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benhear.bsky.social

@benhear.bsky.social
168 followers 76 following 134 posts
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
The Deleted Tweets of the New White House Press Secretary www.thebulwark.com/p/katie-zach...
thebulwark.com
The Deleted Tweets of the New White House Press Secretary
Katie Zacharia is ready to defend Trump. The Constitution? Less so.
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
FDA may allow some toxic chemicals to be added to food without safety review. Experts are alarmed www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
FDA may allow some toxic chemicals to be added to food without safety review. Experts are alarmed
Regulator looks to expand loophole to allow dangerous compounds in food as long as they’re not carcinogenic
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The UnPopulist @theunpopulist.net · 10/10/2026
Adam Serwer argues that people who break the law for an administration must face accountability—and that failing to act invites another attempt.
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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Really enjoyed talking to @thorbenson.bsky.social at @atrupar.com's great Public Notice site about the three pillars of Trumpism (tariffs, ethnic purges, America First militarism) and how they're all eroding/collapsing:
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Yes! The “Trumpist stench” must be purged. But I think we need to be careful about the language here. Half the country (hopefully just 40%) is gonna frantically run around in circles squawking “witch hunt.” It would be nice to avoid that exhausting nonsense.
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
22 California billionaires have spent a combined $150 million so far to defeat Prop 40. By spending their fortunes trying to stop California from taxing billionaires, they're making the argument for a billionaire wealth tax more clearly and articulately than anyone else possibly could.
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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
All that money electing politicians who will cut their taxes and slash benefits for everyone else. They’re definitely going to use AI to help everyone out though, they really mean it this time bsky.app/profile/rbre...
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 10/10/2026
Breaking news: The Pentagon acknowledged that the number of troops who have died in the Middle East during its operations against Iran is higher than previously reported, and updated the official count to include two more noncombat deaths.
washingtonpost.com
Pentagon raises official toll of troops killed during war with Iran to 21
The Post exclusively reported last month that the numbers of service members lost was greater than what the Pentagon was reporting in its public database.
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 10/10/2026
🚨 BREAKING: The Pentagon has raised the official death toll of U.S. troops during the war with Iran to 21, with 865 wounded, weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called reporting that the military had undercounted deaths “a complete lie.”
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 10/10/2026
Legal experts say Christa Pike is the first person in the United States to survive one dose — let alone two — of lethal injection drugs. “There is nothing in the execution process that states are incapable of getting wrong,” said one death penalty expert.
propublica.org
Why Tennessee’s Botched Death Row Execution Could Happen Anywhere
The complications behind Tennessee’s failed execution of Christa Pike aren’t uncommon — and show how easily another botched execution could occur, even as others are planned soon in Texas and Florida.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 10/10/2026
The Trump administration announced sanctions on the International Criminal Court at quite the moment. trib.al/2qocXol
trib.al
Trump Sanctions ICC Hours After Losing Nobel Prize to Former Judge
The Trump administration announced sanctions on the International Criminal Court at quite the moment.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Yikes! “I’ll say I love her publicly, but the truth is I can’t fucking stand her,” the ally said. “But if she asks you to go on the podcast, or come over for dinner, you say yes, because Stephen Miller is the second-most powerful person in the world.”
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
NPR @npr.org · 09/10/2026
Christa Pike's botched execution in Tennessee was not the first to go wrong on Frank Strada's watch. Before he took charge of Tennessee's prisons, Strada oversaw three botched executions in Arizona. n.pr/4e4P0gD
n.pr
Drugs in jars, bags of cash: Tennessee ignored warnings from Arizona's botched executions
Christa Pike's botched execution in Tennessee was not the first to go wrong on Frank Strada's watch. Before he took charge of Tennessee's prisons, Strada oversaw three botched executions in Arizona.
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I’m literally at a loss for words
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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Inflation was 3% when Trump took office; it's 3.4% now.
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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I do wonder if MAGA brain rot has actually made him this stupid or if it’s just an act.
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Additionally, JD Vance announced that Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Pitt, UC Davis, Caltech, Arizona State, and MIT are also under investigation for their use of J-1 visas
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 08/10/2026
The president hasn’t stopped those taxpayer-funded advertisements, despite promising he would. trib.al/Wtu2BzH
trib.al
Trump Is Still Airing Campaign Ads With Your Money by the Way
The president hasn’t stopped those taxpayer-funded advertisements, despite promising he would.
