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The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 9h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

Reposted by Holly Brewer

Matthew Segal @segalmr.bsky.social · 7h

I’m at Back to School night for my kid and apparently they’re using out of date materials because in social studies they’re still teaching that the federal government has three branches.

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 7h

Donald Trump is not a king — and his administration is not above the law.

Today, the court confirmed what we all know: there is no credible evidence of a rebellion in the state of Illinois.

And no place for the National Guard in the streets of American cities like Chicago.

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 8h

Yup. Now.

Simon Rosenberg @simonwdc.bsky.social · 9h

We are witnessing the most lawless behavior by a leader in American history, just daily, extraordinary abuses of power. National Democrats must speak out in a loud and clear voice against Trump's escalating authoritarianism. It is time now.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 9h

The Guardian reports that Letitia James has been indicted

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

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Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 7h

Hey folks!

Tomorrow on my live webcast, History Matters:

On Lawlessness

The rule of law is being trampled.

What does that mean and what should we do?

Join us tomorrow.

Friday 10AM ET
NCHEteach.org/conversations

Conversations

NCHEteach.org

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Paul Gowder @gowder.io · 7h

BOOM

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 7h

Perry: The federal government is "temporarily enjoined from ordering the federalization and deployment of the National Guard of the United States within Illinois."

That's it. Thanks again for following.

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Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 8h

Shout out to the journalists and historians of Chicago's policing practices and jails! At least one federal judge has read your stuff!

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 8h

Perry: "Chicago's history of strained policing community relations is extremely well documented, but also fairly nuanced. It's something I think state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate."

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Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 8h

Perry: "Chicago's history of strained policing community relations is extremely well documented, but also fairly nuanced. It's something I think state and local authorities understand extremely well, and it can be hard for federal authorities, and certainly those from Texas, to appreciate."

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 7h

I’ve never seen anything remotely this petty charged as bank fraud.

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 8h

NEW: Here's the two-count indictment against NY AG Letitia James. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

INDICTMENT
October 2025 Term - at Alexandria, Virginia
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
At all times relevant to this Indictment:
1. Letitia A. James ("JAMES) was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower on a
Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for the property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia.
2. OVM Financial (also known as Old Virginia Mortgage / AnnieMac) was a mortgage lending business located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, engaged in the business of originating and underwriting residential mortgage loans, including those backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"). OVM Financial qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(10).
3. Fannie Mae was a federally chartered corporation that purchased and guaranteed mortgages,
operating as a government-sponsored enterprise under the oversight of the Federal Housing

Finance Agency ("FHFA").
4. First Savings Bank was a state-chartered, FDIC-insured financial institution (Certificate
#29961), headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which acquired mortgage loans through assignment or acquisition. First Savings Bank qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(1).
5. On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, including a note rate of 3.000% (avoiding a 0.815% higher
comparable investment property rate of 3.815%, resulting in approximately $17,837 in rate savings over the life of the loan), a seller credit of approximately $3,288 (exceeding the seller credit for investment properties by approximately $1,096), for total ill-gotten gains of approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.
9. JAMES' Universal Property application for homeowners' insurance indicated "owner-

occupied non-seasonal use," further misrepresenting the intended use of the property.
10. JAMES filed Schedule E tax forms), under penalties of perjury, treating the Perrone Property as rental real estate, reporting fair rental days, zero personal use days, thousand(s)
of dollars in rents received, and claiming deductions for expenses relating to the property, further contradicting the second home classification.
11. The loan was acquired by or assigned to First Savings Bank by March 2021, exposing it to risks associated with the misrepresented loan.
12. The acts described herein occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.
COUNT ONE
(Bank Fraud - 18 U.S.C. § 1344)
13. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.
14. From on or about August 7, 2020, through at least January 2024, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank,
financial institutions, and to obtain moneys, funds, and credits owned by and under the custody and control of OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
15. The scheme involved falsely representing the Peronne Property as a secondary residence to obtain favorable mortgage terms, while using it as an investment property with no intended
or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344).
COUNT TWO
(False Statements to a Financial Institution - 18 U.S.C. § 1014)
16. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.

17. From on or about July 28, 2020, through at least August 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly make and cause to be made false statements and reports for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan, in that JAMES represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that
the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as JAMES then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014).
FORFEITURE NOTICE
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) and Title 18, U.S.C. §
982(a)(2)(A), upon conviction of the offenses in Counts One and Two, the Defendant, Letitia
A. James, shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of such violations, including but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of $18,933.
If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission of the Defendant: (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States shall be entitled to a forfeiture of substitute property pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C. § 853(b), as incorporated by Title
18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1).
(In accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1); Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c); and Title 21 U.S.C. § 853(p).)

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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 9h

An image of Christ made of feathers by Juan Baptista Cuiris active in Michoacan (Pátzcuaro), #Mexico 1550 - 1580. The adaptation of the long pre-Hispanic tradition of Mexican featherwork to Christian art illustrated here.

