Meredith Bird

EMenu LAWFARE Congress Democracy & Elections Process as Punishment: An American History of Political Spectacle Renée DiResta Monday, April 14, 2025, 12:00 PM Share On: f X in $ B American political theater isn't new. The House Un-American Activities Committee operated for decades— until targets learned to fight back.

Academics, you will not exonerate yourself with the documents you turn over.

If you receive one of these letters, internalize that immediately. This is the House UnAmerican Activities Committee redux. You have to be proactive in communicating publicly.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/proc...

A staggeringly naive assumption. Then they silently let liars shape the narrative for 2 yrs.

When Bhattacharya smeared us, they asked me “not to pick a fight with” him — meaning, don’t publicly defend our work. Pipe down til “the cycle” passes.

I can’t stress enough that this strategy doesnt work.

Senators Want Extremism Researchers to Surrender Documents Linked to Right-Wing Grudges The Senate homeland security committee's chair has asked researchers to turn over troves of documents related to the January 6 attack, vaccines, and more, according to a letter reviewed by WIRED.

What Rand Paul is doing is what Jim Jordan did to Stanford Internet Observatory. Under the pretext of “oversight“ he can make sweeping requests —w/the intent to harass & chill.

The universities can fight. But most are afraid of broader attacks so they quickly comply.

www.wired.com/story/senato...

White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.

On the patently unlawful boat strikes

It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.

WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:

1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵

So many nonprofit organizations dismiss social media as frivolous, and ignore digital platforms that are "unprofessional" - but these are the tools shaping society whether we like it or not. Roblox has more influence on society than the NY Times or WSJ.

“Calling for, or even insinuating, members of Congress should be put to death, is a new low, even for Trump and is truly dangerous," said U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile. "But the continued complicity, through the deafening silence of most of our Republican colleagues, is equally dangerous.”

If you're a fundor, donor, or advisor, check out AllByApril.org to learn how you can support free, fair, and representative elections!

If you're a fundor, donor, or advisor, check out AllByApril.org to learn how you can support free, fair, and representative elections!

If you stare at seagulls, they're less likely to steal your food. That's kind of like how calling out corporations that treat workers unfairly can help turn things around for the workers, right? Anyway, here's a seagull and don't buy Starbucks during today's strike

Anyone else having problems with closed captions not showing up on MP4 files attached to a Bluesky post? I double-checked the VTT file format but no luck...

It's almost like Netanyahu benefits more from war than from peace....

#313 Jimmy Kimmel Is the Martyr We Deserve (Patreon Exclusive)

Excellent overview of how comedy and free speech collide when a government is transitioning to authoritarianism.

pca.st/episode/fcd5...

Left-Leaning Nonprofits Push Back on Trump’s Crackdown Threats Read more here.

After Trump administration officials baselessly claimed that liberal nonprofits fund and promote violence in the U.S., over 100 progressive organizations came together to push back.
The groups asserted they will continue to carry out their missions.

The Threat No One Wants to Talk About As details emerge in the Kirk Assassination, the picture is becoming much clearer

With the Kirk assassination becoming clearer, we need to talk about the radicalized, Right Wing subculture that carries out terrorism and mass shootings.

They’re an essential part of MAGA and so people really don’t want to see what is undeniable.

jaredyatessexton.substack.com/p/the-threat...

WATCH: “Americans, you’re getting shafted.”

@drmichaelsays.bsky.social on the obscene medication costs in 🇺🇸 vs. the rest of the world. Our system is broken. #MedicareForAll

UN Launches AI Panel and Dialogue, But Questions Linger Over Inclusion and Impact | TechPolicy.Press Unless its shortcomings are addressed, this bold new framework risks repeating failures that have haunted past international efforts, warns Amaj Rahimi-Midani.

If the UN’s AI Panel and Global Dialogue are transparent, inclusive, and merit-based and not dominated by states, they could avoid the failures that haunt past efforts, writes @Amaj Rahimi Midani.

It has been infuriating seeing the world just treat the leader of Saudi Arabia as anything other than what he is - a despotic murderer.

I wonder what it's like to have a Supreme Court that holds former presidents who attempt a coup accountable for breaking the law 🤔

👇🏽

6 years in Europe and this could not be more accurate.

Political violence of every sort should be condemned and voices seeking to use the Kirk killing for political gain should NOT BE AMPLIFIED. @nbcnews.com @cbsnews.com @cnn-news.bsky.social @foxnews.com.web.brid.gy put our country & our safety over clicks.

If we don't think this is coming home we are fucking kidding ourselves.

News Alerts Read more here.

Trump and his allies are plotting to subvert elections — from “emergency powers” to nationwide gerrymanders. Media silence is deafening. We’re covering it.

Here’s what you missed, and exactly what you need to know.

www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

It’s time to start treating Israel like apartheid-era South Africa Its government has shown that international condemnation of the horrors in Gaza carries no weight. It is time for action.

It is not only Israel’s enemies who are demanding sanctions: it’s their friends. It's the moderates who have turned—and all the signs are that they, too, will be ignored, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social.

BREAKING: At least 31 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn, sources in the besieged enclave’s hospitals have told Al Jazeera.

🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/wi1o8m

The problem isn't the desire to protect children. The problem is that these laws fail to do that AND undermine privacy and civil liberty.

I support trans girls playing in sports. They don't have some inherent advantage. Some people are taller or stronger than others. I didn't argue to ban tall girls from playing on my volleyball team even though I was at a "disadvantage" as a short person. Also sports are games...just games.

CEOs are trying to convince you that quiet quitting is worse than wage theft, while they plan on replacing you with a robot.
Unions know better.
Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Inflation rose by 22.6% from 2019-2024.

In that same period, the 100 lowest-paying corporations paid their CEOs 34.7% more.

Worker pay didn't even keep up with the rate of inflation.

Those corporate tax breaks will never, ever, ever trickle down.

WE ARE BEING SCAMMED.