyist being appointed to a state compensation board in violation of law. | #okleg

nondoc.com/2025/11/14/o...
State official salary hike votes may have been invalid
Because Oklahoma Restaurant Association CEO James Leewright is a lobbyist, his membership on state compensation boards appears to be invalid.
nondoc.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Cities in Washington tried to come up with many reasons why they shouldn’t have to release information collected by ALPR cameras. A court has shot them down and reaffirmed the public’s right to know. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Washington Court Rules That Data Captured on Flock Safety Cameras Are
A Washington state trial court has shot down local municipalities’ effort to keep automated license plate reader (ALPR) data secret.The Skagit County Superior Court in Washington rejected the attempt
www.eff.org
November 14, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Trump’s new “affordability” push is basically reversing the tariffs he said would never cause un-affordability.

@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
November 14, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
NEW: DHS launched a $200mln+ ad campaign, featuring, Kristi Noem, aimed at stemming illegal immigration.

We found the firm secretly hired for the work has ties to Noem.

@justinelliott.bsky.social, @josh-kaplan.bsky.social & @amierjeski.bsky.social:

www.propublica.org/article/kris...
November 14, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by Paul Monies
After two meetings largely defined by chaos, confusion and admissions of ignorance, #Oklahoma's statewide elected posts will pay higher salaries, and four #okleg leadership positions will receive new bonuses.

Review the surprising salary numbers within.
nondoc.com/2025/11/12/a...
'I'm embarrassed': Amid confusion, new commission hikes officials' salaries for first time since 2009
After a Nov. 12, 2025, inaugural meeting of the Statewide Official Compensation Commission, 11 elected posts will see higher future salaries.
nondoc.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Police and judges need a refresher on the First Amendment.

Kansas’ Marion County just provided the syllabus — the expensive way.
Kansas county pays $3M for forgetting the First Amendment
Marion County cops got their First Amendment lesson the hard way. Police elsewhere should take note
freedom.press
November 12, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
SCOOP: ICE is allocating as much as $180 million to pay bounty hunters and private investigators who verify the address and location of undocumented people ICE wishes to detain, including with physical surveillance, according to procurement records reviewed by 404 Media.
ICE Plans to Spend $180 Million on Bounty Hunters to Stalk Immigrants
Newly released documents provide more details about ICE's plan to use bounty hunters and private investigators to find the location of undocumented immigrants.
www.404media.co
November 12, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
There goes 90+ day credit-card delinquencies. New cycle high.

(via Kev Gordon)
November 12, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
* Auto Loan Delinquencies Hit Record for Riskiest Borrowers

@bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
NEW: Trump says America needs more foreign workers.

His company requested a record 184 of them for 2025.

me, for @Forbes

1/
Trump Organization Sought Record Number Of Foreign Workers In 2025
Labor Department data show President Donald Trump’s businesses applied to hire at least 184 foreign workers for seasonal jobs at golf courses, a winery and Mar–a-Lago.
www.forbes.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Of the roughly 1,600 people who have gotten pardoned by Trump in his 2nd term, only 10 had filed petitions to the Office of the Pardon Attorney, & even within that small group, some did not appear to meet the Justice Department’s standards & requirements for identifying & vetting worthy recipients.
How Trump Has Exploited Pardons and Clemency to Reward Allies and Supporters
The president’s second term has brought a flood of clemency for allies and donors — as well as felons, like him, who were convicted of financial wrongdoing.
www.propublica.org
November 12, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
The American penny will pass away later today after a prolonged illness. It was 238 years old. https://cnn.it/4oYYE7q
November 12, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Records reveal the Oklahoma State Department of Education never launched any school investigations, underscoring a tenure marked by spectacle rather than action.
Ryan Walters’ promised investigations into schools that didn’t honor Charlie Kirk never happened, records show
Records reveal the Oklahoma State Department of Education never launched any school investigations, underscoring a tenure marked by spectacle rather than action.
www.readfrontier.org
November 12, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Neguse: The house since August 3rd has been in session for 12 days. Are you familiar with Steve Bannon? He compared the Congress to the Duma. Do you think that’s an apt comparison?

Cole: No

Neguse: Would it surprise you to know that the Duma has been in session this fall longer than the House?
November 12, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Your economic statistics have been delivered
November 12, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Reposted by Paul Monies
We used to have the Bureau of Labor Statistics collect inflation data but under Trump we’ve outsourced it to DoorDash
At some point embarrassment MUST come
November 12, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Paul Monies
WSJ: Fannie Mae watchdogs who were removed from their jobs had been probing if Trump appointee Bill Pulte had improperly obtained mortgage records of key Democratic officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James.

www.wsj.com/finance/regu...
November 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
A vote from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board to approve an emergency rule related to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent anti-abortion executive order failed in a Monday special meeting.

www.kgou.org/health/2025-...
Oklahoma Health Care Authority board members vote against abortion attestation emergency rule
Board members are seeking clarity on the executive order that encouraged the proposed rule.
www.kgou.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
#foioklahoma By John D. Hanna & Heather Hollingsworth, apnews.com: A rural Kansas county has agreed to pay more than $3 million and apologize over a law enforcement raid on a small-town weekly newspaper in August 2023 that sparked an outcry over press freedom, the paper’s editor said Tuesday.
Kansas county agrees to pay $3 million over law enforcement raid on a small-town newspaper
The editor of a small-town Kansas newspaper says his rural county has agreed to pay a little more than $3 million and apologize over police raid on the paper in August 2023.
apnews.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
This gives away the game. Bari, Trump & the right wing don't believe in fact-based journalism. Doing away with long held standards & practices makes way for the 'free press' propaganda style media.
Bari Weiss' first weeks at CBS News marked by all-out warfare against professional ethics standards in the newsroom, part of an effort to convert it from journalism into rank political propaganda.
Bari Weiss wants to take down ‘too much power’ CBS News Standards unit: sources
EXCLUSIVE: Internal rumblings within the newsroom come after the S&P head resigned and the network disbanded its vaunted Race and Culture unit.
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
WASHINGTON (AP) — Canada has lost its measles elimination status because of continued spread, international health experts say.
November 10, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
#foioklahoma By Nuria Martinez-Keel, oklahomavoice.com: During Walters’ final weeks as state superintendent, the Education Department denied that he had a state-owned vehicle, and the agency therefore refused to provide records of his vehicle usage to Oklahoma Voice.
Questions remain over who drove a taxpayer-funded vehicle issued to an aide of Ryan Walters • Oklahoma Voice
Current and former Education Department officials have refused to explain who drove an agency vehicle to Texas, country clubs and stores.
oklahomavoice.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Paul Monies
Newly-elected AFL-CIO president, Rep. Forrest Bennett, confirms he will be stepping down from #okleg.
November 8, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Paul Monies
HAPPY FOUR SEASONS TOTAL LANDSCAPING DAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM