Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1h

The most easily manipulated president in history — by foreign leaders and by his own staff.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4h

Trump: "Portland, I mean -- every time I look at that place it's burning down. There are fires all over the place. When a store -- there are very few of them left -- but when a store owner rebuilds a store they build it out of plywood. They don't put up storefronts anymore. They just put wood up."

Reposted by Ben Dillon

Simon Rosenberg @simonwdc.bsky.social · 3h

Trump has gone totally mad. It's 25th Amendment time all day, every day. He's living in a totally invented, fictional world. And he's old and in ill-health.

It's outrageous, reckless, choose your word that Republicans haven't done more to deal with this.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4h

Trump: "The restaurants were all closing, now you can't get into a restaurant. They're opening up new restaurants. It took 12 days for us. We sent in not politically correct military. We sent them in based on merit."

64 310 1K

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 2h

Because he’s the most easily manipulated president in history, Trump’s staff is gaslighting him and he’s gaslighting America with this fascist propaganda.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 4h

Trump: "Portland, I mean -- every time I look at that place it's burning down. There are fires all over the place. When a store -- there are very few of them left -- but when a store owner rebuilds a store they build it out of plywood. They don't put up storefronts anymore. They just put wood up."

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 4h

I’m so old I remember when the mainstream media lost their minds about a tarmac meeting.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5h

this is an absolutely insane news conference for the Attorney General of the United States to be participating in.

(note how Benny Johnson describes the Annunciation shooting as an act of political violence, which is a lie)

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 4h

Insanity. The most selfish generation in history continues their bullshit. Assholes.

Eric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 6h

Janet Mills's campaign account just posted this video of her saying that she just announced her campaign against Susan Collins. #MESen. Mills, 77, is expected to jump in the race against Collins. She would face Graham Platner, Jordan Wood and Dan Kleban.

I just announced my campaign for U.S. Senate to defeat Susan Collins because Maine families deserve a senator who fights back and stands up for us.

So please, can you donate 5 or 10 dollars right now to help me flip this Senate seat blue?

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 8h

The Trump/GOP shutdown continues.

NPR @npr.org · 8h

JUST IN: The Trump administration says it has started the process of issuing reduction-in-force notices to federal employees. It’s not clear how many workers are affected.

White House says 'substantial' layoffs of federal workers have begun, with few details

The Trump administration says it has started the process of issuing reduction-in-force notices to federal employees. It’s not clear how many workers are affected.

n.pr

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 10h

There *was* a terrorist rally in DC — it was the January 6 insurrection — incited by the current leader of the *Republican Party* — the party of domestic terrorists and traitors.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12h

Emmer: "This is about one thing and one thing alone -- to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold a hate America rally in DC next week."

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 16h

Nobel Prizes
Barack Obama: 1
Donald Trump: 0

Reposted by Ben Dillon

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 1d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

1.8K 11K 38K

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 16h

Impeach.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 22h

D.C. stands to lose more than $40 million in homeland security funding, starving programs aimed at responding to terrorist attacks and other emergencies, after the Trump administration moved to slash federal grant funding by 90 percent.

Trump administration cuts $40M in D.C. security, anti-terrorism funds

The Trump administration cuts to in homeland security grants to D.C. and 11 states has been paused by a federal judge while they are being challenged in court.

www.washingtonpost.com

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 16h

Impeach.

jael holzman @jael.bsky.social · 22h

SCOOP: The Bureau of Land Management says the largest solar project in Nevada — the Esmeralda 7 mega-farm — has been canceled

The news was quietly dropped via a sudden website update with no public word from any of the companies involved or a statement from the agency

@heatmap.news

Esmeralda 7 Solar Project Has Been Canceled, BLM Says

It would have delivered a gargantuan 6.2 gigawatts of power.

heatmap.news

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 17h

The Trump/GOP shutdown continues.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 20h

In the eight days since the government shut down, President Donald Trump and his allies have engaged in a furious public campaign against Democrats. But behind the scenes, Trump and his aides have still not engaged with Democrats at all.

White House declines to engage Democrats as shutdown drags into second week

The White House has yet to engage Democrats on ending the government shutdown, despite the potential political ramifications of the closure.

www.washingtonpost.com

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

This has to be intentional by Ari Shapiro — he couldn’t possibly have believed David Simon was going to regret not having AI to write.

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 1d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

1 3

Reposted by Ben Dillon

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 1d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

320 8.5K 27K

Reposted by Ben Dillon

mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 1d

When prices were going up under Biden there was a constant deluge of news stories about it because the media did not like Biden and wanted him to lose. Under Trump there is not a constant deluge of news stories about coffee prices because they like Trump and want him to win

delrayser @delrayser.bsky.social · 1d

everything is on fire these days, sure, but how is it that 50% of all news stories are not about how I just spent $20 on a bag of store brand coffee at fucking costco

45 1K 4K

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

LOL Phillies. The play was to first.

Reposted by Ben Dillon

mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · Nov 24

If grocery prices had gone down or voters started saying they trusted Harris on grocery prices, the result would not be Harris walking away with the election but the media choosing in a different bad-for-Harris economic issue as the number one issue of the campaign.

26 220 1.5K

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

In a sane country Donald Trump would be in prison today — and it wouldn’t be viewed as controversial.

1

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

Acting president Stephen Miller is a white nationalist and a sociopath. He needs to be removed from office immediately.

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 1d

Stephen Miller is murdering Venezuelans and Colombians in cold blood bc he believes it helps his propaganda campaign to paint Latinos as dangerous.

www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

Stephen Miller views the air strikes as an opportunity to paint immigrants as a dangerous menace, according to one of the White House officials.

Reposted by Ben Dillon

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

"I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space. And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper." - @newyorkstateag.bsky.social

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

INBOX — New York AG Tish James' statement on Trump's retaliatory indictment of her:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2025

Attorney General’s Press Office/212-416-8060 nyag.pressoffice@ag.ny.gov

Attorney General Letitia James Issues Statement on Donald Trump’s Weaponization of the Department of Justice

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued the following statement after she was indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s office of the Eastern District of Virginia.

“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General.

“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.

“His decision to fire a United States Attorney who refused to bring charges against me – and replace them with someone who is blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president – is antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country. This is the time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to speak out against this blatant perversion of our system of justice.

“I stand strongly behind my office’s litigation against the Trump Organization. We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence – not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court’s finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud.

“I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space. And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job.”

5 99 600

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

These people are liars and sociopaths who should not have a moment of peace in public.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Thune: "The president would like to overhaul Obamacare and give people health insurance that is higher quality and more affordable."

Reposted by Ben Dillon

Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 1d

As @propublica.org reported, "at least three of Trump’s Cabinet members call multiple homes their primary residences on mortgages."

No indictments for them, because this is how a fascist regime works. "For my friends, everything; for my enemies, the law."

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Peter Sterne @petersterne.com · 1d

BREAKING: NY State AG Letitia James indicted by federal grand jury in Virginia www.cityandstateny.com/politics/202...

Letitia James indicted by federal grand jury in Virginia

State Attorney General Letitia James has reportedly been indicted for alleged mortgage fraud.

www.cityandstateny.com

12 220 510

Reposted by Ben Dillon

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 1d

Trump 2.0 has taken a devastating, generational axe to corporate oversight and regulatory autonomy and it barely warrants a mention

but a right wing propaganda group helmed by a bunch of racist zealots proposes an alternative superbowl halftime show nobody will watch and THAT warrants coverage

1 16 73

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

Explain how you’ve reduced the price of prescription drugs by 1,400 percent, genius. Show your work.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "I also did a cognitive exam. Which is always very risky because if I didn't do well, you'd be the first to be blaring it and I had a perfect score. And one of the doctors said he's almost never seen a perfect score. I had a perfect score. That made me well good ... not the easiest test."

1

Ben Dillon @benjdillon.bsky.social · 1d

Imagine looking at these numbers — particularly the lower set — and only pushing back against cuts to Obamacare subsidies.

Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 1d

These are terrible numbers for Trump (via @pewresearch.org)

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

"Majorities say trump has used his office improperly; fewer say he has improved government, U.S. standing" (graphs via Pew Research)