David Atkins
@davidoatkins.bsky.social
Contributor @washingtonmonthly.com. Bylines @theprospect & elsewhere. Elected DNC Member from CA. Progressive reformist. Dad of two. I run a qualitative research firm.
Reposted by David Atkins
This isn’t exactly treason, but it’s edging close to the line.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
This isn’t exactly treason, but it’s edging close to the line.
Reposted by David Atkins
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
Billionaire Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, pardoned by Donald Trump, has been accused of facilitating millions of dollars’ worth of payments to Hamas in the wake of its attack on Israel on October 7 2023. Zhao also financed the Trump family's entrance into the cryptocurrency market.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao accused of facilitating payments to Hamas
Crypto tycoon pardoned by Donald Trump faces US court complaint from families of victims of October 7 attack
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
I like Pluribus, but the protagonist is one of the most annoyingly and belligerently incurious, falsely confident, and Dunning-Kruger parochial characters I've seen on screen.
In that position I would first have So. Many. Policy. And Philosophy. Questions.
In that position I would first have So. Many. Policy. And Philosophy. Questions.
November 24, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I like Pluribus, but the protagonist is one of the most annoyingly and belligerently incurious, falsely confident, and Dunning-Kruger parochial characters I've seen on screen.
In that position I would first have So. Many. Policy. And Philosophy. Questions.
In that position I would first have So. Many. Policy. And Philosophy. Questions.
Remember when Republicans attacked as unAmerican anyone who suggested that invading Iraq was about doing the bidding of oil companies?
Now they just admit it proudly about invading Venezuela.
Now they just admit it proudly about invading Venezuela.
Rep. Salazar on Venezuela: "We're about to go in ... we need to go in ... Venezuela for the American oil companies will be a field day"
November 24, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Remember when Republicans attacked as unAmerican anyone who suggested that invading Iraq was about doing the bidding of oil companies?
Now they just admit it proudly about invading Venezuela.
Now they just admit it proudly about invading Venezuela.
Too few people are talking about how Trump isnt isolationist or interventionist. He is, along with Putin, a Spheres of Influence autocrat.
He wants every Great Power to carve up and dominate their own sphere: Russia over Ukraine, America over Venezuela, etc
He wants every Great Power to carve up and dominate their own sphere: Russia over Ukraine, America over Venezuela, etc
Rep. Salazar: "We're gonna be doing a favor to us, to our children, to our economy, to our oil companies to be able to liberate. And to Venezuelans who wants to be free."
November 24, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Too few people are talking about how Trump isnt isolationist or interventionist. He is, along with Putin, a Spheres of Influence autocrat.
He wants every Great Power to carve up and dominate their own sphere: Russia over Ukraine, America over Venezuela, etc
He wants every Great Power to carve up and dominate their own sphere: Russia over Ukraine, America over Venezuela, etc
Reposted by David Atkins
It’s crazy to think about the crimes we’re going to learn about after this regime ends.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
November 22, 2025 at 10:05 PM
It’s crazy to think about the crimes we’re going to learn about after this regime ends.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
We’re already hearing about Watergate level crimes every week. Imagine what will come out after it’s over.
We’re going to need a full accounting of all that’s been done in violation of the constitution.
Reposted by David Atkins
Elon is rigging the Twitter algorithm to shove right wing fever dreams down your throat. If you're a prominent person who's still on Twitter, you're helping him cook people's brains just by being there. Don't take my word for it, he'll tell you himself. @takedowntwitterx.bsky.social #teslatakedown
November 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Elon is rigging the Twitter algorithm to shove right wing fever dreams down your throat. If you're a prominent person who's still on Twitter, you're helping him cook people's brains just by being there. Don't take my word for it, he'll tell you himself. @takedowntwitterx.bsky.social #teslatakedown
Reposted by David Atkins
something i'll note is that if nuzzi ran catch-and-kill ops for rfk jr and lizza knew this prior to him being appointed as HHS, and instead of telling anyone, he decided to save it for his substack long after rfk jr had made communicable disease into federal policy, that's completely fucked
November 22, 2025 at 6:33 PM
something i'll note is that if nuzzi ran catch-and-kill ops for rfk jr and lizza knew this prior to him being appointed as HHS, and instead of telling anyone, he decided to save it for his substack long after rfk jr had made communicable disease into federal policy, that's completely fucked
Reposted by David Atkins
elon installs a new feature that publicly displays the country where your app was installed and operates from
people find out the most racist pro-US accounts are based in israel, india, bangladesh, etc
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TWITTER BASED IN ISRAEL
elon pauses location feature
people find out the most racist pro-US accounts are based in israel, india, bangladesh, etc
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TWITTER BASED IN ISRAEL
elon pauses location feature
November 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
elon installs a new feature that publicly displays the country where your app was installed and operates from
people find out the most racist pro-US accounts are based in israel, india, bangladesh, etc
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TWITTER BASED IN ISRAEL
elon pauses location feature
people find out the most racist pro-US accounts are based in israel, india, bangladesh, etc
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TWITTER BASED IN ISRAEL
elon pauses location feature
This would be a generational landslide if elections were held today, limited only by highly gerrymandered districts.
Generic Ballot Polling Among White Voters:
🔵 Democrats: 50%
🔴 Republicans: 46%
Marist / Nov 13, 2025
🔵 Democrats: 50%
🔴 Republicans: 46%
Marist / Nov 13, 2025
November 20, 2025 at 11:11 PM
This would be a generational landslide if elections were held today, limited only by highly gerrymandered districts.
"Literally" taking on entirely new, Atlas-level strain
Karoline Leavitt: They are literally saying to 1.3 million active duty service members not to follow lawful orders.
Q: They said refuse illegal, unlawful orders.
Leavitt: They are suggesting Trump has given illegal orders, he has not. Every order is lawful. The courts have proven that.
Q: They said refuse illegal, unlawful orders.
Leavitt: They are suggesting Trump has given illegal orders, he has not. Every order is lawful. The courts have proven that.
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
"Literally" taking on entirely new, Atlas-level strain
I do not know what comes after Trump in the GOP. But I do know that if those who gleefully committed crimes and tried to destroy democracy at his behest are not fully held accountable, whatever comes after will be somehow worse.
November 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I do not know what comes after Trump in the GOP. But I do know that if those who gleefully committed crimes and tried to destroy democracy at his behest are not fully held accountable, whatever comes after will be somehow worse.
Reposted by David Atkins
This is fucking horrifying.
Swastikas and nooses are just “potentially divisive”? Are you kidding me?
Swastikas and nooses are just “potentially divisive”? Are you kidding me?
November 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This is fucking horrifying.
Swastikas and nooses are just “potentially divisive”? Are you kidding me?
Swastikas and nooses are just “potentially divisive”? Are you kidding me?
Reposted by David Atkins
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
November 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
Reposted by David Atkins
It was murder and everybody involved must be prosecuted.
As we knew all along, these were murders.
“The lawyer at U.S. Southern Command, which oversees the operations against alleged drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela, disagreed that the strikes are legal and was overruled, according to six sources.”
“The lawyer at U.S. Southern Command, which oversees the operations against alleged drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela, disagreed that the strikes are legal and was overruled, according to six sources.”
Top military lawyer raised legal concerns about boat strikes
The lawyer at U.S. Southern Command, which oversees the operations against alleged drug-smuggling boats near Venezuela, disagreed that the strikes are legal and was overruled, according to six sources...
www.nbcnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:46 PM
It was murder and everybody involved must be prosecuted.
Reposted by David Atkins
It is particularly galling that Trump is calling for the execution of people who actually served honorably in the military, while he took a bone spur exemption and famously boasted that his Vietnam was dodging syphilis in 70s New York.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
November 20, 2025 at 5:16 PM
It is particularly galling that Trump is calling for the execution of people who actually served honorably in the military, while he took a bone spur exemption and famously boasted that his Vietnam was dodging syphilis in 70s New York.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Just a historically loathsome figure by any measure.
Reposted by David Atkins
Trump/WH getting unhinged and desperate bc they are seeing the numbers. They can hear the voters footsteps next year. www.axios.com/2025/11/20/r...
November 20, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Trump/WH getting unhinged and desperate bc they are seeing the numbers. They can hear the voters footsteps next year. www.axios.com/2025/11/20/r...
Reposted by David Atkins
“It comes shortly after a secret memo from the Department of Justice green-lighting the strikes revealed that the justification for such force was based entirely on assertions made by the president.”
I hope we recognize the danger in this with the President calling on Congressmembers to be killed.
I hope we recognize the danger in this with the President calling on Congressmembers to be killed.
When the top JAG at Southern Command told the Pentagon that their plans to blow up fishing boats based on suspicions that they might have drugs in the cargo hold was certainly illegal, Hegseth simply ignored him, while others told him his career was over. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Top military lawyer concerned about Trump ‘drug boat’ strikes was ignored: report
The senior judge advocate general reportedly raised concerns that the airstrikes against the alleged ‘narco-terrorists’ could amount to extrajudicial killings
www.independent.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
“It comes shortly after a secret memo from the Department of Justice green-lighting the strikes revealed that the justification for such force was based entirely on assertions made by the president.”
I hope we recognize the danger in this with the President calling on Congressmembers to be killed.
I hope we recognize the danger in this with the President calling on Congressmembers to be killed.
