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
i ended up getting a shot-clock-violation on my "heroes and monsters" picks, but fortunately @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social had the same thought and wrote about juries www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Hero of 2025: Principled grand juries
The Trump administration tried to send people to prison for eight years over Subway sandwiches and a scraped hand.
www.motherjones.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:36 PM
i ended up getting a shot-clock-violation on my "heroes and monsters" picks, but fortunately @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social had the same thought and wrote about juries www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Can confirm: Pulled 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT” segment on the El Salvador mega prison housing hundreds of Venezuelan deportees sent by the U.S. is on Global TV’s free app
December 22, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Can confirm: Pulled 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT” segment on the El Salvador mega prison housing hundreds of Venezuelan deportees sent by the U.S. is on Global TV’s free app
Walk around Washington, DC, and you may spot murals and yard signs honoring Sean Dunn, aka "Sandwich Guy." But the 37-year-old rejects the hero label. So I’d like to suggest we salute a different group instead: the grand jurors who declined to indict him. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Hero of 2025: Principled grand juries
The Trump administration tried to send people to prison for eight years over Subway sandwiches and a scraped hand.
www.motherjones.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Walk around Washington, DC, and you may spot murals and yard signs honoring Sean Dunn, aka "Sandwich Guy." But the 37-year-old rejects the hero label. So I’d like to suggest we salute a different group instead: the grand jurors who declined to indict him. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Weird how The Free Press was able to publish all of these without comment from the Washigton University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
December 22, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Weird how The Free Press was able to publish all of these without comment from the Washigton University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Okay, you got my attention 😳
You might be thinking, "CPSC, does a dry Christmas tree really burn that much faster than a well-watered tree?"
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
Friend, let's find out together by watching this PSA.
December 19, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Okay, you got my attention 😳
Please allow me to rant for a minute. It's absurd that so many things—alarm clocks, fitness wearables, car features—require a separate subscription these days. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Monster of 2025: Endless subscriptions
We're being $5.99 per month-ed to death.
www.motherjones.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Please allow me to rant for a minute. It's absurd that so many things—alarm clocks, fitness wearables, car features—require a separate subscription these days. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
December 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
December 12, Mother Jones —>
Scoop: Eric Neff is the new head of the DOJ voting section, per legal filing.
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop: New Justice Department voting rights chief had prior job suspension for ties to election deniers
California prosecutor Eric Neff relied on a right-wing group's intel to bring charges. Now, he's apparently in charge of voting rights at the DOJ.
www.motherjones.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:03 PM
December 12, Mother Jones —>
My colleague @samanthamichaels.bsky.social hid out with an immigrant family in TN, where the onslaught of ICE officers has fundamentally reshaped daily life, drawing comparisons to 1930s Germany.
“I thought they were gonna kick down the door and take me away.”
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
“I thought they were gonna kick down the door and take me away.”
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
I'm a veteran criminal justice reporter. I've never seen anything like ICE-occupied Memphis.
“It’s about as sad as you can possibly imagine."
www.motherjones.com
December 16, 2025 at 6:46 PM
My colleague @samanthamichaels.bsky.social hid out with an immigrant family in TN, where the onslaught of ICE officers has fundamentally reshaped daily life, drawing comparisons to 1930s Germany.
“I thought they were gonna kick down the door and take me away.”
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
“I thought they were gonna kick down the door and take me away.”
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
New from me: Literally nothing is known about the shooter. And yet. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Conservative influencers blame Brown University shooting on a “leftist activist”
Nothing is known yet about the shooter's motive or political beliefs.
www.motherjones.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:05 PM
New from me: Literally nothing is known about the shooter. And yet. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
@jamespwest.bsky.social was home in Sydney on vacation when the horror happened. As good journalists are apt to do, he put his life on hold to file this story. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
“Unfathomable.” Hanukkah massacre shatters Australia’s long-held pride in guns and safety
Anguish, outrage, and a national reckoning over antisemitism and gun control.
www.motherjones.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
@jamespwest.bsky.social was home in Sydney on vacation when the horror happened. As good journalists are apt to do, he put his life on hold to file this story. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
In DC, Trump officials celebrated the decimation of USAID with a sheet cake.
In South Sudan, USAID budget cuts closed a health clinic in the middle of a cholera outbreak.
Tor Top had to take his sick mother to the hospital, 8 hours away. She died on the way.
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
In South Sudan, USAID budget cuts closed a health clinic in the middle of a cholera outbreak.
Tor Top had to take his sick mother to the hospital, 8 hours away. She died on the way.
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.
