Ian Bassin
@ianbassin.bsky.social
Founder and Executive Director @protectdemocracy.org. Former Associate White House Counsel. Tweets my own.
Pinned
Ian Bassin
@ianbassin.bsky.social
· Feb 28
Our system of checks and balances has stood as a bulwark against tyranny for 250 years.
The way it works is no one man can dictate how our government works.
Congress makes laws, the president executes the laws, and courts make sure laws and rights are protected.
We give that up at our peril.
The way it works is no one man can dictate how our government works.
Congress makes laws, the president executes the laws, and courts make sure laws and rights are protected.
We give that up at our peril.
Reposted by Ian Bassin
The last few months, I’ve been working on a major project: analyzing the Trump admin’s hostile treatment of the First Amendment. That has led to today’s release of our @freepress.bsky.social report “Chokehold.” @brianstelter.bsky.social @cnn.com details our findings: www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/m...
Analysis: Trump’s first year back in office contradicts his ‘free speech’ commitments | CNN Business
Nora Benavidez of the nonprofit advocacy group Free Press set out to catalog the Trump administration’s First Amendment infringements. She soon had a list of almost 200.
www.cnn.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
The last few months, I’ve been working on a major project: analyzing the Trump admin’s hostile treatment of the First Amendment. That has led to today’s release of our @freepress.bsky.social report “Chokehold.” @brianstelter.bsky.social @cnn.com details our findings: www.cnn.com/2025/12/08/m...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
These days, it's notable whenever a major media company ignores Trump's pressure and stands with talent. So let's note that Disney has renewed Jimmy Kimmel's contract for another year
December 8, 2025 at 11:56 PM
These days, it's notable whenever a major media company ignores Trump's pressure and stands with talent. So let's note that Disney has renewed Jimmy Kimmel's contract for another year
This is such a great example of how our broken attention economy is giving platforms to extreme voices that are untethered from reality but whose wailing is twisting our national discourse and government policy.
The reality is much less extreme as this recent GOP governor discovered first hand.
The reality is much less extreme as this recent GOP governor discovered first hand.
Column worth reading, by former two-term GOP governor who discovers that Harvard is not the hellscape of intolerance and group-think that the MAGA and its media are constantly telling him about.
(Think of parallels in so many other realms.)
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
(Think of parallels in so many other realms.)
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | I was a red state governor. What I saw at Harvard surprised me.
The spirit of association remains alive in unexpected places.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This is such a great example of how our broken attention economy is giving platforms to extreme voices that are untethered from reality but whose wailing is twisting our national discourse and government policy.
The reality is much less extreme as this recent GOP governor discovered first hand.
The reality is much less extreme as this recent GOP governor discovered first hand.
Reposted by Ian Bassin
TODAY: Our team is at SCOTUS representing FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter in her challenge to an unlawful firing by the Trump admin. The Court’s ruling could reshape dozens of independent agencies that protect us all from powerful corporate interests — impacting homes, businesses and more.
Supreme Court to hear major test of presidential power over Trump's firing of FTC commissioner
President Trump's efforts to reshape the executive branch and flex his presidential power are set to be tested at the Supreme Court on Monday.
www.cbsnews.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:53 PM
TODAY: Our team is at SCOTUS representing FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter in her challenge to an unlawful firing by the Trump admin. The Court’s ruling could reshape dozens of independent agencies that protect us all from powerful corporate interests — impacting homes, businesses and more.
If you're listening to the Supreme Court's oral argument right now, I recommend our counsel Amit Agarwal, who is arguing this case in the Court, explain the stakes below.
As our case, Trump v. Slaughter, is before SCOTUS today, revisit Amit's explanation of what's at stake for Americans everywhere if the Court rules in Trump's favor:
Our case, Trump v. Slaughter will be before SCOTUS this month ⚠️
Amit Agarwal explains how this lawsuit could affect issues that hit closest to home, from what families pay for groceries and gas to how children’s online privacy and Americans’ personal data are protected. https://protdem.org/426ZGpe
Amit Agarwal explains how this lawsuit could affect issues that hit closest to home, from what families pay for groceries and gas to how children’s online privacy and Americans’ personal data are protected. https://protdem.org/426ZGpe
December 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
If you're listening to the Supreme Court's oral argument right now, I recommend our counsel Amit Agarwal, who is arguing this case in the Court, explain the stakes below.
OMG: totally unsurprising and also needs to be the subject of national attention:
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
The Trump administration has argued that Fed board member Lisa Cook may have committed mortgage fraud by declaring more than one primary residence on her loans. We found Trump once did the very thing ...
www.propublica.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:33 PM
OMG: totally unsurprising and also needs to be the subject of national attention:
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
This is a really excellent explanation of liberalism’s shortcomings, why it also remains essential, how the quest for justice lost its way, and how we can get back to a synthesis of justice and liberalism, from @waleedshahid.bsky.social www.waleed-shahid.com/p/the-henhou...
