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Ken Syring

@kensyring.com
929 followers 1.7K following 256 posts

SF ↔️ DC • Biden-Harris Admin • Former Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. CBP • Former SFPD Officer 🇺🇸 • Returned Peace Corps Volunteer 🇲🇳 • Georgetown McCourt School Alum I write & speak on national service, civic bridging, polarization, and deterring extremism.

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Reposted by Ken Syring
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Incredible. First Secretary Mullin claimed that DHS had identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials told a skeptical Nevada, no no no, that’s just people we flagged. Here are the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong.
When the Department of Homeland Security sent Nevada a list of 185 names last month that it claimed identified noncitizens who had been improperly allowed to register to vote, state election officials got to work.
On Tuesday, the state sent a strongly worded rebuke to the federal government: Every single person on the list was a lawful citizen.
"As for the 185 individuals, our records indicate that they were citizens," Greg D. Ott, a deputy attorney general in Nevada, wrote, according to a copy of a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security officials obtained through open records requests.
"You have provided nothing of substance to suggest otherwise."Following the meeting, Ms. Vogt sent a clarifying email to Nevada officials. "I also wanted to be sure I clarified that we did not reduce the 15,903 to 185," she wrote. "We've manually reviewed some of the 15,903 and confirmed 185 are not U.S. Citizens."
Now, Nevada officials are saying even that 185 number is wrong. They also took issue with a letter D.H.S. sent them in early September, in which the agency reiterated its initial claims about nearly 16,000 noncitizens on the rolls and pressured state officials to review each case in a letter to Nevada officials in early September.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 20/09/2026
And it will be able to release dogs, or bees, or the dogs with bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you
nytimes.com
Trump Says His D.C. Arch Would Be a ‘Military Complex’ Housing Drones and Snipers (Gift Article)
The president’s announcement on Sunday echoed his justification for the White House ballroom: that the project was necessary for national security.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It...uh...is not meant to be a competition
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 16/09/2026
Ah, The Autarky President. I guess that explains his weird obsession with North Korea.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 10/09/2026
Countdown to Musk re-tweeting this lunacy with “true.” This rhetoric is more than simply pathetic; it’s also terrifyingly dangerous. This, here, is incel manifesto-writing 101, and (for some already-nihilistic young men reading it) is the type of thing that can be taken as permission for violence.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 09/09/2026
Without empathy, there can be no democracy. Without empathy, there can be no peace anywhere on Earth. Without empathy, there can be no humanity.
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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
There have been so many impeachable offenses, but lying about how you were a hero on a day that 2,753 people died in NYC in the 9/11 disaster—when you were on the other side of town, safely calling local media to brag about how you now had the tallest downtown building—is such a despicable one
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Jay @jaylboh.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
This is what we’re dealing with.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 07/09/2026
the president is now blacklisting companies by fiat. tell me more about how left-wing communism is the biggest threat to the country.
NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren’t good enough! Over 50% of their revenue comes from the United States — They live off American Buyers, American Companies, American Airports, and American Service — All while Canada blocks our GREAT American Banks, and Companies, throughout the U.S.A. They even blocked Gulfstream Aerospace from doing business in Canada — Completely unjust and unfair! That Era is OVER! If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a “piggybank.” BUY AMERICAN. FLY ON AMERICAN AIRLINERS. ENJOY AMERICAN LIQUOR AND BEVERAGES. SAIL ON LAKE AMERICA. AMERICA FIRST! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP
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Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
In 1924, the perfectly healthy 16 year-old son of the incumbent president of the United States got a blister on his foot playing tennis and died of sepsis because there were no antibiotics.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 01/09/2026
cbsnews.com
Russia pulls mothballed Cold War-era tanks out of deep storage as Ukraine war grinds on
Models like the T55 were once the pride of the Soviet Union, and Russia still has thousands. They aren't built for today's combat, but they could still be deadly.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 30/08/2026
Pathetic -- Google is now referring to Lake Ontario as "Lake America"
screencap of Google Maps showing "Lake America"
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 30/08/2026
I’d also argue that while seeking to improve it, we cannot let perfect be the enemy of good here — if we allow the reestablishment of USAID to turn into a multi-year push-and-pull design process, we will have failed. We first need to rebuild it as aggressively and as quickly as they destroyed it.