Behind closed doors in Washington, top advisers made a series of decisions that had devastating repercussions for the poorest country on earth. We went to South Sudan and found people who died as a re...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 3:09 PM
In DC, Trump officials celebrated the decimation of USAID with a sheet cake.
In South Sudan, USAID budget cuts closed a health clinic in the middle of a cholera outbreak.
Tor Top had to take his sick mother to the hospital, 8 hours away. She died on the way.
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
In South Sudan, USAID budget cuts closed a health clinic in the middle of a cholera outbreak.
Tor Top had to take his sick mother to the hospital, 8 hours away. She died on the way.
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
‼️ On today's @msignorile.bsky.social Show ‼️
@nicholsuprising.bsky.social of @thenation.com
@amandamarcotte.bsky.social of @salon.com
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social of @motherjones.com
🔊Listen Here:
siriusxm.us/Signorile
Give us your calls at: 866-997-4748
@nicholsuprising.bsky.social of @thenation.com
@amandamarcotte.bsky.social of @salon.com
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social of @motherjones.com
🔊Listen Here:
siriusxm.us/Signorile
Give us your calls at: 866-997-4748
December 15, 2025 at 7:55 PM
‼️ On today's @msignorile.bsky.social Show ‼️
@nicholsuprising.bsky.social of @thenation.com
@amandamarcotte.bsky.social of @salon.com
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social of @motherjones.com
🔊Listen Here:
siriusxm.us/Signorile
Give us your calls at: 866-997-4748
@nicholsuprising.bsky.social of @thenation.com
@amandamarcotte.bsky.social of @salon.com
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social of @motherjones.com
🔊Listen Here:
siriusxm.us/Signorile
Give us your calls at: 866-997-4748
Scoop: Eric Neff is the new head of the DOJ voting section, per legal filing.
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop: New Justice Department voting rights chief had prior job suspension for ties to election deniers
California prosecutor Eric Neff relied on a right-wing group's intel to bring charges. Now, he's apparently in charge of voting rights at the DOJ.
www.motherjones.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Scoop: Eric Neff is the new head of the DOJ voting section, per legal filing.
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
big day for me. for *us.*
I Am Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
So are you. Congrats!
www.theatlantic.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:09 PM
big day for me. for *us.*
Today, the DOJ sued Colorado for access to its complete voter roll. This marks the 15th state sued over private voter info, 13 of which are led by Democrats. My colleague @ariberman.bsky.social and I published a big piece last week about why this should scare you. 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 11, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Today, the DOJ sued Colorado for access to its complete voter roll. This marks the 15th state sued over private voter info, 13 of which are led by Democrats. My colleague @ariberman.bsky.social and I published a big piece last week about why this should scare you. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
December 11, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
“Asian wife sharing,” Pentagon press policy, and me: Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
www.motherjones.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:17 PM
“Asian wife sharing,” Pentagon press policy, and me: Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reporter @dfriedman.bsky.social was working on a story about a top aide to Pete Hegseth. Then Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec threatened to write a scurrilous story about him. ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
ow.ly
December 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reporter @dfriedman.bsky.social was working on a story about a top aide to Pete Hegseth. Then Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec threatened to write a scurrilous story about him. ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Eileen O’Connor, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, spoke with @motherjones.com about the Justice Department suing states across the country to obtain their complete voter files, which contain private voter data like driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. 1/2
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 4:42 PM
Eileen O’Connor, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, spoke with @motherjones.com about the Justice Department suing states across the country to obtain their complete voter files, which contain private voter data like driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. 1/2
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Trump’s Justice Department is hellbent on accessing our private voter info—Social Security numbers, party affiliation, driver's licenses—resulting in what experts warn would be a gold mine for hackers.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
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 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Trump’s Justice Department is hellbent on accessing our private voter info—Social Security numbers, party affiliation, driver's licenses—resulting in what experts warn would be a gold mine for hackers.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
"The danger is once you compile all this information, then hackers only have to go to one place instead of going to all 50-plus jurisdictions that run elections... It’s a hacker’s dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere..."
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
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 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
"The danger is once you compile all this information, then hackers only have to go to one place instead of going to all 50-plus jurisdictions that run elections... It’s a hacker’s dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere..."
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
The Justice Department has waged an unprecedented campaign to intimidate states into handing over voters’ private information.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
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 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The Justice Department has waged an unprecedented campaign to intimidate states into handing over voters’ private information.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Excellent and deeply troubling article by @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social @ariberman.bsky.social.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
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 6, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Excellent and deeply troubling article by @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social @ariberman.bsky.social.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...