Eric Columbus
@ericcolumbus.bsky.social
Senior Editor @lawfaremedia.org. Previously: Obama appointee at DOJ/DHS. Litigator for Speaker Pelosi and Jan. 6 Committee. Yankee Stadium 🌭 vendor. NYC born and bred. Wannabe historian. Dad joker.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
DHS getting basic 4th Amendment law wrong on its official Twitter account.
Seems like this post is bound to show up as an exhibit in one of the cases challenging ICE/Border Control enforcement actions.
Seems like this post is bound to show up as an exhibit in one of the cases challenging ICE/Border Control enforcement actions.
January 17, 2026 at 6:57 PM
DHS getting basic 4th Amendment law wrong on its official Twitter account.
Seems like this post is bound to show up as an exhibit in one of the cases challenging ICE/Border Control enforcement actions.
Seems like this post is bound to show up as an exhibit in one of the cases challenging ICE/Border Control enforcement actions.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
"this is not who we are" is 90% of the time a normative statement of aspiration, it's not an empirical claim of "these events have never taken place in this country before". one of the most obnoxious genres of "actually..." is reacting like it's the latter when it's clearly the former.
January 16, 2026 at 9:58 PM
"this is not who we are" is 90% of the time a normative statement of aspiration, it's not an empirical claim of "these events have never taken place in this country before". one of the most obnoxious genres of "actually..." is reacting like it's the latter when it's clearly the former.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Breaking news: The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation alleging that they are impeding federal law enforcement officers’ abilities to do their jobs in the state.
Justice Dept. launches criminal investigation of Minnesota governor
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation into impeding law enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:46 PM
Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
This conversation is now live! Tune in here: youtube.com/live/riCgnX3...
January 16, 2026 at 9:02 PM
This conversation is now live! Tune in here: youtube.com/live/riCgnX3...
Reposted by Eric Columbus
My enthusiastic review of @pgeddington.com 's excellent, and all too timely book: "The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley to Eisenhower."
"Eddington draws on extensive archival research to describe and explain the many ways in which fear pervaded the government and politics of the time and was built into the national security state’s DNA."
@heidikitrosser.bsky.social reviews "The Triumph of Fear" by Patrick Eddington.
@heidikitrosser.bsky.social reviews "The Triumph of Fear" by Patrick Eddington.
The Trump Administration’s Fear-Based Governance
A review of Patrick G. Eddington, “The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley to Eisenhower” (Georgetown University Press, 2025).
www.lawfaremedia.org
January 16, 2026 at 6:56 PM
My enthusiastic review of @pgeddington.com 's excellent, and all too timely book: "The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley to Eisenhower."
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Tired: Committing fraud, getting a Trump pardon
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
January 16, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Tired: Committing fraud, getting a Trump pardon
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Wired: Committing fraud again, getting a Trump pardon again
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Frog we don’t have time for this
Toad sipped his tea. “Frog,” he asked, “are you making this up?”
“Maybe yes and maybe no,” said Frog.
“Maybe yes and maybe no,” said Frog.
January 12, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Frog we don’t have time for this
Lizza-Nuzzi goes into extra innings
January 16, 2026 at 3:32 AM
Lizza-Nuzzi goes into extra innings
HEATED RIVALRY (2026)
Trump on the Florida Panthers: "Good looking people. Young, beautiful people. I hate them. You hate standing here with all this power behind you. But I got power too. It's called the United States military. I don't care."
January 16, 2026 at 3:20 AM
HEATED RIVALRY (2026)
Reposted by Eric Columbus
🔵 This week's Tom the Dancing Bug
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A BUSY, BUSY ICE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION
with apologies to Richard Scarry
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Brought to you by the rough and ready Inner Hive, including long-time member Brady Marsh and new member SquirrelSaver7. ( bit.ly/theInnerHive )
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READ IT RIGHT HERE👇
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A BUSY, BUSY ICE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION
with apologies to Richard Scarry
-
Brought to you by the rough and ready Inner Hive, including long-time member Brady Marsh and new member SquirrelSaver7. ( bit.ly/theInnerHive )
-
READ IT RIGHT HERE👇
January 15, 2026 at 4:03 PM
🔵 This week's Tom the Dancing Bug
-
A BUSY, BUSY ICE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION
with apologies to Richard Scarry
-
Brought to you by the rough and ready Inner Hive, including long-time member Brady Marsh and new member SquirrelSaver7. ( bit.ly/theInnerHive )
-
READ IT RIGHT HERE👇
-
A BUSY, BUSY ICE ENFORCEMENT OPERATION
with apologies to Richard Scarry
-
Brought to you by the rough and ready Inner Hive, including long-time member Brady Marsh and new member SquirrelSaver7. ( bit.ly/theInnerHive )
-
READ IT RIGHT HERE👇
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Please read this important thread. It is possible to take seriously Trump's delusional musings about canceling the elections--he may actually want to!--but you have at least take the time to learn why it is somewhere between impracticable and impossible.
the question to ask about this is, okay, he wants to cancel the midterms. how does he get the VA state board of elections to cancel the midterms? how does he get the georgia board of elections to do it? how does he convince republican house members to quit their jobs and give up their paychecks?
Trump says a lot of deranged shit, but, per this Reuters article — and the threats of invoking the Insurrection Act in Minnesota this morning — he is very clearly exploring how to cancel the midterms.
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
www.reuters.com/world/us/fiv...
January 15, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Please read this important thread. It is possible to take seriously Trump's delusional musings about canceling the elections--he may actually want to!--but you have at least take the time to learn why it is somewhere between impracticable and impossible.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Lots of Trump’s remarks are what I think of as “threesome jokes.” As in “Ha ha, of course I wasn’t serious about having a threesome with your friend. Unless you’re into it, in which case, how about Saturday?”
Q: Americans for generations have fought and died for democracy. Are you saying the president finds the idea of canceling elections funny?
LEAVITT: Where you in the room? Only someone like you would take that so seriously
LEAVITT: Where you in the room? Only someone like you would take that so seriously
January 15, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Lots of Trump’s remarks are what I think of as “threesome jokes.” As in “Ha ha, of course I wasn’t serious about having a threesome with your friend. Unless you’re into it, in which case, how about Saturday?”
Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee revealed the @lawfaremedia.org threat to the American stone slab industry. We are foiled again!
judiciary.house.gov/committee-ac...
judiciary.house.gov/committee-ac...
January 15, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee revealed the @lawfaremedia.org threat to the American stone slab industry. We are foiled again!
judiciary.house.gov/committee-ac...
judiciary.house.gov/committee-ac...
Reposted by Eric Columbus
"... what one does with Nazis is kill them"
January 15, 2026 at 6:37 PM
"... what one does with Nazis is kill them"
Reposted by Eric Columbus
One possible frame for this running debate is that, for the repliers' world to come about, a variety of other institutions would have to fail, amounting to total constitutional collapse. Is that possible? Yes, more than many of us realized. Is it here? No, and it's less likely than it was 6 mo. ago.
set aside whether it is legal or not. what do you think an executive order is, and what do you think the relationship of the president is to a governor or state secretary of state is? do you think the president is their boss?
I think my question is, if he issues an executive order cancelling the election, even if it isn't legal, if a bucketful of states comply on some level, what impact would that have on the overall election. Can it theoretically just be sandbagged by a handful of intransigent states?
January 15, 2026 at 5:37 PM
One possible frame for this running debate is that, for the repliers' world to come about, a variety of other institutions would have to fail, amounting to total constitutional collapse. Is that possible? Yes, more than many of us realized. Is it here? No, and it's less likely than it was 6 mo. ago.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
The import of this ruling: Foreign citizens in the United States—including green card holders—can be arrested for political speech and imprisoned for months or even years before being given a meaningful opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of their arrest and imprisonment.
