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Alison Frankel

@alisonfrankel.bsky.social
18K followers 1.4K following 749 posts

Senior advisor to the Ethics and Journalism Initiative at NYU. Ex-legal journo. Cat lady.

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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Oh god, typo on Collins’ name. Thanks f-ing AI
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Ossoff has a preternatural poise that reminds me of Obama. He made his destruction of Mike Collin’s look almost effortlessly inevitable.
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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
So very dumb.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Mayor Mamdani: bsky.app/profile/mayo...
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Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 07/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: Democrats are suing the Trump administration for using $20 million in taxpayer money on campaign-style TV ads promoting Trump. The ads carry explicit disclaimers saying they were paid for by the U.S. government, which the party argues violate federal law.
Court document with case title: Democratic National Committee vs. Donald J. Trump, The White House Office, Office of Management and Budget, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint alleges misuse of taxpayer dollars for political advertising.
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Fantastic reporting by the WSJ, which literally has the receipts. Guilfoyle is corrupt to her core.
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Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
He said this at the time, as did many, and it remains a bald-faced lie. Not a matter of opinion. It's just completely untrue as an objective factual matter. Civil marriage laws don't work like that and never have. Just like the legality of divorce and remarriage doesn't affect the Catholic Church.
abcnews.com
Alito calls same-sex marriage a 'decisive' turn 'against religious liberty' in new book
A new book by Justice Samuel Alito presents his view of the Constitution, the Supreme Court, and the country with a focus on religious freedom.
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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
*so important*: if you’re voting by mail, assume the USPS will delay because it’s its policy. You can: —put it in drop box —go to counter to watch them postmark in front of you —if you’re dropping it in a mailbox, do it VERY EARLY.
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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 06/10/2026
Cornell named former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead what it is calling a "comprehensive independent review" of how the school handles sexual assault on campus.
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Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press @rcfp.org · 06/10/2026
Want to join the fight for press freedom at this critical moment? @rcfp.org is hiring three legal fellows to help protect journalists and their First Amendment rights! The deadline to apply for all positions is Oct. 15:
rcfp.org
Fellowships | The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee employs several fellows to support our legal work in furthering press freedom.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 06/10/2026
13/ Collectively, these cases show that as the administration has relentlessly pursued immigrants, federal agents have run roughshod over the constitutional rights of citizens too. Read our investigation:
projects.propublica.org
More Than 500 U.S. Citizens Have Been Detained, Including Handcuffed or Held at Gunpoint, in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown — ProPublica
The government doesn’t track how often immigration officers detain U.S. citizens. So ProPublica did. We’ve found more than 500 Americans who were held against their will during this Trump administrati...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 06/10/2026
The government *still* isn’t tracking how often immigration agents detain U.S. citizens. We are. 500+ Americans have been handcuffed, held at gunpoint or held against their will in Trump’s second term. Our tally is almost certainly an undercount. THREAD (content warning: violence) ⬇️
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
What if we all just ignored him for the next 2 years?
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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I got really annoyed that so many stories about the "Cornell 7" case don't link to the underlying court documents. So I compiled the key filings from Jane Doe's civil suit and from a separate suit brought by one of the accused. Read them here: annabower.substack.com/p/read-the-c...
annabower.substack.com
Read the “Cornell 7” Documents
I compiled key court filings from Jane Doe’s civil suit and a separate suit brought by one of the accused. Read them on Slip Opinion.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
An extraordinary story, and I hope you read it.
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Good thing my kittens decided to pose with a few minutes left in #caturday
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 03/10/2026
JUST POSTED: Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have pushed a multibillion oil deal with Russia as part of peace talks that will bring profits to their family business partners. A new front for Trump-era conflicts of interest. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/u...
nytimes.com
U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine Now Involve an Oil Deal Tied to Trump Allies (Gift Article)
President Vladimir V. Putin brought up a sale of Russian energy assets with President Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, pushing a deal that raises new questions about conflicts of inter...
