Lesley Bartlett

Remember: Donald Trump created this crisis. He walked away from the Iran nuclear deal that was working, promising a "better deal." He didn't deliver. He escalated, abandoned real diplomacy, and has now led us into a conflict that puts us all at risk.

How Kansas Republicans weaponized the law to target 300 trans driver's license holders SB 244 was put into effect virtually overnight, causing chaos, panic and fear in the trans community.

New — I spoke to eight trans people in Kansas about the new state law that invalidated their driver’s licenses overnight, what’s it’s like to live there right now, plus details of two DMV emails exclusively obtained by The Handbasket that shed light on the law’s chaotic and cruel rollout:

Use This Script to Call Your Congressperson and Ask Them to Please God Just End It All Hello, office of [CONGRESSPERSON’S NAME]! This is [YOUR NAME] from [CITY OR TOWN]. I’m calling to ask about [CONGRESSPERSON]’s stance on simply put...

"I and many other constituents feel that now is the time to please dear Lord, just make it stop. What action is [CONGRESSPERSON] taking to secure the merciful erasure of all human consciousness from the acid pit of corruption that our world has become?"

ingridverse Feb 21 "God never gives you more than you can handle" is survivorship bias. People who got more than they could handle are dead. Picture of a screaming black cat (cartoon)

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Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump An NPR investigation finds the public database of Epstein files is missing dozens of pages related to sexual abuse accusations against President Trump.

An NPR investigation finds the public database of Epstein files is missing dozens of pages related to sexual abuse accusations against President Trump. n.pr/4qTItsU

NPR, MS NOW: Trump-related files missing from DOJ's Epstein file release NPR and MS NOW report that files related to President Trump are missing from the Department of Justice's release of the Epstein documents. MS NOW Senior Legal Reporter Lisa Rubin, MS NOW Senior White ...

FLAG: Trump-related files are missing from DOJ's Epstein release.

There's at least one witness for whom three 2019 FBI interviews are missing.

That woman is the same person who, in a 2025 FBI presentation, is identified to have accused Trump of a sexual assault when she was between 13 and 15.

Thank you for reporting on this

The Trump Administration Is Ending Aid That It Says Saves Lives The State Department will let lifesaving projects expire because “there is no strong nexus between the humanitarian response and U.S. national interests,” according to an internal email.

Exclusive: An internal State Department email obtained by @hana-kiros.bsky.social reveals that the U.S. plans to end all of its current lifesaving aid to seven African countries.

ICE detained a Minnesota teen, labeled him an ‘unaccompanied minor,’ and lost him The Trump administration is apprehending and designating immigrant kids as “unaccompanied,” even as their parents in the U.S. search for them.

ICE agents grabbed a 16-year-old asylum seeker--which they aren't supposed to do

They kept him from his parents -which they aren't supposed to do

They shipped him out of state, to a Christian ministry, which they aren't supposed to do.

Then they *lost* him.

www.startribune.com/how-ice-labe...

A Helpful explainer about our wildly misunderstood immigration laws from @sawyerhackett.bsky.social

For that reason, it is important for faculty across institutions to support and defend international studies--not just study abroad, but econ, poli sci, anthro, history, soc, world language studies, etc.

This administration cut funding for international and regional studies, but these fields are urgent. Health, migration, climate, trade, & security aren't contained by borders. Americans need essential conceptual tools and background knowledge to evaluate government decisions made in our name.

An ICE agent shot and killed Ruben Ray Martinez, a US citizen and San Antonio resident, in March 2025. Then ICE and the Texas Department of Public Safety covered it up. He was 23 years old. I am calling for a full investigation into this shooting, including why there was an 8-month cover up.

Bard’s President Should Resign Today Leon Botstein has been revealed to have deep ties to Epstein. It’s time for accountability.

open.substack.com/pub/katemann...

Loooong before today. But today is also good

so we paid the tariffs and now the corporations that passed the costs on to me and you are the ones that are going to be reimbursed, do i have that correct

The vast majority of transgender youth in the South and half of transgender youth in the Midwest live in states with at least one law or policy that restricts their rights. Read the full report at tinyurl.com/anti-transpolicy

Labor Secretary’s Husband Barred From the Department After Sexual Assault Reports

The husband of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer — who herself is under investigation for an affair she had with a subordinate, and also instituted a monthly prayer service at the department — has been banned from HQ after two female employees reported he sexually assaulted them.

U.S. Deports Nine Migrants in Secret, Ignoring Legal Protections

NYT: Trump secretly deported 9 migrants despite court orders to not remove them to their home nations. So, he sent them to prison in Cameroon: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/w...

Even without an on-campus voting site, NCAT students still marched to the polls. 💙💛 Students at North Carolina A&T showed that barriers won’t stop their voices. When access isn’t easy, they organize. ... TikTok video by HBCU Student Action Alliance

North Carolina lawmakers have voted to remove all college campus voting sites. Specifically at the largest HBCU in the US NC A&T. They now have to walk 30 minutes to their nearest polling place. Students are protesting this - pls share and support.

www.tiktok.com/t/ZThx29BJ9/

Noem adviser Lewandowski sought to carry a firearm at DHS, alarming officials A lawyer who refused the request was reassigned, according to two people familiar with the matter.

New via MS NOW:

Corey Lewandowski raised alarm inside DHS when he sought approval to carry a federally-issued firearm while working for the agency.

Lewandowski's pursuit of a weapon became so contentious that a veteran attorney for ICE was escorted from the building after refusing the request.

Gender studies courses are shutting down across the US. The Epstein files reveal why | Joan Wallach Scott Texas A&M University is the latest school to end women’s and gender studies programs and teaching race. We know why

Eliminating gender studies courses helps to ensure that universities and other institutions will continue to protect men who benefit from the abuse of women and girls, either directly or through their connections to those who exploit girls and women for profit.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

TOMORROW!! Stop by!

so so so tired of hearing people who think they are reasonable debate my trans daughter's right to health care, safety, and (more broadly) existence. Every. Damn. Day.

New Knight Institute Initiative to Focus on “Reconstructing Free Expression” After Trump

Very excited about this new @knightcolumbia.org project, both because it gives us the chance to look beyond the current democratic crisis and because so many super people have already agreed to participate. knightcolumbia.org/content/new-...

and her smirk at the end

NEGUSE: AG Bondi, that man works for you now, right? The man in that video from J6 yelling 'kill them!' at cops. His name is Jared Wise.

BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned

NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?

Lieu plays Bondi the infamous clip of Trump & Epstein partying together & asks her if there were underaged girls at any party the two attended

"This is so ridiculous," Bondi says. "There's no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime"

"I believe you just lied under oath," Lieu replies

photo of Pam Bondi testifying in the foreground as a group of 7 women and 1 men raise their hands

Likely-historic photo by NBC News of all the Epstein victims asked to raise their hands if they've not yet been asked to meet with the DOJ as Bondi testifies in foreground

Benito is a threat b/c he makes art so alluring and enjoyable you want to understand everything about it and then you end up learning about sugar and slavery and colonialism and the Taínos and Hawaii and then you probably have some thoughts of your own, and that's why art is powerful and dangerous