Bolts
@boltsmag.org
A publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change: Boltsmag.org
The decision by two Bay Area DAs to pursue felony conspiracy charges against student protesters has critics concerned about the growing push to suppress protest. “That’s really concerning for the health of our democracy.”
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns
Local prosecutors are seeking felony-level charges against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Even if they don’t stick, critics say the response is harsh and could chill protests.
boltsmag.org
February 7, 2026 at 1:00 AM
The decision by two Bay Area DAs to pursue felony conspiracy charges against student protesters has critics concerned about the growing push to suppress protest. “That’s really concerning for the health of our democracy.”
Immigration arrests have surged in Virginia, as local police work more closely with ICE. “We are one of the epicenters of the Trump administration’s escalation of a reckless mass deportation agenda,” says a policy director at the ACLU of Virginia.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now.
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Immigration arrests have surged in Virginia, as local police work more closely with ICE. “We are one of the epicenters of the Trump administration’s escalation of a reckless mass deportation agenda,” says a policy director at the ACLU of Virginia.
In February, billions of dollars of school funding in Washington are on the ballot, key chambers are at stake, and several cities will choose their mayor. Explore our elections guide:
The 20 Elections to Watch This February - Bolts
Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities in Maine and Pennsylvania’s state Houses. They now need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the... Read More
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 9:33 PM
In February, billions of dollars of school funding in Washington are on the ballot, key chambers are at stake, and several cities will choose their mayor. Explore our elections guide:
The Oregon supreme court ruled yesterday that a shortage of public defenders is violating defendants’ rights to have timely counsel, and provoking such a crisis that hundreds of criminal cases ought to be dismissed.
Oregon must dismiss more than 1,400 criminal cases due to attorney shortage, court rules
Severe lack of public defenders has meant people charged with crimes have been routinely unable to fight their cases
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:00 PM
The Oregon supreme court ruled yesterday that a shortage of public defenders is violating defendants’ rights to have timely counsel, and provoking such a crisis that hundreds of criminal cases ought to be dismissed.
In a highly unusual move, San Francisco’s district attorney, a Democrat in a liberal county, has pursued felony conspiracy charges against eight pro-Palestine protesters who took over the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024.
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns
Local prosecutors are seeking felony-level charges against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Even if they don’t stick, critics say the response is harsh and could chill protests.
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 6:29 PM
In a highly unusual move, San Francisco’s district attorney, a Democrat in a liberal county, has pursued felony conspiracy charges against eight pro-Palestine protesters who took over the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024.
Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities in Maine and Pennsylvania’s state Houses.
In February, they’ll need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the year. Those are among the main election events coming up:
In February, they’ll need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the year. Those are among the main election events coming up:
The 20 Elections to Watch This February - Bolts
Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities in Maine and Pennsylvania’s state Houses. They now need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the... Read More
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities in Maine and Pennsylvania’s state Houses.
In February, they’ll need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the year. Those are among the main election events coming up:
In February, they’ll need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the year. Those are among the main election events coming up:
Immigrant rights advocates in Virginia celebrated Governor Spanberger’s decision to withdraw state agencies from a program to collaborate with ICE. They’re also cautioning that local police and sheriffs can still work with the program.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now.
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Immigrant rights advocates in Virginia celebrated Governor Spanberger’s decision to withdraw state agencies from a program to collaborate with ICE. They’re also cautioning that local police and sheriffs can still work with the program.
Don’t sleep on prosecutor races this year. There’s a wide-open race to replace Minneapolis’ retiring prosecutor, and likely clashes between reformers and reform critics from Burlington and Baltimore County to Las Vegas.
In Criminal Justice Elections This Year, ICE Contracts Are on the Hot Seat
With roughly 2,400 elections for prosecutor and sheriff in 2026, Bolts reviews the map and early hotspots that will shape criminal punishment and law enforcement practices.
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Don’t sleep on prosecutor races this year. There’s a wide-open race to replace Minneapolis’ retiring prosecutor, and likely clashes between reformers and reform critics from Burlington and Baltimore County to Las Vegas.
Reposted by Bolts
Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program. This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE. boltsmag.org/virginia-spa...
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now. - Bolts
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program. This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE. boltsmag.org/virginia-spa...
