whereisbenjo.bsky.social

"SpaceX and two other companies…" Guess who one of those other companies is?

Energy Transfer, a.k.a. the Big Oil company that has a $660+ million verdict against Greenpeace entities 😒

The oligarchy is attacking free speech, the right to protest, and now union rights. It's #TimeToResist

In Sacramento yesterday morning a US citizen is tackled by ICE agents as his horrified wife screams.

We must stop ourselves from referring to what Trump et al are doing as “immigration policy.” Immigration is movement of people into a country for purposes of residency. Raids, abductions, travel bans, concentration camp construction isn’t “immigration policy.”

They’re crimes against humanity.

What’s happening: In the last year, two refineries in CA have announced plans to close – and Big Oil is taking the opportunity to shakedown taxpayers and maximize profits on their way out, making Californians foot the bill for their pollution ❌❌ stoptheoilshakedown.org

Yesterday, @politico.com ran an article about this week’s @calenergy.bsky.social meeting claiming that climate and environmental justice groups are lining up behind a plan that would “pump the brakes” on the transition away from fossil fuels. It’s time to set the story straight ⬇️⬇️

Greenpeace International begins groundbreaking Anti-SLAPP case to protect freedom of speech - Greenpeace International In a first, landmark test case of the EU's new legislation to protect freedom of expression and stop abusive lawsuits, Greenpeace International challenges the US oil pipeline company, Energy Transfer,...

In March, a jury in North Dakota on a 'SLAPP' lawsuits taken by the pipeline company Energy Transfer found Greenpeace International and Greenpeace in the USA liable for over $660 million

Yesterday, Greenpeace had its first hearing in Dutch court to use the EU's new anti-SLAPP law to fight back

Court attacks and defunding NGOs: a growing pattern of silencing protest in Europe This week, Greenpeace had its first hearing in a Dutch court to use the EU’s new protections against these types of spurious lawsuits to shut down free speech – the first time this EU law will be put ...

On 10 July, it will be 40 years since the French secret service bombed the Rainbow Warrior, killing photographer Fernando Pereira

The powerful still seek to repress protest and silence critics

They have more weapons than bullets and bombs – defunding NGOs and tying them up in spurious legal fights

IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper issued the following statement on Senate Republicans’ draft reconciliation bill released Sunday night: “This budget reconciliation bill is a direct attack on working families, shoveling tax breaks to the rich while turning its back on the people who power this country. “The IBEW strongly opposes any proposal that guts infrastructure investment, especially plans like this one that sacrifice existing economic development while providing no clear benefit to working Americans. At a time when we should be investing in energy independence at home, this bill forces our economy to rely on foreign adversaries while dramatically increasing energy bills for every household and draining local communities of the jobs they rely on. “Make no mistake, this bill will cost hundreds of thousands of good-paying construction jobs, billions of work hours, and hundreds of billions in lost wages and economic benefits to America’s middle class. “IBEW members and every average American will pay the price as congressional Republicans abandon critical investments in American infrastructure and the energy independence they have been tripping over themselves to take credit for the last few years. “That so many of these investments are in the rural areas and small towns left behind for generations is even more troubling. “America’s working families deserve more.

The IBEW thinks the One Big Horrible Bill sucks too.

“Make no mistake, this bill will cost hundreds of thousands of good-paying construction jobs, billions of work hours, and hundreds of billions in lost wages and economic benefits to America’s middle class."

Iowa: Sen. Ernst Maine: Sen. Collins Missouri: Sen. Hawley North Carolina: Sen. Tillis Ohio: Sen. Husted Utah: Sen. Curtis West Virginia: Sen. Capito

If one of these people is your senator, it is incredibly important that you call them today.

Urge them to vote NO on the Senate budget bill that would make most Americans poorer to give billionaires a tax cut they don't even need.

Why Did a 75-Year-Old Man in Poor Health Just Die in ICE Custody? Isidro Perez came to the United States from Cuba nearly 60 years ago. This is who Stephen Miller is going after now?

Just awful: A 75-year-old man just died in ICE custody, ICE has revealed in a notice to Congress.

But here's the rub: This man, a Cuban national, was first paroled into the US in 1966—nearly 60 years ago! They were set to deport him anyway.

