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Rachel Levinson-Waldman

@rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social
7K followers 251 following 445 posts

Director, Liberty & National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice. Raised in Austin TX; in DC for last 20+ years; MA/WA/IL/CA/NZ in between. Owner of extremely cute dog.

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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Amos Toh @amostoh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Rogue AI or rogue AI industry? My latest for @brennancenter.org explains how Congress should investigate AI companies for the recent wave of hacking incidents. Lawmakers should focus on whether the race to build ever more powerful AI sidelined digital security:
brennancenter.org
How Congress Should Investigate Threat from Rogue AI Agents
The government must evaluate systemic failures with an eye toward establishing meaningful regulation.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
👇👇👇 this is an incredible offer - you’d have no better guide than Julia!
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 21/09/2026
Originalism is gaining influence in constitutional law. How can lawyers and historians work together to address originalist arguments in the courts? Join Brennan Center lawyers and leading American historians virtually on Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. ET. RSVP:
brennancenter.org
Reading the Past: Historians and Lawyers in Dialogue
This practical conversation will explore originalism, historical evidence, and how lawyers and historians can work together in the courts.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 18/09/2026
Here are eight solutions that could ensure all eligible U.S. citizens have a right to vote in elections that are free, fair, and secure — a cornerstone of democracy. bit.ly/4j4uGiG
brennancenter.org
Eight Solutions to Protect Voting Rights and Improve Representation
Congress must make voting fairer and more accessible for U.S. citizens and mitigate damage done by states, the executive branch, and the Supreme Court.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This seemed to fly under the radar when it came out last week, but it’s quite seismic: Anthropic is proactively monitoring dissent & reporting it to police while refusing to share the underlying information. This is an obvious and also wildly concerning development in this timeline we’re living in.
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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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 13/09/2026
Inspectors general play a critical role in keeping government accountable. But their independence is under threat. Congress must act to restore robust oversight. bit.ly/4zOOOeN
brennancenter.org
Restoring Independence to Government Watchdogs
Stronger job protections, auditing standards, and oversight are needed to allow inspectors general to do their jobs effectively.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
From former DHS inspector general John Roth, a true expert on what offices of inspector general need in order to carry out their critical functions.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
As @faizapatel.bsky.social observes, the Prairieland prosecutions & convictions, the Minneapolis indictments, and the Southern Poverty Law Center investigation have a common thread: quashing opposition to administration policies and practices. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
brennancenter.org
How the Administration Picks Its Targets, Then Picks the Crime
The administration is using the Antifa label and other means to prosecute its opponents.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 01/09/2026
We interviewed 35 federal judges. Every single one said the dangers federal judges face are more serious today than in the past. @washingtonpost.com breaks down our report, which covers the sharp rise in threats over the past decade and makes recommendations.
washingtonpost.com
Dozens of federal judges describe intensifying threats in new report
One jurist paid to construct a safe room after the floor plan of their home was posted on the internet.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Alicia Bannon @aliciabannon.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
NEW: Threats against federal judges have surged since 2021. My @brennancenter.org colleagues and I interviewed 35 sitting and retired judges about the heightened threat environment. We discuss causes & impact make recs about how to improve judicial security. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Protecting Judges from Rising Threats
Federal judges and their families are facing extraordinary pressures. Improved security can ensure that they remain safe and that judicial independence remains uncompromised.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Congratulations to @thefireorg.bsky.social! This is an incredibly important victory for the principle that every single person in this country - regardless of their citizenship status - is vested with the rights to free speech and due process.
fire.org
BREAKING: Federal court rules the statutes the Trump admin used in its speech-based deportation scheme are unconstitutional
A federal court ruled that the provisions Secretary of State Marco Rubio used in an attempt to deport legal immigrants for their speech are unconstitutional.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 27/08/2026
For 30 years, no administration used the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. But now, a case is making its way through the court. bit.ly/3SWQLoQ
brennancenter.org
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court, Explained
The Trump administration is the first to use the 30-year-old specialty court to try to deport an immigrant it says has ties to terrorist activity.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Relatedly, I'm glad to see members of Congress, led by @pressley.house.gov, @ramirez.house.gov, & @repmcgovern.bsky.social, spearheading an inquiry into State & Treasury's targeting of civil society, political dissent, & foreign nationals under the banner of combating domestic terrorism & extremism.
