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Joey Scott

@joeyneverjoe.bsky.social

7.7K followers 750 following 2.3K posts

LA-based investigative journalist covering policing, injustice, and inequality. I create job security for public records custodians in California. Documentary photographer. Signal: joeyscott.05 Venmo: @joeyneverjoe https://www.joeyscott.xyz/bylines/

www.joeyscott.xyz

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · Jun 8

Subscribe to support my independent reporting.

You’ll get essays, public records, and reporting the bigger outlets miss.

No billionaire owners or ads.

Help make journalism a sustainable endeavor, and so I can quit my other job.

Venmo: joeyneverjoe

Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · Nov 11

I love public records. I love data. I think news outlets should prioritize photography in their stories. And I love whistleblowers, leaks, and tips. You can sign-up for my newsletter and options for contacting me securely w/ docs, leaks, tips, and other leads.

www.joeyscott.xyz/about/

"Do you want new wave or do you want the truth?"

Joey is an LA-based investigative journalist and documentary photographer. He covers policing, surveillance, protests, prisons, and inequality. He is also a job creator by keeping public agencies thro...

www.joeyscott.xyz

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Ashton Pittman @ashtonpittman.bsky.social · 20h

ICE left David, a 17-year-old boy, stranded on the side of Interstate 20 after pulling over his immigrant father, Hector, in Mississippi.

David began running in the scorching sun after the car and watched as it disappeared from sight—soon headed to a Louisiana ICE prison.

Here's their story.

ICE Stranded a 17-Year-Old on I-20 After Arresting His Father. The Mississippi Dad Now Faces Deportation.

A 17-year-old watched as ICE arrested his immigrant father, Hector, on I-20 in June. The family faces mounting legal fees and the risk of deportation.

www.mississippifreepress.org

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Adam Rose @adamrose.bsky.social · 1h

So fishy!!! I actually made a separate public records request just to learn what was the special technology they claimed to use to recover the deleted messages. I even asked for the user manual, because that’s obviously not exempt. They refuse to provide any info.

Hello,

Please re-open this request and ensure that you fulfill your duty to assist and search, pursuant to California law and court ruling described below.

For example only:
If your response means that the Office of the Mayor doesn't have the records but a specific IT office or finance office does, this is a practical basis that can be overcome and you must suggest the correct place to request such records.
If my use of the phrase "specialized technology" is not appropriately worded, you must provide assistance to help me rephrase the request.
If there are releasable records related to the "specialized technology" which are not as obvious to request as user guides and billing information, you must assist me in identifying those releasable documents as they may be responsive to the purpose of the request.
To be clear, the purpose of this request is to understand the nature of the "specialized technologies" that the City of Los Angeles has to recover other records.

Thank you,
Adam

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The LA Reporter @thelareporter.bsky.social · 3h

The LA Reporter this week is debuting The Doughnut Shop Interviews series in which we sit down with a major figure in local politics and regulars at a neighborhood doughnut shop.

The first chat is with Raymond Meza, chair a citizen panel helping to rewrite the LA city charter.

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1h

The city had to discuss hiring an outside law firm for $125k to fight the LAT public records lawsuit. Deleting public records is a big no-no and may have cost taxpayers over $100k to fight it.

GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(d)(1)
REPORT RE:
PROPOSED LEGAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH
BIENART KATZMAN LITTRELL WILLIAMS, LLP
TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES RELATED
LOS ANGELES TIMES COMMUNICATIONS v. CITY OF LOS ANGELES
LASC Case No. 25STCP01139
The Honorable City Council of the City of Los Angele loom 395. City Hall
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Honorable Members:
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1), this Office wishes to meet in closed session to discuss the retention of Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP (BKLW) to assist the City Attorney's Office in the City's defense of a lawsuit based on alleged violations of laws relating to record retention, willful destruction of government records, and the California Public Record Act (CPRA), entitled Los AngelesTimes Communications, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, LASC Case

1. Approve a contract with Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP for outside counsel assistance with Los Angeles Times Communications et al. v.
City of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. 25STCP01139;
2. Instruct the CAO to identify funding in the amount of $125,000 for this contract and transfer the same to the City Attorney Fund 100, Department No. 12, Account No. 009301;
3. That the City Attorney or her designee be authorized to prepare Controller instructions for any necessary technical adjustments, subject to the approval of the CAO, and authorize the Controller to implement the instructions.
Sincerely,
HYDEE FELDSTEIN SOTO, City Attorney
By

Assistant City Attorney

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1h

Her handling of public records is fishy. Her office said texts related to the Palisades Fire between her and acting mayor Marqueece Harris-Dawson were initially deleted. After LAT sued her office, 125 texts were recovered.

www.latimes.com/california/n...