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Golf! We must pass a law because the PGA wants longer winter afternoons for pro golf tournamemts
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Stephen Hardwick @nonfinality.com · 03/10/2026
I did my poll worker training this morning, which is 2½ hours for location managers & deputy location managers, shorter for others. Want to learn how to make a corner or your local elections run legally & professionally? Info on how to serve anywhere in the US here: www.eac.gov/help-america...
Table top from the perspective of the person seated at it. An iPad in the back turned off. A red white and blue “training manual” for the November 3, 2026 election on the right. On the left a sheet of red white and blue paper with “practice” at the top
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Ryan J. Reilly “paints a vivid and urgent portrait of… disarray” @ryanjreilly.com · 01/10/2026
BREAKING: Judge orders Reflecting Pool case dismissed with prejudice, banning Jeanine Pirro's office from bringing forth the David Hearn case again.
nbcnews.com
Judge bars Jeanine Pirro’s office from bringing Reflecting Pool case after Trump comments
Judge Todd Edelman entered an order on Thursday that dismissed the case against David “Davey” Hearn with prejudice.
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Reuters Legal @legal.reuters.com · 01/10/2026
US President Donald Trump said he regretted nominating three Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh — who have opposed him in recent rulings, according to a Time Magazine interview.
reut.rs
Trump says he regrets nominating Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch, Barrett and Kavanaugh
US President Donald Trump said he regretted nominating three Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh — ​who have opposed him in recent rulings, according to a ‌Time Magazine interview.
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Yes! So much energy and talent in state and local news start-ups. Do what Chris says and support them
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Stars and Stripes @starsandstripes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Max D. Lederer Jr., the former publisher of Stars and Stripes who was fired by the Pentagon, was named as news executive of the year by the magazine Editor & Publisher. E&P said it awarded its highest annual honor in recognition of his long career and his defense of independent journalism.
stripes.com
Former Stars and Stripes publisher named news executive of the year
Editor & Publisher said it awarded Lederer its highest annual honor in recognition of his long career and his defense of independent journalism.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 29/09/2026
CNN, MS NOW, Politico ask judge to extend block on White House ban reut.rs/4xOMZwh
reut.rs
CNN, MS NOW, Politico ask judge to extend block on White House ban
CNN, MS NOW and Politico asked a federal judge ​on Monday to issue a court order preserving their White House ‌access while they fight US President Donald Trump’s move to ban them over coverage he dislikes.
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Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The Supreme Court majority once again demonstrates it has no understanding of (or perhaps just no interest in following) the law of stays. "Sure, kill and torture a bunch of innocent people while we decide whether doing so is legal" is NOT how stays are supposed to work. 1/2
supremecourt.gov
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
How is this idiot of a Senator, not to mention the clown-car aides who made that ridiculous poster, still holding his head up after falsely accusing Smith of perjury based on his completely imaginary conspiracy theory?
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Sam Brunson @smbrnsn.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
It's not new, but literally every shadow docket hearing, the Supreme Court is reinforcing its illegitimacy. It is not a court. It is not doing the work of a court. In the interest of the rule of law, we need to ultimately abide by its rulings, but there is no future without significant court reform
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Evil.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Incredible. The 11th Circuit, in a 3-0 opinion (two Obama appointees and one Trump 1.0 appointee), agrees that Trump and his lawyers have failed to rebut the judge's finding that the entire IRS settlement was collusive, highlighting that no other explanation for their conduct was even offered.
IV
The appellants mount two main attacks on the district
court’s speech-related sanction. First, they argue that the court
lacked a sufficient basis to find that the lawsuit and the settlement
were collusive and that Messrs. Brito and Epstein acted in bad faith.
