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Radley Balko

@radleybalko.bsky.social

Journalist. Quattrone Center journalism fellow. Author: Rise of the Warrior Cop. Co-author: The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist. New podcast: Collateral Damage Substack: radleybalko.substack.com Signal: radleybalko.52

104,212 Followers  |  1,894 Following  |  5,023 Posts  |  Joined: 08.05.2023
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Posts by Radley Balko (@radleybalko.bsky.social)

I agree, quite apart from the merits of the case. Alito could only defend the Supreme Court's authority to intervene by grievously misrepresenting the facts. The reality is that there's no plausible argument SCOTUS had the power to do what it did. Why didn't that matter to six justices?

04.03.2026 16:04 β€” πŸ‘ 628    πŸ” 199    πŸ’¬ 16    πŸ“Œ 8
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New YouGov poll finds that for the first time, a majority of Americans disapprove of Trump *strongly.* His overall approval is down to 38%, a new second-term low.

When is the last time a majority has disapproved strongly of a president?

03.03.2026 19:07 β€” πŸ‘ 3642    πŸ” 972    πŸ’¬ 110    πŸ“Œ 80

THIIIIIIIIIS.

And not just here. All over the place.

Like, I’d love a future Dem President to say β€œI’ve scoured the Constitution and can’t find a β€˜major question’ rule anywhere in it. So I’m just going to ignore that effort to arrogate power to yourself. That imbalance? Checked.”

03.03.2026 21:48 β€” πŸ‘ 378    πŸ” 92    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 1

When we talk about Baby Boomers not getting off the stage: In 1997, the US president was born in 1946.

In 2007, the US president was born in 1946.

In 2017, the US president was born in 1946.

And next year in 2027? The US president will have been born in 1946.

03.03.2026 20:10 β€” πŸ‘ 9834    πŸ” 2983    πŸ’¬ 179    πŸ“Œ 231

Unfortunately, as Trump pointed out, our bombs were so successful that we accidentally killed everyone not named Ayatollah Khamenei.

04.03.2026 11:47 β€” πŸ‘ 332    πŸ” 44    πŸ’¬ 12    πŸ“Œ 2
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WELCH: Mr. Yoho is also the husband of your former spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin?

NOEM: Yes

WELCH: So your former assistant and her husband are the ones that got the DHS no bid contract for $143m. Any dispute about that?

NOEM: No.

03.03.2026 18:37 β€” πŸ‘ 16264    πŸ” 6149    πŸ’¬ 949    πŸ“Œ 680
uld you support or oppose abolishing ICE? (%)

Somewhat or strongly supportNot sureSomewhat or strongly oppose
U.S. adult citizens
39
Party ID
Democrats
14
Independents
35
Republicans
68

uld you support or oppose abolishing ICE? (%) Somewhat or strongly supportNot sureSomewhat or strongly oppose U.S. adult citizens 39 Party ID Democrats 14 Independents 35 Republicans 68

Per The Economist/YouGov, half of Americans support ABOLISHING ICE.

Literally, "abolishing."

yougov.com/en-us/articl...

03.03.2026 19:45 β€” πŸ‘ 4092    πŸ” 1142    πŸ’¬ 62    πŸ“Œ 135

Earlier today, someone mentioned a study or survey which found that media coverage of crime in NYC spiked leading up to Adams' election in 2022, then dropped immediately after he took office, even though crime actually went up.

Anyone recall who did that study? Can't seem to find it.

03.03.2026 23:01 β€” πŸ‘ 121    πŸ” 20    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 0

Never forget

03.03.2026 16:49 β€” πŸ‘ 597    πŸ” 79    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 7

To be fair, who among us hasn't made plans that snuck up on us unexpectedly, leaving hundreds of people entrusted to our care stranded overseas as bombs rain down on 10 countries, closing airports and sending energy prices soaring worldwide, and instantly destroying billions in market value?

03.03.2026 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 804    πŸ” 208    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 4
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All the planes being forced to fly around nearly the entire Middle East

03.03.2026 00:17 β€” πŸ‘ 164    πŸ” 54    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 4
Post image 03.03.2026 14:19 β€” πŸ‘ 433    πŸ” 171    πŸ’¬ 14    πŸ“Œ 6

Scenes from a personalist regime

03.03.2026 13:45 β€” πŸ‘ 2509    πŸ” 855    πŸ’¬ 93    πŸ“Œ 137
Screenshot of excerpt from opinion that reads:

"Despite this, the New York courts refused to stay the trial court’s order. After that highly questionable injunction was issued, the applicants filed appeals in both the Appellate Division (the State’s intermediate appellate court) and the Court of Appeals (its highest court) challenging the trial court’s order on federal constitutional grounds. At the same time, applicants asked both courts to stay the trial court’s order. The Appellate Division refused to issue a stay, and by order issued on February 11, the Court of Appeals sent the appeal filed in that court to the Appellate Division and dismissed applicants’ motions for a stay."

Screenshot of excerpt from opinion that reads: "Despite this, the New York courts refused to stay the trial court’s order. After that highly questionable injunction was issued, the applicants filed appeals in both the Appellate Division (the State’s intermediate appellate court) and the Court of Appeals (its highest court) challenging the trial court’s order on federal constitutional grounds. At the same time, applicants asked both courts to stay the trial court’s order. The Appellate Division refused to issue a stay, and by order issued on February 11, the Court of Appeals sent the appeal filed in that court to the Appellate Division and dismissed applicants’ motions for a stay."

With nowhere else to turn, the applicants asked us to issue a stay, and we have jurisdiction to entertain their application. Title 28 U. S. C. Β§1257(a) gives us jurisdiction to review β€œ[f]inal judgments or decrees” that are rendered by a State’s highest court and adjudicate federal constitutional claims, and the Court of Appeals’ February 11 order falls
within that category.

With nowhere else to turn, the applicants asked us to issue a stay, and we have jurisdiction to entertain their application. Title 28 U. S. C. Β§1257(a) gives us jurisdiction to review β€œ[f]inal judgments or decrees” that are rendered by a State’s highest court and adjudicate federal constitutional claims, and the Court of Appeals’ February 11 order falls within that category.

1/9: In the New York redistricting case, Justice Alito's justification for why #SCOTUS even had *jurisdiction* to issue a stay is based upon a remarkably misleading portrayal of the state court proceedings.

I realize this is technical, but I wanted to write a short thread to explain the shadiness:

03.03.2026 13:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1478    πŸ” 521    πŸ’¬ 39    πŸ“Œ 75

This really ought to be terrifying. We literally have people making decisions to drop bombs in the grips of apocalyptic fantasies.

03.03.2026 04:59 β€” πŸ‘ 987    πŸ” 285    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 18

This president has called members of the WHCA "scum", "fake news," "enemies of the people," and a female reporter "piggy." Just a year ago, the WHCA was criticizing Trump for undermining "the independence of a free press in the United States."
Now they're "happy" to host him.

03.03.2026 00:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1304    πŸ” 300    πŸ’¬ 111    πŸ“Œ 18

It's interesting that filing an amicus brief supporting the interpretation of birthright citizenship that has existed for over a century is a point for partisanship, but setting up a farm system for exclusively conservative judges is not

03.03.2026 13:48 β€” πŸ‘ 267    πŸ” 50    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1
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Noem refuses to retract statements calling Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists Durbin asked Noem if she would like to retract her previous statements falsely calling Good and Pretti, who were both fatally shot by immigration agents in Minn

Noem refuses to retract statements calling Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists

03.03.2026 15:08 β€” πŸ‘ 201    πŸ” 78    πŸ’¬ 24    πŸ“Œ 14
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CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements An internal DHS document obtained by 404 Media shows for the first time CBP used location data sourced from the online advertising industry to track phone locations. ICE has bought access to similar t...