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1h

I requested email records from the LA Mayor’s office regarding journalist detainments, arrests, and assaults during the two weeks of protests anti-ICE protests in June. Only one email was released and it was from @adamrose.bsky.social. Are we really to believe her office has one email about it?

Email titled: Fwd: URGENT: LAPD holding journalist in jail for up to a week

Sent to the Mayor’s office and LAPD officers

Email says:

Anthony Orendorff is an independent filmmaker currently in LAPD custody in Van Nuys.
I'm in contact with his sister, who informs me that the Public Defender's office says he may be held for up to a week.
However, there is clearly a dispute about the situation. I cannot say with certainty until I find video, and I ask you to seek BWV immediately (today) and act to ensure this is handled appropriately -- including the potential of expedited release this afternoon.
Orendorff was arrested at an active ICE raid at a Costco parking lot in Pacoima yesterday (Thursday, June 19). According to his sister: "LAPD was called to do crowd control and singled him out. There were tons of witnesses who saw what happened. He didn't touch any officer. He was lunged at by one officer in particular and arrested, and charged with battery."
PIO confirms to me that the charge is a misdemeanor PC 243(b) for battery on a police officer.
Unfortunately, LAPD officers have proven themselves extremely unreliable over the past two weeks - and frankly last several years. The description by Orendorff's sister would be consistent with many recent examples of false and misleading statements used to "justify" unlawful detainment and arrest of journalists. As a separate matter, I have reviewed the footage of the incident with ABC News chief national correspondent Matt Gutman including the preceding incident. In the Gutman case, an officer assaulted Gutman by grabbing him from behind and shoving him. Gutman's arm lifted slightly for balance, clearly a natural reflex, but he controlled himself and did not lay hands on the officer.
Subsequently, an unhinged officer screamed at Gutman about "touching" an officer and shoved Gutman for no reason. As video proves, Gutman was the victim of assault by an LAPD officer, and then LAPD attempted to blame the victim.

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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 6h

"The colonized is indebted to the colonizer for being colonized."

David Graeber speaks about the brutality of Debt in history.

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 3h

Worked a wedding last night where a third of the people didn’t show up because they were afraid of ICE.

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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 1d

George was just trying to get to work.

ICE pepper-sprayed him, dragged him from his car, locked him in a detention center, and placed him on suicide watch. He even missed his young daughter’s birthday in the process.

This man is a veteran and American citizen. Don't look away.

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 1d

"They put me on suicide watch and they put me in the cell, I'm naked, in like a hospital dress and just a concrete bed with like a mattress, like a thin mattress and, they leave the light on 24/7."

@timmiller.bsky.social talked to a veteran who ICE wrongly detained and brutalized

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Joshua Erlich @joshuaerlich.bsky.social · 5h

guards ignore—but are trained—that withdrawal is a life threatening condition, and ignoring someone in withdrawal is both deliberate and indifferent

the fact that they were *wrong* about this person’s emergency doesn’t make their conduct any less deliberate or indifferent

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 6h

A lawsuit alleges a Black postal worker died after officers ignored clear signs he was suffering from a massive stroke, believing his medical emergency was drugs

The suit says guards left him helpless on a jail cell floor in his own urine for hours

KARE 11 Investigates: Postal worker died after police mistook stroke for drug impairment

Kingsley Bimpong was jailed instead of hospitalized; video shows guards ignored his suffering for hours.

www.kare11.com

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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 20h

I like how the news will be like “while the President claiming Portland was ruled by a giant skeleton named Mr Nibbles is not strictly true, it does speak to the anxiety of many Americans”

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Django Wexler @djangowexler.bsky.social · 1d

My boss: so how's our fourth quarter looking?

