Gabriel Lezra

Why Getting the Trump-Epstein Files Matters for Democracy The government’s credibility is hanging by a thread.

Earlier this week, my colleagues at @democracydefendersfund.org and I sent FOIAs to the administration to get the Epstein/Trump files. @normeisen.bsky.social and I wrote about why that matters so much in @contrariannews.org:
contrarian.substack.com/p/why-gettin...

The Senate rejected ‪@jeff-merkley.bsky.social's attempt to fix the GENIUS Act & add checks to stop Trump's corrupt crypto conduct

Congress' refusal to fix this issue is disappointing & dangerous—we call on them to take swift action

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The GENIUS crypto bill includes a provision that sounds great: stablecoin issuers can't name their product in a way that would trick people into thinking they're backed by the US Treasury. Like, idk, "USD". Trump's stablecoin is USD1. Here's the loophole they included so Trump could still get paid:

The Senate is moments away from a procedural vote on the GENIUS Act

Trump’s crypto conflicts of interest pose a grave national security risk

This is a clear ethics red line—they must vote NO

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Trump is quietly building a secretive crypto empire. Now, Congress is about to pass a bill that would make so-called stablecoins more secret, less regulated, and more likely to blow up the economy. And guess what? Right after Congress introduced the bill, Trump made a big investment in stablecoins.

Hey all! Did you go protest? Keep the momentum going by doing more things! Here’s a thread with ideas. Small, large, just start.

A big thing I recommend is going to town DNC meetings. Conventions are coming up and that’s where policy- the platforms- get set. It’s not glamorous, but it works.

My man @normeisen.bsky.social is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 today

I hope my American friends all consider activism. Here are a few ideas 👇

This is why it’s important to join a union and to understand how to make corporations feel financial pain—because nothing else will help. So help build worker power: join boycotts, support strike funds, commit to strike yourself if your employer capitulates to the regime.

15 Ways You Can Fight for Democracy Every day, hundreds of family members, friends, and Contrarian readers reach out to ask what they can do to stop Trump and turn the tide against autocracy. We can help

We cover both in our piece, 15 Ways You Can Fight for Democracy. Sadly, it’s hard to boycott a biglaw firm. So the best way to fight back here is to commit to supporting lawyers who are willing to strike and quit — through a strike fund or similar tools. contrarian.substack.com/p/15-ways-yo...

Paul Weiss’s capitulation is the latest reminder that even the corporations we expect to side with democracy will back autocracy if it saves them money. The way to fight back? Worker power (PW has a legion of young lawyers), and boycotts.

Look: is this stupid? Yes. Is it the result of stupid people implementing stupid policies? Also yes.

15 Ways You Can Fight for Democracy Every day, hundreds of family members, friends, and Contrarian readers reach out to ask what they can do to stop Trump and turn the tide against autocracy. We can help

I get a lot of questions from my family and friends about how they can help fight authoritarianism and build real democracy. There’s not one answer. So here are *15*!
With my colleagues at @sddfund.bsky.social for @contrariannews.org 👇
contrarian.substack.com/p/15-ways-yo...

It's so inspiring to work with @normeisen.bsky.social right now. Fascists communicate with paramilitary groups by using their bully pulpit to point out people and groups they want attached and harassed. And he's been the subject of Musk and Trump's explicit hate--yet he's standing strong and proud.

Trump Administration Must Rehire Thousands of Fired Workers, Judge Rules A federal judge called the administration’s justification for the firings of workers with probationary status a “sham.”

Very proud of our @sddaction.bsky.social team that won a MAJOR victory today, forcing the regime to reinstate thousands of workers cruelly and unjustly dismissed through a “sham” process.

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/u...

It is truly hard to fathom having way more money than Smaug, the dragon from The Hobbit. Like?? Why are you spending your time trying to make people’s lives worse?? Just lie on your hoard and incinerate the knights who come to slay you. Accept wild boar offerings from the nearby village.

I’m very proud to be part of the team at @sddfund.bsky.social with @normeisen.bsky.social and co-counsel representing the unions here. Federal workers make sure our food is edible, our air is breathable, and our water is drinkable—and probationary workers are their lifeblood, as Judge Alsup said.

Kvelling! We @sddfund.bsky.social are so proud to fight & win for federal workers—together with labor and veterans, environmental & conservation groups & wonderful lead counsel at Altshuler Berzon.

This is about the people who have devoted their lives to serving us. All they want is to protect our roads from dangerous cars and to stop banks from screwing us over with random fees and penalties. That's who these DOGE tech Zoomers are firing. That's unconstitutional, immoral, and stupid.

The Constitution does not allow the President to put someone in charge of disastrously destroying all of the agencies that keep our planes in the air, our water safe, and--importantly for Elon--our markets competitive without at least giving our representatives a chance to say no.

Elon Musk and his army of weird Zoomers have been given and are exercising immense power, far far beyond any conceivable constitutional limit. We’re suing:

BREAKING: We are suing Musk & DOGE for violating the constitution

They have no right to your personal data & no authority to dismantle entire agencies

We’re calling their bluff & taking them to court

statedemocracydefenders.org/wp-content/u...

This week we blocked Musk out of the Treasury systems & stopped the Trump admin. from doxxing 6000 FBI agents who worked 1/6

We got the best of Trump this week & we're not stopping!

I discussed @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.social 👇

Other countries have peacefully evicted autocrats & the US can too!

I explained how we are working together w/ allies to do that in the court of law & of public opinion @theweekendmsnbc.bsky.social 👇

Really cool stuff here. First, the Musk/Trump admin say a plane crash at an understaffed airport is DEI or whatever. Then they fire *more* critical government workers and turn over the system to some 21 year olds who used AI to get high scores on AirTraffic Simulator or something.

Really proud of this team!

Opinion | Why we 'Democracy Defenders' are demanding information about DOGE If Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy or their agents are beginning to work on projects that could benefit them, the public must know.

I have joined government ethics experts Virginia Canter and Gabe Lezra in this op-ed urging full disclosure of conflicts of interest affecting the work of DOGE
.
Opinion | Why we 'Democracy Defenders' are demanding information about DOGE

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

My group has launched an inquiry into Musk and Ramaswamy's DOGE If Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy or their agents are beginning to work on projects that could benefit them, the public must know.

Thank you State Democracy Defenders Fund for filing an inquiry into DOGE….

“The mere appearance of conflict in government can quickly undermine the public’s confidence in its government”

@gabelezra.bsky.social

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/rc...

Opinion | Why we 'Democracy Defenders' are demanding information about DOGE If Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy or their agents are beginning to work on projects that could benefit them, the public must know.

Musk’s companies get billions in public money from federal agencies; dozens more are investigating him or his companies. And now he could have vast sway over those same agencies. This potential corruption superstorm is barreling towards us. That’s why we’ve begun our investigation. In @msnbc.com 👇

You can read some brief reflections I put together with my State Democracy Defenders Action colleagues @normeisen.bsky.social and Diamond Brown for @slate.bsky.social slate.com/news-and-pol....