This is simply bonkers. The White House is in active discussions with DOJ about settling Trump's lawsuit against the IRS in his favor, *precisely because* a judge might soon throw it out. WH apparently wants DOJ to agree to "settle" the lawsuit *before* that happens. Utter insanity.

A 10-year-old wrote MAGA Congresswoman Virginia Foxx for a school project. He chose to write about an electric vehicle tax credit. He thought it was good for the environment. Virginia responded by attacking him and his teacher for being propagandized. These people have power over your life.

Newwwww episode with AI philosopher @shannonvallor.bsky.social - feat metaphors, dunking on libertarians and SF billboards, and how to hope for the future. @technomoralfutures.bsky.social Join us on Patreon or wygypodcasts :) www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_f0...

"By presenting domestic labor as an innate feminine gift, the [tradwife] imagery absolves society of responsibility for making that labor sustainable or respected. " www.liberalcurrents.com/tradwives-de...

“[T]he most expansive progressive platform in the field.” That’s me. Credit to @wittmanwatch.bsky.social

really good example of how poor and inconsistent enforcement, coupled with disinterested lawmakers, creates and ossifies car-owners' expectations and turns them into bulwarks against future enforcement

Yet another redistricting victory for the GOP, this time in Missouri. Recent history had been that turning in signatures for a veto referendum suspends the targeted law, but the justices in Missouri say this won't be the case with the veto referendum against the new map — & it can go into effect.

⚠️ Costco and Walmart reportedly are expecting motor oil inventory shortages in the coming weeks. This guy owns a commercial lube franchise:

Donald Trump let inside thoughts come out today, and we all know it's true. And we also know that Rob Wittman agrees with everything Donald Trump thinks because he's letting the insane, destructive, ruinous Trump Economy happen. #VA01 can't afford Rob Wittman. #NoWittman

In a letter thoroughly detailing the allegations, Raskin claims the committee has learned from multiple sources that the DOJ ordered the FBI to shell out "massive settlements to nearly a dozen FBI employees who were disciplined and suspended for gross violations of FBI policy and federal law."

We're in Palm Beach, just miles away from Mar-a-Lago, because we know Florida is where many of Jeffrey Epstein's crimes happened. While we know survivors were failed by their government, Ranking Member @robertgarcia.house.gov and Oversight Dems will keep fighting for justice and truth.

An embarrassment of riches. 😎

I guarantee there are #VA-01 voters who don’t know anyone is running against Rob Wittman, let alone who they are, so how can we get this GOAT coverage of the Democratic primary candidates out where folks need to see it? 🧵

The Intercept was kind enough to publish and visualize key data findings from my new book on media bias and Gaza. Here are some examples - Emotive words in print/ - cable news - Antisemitism vs Islamophobia mentions - Coverage of Claudine Gay “scandal” v the Hind Rajab killing

⚠️ WHO HANTAVIRUS UPDATE • 11 cases have been reported, including 3 deaths. All were among passengers or crew on the ship. • More cases are expected from among those from the ship. • 42-day quarantine recommended. • “At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak.”

“.. Inflation is now eating up all wage gains for the first time in about three years. This is painful for Americans and a true financial squeeze.” CPI Inflation in past year: 3.8% Wage gains: in past year: 3.6%” @byheatherlong.bsky.social

"controversial" = "enshrine civil and criminal protections for those who treat and those who receive care for gender dysphoria" 😒

Numerous members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (which started under President Lincoln) have written an open letter about the firing. Read it and add your name to the list to support them: H/T @cdelawalla.bsky.social www.standupforscience.net/nasem-letter...

Retractions never get proportional attention. This one should.

All of these things--casualization of academic labor, censorship, the insistence that academic research of any kind can be done by AI--are part of a longer project of devaluing academic work, especially in the humanities. You only work this hard to DEvalue something if it's valuable--and a threat.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... #AI

What’s more affordable now than when Trump was elected? #affordability #affordabilitycrisis #costofliving #costoflivingcrisis #centralvirginia

And you can follow 7 of them at these handles on BlueSky: @elizabeth4virginia.bsky.social @erickakopp.com @knappforcongress.bsky.social @lewislittlepage.bsky.social @salaambhattiva.bsky.social @shannontaylorva.com @votetimva.com (Mel Tull is on other platforms.)

It’s a good thing VA-01 has better choices than the feckless Rob Wittman to represent us in Congress. In today’s newsletter, get to know his eight challengers. Who are YOU backing on August 4th, and why? Tell us in the comments.

Transphobia is the greatest lodestone for today's far-right, because it embodies the far-right desire to claim all identities are natural and biological. Today's fascists hate trans people for the same reason interwar fascists hated diasporic Jews - because they hate fluidity and border crossing.