The Henhouse Liberalism Built
A response to Matthew Yglesias. What he calls “postliberalism” is often liberalism’s own elite, anemic offspring.
www.waleed-shahid.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This is a really excellent explanation of liberalism’s shortcomings, why it also remains essential, how the quest for justice lost its way, and how we can get back to a synthesis of justice and liberalism, from @waleedshahid.bsky.social www.waleed-shahid.com/p/the-henhou...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
Read this: www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
December 7, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Read this: www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
3 Questions:
1) What are we doing?
2) How is this pro-life?
3) What are we doing?
www.themirror.com/news/us-news...
1) What are we doing?
2) How is this pro-life?
3) What are we doing?
www.themirror.com/news/us-news...
December 5, 2025 at 4:51 AM
3 Questions:
1) What are we doing?
2) How is this pro-life?
3) What are we doing?
www.themirror.com/news/us-news...
1) What are we doing?
2) How is this pro-life?
3) What are we doing?
www.themirror.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
The Trump National Security Strategy is an act of vandalism against the things that actually make our country strong, safe, and prosperous.
December 5, 2025 at 6:17 AM
The Trump National Security Strategy is an act of vandalism against the things that actually make our country strong, safe, and prosperous.
These are human lives, being murdered without any due process, and the head of our military is joke-bragging about it.
These are sociopaths.
These are sociopaths.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announces another boat strike in response to a request/wish from Turning Point USA’s Andrew Kolvet.
December 5, 2025 at 4:44 AM
These are human lives, being murdered without any due process, and the head of our military is joke-bragging about it.
These are sociopaths.
These are sociopaths.
Reposted by Ian Bassin
This administration literally pardoned over a thousand people for doing exactly this.
Patel on J6 arrest: "When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation's Capitol, you attack the very being of our way of life."
December 4, 2025 at 6:48 PM
This administration literally pardoned over a thousand people for doing exactly this.
Reposted by Ian Bassin
JUST IN: Statement from Abbe Lowell, defense counsel for Letitia James, on Virginia grand jury’s refusal to re-indict the NY Attorney General on mortgage fraud charges:
December 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM
JUST IN: Statement from Abbe Lowell, defense counsel for Letitia James, on Virginia grand jury’s refusal to re-indict the NY Attorney General on mortgage fraud charges:
When Trump campaigned on deporting immigrants with criminal records he was lying, as the data now shows.
His actual agenda is to remove non-white immigrants whether they came here legally or not or have committed crimes or not. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
His actual agenda is to remove non-white immigrants whether they came here legally or not or have committed crimes or not. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
ICE Arrest Data Shows Many Immigrants With No Criminal Record
In high-profile operations, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, an analysis shows.
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:21 PM
When Trump campaigned on deporting immigrants with criminal records he was lying, as the data now shows.
His actual agenda is to remove non-white immigrants whether they came here legally or not or have committed crimes or not. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
His actual agenda is to remove non-white immigrants whether they came here legally or not or have committed crimes or not. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
We're doing pogroms in America now
Officials prepare immigration operation in Minnesota that would focus on Somali immigrants, source tells AP, as Trump says he doesn't want Somalis in U.S.
Federal authorities plan operation in Minnesota focusing on Somali immigrants, AP source says
Federal authorities are preparing an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, focusing on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the U.S.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 4:50 AM
We're doing pogroms in America now
Reposted by Ian Bassin
A really nice figure of population and partisan malapportionment in national legislatures around the world
from Beramendi, Boix, Guinjoan, and Rogers (yassified by The Economist) priceschool.usc.edu/wp-content/u...
from Beramendi, Boix, Guinjoan, and Rogers (yassified by The Economist) priceschool.usc.edu/wp-content/u...
December 2, 2025 at 10:08 PM
A really nice figure of population and partisan malapportionment in national legislatures around the world
from Beramendi, Boix, Guinjoan, and Rogers (yassified by The Economist) priceschool.usc.edu/wp-content/u...
from Beramendi, Boix, Guinjoan, and Rogers (yassified by The Economist) priceschool.usc.edu/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
The Orban playbook: use the regulatory powers of the state to ensure media is owned by your allies who turn it into propaganda for the regime.
Here’s Trump intervening to help his ally Ellison’s bid for Warner Bros (and CNN).
Here’s Trump intervening to help his ally Ellison’s bid for Warner Bros (and CNN).
December 2, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The Orban playbook: use the regulatory powers of the state to ensure media is owned by your allies who turn it into propaganda for the regime.
Here’s Trump intervening to help his ally Ellison’s bid for Warner Bros (and CNN).
Here’s Trump intervening to help his ally Ellison’s bid for Warner Bros (and CNN).