Second, they contend that the sanction is a broad and impermissible gag order which constitutes a prior restraint and violates the
First Amendment. We conclude that the appellants have not made
a strong showing that they will succeed on either of these grounds.The appellants did not submit or offer any evidence to explain their litigation conduct or demonstrate that the lawsuit and the settlement were not collusive. Given the record before us, the
appellants have not made a strong showing that the district court
committed clear error in its collusion and bad faith findings
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The Free Speech Center @freespeechcenter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Calling the case extraordinary, Iowa District Judge Scott J. Beattie said Sept. 23 that allowing the lawsuit and its “faulty” claims to proceed could have a chilling effect that “can discourage others from reporting on and debating public affairs.” tinyurl.com/4njwbjnx
tinyurl.com
Iowa judge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Des Moines Register and pollster
Judge sides with pollster J. Ann Selzer and the newspaper in affirming that the poll and coverage of it were constitutionally protected political speech, not a commercial product.
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Lawrence Hurley @lawrencehurley.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Major u-turn from Justice Alito as Supreme Court reveals he will no longer participate in the big climate change case being argued next week. Previously, the court told NBC News there was no reason for him to step aside despite his earlier recusal in same case.
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
no, alas
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Sign up for the webinar and you can ask him yourself!
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Ethics and Journalism Initiative has a great event tomorrow: Our director Steve Adler is interviewing the NYT's Peter Baker about how to handle a source who lies to you. Sign up here to listen in and ask questions: ethicsandjournalism.org/event/when-s...
ethicsandjournalism.org
When Sources Don’t Tell The Truth: How Journalists Can Ethically Cover Politics in an Age of Mistrust - Ethics and Journalism
Register here Join us for a timely 45-minute webinar featuring New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker exploring how journalists can report ethically and effectively on false statem...
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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"I immediately thought of Viktor Orban as soon as I saw this last ad because they were the same type of thing he did before finally losing his last election earlier this year. He spent 235 million euros of Hungarian taxpayer money on propaganda campaign material." open.substack.com/pub/heatherd...
open.substack.com
Donald Trump’s latest impeachable offense
Just before noon today, the President of the United States was standing just inches away from the trophy at the Medinah Country Club outside Chicago, wearing an extra-large suit that bulged along his ...
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Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
BREAKING: #SCOTUS again rejects GOP bid to tweak Missouri district lines to pick up another U.S. House seat, chides lower federal courts for ignoring Purcell principle and interfering in state decisions just prior to election. Remarkably, no noted dissent. www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
Supreme Court again snubs GOP gerrymander in Missouri
Justices also warned federal courts not to interfere with state decisions.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 24/09/2026
US judge skeptical of Trump administration's Harvard admissions probe case reut.rs/47f8bjZ
reut.rs
US judge skeptical of Trump administration's Harvard admissions probe case
A federal judge on ​Thursday expressed skepticism that President Donald Trump's administration should be allowed to proceed with a lawsuit seeking ‌to force Harvard University to turn over records for an investigation into whether it continues to consider race in its student admissions process.
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Celeste Headlee @celesteheadlee.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
So, Banksy bought a used yacht, repaired it and retrofitted it to serve as a rescue boat to save migrants in the central Mediterranean. The whole project cost the artist $860,000. Since 2020, the boat has saved more than 3,800 people. londondaily.com/banksy-funds...
londondaily.com
Banksy funds refugee rescue boat operating in Mediterranean - London Daily
Exclusive: UK artist finances bright pink motor yacht that set sail in secrecy to avoid being intercepted by authorities
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
BREAKING: A POLITICO reporter was denied access to the White House Thursday and his press credentials confiscated after a judge ordered the Trump admin to immediately restore access for news organizations that Trump banned.
politico.com
POLITICO barred from White House after court ruling restoring access
The Secret Service confiscated a POLITICO reporter's press pass Thursday morning despite a federal judge’s decision hours earlier that a media ban appeared to violate the constitutional due process ri...
