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James Baratta

@jamesjbaratta.bsky.social
153 followers 73 following 32 posts

Writing Fellow @prospect.org. Send tips to jbaratta (at) prospect (dot) org. DM for Signal.

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Reposted by James Baratta
naomi bethune @naomibethune.bsky.social · 10h
@jamesjbaratta.bsky.social and I spent the summer getting to know the residents of Lowndes County, AL. They're fighting to stop the development of a hyperscale data center; a struggle sustained by the community's rich tradition of civil rights and environmental justice advocacy. Read here:
prospect.org
‘I Know I Couldn’t Live Here’: Standing Up to a Data Center in Alabama’s Black Belt - The American Prospect
Faced with little transparency about a mammoth facility, Lowndes County fights back.
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Reposted by James Baratta
Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 12h
An incredible piece of reporting by @naomibethune.bsky.social and @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social in @prospect.org today about a struggle in Alabama against yet another excruciating data center.
prospect.org
‘I Know I Couldn’t Live Here’: Standing Up to a Data Center in Alabama’s Black Belt - The American Prospect
Faced with little transparency about a mammoth facility, Lowndes County fights back.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 12h
Two early debates in the NYC metro region between Republican incumbents in trouble and female combat veteran Democratic challengers showed starkly different results, @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social writes. Rebecca Bennet in #NJ07? ⬆️ Cait Conley in #NY17? ⬇️ prospect.org/2026/10/01/t...
prospect.org
A Tale of Two Toss-Ups - The American Prospect
Democratic House candidates in two New York metropolitan area districts had markedly different performances in debates against the Republican incumbents they’re trying to unseat.
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Reposted by James Baratta
David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 12h
Data center construction has migrated to places of low resistance: poor, often Black areas where corrupt deals are commonplace and the harms to residents invisible. Lowndes County, Alabama, in the heart of the Black Belt, is one of those places. 🧵 prospect.org/2026/10/01/d...
prospect.org
‘I Know I Couldn’t Live Here’: Standing Up to a Data Center in Alabama’s Black Belt - The American Prospect
Faced with little transparency about a mammoth facility, Lowndes County fights back.
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CBS News @cbsnews.com · 30/09/2026
Democratic lawmakers are warning that the proposed $67 billion merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy could reduce competition and raise electricity prices for consumers.
cbsn.ws
$67 billion NextEra-Dominion merger could raise U.S. electricity prices, lawmakers say
Lawmakers are warning that a massive energy industry merger could lead to higher costs for ratepayers.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
OpenAI’s unlawful incidents are piling up. I’m not talking about the models; I’m talking about what its executives are accused of doing to obtain the data to create the models. AI is following its master down a road of deceit. And we don't have the will to hold those responsible accountable.
prospect.org
Why Is Sam Altman a Free Man? - The American Prospect
OpenAI’s models aren’t “going rogue” from their creators as much as they are mimicking them.
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The Lever @levernews.com · 25/09/2026
🚨 UPDATE: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce just sued Hawaii over its new challenge to Citizens United. Hawaii’s law bars corporations and other organizations from spending to support or oppose state candidates. The Chamber says that violates the First Amendment.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The imminent landlord bailout, a settlement of litigation over the COVID-era eviction moratorium, is dominated by affiliates of Starwood Capital, a private equity firm that itself received direct and indirect federal assistance during COVID. Zachary Groz reports. prospect.org/2026/09/25/p...
prospect.org
Private Equity Landlords Double-Dipping in Imminent Bailout - The American Prospect
Companies like Starwood Capital Group, which benefited greatly from financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, want a federal bailout on top of that.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
After @gillianbrockell.com reported that ICE was violating a court order to stop third-country removals, a lawsuit cited her reporting and a judge, agreeing with the case, demanded that ICE not move a detainee to send them to a third country. We get results. prospect.org/2026/09/24/j...
prospect.org
Judges Reject ICE’s Underhanded Attempt to Maintain Third-Country Removals - The American Prospect
An appeals court made clear deportation flights to third countries must stop immediately, but flight data showed ICE may be violating the order.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The Trump administration is setting up a fake deadline in the middle of the lame duck session to force clearance of warrantless spying again, despite blowing its own statutory deadline to declassify a potentially damning FISA court opinion. @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social has more.
prospect.org
Trump Administration Ignores Statutory Deadline to Declassify FISA Court Opinion - The American Prospect
The director of national intelligence appears to be withholding an explosive court opinion that could give lawmakers all the more reason to meaningfully reform surveillance law.
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Reposted by James Baratta
David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
What is the law really prospect.org/2026/09/23/i...
prospect.org
ICE Is Trying to Ignore Court’s Decision Striking Down Third-Country Removals - The American Prospect
Immigration officials want to send a Peruvian man to the Central African Republic within hours, court filings show.
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Energy and Policy Institute @energyandpolicy.org · 24/09/2026
The Edison Electric Institute wants regulators to preserve an SEC classification of recovery bonds that could cost customers billions. EPI's @suesturgis.bsky.social has more:
energyandpolicy.org
Utility group EEI backs recovery bond reclassification that drives up electric bills
The SEC is taking comments on a classification change for bonds utilities issue to fund storm and wildfire recovery. Critics say the status quo is costing customers billions, but the trade association...
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Spectrum News NY1 @spectrumnewsny1.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 50%-41% in the latest Siena poll of likely New York voters. Read more: specne.ws/xaD55H 
specne.ws
Siena poll: Hochul's lead over Blakeman sees little change among likely voters
Likely voters also voiced their opposition to renaming Lake Ontario and large data centers being built near them.
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Demand Progress @demandprogress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Flock and other camera company CEOs were asked to answer questions at a @judiciarydems.senate.gov hearing tomorrow. All of them refused. This is a clear attempt to avoid accountability. The American people deserve answers.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
From a think tank analyst to Robert Reich's podcast to the Montana ballot & the Hawaii legislature: an idea to leverage state corporate charters to ban corporate money in politics. It's a novel idea that the Supreme Court may not want to touch. @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social has the story.
prospect.org
Can the States Stop the Corporate Domination of Our Politics? - The American Prospect
States giveth corporations the right to exist, so the states can taketh away their political spending power—or at least, Hawaii and Montana are trying.
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James Baratta @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We have seen the birth of a movement to end the era of corporate and dark money in politics. This is its origin story.
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Reposted by James Baratta
The American Prospect @prospect.org · 21/09/2026
Something strange happened: A tidal wave of public backlash turned Macklemore into the undisputed victor of the PR skirmish. buff.ly/HKyvZcm
buff.ly
Macklemore vs. Everybody - The American Prospect
The wokest rapper took on the NFL’s plutocratic ownership, the Israel lobby, and the Live Nation ‘flywheel’—and won.
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Reposted by James Baratta
Tom Moore @thmoore.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“Can the States Stop the Corporate Domination of Our Politics?” Excellent deep dive by @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social in @prospect.org on how @americanprogress.bsky.social’s Corporate Power Reset is getting dark and corporate money out of America’s politics.
prospect.org
Can the States Stop the Corporate Domination of Our Politics? - The American Prospect
States giveth corporations the right to exist, so the states can taketh away their political spending power—or at least, Hawaii and Montana are trying.
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Reposted by James Baratta
David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
There's been a lot of rumbling that it's too expensive to try to beat Republican Mike Lawler, whose seat (50-49 Harris in 2024) is in the NYC metro. So far, the main Democratic campaign PAC is being very tentative spending there, despite its winnable nature. @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social reports.
prospect.org
NY-17: Who’s Afraid of Mike Lawler? - The American Prospect
Cait Conley is leading the two-term incumbent in the polls, but on the airwaves, Lawler dominates. Why have Democrats been reluctant to spend as much as in other swing districts?
