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Defend Democracy Project

@defdemocracy.bsky.social
552 followers 177 following 1.1K posts

DDP is dedicated to ensuring that American voters determine the outcome of our elections.

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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 9h
Trump called Canada “one of the worst countries in the entire world” as his administration banned nearly $1 billion in Canadian imports, further escalating his trade war with one of America’s closest allies and trading partners. thehill.com/homenews/adm...
thehill.com
Trump says Canada is ‘one of the worst countries in the entire world’
President Trump said Monday that Canada is “one of the worst countries in the entire world” in the wake of heightened tensions between Washington and its historically friendly northern neighbor. “T…
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 10h
Trump’s new AI-powered government website launched by giving factual answers that contradicted him, including confirming that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Within minutes, America.gov stopped answering those questions and began refusing “political inquiries. www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...
america.gov
America.gov
Find answers from official government sources and clear next steps for the services you need with America.gov.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Trump has spent much of his second term trying to remake Washington in his own image. The projects have drawn lawsuits, protests, and tens of thousands of public comments overwhelmingly opposed to his plans. www.npr.org/2026/09/28/n...
npr.org
Trump aims to leave a physical legacy in D.C., bulldozing norms along the way
President Trump has brought his New York real estate background to the White House. But experts say D.C. is a very different historic and legal landscape — and worry about the precedent he could set.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Supreme Court rejected Missouri Republicans’ gerrymandered congressional map for the third time. The Trump-backed plan was designed to eliminate a Democratic-held seat and give Republicans control of seven of the state’s eight House districts. www.ms.now/deadline-whi...
ms.now
Supreme Court rejects Missouri’s GOP-friendly map for a third time
The justices had already twice declined to approve Missouri Republicans’ preferred map for November’s midterm elections.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Trump administration is spending taxpayer money to recycle Trump’s 2024 campaign propaganda, including his “final battle” rhetoric against “warmongers,” “globalists,” and the “fake news media.” More than $300,000 has already been spent airing the ad. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
nbcnews.com
White House releases new taxpayer-funded ad describing ‘final battle’
The ad is nearly identical to one Trump’s presidential campaign released in 2024.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Supreme Court is letting the Trump admin use an expanded federal database to screen millions of voters just weeks before the midterms. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/u...
nytimes.com
Supreme Court Allows Expansive Voter Screening Tool Ahead of Midterms
Critics of the Trump administration system to monitor the citizenship status of voters had raised alarms about privacy and improper voter purges.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Trump administration tried to kick CNN, MS NOW, and Politico out of the White House over their coverage. The outlets are back after a Trump-appointed judge ordered their credentials restored and found the ban likely violated their due process rights. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban
Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Trump-appointed officials have cut D.C. and Virginia preservation experts out of the historic review of his planned triumphal arch, after both raised concerns about damage to nearby landmarks. www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
Trump officials sideline local historians in arch review
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation made the stunning move after D.C. and Virginia balked over the project's potential harms.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are regaining White House access only after a Trump-appointed judge ordered the administration to restore their credentials. The court found Trump’s ban likely unconstitutional and rejected the White House’s national security justification. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
nbcnews.com
Barred news outlets seek emergency hearing after White House continues to deny access
It was not clear why journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were turned away Thursday morning after a federal judge ordered the White House to temporarily reinstate the outlets.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
California and New York are suing to stop the Trump administration from spending billions of taxpayer dollars to cancel already approved wind energy projects as part of Trump's effort to promote fossil fuels. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
New York, California sue to block Trump administration deals canceling offshore wind projects
Democratic attorneys general from California and New York are suing the Trump administration over its plans to buy back offshore wind leases as it seeks to discourage expansion of wind energy in favor...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Today, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are expected to appear in court to present arguments that Trump banning them from White House access is a “direct assault on the First Amendment and a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
nbcnews.com
CNN, Politico and MS NOW to face off with Trump administration in court over White House ban
A Trump-appointed federal judge will hear arguments on whether the president’s ban on the media outlets should be lifted.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
As his Iran War drives up inflation and costs for Americans, Trump yet again threatened to “annihilate” Iran during his speech at the UN General Assembly. www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...
