Spencer in Law
LightNews LightNews
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Spencer in Law
@spencerinlaw.bsky.social
6.5K followers 7K following 3K posts
Friendly neighborhood lawyer hating on fascism and fighting the system. Organizing to build a better society through solidarity, abolition, liberation, and justice. Also criminal, disability, and intellectual property law.
Posts Replies Media Videos
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
One of the PIs shared this on Threads:

Have you watched media depicting police violence, ICE activity, or genocide on social media? We are seeking participants for a study exploring the impact of vicarious exposure to forms of police violence, trauma, and activism.

To participate: bit.ly/4gMoSHq
Participants Needed For Study on Vicarious Trauma, Violence, and Activism About the study This study explores the relationship between mental health and vicarious exposure to forms of trauma, violence, and activism among social media users. Who we are looking for Participants must be over the age of 18 and have observed social media content depicting trauma, violence, and activism. How to participate Participants can access the study through the QR Code below. Participation may take 10 - 15 minutes. Principle Investigators Darius Green, Ph.D. Frank Gorritz, Ph.D. Stacey Litam, Ph.D. Sierra Coye, Ph.D. Candidate Sravya Gummaluri, Ph.D. Candidate Cheyenne Newby, MA Student Contact: green20@uces.cdu This study was approved by the IRB of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (IRB Protocol 2026-048]
November 22, 2025 at 1:51 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Epstein: sorry for all the typos
Screenshot of HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_033591 From: jeffrey epstein [jeevacation@gmail.com] Sent: 1/12/2012 3:22:33 PM To: Subject: Re: B 727 thought Call Sorry for all the typos .Sent from my iPhone
November 13, 2025 at 4:49 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Not that this is surprising, but still disappointing to watch @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social capitulate to genocidaires.
Zei Squirrel tweet from October 15: Zohran Mamdani just said: "I'm going to have people in my administration who are Zionists, whether liberal Zionists, or wherever they may be on that spectrum." This means that he's also going to have Likudniks alongside the horde of J-Streeters who already run his campaign Screenshot of The Free Press article: Zohran Mamdani Meets the Jews of Park Slope 'I'm going to have people in my administration who are Zionists,” the front-runner for New York City mayor says, as he puts a softer spin on his anti-Israel past. By Olivia Reingold 10.14.25 —New York "I'm also not looking to create a city hall or a city in my image. I'm going to have people in my administration who are Zionists, whether liberal Zionists, or wherever they may be on that spectrum. And some of them, I'll know about their thoughts about Zionism. Many of them, I won't, because the questions I'll ask them when I'm looking to hire them will not be questions about Israel and Palestine. They will be for the sanitation commissioner about garbage."
October 15, 2025 at 8:43 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Section 4, paragraph 2 of Biden’s February 2023 memorandum on conventional arms transfers

bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-roo...
Screenshot of Section 4, paragraph 2 of Biden’s memorandum on conventional arms transfers In light of these considerations, and consistent with applicable law, no arms transfer will be authorized where the United States assesses that it is more likely than not that the arms to be transferred will be used by the recipient to commit, facilitate the recipients' commission of, or to aggravate risks that the recipient will commit: genocide: crimes against humanity; grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, including attacks intentionally directed against civilian objects or civilians protected as such; or other serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law, including serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against children. This assessment shall include consideration of the available information and relevant circumstances, including the proposed recipient's current and past actions, credible reports that the recipient committed any of the above violation other information related to the overall
October 10, 2025 at 1:10 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Friendly reminder that the Oregon Constitution explicitly provides the right to alter, reform, or ABOLISH the government in such a manner as their people think proper.
Screenshot of Oregon Constitution, Article I, Section 1. Natural rights inherent in people. We declare that all men, when they form a social compact are equal in right: that all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; and they have at all times a right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper.—
September 27, 2025 at 10:11 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Spain and Italy, let’s go!
image of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the podium Screenshotted Text: Spain will send a military vessel to protect the Gaza Flotilla Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made the announcement in New York following the latest attacks on vessels carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Image from Quinten Quarantino with image of naval vessel on the sea Screenshot text: ITALY DEPLOYS NAVY SHIP TO PROTECT GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA The move comes following drone strikes on multiple sailing boats. Defense minister cites legal imperative to protect humanitarians at sea
September 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Who invokes the 25th Amendment?
Twenty-Fifth Amendment Section 1 In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President. Section 2 Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress. Section 3 Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. Section 4 Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate a Back to top Speaker of the House of Representatives
September 19, 2025 at 4:41 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Is this Jerryposting? @jcsalterego.bsky.social
Screenshot of new feature saved post. Shores a Jerry post “inventing a saturday that immediately follows monday”
September 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Only on Bluesky do you get notifications that you are being put onto lists for posting Palestinians’ GoFundMe campaigns. Why does @bsky.app hate Palestinians? Putting people onto lists for sharing external social media links is both obnoxious and pretextual… Just block me!
Screenshot of labeler Girl Bye Girl Bye •. @girlbye.social Girl Bye is an automated labeler with matching moderation lists that offers various criteria for accounts you may want to filter out of your feed. Liked by 0 users Subscribe to @girlbye.social to use these labels: domain-x Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing an x.com link. domain-truthsocial Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a truthsocial.com link. domain-facebook Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a facebook.com link. domain-instagram Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing an instagram.com link. domain-threads Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a threads.com link. domain-onlyfans Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing an onlyfans.com link. domain-loyalfans Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a loyalfans.com link. domain-fansly Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a fans.ly link. domain-justforfans Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a justfor.fans link. domain-gofundme Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a gofundme.com link. domain-tiktok Accounts that have been observed with a display name, profile description, or post containing a tiktok.com link.
July 27, 2025 at 1:41 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
My god, this is beautiful
A Molotov cocktail with the words “I dissent.” written beneath the bottle in red. The bottle is tilted diagonally and is lit with a flame
July 22, 2025 at 10:42 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Organizations like @cristosal.bsky.social have released reports on this.
Screenshot from Cristosal 2024 report Silence is Not An Option, in the report summary. All the text is highlighted. Bracketed text is underlined. The investigation found that family members avoid reporting or even talking about the deaths of their relatives detained for fear of reprisals. Some of the incarcerated people interviewed said that [prison authorities were using mass graves to bury deceased detainees.] Due to the limited access to information of what is happening within the prisons, the number of deaths of detainees under the state of exception is likely to be much higher than the 265 cases investigated by Crsitosal. The state, however, continues to deny these claims.
July 9, 2025 at 10:30 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Interesting word choice
Screenshot of Webster Dictionary entry for the word “brunette” brunette 1 of 2 noun bru-nette (brü-net) variants or less commonly brunet : a person having brown hair → usually used of a woman or girl and usually spelled brunette in that use → when used of a man or boy usually spelled brunet brunette 2 of 2 adiective variants or less commonly brunet : of a dark brown color brunette hair also : having brunette hair a brunette woman. • usually used of a woman or girl and usually spelled brunette in that use → when used of a man or boy usually spelled brunet
July 9, 2025 at 7:19 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Gotta ward off those invaders!
Screenshot of Times of Israel story Troops fire in air to ward off foreign diplomats touring Jenin; IDF apologizes Army says group strayed from approved route; videos show representatives from UK, France, Canada, Russia, China and elsewhere scrambling for cover as shots ring out
May 21, 2025 at 5:22 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Sorry, I’m all filled up on word salad
IOF pointing guns at diplomats while firing upon the delegation
May 21, 2025 at 4:47 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Oh
IOF pointing guns at diplomats delegation while IOF fires weapons
May 21, 2025 at 4:40 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Image of two IOF soldiers pointing guns at diplomats from 25 countries while firing upon the diplomats’ delegation
May 21, 2025 at 4:38 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
For those wanting to get married at an historic murder factory, you can still book this stunning reproduction of a nineteenth century murder factory for your weddings and senior photos. There is even an elevated stage so all of your relatives can watch, even if they are sitting in the back row.
Image of gallow at Fort Smith managed by the National Park Service. Six nooses hang above a platform above the ground. The gallows at Fort Smith served as an instrument of federal justice for 23 years, from 1873-1896. During those years, 86 men were executed for capital offenses. While the gallows that stands today is a reconstruction, visitors are still drawn to the place where these executions were conducted. Perhaps no other place in Fort Smith illicits such interest and strong feelings.
May 16, 2025 at 10:41 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
JFC. Seattle running this ad on LinkedIn…
Image of a Seattle PD advertisement for lateral hires offering a $50K hiring bonus. At the top, City of Seattle states: City of Seattle Promoted “The challenge you've been waiting for. $50,000 hiring bonus for laterals. Join SPD.” The image is of the Seattle Police, Est. 1869. The seal includes: “SERVICE, PRIDE, and DEDICATION.” Below the image of the shoulder badge includes text: “$50K HIRING BONUS FOR LATERALS Challenge Yourself. Join SPD.” Includes an apply button.
April 15, 2025 at 3:24 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Mormon’s don’t like to be called communists, but they had some ideas

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_...