ramirez.house.gov
Ramirez, Pressley, McGovern Open Congressional Inquiry of Trump Administration Persecution of Political Dissent, Targeting of Left-leaning Political Groups
Washington, DC — Congressmembers Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led 23 colleagues in a letter to the U.S.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 25/08/2026
DHS agents secretly recorded meetings of anti-ICE protesters at churches, libraries around Minneapolis, infiltrated group chats, sought financial records, and more. The scope of the surveillance was “breathtaking,” @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social tells NPR.
npr.org
Churches, libraries and breweries: Inside DHS' covert surveillance operation
DHS allegedly went undercover at community meetings, subpoenaed the financial records of labor unions, and created dossiers on people at a church gathering, according to court filings.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
A personal post: in March, I joined seven other women, including my closest childhood friend, on a spectacular canoe trip down a section of the Rio Grande. We started off by driving through Big Bend National Park to get to our put-in spot. The scenery was some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
Picture of crystalline water reflecting stark desert hills and green brush.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Great explainer on the legal questions around state and local cooperation with the federal government 👇👇
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Really great rundown by @danw329.bsky.social on voters’ feelings about money in politics in Alaska and beyond - starts at 21:25.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This blockbuster story about DHS's and DOJ's joint investigation of individuals and orgs who committed no crimes should be getting ALL the attention. With a functional legislative branch, it would be kicking off a major Congressional investigation as well. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/u...
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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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
It could well get worse from here. “The label of ‘terrorism’ is a powerful political tool,” Sufia Khalid, a lawyer representing one of the Prairieland defendants, told me. For the last two decades, the “terrorism” charge was leveled almost exclusively at a religious minority, lulling some into believing that such laws would not affect them. Now, the domestic use of the terrorism charge threatens to cast its net even wider.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 17/08/2026
States and localities generally have the authority to decide whether and how their officials work with ICE. Our new explainer breaks down the legal questions surrounding those decisions: bit.ly/4ghurOi
brennancenter.org
Are States and Localities Required to Cooperate with ICE?
State and local officials’ responsibility to aid in federal immigration enforcement is largely a matter of state and local law, despite the administration’s claims to the contrary.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 17/08/2026
Breaking: Four cities and counties filed a lawsuit challenging DHS’s new funding conditions, which require states to adopt certain election policies — like using the inaccurate SAVE program to verify voters’ and election workers’ citizenship — or risk losing tens of millions in federal funds.
brennancenter.org
Nashville v. DHS
The Brennan Center and co-counsel filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of cities and counties to challenge the Department of Homeland Security’s demand that states change election rules or lose antiterro...
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Interesting developments 24 hours after I posted this - Flock announced it was reducing default data retention from 30 to 7 days, turning on audit assistance by default, automatically suspending access by users whose activity looks abnormal, and requiring case numbers for all searches.
flocksafety.com
Flock Updates Privacy, Accountability, Security, and Transparency Safeguards
Flock is cutting default data retention to seven days, making misuse detection mandatory for every customer, and inviting the rest of the industry to meet the same standard.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Honored to join Ellen Schrecker & Sam Lebovic in submitting the Historians' Amicus Brief in AAUP v. Rubio. 🗃️ The brief focuses on the First & Second Red Scares, & on the development of free speech jurisprudence. Read ⬇️ Grateful to @brennancenter.org & Counsel www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Historians’ Amicus Brief in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio
Historians filed a brief supporting a challenge to the federal government’s policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty on the basis of their speech and associations.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Yesterday, @brennancenter.org filed an amicus brief in the First Circuit in support of a case that @aaup.org & @mesa1966.bsky.social filed last year challenging the administration's "ideological deportation policy" targeting noncitizen students & scholars based on their viewpoints & associations.
brennancenter.org
Historians’ Amicus Brief in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio
Historians filed a brief supporting a challenge to the federal government’s policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty on the basis of their speech and associations.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 12/08/2026
A new Secret Service surveillance system aggregates video, facial recognition, license plate data. The agency has a legitimate job to do, says @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social. But: "we’re living in a time when federal law enforcement functions are being weaponized.”
fedscoop.com
Secret Service reveals new surveillance system amid slowdown in privacy impact assessments
The Helix tool, which combines surveillance video, facial recognition tech and license plate data to monitor potential threats, is one of just a few PIAs posted by the agency this year.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Automatic license plate readers are having a moment - but probably not the moment their vendors are hoping for. John Oliver threw down the gauntlet last week in an episode highlighting many of the concerns about LPRs - incl that they allow the govt to go back in time and see where you've been. 1/19
youtube.com
Police Surveillance Technology: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
YouTube video by LastWeekTonight
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
My colleague @josephanunn.bsky.social puts it perfectly - Trump’s deployment of the National Guard on the streets of DC, which began one year ago today, is “designed to normalize something that should never be normal in this country: the use of the military as a domestic police force.”
thehill.com
Crime in DC isn’t an ’emergency,’ but normalizing troops in US streets is
It’s now clear that the deployment was never meant to be a quick response to an immediate crisis.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 03/08/2026
Ahead of the midterms, voting experts release updated state election certification guides explaining who certifies election results, what the law requires, and the safeguards that help ensure the process works as intended — including in seven battleground states.
brennancenter.org
Voting Experts Release Updated State Election Certification Law Guides Ahead of Midterms
Eight state guides detail the election certification process and the laws safeguarding it. Seven of the guides cover battleground states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvan...
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Last week, a leaked document published by @404media.co revealed how ICE hides the identities of agents who investigate social media and other online forums. The document details how ICE uses new technologies to cover up the identities, locations, and digital footprints of investigators. 1/9
biometricupdate.com
ICE relies on covert browsing infrastructure to monitor online activity | Biometric Update
Leaked records reveal how ICE conceals investigators' identities while monitoring social media, online communities and dark web forums.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 30/07/2026
DHS has committed over $2.9 billion to surveillance, data collection & data analytics tools since 2021. This tech arsenal has only grown under the Trump administration, with little oversight or transparency around how these tools are used, raising serious concerns about privacy & civil liberties. 1/
brennancenter.org
DHS’s Domestic Surveillance, Data Collection, and Analytics Tools
Fueled by a budget boom, the Department of Homeland Security is expanding its technological arsenal, with little oversight or transparency around how these tools are used.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I'm thrilled to have this resource out today - it represents months of research and analysis and creative data visualization work by my amazing colleagues. Please share widely, and let us know if you have any questions or think we've missed anything!
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 27/07/2026
Congress surrendered one of its most powerful checks on the Department of Homeland Security when it added $70 billion for immigration enforcement to the agency's already massive budget. It can regain that leverage by demanding meaningful reforms at DHS. #BrennanenEspañol
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Absolute genius. www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-w...
mcsweeneys.net
I Watched the Copa Mundial Non-Stop on Telemundo for Cinco Weeks and Now I Don’t Hablar Inglés Anymore
“Hola, Chad aquí, de Greenwich, Connecticut, a muy blanco área of los Estados Unidos. A few weeks ago, I decidir to watch Estados Unidos vs. Paraguay in fútb...
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 06/07/2026
AI-boosted surveillance technologies are "are too powerful and too risky" to be contracted for by police departments in secret, says @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social. #[bit.ly/4gYjvaj
orlandosentinel.com
Florida enters new era of AI policing, politically connected firm gets contracts
A California company has a $6 million agreement with Florida for an AI software platform for law enforcement, and local police agencies are using state grants to buy the firm's software.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Emile Ayoub @emileayoub.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
1/ The Supreme Court’s ruling in Chatrie v. United States is a win for privacy. In a 6-3 decision (with Justice Gorsuch concurring in judgment), the Court ruled that police need a warrant to obtain a person’s cell phone location information from a third party. Some background and key takeaways:
supremecourt.gov
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
From @margyoh.bsky.social: "Congress surrendered its most powerful check over DHS earlier this month when it added $70 billion for immigration enforcement to the agency’s already massive budget. But Congress can act to regain its power." Amen! www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
ICE and Customs and Border Protection Budgets to Exceed $200 Billion
Without congressional action, the money will allow the Trump administration to carry out its immigration crackdown unimpeded.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 26/06/2026
As police departments increasingly embrace AI, it’s "especially concerning " that the tech could be used to "supercharge" surveillance and enforcement, says @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social.
stateline.org
Police use of artificial intelligence grows as rules lag behind • Stateline
Hundreds of people fill a downtown street for a protest, waving signs and chanting as they march past businesses and government buildings. Overhead, a police drone records video of the crowd. Nearby t...
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
This story hasn't gotten enough attention: Sec of State Marco Rubio recommended the arrest & deportation of Franklin Coral Garrido, a Colombian national w/ a pending asylum claim & valid work permit, because of Garrido's advocacy against a Colombian political candidate President Trump supports. 1/7
nytimes.com
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
This is an incredible new resource - a deep dive into the laws governing how every state and similar jurisdiction in the US can use its National Guard.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
I was so glad to join the amazing women of @wedissentpod.bsky.social to talk about the dangerous expansion of domestic terrorism authorities to target nonprofits. Give it a listen!
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Yes - please join us this Sunday at 5 pm at the CT Ave Politics & Prose! Andrew is a great writer & brilliant thinker; this conversation will be a lot of fun.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 08/04/2026
Congress is about to vote on renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Originally meant to monitor foreigners overseas, it’s been abused to surveil Americans. This is a chance to finally protect Americans’ privacy. bit.ly/4tASUmW
brennancenter.org
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
For too long, this law has allowed the government to evade privacy protections and spy on Americans. Reform is overdue.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
New from my @brennancenter.org colleagues: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Sending ICE to Polling Places Is Illegal
Armed federal agents have absolutely no business near election sites.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 15/03/2026
Congress needs to mandate testing and evaluation of AI that poses risks to the safety of military personnel, to Americans’ privacy rights and civil liberties, and to civilians’ lives. bit.ly/40rNSg4
brennancenter.org
The Military’s Use of AI, Explained
The risks to soldiers and civilians are mounting as the Pentagon races to adopt the latest commercial advances in artificial intelligence.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Emile Ayoub @emileayoub.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
As @amostoh.bsky.social and I explain in our new report, the military has been ramping up its adoption of AI, while oversight and safeguards have failed to keep up. But the Pentagon’s dispute with Anthropic has brought a grave threat into focus: using AI to pry into Americans’ private lives 🧵 1/
brennancenter.org
The Business of Military AI
The Pentagon has been spending tens of billions of dollars to adopt new technologies at breakneck speed. Without oversight and safeguards, military applications of artificial intelligence could jeopar...
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Amos Toh @amostoh.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
1/ As the US continues AI-enabled strikes on Iran, new @brennancenter.org research from @emileayoub.bsky.social and me examines how the military’s investments in the technology have been building to this moment. Congress must step up and reckon with AI’s dangers to life, liberty, and democracy 🧵:
brennancenter.org
The Business of Military AI
The Pentagon has been spending tens of billions of dollars to adopt new technologies at breakneck speed. Without oversight and safeguards, military applications of artificial intelligence could jeopar...
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 09/03/2026
The Trump administration is going after political opponents under the banner of "domestic terrorism," including environmental activists. “They make pretty clear that it is ideology itself that is going to be targeted," says @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social:
insideclimatenews.org
Is the FBI Investigating Environmental Activists? - Inside Climate News
A recent visit by an FBI agent to a climate activist hints at a broadening Trump administration effort to target political opponents.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Katherine Yon Ebright @ebrightyon.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Trump's "massive and ongoing operation" against Iran is a clear violation of the Constitution's separation of powers. In our democracy, the president does not have the kingly power to plunge the nation into war without democratic debate and sanction. /1 www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
brennancenter.org
Trump's Iran Strikes Are Unconstitutional
Congress must act.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
The Pentagon wants AI that can fight wars without limits. Anthropic says there are lines it won't cross. And this week, that standoff turned into an all-out confrontation. To unpack the news, I spoke to Kat Duffy from the Council on Foreign Relations and Amos Toh from the Brennan Center:
techpolicy.press
How to Think About the Anthropic-Pentagon Dispute
A conversation with Kat Duffy from the Council on Foreign Relations and Amos Toh from the Brennan Center for Justice.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Thanks to @knightcolumbia.org for giving me the opportunity to write about this as part of their larger project on reconstructing free expression - it’s such an important effort and I can’t wait to see what comes out of it.
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