iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Joe Sudbay

Matthew Gertz @mattgertz.bsky.social · 51m

The president of the United States says that "the New York Times, and many other Artificial Media Outlets, should be arrested" for denying that the arena in which he spoke had empty seats. It's really bad! www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump...

The Ohio Arena was already full to the brim — And yet these people were still trying to get in. The New York Times said, “There were empty seats” when, in fact, there were none, and thousands of people had to be turned away. The New York Times, and many other Artificial Media Outlets, should be arrested for their dishonesty and disservice to our Country. When Bernie Sanders has 500 to 1,000 people, they make it sound like it’s the biggest event that ever took place. When PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP has 50,000 people, they make it sound like nobody showed up! President DONALD J. TRUMP

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 3m

Reading this @gilduran.com book now - well, listening actually. It's really important and so well done. Also fucking enraging

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Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 5h

“Democracy has been hailed as, like, the holy grail for the last couple hundred years, but democracies are inefficient,” said the crypto billionaire. “If you get a benevolent dictator, it’s actually extremely efficient." Hmm, where have I heard this before? www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...

nytimes.com

Inside a Billionaire’s Paradise With Crypto’s Most Powerful Ex-Convict (Gift Article)

Changpeng Zhao, jailed in the United States for a financial crime and pardoned by President Trump, is now living a gilded life in the United Arab Emirates.

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Amy Fried @asfried.bsky.social · 3h

Susan Collins has been saying for years that she's detailed oriented and good at getting money. So it turns out that she did that for government contractors who illegally donated to her and then she got them contracts the military didn't want. #mepolitics theintercept.com/2026/10/05/s...

theintercept.com

Susan Collins’s Committee Bought Trucks the Army Didn’t Want. Then Campaign Donations Poured In.

Appropriations committee members saw an influx of campaign contributions after steering $345 million to a military contractor.

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Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 5h

California-based MAGA who ran the Kennedy Center into the ground for Trump being sent out by Susan Collins to knock doors in...Bangor. A little bit on the nose! #MEpolitics

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Pam Spaulding @pamspaulding.bsky.social · 3h

The bottom line — Hastert was a high-profile pedo pol who misused his power & positions for decades. He operated in an environment where many looked the other way. 👉Rep. Jim Jordan def lives by that credo: he looked away from crimes against students while coach at OH State. 🧾 t2m.co/pitLDZt

ohiocapitaljournal.com

In new documentary, former Ohio State wrestlers say U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan knew about Strauss abuse • Ohio Capital Journal

Survivors of Dr. Richard Strauss say Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan known about the sexual abuse the student-athletes experienced, according to HBO’s new documentary Surviving Ohio State.

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Pam Spaulding @pamspaulding.bsky.social · 3h

❗📣 Dennis Hastert was the longest-serving House Speaker. He was also poster boy for the GOParty of pedophiles & their protectors. Deemed a "serial child molester” by a judge for preying on minor boys who trusted him as their HS sports coach — Hastert paid $3.5M to one victim... 🎁 t2m.co/EtvD6nX

Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert Dies at 84
Longest-serving Republican speaker’s post-congressional career collapsed in scandal
https://www.wsj.com/politics/former-house-speaker-j-dennis-hastert-dies-at-84-7baa1525?st=z7Zu3r

In May 2015, his professional world collapsed when prosecutors alleged in a federal court indictment that he had hidden a secret for decades. It alleged he had agreed to pay $3.5 million to a former student he had sexually abused.

Hastert was never charged with a sex crime because the statute of limitations had expired but admitted at his April 2016 court sentencing that he “mistreated” and “took advantage” of some of the teenage wrestlers he coached at Yorkville High School, where he worked from 1965 to 1981. Federal prosecutors alleged at the time he had molested at least four boys.

As part of a plea deal, Hastert acknowledged that he had illegally avoided reporting requirements associated with bank withdrawals he made for hush-money payments. Judge Thomas Durkin called Hastert a “serial child molester” at the sentencing.

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 4h

If you're in these states, *TODAY* is deadline to register to vote. Arizona, Arkansas Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas. Even if you think you've registered: doesn't hurt to check! And there's a lot happening across them. A thread with stakes on each. ⬇️

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Evan Sutton @evansutton.bsky.social · 5h

At exactly 0 times in my entire adult life have Democrats in Congress done what's actually necessary to hold Republicans accountable. I'm hoping this streak will be broken starting in January. But it's easy to see why Republicans think they can just keep getting away with it.

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 5h

(you don't have to listen or respond to what a failed politician with no constituency or salience in today's politics has to say just because he has the phone number of cable news producers)

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David Nir @davidnir.com · 5h

Mazal tov to Public Notice on five years! Aaron has published a ton of fantastic authors who offer honest insights into American politics during that stretch. Looking forward to lots more!

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 6h

Remember if Rahm had his way, there would be no ACA - and there were no Wall St prosecutions. He gave Obama the worst advice Then covered up a murder when he was mayor But DC media loves him

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Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 6h

Ken Paxton says he doesn't control his own campaign. If he reaches the Senate, who will control his vote? Stephen Miller? Elon Musk? (And isn't it interesting that audio keeps leaking from Paxton events. Some of the people closest to him hate him.)

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darth™️ @darthbluesky.bsky.social · 6h

i am trying to keep my hopes in check but if this guy is already trying to afix blame on some one else then lol

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Sergio Perez @sergioperez.bsky.social · 6h

This piece is worth your time - it is a reminder of the dark moment that our immigrant & refugee neighbors are living through, and it situates the importance of gathering & making known relevant data at a time when our government has given up that pretense. Looking forward to more in the future.

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Austin Kocher, PhD @austinkocher.com · 6h

My first column is out: "The Baseline: Getting Our Bearings in an Age of Mass Deportation." I'm thrilled to be partnering with @documentedny.bsky.social on a monthly column about immigration data. documentedny.com/2026/10/05/b...

documentedny.com

The Baseline: Getting Our Bearings in an Age of Mass Deportation

The Baseline, a new monthly column from Austin Kocher, explores the impact of rising immigration enforcement.

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Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 7h

The NY Times uses words like “fierce,” “steely,” “nimble” and “homegrown star of the Trump White House” to describe Karoline Leavitt, who just got a Fox News gig. Not a single mention of her relentless lying to the American public. Reporter Michael M. Grynbaum and his editors suck.

nytimes.com

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s ‘Machine Gun,’ Has a New Gig at Fox News (Gift Article)

A fierce and nimble speaker, Ms. Leavitt is the second of Mr. Trump’s former press secretaries to join the cable news network.

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Ciara Torres-Spelliscy @profciara.bsky.social · 9h

TODAY is the deadline to register to vote in the following states: Arizona Arkansas Florida Georgia Indiana Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi Ohio Tennessee Texas Please don't miss out. ✍🏾🗳️

static.klipy.com

ALT: Register for Next Steps Conference

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The Downballot @the-downballot.com · 9h

Republicans are still spending for Mike Collins in Georgia ... for now. One source last month told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "At this point, it’s about making the patient comfortable."

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Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Not a coincidence that only place far right wing operatives like Alito feels comfortable giving “interviews” is to far right or right-leaning media outlets. So they can gaslight like this ↘️

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 04/10/2026

There are new and specific numbers in this story, so it’s worth reading. I continue to resent the lack of credit to Nick Schwellenbach at @pogo.org, Dan Friedman at @motherjones.com, and me, who have previously reported every other aspect of this story, including that the sale prices were very high.

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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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

She's mimicking Trump's attacks on media. She's so close to just blurting out "fake news" She's got nothing else cause @propublica.org has the receipts

A check for $150,000 to the Collins super PAC 1820 from the Society of Young Women Scientist and Engineers — a shell company that obscured the actual donor. PACMAR TECHNOLOGIES LLC, FKA MARTIN DEFENSE GROUP, LLC V. KAO

Reed knew Kao was behind the $150,000 anonymous donation, emails showed, because Kao told Reed he planned to donate through a shell company. “Very smart,” Reed replied in an email viewed by ProPublica.

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Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

To distract from calamitous revelations (many undisputed!) in @propublica.org's bombshell report, Susan Collins has been talking about the respected outlet -- winner of 9 Pulitzers -- like it's a left-wing Newsmax. But there's a reason PPH/BDN ran the report. It's credible and damning. #MEpolitics

Bangor Daily News front page. Hedline: FBI's anti-corruption squad was circling Collins -- until Trump got in the way

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Pam Spaulding @pamspaulding.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

🚨 We knew rights of the disabled would be attacked by this eliminationist regime — & they aren't playing. They want the disabled institutionalized. A federal judge allowed stripping out mentions that mandate services provided in the "most integrated setting." 🧾 www.npr.org/2026/10/01/n...

npr.org

Trump administration reverses stance on integration of people with disabilities

Disability rights advocates are angered by the latest reversal but are rallying behind proposed legislation and working with states to strengthen protections for community integration.

