Michelle
@tortoiseshelly.bsky.social
Elder law attorney, knitter, & amateur genealogist.
November 16, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Michelle
The first time I tried to read this piece…I couldn’t get through it because I was uncontrollably sobbing by the time I got near the end
It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.
Read it: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.
Read it: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
“The River House Broke. We Rushed in the River.”
The July 4 Texas flooding ripped our Kerr County home from its pillars, pulling us into the water and into the night. Then morning came.
www.texasmonthly.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:27 AM
The first time I tried to read this piece…I couldn’t get through it because I was uncontrollably sobbing by the time I got near the end
It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.
Read it: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
It’s beautiful and heartbreaking.
Read it: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
Reposted by Michelle
July 1, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Reposted by Michelle
JUST IN: Three days after a judge awarded $6.6 million to whistleblowers fired for reporting him to the FBI for allegedly using his office to protect a prominent real estate developer in exchange for helping him cheat on his state senator wife, Ken Paxton announces he is running for US Senate.
April 9, 2025 at 12:03 AM
JUST IN: Three days after a judge awarded $6.6 million to whistleblowers fired for reporting him to the FBI for allegedly using his office to protect a prominent real estate developer in exchange for helping him cheat on his state senator wife, Ken Paxton announces he is running for US Senate.
Reposted by Michelle
#Unfrickinbelievable
Sadly, pathetically believable.
This is so insulting & embarrassing at the same time.
Sadly, pathetically believable.
This is so insulting & embarrassing at the same time.
Exclusive: Navajo Code Talkers disappear from military websites after Trump DEI order
Navajo Code Talkers get "DEI" label as military info disappears under Trump order
Also vanishing: The Civil War regiment from "Glory," women pilots from WWII and a Medal of Honor winner.
www.axios.com
March 18, 2025 at 5:59 AM
#Unfrickinbelievable
Sadly, pathetically believable.
This is so insulting & embarrassing at the same time.
Sadly, pathetically believable.
This is so insulting & embarrassing at the same time.
Reposted by Michelle
Both of Colorado's U.S. senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, now say they will vote "no" on the GOP spending bill and the preceding cloture motion: buff.ly/vFqOIzu #copolitics
Senate Democrats — including Colorado's John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet — refuse to go along with GOP spending plan
Democrats are pushing a stopgap 30-day funding bill as an alternative. But its prospects are dim in the Congress controlled by Republicans.
coloradosun.com
March 13, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Both of Colorado's U.S. senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, now say they will vote "no" on the GOP spending bill and the preceding cloture motion: buff.ly/vFqOIzu #copolitics
Reposted by Michelle
Sweet Jesus
Just got an email from the Fulbright Association. As of right now, funding has been cut off to 12,500 US citizens currently abroad and and more than 7,400 foreigner scholars and students in the United States
March 8, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Sweet Jesus
Reposted by Michelle
JUST IN: The head of the US African Development Foundation is suing Peter Marocco and DOGE — and he is describing in detail the standoff in which he blocked DOGE from entering the agency's offices.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
March 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
JUST IN: The head of the US African Development Foundation is suing Peter Marocco and DOGE — and he is describing in detail the standoff in which he blocked DOGE from entering the agency's offices.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Some good news. Thankfully.
1/2 An important victory for federal probationary workers. This one not in the courts.
Office of Special Counsel: "The probationary terminations at issue in this matter appear to have been effectuated in a manner inconsistent with federal personnel laws."
Office of Special Counsel: "The probationary terminations at issue in this matter appear to have been effectuated in a manner inconsistent with federal personnel laws."
Oversight agency finds Trump’s federal worker firings unlawful, asks for some employees to be reinstated
The findings could have sweeping impacts for the tens of thousands of recently dismissed workers.
www.govexec.com
February 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Some good news. Thankfully.
Reposted by Michelle
Best part is the guy "going ok ok ok enough" while the guy takes video lmaooo
This morning at Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HQ in DC as mandatory return to office began, this video played on loop for ~5 mins on screens throughout the building, per agency source.
Building staff couldn’t figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs.
Building staff couldn’t figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs.
February 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Best part is the guy "going ok ok ok enough" while the guy takes video lmaooo
Reposted by Michelle
Heads up!
I will keep repeating this for the next 5 weeks:
Elon Musk wants to buy the Wisconsin State Supreme Court via the upcoming election on April 1st.
The time to lock-in on this race - via donations and organization - and elect @crawfordforwi.bsky.social is right now.
www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Elon Musk wants to buy the Wisconsin State Supreme Court via the upcoming election on April 1st.
The time to lock-in on this race - via donations and organization - and elect @crawfordforwi.bsky.social is right now.
www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Elon Musk looks beyond Washington toward Wisconsin
Not satisfied with massively remaking Washington, the tech mogul’s allies look to exert his influence in the states.
www.politico.com
February 20, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Heads up!
Reposted by Michelle
The Trump administration continues withholding federal $$ … leaving *billions* promised to Colorado for clean energy projects and rural electric co-ops in the lurch.
My latest story for KUNC
www.kunc.org/news/2025-02...
My latest story for KUNC
www.kunc.org/news/2025-02...
Billions in federal energy funding designated to Colorado remains frozen
The Trump administration has blocked billions of dollars in federal funding slated for clean energy projects in Colorado
www.kunc.org
February 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The Trump administration continues withholding federal $$ … leaving *billions* promised to Colorado for clean energy projects and rural electric co-ops in the lurch.
My latest story for KUNC
www.kunc.org/news/2025-02...
My latest story for KUNC
www.kunc.org/news/2025-02...
Reposted by Michelle
Arielle Kane was an analyst at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare.
February 15, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Arielle Kane was an analyst at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare.
Reposted by Michelle
As I wrote last night, "The full effects are yet unknown, but they will be calamitous." www.lawdork.com/p/trump-and-...
Musk-Trump fired the people who keep the NUCLEAR WEAPONS SAFE, and now want to get them back but can't reach them because they locked them out of their govt email Friday, as if they worked at a bank or startup.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
Trump administration wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers but can’t figure out how to reach them
The individuals, who work in an agency that oversees the nation's nuclear stockpile, had been fired on Thursday and lost access to their federal government email accounts.
www.nbcnews.com
February 15, 2025 at 7:18 PM
As I wrote last night, "The full effects are yet unknown, but they will be calamitous." www.lawdork.com/p/trump-and-...
Reposted by Michelle
A historic graphic of corruption.
The 11 federal agencies so far targeted for firings or dismantling by Elon Musk have more than 30 ongoing investigations into his companies.
(📸 Malika Khurana for NYT)
The 11 federal agencies so far targeted for firings or dismantling by Elon Musk have more than 30 ongoing investigations into his companies.
(📸 Malika Khurana for NYT)
February 12, 2025 at 1:27 PM
A historic graphic of corruption.
The 11 federal agencies so far targeted for firings or dismantling by Elon Musk have more than 30 ongoing investigations into his companies.
(📸 Malika Khurana for NYT)
The 11 federal agencies so far targeted for firings or dismantling by Elon Musk have more than 30 ongoing investigations into his companies.
(📸 Malika Khurana for NYT)
Reposted by Michelle
US farmers sold $2 billion of food to USAID. Not any more.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
Gutting USAID threatens billions of dollars for U.S. farms, businesses
U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo, including American farms dealing in rice, wheat and soybeans.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
US farmers sold $2 billion of food to USAID. Not any more.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
Reposted by Michelle
BREAKING: Colorado will sue the Trump Admininstration over Elon Musk and DOGE access to the US Treasury payment system. and the sensitive personal information it contains. This is a multi-state coalition, according to Phil Weiser's office. "Probably the most calls we've received on any issue."
February 6, 2025 at 9:31 PM
BREAKING: Colorado will sue the Trump Admininstration over Elon Musk and DOGE access to the US Treasury payment system. and the sensitive personal information it contains. This is a multi-state coalition, according to Phil Weiser's office. "Probably the most calls we've received on any issue."
Reposted by Michelle
🤔CARTOONIST LEAVES the @washingtonpost for spiking her cartoon depicting tech billionaires/BEZOS groveling before Trump: “My job is to hold powerful people & institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job.“ anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
January 4, 2025 at 1:27 AM
🤔CARTOONIST LEAVES the @washingtonpost for spiking her cartoon depicting tech billionaires/BEZOS groveling before Trump: “My job is to hold powerful people & institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job.“ anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-qui...
Reposted by Michelle
Unexpected non-cooperation.
“I'm not going to go checking the documents of practically every single person in my county to determine their immigration status."
'Not going to cooperate': Border state sheriffs throw wrench in Trump’s deportation plan
President-elect Donald Trump's advisers have been hoping county sheriffs in border states will assist with the incoming administration's mass deportation campaign. But several sheriffs are already pub...
www.rawstory.com
December 18, 2024 at 12:58 AM
Unexpected non-cooperation.
Reposted by Michelle
"That Texas relies on undocumented labor is one of the state's open secrets, despite Republicans' tough-on-immigration stances."
www.npr.org/2024/11/23/g...
I'm sorry to say some people still don't believe me when I say immigrants are crucial to our state (and the entire country's) economy.
www.npr.org/2024/11/23/g...
I'm sorry to say some people still don't believe me when I say immigrants are crucial to our state (and the entire country's) economy.
Trump's deportation vow alarms Texas construction industry
Texas builders warn mass deportations of undocumented migrants could devastate the construction industry, threatening housing and infrastructure work in one of the nation's fastest-growing states.
www.npr.org
November 24, 2024 at 6:04 PM
"That Texas relies on undocumented labor is one of the state's open secrets, despite Republicans' tough-on-immigration stances."
www.npr.org/2024/11/23/g...
I'm sorry to say some people still don't believe me when I say immigrants are crucial to our state (and the entire country's) economy.
www.npr.org/2024/11/23/g...
I'm sorry to say some people still don't believe me when I say immigrants are crucial to our state (and the entire country's) economy.
It’s been a long week, but we’ve got Marcella Hazan’s bolognese sauce simmering away on the stovetop, and I’ve got a glass of wine and the new #GBBO episode to watch. Friday is closing out nicely.
November 23, 2024 at 12:37 AM
It’s been a long week, but we’ve got Marcella Hazan’s bolognese sauce simmering away on the stovetop, and I’ve got a glass of wine and the new #GBBO episode to watch. Friday is closing out nicely.
Reposted by Michelle
Haven't watched Joe and Mika since 2016. Haven't a single regret. And don't see any reason to ever watch them again in the future.
November 18, 2024 at 2:50 PM
Haven't watched Joe and Mika since 2016. Haven't a single regret. And don't see any reason to ever watch them again in the future.
Excited to see so many Coloradans here!
November 13, 2024 at 1:17 AM
Excited to see so many Coloradans here!