Sign in

The Pickle Priest

@thepicklepriest.bsky.social
285 followers 264 following 20 posts

Democracy and pickle enjoyer, cat and dog lover

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 7h
WOW. Kristi Noem and Elon Musk, among others, "chose to turn the power of the federal government against a singular employee with an impeccable record of public service. ... The attacks against Ms. Comans were based entirely on false information" and many officials "knew [they] were untrue."
In conducting this hearing, the Court is not called upon to resolve factual disputes between
the parties. The facts set forth in this Memorandum Opinion and Order were proposed by the
Plaintiff, unobjected to by the Government, and then deemed admitted by the Court. Dkts. 74, 75,
77.2 These facts establish that high-ranking government officials, including then Secretary of DHS
Kristi Noem and Elon Musk, engaged in a coordinated public relations campaign to impugn the
personal and professional integrity of Ms. Comans. For reasons unfathomable to this Court,
officials chose to turn the power of the federal government against a singular employee with an
impeccable record of public service. In short, Ms. Comans was professionally targeted and
personally attacked by government officials for no legitimate reason. The attacks against Ms.
Comans were based entirely on false information, and many government officials knew the
accusations were untrue at the time they were made. With no regard for the truth and with no
consideration for the personal and professional effect on Ms. Comans, government officials
exploited their access to mass media outlets to broadcast false information. These false
statements reached hundreds of millions of people. The purpose of this Order is, to the best of
this Court’s ability, to correct the public record and establish as a matter of law that the
statements made by these officials about Ms. Comans were objectively and demonstrably false.
11446471918
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11h
😬 Katie Zacharia's first press briefing was brutally bad 😬 Trump managed to find a press secretary who can barely read, but she does have the number one qualification -- looking like Ivanka Here's a supercut from Zacharia's first briefing, which made Karoline Leavitt seem like Ronald Reagan
207791222311
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 13h
Perfect
13038131691
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Jon Cryer @mrjoncryer.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Elon Musk was violating his visa when he started his first business here and very likely obtained his U.S. citizenship through fraud. Where is that investigation?
372236546
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
WASHINGTON—Trump’s federal agents raid Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home over decades-old “immigration paperwork” her father filled out when she was a kid. No charges. Breaking DOJ norms. Over the cliff, folks.
30851701926
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 11/10/2026
It’s genuinely sad to watch. The President is so weak and incapable of negotiating a real deal that he just posts fake ones on social media and hopes people believe him, until every party involved puts out a statement calling him a liar. We’ve never seen weakness like this in the Oval Office.
17447141429
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
ProPublica @propublica.org · 12/10/2026
ProPublica designed a reporting experiment to demonstrate how easy it can be to open private schools that might then access public money. We succeeded in opening two schools. No credentials or background checks required.
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.
161562654
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Zelenskyy: “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attacking your diesel. I think it’s a fair deal.”
345167404323
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11/10/2026
Chris Murphy: "Donald Trump was so fundamentally unprepared for this war that within days of the war starting, our billion dollar air bases and naval bases in the region were obliterated by the Iranians. Every single American should be furious about that."
472154245223
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11/10/2026
Wow — listen to these new comments from Trump. Thanking Putin, trashing Zelenskyy, characterizing Russia as eager for peace and Ukraine as intransigent. The mask is totally off.
1616120864035
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 10/10/2026
Of course Kash Patel wants to hand the UFC a NO-BID contract to train FBI agents. The UFC is a sports entertainment business. The FBI already trains agents in defensive tactics. And we’re supposed to believe Dana White, Trump’s buddy, runs the only organization in America qualified to do this.
1861548703
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10/10/2026
“Zelenskyy could’ve stopped this war many times, and he chose not to … he better damn well stop” — Trump is no longer trying to conceal that he’s fully on Putin’s side
2451116584065
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 09/10/2026
I am angry tonight. Because tonight ICE shot a New Yorker. They shot a New Yorker while his five year old child was in the car. ICE makes this city less safe. We want them out. Now.
11695229713611
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
The Trump Crime Family
68783243434
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
DELAWARE: "Nurse Monica Ryadi and her husband couldn’t wait to take their 3yo son to Disneyland... They didn’t get there. The Delco nurse has lived legally in 🇺🇸 since childhood. ICE arrested her as she took her son to Disneyland." #AbolishICE www.instagram.com/p/DeAFDW5jEW0
10719231153
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In the presidential immunity case, the court considered a hypothetical of a president ordering Navy Seals to assassinate an American political rival. Trump's lawyer argued unambiguously yes, since it'd be an "official act." The Roberts Court ruled in his favor, 6-3. Why wouldn't Trump believe this?
531785538
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 06/10/2026
Trump shouts out Russ Vought and then says, ominously, "we have some big surprises coming up in a few weeks, right Russ? He's gonna be one of the important people in the history of our country."
56132021130
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
And they voted for him anyway 😕
706102413916
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
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.
57152663223
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: A Florida lawyer who previously pleaded guilty to illegally accessing election websites monitored the primary election in Maricopa County, Arizona for the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to records viewed by Democracy Docket. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
DOJ lawyer convicted of hacking election sites monitored voting in Maricopa County, Arizona
The involvement of the two lawyers in a state where President Donald Trump challenged the 2020 election results adds to concerns that the administration’s monitoring program for the fall — which it ha...
5326421527
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"The federal government is lying to you." "The government has said that ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children." "They’ve denied engaging in racial profiling" "They’ve said the government is not wrongly arresting U.S. citizens." *We found the truth* projects.propublica.org/american-cit....
221409695
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 06/10/2026
Trump: "I'm in office one day and one of the fake news people looks me in the eyes and said…affordability…They hit me with affordability, and that's the first time I ever heard the word used."
6817539
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 06/10/2026
Trump: "With the war, it's just artificial. It's a little bit high. It's a small price to pay ... let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay."
181449451906
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
We murdered four more people in a boat today
U.S. southern Command: On October 4, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal, kinetic strike on a go-fast vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean. Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel's active involvement in narco-trafficking. The operation killed four narco-terrorists. @DeptofWar
12524931066
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: Georgia’s Republican-controlled election board invited the Department of Justice (DOJ) Thursday to declare the state’s voting system unlawful before the upcoming midterm elections. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
GOP-controlled Georgia election board asks DOJ to declare state’s voting machines illegal
The request represents a major assault on the state's voting system by unelected state officials.
23819771169
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🚨BREAKING: Key federal agencies failed to provide any records to back up President Donald Trump’s allegations that tens of thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote in various blue states, a nonpartisan government watchdog said in a new lawsuit. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
DHS has failed to provide records to prove Trump’s allegations of noncitizen voting, watchdog says
Key federal agencies failed to provide any records to back up President Donald Trump’s allegations that 278,000 noncitizens are improperly registered to vote, a nonpartisan government watchdog said in...
11132041317
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 30/09/2026
📺 HAPPENING NOW: The Senate will vote on Republicans' latest attempt to sneak a voter ID requirement through the chamber by attaching it to a congressional stock-trading ban. The last-ditch effort comes just as the Senate packs up for the campaign trail. Stream below👇
senate.gov
U.S. Senate: Floor Proceedings
Floor Activity
16215127
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
🔥JACK SMITH: "Trump engaged in serious crimes against 🇺🇸- a criminal scheme to prevent a lawful transfer of power... the rule of law faces challenges unlike any we've experienced. I won't be silenced by threats of prosecution. While fear may be contagious, courage is as well."
15862222218
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Spokane Rising @spokanerising.com · 29/09/2026
Also, please do not forget that the origins of Miller's policies lie with the Obama administration. Watch this @frontlinepbs.bsky.social documentary from 2011:
pbs.org
FRONTLINE | Lost in Detention | Season 2011 | Episode 17
FRONTLINE investigates the Obama administration's get-tough immigration policy.
1359586
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
George Conway ⚖️🇺🇸 @gtconway.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
In a normal administration counterintelligence agents at the FBI would be investigating this photo. In this administration, the FBI director is in the photo.
Michael Weiss: Why, that’s Ali Abdelaziz is on the far left. Manages a lot of Russian, Belarusian and Chechen MMA fighters including Khamzat Chimaev, who is close to Kadyrov. Abdelaziz was an FBI informant until the Bureau dropped him because they suspected he was a double agent. Looks like Ka$h (far right) has forgiven and forgotten. These MAGA weddings are Mos Eisley cantinas for counterintelligence.
17744721802
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 27/09/2026
What an odd moment in United States history. A U.S. president is running an overtly political camaign advertisement, right before midterm elections, paid for by the U.S. government. Trump appears to believe he is immune from any kind of legal limit. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/u...
nytimes.com
A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by the Government (Gift Article)
The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.
4441485499
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The techbros don't want you to see this trailer. Pass it on.
3249832756
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
ProPublica @propublica.org · 26/09/2026
Hey, ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson here. I’m taking over the account to tell you about my new story. For months, I posed as a problem gambler on DraftKings to test the company's "responsible gaming" safeguards. Spoiler alert: They made me a VIP — and I lost $10K. Here's how it all went down. 🧵
Selfie taken by ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson, a man wearing a backwards baseball cap and an orange T-shirt.
19596023538
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
BREAKING: A POLITICO reporter was denied access to the White House Thursday and his press credentials confiscated after a judge ordered the Trump admin to immediately restore access for news organizations that Trump banned.
politico.com
POLITICO barred from White House after court ruling restoring access
The Secret Service confiscated a POLITICO reporter's press pass Thursday morning despite a federal judge’s decision hours earlier that a media ban appeared to violate the constitutional due process ri...
1532282915
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Angry @angrystaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Hurting the president’s feelings isn’t a national security threat Thank you for your attention to this matter.
516219984565
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Schrödinger's Sneetch Belly @rtodkelly.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Please know that this is one of my few legitimate areas of actual, high-level professional expertise: Kicking the healthiest people off of a health insurance program will bankrupt it. Not 'could;' not 'might,' not 'probably," but absolutely will, with mathematical certainty.
25768202247
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Abdul El-Sayed @abdulelsayed.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The billions of dollars we send to a foreign military to drop bombs on somebody else should have been spent to build schools, housing, and to provide healthcare HERE.
366175144626
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Abdul El-Sayed @abdulelsayed.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This is about one thing and one thing alone. Steering our research dollars for cancer, heart disease, and new infectious diseases to Trump’s political allies and friends.
24948411996
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Jack Hopkins-The Original @therealjackhopkins.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
What does a sniper position at Memorial Circle actually defend against? Not China. Not a submarine. Not a missile. It overlooks a bridge, a traffic circle, and the front door of the National Mall. Those are places where Americans march. www.jackhopkinsnow.com
1202115064949
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
According to the investigation, the Pentagon relied on outdated intelligence that still identified the site as an IRGC facility, while personnel placed too much trust in Maven to flag stale or conflicting information. It didn’t. The school ultimately appeared as a recommended target.
bloomberg.com
Inside the US ‘Kill Chain’ That Destroyed an Iranian School
Pentagon investigators have discovered that flawed intelligence, outdated imagery and an overreliance on AI contributed to a missile strike that killed 123 children in Minab.
561503535
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
As an American political historian, I can confirm that this Congress has been "almost unmatched in history" in several categories -- sad abdication of its war powers, craven surrender of the power of the purse, weird refusal to conduct meaningful oversight, and an utter failure to pass actual laws.
29172291875
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
65yearcitizen @usa24freedom.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Take 30 seconds,read it.
9721731222
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
👇👇👇👇
16602724012113
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 17/09/2026
🚨NEWS: U.N.-backed investigators say they found “reasonable grounds” to believe the U.S. committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran, including one on a school in Minab. apnews.com/article/un-h...
26853851887
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16/09/2026
OOF -- Enten details how Trump went from +2 on Russia-Ukraine in 2024 to -33 (!) now, and how Zelenskyy polls among Americans at +13 compared to Trump's -18 (in other words, Zelenskyy is 31 points more popular in America than Trump!)
1263418911
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
This is APPALLING. The Trump administration is detaining multiple random Somali immigrants with no criminal record at Guantanamo Bay, seemingly because the White House ordered ICE specifically to detain Somalis at Gitmo as part of its effort to punish an ethnic group Trump has attacked.
According to Mohamed, guards at Guantanamo have said they are being held there because that's what officials in Washington, DC, want. "There's no other nation, only Somali people in Guantanamo Bay, in the prison," he told me. "And when we ask them why we are here, they tell us... Washington...ordered to keep Somali people in the Guantanamo Bay."
6330151672
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
DOGE was sold as a “massive money-saving operation.” But it actually saved nothing. The story was always about gutting the federal workforce and reshaping the agencies themselves. A new GAO report estimates federal agencies spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative
721453482
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Congressman Greg Landsman @repgreglandsman.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Haitians living legally in Ohio have built families, careers, and churches here. Ending their protections and treating them like criminals serves neither justice nor humanity.
cincinnati.com
Don't send Ohio's Haitian neighbors 'back to hell' | Opinion
Opinion: Haitians found safety in Ohio. America shouldn't send them back.
13761682307
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
🚨BREAKING: Supreme Court REJECTS Department of Justice effort to restore U.S. Postal Service mail-in voting rule. A huge victory for voting rights and free and fair elections. A defeat for Trump and his scheme to rig the elections. www.democracydocket.com/cases/trump-...
democracydocket.com
🚨 State of California et al v. United States Postal Service et al
Learn more here.
1343093826
Reposted by The Pickle Priest
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Wow. A must read. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
An election worker tried to protect mail ballots. Now he faces prison amid Trump's push for voting cases
The prosecution would be concerning during any administration, but it’s particularly alarming at a moment when Trump is engaged in an unprecedented nationwide assault on voting.
13890481