Appeals Court Opens the Door to Mahmoud Khalil’s Rearrest
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:00 PM
The import of this ruling: Foreign citizens in the United States—including green card holders—can be arrested for political speech and imprisoned for months or even years before being given a meaningful opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of their arrest and imprisonment.
My wife just coined name for weather-related gossip columnist: Walter Windchill. @capitalweather.bsky.social
January 15, 2026 at 3:41 PM
My wife just coined name for weather-related gossip columnist: Walter Windchill. @capitalweather.bsky.social
Reposted by Eric Columbus
The Trump admin, which says it was investigating fraud in Democratic-led states, quietly shelved a massive welfare fraud investigation in Mississippi involving public funds funneled to Brett Favre and others
Trump Admin Went Easy On A Red State After Punishing Blue States For The Same Exact Thing
Mississippi caught a break on an embezzlement scandal that funneled money to Brett Favre and others.
www.huffpost.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:10 PM
The Trump admin, which says it was investigating fraud in Democratic-led states, quietly shelved a massive welfare fraud investigation in Mississippi involving public funds funneled to Brett Favre and others
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Madison Sheahan is a 28-year-old former political aide to Kristi Noem with little law enforcement experience before being named ICE Deputy Director. Prior reporting said she was mocked internally as "fish cop" because she somehow got made director of Louisiana Fish and Wildlife in 2024.
January 15, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Madison Sheahan is a 28-year-old former political aide to Kristi Noem with little law enforcement experience before being named ICE Deputy Director. Prior reporting said she was mocked internally as "fish cop" because she somehow got made director of Louisiana Fish and Wildlife in 2024.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Excellent James Carville suggestion: make “pedophile protector” a nickname and meme that sticks to him like, oh, “short-fingered vulgarian.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
January 15, 2026 at 12:48 PM
Excellent James Carville suggestion: make “pedophile protector” a nickname and meme that sticks to him like, oh, “short-fingered vulgarian.” podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
January 15, 2026 at 2:27 AM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
I think Democrats in Congress should begin to make the argument that any attack against Greenland, and Denmark as a NATO ally, absent congressional authorization is an illegal order that must be disobeyed.
January 15, 2026 at 1:52 AM
I think Democrats in Congress should begin to make the argument that any attack against Greenland, and Denmark as a NATO ally, absent congressional authorization is an illegal order that must be disobeyed.
Folks focus on Hawley but the other caver, Todd Young, has been a huge disappointment. He literally didn’t vote for Trump in 2024 and isn't on the ballot until 2028. Yet he was fully supine for all of 2025. I believe this was the first time he stood up to Trump 2.0 and now he stood down. Pathetic.
The signs of possible life among Senate Republicans were apparently just a spasm. Nothing more. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...
Republicans Block Effort to Check Trump’s Power in Venezuela
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Folks focus on Hawley but the other caver, Todd Young, has been a huge disappointment. He literally didn’t vote for Trump in 2024 and isn't on the ballot until 2028. Yet he was fully supine for all of 2025. I believe this was the first time he stood up to Trump 2.0 and now he stood down. Pathetic.
If convincing people to hate America is cause for imprisonment then when does Musk turn himself in?
Elon Musk: "I'm a free speech absolutist!"
Also Elon Musk: "Anyone who teaches students that America was built on stolen land is guilty of treason and should be imprisoned."
Look, some of us tried to warn people that Elon Musk doesn't care one bit about free speech. But did anyone listen?
Also Elon Musk: "Anyone who teaches students that America was built on stolen land is guilty of treason and should be imprisoned."
Look, some of us tried to warn people that Elon Musk doesn't care one bit about free speech. But did anyone listen?
January 14, 2026 at 10:33 PM
If convincing people to hate America is cause for imprisonment then when does Musk turn himself in?