@ralperstein.bsky.social
Attorney. Writer/Commenter. Trying to sustain joy and humor in bleak times. Not a fan of memes or stanning. Even less so of liars and those begging for the lies.
Reposted
July 3, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Reposted
With the tragic assassination of a Minnesota Democratic leader, I’m going to underline this point again.
I know there's a lot going on, but the Secretary of Homeland Security declaring that federal troops are in California and Los Angeles to "liberate" the state and city from its duly-elected leaders really is a fourteen-alarm fire.
It's mind-blowing how little attention this extraordinary statement has received. It's briefly mentioned in a couple news articles, but this MSNBC opinion piece is the only extended discussion of it I've seen: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
June 14, 2025 at 3:37 PM
With the tragic assassination of a Minnesota Democratic leader, I’m going to underline this point again.
@slotkin.senate.gov people loathe Trump’s attacks on DEI—which helps women, POC, the disabled, LGBTQIA people—& universities, science, medicine, working class, poor, immigrants, education, the economy, rule of law. Focus on that +GOP corruption & retribution; drop the shameful GOP line about “woke”
Trump Is Suddenly Bleeding Independents. A Brutal New Poll Shows Why.
Immigration was his best issue in the polls. But now he’s sinking on it. Maybe Americans care about the rule of law after all.
newrepublic.com
April 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
@slotkin.senate.gov people loathe Trump’s attacks on DEI—which helps women, POC, the disabled, LGBTQIA people—& universities, science, medicine, working class, poor, immigrants, education, the economy, rule of law. Focus on that +GOP corruption & retribution; drop the shameful GOP line about “woke”
You could swap out Hegseth’s name for Trump, Vance, Bondi, Noem, Rubio, …everyone in this vile administration. These corrupt actors don’t do anything for “the good of the country,” and won’t resign. You can’t appeal to the patriotism of people who have none; fascists don’t leave power voluntarily.
It's long past time for Pete Hegseth to do the right thing for his country, and resign.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Pete Hegseth’s Patriotic Duty Is to Resign
His incompetence is putting America’s security at risk.
www.theatlantic.com
April 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
You could swap out Hegseth’s name for Trump, Vance, Bondi, Noem, Rubio, …everyone in this vile administration. These corrupt actors don’t do anything for “the good of the country,” and won’t resign. You can’t appeal to the patriotism of people who have none; fascists don’t leave power voluntarily.
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/04... Thomas and Alito for the win again: always standing strong in support of injustice.
Trump Live Updates: Deportations, Harvard Feud and Ukraine Peace Talks
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. A group of migrants had been scheduled to be flown out of the country, according to people familiar with the matter.
www.nytimes.com
April 19, 2025 at 12:45 PM
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/04... Thomas and Alito for the win again: always standing strong in support of injustice.
www.emptywheel.net/2025/04/18/t... Excellent must-read. So far no court has suggested or found that the invocation of a national emergency was fraudulent and thus should be enjoined. Not sure any court would go there or can. But they should.
Trump's Individual Claims about Immigrant Targets Are False-But So Is the Larger Premise - emptywheel
Thus far, the campaign to fight back against Trump's authoritarian immigration crackdown has focused on individual stories, with some success. But it has yet to account for the fact that his crackdown...
www.emptywheel.net
April 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
www.emptywheel.net/2025/04/18/t... Excellent must-read. So far no court has suggested or found that the invocation of a national emergency was fraudulent and thus should be enjoined. Not sure any court would go there or can. But they should.
Must-read, incredibly chilling piece by @jennamclaughlin.bsky.social about DOGE’s actions. It beggars belief that R-controlled Congress is allowing rampant security breaches compromising Americans’ privacy, apparent violations of records-keeping and privacy laws, and Musk’s conflicts of interest.
My story breaking this news exclusively was 7K+ words and had almost all of this in it, and more:
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
April 18, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Must-read, incredibly chilling piece by @jennamclaughlin.bsky.social about DOGE’s actions. It beggars belief that R-controlled Congress is allowing rampant security breaches compromising Americans’ privacy, apparent violations of records-keeping and privacy laws, and Musk’s conflicts of interest.
Reposted
The freight guys have really started freaking out over the past 48-72 hours:
April 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM
The freight guys have really started freaking out over the past 48-72 hours:
Thoughtful piece by @joshtpm.bsky.social. While I agree that Leo and the Federalist Society purveyors of the fraudulent “unitary executive” theory are the architects of Trump’s “legal” lawlessness, “originalism”, their sham theory used to pretextually to justify whatever they want, has a huge role.