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Jonah Newman @jonahshai.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
ICE arrested more than twice as many *children* in the first 7 months of 2026 as they did in the same period last year. Important work from my colleagues @shannonheffernan.bsky.social @annaflagg.bsky.social www.themarshallproject.org/2026/10/08/i...
themarshallproject.org
ICE Has Arrested Twice As Many Children This Year
In total, more than 8,500 kids have been arrested by ICE in Trump’s second term.
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Never forget: www.theguardian.com/media/2019/f...
theguardian.com
'Germs are not a real thing': Fox News host says he hasn't washed hands in 10 years
Pete Hegseth denies existence of germs, saying: ‘I can’t see them, therefore they’re not real’
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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In case you were wondering, they STILL haven't managed to fix the Reflecting Pool, six months after work began
Livestream image taken from the Washington Monument, showing the Reflecting Pool still empty
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...
theguardian.com
Christa Pike severely unwell, ‘angry and confused’, says lawyer, after judge orders all execution evidence preserved – latest
Lawyer says Pike cannot move her arms or swallow, has a blot clot and pneumonia, adding that a request to unshackle her was refused; judge tells Tennessee officials to preserve all evidence from botch...
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Keri Blakinger @keribla.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In a hearing this morning, the state said it couldn't answer questions about whether it would try to execute her again:
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Key Points: Autocrats rely on consent and compliance to rule; this can be withdrawn. And, we have to start organizing a resistance NOW So we’re ready when the time comes.
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
NSF withheld $1.4 billion that Congress had intended for research over the course of the past year www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...
nytimes.com
National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress
The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
BREAKING WaPo: Trump wants to transform his West Palm Beach golf club into a presidential retreat modeled after Camp David. 
The plan calls for a parcel of the private club to be designated a permanent, official sanctuary for foreign leaders and future U.S. presidents.
washingtonpost.com
Trump wants to turn his West Palm Beach golf club into the new Camp David
The plan calls for the federal government to be granted part of the property, with the rest maintained as a private course.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 07/10/2026
A new report reveals how the DOJ’s civil rights division has replaced long-time staffers with the worst of the worst. trib.al/xXUKgXt
trib.al
Justice Department Hired Criminals as Veteran Employees Fled
A new report reveals how the DOJ’s civil rights division has replaced long-time staffers with the worst of the worst.
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 06/10/2026
Among the many bad signs for Republicans next month, there's this. www.ctinsider.com/columnist/ar...
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Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 07/10/2026
Translation: Donald Trump's efforts to abolish the Education Department are under independent investigation.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 06/10/2026
Donald Trump accepted a massive diamond ring months ago. What happened to it? trib.al/1nvSdZb
trib.al
Democratic Senators Demand Answers on That Diamond Ring Trump Got
Donald Trump accepted a massive diamond ring months ago. What happened to it?
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Keri Blakinger @keribla.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I’ve covered death row cases for nearly a decade and witnessed several executions. What happened to Christa Pike wasn’t an anomaly. It could happen anywhere. With another execution planned for this week in Texas, let me explain why. THREAD 🧵
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 06/10/2026
NEW: The complications behind Tennessee’s failed execution of Christa Pike aren’t uncommon — and show how easily another botched execution could occur, even as others are planned soon in Texas and Florida. by @keribla.bsky.social
propublica.org
Why Tennessee’s Botched Death Row Execution Could Happen Anywhere
The complications behind Tennessee’s failed execution of Christa Pike aren’t uncommon — and show how easily another botched execution could occur, even as others are planned soon in Texas and Florida.
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Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Imagine what the polling must have looked like. The backlash to Trump’s creepy taxpayer ads was so intense he is now saying his super PAC will pay for them. (We will need to monitor whether he follows through with that promise!) The power of public opinion when galvanized is something to behold
open.substack.com
Public Opinion Gets to Trump
Taxpayers won’t pay for his silly ads trying to bolster his toxic brand.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
www.npr.org/2026/10/06/n...
npr.org
What happened during Christa Pike's failed execution
Catherine Sweeney was in the witness room when Tennessee attempted to execute Christa Pike on Sept. 30. An attempted execution in May had also failed. Here's what Sweeney saw and heard.