What is happening in Indiana is a profound threat to our democracy.
Trump has unleashed a vote-my-way-or-risk-your-life climate on Republican legislators that makes democracy near impossible.
For starters, all of us should be flooding these legislators with thanks and support for braving this.
Trump has unleashed a vote-my-way-or-risk-your-life climate on Republican legislators that makes democracy near impossible.
For starters, all of us should be flooding these legislators with thanks and support for braving this.
“.. I believe these threats are a result of the redistricting pressure on Indiana," state Sen. Jean Leising said Monday in a statement, saying that she was the target of a pipe bomb threat over the weekend.
@nbcnews.com #redistrict
www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
@nbcnews.com #redistrict
www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
December 2, 2025 at 3:04 AM
What is happening in Indiana is a profound threat to our democracy.
Trump has unleashed a vote-my-way-or-risk-your-life climate on Republican legislators that makes democracy near impossible.
For starters, all of us should be flooding these legislators with thanks and support for braving this.
Trump has unleashed a vote-my-way-or-risk-your-life climate on Republican legislators that makes democracy near impossible.
For starters, all of us should be flooding these legislators with thanks and support for braving this.
College Student Is Deported During Trip Home to Surprise Parents for Thanksgiving
The vast majority of Americans don’t want this cruelty. Even those who voted for tougher enforcement of immigration laws weren’t voting for this.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/u...
The vast majority of Americans don’t want this cruelty. Even those who voted for tougher enforcement of immigration laws weren’t voting for this.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/u...
College Student Is Deported During Trip Home for Thanksgiving
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:27 AM
College Student Is Deported During Trip Home to Surprise Parents for Thanksgiving
The vast majority of Americans don’t want this cruelty. Even those who voted for tougher enforcement of immigration laws weren’t voting for this.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/u...
The vast majority of Americans don’t want this cruelty. Even those who voted for tougher enforcement of immigration laws weren’t voting for this.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/u...
Wow
Senator Kelly is correct.
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
Plus a Public Service Announcement:
KEY section of Department of Defense's Law of War Manual is 18.3.2.1.
The VERY rule on the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders gives as its paradigmatic example of what is "clearly illegal:
"orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
December 1, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Wow
As his approval sinks, Trump will turn to the emotion from which his power derives: fear.
Fear closes us off from each other, weakens what is our strength, deprives us of our future and only serves to secure his.
The antidote is hope. An autocrat cannot defeat a hopeful people. Hold fast to it.
Fear closes us off from each other, weakens what is our strength, deprives us of our future and only serves to secure his.
The antidote is hope. An autocrat cannot defeat a hopeful people. Hold fast to it.
November 30, 2025 at 1:25 AM
As his approval sinks, Trump will turn to the emotion from which his power derives: fear.
Fear closes us off from each other, weakens what is our strength, deprives us of our future and only serves to secure his.
The antidote is hope. An autocrat cannot defeat a hopeful people. Hold fast to it.
Fear closes us off from each other, weakens what is our strength, deprives us of our future and only serves to secure his.
The antidote is hope. An autocrat cannot defeat a hopeful people. Hold fast to it.
It seems when it comes to fighting narco-traffickers, Trump’s policy is death for the little guy and special treatment for the elites.
Populist my ass.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Populist my ass.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Trump Announces Pardon for Honduran Ex-President Convicted in Drug Case
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:37 AM
It seems when it comes to fighting narco-traffickers, Trump’s policy is death for the little guy and special treatment for the elites.
Populist my ass.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Populist my ass.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
He Killed for the CIA in Afghanistan. Trump Blames Afghan Culture Instead of Langley’s
@attackerman.bsky.social
zeteo.com/p/national-g...
@attackerman.bsky.social
zeteo.com/p/national-g...
He Killed for the CIA in Afghanistan. Trump Blames Afghan Culture Instead of Langley’s
After the National Guard shooting, the US needs to reckon with how its legacy of global violence inevitably comes home. Stephen Miller wants to do anything but.
zeteo.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:51 PM
He Killed for the CIA in Afghanistan. Trump Blames Afghan Culture Instead of Langley’s
@attackerman.bsky.social
zeteo.com/p/national-g...
@attackerman.bsky.social
zeteo.com/p/national-g...
Reposted by Ian Bassin
No one shld lose sight of the fact that the Guard was only in DC as part of an extended political messaging stunt. The shooter is guilty for the attacks/carnage. Donald Trump is responsible for them. This is the collateral damage of Trump abusing his powers as President.
Pirro: "These Guardsmen and all who are here to protect the District are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one."
November 27, 2025 at 4:19 PM
No one shld lose sight of the fact that the Guard was only in DC as part of an extended political messaging stunt. The shooter is guilty for the attacks/carnage. Donald Trump is responsible for them. This is the collateral damage of Trump abusing his powers as President.