Since 2019, New York, Oklahoma, and Georgia have all passed resentencing reforms for incarcerated survivors of abuse. In Massachusetts, advocates hope a similar bill can be passed this year.
Massachusetts Could Be the Next State to Give Abuse Survivors a Pathway Out of Prison
The Massachusetts Survivors Act emulates recent resentencing reforms across the country that allow for reduced sentences for people with convictions related to their abuse.
boltsmag.org
February 6, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Since 2019, New York, Oklahoma, and Georgia have all passed resentencing reforms for incarcerated survivors of abuse. In Massachusetts, advocates hope a similar bill can be passed this year.
Felony conspiracy charges can be used as a tool to quash protest, says one legal scholar. “Conspiracy directly targets collective action. In some ways, it is easier to convict someone of conspiracy to commit a crime than the underlying crime itself.”
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns
Local prosecutors are seeking felony-level charges against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Even if they don’t stick, critics say the response is harsh and could chill protests.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Felony conspiracy charges can be used as a tool to quash protest, says one legal scholar. “Conspiracy directly targets collective action. In some ways, it is easier to convict someone of conspiracy to commit a crime than the underlying crime itself.”
Reposted by Bolts
Massachusetts could become the latest state to address the incarceration of abuse survivors, who often end up in the prison system for fighting back.
Massachusetts Could Be the Next State to Give Abuse Survivors a Pathway Out of Prison - Bolts
The Massachusetts Survivors Act emulates recent resentencing reforms across the country that allow for reduced sentences for people with convictions related to their abuse.
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Massachusetts could become the latest state to address the incarceration of abuse survivors, who often end up in the prison system for fighting back.
“Virginia State Police’s job is not immigration enforcement,” says a Virginia state Senator who opposed the contracts the state had with ICE.
Governor Abigail Spanberger this week ordered the state police to end this agreement.
Governor Abigail Spanberger this week ordered the state police to end this agreement.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now.
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 9:28 PM
“Virginia State Police’s job is not immigration enforcement,” says a Virginia state Senator who opposed the contracts the state had with ICE.
Governor Abigail Spanberger this week ordered the state police to end this agreement.
Governor Abigail Spanberger this week ordered the state police to end this agreement.
The charge of “felony murder” allows defendants to be charged with the death of an accomplice, even when the killing was committed by someone else. Between 2009 and 2017, 83 percent of people charged with felony murder in Alabama were Black.
A Friend’s Death to Mourn, and to Serve Time for
An Alabama teen was shot alongside his friend, then prosecuted for his killing. His case highlights a particularly harsh doctrine in American criminal punishment: felony murder.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM
The charge of “felony murder” allows defendants to be charged with the death of an accomplice, even when the killing was committed by someone else. Between 2009 and 2017, 83 percent of people charged with felony murder in Alabama were Black.
Activists and immigration attorneys warn that a Boston law enforcement program has created formal and informal channels for passing data to ICE. The city is applying to renew the federal grant that supports the program, adding to critics’ worries.
Bid to Renew Federal Grant Sparks Concern Boston May Help Trump’s DHS on Immigration
The grant helps fund a law enforcement center that’s drawn criticism over privacy and over data-sharing with ICE. It would also come with new strings to spend money on border control.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Activists and immigration attorneys warn that a Boston law enforcement program has created formal and informal channels for passing data to ICE. The city is applying to renew the federal grant that supports the program, adding to critics’ worries.
Is your county electing its sheriff or prosecutor this year? These are critical officials for criminal justice and law enforcement, and our database flags where these races are happening in 2026.
Which Counties Elect Their Prosecutors and Sheriffs in 2026? - Bolts
There are roughly 2,400 elections for prosecutor and sheriff in 2026. Below is our Bolts database of those local elections. Also: read our preliminary overview of these elections, published in January 2026,... Read More
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Is your county electing its sheriff or prosecutor this year? These are critical officials for criminal justice and law enforcement, and our database flags where these races are happening in 2026.
Reposted by Bolts
Bay Area prosecutors are continuing to pursue felony charges against pro-Palestine activists who staged sit-ins in 2024
@psfrench.bsky.social reports how the cases represent a notable escalation in punishment against nonviolent demonstrators boltsmag.org/stanford-san...
@psfrench.bsky.social reports how the cases represent a notable escalation in punishment against nonviolent demonstrators boltsmag.org/stanford-san...