Me, the sales manager at the company that makes inflatable frog suits: well, you're never going to believe this, but

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Laura Rodríguez Presa @lauranrodriguez.bsky.social · 1d

More street vendors taken by ICE today, according to rapid response team & neighborhood reports.

Masked men arrested one of Pilsen’s longtime tamal vendors near Damen and 21st Pl, by Chase.

Those ladies are very loved by the community. I bought tamales from her many times.

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Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

Follow @heartlandsignal for more.

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hannah gais @hannahgais.bsky.social · 1d

Those are three people in inflatable frog suits.

@MrAndyNgo
Now that the local and national press have started to cover the Portland ICE area round-the-clock in reaction to the President, Antifa have devised a plan where they are encouraging one another to come in animal costumes.

The costumes serve the function of masking the violent extremism to make the direct action appear like a family-friendly gathering on camera, and to whitewash the past ultraviolence.

In 2019, Antifa devised a similar plot by giving out free "milkshakes" at a protest. But they couldn't contain their bloodthirst and nearly killed me when they saw me. In 2020, they mobilized a fake "Wall of Moms" where female Antifa supporters and members wore yellow shirts to act as human body shields while violent rioters behind them hurled projectile weapons.

photo of three people in inflatable frog costumes

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 23h

Federal immigration authorities made multiple arrests, including a WGN employee, after apparently targeting a small group of landscapers in Lincoln Square.

Feds arrest WGN staffer, slam into resident’s car in Lincoln Square

Federal immigration authorities rear-ended a car while the driver was still inside after making arrests in Lincoln Square on Chicago’s North Side.

trib.al

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 23h

“This is not a debate between "you should face consequences for your abuse of power" and "you would rather not," and nobody has to acknowledge that both sides kind of have their points.”

Every time Republicans condemn this program as a political harrowing of conservatives from government, Democrats should say with one voice: You don't get immunity from the consequences of collaboration because you put collaboration in the party platform. Malfeasance isn't effaced because it displays the label of ideology, as evidenced by the zero times a judge has ever dismissed a case after a defendant listened to the charges and told the court, "You know, I don't see it that way." Legitimacy is not in the eye of the offender, no matter what the conservative attitude toward rape tells you. This is not a debate between "you should face consequences for your abuse of power" and "you would rather not," and nobody has to acknowledge that both sides kind of have their points.

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1d

I will become John Wick if you kill my dog. And I won't be working alone.

Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social · 1d

Cops probably kill over two dozen dogs A DAY
trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss...

The “Puppycide” of Policing: How the Law Rationalizes the Police Killing of “Dangerous Dogs”

Police officers kill approximately 10,000 dogs every year in the United States, according to an estimate by a Department of Justice official. This amounts to police officers killing approximately 25 t...

trace.tennessee.edu

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Rose Lerner @roselerner.bsky.social · 1d

This made me so happy

Screenshot of Claire's last skeet with one from the Frog and Toad bot underneath of Frog saying "don't be silly"

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1d

bsky.app/profile/bmes...

Spooky action @ distance 🎃 @bmeson.lucyparsonslabs.com · 1d

NIPAS officers have long tried to remain anonymous and go by their numbers (whatever that means). Journalists at northwestern have written extensively about this tactic including “waking up “itching”” to use weapons on unarmed protestors dailynorthwestern.com/2020/12/18/c...

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1d

They get excited for an excuse to dress like soldiers.

The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1d

Check this guy out.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1d

In Broadview this morning, just outside of Chicago, where you can get a police surveillance pod, a drone, and a helicopter in a single shot.

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Christopher Mathias @letsgomathias.bsky.social · 18d

seeing a lot of liberal posts showing images of the troops storming the beach at Normandy etc... calling them "antifa."

understand the sentiment, but always grateful for @jamesstout.bsky.social addressing how that's not what we mean when we talk about antifa! www.smithsonianmag.com/history/brie...

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Joey Scott @joeyneverjoe.bsky.social · 1d

“It will help me greatly”

“Strictest of confidence”

Who talks like this?

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the full memo.

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