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Chris Thoms-Bauer

@christhomsbauer.bsky.social
525 followers 365 following 120 posts

2 + 2 = 4 Graduate student at UBC who researches about law and power relations among very very very dead people NJ/WA 🇺🇸 Vancouver, BC 🇨🇦

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Reposted by Chris Thoms-Bauer
WIRED @wired.com · 17/07/2026
This month, we published another article revealing that MSG kept a database of VIP event attendees, labeling some of them as LGBTQIA and assigning a “risk score” to others. This is also now free to read:
wired.com
Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities
An MSG database tracked and categorized hundreds of celebs, famous Knicks superfans, and even some of Taylor Swift’s wedding guests. Labels included “LGBTQIA,” “DO NOT HOST,” and low to high “risk.”
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WIRED @wired.com · 17/07/2026
In April, we reported on the MSG surveillance machine–an operation that allegedly tracked a trans woman, lawyers, protesters, and more. You can now read it for free.
wired.com
The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden’s Surveillance Machine
Famously vengeful Knicks owner Jim Dolan has long spied on people at his iconic arenas. WIRED goes deep inside the operation that allegedly tracked a trans woman, lawyers, protesters, and more.
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WIRED @wired.com · 17/07/2026
Yesterday, WIRED learned that Madison Square Garden was suing us for our accurate reporting. We stand by our work. That’s why we’re removing the paywall from two of the MSG stories they don’t want you to read, making them free for everyone.
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Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
NEW: Aurora Police say an ICE detention center employee shot a protester last night. She is expected to survive. 42-year-old Brandon Booth, who works for the ICE contractor GEO Group, is being held on suspicion of attempted second degree murder and other charges.
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Melissa Gira Grant @melissagiragrant.com · 17/07/2026
A human rights lawyer who fled China, applied for asylum in the US, and was delivering packages for Amazon when ICE took him this week:
theguardian.com
ICE arrests human rights lawyer who fled Chinese crackdown
Arrest in Pennsylvania of Wu Shaoping, who is awaiting asylum decision, raises fears of deportation and persecution
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Jay Willis @jaywillis.net · 17/07/2026
Dang, 220 million voter files stolen by China starting in 2020? Who was president back then, it sounds like he must have sucked ass
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17/07/2026
Rep. Himes: "The president was setting the basis for him to turn around on election night and say, 'I warned you that the Chinese were doing x, y, and z. It happened tonight. I'm deploying federal officers from DHS to 7 states. They will be seizing ballot boxes.'"
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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
"Emergency personnel responded to a call for 'cardiac arrest' at Graham’s Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News."
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Lawfare @lawfaremedia.org · 10/07/2026
On Lawfare Daily, @tylermcbrien.com talked to @carissaveliz.bsky.social about her new book, “Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI,” why a healthy democracy—and a life well lived—requires uncertainty, and more. youtu.be/Ur-UPmjFxFs
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Schooley @schooley.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Good to know!
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Because you’re lying
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 03/07/2026
An active-duty officer was placed into Air Force custody after being arrested in uniform on Wednesday, following a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in which he called for the impeachment, conviction and removal of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. nyti.ms/4vbW1lA
nyti.ms
Air Force Detains Officer Who Called for Trump’s Impeachment at Capitol
Maj. Jason Watson, who was in uniform, was arrested during a protest that followed a news conference on Wednesday.
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Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
It’s interesting how the right’s take on US History has come to resemble that of the nation’s most radical left critics, only with the valence flipped 180 degrees. “America was founded on prisons and the police,” and that’s what makes America the great land of the free!
Acyn ®
@Acyn
X.com
Leavitt: This is a full blown communist revolution that is taking over capitol hill right here in Washington D.C. The inmates are running the asylum. These are crazy people who are advocating the three P's. Prison, police, uhh, prison, police, and private property. Those are the ideals that founded this country.