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Practically unlimited cash and a good bit of the Congress in their pocket, and it wasn't enough. Eleanor Davis-Diver supplies a postmortem on the failed crypto deregulation campaign, which imploded spectacularly in the Senate this week: prospect.org/2026/09/17/c...
prospect.org
The Big Crypto Whiff - The American Prospect
The crypto industry wasn’t able to buy support for its biggest legislative priority in the Senate this week, despite unparalleled levels of spending in the midterms.
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David Sirota @davidsirota.com · 17/09/2026
What stage of capitalism is this?
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Liza Goitein @lizagoitein.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
On Sunday, the Trump administration missed a statutory deadline to declassify a FISA Court opinion from March that reportedly finds more Section 702 compliance issues affecting Americans’ rights. The administration is now in violation of the law. 1/18
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QuitGPT @quitgpt.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
BIG AI IS BUYING OFF POLITICIANS. We're doing something about it. As people demand action to stop Big AI from putting our lives in danger, execs from OpenAI, Palantir, and a16z built a monster Super PAC to pay politicians to kill common-sense regulation. Read this 🧵 to learn more.
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The American Prospect @prospect.org · 16/09/2026
The Trump administration is preparing what could amount to its biggest gift yet to private equity and venture capital groups. prospect.org?p=144742
Data center under construction
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Remain calm. That's our informed advice for lawmakers based on the past experience of legislating in a panic after 9-11 and the financial crisis. We have laws to prevent risk from faulty products and the states can damn well start using them. prospect.org/2026/09/15/a...
prospect.org
Congressional Democrats in Hysterics About Saving the World From AI - The American Prospect
Why panic when you could just use existing laws?
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Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Important story today from @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social on the sheriffs who think laws don't apply to them.
prospect.org
Rogue Sheriffs Revolt Against New York Law Ending ICE Partnerships - The American Prospect
State lawmakers have forbidden local police from participating in mass deportation. Some sheriffs think they are above the law.
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Reposted by James Baratta
David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
New York has barred local sheriff departments from 287(g) agreements with ICE to aid the mass deportation campaign. Some sheriffs are refusing to comply. @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social has the story. prospect.org/2026/09/14/r...
prospect.org
Rogue Sheriffs Revolt Against New York Law Ending ICE Partnerships - The American Prospect
State lawmakers have forbidden local police from participating in mass deportation. Some sheriffs think they are above the law.
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James Baratta @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
9/11 widow Terry Strada's full remarks calling on President Trump to "tell the Saudis to stop lying." "Vice President Vance, thank you for being here today," she said. "Please carry that message back." Via LiveNOW from Fox
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Reposted by James Baratta
The American Prospect @prospect.org · 09/09/2026
One of the little-noticed consequences of the post-9/11 hysteria has been a diabolical symbiosis between government surveillance and corporate surveillance. prospect.org?p=144264
Surveillance camera mounted on concrete wall with waving USA flag in background
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Not surprising that one of the first things Anthropic is doing with its AI model is spying on and tracking activists who oppose Anthropic. From Dan Boguslaw: prospect.org/2026/09/09/a...
prospect.org
Anthropic Is Building a Predictive Surveillance System to Monitor Activists - The American Prospect
New hires and comments in interviews show that the AI giant is using its capabilities against dissenters.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
A voting rights org documented 153 suppression incidents during last month's Tennessee primary, like ballot distribution errors, voter misinformation and intimidation. One county sheriff entered and consulted with deputies inside polling places; he was on the ballot. prospect.org/2026/09/09/t...
prospect.org
What Voter Suppression Looks Like in Practice - The American Prospect
Poll observers in Tennessee recorded dozens of incident reports in their primary, a few months before this year’s highly contested midterm elections
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The Trump administration is using an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act to deploy military JAG lawyers in local courtrooms to prosecute Americans for gun or drug crimes or even impeding federal law enforcement. It's in line with the militarization of US cities like Memphis, writes Zachary Groz.
