Meredith O'Brien

Why is it okay for people to brutalize us and, if we object and/or assert our rights or our humanity, WE are the lawbreakers?

this is insane.

www.kivitv.com/canyon-count...

He should no longer enjoy the privilege of serving as the Senate Democratic leader.

As Marcy notes, @seamushughes.bsky.social is doing such critically important work. Here, folks should read Judge Rodriguez's opinion (to which Marcy links) for themselves.

It's a chilling account of what's become standard practice in ICE arrests these days—from a district judge who is no firebrand.

NEWS: The Trump admin's decision to suspend SNAP benefits due to the shutdown has been blocked. In two cases, both judges found the government action is likely illegal. Although a judge in Mass gave the admin until Monday to reverse course, a judge in Rhode Island issued a TRO from the bench today.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ET AL., Plaintiffs, V. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ET AL., Defendants. * * * * * * * * * * * Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-13165-IT MEMORANDUM AND ORDER October 31, 2025 TALWANI, D.J. Pending before the court is Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order [Doc. No. 3] seeking to enjoin, on an emergency basis, Defendants' November 1, 2025 suspension of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP"). For the reasons stated below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful. Where that suspension of benefits rested on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025.

A. Likelihood of Success on the Merits Plaintiffs have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their claim under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A), (C), that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is contrary to law. At core, Defendants' conclusion that USDA is statutorily prohibited from funding SNAP because Congress has not enacted new appropriations for the current fiscal year is erroneous. To the contrary, Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds as detailed below.

As both parties acknowledge, Congress has not yet appropriated any new funds for SNAP benefits for Fiscal Year 2026, which began on October 1, 2025. Pls.' Mem. 6 [Doc. No. 4]; Defs.' Opp'n 7 [Doc. No. 18]. But Congress took steps to protect against the deprivation of SNAP assistance. In the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 118-42, § 6, 138 Stat. 25, 93-94, Congress separately appropriated $6 billion to the SNAP program "to remain available through September 30, 2026" and "be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations." See also Pub. L. No. 119-4, § 1101(a), 139 Stat. 9, 10 (2025). As Plaintiffs point out, given the mandatory nature of SNAP benefits under 7 U.S.C. § 2014(a) and the appropriation of these funds to be available 10 Case 1:25-cv-13165-IT Document 26 Filed 10/31/25 Page 11 of 15 through this current fiscal year, the government is obligated to use this contingent reserve account to fund SNAP "as may become necessary to carry out program operations." 138 Stat. at 93-94; Pls.' Mem. 11 [Doc. No. 4].

Defendants argue out that a "suspension" is permitted under USDA's regulations, and that USDA "has consistently interpreted its authority to allow for the suspension or cancellation of benefits when necessary." Defs. Opp'n 6 [Doc. No. 18). The regulation at issue, 7 C.F.R. $ 271.7(a), sets forth procedures to be followed if monthly SNAP allowances "must be reduced, suspended, or cancelled to comply with section 18 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008" (emphasis added). But that the regulation allows for a suspension when there are no funds does not mean that Defendants may choose a suspension over a reduction while funds do remain. If the regulation did authorize such discretion, it would be inconsistent with the statutory mandate that benefits "shall" be paid unless funding is no longer available.

BREAKING: Federal judge rules that the Trump administration likely illegally suspended SNAP benefits, ruling that at least reduced distribution is required to go forward under law using the $6 billion reserve fund.

Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.

Trump shows off luxury White House marble bathroom renovation while SNAP funding is set to lapse tomorrow.

This is a lawless, violent regime terrorizing people on American streets. The dude who likes to crow about ending wars is brutalizing his own people and having people murdered on the high seas with no due process at all.

Speaker Mike Johnson's halloween costume:
Weenie waiting for the Rapture

anntelnaes.substack.com/p/speaker-jo...

Interesting that his point of reference for beneficiaries who supposedly are the ones ripping off SNAP is people with hair weaves. bsky.app/profile/atru...

🎯🎯🎯

Why Trump’s Boat Killings Would Be Hard to Prosecute

The Supreme Court has emboldened the rogue, lawless administration by manufacturing — out of whole cloth — presidential immunity. That’s why the president can order the murder of anyone & pardon those who follow orders. SCOTUS created a monster. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/u...

Layoffs hit CBS News and Paramount as David Ellison’s cost-cutting plan takes effect - Poynter Roughly 1,000 staffers were laid off Wednesday, part of a broader effort to trim more than $2 billion in expenses

A massive reduction at Paramount began on Wednesday as 1,000 staffers — somewhere between 5% and 10% of the organization — were laid off, as part of a larger plan to reduce costs and staff at the network.

www.poynter.org/commentary/2...

They want to be allowed to keep breaking the laws and ignoring judicial rulings they don’t like.

DHS deceptively spliced images from different cities and times in videos sowing fear about "chaos" in Chicago and Washington, D.C., a WaPo investigation found.

DHS used footage from years ago, half the country away, or even in international waters, the Post found.

🎁 🔗 wapo.st/4nuDGwf

So they want permission to blow off court orders (which they’ve been doing — en masse — across the country)

He's trying to tell everyone to watch South Park?

Make no mistake - what JD Vance is doing is attempting to justify and sugarcoat racism.

We should not be the hosts of the Olympics or the World Cup while this man is president. The international organizations should recognize that it’s not safe

Trump says he received an MRI during trip to Walter Reed medical center | CNN Politics President Donald Trump said that he received an MRI scan during a recent trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center – marking the first time he has provided a reason for his second medical exam this year and raising new questions about the pre...

Trump said that he received an MRI scan during a recent trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center – marking the first time he has provided a reason for his second medical exam this year and raising new questions about the president's health.

This…isn’t journalism

Art is resistance.

This petulant moron destroyed part of the White House last week, all because he was mad we protested against him.

Now he refuses to speak to our neighbour bc they called him out. (Remember he was a democrat when Reagan was in ofc)

He is a danger to us all. So is his court of maniacal jesters.

Oh?

Tedy walking with his new baby brother Archie (three months old). #dogs #dogsoftiktok #puppie #puppiesoftiktok #newengland TikTok video by Meredith O'Brien

Trying to do that touch grass thing so I stop feeling so angsty about the world. www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8DdaE95/

mr president sir, is there a commercial we should be mad about today sir?

What You Should Know About Russ Vought, Trump’s Shadow President Vought is the architect of President Trump’s broader plan to fire civil servants, freeze government programs and dismantle entire agencies. Here are some key things to know about the D.C. insider who ...

Vought holds one of the most powerful jobs in D.C., and he’s used his position to wage a quiet war to change the shape of the entire U.S. government.

Here's what you should know about Trump’s shadow president.

I really think that we need to talk more about the fact that Republicans have basically quietly abolished the House of Representatives

@panetto.bsky.social
@moneill16.bsky.social
@mlauriat.bsky.social

THIS sounds insane..but getting rid of Roe versus Wade, destroying the White House to build a ballroom sounded insane. A private Army he's forming, sounded insane. Presidential immunity sounded insane..

The Trump administration: Making Americans poorer and sicker