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Sam G @samthegeek.net · 30/08/2026
I simply do not think the modern political commentariat understands soft power. It’s been a given for so long that everyone forgot why the programs that did them existed.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 27/08/2026
babe wake up, a new loyalty test just dropped
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 27/08/2026
Even when someone has another condition, and then they happen to get measles, and if the measles is what gives them the push that sends their health over the edge, then they died from measles. We did not “[live] this during COVID” either, because the same point still stands. What is this quackery?
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geoffrey @parsnip.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
obviously a massive scandal for the university and for belgium, but equally a scandal that the president of the united states intervened in academic affairs in europe on behalf of a white supremacist race scientist, though it's likely to be treated as a non-story
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
That's not how executive orders work and that's not how naming things work and this isn't how political reporting should work either. This event should be covered, yes, but as another sign of the president's steady descent into complete ineffectiveness and utter insanity.
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southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
This is a more significant breakdown in the fundamental bonds of the union than the headline might imply. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/27/u... 🎁
nytimes.com
ICE agent Christian Castro Released From Texas Jail After Minnesota Loses Court Fight (Gift Article)
The state had sought to have the agent extradited from Texas to answer charges in Minneapolis related to an on-duty shooting that wounded an immigrant.
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Welp — we’ll let Republican Rep. Massie handle this one 👀
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A good reminder that when you enjoy something someone has done -- a book they wrote, a performance they gave, a speech they made, whatever -- it is incredibly powerful to just reach out and tell them directly.
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Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
The vandalism and desecration of the White House isn't just vanity and it's not trivial. It's caesarism, as in literally what Julius Caesar did to the symbolic architecture of civic republicanism. Our national iconography matters and allowing the disfiguring of it to persist is a substantive harm.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 20/08/2026
It’s hard to put into words just how true this is.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 06/08/2026
The buck stops… there
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Nina Jankowicz @ninajankowicz.com · 03/08/2026
Part-time fellowship opportunity! @americansunlight.org is looking for a Free Expression Fellow to help with our newsletter and to keep TrumpCensorship.org up to date. ☀️ Come work with me, @benmshultz.net, and @kensyring.com! More info below:
The American Sunlight Project works to ensure that citizens have access to trustworthy sources to inform the choices they make in their daily lives. 

We’re seeking a Free Expression Fellow to join our team from August-December, with possible extension pending funding. The Fellow will play a key role in producing our regular newsletter on censorship that helps our readers stay informed on the rapidly evolving US political landscape.
Primary Responsibilities
Weekly Briefing: Compile and write Last Week in Censorship, a clear and engaging newsletter-style roundup of platform policy changes, censorship news, and regulatory developments that erode America’s democracy.
Data collection: In support of our censorship tracker, compile instances from the weekly briefing in a database. 
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be motivated to document instances of democratic backsliding in the United States and excited to take on a part-time, non-profit commitment in service of that goal. You might be a student, retiree, or someone looking to add some moonlighting for a good cause to your resume. You will also possess:
U.S. Citizenship or legal residency;
Exceptional writing skills, with a strong command of tone, clarity, and synthesis;
Knowledge of U.S. politics and social media; 
Experience in research, journalism, public policy, or a related field is desirable;
Familiarity with tech policy, internet culture, free expression issues, and/or platform governance is a strong plus;
Familiarity with Substack is a plus, but not required.
Details
Estimated commitment: 5-8 hours per week, with possible extension pending funding;
Start date: ASAP through December 2026. Flexible scheduling and fully remote; 
Compensation: $2500 honorarium.
To Apply
Send your CV, a short cover note (just a couple paragraphs explaining your interest), and a writing sample (preferably on a tech or policy topic) to benjamin@americansunlight.org. Please include “Fellow Application” in the subject line.
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 01/08/2026
🚨 NEWS: In a new court filing, Capital One says Donald Trump’s accounts were closed in 2021 after months of analysis by its anti-money laundering (AML) professionals, not because of politics, as Trump has long claimed. 1/
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Costa Samaras @costasamaras.com · 19/07/2026
Could Excel be conscious? We surveyed more than Jan 1 1900 people to find out.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 17/07/2026
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Allison Gill @muellershewrote.com · 17/07/2026
When we have fires in the US, Canada sent help. When Canada has fires, Trump threatens them with tariffs. What an asshole.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 16/07/2026
If I’d used this justification (or the other — I believe it was something like, “he’s getting away and might potentially hurt someone!” — one that was cited by ICE) for any kind of use of deadly force when I was on patrol, I’d rightfully have been strung up by IA before I could finish the sentence.