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
BREAKING: Judge Timothy Kelly grants CNN, MS NOW, and Politico’s TRO against the Trump administration, ordering that the reporters affected “immediately” have their White House hard passes reinstated. The TRO is in effect for 14 days. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
For all these reasons, it is hereby ORDERED that:
1. Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, ECF No. 2, is GRANTED.
2. It is further ORDERED that Defendants (except for President Trump) and their agents, representatives, and all persons or entities acting in concert with them shall immedi-
ately return, reinstate, and restore the White House "hard pass" press credentials held by employees of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO that were revoked on or about September 18, 2026, until further Order of the Court or the expiration of this Temporary
Restraining Order.
3. It is further ORDERED that this Temporary Restraining Order shall remain in effect for 14 days.
4. It is further ORDERED that Plaintiffs shall post a $1.00 bond in accordance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(c) by October 1, 2026.
SO ORDERED.
Is/ Timothy J. Kelly
TIMOTHY J. KELLY
United States District Judge
Date: September 24, 2026
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 23/09/2026
This lawsuit was fundamentally cruel, kicking Selzer when she was down simply to bolster an inane claim that pollsters were for inexplicable reasons intentionally getting results wrong. Should not have taken this long.
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Adam Steinbaugh @adamsteinbaugh.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
BREAKING: An Iowa state court dismisses President Donald Trump’s frivolous lawsuit against veteran pollster J. Ann Selzer (represented by @thefireorg.bsky.social) and the Des Moines Register newspaper, a victory for First Amendment rights. Opinion here: www.fire.org/research-lea...
This case sets a President, a member of Congress, and a former state senator against a pollster and a newspaper, and it arises out of an election. A case of that kind invites the reader to look for a political result. The Court’s role is narrower. It is to sit as an impartial arbiter, to apply the law without passion or prejudice, and to rule without regard to the politics of the day. As such, the only question before the Court is whether the Petition states a claim the law recognizes. At its core, the Plaintiffs’ Petition seeks to stretch both Iowa statutory and common law beyond their current bounds, turning speech that enjoys the highest category of First Amendment protection into a liability. After considering the parties’ arguments, the Court must conclude that the protection is too great and the reach is too far. The case must therefore be dismissed.
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Paul Alan Levy @paulalanlevy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Trump media ban. Judge's words at the beginning presage his grant of a TRO, as did his colloquy with counsel. Only question is what grounds (if not all of the above).
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Politico @politico.com · 23/09/2026
BREAKING: A federal judge appeared skeptical of the Trump administration’s move banning POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW from the White House, and said he will rule on the matter soon.
politico.com
Judge appears skeptical of Trump’s effort to ban news outlets from White House
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, said he would rule soon.
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Genevieve Lakier @genevievelakier.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
The NYT has reprinted the gov brief in the press ban case and it is revealing. It makes clear that the admin's central arg for why Trump could kick CNN etc. out of the WH is that access to the WH is not a right but a privilege🧵 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Read the White House Response to the Lawsuit From CNN, MS NOW and Politico
The Trump administration has defended its ban on the three media outlets in a court filing.
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HELL Kennedy @helenkennedy.com · 23/09/2026
Oh do listen
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Alison Frankel @alisonfrankel.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Kittens have generously volunteered to test drive the blanket I made for my soon-to-arrive new grandson
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Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
BREAKING: TV pool will not be providing coverage of presidential events until further notice b/c of CNN's ban, pool chair and FOX News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton said. It's effectively a boycott by the fellow members — ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Here's the 27-page complaint just filed by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico challenging President Trump's categorical exclusion of those three outlets from the White House: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... As I explained this morning, this suit will succeed: www.stevevladeck.com/p/251-newsga...
storage.courtlistener.com
#1 in CABLE NEWS NETWORK, INC. v. TRUMP (D.D.C., 1:26-cv-03287) – CourtListener.com
COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF against Steven Cheung, DONALD J. TRUMP, SUSAN WILES ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12686613) filed by Betsy Klein, POLITICO LLC, MS NOW Cable, ...
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