SCOTUS Can Let the President Break the Law; They Can’t Change It talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/scotu...
April 18, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Thoughtful piece by @joshtpm.bsky.social. While I agree that Leo and the Federalist Society purveyors of the fraudulent “unitary executive” theory are the architects of Trump’s “legal” lawlessness, “originalism”, their sham theory used to pretextually to justify whatever they want, has a huge role.
Certainly seems to create a presumption that the firings were illegally based on race and gender. No reasons given means not even a pretextual rationale is on offer, which won’t help the govt’s case if these people sue, which I hope they do.
38 of the 43.
"38 of 43 experts cut last month from boards that review science and research in NIH laboratories are female, Black or Hispanic.
"The scientists typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal..."
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
"38 of 43 experts cut last month from boards that review science and research in NIH laboratories are female, Black or Hispanic.
"The scientists typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal..."
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards
Scientists, with expertise in fields that include mental health, cancer and infectious disease, typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Certainly seems to create a presumption that the firings were illegally based on race and gender. No reasons given means not even a pretextual rationale is on offer, which won’t help the govt’s case if these people sue, which I hope they do.
Reposted
"If starting the biggest trade war since the Great Depression based on a law that doesn't even mention tariffs is not an unconstitutional usurpation of legislative power, I don't know what is," said GMU/Scalia lawprof Ilya Somin.
April 17, 2025 at 10:05 PM
"If starting the biggest trade war since the Great Depression based on a law that doesn't even mention tariffs is not an unconstitutional usurpation of legislative power, I don't know what is," said GMU/Scalia lawprof Ilya Somin.
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Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez. American citizen, detained by ICE in Leon County Florida. His mother brought his birth certificate and SS card. Judge told her, “Sorry, he has an ICE hold, despite not having probably cause for his arrest”
This is it folks. State sponsored kidnapping.
Share this please
This is it folks. State sponsored kidnapping.
Share this please
April 17, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez. American citizen, detained by ICE in Leon County Florida. His mother brought his birth certificate and SS card. Judge told her, “Sorry, he has an ICE hold, despite not having probably cause for his arrest”
This is it folks. State sponsored kidnapping.
Share this please
This is it folks. State sponsored kidnapping.
Share this please
Reposted
Probably you had to be around in Reagan era to know what a conservative icon J. Harvie Wilkinson III has been. Reagan himself appointed JHW to current position, as Fourth Circuit appeals judge, when JHW was in his 30s.
With clarity similar to Judge Luttig's or Liz Cheney's, JHW brings the heat:
With clarity similar to Judge Luttig's or Liz Cheney's, JHW brings the heat:
April 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Probably you had to be around in Reagan era to know what a conservative icon J. Harvie Wilkinson III has been. Reagan himself appointed JHW to current position, as Fourth Circuit appeals judge, when JHW was in his 30s.
With clarity similar to Judge Luttig's or Liz Cheney's, JHW brings the heat:
With clarity similar to Judge Luttig's or Liz Cheney's, JHW brings the heat:
Reposted
DOGE has reportedly gained access to sensitive NLRB data — including info on union activity, workplace complaints, and names of organizers.
Coincidentally, the NLRB has multiple lawsuits against SpaceX and Tesla.
The conflicts of interest just keep getting more blatant.
Coincidentally, the NLRB has multiple lawsuits against SpaceX and Tesla.
The conflicts of interest just keep getting more blatant.
April 15, 2025 at 9:45 PM
DOGE has reportedly gained access to sensitive NLRB data — including info on union activity, workplace complaints, and names of organizers.
Coincidentally, the NLRB has multiple lawsuits against SpaceX and Tesla.
The conflicts of interest just keep getting more blatant.
Coincidentally, the NLRB has multiple lawsuits against SpaceX and Tesla.
The conflicts of interest just keep getting more blatant.
@joycewhitevance.bsky.social’s piece is dead-on. If I were Judge Xinis, I’d order the govt to list every step it could take to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return that it has not yet, to explain why not, and to disclose who decided not to & when. And I’d remind DOJ attys of their duty of candor.
