Abby Vesoulis
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social
Currently: National Politics reporter at Mother Jones magazine. Previously: TIME Magazine. Always: Trying my best. Sometimes: Coming up short.
Email me at avesoulis@cir[dot]org
Encrypted contact info:
Signal: abbyvesoulis.09
Email me at avesoulis@cir[dot]org
Encrypted contact info:
Signal: abbyvesoulis.09
Pinned
Watching the media reckoning unfold in a now-shuttered broadcast newsroom
Scripps sought to dominate national breaking news. Instead it became a paradigm of a broken industry.
www.motherjones.com
Usually, we learn about the fall of media organizations retrospectively, in postmortems. I wanted to see one in its liminal moment between bustling existence and relative extinction. So I spent Election Day in the Scripps News offices. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Over the last 6 months, the Justice Department has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls from dozens of states.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Over the last 6 months, the Justice Department has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls from dozens of states.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
So many scandals now but pay attention to this: DOJ has sued 14 states-12 led by Dems-to demand full unredacted voter files in order to turbocharge Trump voter suppression plans
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
So many scandals now but pay attention to this: DOJ has sued 14 states-12 led by Dems-to demand full unredacted voter files in order to turbocharge Trump voter suppression plans
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Important @motherjones.com piece here:
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Important @motherjones.com piece here:
New via @ariberman.bsky.social & me: For years, right-wing groups have pushed for access to voter rolls, hoping to bolster unproven claims of widespread fraud.
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New via @ariberman.bsky.social & me: For years, right-wing groups have pushed for access to voter rolls, hoping to bolster unproven claims of widespread fraud.
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
RFK Jr. is at it again: Now he blames pills—not guns—for school shootings. He's pushing a long disproven theory and promising “massive” new research on it. Weirdly enough, the agency he runs refused to give me any details at all when I inquired. My latest 🧵 👉 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
RFK Jr. blames pills—not guns—for school shootings
There is no credible evidence that antidepressants cause violence, but Kennedy now vows a “massive” effort to prove the failed theory.
www.motherjones.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:28 PM
RFK Jr. is at it again: Now he blames pills—not guns—for school shootings. He's pushing a long disproven theory and promising “massive” new research on it. Weirdly enough, the agency he runs refused to give me any details at all when I inquired. My latest 🧵 👉 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Working on an article about "constituent services" and would love your anecdotes. Have you ever reached out to a politician's office for help cutting through red tape, accessing an entitlement, fast-tracking a passport, etc? Did they respond? Was your issue resolved?
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Working on an article about "constituent services" and would love your anecdotes. Have you ever reached out to a politician's office for help cutting through red tape, accessing an entitlement, fast-tracking a passport, etc? Did they respond? Was your issue resolved?
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
The real problems on Riley Gaines’ college swim team, according to teammates and university documents: abusive coaching, sexual harassment, eating disorders. But Gaines climbed the MAGA ladder by vilifying trans women in sports. Now, teammates speak out: ow.ly/o3wq50XuCzp
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
ow.ly
November 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The real problems on Riley Gaines’ college swim team, according to teammates and university documents: abusive coaching, sexual harassment, eating disorders. But Gaines climbed the MAGA ladder by vilifying trans women in sports. Now, teammates speak out: ow.ly/o3wq50XuCzp
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Records we obtained, reported on by @MotherJones, show the Trump admin plans to expand its national citizenship-check system to include driver’s license and passport data—info that could be used to justify large-scale voter purges, including of eligible voters.
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
November 15, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Records we obtained, reported on by @MotherJones, show the Trump admin plans to expand its national citizenship-check system to include driver’s license and passport data—info that could be used to justify large-scale voter purges, including of eligible voters.
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
Scott Wiener Doesn't Care About Your "Neighborhood Character." He just thinks we need a lot more housing. And he's running for Nancy Pelosi's seat.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scott Wiener defeated California’s NIMBYs. Can he fix America’s housing crisis?
By running for Nancy Pelosi's House seat, he's putting the abundance theory to the test.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Scott Wiener Doesn't Care About Your "Neighborhood Character." He just thinks we need a lot more housing. And he's running for Nancy Pelosi's seat.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop from @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social: Docs obtained by @weareoversight.bsky.social show efforts DHS is making to gather drivers' license data from all 50 states in order to weaponize Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
New docs show DHS is gathering drivers’ license data in voter fraud crusade
Experts worry the Trump administration will use the info to disenfranchise voters.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Scoop from @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social: Docs obtained by @weareoversight.bsky.social show efforts DHS is making to gather drivers' license data from all 50 states in order to weaponize Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Jury nullification is good and it's a good sign for America's path out of authoritarianism that juries are recognizing their power to nullify.
November 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Jury nullification is good and it's a good sign for America's path out of authoritarianism that juries are recognizing their power to nullify.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
In 2021, @nlanard.bsky.social came back from a hunger strike of taxi drivers and told me that a politician who had just turned 30 might be the future of politics in NYC. Here's a look back at a pivotal moment in Mamdani's rise
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The moment that made Mamdani
How a 15-day hunger strike foreshadowed his campaign.
www.motherjones.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
In 2021, @nlanard.bsky.social came back from a hunger strike of taxi drivers and told me that a politician who had just turned 30 might be the future of politics in NYC. Here's a look back at a pivotal moment in Mamdani's rise
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Conservatives are melting down over a video from the Heritage Foundation president defending Tucker Carlson's interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Heritage Foundation President Backs Tucker Carlson’s Chat With a Holocaust-Denying White Nationalist
Even Sen. Mitch McConnell was stunned.
www.motherjones.com
November 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Conservatives are melting down over a video from the Heritage Foundation president defending Tucker Carlson's interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Even Sen. Mitch McConnell was stunned.