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Reposted by benhear.bsky.social
Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 06/10/2026
www.newsweek.com/scoop-dem-se...
newsweek.com
SCOOP: Dem senators press over ‘Trump’ engraved diamond ring gift
Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter Monday night to key Trump Administration and government officials in connection to a lavish ring which they claim its location...
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Nicole Foy @nicolefoy.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
a note: if you'd like to read this story without repeatedly watching footage of violent arrests, you can click to disable the videos at the beginning
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/h...
nytimes.com
Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate, has alleged a sprawling profit-driven conspiracy. Pediatricians say the accusations are an attempt at intimidation.
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 05/10/2026
Patel reportedly regularly fields calls from the White House, specifically Stephen Miller, telling him what to do. trib.al/Y88n07H
trib.al
Guess Who Gives Kash Patel His Orders? Hint: It’s Not Just Trump.
Patel reportedly regularly fields calls from the White House, specifically Stephen Miller, telling him what to do.
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
In Austin, a 9-year-old watched ICE detain and drive away with his mother, leaving community members to scramble to find him care. Senate Republicans just blocked a bill that would bar ICE from making arrests at school bus stops. Their cruelty is endless.
commondreams.org
'It Has to Stop': Community Members Condemn ICE Arrests at Bus Stops After GOP Blocks Bill to Protect Kids | Common Dreams
Republicans in the US Senate blocked a bill to protect school bus stops from ICE arrests, leading to outrage in Pennsylv
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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
There's a case to be made against impeachment, but the alternative should be a scorched-earth effort to destroy and discredit the Trump administration and everything the Republican Party stands for. If you think "passing an ethics reform package" is the answer, my god what is wrong with you?
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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The "radical" Democrats in Congress think everyone should have health care and the minimum wage should be higher. The radical Republicans think vaccines give you cancer and Nixon was innocent. Both sides!
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Kristi Noem’s Agency Gave Her Donor a Lucrative Contract Just Before She Left www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/u...
nytimes.com
Kristi Noem’s Agency Gave Her Donor a Lucrative Contract Just Before She Left
The Homeland Security Department signed a multi-million dollar agreement to buy five aircraft from a company owned by a political contributor of the secretary on her last day, documents show.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
apnews.com/article/tenn...
apnews.com
Christa Pike's lawyer says she has not regained consciousness since her failed Tennessee execution
Christa Pike remains unconscious and on a ventilator in a Tennessee hospital after a failed execution attempt.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | I Consulted With Christa Pike’s Death Row Team. I Knew This Could Happen.
Lethal injection failures are not glitches; they are features of the process.
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Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
In 2019, Trump was forced to cancel plans to hold the G7 at his own golf club amid GOP objections to self dealing. In 2026, he will hold the G20 at his own golf club and the critics have gone silent. How Trump has moved the ethical line in his second term. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/u...
nytimes.com
How Trump Moved Ethical Lines With His Ads, Businesses and Summits
The president’s decision to hold an international summit at his own private golf club, an idea rejected in his first term, illustrates how much he has shattered norms.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Outgoing prison chief in Christa Pike case oversaw five ‘botched’ executions, lawyers say
Frank Strada will leave role next month after uproar over execution attempt, which sent Pike to hospital in critical condition
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
This whole situation is simply horrible. It’s really an important story I think. I’m a little bit surprised that it’s not a bigger story on my Bluesky feed. There’s a whole lot here about the stupid things Trump said today - As if that’s news.
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benhear.bsky.social @benhear.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
There’s a lot of work to do even when Trump and his cronies are gone. And we’re already exhausted. But we gotta do it still
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 03/10/2026
Today, over 230 people have been killed by the U.S. military in airstrikes against vessels only suspected of having drugs on board. trib.al/NVjePMz
trib.al
America Has Turned on Trump. But Has It Really Said No to Fascism?
Polling shows the president in free fall. Unfortunately, a number of his most reactionary policies still have disturbing levels of support.
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Michael Tomasky @mjtoma.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
From @mford.bsky.social: "For the first time since the Supreme Court revived capital punishment in 1976, a death-row prisoner has survived an execution." trib.al/io74qw0
trib.al
How the Supreme Court Caused a Botched Execution in Tennessee
There is a straight line between the high court’s grisly machinations and the horrors that befell Christa Pike in the execution chamber.
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