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maureentva.bsky.social

@maureentva.bsky.social
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Adam Cohen (My Personal Views Only) @axidentaliberal.bsky.social · 14h
More Trump administration corruption At the request of lobbyists Continental Strategy, Susie Wiles-Trump’s Chief of Staff-met a Putin aligned member of Bosnia’s presidential delegation at the White House Why is this significant Because her daughter-Katie Wiles-is a partner at Continental Strategy
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/10/2026
NEW: Records show Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 trips during his tenure, costing $3.3 million in security. We could only connect 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs to state business. with @texastribune.org
propublica.org
Ken Paxton’s Security for Travel Cost Taxpayers Millions. Just 1 in 6 of His Trips Had a Stated Business Purpose.
Records show the Texas attorney general has taken nearly 1,000 trips during his tenure, costing $3.3 million in security. We could only connect 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs to sta...
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Senator Sheldon Whitehouse @whitehouse.senate.gov · 17h
Putin throws lifeline to try to save Trump in the midterms. In return, American dollars go to Russia and get put toward killing innocent Ukrainians. Trump/Russia right out in the open. www.dailymail.com/news/article...
dailymail.com
Putin throws Trump midterm lifeline as Russia agrees to supply diesel
Donald Trump announced today that Vladimir Putin has agreed to supply the US with hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel.
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Maria Popova @popovaprof.bsky.social · 19h
Theatre of the absurd! Trump announces US will buy diesel from russia even though he signed a law mandating sanctions for any country buying russian energy. Meanwhile russia actually has a diesel export ban because they can’t meet domestic demand.
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Ian @ianlivingston.bsky.social · 19h
Go tell them to move their loitering authoritarian asses somewhere else
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 23h
ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reviewed Ken Paxton's travel records dating back to 2015. Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 trips with a state-funded security detail, costing $3.3 million. The outlets could only connect 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs to actual state business.
propublica.org
Ken Paxton’s Security for Travel Cost Taxpayers Millions. Just 1 in 6 of His Trips Had a Stated Business Purpose.
Records show the Texas attorney general has taken nearly 1,000 trips during his tenure, costing $3.3 million in security. We could only connect 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs to sta...
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 09/10/2026
Ossoff: "The question was about the stewardship of tax dollars. And as we stand here today Rep. Collins is under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars. For illegally funneling public money to his violent staffers girlfriend."
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/10/2026
“There was zero plan, except causing pain,” said one U.N. official about the Trump administration’s decision to stop funding the group with no notice or communication. “And that is not forgivable.” (Published Dec. 2025)
propublica.org
After Trump Officials Cut Food Aid to Kenya, Children Starved to Death
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
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David Rothschild @davmicrot.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Ossoff is definitely not listening to Yglesias/Klein/PodSave reactionary centrist crowd, he does not think his marginal voter is a white-supremacist, and that is what makes him such an attractive candidate to the vast majority of US who are not white-supremacists.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
This thing has made me go do a lot of reading tonight, and the Wikipedia page about the last public execution in the United States is well-written. It was Rainey Bethea, a Black man hanged in front of a crowd of 20,000 in 1936, a spectacle which embarrassed Kentucky enough that they ended hangings.
Hanna placed the noose around Bethea's neck, adjusted it, and then signaled to Hash to pull the trigger. Instead, Hash, who was drunk, did nothing. Hanna shouted at Hash, "Do it!" A deputy then leaned onto the trigger, which sprang the trap door. citation needed! Bethea fell 8 feet (2.4 m), and his neck was instantly broken.
Afterward, two doctors confirmed he was dead.
His body was taken to Andrew & Wheatley
Funeral Home. Icitation needed! He wanted his body to be sent to his sister in South Carolina so that she could arrange for him to be interred next to his father, but against these wishes, he was buried in a pauper's grave at Owensboro Cemetery (also known as City Cemetery and
"Potter's Field") in Owensboro. 14]It was estimated that a crowd of about 20,000 people gathered to watch the execution.!9! One man, 36-year-old Leonard A. Peters, was killed in a car accident while driving to Owensboro to witness the hanging. Three others, including his wife, were injured. 15. Afterwards, Hanna complained that Hash should not have been allowed to perform the execution in his drunken
condition. Hanna further said it was the worst display he experienced in the 70 hangings he had supervised. citation needed]
The spot where the scaffold stood
(approximately 37.775248° -87.116462°) is now part of a drop-off/pick-up lane in front of the Owensboro Convention Center. citation needed]へ
End of public executions in
Kentucky
As the Kentucky General Assembly had been meeting in its biennial sessions at the time, the media circus surrounding the Bethea execution embarrassed members of the Kentucky
legislature. In spite of the humiliation, they could not amend laws regarding executions until the next session in 1938. However, the trial judges in two separate Kentucky rape cases ordered that the hangings of John "Pete" Montjoy and Harold Van Venison be conducted privately. Montjoy, age 23, was privately hanged in Covington on December 17, 1937.On January 17, 1938, William R. Attkisson of the Kentucky State Senate's 38th District (representing Louisville), introduced Senate Bill 69, repealing the requirement in Section 1137 that executions for convicted rapists be conducted by hanging in the county seat where they raped their victims. The bill was promoted in the Kentucky House of Representatives by Representative Charles W. Anderson Jr., one of the attorneys who assisted Bethea in his post-conviction relief motions.
After both houses approved the bill, Governor Chandler signed it into law on March 12, 1938; it became effective on May 30 of that year.
Chandler later expressed regret at having approved the repeal, claiming, "Our streets are no longer safe." The last person ever legally hanged in Kentucky was Harold Van Venison, a
33-year-old African-American singer, who was privately executed in Covington on June 3, 1938.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Whoa. @haleaziz.bsky.social has the scoop on a truly insane plan to use some military training ships for deportations, with people presumably shackled or locked in cells for days at a time as they transit to Central and South America. Each journey would be staggeringly expensive — and dangerous.
nytimes.com
Trump Administration Considers Using Ships to Deport Immigrants (Gift Article)
Journeys to destinations including El Salvador and Venezuela could take days and cost millions. Officials cautioned that discussions are still preliminary.
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The 400 richest Americans are now worth a record $8 trillion. The entire bottom 50% of American households is worth just $4.27 trillion. Read that back. When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Devastating 💔 Abolish ice www.instagram.com/reel/DePkMcN...
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billkittle.bsky.social @billkittle.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
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Micah @rincewind.run · 08/10/2026
the reason “AI will create so much abundance we will have a utopian society” rhetoric falls so flat is that the people building it will never, ever share their bounty unless it is taken from them and we all know it
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Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Another ICE shooting, in NYC abc7ny.com/post/person-...
abc7ny.com
Person shot during interaction with ICE agents in Marble Hill
A person was shot during an interaction with ICE agents in Manhattan on Thursday.
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The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 08/10/2026
Most people don't realize dumb is spelled with a B
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Trump and Republicans are terrified of policies that curb their own wealth and power, and the wealth and power of the oligarchs that bankroll them. That's why they're amping up the fearmongering about "socialism."
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Elizabeth Warren @warren.senate.gov · 08/10/2026
Wall Street and corporations have schemed for decades to stack the bench with judges who rule against consumers and workers. Result? Federal courts have distorted the law to further rig the economy—and you're paying the price. Democrats must be clear-eyed about this challenge.
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Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The Big Beautiful Bill cut corporate income taxes pretty substantially. Corporate tax revenues came in even lower than expected.
corporate tax revenue was at around 1.7% of GDP when BBB was enacted. Now it's down to 1.2% of GDP.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Oh yeah, those are definitely the Big Two when it comes to understanding socialism. Check out the big brain on J.D. here! He's definitely not an idiot.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 08/10/2026
Eric Deters: "Kimberly Guilfoyle is a grifter. Kimberly Guilfoyle I have no doubt has done this to more than me. She's doing it right now in Greece. I know Corey Lewandowski did this stuff. I know Kristi Noem did this stuff."
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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 08/10/2026
The CDC just re-opened a previously shelved study that would withhold the hepatitis B vaccine from children in Guinea-Bissau, despite decades of evidence showing it is safe and effective. This is a violation of human rights, using “science” to harm some of the most vulnerable people in the world.
Breaking-news graphic featuring a photo of RFK Jr with headline that reads "RFK JR. TO GIVE 1.6M IN CDC FUNDS TO EXPERIMENT ON AFRICAN BABIES IN UNETHICAL TRIAL"
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Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The foreigners are literally subsidizing the education and research of Americans, ya dipshit
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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Death of a handyman: ICE cited “convictions for driving with expired vehicle registration” and an unspecified judgment against him in favor of the Maryland comptroller. The 47-year-old Curo-Churata "had volunteered to leave the country on his own, but a judge denied the request."
thebanner.com
Laurel father and husband died in ICE custody in Louisiana
Julián Curo-Churata lived in Laurel for about 17 years before he was detained in June by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. He died in the agency’s custody on Sept. 29.
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Adam Hamilton @hamilton4kansas.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
🚨 100+ Kansas Republicans just launched Republicans for Hamilton, a statewide coalition backing Adam for U.S. Senate. The list includes former governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden, a former Senate President, a former House Majority Leader, and Roger Marshall’s primary opponent.
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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
The Trump Crime Family
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Jason Dogwood 💙 🏳️‍🌈 🌱 @jasondogwood.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Matthew Shepard was twenty-one years old. He was gentle and kind. On this night in 1998, he lay tied to a wooden fence for eighteen hours under the bright Wyoming stars. Not for any crime he committed. He lay there, alone and cold, simply for existing as a gay man.
The fence where Matthew Shepard was found and a small picture of Matthew
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Roger Sollenberger @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
If Deters didn’t make the payment to cover Kim Guilfoyle’s $100,000 AmEx debt ahead of her ambassador confirmation, then who paid it? Her ethics disclosure doesn’t list any credit card debt
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Why have so many people fallen behind? It's not because of immigrants, trans people, or any other bogeyman trotted out by the GOP. It's because corporations and billionaires rigged the system in their favor — and a bought-off political establishment let it happen. It's time to fix the system.
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Senate Budget Committee @senatebudget.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
🧵Donald Trump is a con man. From his time on the campaign trail to present day, he continues to tell the American people lie after lie. These are 11 of his most harmful, costly broken promises. www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-memb...
budget.senate.gov
New Report Reveals How American Families Are Paying the Price for Trump’s Broken Promises | U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget
The Official U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget
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Rick Claypool @rickclaypool.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Since Trump took office, @publiccitizen.bsky.social has tracked the admin's retreat from enforcement against corporate lawbreaking. Today, our new report documents the admin's cancellation of investigations, lawsuits, & penalties against more than *200* corporations. www.citizen.org/article/trum...
citizen.org
Trump’s Cascade of Canceled Corporate Enforcement Against Over 200 Corporations - Public Citizen
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Pete Buttigieg @petebuttigieg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
As Transportation Secretary, I could always count on a Congressional Republican to take credit for an infrastructure win that they had voted against. That's the type of behavior that makes people cynical about politics - but it doesn't have to be that way.
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Roger Sollenberger @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
DOJ hired these prosecutors: -A gambling exec turned conspiracy theorist podcaster -A guy found liable for selling fraudulent insurance leads -A guy who violated attorney-client privilege in a high-profile murder trial -A guy currently facing animal neglect charges www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/u...
nytimes.com
Justice Dept. Turns to Partisans and Conspiracists to Fill Depleted Ranks
The civil rights unit has recruited people whose questionable work histories and dearth of education and experience might have disqualified them in the past, former officials said.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I'm not sure if @oversightdemocrats.bsky.social have issued a statement on this yet, but they should publicly announce that if Russ Vought tries to fuck with the election in any way they will fire him out of a cannon when they take power.
