Rafael Lemaitre
@raflemaitre.bsky.social
PR & crisis communicator/strategist. Former top spox for @LinaHidalgoTX, White House @ONDCP, @FEMA, & @CBP @ DHS. Opinions mine.
Pinned
Rafael Lemaitre
@raflemaitre.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
By changing the way gun violence is covered, reporters can take an active role in minimizing harm to injured people, communities, and society—and even make an important contribution toward preventing gun violence.
Five years of work. One concise guide. Free to view and download now. – Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting
www.pcgvr.org
October 6, 2025 at 1:56 AM
By changing the way gun violence is covered, reporters can take an active role in minimizing harm to injured people, communities, and society—and even make an important contribution toward preventing gun violence.
Please join me in wishing aMeRicA’s maYoR thoughts and prayers. #vigil #fourseasonstotallandscaping
September 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Please join me in wishing aMeRicA’s maYoR thoughts and prayers. #vigil #fourseasonstotallandscaping
Chris Hollins, our Houston Controller is now on Bluesky! Added to the starter pack. Give him a follow! houcontroller.bsky.social
August 27, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Chris Hollins, our Houston Controller is now on Bluesky! Added to the starter pack. Give him a follow! houcontroller.bsky.social
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
The indictments that Kim is proud of were dismissed by Ken Paxton. When Ken Paxton can't even find a reason to continue a political prosecution, you know there's absolutely nothing there.
June 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
The indictments that Kim is proud of were dismissed by Ken Paxton. When Ken Paxton can't even find a reason to continue a political prosecution, you know there's absolutely nothing there.
She’s going to drag Annise down with her isn’t she? www.chron.com/politics/art...
Kim Ogg goes full red: Calls for GOP takeover of Harris County
"Over the last eight years, we've had hell in Texas, here in Harris County."
www.chron.com
June 16, 2025 at 10:35 PM
She’s going to drag Annise down with her isn’t she? www.chron.com/politics/art...
Yeah
It was the highlight of my week to be able to talk with these smart, talented folks for a bit. With news moving so fast, it's good to be able to take a minute to process the consequences for Houston. Take a listen! @raflemaitre.bsky.social @laurahtx.bsky.social
houston.citycast.fm/podcasts/abb...
houston.citycast.fm/podcasts/abb...
Abbott Tells Protestors 'FAFO,' Astrodome Break-In, & Goodbye FEMA?! - City Cast Houston
It’s Friday so we’re recapping the week that was in Houston. Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by attorney and education a...
houston.citycast.fm
June 14, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Yeah
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
The memo discusses staffing at Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, a critical high security facility in Virginia containing the nuclear bunker where congressional leaders were taken on 9/11.
"The facility is at risk of not being fully mission capable.”
"The facility is at risk of not being fully mission capable.”
FEMA at 'high risk' of disrupting 'life-saving' disaster relief, per internal memo
The agency in charge of mitigating disasters is in the midst of its own.
www.thehandbasket.co
May 27, 2025 at 11:08 PM
The memo discusses staffing at Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, a critical high security facility in Virginia containing the nuclear bunker where congressional leaders were taken on 9/11.
"The facility is at risk of not being fully mission capable.”
"The facility is at risk of not being fully mission capable.”
Bananas
SCOOP— FEMA essential functions are at "high risk" of not functioning properly just days before hurricane season because of staffing shortages, per a recent internal memo obtained by The Handbasket.
These deficiencies "may disrupt life-saving and life-sustaining program delivery."
Full story here:
These deficiencies "may disrupt life-saving and life-sustaining program delivery."
Full story here:
FEMA at 'high risk' of disrupting 'life-saving' disaster relief, per internal memo
The agency in charge of mitigating disasters is in the midst of its own.
www.thehandbasket.co
May 28, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Bananas
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
ICYMI: A little-known Republican's entry into the race to replace Lina Hidalgo was unremarkable save for one detail: Her campaign's ties to a '24 SuperPAC that used antisemitic tropes to undercut Harris's appeal with Muslims in Michigan.
In @newrepublic.com: bit.ly/3SiSWzc
In @newrepublic.com: bit.ly/3SiSWzc
The Texas Judge Race That Republicans Are Suddenly Eyeing
Why is a little-known GOP candidate getting such big-name support in her effort to unseat Harris County’s Lina Hidalgo? It could be a dry run for the party’s next wave of messaging.
bit.ly
May 27, 2025 at 2:10 PM
ICYMI: A little-known Republican's entry into the race to replace Lina Hidalgo was unremarkable save for one detail: Her campaign's ties to a '24 SuperPAC that used antisemitic tropes to undercut Harris's appeal with Muslims in Michigan.
In @newrepublic.com: bit.ly/3SiSWzc
In @newrepublic.com: bit.ly/3SiSWzc
My guess is that there are at least 150 people at this anti-Whitmire town hall hosted by West Street Recovery. They’ve had to bring in extra seating. Line out the door. Whitmire and team dismissing this backlash would be well advised to change direction.
May 28, 2025 at 1:18 AM
My guess is that there are at least 150 people at this anti-Whitmire town hall hosted by West Street Recovery. They’ve had to bring in extra seating. Line out the door. Whitmire and team dismissing this backlash would be well advised to change direction.
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
"This is what we were voting for!"
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
May 24, 2025 at 11:57 PM
"This is what we were voting for!"
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
Ooof. And the same White House tour open to the general public 
Influencer: “I spent $480,000 to go to Trump’s meme coin dinner and all I got was this hat”
May 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Ooof. And the same White House tour open to the general public 
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
Republicans win while doing the exact opposite of this, firmly taking unpopular views and relentlessly hammering them (and lying about them).
Hence the 180° turn the public has done on legal and illegal immigration over the past few years.
If all they did was "respond," they'd lose, like Dems do.
Hence the 180° turn the public has done on legal and illegal immigration over the past few years.
If all they did was "respond," they'd lose, like Dems do.
May 25, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Republicans win while doing the exact opposite of this, firmly taking unpopular views and relentlessly hammering them (and lying about them).
Hence the 180° turn the public has done on legal and illegal immigration over the past few years.
If all they did was "respond," they'd lose, like Dems do.
Hence the 180° turn the public has done on legal and illegal immigration over the past few years.
If all they did was "respond," they'd lose, like Dems do.
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
Congratulations again to all the corporate media folks who refused to stand by the Associated Press and now get to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers, including this guy who asked a batshit crazy rambling question about the "Clinton Body Count"
Zero Hedge was the WH "new media" guest at the WHPB today and I will let the rapid blinking speak for itself
May 19, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Congratulations again to all the corporate media folks who refused to stand by the Associated Press and now get to stand shoulder to shoulder with their peers, including this guy who asked a batshit crazy rambling question about the "Clinton Body Count"
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
“‘For years, former DA Kim Ogg used the courtroom to settle political scores and advance her extreme agenda,’ Ellis said. ‘She consistently weaponized prosecutions with a double standard, consistently attacking and defaming Black and brown officials. One by one, those cases collapsed: dismissed….’”
What’s next for former DA Kim Ogg with her history of targeting public officials?
www.houstonpress.com/news/is-form...
www.houstonpress.com/news/is-form...
What's Next For Former DA Kim Ogg With Her History of Targeting Public Officials?
“There’s a special place in hell for Kim Ogg,” Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis wrote on social media earlier this month. Ellis’ post came hours...
www.houstonpress.com
May 19, 2025 at 2:42 PM
“‘For years, former DA Kim Ogg used the courtroom to settle political scores and advance her extreme agenda,’ Ellis said. ‘She consistently weaponized prosecutions with a double standard, consistently attacking and defaming Black and brown officials. One by one, those cases collapsed: dismissed….’”
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
Most people interface with PBS via tv shows and news coverage but I want to point out another critical service PBS provides: a database of national warnings.
warn.pbs.org
warn.pbs.org
PBS - WARN
warn.pbs.org
May 17, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Most people interface with PBS via tv shows and news coverage but I want to point out another critical service PBS provides: a database of national warnings.
warn.pbs.org
warn.pbs.org
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
May 11, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
If you’re attending the White House Correspondents Association dinner tonight, be sure to come prepared with a joke about the toddler cancer patient they just disappeared despite her being a citizen.
Otherwise it’s going to be awkward when you’re mugging for photos with Stephen Miller.
Otherwise it’s going to be awkward when you’re mugging for photos with Stephen Miller.
April 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
If you’re attending the White House Correspondents Association dinner tonight, be sure to come prepared with a joke about the toddler cancer patient they just disappeared despite her being a citizen.
Otherwise it’s going to be awkward when you’re mugging for photos with Stephen Miller.
Otherwise it’s going to be awkward when you’re mugging for photos with Stephen Miller.
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
I am working on a Bayou City Sludge post about how the #txlege is a canary in the coalmine for platforming conspiracy theories in government because today the House had a hearing on a bill that would ban the federal government from, uh, changing the weather. A tidbit:
April 23, 2025 at 12:45 AM
I am working on a Bayou City Sludge post about how the #txlege is a canary in the coalmine for platforming conspiracy theories in government because today the House had a hearing on a bill that would ban the federal government from, uh, changing the weather. A tidbit:
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
When you vote for republicans in Texas because they care about “public safety”, just remember they want to give felons back their guns (even in courthouses).
#txlege #MomsAreEverywhere @momsdemand.bsky.social
#txlege #MomsAreEverywhere @momsdemand.bsky.social
You can't make this stuff up.
Politicians in Austin right now are moving to pass HB 2771 which will REINSTATE the ability of felons in Texas to carry firearms after committing dangerous crimes like assault on public servant, assault on family member, etc.
Politicians in Austin right now are moving to pass HB 2771 which will REINSTATE the ability of felons in Texas to carry firearms after committing dangerous crimes like assault on public servant, assault on family member, etc.
Criminal charges have been filed against Parnell Bland, a 34-year-old man accused in a shootout that left a Harris County deputy injured in downtown Houston on Monday.
April 22, 2025 at 8:33 PM
When you vote for republicans in Texas because they care about “public safety”, just remember they want to give felons back their guns (even in courthouses).
#txlege #MomsAreEverywhere @momsdemand.bsky.social
#txlege #MomsAreEverywhere @momsdemand.bsky.social
Reposted by Rafael Lemaitre
Judge Gives Trump Administration 3 Days To Return Her From El Salvador Prison
theonion.com/judge-g...
theonion.com/judge-g...
Judge Gives Trump Administration 3 Days To Return Her From El Salvador Prison
GREENBELT, MD—Decrying the deportation as “wholly lawless,” U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ruled Monday that the Trump administration had three days to return her to the United States from a Salvadoran prison or face contempt of court charges. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had no legal basis upon which to send me, a U.S. citizen […]
theonion.com
April 12, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Judge Gives Trump Administration 3 Days To Return Her From El Salvador Prison
theonion.com/judge-g...
theonion.com/judge-g...
Just bewildered that this hasn’t gotten more national attention www.khou.com/article/news...
Afghan girl hospitalized after she says she was attacked at her Houston school
Advocates are calling for justice after the incident they consider to be rooted in prejudice.
www.khou.com
April 12, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Just bewildered that this hasn’t gotten more national attention www.khou.com/article/news...
This is why we elected @mollyfortexas.bsky.social 👏👏👏👏👏👏
April 8, 2025 at 1:43 AM
This is why we elected @mollyfortexas.bsky.social 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Subsidies? Socialism!
FAULKER: Will there be a point where President Trump might say, we better subsidize the farmers to get them over the hump?
BROOKE ROLLINS: We'll make sure we'll ready if that is necessary
FAULKER: *abruptly pivots to transphobia*
BROOKE ROLLINS: We'll make sure we'll ready if that is necessary
FAULKER: *abruptly pivots to transphobia*
April 3, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Subsidies? Socialism!