theguardian.com
Trump defends actions in Iran and Venezuela in UN General Assembly address amid rising tensions with allies – live
Trump threatens to ‘annihilate’ Iran and ‘drive them into Hell’ if there isn’t a deal, while also underscoring US policy on Cuba, Mexico, Greenland and AI
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Trump administration is pushing to un-enroll hundreds of thousands from ACA coverage, which will leave people without health care coverage. The admin claims that many were fraudulently placed for the government health care plan. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump officials plan to cut hundreds of thousands from ACA, claiming fraud
Vance targeted ACA enrollment as part of a broader administration crackdown on suspected fraud.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Despite strong opposition from leaders in film and television, elected officials, and hundreds of thousands of individuals, an agreement has been reached to resolve an antitrust lawsuit over Paramount's $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
CNN, MS Now, and Politico are filing a joint lawsuit after the Trump administration denied them White House access. In the lawsuit, the outlets are saying their First Amendment rights have been violated by the selective exclusion. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
CNN, MS NOW, Politico say they've notified Trump they're suing over denied White House access
CNN, MS NOW and Politico say they’ve notified President Donald Trump's administration they’re filing a lawsuit over being denied White House access.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Trump attempts to use a racist ad about Willie Horton that was used in 1988 during George H.W. Bush’s presidential campaign, to convince voters that Democrats are “soft on crime”. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
https://apnews.com/article/trump-wilie-horton-north-carolina-whatley-5bf8a542f360561241e4f82abb3d869a
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Trump says he is considering restarting massive attacks on Iran in an effort to “annihilate” the regime, potentially returning the U.S. to full-scale combat. He plans to meet Gulf leaders next week as regional allies weigh the risks of further escalation. www.axios.com/2026/09/17/t...
axios.com
Trump tells Axios he's approaching major crossroads in Iran war
The U.S. has settled into a familiar pattern in the war that some officials say is not sustainable.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The Trump administration must give 30 days’ notice before demolishing or significantly altering the Kennedy Center. The order follows Trump’s suggestion that the building could be torn down amid his fight to put his name on it. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
reuters.com
Judge orders Trump to give 30 days notice before any steps to demolish Kennedy Center
A federal judge ordered ​President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday to provide at least 30 days' notice before taking any steps to demolish the ‌Kennedy Center, the landmark performing arts v...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Rep. Beatty is seeking an emergency court hearing after Trump-aligned Kennedy Center leaders abruptly closed the building. She is asking the court to stop them from using the shutdown to make irreversible changes while the legal fight over the center continues. www.forbes.com/sites/conorm...
forbes.com
Beatty Requests Emergency Hearing In Kennedy Center Case After Abrupt Closure
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, accused the Kennedy Center of an “unexplained and unlawful closure” in a filing Wednesday.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The National Park Service says Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch would unavoidably harm Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, and dozens of other historic sites. Federal officials say the project should move forward anyway. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump’s arch will harm historic sites but must proceed, federal officials say
National Park Service officials acknowledge that President Donald Trump’s planned arch would harm dozens of historic sites but say it must move forward anyway.
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Reposted by Defend Democracy Project
Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
BREAKING: We have updated the Court with the latest developments in Trump's apparent moves to demolish the Kennedy Center  The EXISTING INJUNCTION prevents demolition The Court has ordered the government to say what the hell it is doing by 10 AM @repbeatty.bsky.social, DDA & WLG will fight this!
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Trump is pushing for AI development to accelerate even as leading tech executives warn that safety measures are falling behind. He dismissed fears that AI could threaten humanity as a “HOAX” and argued that the only guardrail the technology needs is him. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-guardrails-data-centers-b85df16775ff7e9611a456b061a0e4b9
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The Trump administration “set billions upon billions in taxpayer dollars on fire” through its DOGE workforce cuts. New GAO estimate found agencies spent $9.5 bil on paid administrative leave in 2025, including about $6.7 bil tied to the deferred-resignation program. www.cnn.com/2026/09/16/p...
cnn.com
Trump administration paid federal employees $9.5 billion not to work in 2025 under DOGE plan | CNN Politics
The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimat...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster sent National Guard troops to D.C. for Trump’s “Operation Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful.” The state Supreme Court is now weighing whether he had any legal authority to deploy them there. scdailygazette.com/2026/09/15/s...
scdailygazette.com
SC Supreme Court to decide if governor overstepped sending National Guard to DC • SC Daily Gazette
Watchdog nonprofits argued Gov. Henry McMaster's deployment went beyond his powers in state law, but his attorneys disagreed.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board tried again to put his name on the building and rename the campus “President Donald J. Trump Plaza.” A court blocked both attempts, ruling that the board cannot remake a federal memorial without congressional approval. www.reuters.com/world/us/ken...
reuters.com
Judge rejects adding Trump name to Kennedy Center as board weighs venue's future
A ​U.S. federal judge on Tuesday again blocked the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington from inscribing President Donald Trump's name ‌on its facade, dealing the Repub...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The Supreme Court dealt Trump a major setback, refusing to let his administration impose new mail-ballot restrictions just weeks before the midterms. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u...
