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Bill Conroy

@bconroy.bsky.social
10K followers 942 following 2.2K posts

Independent Investigative Journalist billconroy.pressfolios.com HouseofDeath.org TheGreatPretense.org * Comments ground rule: non sequitur ad hominem attacks are subject to deletion. Irony/humor excepted.

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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 18h
This isn't a sign that we're winning, asTrumo insists. Our bombers are headed for the hills while the risk of terror attacks in the UK & Europe rises. Iran, too, is playing with fire. The British military packs a bigger punch than Dubai. I see greater potential for the war to expand than end.
apnews.com
US Air Force removes all bombers from British air base targeted by a suspected terror attack
The U.S. Air Force has brought home its bombers stationed at a U.S.-run military air base in England used to strike Iran following an investigation into a planned terror attack at the RAF Fairford bas...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 20h
If Brazil moves right & Cuba's invaded, the MAGA Doctrine will be a fait accompli. Mexico and Canada don't kowtow to Trump. A slim bulwark against fascism, but a trench line. WSJ The result..underscored the strength of rightwing sentiment in Brazil that none of the major polls..managed to capture.
wsj.com
Flávio Bolsonaro Surges Past Lula, Setting Up a Bitter Brazil Election Runoff
Son of imprisoned former president finishes first, leaving the leftist incumbent with an uphill fight ahead of an Oct. 25 runoff.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
AP The layoffs — occurring just three days before President..Trump’s rally on Saturday at a nearby high school — were large enough to..erase an entire year of job growth in..Dayton.. They are one reason why Bos, 30, plans to spend the final weeks before the..election canvassing votes for Democrats.
apnews.com
A gut punch in Ohio: Nearly 1,400 laid off at truck factory just days before Trump rally
President Donald Trump is trying to rally voters in the Dayton, Ohio, area on Saturday. But days ago, 1,400 workers were laid off from a truck factory there.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
President Trump, tear down that wall! Big Bend is sacred ground in the Lone Star State. NYT The federal government “shall not build border barrier or related infrastructure, or engage in any construction or ground disturbing activities, in the Big Bend sector,” the judge, Kathleen Cardone, wrote..
nytimes.com
Judge Blocks Border Wall Construction in Big Bend in Texas (Gift Article)
The ruling dealt a setback to the Trump administration’s plans for hundreds of miles of barriers that have drawn local opposition.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
CBP could have used this money to stop fentanyl trafficking at the border. Trump's drug war is a great pretense. NYT The money for the ads was freed up..when the [OMB] shifted $20 million in Customs and Border Protection funds to a budget category called One Big Beautiful Bill Commemorative Events.
nytimes.com
Trump Directed Use of Taxpayer Money for Ads Praising His Presidency (Gift Article)
The government-funded ads show just how much President Trump has been able to use federal money for his own aims.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
This is a victory for democracy, the law and for those of us living on the Left Coast in Seattle who abhor political prosecutions. ST U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian granted a preliminary injunction and reinstated Rogoff as U.S. attorney..saying Trump had no authority to terminate him...
seattletimes.com
U.S. attorney in Western WA, fired by Trump after 54 minutes, reinstated by judge
A federal judge reinstated Roger Rogoff, saying Trump had no authority to fire him and ordering no further interference with Rogoff’s duties.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Defying Congress. The new Congress should claw back his family's dirty contracts. WaPo The administration quietly notified Congress it was defying the hold and moving ahead, diverting to Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia $52 million..approved for Slovakia, N. Macedonia, Tunisia and Iraq.
wapo.st
Trump defies Democrats, diverts aid for Europe to Latin America instead
The diverted funds include tens of millions of dollars that Congress approved for countries affected by the war in Ukraine.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Sock it to them! AP The..lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to interfere with civil rights. It names as defendants: Jonathan Ross, the immigration officer who shot her;..Stephen Miller; ..Kristi Noem;..Gregory Bovino, Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s campaign manager, and others.
apnews.com
Renee Good's family sues US government and immigration officials over her killing in Minneapolis
Renee Good’s family has sued the U.S. government and several immigration officials, alleging wrongful death, conspiracy and other violations in the 37-year-old woman’s killing by an immigration office...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The WH is using a private data firm, Acurrint (LexisNexis), to help. A tactic may be to use the flawed data to target voters at the polls, with ICE and FBI agents making arrests (using the dark data as probable cause) all to disrupt the election. They need chaos to steal power. Organizing's the fix.