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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: GOP lawyer Cleta Mitchell and convicted election denier Tina Peters are pushing a scheme to have Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick seize voting machines, as part of a broader effort for the Trump administration to interfere with the midterm vote. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
Election deniers Cleta Mitchell and Tina Peters want Trump’s commerce secretary to seize voting machines
The problem? No federal official can seize control of election administration from the states and counties, who hold the power run elections under the U.S. Constitution.
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
UPDATE: Trump just awarded another $3 BILLION military contract to a company backed by his son Don Jr. (and Peter Thiel) — what skilled businessmen these Trumps are! Robbing the American taxpayer in broad daylight.
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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Lafayette Square isn't "a historic protest site." It's a fucking park. And it's packed on nice days. Calling it a protest site is White House framing. They're closing a popular public park to create a presidential palace Saddam Hussein would love.
nytimes.com
Inside Trump's Plan to Fence Off a Historic Protest Site (Gift Article)
The president’s proposal to enclose a park in Washington could alter how the space has been used for generations.
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Charles Keener @charleskeener.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The amount of Amazon workers relying on SNAP and Medicaid has nearly TRIPLED since 2020. Meanwhile, Amazon's profits have soared by 550% in the same time frame. Watch this before you shop for Prime Day.
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Tom Walsh @tewalsh340.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 05/10/2026
Holy shit.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 05/10/2026
"Great to be in Venezuela today," says Doug Burgum in New Orleans
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Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 05/10/2026
NEW: Trump said he was impressed by the speed of Brazil's election results in a social media post on Sunday. Brazil uses electronic voting machines and no paper ballots. If America conducted elections that way, Trump would be calling the results fraudulent.
democracydocket.com
Trump praised the speed of Brazil’s elections. They’re actually his nightmare
Trump praised Brazil’s elections in a Truth Social post late Tuesday, despite the country using electronic voting machines.
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Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
“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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ProPublica @propublica.org · 05/10/2026
NEW: Remember when John Oliver opened a church to expose how easy it was to get tax exemptions? This year, ProPublica reporters set out to establish private schools to test if, truly, anyone could open one. We founded two. Here’s how.
propublica.org
How ProPublica Reporters Became Private School Owners in 24 Hours
The reporting experiment demonstrates how easy it can be to open private schools that might then access public money. No credentials or background checks required.
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Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The Missouri Constitution clearly states that no taxpayer funds may be appropriated for use at private religious schools. Here is exact language👇🏻
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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
In 1989 CEOs made 60x the average worker. Today it's 325x. I guess the corporate ladder is getting taller. With @svaneksmith.bsky.social newsletter.platypuseconomics.com/p/…
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 03/10/2026
Our reporting found that in Arkansas, one private school continued to operate even though the founder served jail time for permitting child abuse. Join us Oct. 6 at 4 pm ET for a discussion about the changing private school landscape: events.propublica.org/wild-west-sch…
Virtual Event: The Wild West of School Vouchers. Join us to discuss how a surge in public funding is changing the private school landscape and what it means for families. Tuesday, Oct. 6. 4 p.m. EST. Illustration: A giant orange pencil points up and to the right. In the background is a pattern made up of gray school chairs.
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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The fact that a few friends and family members of the president just kinda wander the world soliciting billion-dollar bribes ostensibly to "end wars" is a real "it would all be very unpopular if you could convince people it was happening" sorts of deals
nytimes.com
U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine Now Involve an Oil Deal Tied to Trump Allies (Gift Article)
President Vladimir V. Putin brought up a sale of Russian energy assets with President Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, pushing a deal that raises new questions about conflicts of inter...
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