Judge Xinis has given the government until 9:30 Friday to provide her with an update on Abrego Garcia's location and steps they're taking to return him to the US storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
April 11, 2025 at 11:47 AM
@joycewhitevance.bsky.social’s piece is dead-on. If I were Judge Xinis, I’d order the govt to list every step it could take to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return that it has not yet, to explain why not, and to disclose who decided not to & when. And I’d remind DOJ attys of their duty of candor.
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Marco Rubio killed these people.
Eight people in South Sudan, including five children, died on a three-hour walk to seek medical treatment for cholera after US aid cuts forced local health services to close, the UK-based charity Save the Children said reut.rs/3E9kB27
South Sudan cholera patients died walking to clinic after US cut aid, charity says
Eight people in South Sudan, including five children, died on a three-hour walk to seek medical treatment for cholera after U.S. aid cuts forced local health services to close, the UK-based charity Save the Children said on Wednesday.
reut.rs
April 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Marco Rubio killed these people.
Reposted
GOP court decision overturning Democratic victory in North Carolina Supreme Court race is 5 alarm fire for democracy. It’s January 6 without the insurrection. Make no mistake, if GOP succeeds in stealing election in NC, they’ll use that playbook everywhere www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Republicans are stealing a North Carolina judicial race. They won't stop there.
It's January 6 without the insurrection.
www.motherjones.com
April 8, 2025 at 2:17 PM
GOP court decision overturning Democratic victory in North Carolina Supreme Court race is 5 alarm fire for democracy. It’s January 6 without the insurrection. Make no mistake, if GOP succeeds in stealing election in NC, they’ll use that playbook everywhere www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
It’s terrible Trump’s blatant usurpation of the tariff power into a protection racket stabilized the markets. This will help ensure endless jockeying by govts, industries, and businesses to curry favor with him which is exactly the tyranny he wants.
Breaking news: President Donald Trump on Monday signaled he was open to cutting deals with countries around the world to ease tariffs, partially stabilizing markets that have been rattled by an intensifying trade war.
Trump suggests openness to deals, threatens new tariffs on China
Stocks closed mostly flat after wild swings during the trading day.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
It’s terrible Trump’s blatant usurpation of the tariff power into a protection racket stabilized the markets. This will help ensure endless jockeying by govts, industries, and businesses to curry favor with him which is exactly the tyranny he wants.
Good response. If the SCt condones this monstrousness we really are 1930s Germany. This is absolute lawlessness and tyranny.
Although Chief Justice Roberts called for Abrego Garcia's lawyers to file a response tomorrow, they already filed one! It seems to have come in at almost the exact same time as Roberts' order. Wires crossed. Read it here: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
24A949 Response
www.documentcloud.org
April 7, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Good response. If the SCt condones this monstrousness we really are 1930s Germany. This is absolute lawlessness and tyranny.
Shame on @cnn.com for not featuring Senator Cory Booker’s historic, record-breaking, inspirational call-to-action filibuster in its “Five Things” this morning.
April 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Shame on @cnn.com for not featuring Senator Cory Booker’s historic, record-breaking, inspirational call-to-action filibuster in its “Five Things” this morning.
Waltz and staff used Gmail for government communications, officials say
April 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Waltz and staff used Gmail for government communications, officials say
Cory Booker’s extraordinary soliloquy just now is truly one for the ages and I hope makes a turning point. Thank you @corybooker.com and may your leadership inspire millions to act and to take to the streets on April 5th to retain and reclaim our country, and your craven GOP colleagues to change.
April 1, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Cory Booker’s extraordinary soliloquy just now is truly one for the ages and I hope makes a turning point. Thank you @corybooker.com and may your leadership inspire millions to act and to take to the streets on April 5th to retain and reclaim our country, and your craven GOP colleagues to change.
For anyone who has not tuned it yet, I strongly urge you to turn this on. Booker is doing an incredible job with help from his colleagues to raise awareness of the dreadful impacts of Trump/Musk/GOP attacks on our government, and to offer a clear contrast and mandate to reject their immoral havoc.
April 1, 2025 at 5:38 PM
For anyone who has not tuned it yet, I strongly urge you to turn this on. Booker is doing an incredible job with help from his colleagues to raise awareness of the dreadful impacts of Trump/Musk/GOP attacks on our government, and to offer a clear contrast and mandate to reject their immoral havoc.
It’s All Connected:
March 26, 2025 at 10:12 PM
It’s All Connected: