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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Some of these questions may be answered in next week’s thread. Meanwhile, thanks as ever for reading and have a great weekend! (40/40)

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

And so we reach the end of another thread. Will the courts continue to block Trump’s deployments of troops to American cities? Will Congress agree a deal to end the shutdown? Can Cuomo get Mamdani’s lead down to single figures? (39/n)

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

MIT has published a measured but telling response to the Trump Administration’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”: orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega... (38/n)

Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart

orgchart.mit.edu

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

There’s a major GOP effort going on to redistrict US House seats in Texas in bid to further reduce Dem representation & protect GOP majority in 2026. Democracy Docket has an important update on case (GOP are being evasive about who drew the map): www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/... (37/n)

New Details Emerge in Federal Court About Texas’ Secretive Redistricting Map

Read more here.

www.democracydocket.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

The NYkr has a profile out on Mamdani which we haven’t got round to ourselves yet: www.newyorker.com/magazine/202... (36/n)

What Zohran Mamdani Knows About Power

The thirty-three-year-old socialist is rewriting the rules of New York politics. Can he transform the city as mayor?

www.newyorker.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

We noted the withdrawal of incumbent Mayor Adams from the NYC mayoral race last week. Ex-Gov Cuomo seems to have picked up most of Adams’s voters but remains 13 points behind Mamdani in the latest poll: abc7ny.com/post/nyc-may... (35/n)

New Quinnipiac University poll shows Cuomo makes gains but Mamdani still leads after Adams exit

The poll was released the same day the Campaign Finance Board met and awarded a big payday to the candidates.

abc7ny.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

There have been some especially ludicrous GOP congressional resolutions lately and the proposal of one Rep (seeking Trump’s endorsement in a Senate primary) to introduce one “that will honor Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize” is right up there: www.politico.com/news/2025/10... (34/n)

MAGA steams at Trump’s Nobel snub

Many in the GOP are accusing the Nobel Committee of favoritism.

www.politico.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Regardless of whether Trump may have managed to achieve some positive diplomatic effects for the cause of peace outside the US’s borders that would seem negated in terms of his candidacy for the Prize by his despatch of troops to multiple American cities. (33/n)

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Turning to other stories this week. Trump was angling for the Nobel Peace Prize and didn’t get it. The Atlantic makes the case that maybe his desire for it is having a positive effect, though whether that lasts now he’s missed out is a nice question: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc... (32/n)

Trump’s Nobel Thirst Is Actually Great for the World

The president’s ego inspires plenty of bad choices, but his desire for a Peace Prize is proving useful.

www.theatlantic.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

As we were preparing this week’s thread NY Attorney General Letitia James (Dem) was indicted by the same Trump appointed federal attorney as in the Comey case on fraud charges: apnews.com/article/leti... (31/n)

New York Attorney General Letitia James charged in fraud case after pressure campaign by Trump

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been charged as part of a mortgage fraud investigation aggressively pushed by the Trump administration.

apnews.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Former FBI director James Comey appeared in court to plead not guilty to charges the Trump administration has brought (one US Attorney having resigned rather than bring them): abcnews.go.com/Politics/for... (30/n)

Comey pleads not guilty, will look to dismiss case for vindictive prosecution

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges of lying to Congress.

abcnews.go.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

The pattern of Trumpian assaults on elected members of the opposition party, both verbal and physical, continues. Trump declared that Gov Pritzker of Illinois & Mayor Johnson (Chicago) ought to be jailed: www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi... (29/n)

Trump says Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson 'should be in jail'

The president's Truth Social post on Friday morning came a day after federalized National Guard troops arrived in Illinois.

www.nbcnews.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

We haven’t discussed the Abrego Garcia case recently but a judge agreed at the end of last week that there is a “realistic likelihood of vindictiveness” for the federal prosecution against him: www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/... (28/n)

Judge Says DOJ May Be Vindictively Punishing Abrego Garcia for Challenging Removal to El Salvador

Read more here.

www.democracydocket.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

This excellent piece from the NYT documents in more detail the many assaults on those trying to report what ICE is doing (incl the highly disturbing case of Guevara who it seems pretty clear has been deported for doing this): www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o... (27/n)

Opinion | ‘ICE Goes Masked for a Single Reason’

www.nytimes.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

ICE are also getting increasingly aggressive against those trying to document what is going on, and Homeland Security is now claiming videotaping ICE actions is illegal. This is very good on how profoundly troubling that is: www.cato.org/commentary/d... (26/n)

DHS Says Videotaping ICE Agents Is Illegal. Federal Courts Disagree.

Filming law enforcement serves important goals central to a free republic.

www.cato.org

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Another instance of highly troubling ICE behaviour is the facts now emerging about the fatal shooting of a Mexican immigrant in Chicago: newrepublic.com/post/201297/... (25/n)

ICE Shot a Man While Trying to Detain Him. He Had No Criminal Record.

ICE have tried to justify the fatal shooting.

newrepublic.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

The degree to which ICE is now behaving as if its agents can do what they like, ought to worry a lot more people than it currently seems to be. (24/n)

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

“We have constitutional rights.” “No.” – an exchange that could sum up this administration & the dark reality of the immigration crackdown saw a Chicago Alderman handcuffed while challenging ICE agents in a hospital: news.wttw.com/2025/10/03/c... (23/n)

Chicago Ald. Jessie Fuentes Handcuffed by Federal Agents While Asking About Patient’s ICE Warrant at Hospital

Chicago Ald. Jessie Fuentes was detained by federal agents inside Humboldt Park Health, as tensions continue to rise between local residents and officials and immigration agents conducting enforcement...

news.wttw.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

One tiny lighter moment in the immigration raids story at the end of last week was Homeland Security Sec Noem’s whining when refused access to a bathroom at an Illinois government building: www.yahoo.com/news/article... (22/n)

‘No, You Cannot!’ Kristi Noem Denied Bathroom Access at Illinois Government Building

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was barred from entering the Village of Broadview Municipal Building in Illinois to use the bathroom on Friday. In a video posted on X by conserva...

www.yahoo.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

The National Catholic Reporter has an excellent piece looking in more detail at the attacks on clergy participating in protests & the attempts by ICE to completely mischaracterise those protesters: www.ncronline.org/news/chicago... (21/n)

In Chicago, clergy and faith-based protesters say ICE is threatening their religious freedom

Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as 'Love thy neighbor' and 'Who would Jes...

www.ncronline.org

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Meanwhile in Chicago a pastor taking part in a prayer vigil was repeatedly shot with pepper balls by ICE agents: www.newsweek.com/chicago-past... (20/n)

Chicago pastor sues Trump admin after allegedly being shot by ICE agents

Rev. David Black alleges ICE shot him without warning in Broadview; joins suit over protester rights violations.

www.newsweek.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Prominent in the Portland protests have been individuals in inflatable costumes (obviously a major threat to the federal govt). Williamette Week interviewed the Portland Chicken: www.wweek.com/culture/2025... (19/n)

An Interview With the Portland Chicken

Jack Dickinson, 26, says “we’re winning this.”

www.wweek.com

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Public Notice has a good overview of what has been going on in Chicago & of the wider context: www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-port... (18/n)

The impossibly dumb reason for Trump's invasion of Portland

It'd be hilarious if he wasn't the commander in chief.

www.publicnotice.co

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

The idea that there is any sort of “insurrection” going on would remain laughable if the deployment of troops to American cities weren’t such a deeply serious matter. (17/n)

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Finn Pollard @heresfinn.bsky.social · 1d

Trump has stepped up accusations that opponents of administration are engaged in “insurrection” against federal government & that this might require him to invoke the Insurrection Act wch would significantly expand what troops could do domestically: www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat... (16/n)

Trump administration officials seriously discussing invoking Insurrection Act, sources say

A decision isn't expected to be imminent, one source said, but debate within the administration has shifted recently to more deeply exploring how and when the act might be invoked.

www.nbcnews.com

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