Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 6h

From the bad old site, in response to pro-immigration commentary from Cato scholars. I wonder whether there's something dangerous in letting presidents just arbitrarily declare one or another group to be a terrorist organization -- nah, I suppose that's alarmist.

Four tweets from X, text:

[user] Sep 20
The CATO Institute should be labeled as a domestic terrorist organization.

[user] Sep 20
Replying to
@AlexNowrasteh
Trump's next EO needs to be declaring the CATO Institute a terrorist organization.

[user]
·
Sep 19
The next group that
@realDonaldTrump
needs to designate as a terrorist organization is the Cato Institute

[user]
·
Sep 19
Replying to
@David_J_Bier
we are going to designate the CATO Institute as a terrorist organization next.

Tweets from X, text: "

[user]
·
11h
Replying to
@David_J_Bier
The Cato Institute should be declared a terrorist organization.

[user]
·
11h
President Trump needs to declare Cato institute domestic terror organization
Quote
The Alex Nowrasteh
@AlexNowrasteh
·
Oct 8
Americans would be slightly more pro-immigration if they knew how hard it is to come here legally."

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 3h

The Freedom Frogs of Portland are multiplying. It’s beautiful.

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 4h

Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 6h

give me a prize for how peaceful i am or i'm going to fucking destroy you

Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 9h

The Guardian- The US president may impose tariffs, demand higher NATO contributions or even declare Norway an enemy, analyst says, if on Friday he is not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. www.theguardian.com/world/202...

Norway braces for Trump’s reaction if he does not win Nobel peace prize

US president may impose tariffs, demand higher Nato contributions or even declare Norway an enemy, analyst says

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 6h

"30-year-old conservative lawyer and activist who is Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, which deals with federal employee whistleblower complaints and discrimination" cancelled his colleague's hotel room so she would be forced to stay with him.
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

In late July, Paul Ingrassia, the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, arrived at a Ritz-Carlton in Orlando with a lower-ranking female colleague and others from their department. When the group reached the front desk, the woman learned she didn’t have a hotel room.

Ingrassia then informed her that she would be staying with him, according to five administration officials familiar with the episode. Eventually the woman discovered that Ingrassia had arranged ahead of time to have her hotel room canceled so she would have to stay with him, three of those officials said.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 6h

One way of thinking about the Trump administration is that the worst people in American government are pushing out the best people in American government
www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...

Their interview, described in a federal lawsuit filed last week by Mr. Driscoll and two other recently fired senior FBI officials, began with benign questions about the gravest threats to the nation and possible adjustments to the FBI's structure, but then took a swerve: Who had Mr. Driscoll voted for? When did he start supporting President Donald J. Trump? And had he voted for a Democrat in the past five elections? He declined to answer those three, noting to the 29-year-old attorney and former podcaster that the questions were inappropriate and potentially violative of the Hatch Act.

Mr. Ingrassia asked another question that would in the ensuing weeks take on greater significance: Did Mr. Driscoll think the FBI agents who had "stormed" Mar-a-Lago in August 2022 should be held accountable? Mr. Driscoll said no, since they had been executing legal search warrants.

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Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 6h

When you see scary things in the news, look for the helpers.

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 6h

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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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 11h

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

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 9h

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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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 10h

DOJ lawyer Eric Hamilton this morning: “The president’s judgement is unreviewable.”

Perry: Federal law permits the federalization of guard troops in three instances, "not whenever (the president) determines when one of them is met."

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Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 10h

Perry cites other fed prosecutions/lawsuits in Chicago and says "in the last 48 hours, in four separate unrelated legal decision from different neutral parties, they all cast significant doubt on DHS' credibility and assessment of what is happening on the streets of Chicago."

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 10h

U.S. District Judge April Perry says it comes down to a "credibility determination."

"I simply cannot credit [the Trump administration's] declarations to the extent they contradict state and local law enforcement. … DHS' perception of events are simply unreliable."

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 10h

#BREAKING A federal judge say she will grant "in part" a request by the state of Illinois for a temporary restraining order against the deployment of National Guard troops into the state.

U.S. District Judge April Perry is still ruling and has not outlined the details of her order.

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 10h

Perry: "I'm going to issue an oral ruling."