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

What a lie. Some of these people are being imprisoned indefinitely in squalid condition in African prisons. Others report being beaten and arbitrarily deported in violation of international law back to their home countries, where they face persecution or torture.

The indefinite nature of their confinement has taken a severe toll. In October 2025, a Cuban man who was on the July flight went on a hunger strike for a month-until he started showing signs of organ failure —to protest the conditions of his detention, including his ongoing confinement and lack of access to legal counsel.
Terrified of being imprisoned in Eswatini forever, another man repeatedly told his attorney that the prison there never lets people go. One man told his attorney that he feels like a caged animal with no end in sight. The prison does not have air conditioning, making the hot, humid summer months especially uncomfortable for the men.
Food is insufficient, medication is scarce, and requests often go unmet or are belatedly met.

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The Downballot @the-downballot.com · 04/10/2026

NEW: Republicans are flooding key races with a massive deluge of money … but it’s not translating to a similar advantage on the airwaves. In a special Sunday piece, we explain why. And perhaps most notable, the GOP spending spree has yet to register in the polls.

the-downballot.com

Why the GOP's spending advantage is nowhere near as big as it looks

New data shows Republicans are getting very poor bang for their buck

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

GOP ads right now are all about attacking trans people. Over, and over, and over. I was a gay teen in 2004 watching the Bush campaign try to win on attacking gay marriage, but the resort to this hate drive in campaign ads feels so dialed up now. I can’t imagine being an lgbt kid watching tv today.

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Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I don't really know what to do with these pieces, because: 1. They refuse to used "illegal" & "unconstitutional" & "corruption" in the heds, deks, ledes, or body text 2. They disappear from the front page/headlines within 36 hours & never become THE NARRATIVE, contra EMAILS & BIDEN IS OLD, etc.

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The Downballot @the-downballot.com · 03/10/2026

Quite the ad featuring Ken Paxton's estranged wife, Angela. "Let's talk about the elephant in the room. In a general election, it's not as much about the individual players on the team. It's about getting the whole team across the finish line. ... That's why I'm voting for the Republican ticket."

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Voter registration deadlines are SUNDAY in Alaska, Rhode Island, South Carolina. And MONDAY in: Arizona, Arkansas Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, and *Texas*. If you live in these states, verify your registration now, literally.

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Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

A fantastic discussion from @pkrugman.bsky.social @gelliottmorris.com & @davidnir.com Loved David & Elliot’s responses to Paul’s Q re how DC’s elites misinterpreted Trump’s narrow win in 2024 as a seismic event. 🗣️“there’s just an endemic bias in Washington, D.C.” open.substack.com/pub/thedownb...

“Nir: Yeah. I mean, there’s this old saw in baseball that the good teams win close games, and that’s just not true. The good teams win blowouts, and the pundit class and so much of the media and frankly, a lot of politicians, including politicians in the Democratic Party, they failed to grasp that Trump won by one and a half points in 2024. That’s really about as close as it gets.

And I think that because the stakes of Trump winning felt so extreme and so dramatic, and you knew it was going to be so much worse than his first term, that kind of mentally or maybe even emotionally translated into something that felt like an absolute drubbing. But electorally, it simply wasn’t. And anyone at the time who was crowing about some Republican conservative era of cultural dominance, a massive sea change, wound up being wrong. And there were a lot of people who were saying, no, this is totally wrong. People like Elliott. Elliott was outspoken on this. He said it was a close election. It doesn’t mean what you think it means. And folks who hew to that view were totally vindicated.

Morris: Well, lo and behold. You know, I actually give people a lot less credit than David did, given my previous employment situation. I think that there’s just an endemic bias in Washington, D.C. Well, there’s a couple of them. One is to make every story the biggest story. If you want to run like three or four days of TV coverage of Donald Trump because people are tuning in, you can’t just say, “Oh, he won a small election.” He has to have won a big election so that you can do that TV coverage that is performing well so you can justify seeking the ratings journalistically. I think that’s part of it.