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_...
Screenshot of Wikipedia page for the Law of Consecration, Origins section: As practiced by the Latter Day Saints in Smith's day, the law of consecration was for the support of the poor and to ensure that all members would be "equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and needs." Adherents were asked to voluntarily deed, or consecrate, their property to the Church of Christ, and the church then would assign to each member a "stewardship" of property "as much as is sufficient for himself and family." If consecrated property became more than was sufficient for the assigned steward, the "residue" was "to be consecrated unto the bishop" kept for the benefit of "those who have not, from time to time, that every man who has need may be amply supplied and receive according to his wants." Wikipedia screenshot for Law of Consecration article The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints section. Text bracketed are highlighted During the 1850s, Brigham Young, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), attempted to revive the law of consecration. The US Congress used this practice to delay granting land ownership to Utah Territory. Under scrutiny from the national press and [facing advancing federal troops, the church dropped the plan] in 1857 in favor of the law of tithing. Since that time, the LDS Church has not asked its members to give all of their property to the church: leaders of the church have taught that members "are not now required to live the law of consecration". However, adherents covenant with God to accept the law of consecration as part of the temple endowment ceremony.
April 11, 2025 at 1:10 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
It’s actually a good cause. Liquid Death brand has this feel to it because the company was created by marketers to compel a change in consumer behavior (away from plastic water bottles) using a consumer product (canned water), which is likely why their product evokes certain vibes and feelings.
Liquid Death website screenshot with “Death TO PLASTIC” in large caps at the top of the site. “PLASTIC RECYCLING IS A MYTH. MOST PLASTIC IS SENT TO LANDFILLS.” A woman is holding a white can of liquid death. Her top is a short sleeve flower shirt. Some people behind the woman are talking, unbothered by the plastic in the landfills. The people are standing in front of a large window with trees and leaves outside the window. Screenshot of Liquid Death website for Death To Plastic. “Plastic is not technically recyclable anymore because it is no longer profitable to recycle. Most recycling facilities simply send plastic to landfills because they would go out of business trying to recycle it. Environmental economists now say it is actually better for the planet to simply throw your plastic in the trash so that it requires less trucking to get it to the landfill. Sad stuff. But of all the aluminum produced since 1888, over 75% of it is still in current use. #DeathToPlastic” Liquid Death website with two captions on videos. “IF PLASTIC POLLUTION ISN'T CURBED, PLASTIC WILL OUTWEIGH FISH IN THE OCEAN BY 2050. The thumbnail shows stuffed animals of sea creatures injured by plastic pollution. ALUMINUM IS INFINITELY RECYCLABLE, PLASTIC IS NOT.” The thumbnail shows demons in hell dealing with humanity’s plastic pollution.
April 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Naw, you can shut the fuck up though. Sorry you’re butthurt about Hillary. I said she “had,” not “owned” slaves. And yes the Thirteenth Amendment makes clear that forced “prison labor” is slavery that is permissible under our laws for duly convicted people.
Excerpt from Hillary Clinton’s book One unusual aspect of living in the Arkansas governor's mansion was getting to know prison inmates who were assigned to work in the house and the yard. When we moved in, I was told that using prison labor at the governor's mansion was a longstanding tradition, which kept down costs, and I was assured that the inmates were carefully screened. I was also told that onetime murderers were by far the preferred security risks. The crimes of the convicted murderers who worked at the governor's mansion usually involved a disagreement with someone they knew, often another young man in their neighborhood, or they had been with companions who had killed someone in the course of committing another crime. I had defended several clients in criminal cases, but visiting them in jail or sitting next to them in court was not the same as encountering a convicted murderer in the kitchen every morning. I was apprehensive, but I agreed to abide by tradition until I had a chance to see for myself how the inmates behaved around me and my family. I saw and learned a lot as I got to know them better. We enforced rules strictly and sent back to prison any inmate who broke a rule. I discovered, as I had been told I would, that we had far fewer disciplinary problems with inmates who were in for murder than with those who had committed property crimes. In fact, over the years we lived there, we became friendly with a few of them, African-American men in their thirties who had already served twelve to eighteen years of their sentences.
April 1, 2025 at 8:20 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Is that person on the roof looking upon these works in despair?
A single person stands upon the corner of the Tesla showroom rooftop looking down, in despair hopefully, upon the crowd of people amassed outside the showroom. Dozens of people are pictured here but perhaps hundreds are congregated. The person on the roof appears to be looking upon the dancing protesters with, again hopefully despair, but if it’s just a protester on the roof, then hopefully they’re recording the dancing happenng in the street. There are people on the sude of the road holding signs. It’s unclear how many people entered or congregated upon the Tesla property to procure vehicles, but hopefully the entrants are all preventing people who want to make a prospective purchase of the car from entering and having a conversation in the showroom, out of embarrassment.
March 30, 2025 at 1:32 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Weird, we didn’t ratify until 1988. What’s your source? Just gonna make shit up?

treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDe...
Signature and accession table for the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the Crime of Genocide. Accession depends on the peculiarities of the domestic legal system. Some are accessed upon signature whereas others require formal accession procedures like ratification. Türkiye 31 Jul 1950 a Turkmenistan 26 Dec 2018 a Uganda 14 Nov 1995 a Ukraine 16 Dec 1949 15 Nov 1954 United Arab Emirates 11 Nov 2005 a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 30 Jan 1970 a United Republic of Tanzania 5 Apr 1984 a United States of America 11 Dec 1948 (signed) 25 Nov 1988 (ratified) Uruguay 11 Dec 1948 11 Jul 1967 Uzbekistan 9 Sep 1999 a Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 12 Jul 1960 a Viet Nam 17 18 9 Jun 1981 a Yemen 6 Apr 1989 a Zambia 20 Apr 2022 a Zimbabwe 13 May 1991 a
March 5, 2025 at 9:17 PM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Looks like the Resistance picked this one up on FB.

www.facebook.com/share/p/15pa...
The Resistance 2 hours ago A message to all Democrats planning on attending Don the Traitor's MAGA rally in Congress tomorrow: TO ALL DEMOCRATS STILL PLANNING ON ATTENDING DON THE TRAITOR'S STATE OF THE "DESTRUCTION OF DEMOCRACY " ADDRESS: HERE'S AN IDEA: SHOW UP AND PRETEND IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL, BUT AS SOON AS HE BEGINS HIS PROPAGANDA SPEECH, ONE BY ONE, STAND UP AND LEAVE. HOLD A PRO-DEMOCRACY COUNTER RALLY OUTSIDE INSTEAD. DO NOT LEGITIMIZE THIS FASCIST PIG. OUR DEMOCRACY IS CRUMBLING BEFORE OUR EYES AND HISTORY WILL REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO STOOD SILENT AND LEGITIMIZED THIS FASCIST. THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES, AND AS SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY WARNS, WE MAY ONLY HAVE MONTHS LEFT BEFORE HE SUCCEEDS IN DESTROYING OUR DEMOCRACY. 6.5K likes 793 comments 2.5K shares
March 4, 2025 at 3:11 AM
spencerinlaw.bsky.social
Are you unfamiliar with the Washington Consensus?
Wikipedia article on the Washington Consensus: Original sense: Williamson's Ten Points The concept and name of the Washington Consensus were first presented in 1989 by John Williamson, an economist from the Institute for International Economics, an international economic think tank based in Washington, D.C. The consensus as originally stated by Williamson included ten broad sets of relatively specific policy recommendations: 1. Fiscal policy discipline, with avoidance of large fiscal deficits relative to GDP; 2. Redirection of public spending from subsidies ("especially indiscriminate subsidies") toward broad-based provision of key pro-growth, pro-poor services like primary education, primary health care and infrastructure investment; 3. Tax reform, broadening the tax base and adopting moderate marginal tax rates; Continuation of first screenshot from Wikipedia on the original 10 points within the Washington Consensus (later revised as the consensus needed more to make it a “consensus.”: 4. Interest rates that are market determined and positive (but moderate) in real terms; 5. Competitive exchange rates; 6. Trade liberalization: liberalization of imports, with particular emphasis on elimination of quantitative restrictions (licensing, etc.); any trade protection to be provided by low and relatively uniform tariffs; 7. Liberalization of inward foreign direct investment; 8. Privatization of state enterprises; 9. Deregulation: abolition of regulations that impede market entry or restrict competition, except for those justified on safety, environmental and consumer protection grounds, and prudential oversight of financial institutions; 10. Legal security for property rights. Screenshot from Britannica Money on Washington consensus with portion linking neoliberalism to the consensus. “Washington Consensus, a set of economic policy recommendations for developing countries, and Latin America in particular, that became popular during the 1980s. The term Washington Consensus usually refers to the level of agreement between the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and U.S. Department of the Treasury on those policy recommendations. [All shared the view, typically labelled neoliberal, that the operation of the free market and the reduction of state involvement were crucial to development in the global South.] Another screenshot of the same Britannica Money article on the Washington Consensus with highlights on bracketed section: [The final stage was to allow market forces to operate freely by removing subsidies and state controls and engaging in a program of privatization.] By the late 1990s it was becoming clear that the results of the Washington Consensus were far from optimal. Increasing criticism led to a change in approach that shifted the focus away from a view of development as simply economic growth and toward poverty reduction and the need for participation by both developing-country governments and civil society. That change of direction came to be known as the post-Washington Consensus.
March 4, 2025 at 1:08 AM