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Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 10h

Shame is so pre-2016.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Freedom of the Press Foundation @freedom.press · 10h

Judge issues temporary restraining order against DHS in Chicago, affirming attacks on press during ICE protests "clearly violate" constitution.

ln further win for transparency, agents also required to wear badges or other visible ID with unique number.

Judge Rules Feds Can't Pepper-Spray, Tear-Gas Journalists After Block Club Chicago And Others Sue

Block Club and news organizations sued the federal government for its actions against journalists outside the Broadview ICE detention facility. Four of our journalists have been shot with pepper-spray...

blockclubchicago.org

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

David Ryan Miller @davidryanmiller.com · 10h

Another day, another crime against the Constitution.

218 members of the House and 67 senators could end this madness any day now and, in doing so, give us a chance to rebuild our Republic.

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 11h

BREAKING: Letitia James has been indicted on one count of bank fraud in Virginia, charge brought directly by Lindsey Halligan, just like the Comey indictment.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 12h

Brett Kavanaugh assures me this is the sort of minor inconvenience that shouldn't disturb anyone.

CollinCountyDems @collincountydems.bsky.social · 13h

This is terrifying!

ICE breaks into this woman’s car in the pick-up line at West Loop Elementary school in Chicago and detains her before she can pick her kids up from school. (They were eventually let go after showing their documents)

This is Trump’s America.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 14h

I have lost count of how many times Hamilton has said that Perry must use a "highly deferential standard of review" when determining whether the president is acting lawfully.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 14h

Perry: DOJ's definition of rebellion would mean that
"literally all nonviolent protest” could be considered evidence of rebellion. Is that your argument?
Hamilton: The president has determined there is a danger of a rebellion, and you must defer to that finding

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Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 13h

Thank you!

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Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 13h

Perry says she will call the court back into session between 4:30 pm and 5 pm to rule; she gives DOJ until 4 pm to offer more evidence that anyone has called for national guard troops to protect the Dirksen courthouse.

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 14h

As Perry questions Hamilton about whether DOJ believes that threats against federal agents is enough to warrant the deployment of the National Guard, she says she started getting threats about 10 minutes after she was assigned to this case.

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Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 14h

Outstanding piece on the "compact" to turn universities into vehicles of thought control for the Trump administration. (Uh oh, I'm a university professor who just said something belittling about a "conservative" administration's compact, in violation of the compact's terms ...)

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 1d

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 16h

Any university that agrees to this outrageous “compact” is a full participant in Trump’s assault on democracy. www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 16h

Greetings from U.S. District Court Judge April Perry’s courtroom in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is present, waiting for the high stakes hearing to begin. @wttw.bsky.social

Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 16h

FULL STORY: As lawyers for the Trump administration defended the president’s unprecedented decision to send National Guard troops to Chicago despite the objections of Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson, officials acknowledged that California troops had also been sent to Illinois. @wttw.bsky.social

Judge to Decide Whether to Block National Guard Deployment as Trump Sends California Troops to Illinois

Lawyers for the Department of Justice told U.S. District Court Judge April Perry the president deployed the National Guard because “levels of violence against federal law enforcement executing their l...

news.wttw.com

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 16h

Standing by this morning, waiting for Judge Perry’s courtroom to open for arguments today in Illinois v Trump.

Doors should open in 30 minutes or so.

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 3d

National Guard troops could hit Chicago streets as soon as Tuesday after a judge refused Illinois attorneys' plea to immediately block a deployment called “illegal, dangerous and unconstitutional.”

FINAL @chicago.suntimes.com story w/ @tinasfon.bsky.social : chicago.suntimes.com/donald-trump...

Judge refuses to immediately block National Guard deployment to Illinois

A federal judge said Monday she wouldn't hear arguments over Illinois' bid to block the deployment until Thursday, even after a Trump administration lawyer confirmed that Texas troops are on their way...

chicago.suntimes.com

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Reposted by Heidi Kitrosser

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 17h

you'd think a prominent news outlet like the New York Times might mention that "antifa" isn't an actual organization in a long story about antifa, but nope!

and the subhead helps props up a false claim this professor was up to something seedy as something up for debate

NYT headline: "Rutgers Expert on Antifa Tries to Flee to Spain After Death Threats"

subheadline: "Mark Bray was teaching courses on antifascism. Turning Point USA accused him of belonging to antifa, which he denies. His flight to Spain was canceled abruptly on Wednesday night."

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