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Rick Tulsky

@ricktulsky.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1.8K following 1.8K posts

Author, Injustice Town, available now. John Grisham calls it "outrageous and unbelievable." The New Yorker calls it "comprehensive and sobering." I call it: Sad reality. www.simonandschuster.com/books/Inju…

PostsRepliesMedia
Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
I’m hoping reporters push Darline Graham to state her position on Donald Trump’s actions easing Russian sanctions and trying to blame Ukraine for the war. This is NOT what her brother stood for. I mean, I know it’s hard to grasp international policy, but….. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/10/w...
nytimes.com
Rebuking Ukraine Over Oil Strikes, Trump Says It Should ‘Get a New President’ (Gift Article)
Hours after President Trump said the United States would buy Russian diesel, the Kremlin said there would be no immediate resumption of discussions to end the war.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Nice work @shannonheffernan.bsky.social (and Lauren). Horrific situation.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This is hard to get my head around: The people whom Vance identified committing 'fraud' were not people earning too much money to receive subsidies. They were people earning too little. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/h...
nytimes.com
Trump Officials Eject 750,000 From Obamacare Markets, Claiming Fraud (Gift Article)
Vice President JD Vance said the measure would save the government $2.2 billion.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I think there is a straight line to be drawn between disinterest in "Freedom Fest" and the need to tear down the Kennedy Center because of 'structural danger" once suddenly the people who would perform there were not the performers that people wanted to hear? newrepublic.com/post/215697/...
newrepublic.com
MAGA Festival With Kid Rock Canceled After No One Wanted to Go
The “Freedom Fest” is no longer happening after dismal ticket sales.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Heck, why investigate this when there is 'vote fraud by foreign citizens," or "people filing improperly for health insurance benefits" to explore? www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Build alliances with unreliable people, do no expect to be able o rely on them. Seems obvious...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The new plan seems to be "Let's claim "fraud," and we can help destroy Obamacare even further." Heck, why should people who can't afford it get health care, anyway? www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Trump officials plan to cut hundreds of thousands from ACA, claiming fraud
Vance targeted ACA enrollment as part of a broader administration crackdown on suspected fraud.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The Utah Supreme Court wouldn't give the Republican legislature the gerrymandering it wanted. So.....pack the courts.
utahnewsdispatch.com
Utah Legislature passes bill to expand Utah Supreme Court, add 5 more lower court judges • Utah News Dispatch
A bill to expand the Utah Supreme Court from five justices to seven has won final approval from the Utah Legislature.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The most transparent Pentagon ever. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
More U.S. troops have died amid Iran war than Pentagon has disclosed publicly
Officials who spoke with The Post expressed frustration that the additional loss of life in the Middle East is not reflected in the Defense Department’s casualty database.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
This dog should be named Stanley, obviously
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Inconceivable. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/14/p...
chicagotribune.com
‘Princess Bride’ is becoming a Broadway musical, premiering in Chicago
A new Broadway musical version of “The Princess Bride” will premiere in Chicago next summer, lead producer Jeffrey Seller (“Hamilton”) told the Tribune on Sunday.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“Vote for Republicans to make America healthy,” says fast food burger chain. Umm, I’m not sure Steak N Shake is my go-to for advice on health or politics. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
GOP Sen. Jon Husted wins an unusual endorsement — from Steak ’n Shake
The Midwestern fast food chain praised the Ohio Republican as a champion of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Go Canes
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
But her email! www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-n...
sacurrent.com
Gay hookup app Grindr experiences Dallas outages during Republicans' Trump-a-Palooza
Grinding it out? Republicans attend the party's "Trump-a-palooza" convention in Dallas. Grindr, the LGBTQ+ hookup app, is experiencing outages in Dallas
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Such a nice. review from Henry Goldman, who knows the courts as well as anyone. henrygoldman.substack.com/p/injustice-...
henrygoldman.substack.com
Injustice Town
When the cop on the beat is a rapist on your street
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Injustice Town substack.com/@henrygoldma...
substack.com
Injustice Town
When the cop on the beat is a rapist on your street
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Pete Hegseth's policies ("more testosterone will destroy Iran!") can't win popular support on their own, so it appears the Pentagon has given civilian posts to conservative veterans with social media followings to amplify his B.S. wapo.st/4iExvH4
wapo.st
Pentagon secretly installs military influencers in civilian roles
Conservative veterans with large social media followings have been hired by the Defense Department and are amplifying Pete Hegseth’s culture-war fights.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
If only that were the only example of his efforts to achieve an autocracy.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Hypocrisy alert Seeing @hcrichardson.bsky.social's piece (citing the Atlantic) on GOP lawmakers' plotting to restrict naturalized citizens from running for office, I have to ask: Does anybody remember when Orrin Hatch wanted to change the Constitution so Schwartzenegger could be president?
en.wikipedia.org
Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment - Wikipedia
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Wow. I thought all public spaces had to be renamed Donald Trump.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Once a country that boasted, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free," we're now denying due process to abused kids... www.chicagotribune.com/2026/08/26/c...
chicagotribune.com
Immigration judges in Chicago deporting abused, neglected children in violation of their due process: attorneys
An immigration judge entered removal proceedings against some of the children, despite their attempts to seek a long-held legal protection to remain in safety in the United States due to abuse or negl...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
This is beyond 'of course.'
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
So we have until Trump tramples on the right to vote before anyone can stop him? www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...
supremecourt.gov
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
"Colorful past" is such a euphemism... www.chicagotribune.com/2026/08/22/w...
chicagotribune.com
Prosecutor with colorful past back at center of controversy in US attorney’s office
Federal prosecutor William Hogan, who’d largely faded from public view, is once again the subject of controversy at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Guess who is back...."Even though three federal district judges had overturned El Rukn convictions due to Hogan’s alleged misconduct, the administrative judge overruled his firing, saying the Justice Department failed to prove any wrongdoing on his part. Hogan’s story became one of redemption."
chicagotribune.com
Prosecutor with colorful past back at center of controversy in US attorney’s office
Federal prosecutor William Hogan, who’d largely faded from public view, is once again the subject of controversy at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.
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Reposted by Rick Tulsky
Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
BREAKING: WASHINGTON (AP) - Editor of Stars and Stripes says he is being fired for insubordination after saying any censorship is a 'red line.'
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
What ever happened to Mr. Art of the Deal? www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/w...
nytimes.com
Canada-U.S. Trade War Escalates As Talks Collapse (Gift Article)
Intense negotiations to stave off new levies by the Trump administration ended in an impasse as Mark Carney suspended talks. U.S. tariffs on Canada, and retaliatory tariffs on the U.S., will come into...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Here's how Darlene Graham recovered from her embarrasing admission of being "not that informed" on national security: "I think people in South Carolina are more worried about boys in girls’ sports” than about Taiwan and the threat from China. That seems even worse than her original error.
nytimes.com
Darline Graham’s Debate Misstep Tests South Carolina’s Appetite for a Political Newcomer (Gift Article)
The South Carolina senator has argued that her lack of political experience is a strength as she runs to succeed her late brother, Lindsey Graham. But a debate misstep has rattled some of her supporte...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The NYT reports on the fact that the government watchdogs have turned into lapdogs, while NPR has a terrific piece about how complaints filed by immigrants over mistreatment in the for-profit warehouses go nowhere. Thank God we have strong Congressional oversight to protect us, right? Right?
nytimes.com
Trump Fired the Watchdogs. Their Replacements Have a Different Mission.
President Trump is installing his allies in the offices of inspector general, which are meant to provide independent government oversight.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Yeah, I'm not sure what the duties of that senior government job is.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Who could have possibly known? It is such a surprise.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
So interesting, @stevenbeschloss.bsky.social, that so much of the retweeting and commentary of this focuses on the last part of this post. I'm glad you highlighted the first part. Stunning. Also, I thought Tom Nichols captured the motivation: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
Trump Will Make South Korea Pay for His Iran Humiliation
His rage is driving him to make irrational policy choices.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
My God how is this an appropriate message from the White House Communications director? x.com/StevenCheung...
x.com
Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) on X
Jon Jackoff has to be the biggest cuck loser in politics. Instead of denigrating hard working people serving their country, Jon should look deep into his soul and ask himself why he's a miserable pers...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
It's horrendous, but I'm not sure illegal(?). I think the Hatch Act does not apply to presidential appointees. That's not to say it's not completely outside what we should expect/demand of our officials.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Tip to everyone reading this: Stop. Your time is probably better spent reading Kin by Tayari Jones. It's a book that I had to read so slowly, simply to savor the brilliance of so many passages. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/635411...
penguinrandomhouse.com
Kin: Oprah's Book Club by Tayari Jones: 9780525659181 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR • OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK • A magnificent new novel from the bestselling, award-winning author of An American...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I'm not defending the act of painting "Clean Hands Dirty $$" on the WWII memorial. But I am struck by the contrast to those who defaced the Capitol and assaulted police, in some cases, not only being pardoned but in line to get cash rewards. apnews.com/article/wwii...
apnews.com
Suspect arrested in World War II Memorial vandalism in Washington, Pirro says
A suspect has been arrested and will be charged in connection with the vandalism of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. Melissa L.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
How can we feed kids when we need to fix reflecting pools and build ballrooms and the Trump line of destroyers? We can't do everything, after all. (I say that facetiously, obviously, but the hunger is especially outrageous contrasted with the profligate spending.)
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
2/ I first met Lamonte in prison, and have watched ever since. (I wrote Injustice Town about his saga). And I'm proud to now support Miracle of Innocence, which is having a gala fundraiser Sept. 26 in Overland Park. I'd urge everyone who could to attend, or consider supporting MOI. Thanks!
miracleofinnocence.org
MOI Gala Highlights 2025 | miracleofinnocence
Miracle of Innocence Fundraising Gala 2025. Led by Darryl Burton and Lamonte McIntyre Exonerees, who spent 47 years collectively in prison for crimes they did not commit. Raising funds to help free an...
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
KC area people (and everyone)! Lamonte McIntyre spent 23 years in prison, wrongly convicted of a double murder. Imagine what it is like upon finally being cleared and released. Many people would never succeed. But Lamonte and another exoneree, Darryl Burton, created Miracle of Innocence (more)
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Remember those old fashioned days of Congressional oversight? Where is Frank Church when we need him?
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Because the WaPost has the unsurprising answer: www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
washingtonpost.com
Covert CIA program said to be behind mysterious attacks on Galápagos boats
A surveillance plane flew from El Salvador toward the fishing boats before drones attacked, flight data shows.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
And while we're on the subject of covert abuses, note the NYT question this week, about who are those "gringos" targeting the boats of Ecuadorian fisherman... www.nytimes.com/2026/08/12/w...
nytimes.com
Ecuadorean Fishing Boats Hit by Mystery Attackers
Ecuadorean crews plying the waters of the Pacific have been targeted by a mysterious outfit equipped with drones. Some sailors appear to have lost their lives.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I'm guessing there will be no Church committee to save us this time. Am I right, Sen. Thune and Rep. Johnson?
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Horrific: "[U.S.] officials used an array of invasive tactics during the first half of this year to gather information on many groups and individuals who were never accused of crimes, crossing the line that has traditionally stood between investigating criminal activity and political dissent."
nytimes.com
U.S. Investigated Left-Leaning Groups During Minnesota Immigration Crackdown (Gift Article)
The government conducted expansive surveillance, infiltrated group chats and obtained financial records of organizations never accused of crimes.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Just wondering: How many hungry people would this feed? www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/u...
nytimes.com
Homeland Security Paid $464 Million for Airplanes. Then It Parked Them.
The agency used a no-bid contract to buy 10 used jets, saying they were urgently needed for deportation flights. But the fleet has largely sat idle for months.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The callers seem to have hit the maximum.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Except that a doctor with a history of public health work would vote to confirm him. THAT was the surprise.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Shame on the schools that caved. And yay for Harvard. It's much the same as the lawfirms that stood up, versus those that caved. How do we respond to the bullying? www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/u...
nytimes.com
Judge Dismisses Federal Government’s Antisemitism Case Against Harvard
The government argued the university had not done enough to combat antisemitism during campus protests. A judge called the incidents “isolated and episodic.”
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Amazing that people can be satisfied for years with 'concern' instead of action.
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Rick Tulsky @ricktulsky.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Can it be more blasphemous than for a man who does not believe in Allah to say "Praise be to Allah"? Why is this okay? I don't understand why this doesn't provoke more protest from religious people of all faiths.
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