Reposted by David Atkins
I know I’m a libtard but I think it’s bad the U.S. president keeps calling for the killing of specific sitting elected officials who didn’t even commit crimes
November 20, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I know I’m a libtard but I think it’s bad the U.S. president keeps calling for the killing of specific sitting elected officials who didn’t even commit crimes
Reposted by David Atkins
Important: House Dem leaders just said Trump's call for execution of Dems has prompted them to contact US Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms to "ensure the safety of these members and their families."
Treat Trump like an unhinged menace. He's weak and in deep political trouble. Don't let up.
Treat Trump like an unhinged menace. He's weak and in deep political trouble. Don't let up.
November 20, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Important: House Dem leaders just said Trump's call for execution of Dems has prompted them to contact US Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms to "ensure the safety of these members and their families."
Treat Trump like an unhinged menace. He's weak and in deep political trouble. Don't let up.
Treat Trump like an unhinged menace. He's weak and in deep political trouble. Don't let up.
Reposted by David Atkins
This was not a big ask: it would have given Congress more time to consider pocket recissions submitted late in the year.
Dems should be working on a more aggressive version of this language for the next shutdown showdown in January.
Dems should be working on a more aggressive version of this language for the next shutdown showdown in January.
An important piece of reporting. Even congressional Republicans wanted to include appropriations-bill language to protect Congress's power of the purse. But Russ Vought has pressured them to cut the language, and the House Republicans rolled over. www.notus.org/congress/mar...
A Top Republican Wanted to Reclaim Congress’ Spending Authority. The White House Stopped Him.
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a top appropriator, tried to add guardrails from ‘pocket rescissions’ in an appropriations bill. But then Office of Management Budget Director Russ Vought talked to him.
www.notus.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:34 PM
This was not a big ask: it would have given Congress more time to consider pocket recissions submitted late in the year.
Dems should be working on a more aggressive version of this language for the next shutdown showdown in January.
Dems should be working on a more aggressive version of this language for the next shutdown showdown in January.
Reposted by David Atkins
NPR: "Wholesale prices for a turkey have jumped 40% from a year ago, according to the Department of Agriculture."
Turkey sticker shock
Wholesale prices have jumped 40% from a year ago
laist.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:32 PM
NPR: "Wholesale prices for a turkey have jumped 40% from a year ago, according to the Department of Agriculture."
They are gonna try the "we can't interfere with an ongoing investigation" coverup
Bondi's response to all questions about if the DOJ will follow through on releasing the Epstein files is "we will follow the law"
November 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
They are gonna try the "we can't interfere with an ongoing investigation" coverup
Reposted by David Atkins
🚨 Here we go again. Govt cover up.
Surveillance footage that could provide evidence of abusive, inhumane conditions at ICE’s Broadview Detention Center in suburban Chicago is somehow “irretrievably destroyed.”
DHS has no explanation.
🧾 404 Media: is.gd/WWnaOn
⚖️ Court records: is.gd/d4n98Y
Surveillance footage that could provide evidence of abusive, inhumane conditions at ICE’s Broadview Detention Center in suburban Chicago is somehow “irretrievably destroyed.”
DHS has no explanation.
🧾 404 Media: is.gd/WWnaOn
⚖️ Court records: is.gd/d4n98Y
November 19, 2025 at 2:06 AM
🚨 Here we go again. Govt cover up.
Surveillance footage that could provide evidence of abusive, inhumane conditions at ICE’s Broadview Detention Center in suburban Chicago is somehow “irretrievably destroyed.”
DHS has no explanation.
🧾 404 Media: is.gd/WWnaOn
⚖️ Court records: is.gd/d4n98Y
Surveillance footage that could provide evidence of abusive, inhumane conditions at ICE’s Broadview Detention Center in suburban Chicago is somehow “irretrievably destroyed.”
DHS has no explanation.
🧾 404 Media: is.gd/WWnaOn
⚖️ Court records: is.gd/d4n98Y
Would love for people with knowledge of DOJ practice to explain what if any processes exist to prevent Bondi and Patel from simply destroying key files?
IF YOU READ NO OTHER PORTION OF THE EPSTEIN FILES TRANSPARENCY ACT, read this one.
EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT THEY WITHHOLD has to be indexed, published in the Federal Register, and submitted to Congress with an explanation.
And scroll down to understand why THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO WITHHOLD IT ALL.
EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT THEY WITHHOLD has to be indexed, published in the Federal Register, and submitted to Congress with an explanation.
And scroll down to understand why THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO WITHHOLD IT ALL.
November 19, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Would love for people with knowledge of DOJ practice to explain what if any processes exist to prevent Bondi and Patel from simply destroying key files?