reuters.com
White House pushes for speedy review of voter rolls in hunt for noncitizen voters
The White House has pushed federal agencies to accelerate their review of at least 47 state voter rolls obtained by the Department of Homeland Security, according to an internal email seen by Reuters,...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This is an AI-generated political cartoon. It was not paid for with US taxpayer money like Trump's new image-campaign ads. Time: Trump's Taxpayer-Funded Ads Draw Bipartisan Criticism time.com/article/2026...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins." — Ben Franklin, On Freedom of Soeech and the Press, The Pennsylvania Gazette, 1737 books.google.com/books?id=qXQ...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The AI version of Stephen Miller really hates my book. The Great Pretense includes many whistelblower media leaks not in the interest of Trump's political agenda. So, the AI Miller channels the real Stephen Miller in this AI-generated reel. Humor in the Trump era requires out-clowning the clowns.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It's not a surprise that the press is now accused by Trump of threatening national security. But recall Trump himself stole classified info. National security leaks have long been tools of government propaganda. Our national security isn't the same as Trump's political interests. He conflates them.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This is how corruption looks. Acting without justification. The whole idea of integrity in elections is a myth because one Star Chamber can sanction the use of flawed data to allow the king to dienfranchise mass blocks of the electorate not favoring the crown, and to do so with surgical precision.
apnews.com
Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now
The Supreme Court is allowing states to resume using a controversial federal tool to check voter eligibility before the November elections.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Makes you wonder who will foot the bill for Trump TV as it ramps up. AP “It’s inappropriate. It’s not like they need a GoFundMe page to have the dollars to do that sort of ad and they could do it. But using taxpayer dollars, it feels like Viktor Orban,” he [Sen. Thom Tillis, R) said.
apnews.com
US government foots bill for television advertisement featuring Trump's midterm messaging
An ad running on Fox News and Newsmax showing images of President Donald Trump and calling for the defeat of communism was paid for by the U.S. government.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Winning in court matters but big media are owned by corporate empires. Trump has 2 more years. CNN & CBS are fighting now as news outlets. But what happens after the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger is finalized and the Trumpy Ellisons own the networks? Boardrooms are another free press impediment.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I never said the press would lose but I'm not pollyannish. Trump has 2 more years to attack. Check back after the Trump-friendly Ellisons finalize the Paramount & Warner Bros./CNN/CBS merger to see if all the press is still onboard. Trump is trying to capture the media via the boardroom too.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
How many banner headlines announcing the press is free in the US of A does BS artist Trump need to see? Before he he gets the message those headlines are writing his political obituary.
apnews.com
Judge orders White House to restore access to news outlets Trump banned
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s move to ban three news outlets from the White House grounds and said CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Proof Trump's war on drug boats and alliance of Latin American dictators are propelling the drug trade. WSJ The record amounts of cocaine now produced in South America have pushed down wholesale prices worldwide. In Spain, a kilo..sells for..$15,000, compared with $35,000 two years ago.
wsj.com
Cocaine Smugglers Blow Past Europe’s Law Enforcement With Speedboats and Tech
Fleets outrun Spanish authorities to deliver the drug in unmatched quantity and quality.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
If only the Trump frequency could be blasted into the vast emptiness of space, where only dead planets get the signal.
wsj.com
MAGA Podcasters Are Tuning Out Trump. We Tracked What They Are Talking About Now.
The Wall Street Journal analyzed nearly 70,000 hours of podcasts, using a new AI tool, to find out why conservative creators appear to be losing interest in the president.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
These cranks are now in greater numbers in our election machinery but not in sufficient numbers in the right places. They can't swing the midterms, but they can spark chaos aimed at disruption. They're like vampire sympathizers who invite the villain in the door. But sunlight is fatal to vampires.
calmatters.org
FBI visits California MAGA county after vague voter fraud claims: ‘It smelled wrong’
A California election official said ballots looked, smelled and felt funny after he lost in this MAGA stronghold. Then the FBI visited
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It's also about chilling other media. Trump has unlimited access to thousands of attorneys for free via DOJ. It costs him nothing to go to court, even if he loses. The press has no such access to taxpayer-funded lawyers. And if you're a smaller news outlet, it can bankrupt you to fight in court.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The same strategy of attacking the court and using executive power corruptly to intimidate judges and the court that is now employed by Noboa in Equador is the same strategy Trump is using against US courts and judges. It's how fascists role. www.law.nyu.edu/rule-law-lab...