nytimes.com
Supreme Court Blocks Trump Administration Plan to Screen Mail-In Ballots
The Trump administration had asked the justices to allow a new Postal Service plan to screen ballots just weeks before the midterm elections.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Galveston County tried to redraw its political boundaries after voters had already cast ballots in the primary. The Texas Supreme Court blocked the new map for November, ruling that election rules must remain uniform and consistent. www.texastribune.org/2026/09/11/t...
texastribune.org
Texas Supreme Court blocks redrawn Galveston County districts
Redrawing political boundaries between the primary and general election raises serious constitutional concerns, the court said.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Missouri voters are seeking roughly $80 million from Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, alleging he violated state law while handling the referendum challenging the state’s gerrymandered congressional map. missouriindependent.com/2026/09/14/l...
missouriindependent.com
Lawsuit seeks $80 million from Denny Hoskins over Missouri congressional map referendum • Missouri Independent
Missouri voters filed a class-action lawsuit seeking roughly $80 million from Secretary of State Denny Hoskins over his handling of a congressional map referendum.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Trump’s mail-voting order is blocked again after a second court barred USPS from enforcing new restrictions before the midterms. The ruling adds another obstacle to the administration’s effort to rewrite election rules while ballots are already going out. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Second federal judge freezes Trump mail ballot order with US Supreme Court poised to weigh in
A federal judge in Washington, D.C. has issued a new order freezing President Donald Trump's attempt to limit mail voting for the midterm elections.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Campaign Legal Center filed an ethics complaint over Trump’s $45,000 cash gifts to White House aides, asking whether the payments illegally supplemented their government salaries. www.ms.now/news/trump-e...
ms.now
Trump faces ethics complaint over $45,000 gifts to Harp and other White House aides
A watchdog group urged the Office of Government Ethics to investigate the hefty holiday gifts to determine whether they violated criminal law.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Seven Republican election officials are asking the Supreme Court to keep Trump’s mail-ballot order blocked, warning that imposing it before the midterms would create mistakes, delays, and confusion. www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
Republican chief election officials say it is too late to implement Trump’s mail ballot order
Seven Republican election officials urged the Supreme Court to not let the Trump administration’s controversial proposal go into effect for November.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The Supreme Court again rejected Missouri’s Trump-backed congressional map, appearing to clear the way for the state to use its 2022 districts. The fight has left voters facing confusion shortly before ballots go out for the November elections. apnews.com/article/miss...
apnews.com
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Trump told voters they would get $5,000 if Republicans win the midterms, an estimated $1.35 trillion cash-for-election-results pledge that immediately raised legal questions. thehill.com/homenews/adm...
thehill.com
Trump faces blowback with $5,000 dividend promise
President Trump’s pledge to distribute $5,000 to every U.S. adult if Republicans win the midterms is drawing backlash from Republicans and Democrats as the president’s allies are forced to explain …
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Trump is turning the GOP’s first-ever midterm convention into a pep rally for himself, even though he is not on the ballot. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump makes GOP midterm convention about himself, much to Democrats’ delight
At President Donald Trump’s urging, the GOP is staging a midterm convention centered on him.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Trump officials are quietly planning a major National Park Service reorganization that could centralize power and change how parks are run across the country. washingtonsun.com/agencies/tru...
washingtonsun.com
Trump Is Quietly Planning to Majorly Change How National Parks Are Run
All Interior Department bureaus are considering major shake-ups under an edict from leadership.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Trump officials are quietly planning a major National Park Service reorganization that could centralize power and change how parks are run across the country. washingtonsun.com/agencies/tru...
washingtonsun.com
Trump Is Quietly Planning to Majorly Change How National Parks Are Run
All Interior Department bureaus are considering major shake-ups under an edict from leadership.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, Trump is again trying to make the attacks about himself, reviving an unsupported claim that firefighters carried him away from a building after the attacks. www.cnn.com/2026/09/08/p...
cnn.com
Fact check: Trump’s story about being carried away by firefighters after the 9/11 attack | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump has for years told false or unproven stories about what he supposedly saw and did on 9/11 and soon after. As the 25th anniversary of the terror attack approaches, Trump told ano...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Lonnie Bunch III is leaving the Smithsonian after seven years, ending a tenure defined by his effort to protect the institution’s independence as Trump tries to force museums into his preferred version of “patriotic” history. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/a...
nytimes.com
Smithsonian’s Secretary to Resign as Trump Tries to Rule the Institution
In the face of escalating White House attacks about how museums present American history, Lonnie G. Bunch III has announced his decision to depart.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Trump shared an AI-generated map showing Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and other territories absorbed into a vastly expanded United States. It is not policy, but it is part of a familiar pattern: treating neighboring countries like props in his nationalist fantasies. www.newsweek.com/map-posted-b...
newsweek.com
Map posted by Donald Trump hints at adding numerous countries to the U.S.
