Garrett M. Graff

They’re using American tax dollars to fund infrastructure in Argentina because that’s where they’re all going to flee when we kick them out of office

KBJ observed in the universal injunction case that the government’s arguments amounted to a “catch-me-if-you-can” legal regime.

It’s a useful frame for understanding the administration’s general approach to legal compliance.

"Retired General Barry McCaffrey told MSNBC that Trump’s performance in Virginia was “one of the most bizarre, unsettling events I’ve ever encountered,” and said:

“The president sounded incoherent, exhausted, rabidly partisan, at times stupid, meandering, couldn’t hold a thought together.” "

Pritzker doing better journalism 101 than a lot of tv news producers these days

Teaching Mapp v. Ohio this week, it struck me that ICE raids (& its administrative warrants) are like writs of assistance; the very thing that inspired the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Welcome to the Era of "Kavanaugh Raids" ICE crosses another big, important line.

"Reading about the Palmer Raids today seems shocking ... and yet today, ICE seems to be speed-running the years-long run-up to the Palmer Raids in just a matter of weeks and months," writes @vermontgmg.bsky.social: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/welcome-to...

It’s so funny for a US senator to be like “umm… in the time of oppressive government, why are you using your platform to show how I helped enable that oppression?”

This is an old formula used by authoritarian regimes. Stoke chaos and blame scapegoats to justify the use of force.

In fact, it is entirely clear that he is breaking the 2020 law, let alone the 1866 law. Why are we doing this? It’s late 2025. There’s no excuse for this stuff anymore.

bsky.app/profile/mcop...

Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows

The interaction illustrates how federal law enforcement officers do use aggressive tactics against protesters who yell and needle officers but don’t appear to present clear physical threats.

Screen shot from CNN article linked in the first comment “Across the country, US-born children have become collateral damage in the Trump administration's unprecedented crackdown on undocumented immigrants. CNN identified more than 100 US citizen children, from newborns to teenagers, who have been left stranded without parents because of immigration actions this year, according to a review of verified crowdfunding campaigns, public records and interviews with families, friends, immigration attorneys and other advocates.”

Look your nation right in the face

If you like yelling about misuse of the passive voice, THIS IS IT.

You can make it to be vice president and still be so bitter and empty that you spend your time telling women to smile more.

Vance’s is a white guy whose entire political career was handed to him by billionaires — a career also fueled by the grievance that U.S. institutions conspire against white guys.

Seems bad!

This is in reference to the Kathleen Parker oped cited in the thread, but, yes, it’s also a subtweet of the person you’re thinking of.

To me there are two kinds of columnists: Those who know what they know — and only write on that — and those who don’t know what they don’t know and feel free to write on everything. The former is the only kind worth listening to. I try very very hard to be the former.

It’s only a matter of time before there is a Kent State or far worse episode.

We have a bunch of barely trained hop-heads encourage to unleash violence.

What happens after is anyone’s guess. But none of this should deter us from fighting for democracy and rule of law.

this is wild: while Stephen Miller's guy was in Minnesota for his uncle's funeral, somebody was able to see his entire phone and take pictures of his Signal group chats talking about military deployments to Portland, and brought them to the Strib (gift link: www.startribune.com/trump-offici...)

Treasury Department considers minting a $1 Trump coin The draft design of the coin, which was overseen by the Office of the U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, features Trump’s profile on one side of the coin.

As a kid, I got into politics partly to do my bit fighting the Soviet Union.

Now we have a president who wants to turn us into a country that mimics the Soviet Union.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Great article. Longish, but worth the read.

Yay!

FBI agent relieved of duty over refusing Comey perp walk, four people familiar say An FBI agent was relieved of duty for declining to arrange a "perp walk" of the bureau's former director, James Comey, in front of news media cameras after Comey was federally charged last month, four people briefed on the matter said on Friday.

“An FBI agent was relieved of duty for declining to arrange a ‘perp walk’ of the bureau's former director, James Comey, in front of news media cameras.” Via Reuters

New reporting from MSNBC and @kendilanian-nbc.bsky.social: A source familiar with the matter confirms an FBI agent in the Washington field office has been fired for refusing to arrest and perp walk James Comey. Comey is being allowed to surrender for booking at his arraignment next week

One reason the One Special Boy thinks he can just issue Executive Orders to do whatever he wants is because he keeps issuing Executive Orders & doing whatever he wants - in obvious violation of the law & Constitution - & no one who swore oaths to country & Constitution is doing anything about it.

One thing that comes through awfully clearly in these ICE videos is how many of these goons gravitated toward the job because being able to assault people with impunity is a big thrill for them.

Trump referenced a weekend conversation with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and he alluded to being told by Kotek that the reality in Portland is different from what’s being portrayed to him. “I spoke to the governor, she was very nice,” Trump said. “But I said, ‘Well wait a minute, am I watching things on television that are different from what’s happening? My people tell me different.’ They are literally attacking and there are fires all over the place…it looks like terrible.”

Trump told NBC on Sunday that he saw some Portland riot footage on Fox and thought it reflected current events.

It didn't. It was 5 years old, from the George Floyd aftermath.

And we learned that due to the diligence of a local TV reporter, who got the transcript.

www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...

How Bret Stephens and Bari Weiss have taken the NY Times’ campus concern trolling to new heights in just 2 years

With news that Bari Weiss is going to be the new EIC at CBS News, I wanted to reup this piece I wrote 6 years ago about how she and Bret Stephens helped turn NYT into a moral panic factory www.mediamatters.org/new-york-tim...

I am once again calling on state governors to mobilize their National Guards to escort congressmembers into ICE facilities so they can DO THEIR LAWFULLY ASSIGNED FEDERAL DUTIES

The lesson of the Trump era is to stick with your principles. He’s coming for you anyway, whether you do or not, so you might as well stick to your principles so people don’t laugh at you afterward and you can look yourself in the mirror.