@sluggodoug.bsky.social Are Friends Electric Thank you! Slugstrosity

I thought it was all about merit now?

When purging government agency watchdogs, "President Trump violated the [Inspector General Act]. That much is obvious." But a federal judge found that there's nothing she can do at this time about that violation. Ruling storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

The last 24 hours have made clear that independent and pro-democracy media is more important than ever. I founded Democracy Docket in the crucible of 2020 to be just that. It will never bow down. It will never give in. It will never compromise. Sign up now to support its work! hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0

Stephen Miran was confirmed for a posting to the Federal Reserve Board, despite not resigning as a White House economic advisor. The Fed is designed to operate independently from partisan politics. This posting could threaten that independence.

Let’s go Heels!

@sranderson.bsky.social Have you been pronouncing Nvidia as “navidia”? No no Mr Anderson

@sluggodoug.bsky.social Always thought that “Lifes Rich Pageant” was cool.

Join Jeffrey Goldberg for a discussion about our August issue on nuclear tensions and the future of national security, with Ross Andersen, Tom Nichols, and Missy Ryan. Tune in to this subscriber-only event tomorrow, July 15, at 10 a.m. ET.

People gathered for pro-democracy protests across the country today.

Holy moly! This is the No Kings protest in Dallas, Texas. 🙌🙏💪👏🇺🇸👇

Twitter is down and Trump is a moron. Do you agree?

Ben Wittes, Roger Parloff, Quinta Jurecic, & Anna Bower, I would be glad to make a “Champion” contribution toward the $15,000 match by your generous donor. Lawfare is literally indispensable in these historic times in which we live.

@general-ben.bsky.social Has your Twitter account been hacked?

@erictopol.bsky.social has your twitter account been hacked?

Help us continue to shine a light on forces that threaten our democracy. Become a member with a gift of any amount, today: propub.li/4i9BbxA

“Despite what you heard, [Trump] came in with just under 50 percent of the vote,” Buttigieg said. “He won, I’m not disputing that. But it was the smallest popular vote margin since Nixon."

**Major** update to this story, and something I'll continue reporting on through the weekend: 🚨 The new acting IRS commissioner has indicated she plans to comply with DHS's request for the addresses of 700,000 suspected undocumented immigrants. 🚨 www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Farritor is one of the DOGE employees at USAID (he manually shut off AIDS funding, contrary to orders of the Secretary of State), and multiple other agencies. No experience in government, no accountability, extraordinary power.

An unvaccinated NJ traveler who returned to the US infected with #measles went to 3 health facilities earlier this month seeking care before being diagnosed. Not surprisingly, additional cases are now being detected. Measles will spread if we give it the chance. www.nj.com/healthfit/20...

"Military purges, when driven by politics rather than performance, almost always weaken a nation. A strong, independent, and professional military with nonpartisan leadership is not just an asset—it is a necessity for national security."

I don’t care if they’re making the very best decisions in the history of policymaking—they’re NOT ALLOWED to do ANY of this.

SCOOP: Elon's favorite anon data expert, who's been appearing on NewsNation in sunglasses, isn't a govt. spending expert but rather a senior employee at an AI lending firm that's battled the CFPB for years. Me at @rollingstone.com www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

In today’s Vatnik Soup, I’ll introduce Russia’s main narratives and explain how they are being spread online by Russian operatives and MAGA Republicans. After three years of war, Russia still relies on old narratives, now amplified by the Trump administration. 1/25

Ukrainian schoolchildren thank UNITED24 donors for their support with drawings💙💛 Thanks to you, their schools are being equipped with shelters and generators, our medics can save more lives, and defenders can protect children’s future. These cute art pieces are for you❤️👇

Last night's Pentagon massacre is much more than realized. Not just firing the black CJCS and first woman CNO but all the senior JAG officers and hiring a man who just joined 3 different crypto firms tied to Kushner and Thiel as Chairman. I did a deep dive into it open.substack.com/pub/fpwellma...

None of the broligarchs knows what they’re talking about. They’re just hot air, spewing what sounds smart to them but is actually a telltale sign of ignorance.

And in a complete coincidence, Eric Adams’s attorney has also frequently served as … Elon Musk’s attorney.

Evil devours all.

Elon Musk will dispatch a DOGE team to Parkersburg, West Virginia, next week, where it will gain read-only access to the US government’s central accounting system.

SCOOP: We've learned at least three individuals closely associated with Palantir or its cofounder Peter Thiel were involved in an online recruiting effort for DOGE late last year. Step inside the recruitment effort that helped build Elon's DOGE army:

This game is cray!

We interrupt this program to inform you that this country is being led by a sociopathic nutjob

There will be political investigations and prosecutions. Yesterday came the executive orders requiring agencies to conduct witch hunts. This is the next step. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/u...

@joycewhitevance.bsky.social @barbmcquade.bsky.social Great game by both teams today. Congratulations on good seasons.

I’d recommend everyone regardless of medical risk bring a mask on your airplane journey, a disinfectant wipe to clean the seat you’re in and hand sanitizer. It’s going to be on you alone to protect your health. Warning signs are everywhere.

Just like last year, putin chooses the Christmas Day for a massive missile attack on Ukraine’s cities. Targeting energy infrastructure. Wanting us to freeze to death. Yeah, he is a “Christian” fighting for “family values”. #MerryChristmas  #StandWithUkraine️

Justin Sun, a Chinese national accused of fraud, sent Donald Trump $18 million. newrepublic.com/post/188957/...

Based on the most recent data, the final popular vote totals for the 2024 U.S. presidential election were: Donald Trump: 77,177,083 votes (49.9%): Kamala Harris: 74,751,151 votes (48.3%). I always hoped I would see a woman elected POTUS in my lifetime. I doubt it now.

I hope everyone is watching the 60 Minutes segment on Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. If y'all think this isn't possible under Trump, look no further than former Defense Secretary Mark Esper's admission that Trump wanted to shoot peaceful protesters... 1/2

I've seen a child with tetanus, I've treated near fatal infections after chicken pox, and I've pronounced children dead from COVID whose parents refused to have them vaccinated. We have lost our minds... and are about to lose so many of our precious children.

But tell me again how russian interference is overblown or a hoax.

Wow we are in a bad place as a country www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/n...

Elon Musk not only provided hundreds of millions of dollars to the Trump campaign, but he did it in ways that were quite underhanded. I explore the extent of his ratf*ckery in today’s piece: https://buff.ly/3Vo6vza

President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, led two nonprofits into debt, and episodes of drinking continued into his days as a Fox News personality. nyti.ms/4gmMK2T

The North Carolina General Assembly’s GOP supermajority just approved a hugely corrupt power grab, seizing authority from the governor and the courts to prevent any meaningful check on legislative abuses. Authoritarian stuff. A very dark day for democracy in NC. amp.newsobserver.com/news/politic...

Pete Hegseth was forced to step down from both of the nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran in the face of serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct, @janemayer.bsky.social reports.