Details in my new piece:
newrepublic.com/article/1974...

"cost savings" is DC speak for "dead grandmas"

Louisiana hospitals warn Mike Johnson of 'devastation' from megabill

Every major health system in Louisiana is warning Speaker Mike Johnson and the rest of the state's congressional delegation that the Senate GOP's Medicaid cuts "would be historic in their devastation."
www.politico.com/live-updates...

If you live in Louisiana Congressional District 04
You need to know that Mike Johnson is aware of this 👇
And still has plans to push the OBBB through anyway
You need to know that Mike Johnson isn't serving your best interests

I am not a lawyer but I cannot think of a single definition of "free market" that would accurately describe the production and distribution of fossil fuels in the United States

Happening Now: Mahmoud Khalil's bail hearing in his New Jersey habeas corpus case.

Khalil is currently detained for inconsistencies on his residency application. A judge ruled that he can't be detained for his potential foreign policy impact.

Following live for @courthousenews.bsky.social

Judge Farbiarz: "Petitioner is not a flight risk." He's also "not a danger to the community."

"Period, full stop."

He says it's "highly unusual" for the government to continue detaining Khalil, particulaly given the "thick record" in his favor that the gov't hasn't objected to.

Polluters broke it, we're paying for it. Make Polluters Pay Sign the pact, record your story. Join the global movement to make polluters pay.

🚨BREAKING: 8 out of 10 surveyed around the world think that polluters - not the people - should pay for climate damages.
That’s an OVERWHELMING majority saying - it’s time to make polluters pay.

Sign the Polluters Pay Pact today 👇
act-int.greenpeace.org/polluters-pa...

Now with Israel's attack on Iran, the airports are shut down, and our three remaining 'Madleen' team members, Pascal Maurieras, Yanis Mhamdi, and Marco van Rennes may face an extra month, illegally detained in Israeli prison.

Contact their government and demand they protect their citizens.

Imposed over an image of farm workers being hunted down in the fields, a screenshot of Trump saying: "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace."

The workers who feed us are not criminals. Most have been here for decades. We need to protect the workers who are already here from being hunted down in the fields. 

If President Trump is in charge, these raids against farms will stop immediately.

Note the point @padilla.senate.gov was making when he was assaulted by Noem's team: That she keeps cycling thru six cases as her justification for the gulag.

There's no word to describe physically assaulting a US Senator for attending a press conference and asking a question other than authoritarianism.

Senator Padilla’s office sends me this video of his take-down and detention at Sec. Noem’s press conference in L.A.

NEW 🌶️🌶️🌶️ POLL: We worked with Impact Research to investigate suspected vulnerabilities in Trump’s immigration agenda. We found a clear strategic opportunity and imperative for Dem leaders to go on offense on immigration, with coverage in Politico and on our podcast. 🧵here.

California Sen. Alex Padilla was just forcibly removed from a DHS press conference and handcuffed.

"I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary."

Video from @Elex_Michaelson on X via Padilla's staff.

🚨BREAKING: Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is manhandled by several federal agents at a press converence in Los Angeles where DHS influencer/secretary Kristi Noem was spreading lies about migrants.

SEIU California | STATEMENT: SEIU President April Verrett on David Huerta’s Release from Federal Custody David Huerta was arrested while standing up for immigrants’ rights. Today, a judge set him free after federal authorities attacked, injured, and unjustly detained him since Friday.

A judge set David Huerta free today after ICE attacked, injured, and unjustly detained him for standing up for immigrant workers.

But this fight isn’t over. Thousands are still detained.

We won’t stop until ALL our people are free.

#FreeDavidEndRaids

seiuca.org/press-releas...

UPDATE: David Huerta was just released from custody!

Military style ICE raids in our communities. David Huerta was beaten and dragged away.

Because he saw them and stood up for justice. Because he’s not afraid.

Neither are we.

On MONDAY let's #FreeDavidHuerta, #FreeThemAll

11:00 AM @ Grand Park in Downtown LA (200 N Grand Ave)

kind of just endlessly sad and grieving that there are so few voices in the public sphere making the basic principled argument that immigration is an affirmative good in every way and the best way for this country to serve humanity is to welcome people who want or need to leave their homes