The AI-generated post comes amid Trump's broader push to redraw or reimagine the political map of North America.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to lift a court order blocking USPS from carrying out Trump’s mail-voting restrictions, even as midterm ballots are already being mailed to voters. www.npr.org/2026/09/03/n...
npr.org
Trump asks Supreme Court to lift block on USPS plan to restrict mail voting
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to lift a temporary block on the U.S. Postal Service plan for President Trump's attempt to restrict mail-in voting for the midterm election.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The Trump administration proposed rules that could strip tax-exempt status from private schools and colleges that offer targeted support to Black, Hispanic, and other minority students. Education groups are already preparing to challenge the plan. apnews.com/article/tax-...
apnews.com
Trump administration pushes to remove tax exemption for private colleges with DEI policies
The Trump administration is proposing a rule that would strip private schools and colleges of their tax-exempt status if they provide targeted help to students based on their race.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Trump tried again to restrict birthright citizenship after the Supreme Court rejected his first attempt. A court blocked the new order too, saying it is “almost certainly unconstitutional.”
nbcnews.com
Federal judge blocks Trump’s latest order limiting birthright citizenship
The judge cited the Supreme Court’s June ruling that blocked Trump’s earlier order seeking to limit citizenship by birth.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Voting rights groups sued to block Florida’s proof-of-citizenship voting law, arguing it violates federal law and could purge eligible voters from the rolls. www.tampafp.com/civil-rights...
tampafp.com
Civil Rights Groups Sue Florida Over New Voter Citizenship Law - Tampa Free Press
Voting rights advocacy organizations have filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida’s House Bill 991, state legislation that establishes new documentary
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The group behind Michigan’s restrictive proof-of-citizenship voting measure is asking Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to force it onto the November ballot. www.ms.now/deadline-whi...
ms.now
Proof-of-citizenship backers ask Kavanaugh for emergency order ahead of midterms
The Trump appointee or his colleagues could decide this week whether to order a proof-of-citizenship measure on the Michigan ballot for November.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Election officials say Trump’s USPS mail-ballot rules are arriving too late to implement safely. With ballots about to go out, states say they lack the time, money, and staff to redesign envelopes, upload voter data, train workers, and avoid election chaos. www.cnn.com/2026/09/02/p...
cnn.com
Election officials say they can’t comply with Trump’s proposed mail ballot rules | CNN Politics
Trump administration efforts to force change in the handling of election ballots may be facing a bigger hurdle than the cross-country court challenges and resistance: Election officials insist it is s...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Pramila Jayapal are demanding an investigation into the Trump administration’s use of obscure legal powers to secretly collect records on journalists, nonprofits, and unions without judicial oversight. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
US lawmakers demand investigation into Trump administration’s secret surveillance of Americans
Exclusive: Two congressmembers respond to revelations of government snooping on journalists, non-profits and unions
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
A new whistleblower report says the Trump administration is defying court orders and rushing through Postal Service changes that could put millions of mail ballots at risk before the midterms. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/01/u...
nytimes.com
Whistle-Blower Says USPS Is Secretly Proceeding on Trump’s Mail Voting Plan Before Midterms
A report detailed “grave concerns” that a new system being rushed into use by the U.S. Postal Service could imperil millions of mail ballots ahead of the midterm elections.
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Following acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s pledge to rescind the “anti-weaponization fund,” the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance his nomination to a full Senate floor vote. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
nytimes.com
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The Trump administration is considering a land swap that would carve off part of Yosemite National Park for a private developer, drawing opposition from elected officials and conservationists. www.cnn.com/2026/08/29/p...
cnn.com
Trump administration faces pushback after looking to privatize land on Yosemite National Park | CNN Politics
A plan being considered by the Trump administration to allow a developer to use a portion of Yosemite National Park land is facing strong opposition from elected officials and conservationists, reflec...
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Defend Democracy Project @defdemocracy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Trump remains a convicted felon after a court rejected his latest attempt to erase his New York hush money conviction on presidential immunity grounds. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
President Donald Trump loses again in bid to erase his hush money conviction
A federal judge has again blocked President Donald Trump’s bid to erase his hush money conviction in New York.
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