John Oliver on the Supreme Court: "It was a 6-3 decision in the case of White People vs. Everybody — and you’ll never guess who they ruled in favor of”

* SAUDI ARAMCO CEO NASSER: ENERGY SUPPLY SHOCK THAT BEGAN IN Q1 IS THE LARGEST THE WORLD HAS EVER EXPERIENCED * SAUDI ARAMCO CEO NASSER: IF HORMUZ DISRUPTION CONTINUES FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS, NORMALIZATION WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL INTO 2027 @reuters.com

WATCH: Two men promised a $1.1 million 3D printer could fix this town’s housing crisis. To this day, the one duplex it printed still isn’t finished. A $590,000 deposit for the printer was forfeited. And the more reporter Molly Parker asked questions, the weirder things got: propub.li/4nlU1VD

Shared this thread with a friend in the investment space (no greenie!), and here’s what he had to say: “In ten years, no one will buy a house without thinking about climate change-induced risks and costs … It is a future that is rapidly coming into focus.” Exactly.

While there have not yet been confirmed hantavirus cases beyond the ship, that might change. The virus has an incubation period of up to six weeks, so it will take another month to be able to assess accurately how far the outbreak has spread. (If I were flying, I’d wear an N95 mask or respirator.)

⚠️ HANTAVIRUS UPDATE: WHO changed its classification of high-risk contact to include EVERYONE on board the ship. Previously, it was limited to those with known “prolonged close contact” with an infected person. Additionally, more people from the ship have become symptomatic and/or tested positive.

Washington is debating suspending the 18.4¢ federal gas tax. But nobody is talking about the REAL tax Americans are paying: the Iran war premium. It’s adding roughly $1.35 per gallon right now, costing drivers about $571 million today alone. Over 71 days? Nearly $28 billion.

New: U.S. commercial satellite imagery companies imposed an indefinite blackout over the Middle East, citing force protection But Iran has its own satellite imagery. I wrote about who's actually affected: The journalists & researchers trying to hold the US accountable: www.cjr.org/feature/blin...

Excellent and related read. The lessons of SARS (and SARS2) are profound and should affect our understanding and response to ALL viruses. www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/17...

📚 My book "Growing in the Dark" explains how adoptee birth certificates were sealed in California in 1935 and the ongoing harm done by these laws to #adoptees. It is especially relevant this year as California's legislature considers SB 381 to reverse this law. 🥚 www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore...

Salaam Bhatti breaks down healthcare costs, donor influence, and why so many people are still struggling despite earning more than ever.

What a story! We’re going to have our happy ending in #VA-01, that’s for sure!

Rob Wittman has been my congressman since 2022. I only just met him for the first time on Saturday. While wearing my Ericka Kopp for Congress shirt, I shook his hand, looked him dead in the eye, and said, “I’m your competition.”

Republicans in Arizona denied a funding request for a southern Arizona library because it once hosted drag events. The funding request was for building maintenance, but the Genital Obsessed Party is okay letting it fall into disrepair. www.tucsonsentinel.com/arts/report/...

It's a mystery to me why college graduates on their big day thinking about a dismal job market and an uncertain future would boo the "job killing machine."

A managed and staged democracy in the making ... "An Iowa lobbyist was caught offering $100 cash payments—plus referral bonuses—to pack JD Vance’s Des Moines rally this week." iowastartingline.com/news/politic...

This is better and interesting but a real journalist needs to confirm beyond a chat bot!

Election workers deserve safety, not intimidation. Reports show many fear harassment & stalking. Proposals to put troops near polls only deepen distrust. We owe election workers thanks, not threats. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho... @lwvus.bsky.social @lwvva.bsky.social

When something is new we have power to stop it because it hasn't been settled down yet. But constantly participating in because "it is inevitable" it is what's going to make it stay. Being burned out has taken it's toll and AI shit everywhere was the last drop to drive me insane this week xD

It's not about "ending up jobless". It affects negatively a lot of aspects of our lives, politics, environment, privacy... and people embracing it so easily for the most stupid things infuriates me. Everywhere I look there's AI generated shit, it's so sad. 80s movie distopia level of shit, but lame

I'm so tired of feeling like an "old men yelling at a cloud" or a "tinfoil hat conspiracist" when speaking against the use of genAI and being told "it's just a tool", or that I'm bitter because it affects my job but ordinary people using it wasn't going to hire me anyway, or that it's inevitable...+

Amputees in Gaza participated in the 10th Palestinian International Marathon.

I watched The Thing from Another World (1951) and was struck by how much this film is a time capsule of the Fourth Estate in its former glory. The Air Force treats intrepid reporter Ned “Scotty” Scott as one of the team and helps him get the truth about the UFO to the people. Big nostalgia vibe!

Reminder that this event is tomorrow - and we’re hearing that some VA01 candidates will be in attendance!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas! 💐 All of us, whether your kiddos are human or furry, I hope you have a great day. Here are my babies for tax.