Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by John Walke

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 8h

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

570 5.8K 9.8K

Reposted by John Walke

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · 1d

Lee Zeldin's EPA is hushing up a toxicity report on another harmful 'forever chemical'— a convenient cover-up as they are trying to lower our drinking water standards. Zeldin is breaking America's trust in the EPA, and whistleblowers who are calling him out are being silenced.

4 25 80

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 14h

This is not @TheOnion. But it should be.

Texas GOP considers censuring state representatives who aren’t conservative enough. apnews.com/article/texa...

Texas GOP considers censuring state representatives who aren't conservative enough

The Republican Party of Texas’ governing board is set to meet in the state Capitol on Saturday to consider censuring state representatives who party leaders deem insufficiently conservative to bear th...

apnews.com

Reposted by John Walke

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 18h

BREAKING: An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant leaves multiple people dead and missing, sheriff says.

Blast at a Tennessee explosives plant leaves multiple people dead and missing, sheriff says

An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant has left multiple people dead and missing. The blast occurred Friday at Accurate Energetic Systems, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville.

bit.ly

24 90 130

Reposted by John Walke

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

The campaign against “antifa” is about establishing a beachhead for further attacks on speech and assembly rights. We see that today in the effort to preemptively label No Kings protesters as “terrorists.”

730 5K 16K

Reposted by John Walke

Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 15h

Balderdash.

Claudia Grisales @cgrisales.bsky.social · 17h

Senate Majority Leader John Thune responds to OMB head Russ Vought’s post “the RIFs have begun,” telling @jordainc.bsky.social and I:

“Well… I think they held off for as long as they could.”

29 54 620

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 14h

'Scientists who specialize in chemical detection told senior officials there are currently no EPA-approved methods for IDing mifepristone in wastewater—but new methods could be developed, per 2 people familiar with the events who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.'

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 14h

The only time Trump EPA head Lee Zeldin cares about testing your water quality — to detect traces of lawful abortion pills in wastewater.

Deeply disturbing, abusive — and creepy.

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 15h

Remember when U.S. conservatives screamed about black helicopters and the overbearing federal government surveillance state?

The E.P.A. Followed Up on an Unusual Request About Abortion Pills.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

2 4 10

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 15h

Seems like a Freedom of Information Act request to EPA would be in order, seeking all communications & records involving EPA and parties outside of the agency about this topic.

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 15h

Remember when U.S. conservatives screamed about black helicopters and the overbearing federal government surveillance state?

The E.P.A. Followed Up on an Unusual Request About Abortion Pills.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 15h

Remember when U.S. conservatives screamed about black helicopters and the overbearing federal government surveillance state?

The E.P.A. Followed Up on an Unusual Request About Abortion Pills.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

7 7

Reposted by John Walke

Bridget Dooling @bridgetdooling.bsky.social · 16h

Exactly nobody who knows the legal landscape thinks these layoffs have anything to do with shutdown requirements.

NPR @npr.org · 16h

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

3 9

Reposted by John Walke

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 1d

Andrew Cuomo keeps saying he’s the only candidate who can take on Trump once he’s in office.

Yet in his statement about the indictment of Letitia James, the highest-ranking Black elected official in the state, he doesn’t even mention Trump by name….and, more importantly, he doesn’t mention James.

Andrew Cuomo * @andrewcuomo
X.com
In a democracy, the rule of law must be sacred - impartial, objective, and above politics. When the law is weaponized or manipulated to advance political agendas, it erodes public trust and weakens the very foundation of justice. Whether it comes from the right or the left, from prosecutors or politicians, the politicization of law enforcement is dangerous and corrosive.
We must restore faith in fairness, facts, and due process - because once justice becomes partisan, everyone loses.
3:56 PM • 10/9/25 • 41K Views

45 160 760

Reposted by John Walke

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 17h

This is the way

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment

www.nytimes.com

160 2.1K 10K

Reposted by John Walke

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 20h

Nothing says “America First” like letting another country put an Air Force base in Idaho

3.3K 7.1K 18K

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 19h

Send me one, please.

2

Reposted by John Walke

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 20h

Here's a snippet from the MIT president's letter to ED

Screenshot from link that reads: The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.

In our view, America’s leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.

4 91 300

Reposted by John Walke

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21h

Independent C-SPAN caller to Rep. Mark Alford: "You're taking credit for $50b that you just gave to the hospital industry. That's after you took away $150b. You don't take credit for just giving back a little bit of money after taking away so much. So quit lying. It just makes you look horrible."

1K 7.2K 25K

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 19h

Let he who has not secretly accepted $80,000 donated to a political nonprofit he is affiliated with cast the first stone.

ProPublica @propublica.org · 1d

Kristi Noem, while governor of South Dakota, supplemented her roughly $130,000 salary by secretly accepting $80,000 donated to a political nonprofit she was affiliated with, records show.

She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.

(Published June)

Kristi Noem Secretly Took a Cut of Political Donations

A dark money group paid $80,000 to Noem’s personal company when she was governor of South Dakota. She did not include this income on her federal disclosure forms, a likely violation of ethics requirem...

www.propublica.org

2 3

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 19h

Senator Marshall voted in May, 2021 to oppose creation of an independent panel to probe the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, following his vote on Jan. 6 with five other Senators to object to certifying some state electors in the 2020 presidential election. www.cjonline.com/story/news/p...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 20h

Sen. Roger Marshall: "October 18 is when the protest gets here. This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters. The agitators show up. We'll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it."

4

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 20h

'Particulate matter pollution — a mix of airborne soot specks — increased 15 to 19% above average from nearly 200 U.S. coal-burning power plants during the 35-day government shutdown in 2018 and 2019, the research shows.' www.eenews.net/articles/coa... ($)

Coal pollution rose in last shutdown as EPA inspections stopped

Soot emissions from power plants rose nearly 20 percent above average when enforcement stalled during the shutdown seven years ago.

www.eenews.net

2

Reposted by John Walke

Liberal Currents @liberalcurrents.com · 1d

“The problem with billionaires isn’t that they’re hoarding money that would otherwise pay for a Scandinavian social utopia. It’s that their money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.”

Billionaires Are Hoarding Power, Not Money

Billionaire money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.

www.liberalcurrents.com

150 690 2.6K

John Walke @johndwalke.bsky.social · 21h

<<chef's kiss>>

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21h

Rep. Buddy Carter: "Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. That's why I'm introducing a resolution today that will honor him with the Nobel Peace Prize."

(It doesn't work like that lol)

Reposted by John Walke

Bård Harstad @bardharstad.bsky.social · 1d

Note the wording.. Ms. Machado receives the prize for:
- promoting democratic rights
- struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition
- At a time when democracy is under threat
- where democracy is in retreat
- more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norm
www.nobelpeacecenter.org/en

Nobel Peace Center | Museum of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway

The Nobel Peace Center in Oslo is the museum of the Nobel Peace Prize. Experience our exhibitions, events and guided tours inspired by the ideas and work of the Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

www.nobelpeacecenter.org

11 140 500

Reposted by John Walke

Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 1d

I knew Fox News was theater. I just didn't realize it was a repertory theater that recycles actors for different roles.

You'd think a company that had to pay $787,000,000 for deceiving its viewers would be a little more careful about blatantly continuing the practice.

1.3K 8.6K 22K

Reposted by John Walke

Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 1d

"...including while she was praying with her eyes closed and hands lifted, wearing a clerical collar and stole."

religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...

360 4.7K 13K