BLANCHE: Who the president chooses to pardon is not a problem, period IVEY: What's the legal basis for that statement? BLANCHE: The Constitution IVEY: The Constitution does not give him the authority to pardon in exchange for payments. It does not permit bribery

In a new #UnDisruptable27 newsletter, @joshcorman.bsky.social & team reflect on last week's hearing: "From the outset, it was clear that our message was getting through. Nearly every Congressperson referenced the connection between water & healthcare." securityandtechnology.org/blog/undisru...

Meet the 8 Executive Committee members, 5 Chairs and Co-Chairs, and Working Group members of the AI and Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (AI-NC3) Initiative who are helping to guide its recommendations for decision-makers: securityandtechnology.org/blog/meet-th...

Trump administration keeps bailing out farming sectors hit hard by its tariff policies. "Rather than admitting its trade policies don't work and letting the cotton industry stand on its own, the administration is preparing to double down on its bailout strategy."

NEW: Rep. Jamie Raskin is calling on Todd Blanche to resign. "[W]e must demand that Todd Blanche resign. An Attorney General who has disgraced himself by settling a bogus lawsuit with a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded bonanza payout to convicted cop beaters."

Scammers are getting smarter, but you can stay ahead of them. How? Count before you click! ⏱️

BREAKING: we are NOT accepting media reports as proof that the $1.8B slush fund & "settlements" associated with it are dead That's why we @democracydefendersfund.org have just filed a new lawsuit to make sure this ENDS --on behalf of former J6 prosecutors with Platkin LLP, WLG & Heaphy Smith

Historian of slavery here the Pope is single handedly showing us the best of America in these very troubling times and needed on the 250th of the republic, to see the virtues that made the U.S. admired all over the world, the ability to admit a mistake. apnews.com/article/pope...

Vance says courts should be “extremely deferential” to the president’s political judgments. Then he shows up at a private Supreme Court dinner while major Trump agenda cases are pending. That is exactly why judicial independence matters. zurl.co/vKAcj

When a regime clearly holds the rule of law in contempt, and views itself as completely above the law, it and its agents don’t have any moral argument for the protections of the rule of law.

🚨 Hearing UPDATE: What should Congress be doing to help protect the more than 148k water & wastewater systems in the US against cyber threats? On Thursday, 4/21 at 2 PM, the House Science Committee will hear from Josh Corman, Virginia Wright, Nicole Tisdale & David Hinchman. Tune in on YouTube:

When a federal agency tasked with protecting all Americans decides to mandate a specific religious worldview, it ceases to protect democracy and begins to threaten it.

Ban stock trading by elected officials.

The electoral system isn't the only thing broken about Congress. They've also been starving themselves of institutional capacity in their own workforce. I sat down with @kevinrkosar.bsky.social, formerly of the Congressional Research Service, to discuss the dire problems with staffing on the Hill.

Traffic jam in the low country

GILLIBRAND: How did we bomb 22 schools? COOPER: There's no indication we have G: So how do you explain publicly available information that 22 schools have been hit and multiple hospitals? C: There's no way we can corroborate that G: Have you investigated those claims? C: We have not

My latest @nytimes.com oped shows that the White House is dramatically understating the cost of the war in Iran. By my calculations—and I show my work—this war will cost the typical American family thousands, and it could cost them tens of thousands. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/o...

Back today 🇺🇸🤩

A tad hard to focus with the Blue Angels in town 🇺🇸

“I would also note that under Barack Obama, 197 general officers were removed,” Mr. Hegseth said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. “So this is not something specific to this administration.” The number Mr. Hegseth gave has no basis in fact. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/29/u...

The release of Claude Mythos Preview has made cyber headlines. But should misuse be policymakers’ biggest concern? For the #NatSpecs blog, IST’s Ritika Verma and Mariami Tkeshelashvili make the case for a more pressing risk: #AI loss of control. ❇️ Read more:

Five years ago today Philip Reiner, Michael Daniel, John Davis, Jen Ellis Christopher Painter, Michael Phillips, Kemba Walden and I, together with the then tiny but mighty IST team and the essential input of the 60 plus Task Force participants, launched the #RansomwareTaskForce Report.

Anyway, what a whirlwind trip. I know that things have been so difficult and traumatic and the future is uncertain, but it felt nice to do something good for someone and to see a family reunited after so much suffering. On the drive home, he said he’d gotten taken in winter and now it was summer.

When you’ve lost Jonathan Turley 👀

🚀 Registration for #CriticalEffectDC is live! Back for its 9th iteration, Critical Effect DC ‘26 connects policymakers, think tanks, the media, and the public with the OT and ICS experts on the front lines of securing our lifeline services. ➡️ Register now to grab the Early Bird discount:

🚨BREAKING: Trump appointed federal judge in Arizona hands DOJ its sixth defeat in its efforts to gain access to state voter files. DOJ is now 0-6 in these cases. Three of the defeats have come before Trump appointees. Increasingly possible DOJ might go 0-30. www.democracydocket.com/cases/arizon...

standing ovation after King Charles sings the praises of NATO and says "that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine"

We’re here because too many people stayed in the sidelines. In case that isn’t crystal clear, we can no longer afford to do that. Not any of us.

The Trump DOJ and Harmeet Dhillon lose again, extending their unbroken record of defeat in their nationwide campaign to force states to cough up sensitive voter data. This time, in Arizona. Background at All Rise News www.allrisenews.com/p/harmeet-dh...

One takeaway from the arguments in the Court's two argued Fourth Amendment cases this term—Case and Chatrie—is that the Justices are practical people in 4A cases. At least when it comes to the powers of police, what seems like a sensible balanced rule tends to go a long way.

HAVE TO SAY IT: Trump assassination attempt suspect wasn't arraigned today because he didn't plead & an initial appearance on a complaint isn't an arraignment in the federal system. That'll come after he's indicted. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. www.justice.gov/opa/pr/suspe...

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A signal of support to my sandwich generation peers. I see you 💜.

Late last summer, a small group of political appointees began convening at ⁦‪DHS‬⁩ HQ. The group — which once called itself “Team America” — looked for federal levers it could pull to make Trump’s March executive order about elections a reality. @dougbockclark.bsky.social @jenafifield.bsky.social

Stop what you’re doing and read this… don’t get surprised by what’s coming. It’s time to rethink everything you’re doing on cyber defense. H/T to Gadi and Bruce for partnering on this opinion piece. www.csoonline.com/article/4069...

The journalist was identified as freelancer Shelly Kittleson by one of the outlets she worked for. https://to.pbs.org/41DSxf8

Absolutely gutted to learn my friend, Shelly Kittleson, has been kidnapped in Baghdad possibly by Kataib Hezbollah, according to initial reports. Shelly is incredibly kind, talented, and cares deeply about the region and its people. Praying for her safe return.

Researchers at numerous firms are sounding warnings about the supply-chain attack on an open-source project with 100 million weekly downloads. via @timstarks.bsky.social & @derekbjohnson.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/axios-softwa...

Good news for people with older iPhones. Patch your stuff.

The SAVE America Act isn’t just about voter ID—it hands power to an executive agency to decide the rules after it becomes law. Vague, rushed, and risky. Congress doesn’t want to tell us how the law will be enforced, and that’s the real problem, warns Cato’s Walter Olson. https://ow.ly/qqzs50YAPH3

NEW: Trump's attacks on the 20206 midterms are well underway, from 2020 election deniers in positions of power to FBI raids. @davidgilbert.bsky.social gets into the nitty gritty: www.wired.com/story/this-i...

Is it at all possible that he doesn’t realize that if he declares victory and departs the field *with the Strait closed* the global economic damage compounds. [Ed: yes, yes, I know it’s possible. I just refuse to believe it.] www.wsj.com/world/middle...

"'There is a divide between the young and old in the party,' said Aiden Hoffses, 19, who had traveled from Maine to attend his first CPAC. … 'I feel like I have closer views with liberals than more conservatives at this point.' ...

Your irregular reminder to do your (and your family’s) part: get vaxed 💉 test 🧪 Tami flu 💊 stay 🏠 School year flu total: 2 and counting… Plus an assortment of other respiratory bugs.. I see you #working #caregivers!!

I seriously do rely on the kindness of strangers

I should be drafting my post @RSAC round up, but instead I’ll share this round up of recent neighborhood behavior. Can you guess who my favorite neighbors are? #PauseTake9

Quiet. Part. Loud.

When Doris Flores was arrested, she begged officers not to separate her from her baby, Briany: “My girl needs me.” Briany was one of thousands of U.S. citizen kids whose parents ICE detained in Trump’s immigration crackdown. Please read their stories: https://propub.li/4ti9WpO