Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Laura Rozen

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 15h

Congress continues to fail to check Trump’s authoritarian power.

Screenshot of a tweet from Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) reporting that the Senate rejected a measure to stop Trump from unilaterally striking Venezuelan boats, with a vote of 48–51. The tweet adds that Fetterman voted no, and Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski voted yes. The attached photo shows senators on the Senate floor during the roll call vote, with a caption bar reading: ‘Motion to Discharge S.J. Res. 83…’

210 490 2K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Matt Peterson @mattpeterson.bsky.social · 15h

Anyway we're bailing out Argentina

28 43 250

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 15h

There are certain hypotheticals you simply never get to test out. This seems to be an exception. How will a judge and later a jury treat an indictment if you had to fire multiple prosecutors before you could find someone to bring an indictment. I guess we'll find out! www.cnn.com/2025/10/09/p...

Letitia James, the New York attorney general who defeated Trump in court, indicted by Justice Department | CNN Politics

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted in federal court on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s Justice Department continues to pursue charges against his political opponents, two source...

www.cnn.com

57 340 1.6K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Nicholas Slayton @nslayton.bsky.social · 15h

Operation Condor shit

13 37

Laura Rozen @lkrozen.bsky.social · 15h

Rivetting post,

1 1

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Down with Trump-Putin-Musk-Netanyahu-Taleban @startre.bsky.social · 23h

open.substack.com/pub/gershonb...

@alonpinkas.bsky.social @lkrozen.bsky.social @voices4justice.bsky.social @antizionistjew.bsky.social
@sethabramson.bsky.social
So @gershonbaskin.bsky.social helped Witkoff to reach the deal with Hamas.
Darmer will go to work for Kushner.
Read here Gershon words

A first short note on some thoughts this morning

October 9, 2025

open.substack.com

2 1 3

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Rebecca Ingber @becingber.bsky.social · 2d

Hard to imagine a more important piece right now:

The Crisis in Uniform: The Danger of Presidential Immunity for the U.S. Military

Military personnel are increasingly aware that they may be asked to prioritize loyalty to an individual over their rights and responsibilities

www.justsecurity.org

1 35 75

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Tess Bridgeman @tessbridgeman.bsky.social · 18h

Mike Mattler is truly the expert I'd want to hear from most on Trump's EO that appears to extend US security guarantees to #Qatar - former lead Executive branch treaty lawyer, former counsel at SFRC.

Read his analysis of the key Qs and how to think about them:

www.justsecurity.org/122118/trump...

Some Questions About Trump’s Order Pledging to Defend Qatar’s Security

Trump's EO on Qatar raises a number of important legal and policy questions that merit careful consideration by Congress and the public.

www.justsecurity.org

2 7 15

Reposted by Laura Rozen

David Burbach 🌹 @dburbach.bsky.social · 1d

Vague statements but both IL and OR state officials suggest NORTHCOM isn't talking to states, at all, about other states' troops being inserted. In OR at least the CA troops are housed at an ORNG base so there must have been *some* coordination? 1/

www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

Texas National Guard arrives in Illinois for federal protection mission

Texas sent roughly 200 members of its National Guard, staging at an Army Reserve center south of Chicago ahead of expected deployment into the city.

www.stripes.com

1 28 72

Laura Rozen @lkrozen.bsky.social · 2d

New: As Trump pursues Gaza peace, he incites civil strife at home

open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...

War and peace: As Trump pursues Gaza peace, he incites civil strife at home

‘A Trump-led deployment of federalized Guard & active-duty troops to quell a fabricated insurrection inside American cities should only be understood as a war on the American people,’ ex Navy Undersec

open.substack.com

15 38 85

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Marty Lederman @martylederman.bsky.social · 6d

On why Trump's determination that the U.S. is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels is (i) wrong; and (ii) insufficient, in any event, to make legal the strikes against vessels in the Caribbean.

www.justsecurity.org/121844/trump...

Legal Flaws in the Trump Administration’s Notice to Congress on “Armed Conflict” with Drug Cartels

Top legal expert analyzes the Trump administration's notice to Congress of an "armed conflict" with drug cartels.

www.justsecurity.org

18 170 520

Laura Rozen @lkrozen.bsky.social · 7d

Overheard. Elegantly dressed woman standing on the side walk as the man finishes parking the car and gets out. “There may be some hors d’oeyvres” he tells her. She gives him a look of incredulity. “At the temple?”

6 3 37

Laura Rozen @lkrozen.bsky.social · 9d

New: Trump’s horrifying speech to U.S. generals envisions war at home

diplomatic.substack.com/p/trumps-hor...