New from 404 Media: CBP tapped into the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples' movements, according to an internal DHS document. Shows for the first time DHS tracked phones via process for putting ads in ordinary appsβ€”video games, fitness apps, many more www.404media.co/cbp-tapped-i...

03.03.2026 14:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1146    πŸ” 708    πŸ’¬ 30    πŸ“Œ 116

Because she was working with a federal task force, she was considered a federal officer, and thus protected by SCOTUS rulings making it all but impossible to sue federal cops, even for egregious abuse.

Now consider what this means for Trump's immigration thugs.

Democrats had two years to fix this.

03.03.2026 14:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1236    πŸ” 486    πŸ’¬ 24    πŸ“Œ 11
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Jim Jordan: "When people step back and evaluate it, they say, 'This was the right decision. This was consistent with what the president told the American people when we the people elected him. He said he was going to do this.'" (Trump literally campaigned on no war with Iran!)

03.03.2026 13:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1918    πŸ” 439    πŸ’¬ 318    πŸ“Œ 80
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'UNIMAGINABLE CRUELTY': Judge Gary Brown, a Trump appointeee from NY, thrashes DHS' treatment of a man who came to the US at 9 as an abuse/neglect victim, has no criminal record and became a college grad.

"The laws of decency condemn such villainy." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

03.03.2026 14:46 β€” πŸ‘ 6352    πŸ” 2362    πŸ’¬ 83    πŸ“Œ 128

Brave

03.03.2026 14:51 β€” πŸ‘ 581    πŸ” 66    πŸ’¬ 14    πŸ“Œ 0

Periodic reminder: Since Trump was re-elected, @forbes.com estimatesβ€”

πŸ’°His net worth is up $2 billion, to $6.3 billion

πŸ’°Eric’s has increased tenfold, to $400 million

πŸ’°Don Jr.’s has increased sixfold, to $300 million

πŸ’°19-year-old Barron Trump is worth $150 million

03.03.2026 14:47 β€” πŸ‘ 170    πŸ” 96    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 12

The peace president makes the case for forever wars

03.03.2026 13:24 β€” πŸ‘ 335    πŸ” 75    πŸ’¬ 23    πŸ“Œ 1

They were right. Crime spiked during the pandemic, as did traffic fatalities, substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, and blood pressure. A generational crisis that kills a million people will do that. Caving to demagoguery and walking back reform was cowardly and destructive.

03.03.2026 13:19 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Maybe it’s a bad idea to put people in charge of government who are eager for the rapture.

03.03.2026 12:04 β€” πŸ‘ 9108    πŸ” 3850    πŸ’¬ 823    πŸ“Œ 513
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How have crime rates in the United States changed over the last 50 years? Both violent and property crime are far below their 1990s peak, but some crimes see periodic rises.

Looking at the 2024 crime figures, it's absolutely insane how Trump, tech billionaires, and centrist pundits fooled everyone into thinking Biden had turned the U.S. into some Hobbesian hellscape.

50-year lows for violent crime, armed robbery, property crime. Second-lowest homicide rate.

03.03.2026 12:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1447    πŸ” 449    πŸ’¬ 43    πŸ“Œ 31
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U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for β€œArmageddon,” Return of Jesus Advocacy group reports commanders giving similar messages at more than 30 installations in every branch of the military

EXCLUSIVE: At more than 30 installations, U.S. commanders told troops the war on Iran is a Christian war.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has been β€œinundated” with more than 110 complaints.

One NCO said they were told the U.S. war is to bring about Armageddon and the return of Jesus…

03.03.2026 01:54 β€” πŸ‘ 12492    πŸ” 6252    πŸ’¬ 1266    πŸ“Œ 4141

A disturbing and hypocritical ruling on so many levels. Especially the due process holding.

The court JUST said there’s no deeply rooted right for women to control their own bodies. But there is a deeply rooted right for parents to know if their kids question their gender at school? Come on.

03.03.2026 00:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1709    πŸ” 513    πŸ’¬ 44    πŸ“Œ 28