Heritage Foundation President Backs Tucker Carlson’s Chat With a Holocaust-Denying White Nationalist
Even Sen. Mitch McConnell was stunned.
www.motherjones.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Even Sen. Mitch McConnell was stunned.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Contingency money for SNAP exists, but Trump chose not to use it—at least, not until the courts made him.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Tens of Millions of People Lost Their Food Stamps—For Now
Judges ordered the federal government use reserve funds to cover SNAP benefits during the shutdown, but the funding is limited and will be delayed.
www.motherjones.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Contingency money for SNAP exists, but Trump chose not to use it—at least, not until the courts made him.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
While hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers are going without pay, food stamps, formally known as SNAP, are set to run out on Saturday.
Normally, the federal government would use contingency money to keep SNAP going, but the Trump administration said it had no intention of doing so.
Normally, the federal government would use contingency money to keep SNAP going, but the Trump administration said it had no intention of doing so.
The shutdown is pushing federal workers to food banks—just as SNAP is set to expire
"There's absolutely more need, but less food. It's bad."
www.motherjones.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
While hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers are going without pay, food stamps, formally known as SNAP, are set to run out on Saturday.
Normally, the federal government would use contingency money to keep SNAP going, but the Trump administration said it had no intention of doing so.
Normally, the federal government would use contingency money to keep SNAP going, but the Trump administration said it had no intention of doing so.
At a very busy food bank in Hyattsville, MD, the government shutdown, SNAP benefits running out, and previous budget cuts all converged. “There’s absolutely more need, but less food," the food bank's leader told me. "It’s bad.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The shutdown is pushing federal workers to food banks—just as SNAP is set to expire
"There's absolutely more need, but less food. It's bad."
www.motherjones.com
October 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
At a very busy food bank in Hyattsville, MD, the government shutdown, SNAP benefits running out, and previous budget cuts all converged. “There’s absolutely more need, but less food," the food bank's leader told me. "It’s bad.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The EEOC is supposed to help workers who experienced hostile work environments. But under Trump, it became a hostile work environment itself, according to one judge’s recent ruling. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Under Trump, federal workplace anti-discrimination agency engaged in… workplace discrimination
A judge rules that the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission created a hostile work environment for a transgender employee.
www.motherjones.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:13 PM
The EEOC is supposed to help workers who experienced hostile work environments. But under Trump, it became a hostile work environment itself, according to one judge’s recent ruling. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
A media executive instructed staff that they "should not run articles that could draw the attention of the Trump White House."
One more reason to support independent, nonprofit media: we don't think that way.
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
One more reason to support independent, nonprofit media: we don't think that way.
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Opinion | My Bosses Were Afraid of Crossing Trump. So, I Quit.
A veteran journalist opens up on the censorship that he says led to his resignation.
www.politico.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A media executive instructed staff that they "should not run articles that could draw the attention of the Trump White House."
One more reason to support independent, nonprofit media: we don't think that way.
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
One more reason to support independent, nonprofit media: we don't think that way.
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
A Planned Parenthood Southeast executive asked a colleague via email if PPSE had ever worked with Students for Life. Repro rights activists noted that’s akin to asking "if the ACLU has ever partnered with the KKK.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop: Staffers fear a southern Planned Parenthood faces a “dangerous threat from within”
One new leader called herself “pro-life” and another asked about partnering with anti-abortion groups.
www.motherjones.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A Planned Parenthood Southeast executive asked a colleague via email if PPSE had ever worked with Students for Life. Repro rights activists noted that’s akin to asking "if the ACLU has ever partnered with the KKK.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
They weren't "kids"—I checked for @motherjones.com. They're 24 to 35, per public records.
Sorry, @jd-vance-1.bsky.social !
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Sorry, @jd-vance-1.bsky.social !
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid"
We checked. Sorry, JD Vance.
www.motherjones.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:21 PM
They weren't "kids"—I checked for @motherjones.com. They're 24 to 35, per public records.
Sorry, @jd-vance-1.bsky.social !
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Sorry, @jd-vance-1.bsky.social !
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid" www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid"
We checked. Sorry, JD Vance.
www.motherjones.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:32 PM
No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid" www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Just because federal employees aren't surprised doesn't mean they aren't mad. "I liked the fact that I still had the capacity for disappointment,” said one furloughed worker.
My first story for @motherjones.com: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
My first story for @motherjones.com: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
For furloughed workers, Trump's partisan shutdown jabs are just the latest slight
“Not only is it insulting to the standards we’re all supposed to abide by, but it’s also insulting to our intelligence.”
www.motherjones.com
October 3, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Just because federal employees aren't surprised doesn't mean they aren't mad. "I liked the fact that I still had the capacity for disappointment,” said one furloughed worker.
My first story for @motherjones.com: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
My first story for @motherjones.com: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Russell Vought, Trump's shutdown hero, lives in a neighborhood where "everyone knows someone who lost their jobs."
. @isabelaalhadeff.bsky.social talked with a few of them about the shutdown
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
. @isabelaalhadeff.bsky.social talked with a few of them about the shutdown
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Russ Vought is Trump’s shutdown hero. His neighbors think his work is "abhorrent."
The people living near Trump's "grim reaper" of government cuts have put up signs letting him know they stand with federal workers.
www.motherjones.com
October 3, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Russell Vought, Trump's shutdown hero, lives in a neighborhood where "everyone knows someone who lost their jobs."
. @isabelaalhadeff.bsky.social talked with a few of them about the shutdown
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
. @isabelaalhadeff.bsky.social talked with a few of them about the shutdown
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...