prospect.org
Military Lawyers Prosecuting Civilian Crimes Across the Country - The American Prospect
In a move with little precedent, Judge Advocates (JAGs) are showing up in local courtrooms to prosecute street crime.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Pierre Damas Bel killed himself out of shame and depression over being forced to wear an ankle monitor by ICE. It's just one among a host of cruelties accompanying the end of Haitian protected status and roundups for deportation. Naomi Bethune talked to people close to Bel for this report.
prospect.org
A Casualty of a Cruel Immigration Policy - The American Prospect
Pierre Damas Bel, 20, committed suicide after being fitted with a tracking device by ICE. “That ankle monitor is what killed him,” a family friend said.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
We updated our story from today to reflect this development. In a statement, wildfire survivors said utilities "would rather kill the bill than accept a compromise that rejected the bailout they sought." prospect.org/2026/09/01/c...
prospect.org
California Wildfire Package Preserves Survivors’ Legal Rights UPDATED - The American Prospect
SB 492 stops short of a Marshall Plan for fire survivors, but it averts the harms of Gavin Newsom’s now-collapsed wildfire utility bailout.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Newsom went all in on a utility industry bailout and failed. What's left of the bill stops hedge funds and private equity firms from buying insurer claims and profiting from wildfires. www.latimes.com/business/sto...
latimes.com
Facing protests, Newsom drops most of plan limiting utility wildfire liabilities
In a late-night deal with lawmakers, Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to drop his push for legislation that would have shifted more of the cost of utility-sparked wildfires to property insurers, which could h...
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Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Shortly before 9 p.m. EST, ICE asked contractors to provide them with new turnkey detention prisons in/around Denver, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle. Documents show that together the camps would hold thousands of people.
sam.gov
Sam Acquisition 360
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Gavin Newsom is trying to cap liability for utility companies that cause wildfires. A front group called "Wildfire Victims First" pushing for the bailout has "victim" members who get payouts from the industry and is run by Newsom's former comms director. Story by @jamesjbaratta.bsky.social.
prospect.org
Wildfire Survivors Push Back Against Newsom-Led Utility Bailout - The American Prospect
At the end of the legislative session, the Democratic governor and presidential hopeful wants to cap liability for power companies that start deadly fires.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I never really knew this, but Kalshi's markets are not wholly contests between users. There are extremely sophisticated market makers in every bet, and they are winning while you lose. Fascinating look at a rigged system from Eleanor Davis-Diver. prospect.org/2026/08/26/h...
prospect.org
The House Always Wins, Even on House-less Kalshi - The American Prospect
Kalshi claims its peer-to-peer market structure makes it more fair than traditional sportsbooks. But users often face an opponent even more formidable than a traditional house: Wall Street.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Good news: a state is suing home insurers for failing to pay claims. Strange news: that state is Oklahoma, hardly a bastion of strict regulation. If they can do it, any state can, and should, writes our friends at @revolvingdoordc.bsky.social. prospect.org/2026/08/26/c...
prospect.org
Cracking Down on Big Insurance in … Oklahoma? - The American Prospect
State Attorney General Gentner Drummond is leading a crackdown on Allstate and State Farm.
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Whitney Curry Wimbish @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
New from me in @prospect.org: a roundup of states fighting Trump’s deportation terror and the ones welcoming it in.
prospect.org
Two Americas: Anti-ICE Fighters vs. Bootlickers - The American Prospect
Elected officials across the country are fighting the federal government’s mass deportation campaign with new laws and funding. But some states are welcoming the shock troops.
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Protect Borrowers @protectborrowers.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Our new investigation sounds the alarm on the unique risks that state-based student loans pose to families & the abusive practices these lenders deploy when borrowers fall behind. Learn more here:
"The Worst of Both Worlds. Our new investigation reveals the risks of state-based student loans and abusive practices of state lenders.""Our New State-Based Student Lending Report Findings: rigid programs, few pathways for relief, and aggressive debt collection practices."Screenshot of the linked press release, "As Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Law Forces Families Into More Expensive, Risky Private Loan Market, New Protect Borrowers Report Exposes Risks of State-Backed Private Student Lenders: Report Comes as State-Based Private Lending Industry Ramps up Efforts to Weaken Transparency and Bypass Anti-Corruption Rules Set by Congress to Protect Students""The Worst of Both Worlds. Read our full report and our Substack breaking down the report's key findings in the comments."