cc
• BROOKLYN, NY |
JUNE 18
250 ears ago.HE COMMIE CAUCUS IS GROWING
LIVE
JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME
5:19 PM • 7/2/26 • 1.5M Views
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
“.. Members of the group Patriot Front ride the metro on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Washington, D.C.” @reuters.com
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Final #SCOTUS ruling is birthright citizenship. For a 6-3 majority (Thomas, Alito & Gorsuch, dissenting), Chief Justice Roberts *strikes down* President Trump's executive order purporting to limit which individuals born in the United States would automatically be US citizens; preserves status quo:
supremecourt.gov
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Doug Lindner @douglindner.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
MSNBC: Clarence Thomas why are you in the Capitol Building? Clarence Thomas: lol @ the mere concept of answering for the way i wield massive government power for 35 years and counting
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mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
elderly council of wizards mandates child gential inspections.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 30/06/2026
Rep. Tom Kean finally speaks after months away from Congress for a previously unexplained absence: "I was given the diagnosis of depression ... the doctors recommended I remain in the hospital to address my illness"
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Andrew Lawrence @ndrew.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
hey there sport, welcome to little league. just gonna need you to take of those pants real quick there slugger. gonna have to give that crotch a close inspection before letting you play a meaningless game with your friends
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Notably, FOUR justices would have rewritten the Constitution by fiat. Kavanaugh only concurred because he thinks the law Congress passed in the 1950s granting birthright citizenship governs the case, but he thinks Congress could eliminate birthright citizenship along Trump's lines if they wanted.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES No. 25–365 DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. BARBARA, ET AL. ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI BEFORE JUDGMENT TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT [June 30, 2026] JUSTICE KAVANAUGH, concurring in the judgment and dissenting in part. Executive Order No. 14160 establishes new exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country. 90 Fed. Reg. 8449 (2025). The Court today holds that the Order violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. I respectfully disagree with the Court’s constitutional holding. In my view, the Executive Order does not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. But the Order does contravene a federal statute, 8 U. S. C. §1401(a). Congress could—consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment—amend §1401(a) or otherwise enact new legislation establishing exceptions to birthright citizenship for children born to foreign citizens unlawfully or temporarily in the country. But Congress has not yet done so.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
BREAKING: The Supreme Court in a 6-3 vote UPHOLDS birthright citizenship, affirming the default rule that all persons born in the United States (with narrow exceptions) are U.S. citizens at birth. A total LOSS for President Trump and the effort to rewrite the 14th Amendment.
Held: Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States
and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.
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Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
We have Slaughter and Cook. By a 6–3 vote, SCOTUS overturns Humphrey's Executor and lets Trump fire heads of independent agencies. But by a 5–4 vote, it refuses to let him fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p... www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
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Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Slaughter is an earthquake: SCOTUS has overturned a 90-year-old precedent that facilitated much of modern governance by granting many agencies meaningful independence from the president. Now SCOTUS crushes that independence ... for seemingly every agency except the Federal Reserve.
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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
🚨VICTORY: Supreme Court holds that federal Election Day statutes do not prevent Mississippi from counting absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day but received afterwards A huge victory for our clients and the Elias Law Group team. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
Supreme Court rejects GOP bid to throw out mail ballots received after Election Day, in win for voters
Read more here.
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
First (but *not* last) ruling from #SCOTUS today is in Watson v. RNC. For a 5-4 majority (with Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch, Kavanaugh dissenting), Justice Barrett holds that federal law does *not* bar states from counting late-arriving mail-in ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day.
supremecourt.gov
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Second (but *not* last) #SCOTUS ruling is in Chatire (the geofence warrants case). For a 6-3 majority (with Thomas, Alito, and Barrett dissenting), Justice Kagan holds that a geofence warrant *is* a Fourth Amendment search, but the Court remands to see if the Fourth Amendment was actually violated:
supremecourt.gov
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Last two #SCOTUS rulings are Slaughter and Cook, both by Chief Justice Roberts. As expected, Court sides *with* Trump (the usual 6-3 majority) in Slaughter: www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p... 5-4 majority (with Kavanaugh and the Chief joining the Dems) rules *against* Trump in Cook:
supremecourt.gov
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 25/06/2026
JD Vance: "I think Nixon's historical legacy is enjoying a bit of a renaissance, and deservedly so. I joked that if Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12 hours news story. The idea that it took down a presidency is crazy."
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
He’s right, and that’s bad.
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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Two ICE agents tracked down a woman *inside a polling place* yesterday. Why? They demanded that she take down an Instagram post in which she named Jonathan Ross as the man who shot & killed Renee Good (after the Star Tribune identified Ross). www.syracuse.com/news/2026/06...
syracuse.com
Federal agents track down Syracuse woman, demand she remove Instagram post about ICE
She believes the warning was related to a post about the ICE agent who shot Renee Good in Minneapolis.
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Michael Geist @mgeist.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
In the last 24 hours, the government has announced plans to eviscerate the Privacy Commissioner’s office in C-36, cut off debate on a lawful access bill that includes metadata retention, and reversed age verification privacy safeguards just five days after introducing them. bsky.app/profile/mgei...
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Michael Geist @mgeist.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
🚨The government is moving to shut down lawful access hearings and consideration of amendments on mandatory metadata retention, security backdoors, and weakened encryption today. All amendments to Bill C-22 would be kept secret and voted on without debate. www.michaelgeist.ca/2026/06/gove...
michaelgeist.ca
Government Moves to Shut Down Lawful Access Hearing In Order To Fast Track Passing the Bill This Week - Michael Geist
The government is planning to shut down hearings into Bill C-22, the lawful access bill, with no further debate or discussion on potential amendments to the bill. It has just placed a motion on the Or...