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns - Bolts
German Gonzalez grew up about an hour south of Stanford University, in a dusty California farming town where the apples for Martinelli’s sparkling cider are juiced and packaged. In high... Read More
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Bay Area prosecutors are continuing to pursue felony charges against pro-Palestine activists who staged sit-ins in 2024
@psfrench.bsky.social reports how the cases represent a notable escalation in punishment against nonviolent demonstrators boltsmag.org/stanford-san...
@psfrench.bsky.social reports how the cases represent a notable escalation in punishment against nonviolent demonstrators boltsmag.org/stanford-san...
The DA of Santa Clara County, California, is the only prosecutor in the country to try a felony case against pro-Palestine student protesters since campus demonstrations began. The trial began last month and a verdict is expected soon.
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns
Local prosecutors are seeking felony-level charges against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Even if they don’t stick, critics say the response is harsh and could chill protests.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:35 PM
The DA of Santa Clara County, California, is the only prosecutor in the country to try a felony case against pro-Palestine student protesters since campus demonstrations began. The trial began last month and a verdict is expected soon.
Today is Election Day in New Jersey, and voters will settle the Democratic primary for the congressional seat that Governor Mikie Sherrill vacated last month. With a dozen Dems on the ballot, the winner may only need a modest share of the vote:
The 20 Elections to Watch This February - Bolts
Democrats hold the narrowest of majorities in Maine and Pennsylvania’s state Houses. They now need to defend vacant seats to retain their edge in each through the end of the... Read More
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Today is Election Day in New Jersey, and voters will settle the Democratic primary for the congressional seat that Governor Mikie Sherrill vacated last month. With a dozen Dems on the ballot, the winner may only need a modest share of the vote:
While he vetoed two immigration bills, New Jersey’s outgoing governor signed a third bill to direct the attorney general to create model policies limiting immigration enforcement at places such as hospitals, shelters, schools, and courthouses.
On His Way Out, New Jersey Governor Vetoes Legislation to Bar Local Assistance to ICE
Phil Murphy killed a bill meant to codify restrictions on how sheriffs and police can partner with ICE. Some restrictions remain in place, for now, due to an attorney general directive.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 1:00 AM
While he vetoed two immigration bills, New Jersey’s outgoing governor signed a third bill to direct the attorney general to create model policies limiting immigration enforcement at places such as hospitals, shelters, schools, and courthouses.
Reposted by Bolts
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now. - Bolts
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 PM
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
Wisconsin is electing all of its sheriffs this year, and several swing counties, such as Kenosha and Sauk, are currently run by sheriffs who have signed on to a key program to collaborate with ICE.
In Criminal Justice Elections This Year, ICE Contracts Are on the Hot Seat
With roughly 2,400 elections for prosecutor and sheriff in 2026, Bolts reviews the map and early hotspots that will shape criminal punishment and law enforcement practices.
boltsmag.org
February 5, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Wisconsin is electing all of its sheriffs this year, and several swing counties, such as Kenosha and Sauk, are currently run by sheriffs who have signed on to a key program to collaborate with ICE.
NEW in Bolts: Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now.
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM
NEW in Bolts: Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
“North Carolina has long expected imprisoned people to shoulder part of the cost of their incarceration,” says a law professor who studies prison labor and revenue.
North Carolina Prison Officials Raise Prices for Those Who Can Least Afford It
An increased markup on canteen goods adds to the financial burden on incarcerated people and their families, highlighting how prison systems squeeze them for revenue.
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 9:34 PM
“North Carolina has long expected imprisoned people to shoulder part of the cost of their incarceration,” says a law professor who studies prison labor and revenue.
In a region with a rich history of civil disobedience, two Bay Area district attorneys have pursued felony charges for pro-Palestine student protesters—a notable escalation in charging against nonviolent demonstrators.
In Bay Area, Felony Charges Against Student Protesters Prompt Free Speech Concerns
Local prosecutors are seeking felony-level charges against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Even if they don’t stick, critics say the response is harsh and could chill protests.
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 8:02 PM
In a region with a rich history of civil disobedience, two Bay Area district attorneys have pursued felony charges for pro-Palestine student protesters—a notable escalation in charging against nonviolent demonstrators.