Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 1d

Making sure this isn't overlooked on busy day ...

PBS News @pbsnews.org · 1d

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the Pentagon will host a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility in Idaho.

Hegseth said the Trump administration signed an agreement to build the facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Elmore County, Idaho.

6 24 36

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 18d

NOW. Smithsonian cyber attack.

The Smithsonian has sent out a notice of an "ongoing denial of service" cyber attack at the African American History/Culture Museum, the Natl Portrait Gallery and the Museum of American History.

Note: all museums Pres. Trump has criticized.

4 44 100

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 19d

CONFIRMED: President Trump will meet in Washington with Cong. Dem leaders Schumer and Jeffries to talk government funding this week, per source familiar.

Date, time still TBD. Also TBD, if Thune and/or Johnson will join.

7 8 26

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 22d

BREAKING: House passes bill to fund government through Nov. 21.

217-212.

Democrat Jared Golden voted yes.

Repulicans Victoria Spartz, Thomas Massie voted no.

3 10 21

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 22d

House funding vote - some MATH DRAMA

GOP can only lose 2 (if all Dems vote no) and so far we have 2 GOP no's: Massie, Spartz.

Before folks get too excited - R leadership has clearly signaled they believe they have the votes. (And Spartz told me yesterday she thinks they do too.)

4 10 45

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 22d

Chances of a shutdown?

I have seen a lot of these situations. Usually chances are MUCH lower than you think. But in this case, even with 11 days to go, rn I give it ...

80%.

*As always anything can and will change.

6 7 91

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 22d

As I told our team, there is neither a Denzel Washington nor a Chris Pines ready to jump in here to apply the brakes ... and Congress is adding fuel to the shutdown train today.

What are the chances of a shutdown? I actually will speculate in next post. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjK...

Unstoppable Movie - Stopping The Train 777 - 6/6

YouTube video by Movies N Motivation

www.youtube.com

1 1 7

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 22d

Good morning all from the House chamber.

The House is poised to pass a GOP CR to keep government funded ... and Senate Dems are poised to block that, offering their own. Which Senate Rs will reject.

Watching to see if there are any party switchers, though.

3 17

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 23d

KIMMEL. NO SUBPOENA for the FCC Chair, but possible testimony.

Rs on the House Oversight Committee just blocked a D effort to subpoena Brendan Carr regarding Jimmy Kimmel. But the Ranking Democrats says both parties are talking about inviting him to testify.

4 5 19

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 23d

NEW: The U.S. Senate has voted to make Oct. 14, 2025 a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.

The resolution, sponsored by @SenRickScott passed unanimously by voice vote.

Oct. 14 would have been Kirk's 32nd birthday.

8 6 8

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 23d

KIMMEL, Dem reax.

Rep. @GregCasar: If Watergate happened today, we have to ask - would (journalists) be allowed to publish their reporting?

@RepHoulahan: We have to restrain from twisting tragedy into an excuse for muzzling our enemies.

5 19

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · 23d

NOW: Democrats on Capitol Hill intro’ing bill to block targeting of non-profits, media, colleges for political speech.

Sen. Chris Murphy
began by decrying the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Then charged POTUS + AG Pam Bondi are
openly targeting ppl, for political speech

18 84

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Jul 18

PBS hello. Thank you for those sending good thoughts for PBS and esp. @NewsHour. It means the world. We're as determined to ever.

If interested, yes, we could use support:

1. EASY one - let's build. Folo me - @LisaD. Folo
@pbsnews.org

Repost this.

9 91 210

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Jul 18

PBS support, more options:

2. Donate to local stations.

Our mother station for NewsHour is give.weta.org/page/11241/d...

3. Or (bigger $s) join Friends of
@Newshour
. pbs.org/newshour/sup...

Don't want to be hitting you with funding requests - but as ppl are asking, I want to be honest.

WETA: public television and classical music for Greater Washington

WETA's mission is to produce and broadcast programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit that recognize viewers' and listeners' intelligence, curiosity and interest in the world around them.

give.weta.org

5 50 120

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Apr 5

Also told by this source that the State Dept has begun cancelling awards/aid programs in disaster zones that can be life and death, including food aid.

Some programs have been cancelled in Yemen, Syria, Gaza, Basra.

The source said this is contrary to states waiver policy.

4 40 140

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Apr 5

Myanmar US firings: I am told these are PSC’s - personal service contractors.

They are still on the ground in Myanmar now. I do not know the date their termination takes effect. But they have been told they are being fired.

I have asked the State Dept for comment.

1 17 96

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Apr 5

BREAKING - U.S. team in quake zone told they are fired, per source.

The 3-person disaster assessment team sent to Myanmar for the U.S. received termination notices while staying/sleeping outside — US AID workers were told on an all hands call today, per a source familiar.

110 1K 3.1K

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 14

NOW: the fate of gov funding is in doubt at the moment.

There appeared to be 9-10 Senate Dem votes for the House-passed CR this am but after an intense presure campaign from opposing Senators and House Dems, the Senate has DELAYED THE VOTE.

We expected cloture by now.

54 210 1.3K

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 14

Rep. @AOC and others are mounting an all-hands-on-deck campaign to urge Senate Ds to oppose the CR

Already this morning there have been protests at Schumer's office.

15 27 230

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 14

GOV SHUTDOWN - where are we?

- Sources in both parties expect the CR to get 60 votes later today
- Though there are not YET publicly-declared yesses from the 8 Democrats needed.
- Schumer's public "yes" is expected to mean those votes are there.
- When? Key vote around 2:30p/3p

11 9 70

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 12

Rest in Peace Rocky Desjardins.

Yesterday our beloved cat, a superstar +
@ratemyskyperoom legend, passed away from kidney disease.

We know @NewsHour viewers loved him too. That means the world.

For those interested, something good in his memory:
giveahand.com/fundraiser/i...

in memory of Rocky Desjardins

If anyone is inclined, please join me in raising funds to support Animal Friends Of North Central West Virginia Inc. Check their website out here. UPDATE: We are amazed by your response to this and s...

giveahand.com

220 110 2.9K

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 5

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT walked out a few minutes ago.

14 21 310

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 5

Rep. Tlaib has a white board - it just read "Start by paying your taxes"

2 79

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 5

Musk did not clap for Trump's line about ending the EV mandate. Sort of bobbed his head like "yep, you did".

1 3 36

Lisa Desjardins @lisad.bsky.social · Mar 5

Democrats are holding signs that say "Musk Steals" "Save Medicaid" and "Protect Veterans"

3 10 84