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Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
A thing getting lost in the shuffle around here is that Senate Republicans just confirmed another one of Trump's personal attorneys to a lifetime federal judgeship. Justin Smith, 41, repped Trump in his presidential immunity case + E. Jean Carroll's sex abuse case. www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
huffpost.com
Republicans Confirm Another One Of Trump’s Personal Attorneys To A Federal Court Seat
Justin Smith, who has been representing the president in his E. Jean Carroll sexual abuse case, also refused to say Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
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molly taft @mollytaft.com · 16/06/2026
NEW: the US government intervened Monday on behalf of xAI in a lawsuit over its gas turbines, claiming that the company needs to run the turbines in order to power Grok, which is "vital" for national security lots of wild stuff in the filing:
wired.com
DOJ Lawyers Argue xAI Is ‘Vital’ for National Security in NAACP Lawsuit
In a bid to dismiss a lawsuit over xAI's polluting gas turbines, the Justice Department claimed the company is integral to military operations—including the Iran War.
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Chad Loder @chadloder.dev · 16/06/2026
The social internet got turned into a giant dopamine farm by a handful of companies who literally hired the same psychologists who design casino floor layouts, and the policy-makers just threw up their hands and said "guess we better ban kids from using the internet then"
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jenny tightpants @jtp.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
social media that's bad for minors is obviously bad for adults too. crazy to me that the move seems to be to just accept that and ban minors rather than regulate the obvious design patterns that were put in there on purpose which make it harmful to its users
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Jordan Uhl @jordanuhl.com · 15/06/2026
Don't know what's worse, Rogan's tie of the live betting odds with the White House as a backdrop.
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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Conservatives used to remind us every 20 minutes that Reagan never took off his jacket in the Oval Office because he had so much reverence for the White House.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15/06/2026
it's notable to me that the administration tried to frame tonight's UFC event as a "gift to Americans" but you can't watch it unless you have a paid subscription to Paramount+
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15/06/2026
yikes (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
pic of Trump and Melania at the UFC eventzoom in on Trump's extremely nasty-looking hand
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
loser shit
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Benjamin Dreyer @bcdreyer.social · 15/06/2026
A, this is completely nutso. B, YOU'RE THE NEW YORK TIMES, GO FIND HIM
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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
This is a private, for-profit event, for a company the President personally has bought stock in.
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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
We’ve got the Onion Newsvan circling the cursed UFC fight outside the White House.
Onion can: FBI Agents Watch in Silence as Kash Patel Gets Ass Kicked by UFC Fighter
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Heads up: The U.S. Postal Service has proposed a new rule that would allow it to refuse to deliver mail ballots in states that don't turn over voter rolls to the federal government. Dems say it's clear evidence the Trump admin is trying to unconstitutionally intrude on state-run elections.
nytimes.com
Postal Service Seeks to Block Mail Ballots in States Resisting Trump Demands
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 13/06/2026
the first truthful thing that has ever come out of this guy’s mouth
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Liz Dye @lizdye.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
The Kennedy Center board has filed an emergency motion to stay at the DC Circuit and it is bonkity-bonkers. For the first time, they say they amended the bylaws to strip all funding from the center if it removes Trump's name. No Trump KC, no money. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
resolution of this motion, and ask the Court to rule on that request no later than
7 PM. Without the name, “Trump” on the Building, our fundraising will not
only come to a halt, but any and all monies raised or committed would be
obligated to be returned, refunded, or terminated. The Bylaws of The Trump
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation state, unequivocally: “The
Corporation may make donations to the Center in support of its educational,
artistic, cultural, and performing arts functions; provided, however, that in so
doing, the Board of Directors shall condition such donations to the Center upon
the name of the Center remaining unchanged as the ‘Donald J. Trump and John
F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.’ In the event the Center
should at any time remove the name of President Donald J. Trump from its
filings, marketing, branding, façade, or any other affiliated location, the
Corporation shall recover from the Center the total of all gifts, donations, and
contributions made to the Center by or on behalf of the Corporation.” The
reason for this clause is that people and companies, who have given, or will be
giving, millions of dollars to the Center were only willing to do so with the name
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
This is textbook violation of fiduciary duty on behalf of the Board — it's deliberately sabotaging your own institution to make a political point. Every Board member who voted for this is breaking their oath.
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Ricky Davila @therickydavila.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
People have shown up to watch the removal of the orange felon’s disgusting name from the Kennedy Center including thousands more watching live streams. It’s coming TF down!
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