law.nyu.edu
El Laboratorio del Estado de Derecho de la Universidad de Nueva York documenta las represalias del gobierno de Noboa contra la Corte Constitucional de Ecuador
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The problem isn't drones. Cartels already get most of their guns from the US. The problem is a failed drug war strategy focused on busting very replaceable drugs and kingpins. The dirty money & deadly weapons (drones too) still flow south across our "closed" southern border. TheGreatPtretense.org
wapo.st
Drug cartels are making alarming drone advances, U.S. assessment warns
The technological shift in Latin America, fueled by fighters returning from the Russia-Ukraine war, complicates President Donald Trump’s war on drugs, officials say.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
National security threat or Chilling Effect? Invent the Pentagon Papers out of a mole hill. "Fake News is Treasonous!" Red meat for the base and a pretext for manipulating agenda-setting news outlets and public opinion, even election coverage. Backdoor, wear down newsrooms in courts and board rooms.
news.sky.com
Trump media ban: Banned news outlets 'threat to national security', president says - as media sue over White House access
CNN, MS NOW and Politico say they intend to sue over the restrictions - but the administration has hit back, defending its "access changes". Trump also said that 'I have an obligation not to let fake ...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Because you never know when Trump, like George Washington, will have to cross the Potomac to save the country. A triumphal arsenal on the river, equipped with snipers, drones and explosives, will ensure victory!
wapo.st
Trump says planned 250-foot arch will be ‘military complex’ for drones, snipers
The president’s post about the 250-foot arch planned near Arlington National Cemetery comes as veterans groups, historic preservationists and others attempt to stop the project.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
And here we are. The 21st Century Civil Rights movement rising. "Neither Black, Latino, Asian, or any other voters nor any other communities should ever again face the threats of terror and intimidation at the ballot box that defined the Jim Crow era.”
naacpldf.org
Civil rights coalition files federal lawsuit challenging threatened use of ICE and federal law enforcement at polling locations
Lawsuit argues that the federal government is intimidating voters and chilling civic participation, violating the Voting Rights Act  WASHINGTON, DC — Nine organizations representing immigrants, commun...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
More AI tomfoolery. It's a trial offer I've already cancelled before it renews at a gouging-level price. I don't think the AI subscription model is ready for prime time. AI still has diction woes. Maybe it can hack its way to pronunciation?
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The book is still out there to read.... Having some fun with technology, too. TheGreatPretense.org
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In this case, SCOTUS is returning this package to the sender. NYT The ruling was a resounding win for Democratic-led states and voting rights groups, which had argued that the plan was unconstitutional and an existential threat to the democratic process.
nytimes.com
Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Restrictions on Mail Voting: Live Updates (Gift Article)
The ruling blocks the Trump administration from dramatically changing how Americans vote by mail in the midterm elections.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
"Journalism pursued authentically walks with the people and remains divorced from the corporate profit motive. And it doesn’t punch down. ...Authenticity is not the easiest path, but it is the only path that leads forward.” thegreatpretense.org/f/what-is-au...
thegreatpretense.org
What Is Authentic Journalism?
Gary Webb working on his Dark Alliance series.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Given efforts to seek confidential voter & IRS data, and given DOGE stole vasts amounts of data from SS and elsewhere, I suspect Trump & his cronies are already using private data illegally. So, they are barraging the courts desperately seeking legal cover, fearing discovery. But it's not working.
wapo.st
IRS can’t share taxpayer data with ICE, court upholds
A federal appeals court affirmed a lower-court decision blocking a Trump administration data-sharing policy between the IRS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Just released. This podcast host followed Narco News as a teenager. Fun to talk with someone who sees the bigger picture on the drug war. parallaxviews.podbean.com/e/bconroy8-3...
parallaxviews.podbean.com
The Great Pretense: A Tour Through the Boneyard of the CIA's War for Drugs w/ Bill Conroy | Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financia...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Cuba's a card Trump may yet play pre-midterms. Creating a rally-around-the-flag yellow-media moment means it must appear Cuba attacked the U.S. Easy enough to manufacture, but will voters fall for it if he gives the covert orders? Doesn't sound so crazy as far as crazy goes nowadays, no? Recall:
theguardian.com
Hegseth warns Cuba against acquiring weapons in visit to Guantánamo Bay
US defense secretary continues ramp-up of pressure against country including sanctions and devastating oil blockade
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
If Trump MAGA cultist build a bigger wall to suppress the vote, the voters will simply bring a bigger ladder. And then they'll tear down the wall -— and Humpty Trympies will have a great fall.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The Salon of Authentic Journalism took place in Mexico last week. The Salon is a gathering of journalists and social movement leaders from many nations who assemble to share strategies and ideas for better covering social movements and advancing democracy. My presentation at the Salon is attached.
thegreatpretense.org
What Is Authentic Journalism?