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Jenny Cohn @jennycohn.bsky.social · 1d

MAGA is freaking out & splintering over a leaked text chain—which TPUSA’s Andrew Kolvet says is real—where Kirk wrote “Just lost another Jewish donor…Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes. I cannot & will not be bullied like this. Leaving me no choice but to leave the pro Israel cause.” 1/

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Heba Gowayed هبة جويد @hebagowayed.bsky.social · 8h

My career is listening to people who flee places that get increasingly unsafe. A few months of "wait & see" can make a world of difference for safety & prospects. I've lived under authoritarianism myself.

Leticia James getting indicted, Mark Bray trying to flee & being stopped.

This is not okay.

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Holly Brewer @earlymodjustice.bsky.social · 13h

He positioned that new gold molding behind his head so that it appears that he’s wearing a crown.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13h

Trump: "You never had anybody here that knew what the hell they were doing. I'll be honest with you. It makes me angry ... we're gonna get drug reductions of 500%."

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Office of NYC Comptroller Brad Lander @nyccomptroller.bsky.social · 14h

Via @nyamnews.bsky.social:

Our office found that excessive force complaints against the NYPD have surged in past three years to highest since 2013—a dramatic increase during Mayor Adams's tenure.

NYC comptroller finds spike in excessive force allegations against NYPD

The NYC Comptroller’s Office has found growing excessive force allegations against the NYPD in the past three years.

amsterdamnews.com

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Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 15h

It is pretty galling that the Supreme Court spent four years telling Biden "you can't do that without Congress" then allowed Trump to seize a once-unthinkable amount of power from Congress within nine months and concentrate law-making authority almost entirely in the executive branch.

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Holly Brewer @earlymodjustice.bsky.social · 14h

“I’ve seen peers ascend to great wealth and power by their willingness to be someone else’s mouthpiece. To stand for the principles of the monied few instead of the people—
.… To sublimate their morals to meet a bottom line. Perhaps they can live with themselves, but I know I could not.”

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

New — I was fortunate to speak in front of students and faculty at Grinnell College in Iowa tonight about the business of independent journalism, the current state of media under Trump 2.0, and billionaire control.

I published my full speech because I thought it might resonate beyond campus:

Truth, morality and independence in journalism under the second Trump regime

My full remarks to students and faculty at Grennell College.

www.thehandbasket.co

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

New — I was fortunate to speak in front of students and faculty at Grinnell College in Iowa tonight about the business of independent journalism, the current state of media under Trump 2.0, and billionaire control.

I published my full speech because I thought it might resonate beyond campus:

Truth, morality and independence in journalism under the second Trump regime

My full remarks to students and faculty at Grennell College.

www.thehandbasket.co

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American Historical Association @historians.org · 14h

The AHA offers travel and childcare grants to help graduate students, early career historians, un/underemployed historians, and community college and public high school teachers attend #AHA26. Check out the full list of available grants at the link. 🗃️

Annual Meeting Funding - AHA

The AHA offers several grants and fellowships to assist graduate students and early career historians with childcare and travel costs for the annual meeting.

www.historians.org

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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 14h

Rep. Jamie Raskin has sent letters to four of the nation's largest banks demanding information related to "more than $1.5 billion in suspicious financial transactions flagged by the banks tied to sex trafficking crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and their co-conspirators."

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The Georgian Lords @georgianlords.bsky.social · 1d

We are fast approaching the 300th anniversary of the birth of John Wilkes, MP for Aylesbury and Middlesex and Lord Mayor of London.
We will be encouraging as many as would care to, to raise a glass to him at 17:57* (UK time) on Friday 17 October.
[*the year of his first election]
#HistParl

engraving of a middle-aged man in 18th-century clothes, he wears a white wig and a dark coat with lighter facings, and looks upwards

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Holly Brewer @earlymodjustice.bsky.social · 16h

This is so bent.
Are they really trying to recreate something close to slavery?

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 1d

So this is funny.
The administration just issued a rule slashing foreign agricultural worker wages. And to justify it, in a public filing, Trump's Labor Department alleges that Trump's immigration enforcement has devastated the Ag workforce and caused a "risk of supply shock-induced food shortages."

Trump Labor Department Says His Immigration Raids Are Causing a Food Crisis

In a filing in the Federal Register, the Labor Department argues there are “immediate dangers to the American food supply” due to a lack of migrant agricultural workers.

prospect.org

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David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 1d

So this is funny.
The administration just issued a rule slashing foreign agricultural worker wages. And to justify it, in a public filing, Trump's Labor Department alleges that Trump's immigration enforcement has devastated the Ag workforce and caused a "risk of supply shock-induced food shortages."

Trump Labor Department Says His Immigration Raids Are Causing a Food Crisis

In a filing in the Federal Register, the Labor Department argues there are “immediate dangers to the American food supply” due to a lack of migrant agricultural workers.

prospect.org

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Habeus Jocus @toowoke2joke.on.computer · 1d

It's why they switched to the much more secure protocol of passing notes in class.

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Sean O’Kane @seanokane.bsky.social · 1d

WSJ is reporting that the Truth Social post where Trump told Pam Bondi to prosecute Comey *really was supposed to be a private message*

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Inside the Justice Department Where the President Calls the Shots

The president has executed a wholesale transformation of the Justice Department, taking control in ways he could have only dreamed of in his first term.

www.wsj.com

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just-bob1949.bsky.social @just-bob1949.bsky.social · 10d

Cartoon by Pat Bagley, Political Violence (in MAGA minds)!

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