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Reposted by Cristian Farias

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 9h

www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

Can you put into words what that purpose is? You and the frog have really become icons of this protest.

There’s been a nice overall whimsy that has shown up. The frog is amazing. We had a bunch of other inflatable people here last night, too. I saw people playing Twister the other day.

What they rely on is fear. So by coming out in an absurdist manner, it speaks to them, to some extent, that we’re actually not that afraid.

It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as “war-torn,” it becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it’s, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 17h

The textualist Trump judges on the Ninth Circuit are blowing my mind.

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 19h

Only nerds like me care about this detail, but:

Under longstanding precedent that legal historian Mark Graber has compiled, an inoperative court system is one of the few objective criteria the federal government may activate the National Guard. (Not here, not now.)

See:

www.citizensforethics.org

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 19h

This is wild, via @jmetr22b.bsky.social of the Chicago Tribune:

From U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall in the Northern District of Illinois:

“At no point did I, nor the Building Security Committee, authorize or request the National Guard’s assistance to secure the Dirksen Courthouse.”

Press release from federal court in Illinois:

Statement from Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall

"Providing access to justice is at the heart of the Court's mission and critical for our democracy.
Maintaining access to the courthouse for anyone who seeks redress remains a top priority of the court. It is a core principle to promote our rule of law," said Chief Judge Virginia Kendall.

As the Chief District Court Judge in the Northern District of Illinois, I chair the Dirksen Courthouse Building Security Committee and work closely with the United States Marshals Service. During the past several weeks, I have received frequent updates on matters impacting the Court's operations to allow for proceedings to continue safely. Proceedings are and have been open to the public and the media.

The United States Marshals Service has jurisdiction over the interior and exterior security at the Dirksen Courthouse. While the Federal Protective Service has authority in most federal buildings, the United States Marshals Service has that primary responsibility at the Dirksen Courthouse. I trust and rely upon the men and women of the United States Marshals Service and the Court Security Officers to provide security at the Dirksen Courthouse; this includes the perimeter of the building. At no point did I, nor did the Building Security Committee, authorize or request the National Guard's assistance to secure the Dirksen Courthouse.
With my approval, additional security measures have been implemented to allow court operations to proceed, but those measures do not include the National Guard at the Dirksen Courthouse. The Courthouse remains open and accessible for all matters including hearings, jury trials, and naturalization ceremonies. The District Court Clerk's Office will be open during normal business hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and in-person proceedings will continue as scheduled by the assigned judge.

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 20h

This is a word:

“They may try to take away our 501(c)(3) tax status, which would be devastating. But I would rather be a truth-teller and taxed, than to be silent and untaxed.”

Melissa Murray @profmmurray.bsky.social · 2d

If you read one thing today, make it this piece by @nytimes.com's Kurt Streeter about the extraordinary Bryan Stevenson. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Civil Rights Lawyer Bryan Stevenson on How America’s Story Should Be Told

www.nytimes.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 21h

We need a term of art for this kind of federalism that welcomes a militarized invasion by the president to do harm to a state’s residents, in service of a broader carceral agenda.

How about … Fascist Federalism?

Anyway, I wrote about this today so all these things are on my mind:

Trump Is Not Entitled to a National Police Force

How the hostile takeover of Democratic cities should end.

nymag.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 22h

It’s indeed surprising that some Republican-led states still stand on principle, assuming that’s why they didn’t join.

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 22h

Filing: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

storage.courtlistener.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 22h

Fairweather federalists: A coalition of MAGA attorneys general file amicus brief supporting Donald Trump’s militarization of a sovereign state and city.

Of note: This is not surprising, given some of these same actors supported overturning the election results in states Joe Biden won.

Counsel for State of Iowa

ADDITIONAL ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN SUPPORT
Austin Knudsen
Attorney General of Montana
Gentner Drummond
Attorney General of Oklahoma
Lynn Fitch
Attorney General of Mississippi
Catherine Hanaway
Attorney General of Missouri
Alan Wilson
Attorney General of South Carolina
Steve Marshall
Attorney General of Alabama
Tim Griffin
Attorney General of Arkansas
James Uthmeier
Attorney General of Florida
Chris Carr
Attorney General of Georgia
Raúl R. Labrador
Attorney General of Idaho
Theodore E. Rokita
Attorney General of Indiana
Kris Kobach
Attorney General of Kansas
Liz Murrill
Attorney General of Louisiana
Michael T. Hilgers
Attorney General of Nebraska
Marty Jackley
Attorney General of South Dakota
Ken Paxton
Attorney General of Texas
John B. McCuskey
Attorney General of West Virginia

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 23h

At its core, the militarization of U.S. cities is an affront to Democratic, and democratic, governance—a gambit to set up a national police force, with the president as its chief, where neither the Constitution nor federal law allow it.

For @nymag.com, I probe how to put a stop to this perversion.

Trump Is Not Entitled to a National Police Force

How the hostile takeover of Democratic cities should end.

nymag.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

Through the lens of animus doctrine in constitutional law, I examined how Donald Trump’s hostility toward Democratic, and democratic, governance is meaningless to the question of whether he may have a national police force through a lawless deployment of the National Guard.

(He may not.)

Trump Is Not Entitled to a National Police Force

How the hostile takeover of Democratic cities should end.

nymag.com

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Reposted by Cristian Farias

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

#WarRavagedPortland

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

“Enemies of the country who are pursuing that lawsuit” is as chilling a statement I’ve ever heard from a sitting president, given that seeking redress for grievances is a constitutional right.

(For what it’s worth: Many of them or their are libertarians and fiscal conservatives.)

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

Adventures in unitary executive land:

The same administration that wants Kilmar Ábrego García prosecuted in federal court in Nashville and in ICE detention pending deportation proceedings in Maryland—at the same time—cannot make arrangements to bring him to court for a previously scheduled hearing.

storage.courtlistener.com

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Reposted by Cristian Farias

Jessica Pishko @jesspish.bsky.social · 1d

The Fraternal Order of Police is on the side of MAGA and against the people they are supposed to be "policing." I think this says a lot to the people who insist local police are going to be "resistance."
www.foxnews.com/us/national-...

National police union calls Chicago's refusal to help ICE agents 'shocking' violation of duty

Police union leaders called Chicago's alleged directive to not assist ICE agents surrounded by protesters a violation of law enforcement's duty to protect fellow officers.

www.foxnews.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

Also: Democratic governance: Bad. Republican governance: Good.

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Reposted by Cristian Farias

Imani Gandy Corn 🎃 @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 1d

Skrmetti and Chiles are both cases we want to use to stick it to queer kids. - SCOTUS, basically

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

Supreme Court on banning gender-affirming care for trans youth: Sure, that's fine, no constitutional violation.

Supreme Court on banning so-called conversion therapy for gay youth: No, can't have that, grave constitutional violation.

Here, Ketanji Brown Jackson gets to the bottom of it:

Excerpt of Supreme Court transcript in Chiles v. Salazar:

JUSTICE JACKSON: No, but here's what
I mean, right? In Skrmetti, we had a state
that wanted to prohibit certain medical
treatment, gender-affirming care, being given
to minors in the form of medication.
And we said that was okay. And I
understand there are particulars with respect
to how the -- the arguments, the constitutional
arguments, worked, but the state can prohibit
that.

Here, we have a state that wants to
prohibit gender-related medical treatment in
the form of talk therapy, but we now have the
First Amendment that is inhibiting the state's
ability to do that.

And I'm just, from a very, very broad
perspective, concerned about making sure that
we have equivalence with respect to these
things.

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Reposted by Cristian Farias

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

Supreme Court on banning gender-affirming care for trans youth: Sure, that's fine, no constitutional violation.

Supreme Court on banning so-called conversion therapy for gay youth: No, can't have that, grave constitutional violation.

Here, Ketanji Brown Jackson gets to the bottom of it:

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

This was perfect in every single way. We stan. youtu.be/8y-ViyUk7Dk?...

EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters: Golden | The Tonight Show

YouTube video by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

youtu.be

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 1d

Will the panel be bound by Newsom II, now being appealed?

Reposted by Cristian Farias

Jess Bravin @jessbravin.bsky.social · 2d

War Resister: @WSJ Stylebook conscientiously objects to bellicose rebranding of DoD. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

Vol. 38, No. 8: Department of War

In the latest Wall Street Journal stylebook bulletin, a note on the revival of an old name for what is still officially the Defense Department.

www.wsj.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

Rational basis, says Skrmetti, but apparently not when “speech” therapy is involved. 🫠

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

When all is said and done, the Supreme Court will be greatly responsible for creating a balkanized United States—where states will be able to regulate medical treatments the justices approve of, and others won't be able to regulate those the justices don't approve of.

See also: Dobbs.

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

Transcript: www.supremecourt.gov/oral_argumen...

Slate's @mjsdc.bsky.social wrote it up: slate.com/news-and-pol...

With One Damning Question, Ketanji Brown Jackson Defined the Supreme Court’s New Term

The justice stripped the veneer of constitutional principle from the court’s latest blatant culture war.

slate.com

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Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 2d

Supreme Court on banning gender-affirming care for trans youth: Sure, that's fine, no constitutional violation.

Supreme Court on banning so-called conversion therapy for gay youth: No, can't have that, grave constitutional violation.

Here, Ketanji Brown Jackson gets to the bottom of it:

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