Michael S. Smith II

Indeed.

And expand …

Maybe the most surprising French recipe I’ve studied and recreated for my Substack…a sweet frangipane and spinach tourte or tart, inspired by centuries of sweet spinach desserts and André Viard’s 1844 edition of Le Cuisinier Royal.

jamieschler.substack.com/p/tourte-aux...

Presently …

Up in the Highlands for a few weeks enjoying views like this. Keep me posted on what’s happening in the world, please.

And Jesus said:
“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God".
Matthew 19:24

At @lawfare.bsky.social, our searchable table of legal challenges to Trump's executive orders is filling up quickly.

Please DM me if we're missing litigation on EOs within our bailiwick. A little crowdsourcing can go a long way.

Link here: www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-ser...

VERY

Updated with two new lawsuits filed in the last 20 minutes. One more expected momentarily.

Obama Bin Laden

A chart shows the increasing views that a viral, false claim about USAID saw on X, as it was amplified by right-wing influencers. A headline reads: Falsehoods Fuel the Right-Wing Crusade Against USAID. A sentence reads: Nearly 15,000 posts on X over two days mentioned USAID and Politico, with many users falsely claiming that the humanitarian organization paid the news website millions of dollars. Note: Data includes posts on X between Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time and Feb. 6 at 10 p.m. that mention both “Politico” and “USAID.” Source: Tweet Binder by Audiense.

As the Trump administration and Elon Musk work to dismantle USAID, the government’s lead agency for delivering humanitarian aid for generations, right-wing influencers have flooded the internet with falsehoods about its work, promoting unfounded claims and conspiratorial thinking. nyti.ms/4htWHN0

Belated Happy Birthday, Mia!

Guts

put it in the chyron hall of fame

REPORTER: Is there anything you've told Elon Musk he cannot touch?

TRUMP: Well, we haven't discussed that much

USAID officials direct staff on 'stunning and irresponsible' cuts to jobs and offices Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved less than 300 essential personnel as USAID staff in the U.S. and overseas rush to rapidly close missions and leave jobs by midnight Friday.

BREAKING NEWS: Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved less than 300 essential personnel as USAID staff in the U.S. and overseas rush to rapidly close missions and leave jobs by midnight Friday.

BREAKING: we have secured an order that BLOCKS the government from releasing the names of the 6000 FBI agents being illegally targeted by Trump & Bondi for their lawful work on the January 6 cases!

A big win by @sddaction.bsky.social & our incredible partners for rule of law & the FBI

FBI agents, prosecutors fear retribution from Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump Officials involved in Jan. 6 prosecutions say the Trump administration isn't protecting them from threats. "We don't think they'll care — unless and until one of us gets killed," an official told NPR.

Officials involved in Jan. 6 prosecutions say the Trump administration isn't protecting them from threats. "We don't think they'll care — unless and until one of us gets killed," an official told NPR.

NSA museum covered plaques honoring women and people of color, provoking an uproar Following a White House anti-DEI order, the National Cryptologic Museum covered up exhibits of women and people of color in its Hall of Honor. The NSA reversed course after former employees mobilized.

Following a White House anti-DEI order, the National Cryptologic Museum covered up exhibits of women and people of color in its Hall of Honor. The NSA reversed course after former employees mobilized.

I'm in the @nytimes.com @nytopinion.nytimes.com this morning asking: Who exactly is running the federal government?
If we can’t answer that simple question, government officials and civil society must recognize warning signs of state capture and take back what's ours. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/o...

If you are reading this and you received any of the HR@opm.gov emails and you are not a current employee of the Executive Branch please email or Signal me a copy of the emails.

Excellent explainer on Musk’s violation of the Privacy Act while serving as a “Special Government Employee”

Court summons has been issued to the US Department of Justice in the lawsuit filed against the agency by a group of FBI agents

The agents, who remain anonymous, are seeking court intervention to prevent the disclosure of list of approx. 5,000 agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases

If the Justice Dept purges FBI agents who handled Jan 6 case searches….. they’d be gutting some Joint Terror Task Forces too. ====>

I wrote about our rising need for comfort food to calm our grief and restore our energy for the long battle ahead. On @contrariannews.org

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-increa...

I just love getting invitations to come attend CLEs taught by BigLaw lawyers about <checks notes> my cases.

Jim Acosta announces on air that he's leaving CNN and says, "it is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant ... don't give in to the lies."

Cold

The Trump 2.0 doctrine:

Say and do anything to induce anxiety and fear against Trump’s (perceived) enemies, both at home and abroad.

Layoffs loom as Trump administration orders federal DEI workers on leave Employees of diversity, equity and inclusion programs are to be placed on administrative leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Agencies were told to make plans for layoffs.

OPM acting director Charles Ezell sent the memorandum to federal department and agency heads, instructing them to inform all employees of DEI offices by 5 p.m. Wednesday that they were being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately.