Ian Bassin

BREAKING: Lawsuit challenges violent Illinois ICE enforcement. Press, clergy, and protesters sue DHS for violating First Amendment

BREAKING: Today, we're suing. Federal forces in the Chicago area are brutally suppressing free speech with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash grenades. Journalists, clergy, and demonstrators have been attacked for peacefully protesting against the government. This is an unconstitutional assault.

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BREAKING: California joins Oregon's existing suit over National Guard deployment, both request Judge Immergut issue TRO against CA guard being sent to OR, argue Trump admin move is attempt to circumvent court order. Docs: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

Video taken one hour ago outside the Portland ICE facility of the violent insurrectionists in question

This is the legal equivalent of a child kicking a sibling after his mother says “violence is never acceptable, so I order you to stop hitting your brother.” If any other litigant pulled a stunt like this, they (and their lawyers) might well be facing sanctions. 3/16

The judge (Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee) had ruled that there is no legal basis for deployment in Portland because recent protests have not been violent. But her actual order only mentions the Oregon Guard, so Trump is trying to get around it by using the California Guard. 2/16

This morning, hours after a federal judge ruled that it would be illegal to federalize and deploy Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, Trump deployed federalized California National Guard troops in Portland. 1/16

This Trump administration policy of generating an artificial civil war on the basis of big lies is of course meant to be frightening but it is also anti-American, unlawful, stupid and pursued by wildly unpopular people.

The richest man on earth and the White House are calling for suspension of our Constitution and an authoritarian seizure of our co-equal Judiciary branch by our Executive branch.

Americans, Conservative and Republican, reject dictatorship. We know the poison it brings and we do not want it.

The chaos and unrest is being instigated by Miller and Trump.

They are the ones bringing violence and disorder to American cities, filming it, and then using those images of their creation to justify the need to send in more troops and assert total control.

For perspective on her politics, Judge Immergut was one of Ken Stars' attorneys investigating Bill Clinton, a US Attorney for GW Bush, and appointed to the federal bench by Trump

Miller’s apparent elevation to shadow president and his seeming intent to declare an end to the constitutional order would, in any other administration, be treated as a executive branch meltdown that was immensely embarrassing for the president and requiring Miller’s immediate removal

In ruling that the government cannot deploy the National Guard in Portland

A federal judge finds that president Trump lied

“this Court concludes that the President did not have a ‘colorable basis’ to..federalize the National Guard..The President’s determination was simply untethered to the facts”

The administration has determined that if you describe this accurately for what it is, you are also an enemy of the state

Breaking: Trump-appointed federal judge issues temporary restraining order against Federalized deployment of National Guard in Oregon.

Judge: “this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”

I’ve often wondered in contexts like this what would happen to a doctor who got a diagnosis that wrong? And what if they did so consistently?

What I'm referring to. It's a privilege to be invited onto networks to talk about my reporting but I have limits. Similarly stopped doing NewsNation after Nextar took its Kimmel stance.

BREAKING DOJ Alumni Condemn Comey Indictment A bipartisan group of over 1,000 former DOJ officials decry unprecedented abuse of power

"The indictment represents an unprecedented assault on the rule of law directed by President Donald Trump..."

BREAKING: Today, over 1,000 former DOJ officials who served in both Republican & Democratic administrations—have released a letter condemning the unprecedented, politically motivated indictment of fmr. FBI Director James Comey. Read their letter: protdem.org/3ITOo0Y

Experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy Experts say political violence, Trump's attacks against non-partisan agencies and institutions, and partisan gerrymandering are their top concerns

A new report from Bright Line Watch finds experts now rate the U.S. as a "mixed" or "illiberal" democracy. The rating is dragged down by Trump's attacks on institutions, a weak legislature, political violence, and partisan gerrymandering www.gelliottmorris.com/p/experts-no...

James Comey case jeopardizes Americans' free speech rights, retired judges warn A group of retired judges said Trump "continues to corruptly abuse the power of his office" by directing the Justice Department to target "his critics and his perceived political enemies."

Former federal and state judges warned that the “rights and liberties of every American are in grave danger today," as Trump "corruptly abuses the power of his office by directing DOJ and the FBI to target his critics ... for investigation and criminal prosecution.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

Donald Trump's militarization of our city streets isn't about fighting crime or public safety — it's about consolidating power in his hands.

What he plans to do with that, now or during the 2026 elections, should worry all of us.

‘They will pay a huge price for this’: Shutdown-ready Trump expects Democrats to blink Many Democrats believe the White House is bluffing and insist Republicans will bear responsibility for a shutdown in the public eye because the GOP controls the government.

Actual White House quote: “go fuck yourself.”

Its not being some pearl clutching prude to ask whether this is really how most Americans want their kids to see the seat of our government behave. www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

I was back at 26 Federal Plaza today, where an ICE agent violently threw this bereft woman to the ground in front of her kids. She had not touched him. She did not pose any threat. She had to be taken to the hospital. (🎥: Elias Eliahu)

This is how elections in competitive autocracies work. Your vote can still lead to a change in who holds an office -- but those in power use the state to tilt the playing field in their favor.

Trump's direction to US Attorneys to indict his perceived critics, from Democratic electeds to former government officials to foundations and civil society groups is a direct assault on the First Amendment and the rule of law.

It should be denounced and opposed by all freedom loving Americans.

Justice Dept. Official Pushes Prosecutors to Investigate George Soros’s Foundation

This is, without any exaggeration, exactly how Putin and Orbán proceeded — using antisemitism to discredit the idea of civil society and political opposition, and as an excuse to undo the rule of law.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...

NEW on MSNBC: Prosecutors in the EDVA presented new U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan with a memo explaining why charges should not be brought against James Comey — because there isn't enough evidence to establish probable cause, let alone enough to convince a jury to convict.

This should be a red line. Trump is personally directing the indictment of @jamescomey.bsky.social based on personal animus even though Comey violated no law, as evidenced by the fact that the former US Atty looking into the case resigned rather than bring phony charges.

Make Kimmel-level noise.

Qaddafi? He used to have some UN bangers.

Some of us do.