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Six companies, $83 billion in tax breaks thanks to Trump's tax cut law. They were already the largest and most powerful in the world. Now $83 billion richer. Zachary Groz has the story. prospect.org/2026/08/17/c...
prospect.org
The Companies That Got $83 Billion in Tax Breaks Last Year - The American Prospect
All of them are tied to the data center build-out. Their tax breaks represent nearly half of the total all companies received in 2025.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
There's no question that leaving Afghanistan was one of the best things Biden did. Gil Barndollar, a Marine veteran, is right that the searing criticism of the withdrawal was cover for the establishment's own failure in the 20-year war. prospect.org/2026/08/17/a...
prospect.org
Five Years Later, Biden Was Proven Right in Withdrawing From Afghanistan - The American Prospect
The country did not become a safe haven for global terrorism, and a U.S. presence is no longer a sitting duck for Iranian or Russian airstrikes.
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 13/08/2026
While consumers object to data center development, utility and tech companies are sponsoring events for friendly regulators. A Post investigation revealed that Republican utility commissioners attended a secretive industry-funded retreat in Florida.
washingtonpost.com
How utility and tech firms ‘educate’ regulators with big donations, secret retreats
While consumers object to high energy costs and data center development, utility and tech companies are sponsoring events for friendly regulators.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
NEW: Private intelligence firms are selling dossiers about critics of artificial intelligence and the data centers powering them, including trying to peddle them to federal regulators. It's the latest effort to cash in on spying on those who dissent from government action. Dan Boguslaw reports:
prospect.org
Private Intelligence Firms Are Selling Dossiers on AI and Data Center Critics - The American Prospect
Along with federal law enforcement agencies, private companies are now surveilling opponents of Big Tech.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The Trump administration has created a turnstile for corporate mergers. But the one between Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, which would create the nation's first true transcontinental railroad, has stalled. Why? Because other business giants are mad about it. prospect.org/2026/08/07/r...
prospect.org
Regulators Finally Poised to Review America’s Biggest Rail Merger - The American Prospect
The $85 billion proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern would create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. Workers, shippers, and even business rivals are against it.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 06/08/2026
Virginia governor says she will file documentation to intervene Dominion-NextEra merger reut.rs/4fR0lRt
reut.rs
Virginia governor says she will file documentation to intervene Dominion-NextEra merger
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said on Thursday she would intervene in the regulatory review of ​NextEra Energy's NEE.N proposed $66.8 billion merger with Dominion Energy to press ‌for commitments on electric bill affordability, job protections and clean-energy investments.
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
We got some quotes from @wyden.senate.gov about his wild report yesterday about banks withholding suspicious activity reports about Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking empire because they wanted to keep the lucrative relationship. Crazy conduct and Wyden has some good solutions for it.
prospect.org
Sen. Wyden Report: Banks Systematically Ignored Jeffrey Epstein’s Crimes - The American Prospect
The report shows how employees at Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, and JPMorgan helped to hide Epstein’s activities because he was a load-bearing part of their ‘wall of cash.’
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The American Prospect @prospect.org · 03/08/2026
Thanks to Pecora, public opinion went from being bewildered about what had crashed the economy to accurately blaming the conflicts of interests of the leading bankers. prospect.org?p=141893
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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Private equity has been scooping up life insurers that provide "permanent capital." Private credit has been financing the AI infrastructure build-out. Those two come together, and the result could be a bailout paid by state taxpaers, according to a fascinating new paper. I talked to the authors:
prospect.org
Private credit companies are key owners of AI-related assets. Many of their parent private equity firms own life insurers that are dumping grounds for bad loans—and subject to state bailouts.
Instead of passing through bankruptcy, insolvent life insurers have all their liabilities—in particular the policyholder claims—paid for by state guaranty funds.
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