And maybe you saw this in your past lives as well—a tendency for pundits to draw patterns out of one or two data points for the sake of narration. And I think that’s something that’s going on here, too. But I think the real meat of it was just that a lot of journalists write stories to seem smarter tha…

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

State of the States on @siriusxmprog.bsky.social - we're talking Texas! Rep. Mihaela Plesa, HD-70 plesafortexas.com Keenen Colbert, SD-2 www.colbertfortexas.com Stephanie Guerrero Sáenz, HD-34 www.stephanie4texas.com

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Leslie Ehrlich @leslieehrlich.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

All senate races should feature this question. As they say, focus on the stakes, not the horse race

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Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Every single reporter working in Maine should be asking Susan Collins whether she will commit to voting against any Trump picked nominee to #SCOTUS if Alito retires during lame duck.

politico.com

Justice Alito confirms he is considering retirement

The conservative Supreme Court justice said in a CBS News interview that he’ll revisit the issue next year.

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The GOP's biggest funder blocked a law to prevent exploitation of women and children on his website Dems should be talking about him and his creepiness. He wants to make fake nudes It's a party of weirdos

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Center for Biological Diversity @biologicaldiversity.org · 02/10/2026

"All #BorderWall and road construction across the entire Big Bend region is halted! What a massive, historic victory for everyone across #BigBend — the toughest, most beautiful souls I know. I’m a puddle of tears. More to come soon." - @laikenjordahl.bsky.social, National #PublicLands Advocate

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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Everyone involved in this process — including the Palantir employees — have to be investigated and probably go to jail.

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Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"We are not part of any political movement. And we are not attempting to further any political agenda." - says a right wing political operative in #SCOTUS robe who gutted voting rights, abortion rights, gave a Republican President king like powers in attempt to lock in right wing dominance. (1/2)

"CBS News
@CBSNews
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said increasingly harsh criticism of the court from political leaders can be "quite damaging" to the institution.

"The criticism of the court by President Biden and justices by President Biden and his administration was very harsh. And President Trump has been very harsh," he told CBS News'
@JanCBS
.

Alito said the court's job is to interpret the Constitution "as best we can" and apply it to the cases that come before them: "We are not part of any political movement. And we are not attempting to further any political agenda.""

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Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Alito: "We are not part of any political movement" Susan Collins ↘️

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Collins also "delivered" for her pals at "the Society of Young Women Scientist and Engineers"

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Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

NEW: Susan Collins team bragging in its canvassing materials about her having "delivered" the conservative Supreme Court majority that overturned Roe. tinyurl.com/3mxnybe7 #MEpolitics

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Meredith Shiner @meredithshiner.com · 02/10/2026

I will never forget the Senate Press Secretaries Association invited me to be on a panel about how reporters operate and put me next to BuzzFeed Benny who was the most insufferable idiot. I thoughtfully explained my POV on my job and he mocked me. After, all the attendees wanted to talk to him.

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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 02/10/2026

There is no one in my time in the media who has more consistently given off the aroma of unethical striver than Benny. From Day One it was obvious what he was and it remains amazing that this has been a boon to his efforts rather than a hindrance.

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Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 02/10/2026

This is a better epilogue to my January story about the private equity firm profiting off of ICE's cruelest flights than I could have ever possibly hoped for. CHICAGO: You went to the mat and protected (at a minimum!) thousands of immigrants from torture. Take a bow. prospect.org/2026/10/02/i...

prospect.org

The City That Brought Down an ICE Airline - The American Prospect

In Chicago, progressive alderpeople held up a contract until a private equity firm was forced to dispatch Omni Air International, protecting thousands of immigrants from deportation.

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Geez, disclosure might force sleazy government contractors to donate to Collins through fake entities like "the Society of Young Women Scientist and Engineers" Also the law might force that too. As @propublica.org noted "Government contractors are banned from making political contributions"

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 02/10/2026

"It could chill rights of contractors to make political contributions" -- unearthed footage shows Susan Collins in 2012 fighting to protect contractors from having to disclose political contributions (we recently learned she was under investigation for a pay-to-play scheme involving a contractor)

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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Keenen Colbert is running in Texas State Senate District 2 That's one of the districts Lt Gov Dan Patrick mentioned when he said some GOP Senators are in "tough races" per an item in Quorum Report. He told donors that incumbent Bob Hall, who is 84 years old, was down by 2 points

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SiriusXM Progress @siriusxmprog.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This week on State Of The States, Keenen Colbert tells @joesudbay.bsky.social there is no excuse not to vote this year- because everyone is affected by politics. To learn more: colbertfortexas.com

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