Gary Webb working on his Dark Alliance series.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Trump doesn't have enough ICE agents with electric gloves to end democracy. AP ..Wisconsin Democrats cast nearly 800,000 ballots, their highest total for a midterm in more than 20 years. That followed 1.5 million Democratic voters in Michigan the week before, a midterm record for the state.
apnews.com
Democratic primary turnout has soared in some states. Can it carry over to November?
Democratic voters are turning out for this year’s primaries at levels not seen in more than 20 years.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Yellow doesn't look good on a president. Especially one clinging to stolen valor.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Hoover is in the building. Elvis is his narc. Beware. NYT The investigation in some ways called to mind Cointelpro, the intrusive counterintelligence program that the F.B.I. ran against leftist groups from the 1950s to the 1970s under the leadership of the bureau’s director, J. Edgar Hoover.
nytimes.com
U.S. Investigated Left-Leaning Groups During Minnesota Immigration Crackdown (Gift Article)
The government conducted expansive surveillance, infiltrated group chats and obtained financial records of organizations never accused of crimes.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Punked again! WaPo U.S. intelligence officials were skeptical of an Iranian assassination threat against President Donald Trump that was relayed by Israel and prompted an extraordinary clandestine maneuver that saw him secretly fly out of Turkey.
wapo.st
CIA had ‘low confidence’ in Iranian threat before Trump switched planes in Turkey
CIA had doubts about Israeli intelligence on a threat to Trump in Turkey that prompted an extraordinary secret flight.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Another podcast. Tosh Plumlee is an interesting character. He was a CIA black ops pilot turned whistleblower who flew drugs and guns for the government during the Iran/Contra era, among other exploits dating back to the Cuban revolution Welcome to America's hidden history.
youtu.be
The Journey 194. Planes, Drugs, and the JFK Assasination with Tosh Plumlee and Bill Conroy
YouTube video by TrineDay
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Read and keep this one handy as a voter. Alone we are powerless.Together, armed with our rights, we are invincible. Brennan Center Sending troops or ICE officers to the polls is illegal. Here’s how you can protect your vote and your community’s voice, even if federal agents unlawfully show up.
brennancenter.org
Vote Safely in 2026
Sending troops or ICE officers to the polls is illegal. Here’s how you can protect your vote and your community’s voice, even if federal agents unlawfully show up.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Paradigm gear shift seems stuck. Bad clutch. Just have to pop the gear, even if it grinds some. It can be done. The repair shop is just around the block. WaPo “The reality,” she said, “is that this is a symptom of a much bigger problem, and people need to wake up, and they need to do it fast.”
wapo.st
Arrested at Reflecting Pool, woman details ‘heartbreaking’ toll case has taken
Sophie Dennison-Gibby was one of three defendants charged with a misdemeanor related to Reflecting Pool damage. The charges were all dropped.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Money laundering is how Trump roles. Why does anyone believe a convicted felon and tax cheat would behave differently? He has been sent every signal that there are no consequences for him. He's "special," and we're the chumps. wkc6428.medium.com/truth-social... wkc6428.medium.com/casino-owned...
npr.org
Capital One says it closed Trump Organization accounts over money-laundering concerns
The bank is asking a judge to permanently dismiss a lawsuit from Trump-affiliated businesses, arguing a monthslong internal review — not the Jan. 6 riot — explains why hundreds of accounts were shut d...
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
I think many of us can relate to this.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
The only difference between the "deep state" and systemic federal government corruption is that the former serves as propaganda cover for those corrupting the system. A skunk is born accustom to its own smell.
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
For US citizens, especially journalists, if your phone is seized at the border sans warrant at the border, it may be wise not to provide the password.. G "I believe now under fourth circuit case law, a search warrant would be required for that degree of intrusion into a cellphone,” Brinkema said.
theguardian.com
US reporter fighting back after border patrol seized his cellphones
Max Blumenthal says he was singled out at airport after Trump ally Laura Loomer targeted him in online posts
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
These are repeat tactics dating back to COINTELPRO and the trial of the Chicago 7. The tactics ultimately failed then due to social movement pushback. They will fail again for the same reason. Their oppression relies on the consent of the oppressed. When that's withheld, they'll fail every time.
chicagohistory.org
The Chicago 7 Trial - Chicago History Museum
September 24, 1969, marked the beginning of one of the most infamous trials in U.S. history for eight (later seven) activists linked to the protests that took place in response … Learn More
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Bill Conroy @bconroy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
The quote is from the New York Times not the Washington Post. I apologize for the error.
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