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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Note the date
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
It is undeniably funny that Chris Rufo - whose whole career is based on the idea that identity politics is so bad that its fine to ruin people's lives over it - is unhappy that Mamdani is not adequately appreciative of his identity
Rufo accusing Mamdani of anti-italian bias
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Dante Atkins @danteatkins.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
This isn't stupid. It's worse. Grim's apparent argument is "she said something to him that could have been interpreted as an invitation and therefore she deserves whatever happened next despite clearly saying no"
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Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
They’ve said this about nearly everyone they’ve shot in a moving car, and they’ve lied nearly every time.
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Eric Rauchway @rauchway.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
“Until now, I’ve been a passionate supporter of SS-Sturmbannführer Arnold Toht, the Nazi who got his face melted off by the sight of God, in his race for Senator. I believe the people of Maine deserve better than Susan Collins”
mcsweeneys.net
If Only There Had Been a Sign That the Face-Melting Nazi from Indiana Jones Wouldn’t Make a Good Senator
“There’s simply no way any of us could have predicted a Nazi SS guy with his eyeballs dangling out of his sockets and the Staff of Ra broiled into his flesh ...
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Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Ukrainians take out oil and military installations. Russians take out homes, apartments, schools and churches. They are not the same.
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Andrew Weinstein @andrewjweinstein.com · 04/07/2026
I don’t need an Independence Day message from Donald Trump. The day he pardoned the first J6 insurrectionist, he forfeited any claim to patriotism.
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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Top presidents in US history ranked by best speech: 1) Lincoln 2) FDR 3) Whitmore
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Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
What happened to Scott Wiener at yesterday's trans rights rally in San Francisco was disgusting, appalling, and unacceptable. I am deeply grateful to Mr. Wiener for supporting trans equality, and it is insane to me that anyone would harass him in that setting. 1/2
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Paul Waldman @paulwaldman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Here's my latest at Public Notice:
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 24/06/2026
Trump invokes the traditional definition of treason—providing “aid and comfort” to the enemy—in attacking U.S. senators, including four Republicans, over their vote today in favor of the War Powers Act resolution on Iran. Trump also pretends he won a war he lost.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 24/06/2026
So he’s accusing the Senate of… treason? Yeah, no. Members of our national legislature voting to enforce constitutional separation of powers is in no way treason, no matter how badly he wants it to be.
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Brandy Zadrozny @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
New filing by SPLC suggests FBI opened its investigation based on a letter sent to Stephen Miller in Aug 2026 from Liberty Counsel, Moms for Liberty, TPUSA and other rw groups—complaining about their inclusion in the Hate Map. The incident report cribs from the rw activists letter repeatedly.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 20/06/2026
I swear for the first couple seconds I thought this was John Candy playing a characture of a rich guy, and was trying to think of what movie this was.
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 17/06/2026
This is exactly right. The question is whether democracies can move fast enough to answer it. More of what we saw in Belfast last week will be what happens if they don’t, and as online stochastic amplification continues to outpace any meaningful response.
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Joel S. @joelhs.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
This is just straightforward white nationalist great replacement rhetoric, the kind of thing that would have been confined to neo-Nazi forums a decade ago. Multiple mass shooters in recent years believed exactly this.
Tweet from the Department of Homeland Security: “Import the third world, become the third world. Thank you for your attention to this matter! 🇺🇸”
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Sarah Kay @k-interarma.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
“higher than most” is a euphemism: NI is the most dangerous place to be a woman in Europe, and “higher” at a rate of three times that of Britain. And believe me we know who the perpetrators are: they’re not migrants. Source: www.nus-usi.org/gender_based...
nus-usi.org
Gender Based Violence
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Ken Syring @kensyring.com · 14/06/2026
Couple days late in seeing this, but the ignorance of this is just absolutely staggering. The groups involved in this unrest are primarily from unionist/loyalist communities. Their core political identity is rooted in being British, and historically, in violently opposing an Irish national identity.
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Tim Fernholz @timfernholz.com · 13/06/2026
people who work and invest in AI frequently ask me why their work polls so badly
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Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
omg 😱 They're killing victims.
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