Trump’s horrifying speech to U.S. generals: ‘It’s a war from within’

Trump tells U.S. generals that he plans to primarily use the U.S. military to fight “the enemy within,” in American cities.

diplomatic.substack.com

13 76 150

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Andy Sellars @sellars.bsky.social · 9d

Also he bookends the opening:

I hope you found this
helpful. Thanks for writing.
It shows you care. You
should.
Sincerely & respectfully,
Bill Young
P.S. The next time you’re in
Boston [the postmark on the card
is from the Philadelphia area]
stop in at the Courthouse and
watch your fellow citizens, sitting
as jurors, reach out for justice.
It is here, and in courthouses
just like this one, both state and
federal, spread throughout our land
that our Constitution is most vibrantly
alive, for it is well said that “Where a
jury sits, there burns the lamp of
liberty.”

9 100 870

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Andy Sellars @sellars.bsky.social · 9d

Judge Young—who has been on the bench for as long as I have been alive—calls it the most important case he has ever considered.

This case -– perhaps the most important ever to fall within
the jurisdiction of this district court –- squarely presents the
issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in United
States actually have the same free speech rights as the rest of
us. The Court answers this Constitutional question
unequivocally “yes, they do.” “No law” means “no law.”

6 190 1.1K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Andy Sellars @sellars.bsky.social · 9d

AAUP v. Rubio is out, and look at how it starts. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Ahead of the case caption, a handwritten note: "Trump has pardons and tanks . . . . what do you have?" Judge Young's reply: "Dear Mr. or Ms. Anonymous,
Alone, I have nothing but my
sense of duty.
Together, We the People of the
United States –- you and me --
have our magnificent Constitution.
Here’s how that works out in a
specific case –- "

42 540 1.7K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 9d

To explain:

At the start of his opinion, Judge Young includes an anonymous note received by his chambers, which reads “Trump has pardons and tanks..what do you have?”

Responding to the note, Young says we have our “magnificent Constitution” and “here’s how that works out in a specific case —“

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 9d

Omg. I’ve never seen anything like this in a judicial opinion:

Case 1:25-cv-10685-WGY Document 261
Filed 09/30/25
Page 1 of 161
Post card dated June 19, 2025
(On file in Chambers)
1 9/S UNE 2025
TRUMP HAS PARDONS
AND TANKS..
WHAT DO
You
HAVE?
Dear Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, Alone, I have nothing but my
sense of duty.
Together, We the People of the
United States -- you and me --have our magnificent Constitution.
Here's how that works out in a
specific case --
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS -- HARVARD FACULTY CHAPTER, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS AT NEW
YORK UNIVERSITY, RUTGERS AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS-AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, and
MIDDLE EAST STUDIES ASSOCIATION,
Plaintiffs,
)
CIVIL ACTION NO.
25-10685-WGY
v.
MARCO RUBIO, in his official capacity as Secretary of State, and the DEPARTMENT OF STATE, KRISTI NOEM, in her official
[1]

31 630 2.1K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Fred Wellman @fpwellman.bsky.social · 9d

The military oath is to the Constitution. Not to the President or the buffoon he has as temporary Secretary of Defense. I know these flag officers will remember that. They've served from 30 to 40 years to attain their rank. They know they'll be held accountable for failing to hold the line.

390 1.8K 6.4K

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Adam Keiper @adamkeiper.com · 9d

NEW: "The generals understand that Trump sees their fellow Americans as his enemies. And they must now realize that at some point, they are likely to be forced to choose between Trump and their oaths to defend the Constitution."

www.thebulwark.com/p/its-a-war-...

“It’s a war from within.”

Trump prepares the generals for what comes next.

www.thebulwark.com

28 160 470

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Hupple’s Cat @hupplescat.bsky.social · 9d

"Training ground" for what?

3 10 53

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Hupple’s Cat @hupplescat.bsky.social · 9d

I suggest we figure out how to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

1 8 45

Reposted by Laura Rozen

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 9d

President Trump hailed the use of military force to police American cities, telling generals and admirals in an address that it was important to quell “the enemy within.”

Trump Tells Generals the Military Will Be Used to Fight ‘Enemy Within’

Cuts to military leaders and a shift in strategy to the Western Hemisphere form the backdrop of the short-notice meeting.

on.wsj.com

46 37 69

Reposted by Laura Rozen

brooklyntrolleydodger @bklyntrolleydodger.bsky.social · 9d

7 20

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 9d

Drop whatever you’re doing and read the last 15 pages of this 161-page opinion. I’m serious.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 9d

Omg. I’ve never seen anything like this in a judicial opinion:

29 230 690

Reposted by Laura Rozen

Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 9d

"I fear President Trump believes the American people are so divided that today they will not stand up, fight for, and defend our most precious constitutional values so long as they are lulled into thinking their own personal interests are not affected.
Is he correct?"

Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 9d

Drop whatever you’re doing and read the last 15 pages of this 161-page opinion. I’m serious.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 9d

Omg. I’ve never seen anything like this in a judicial opinion:

2 37 92