Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Emily Johnston @enjohnston.bsky.social · 3h

To the Hague with them.

Sasha Costanza-Chock @schock.cc · 8d

LittleSis have dropped a new report and data visualization about the billionaires and corporations profiting from the deportation industrial complex:

littlesis.org/news/the-bil...

The Billionaire Oligarchs and Corporations Profiting from ICE’s Deportation Machine - Little Sis

A primer on the billionaire barons and corporate profiteers enabling ICE's deportation apparatus

littlesis.org

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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 3h

‘Why is your mouth open? All I said was that the US president should invade San Francisco!’

Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 3h

Doing comms work for billionaires slowly melting their brains must be quite a job.

At the end of the interview, he turned to a public relations executive. He could be heard asking why her mouth was wide open and if he had said anything he shouldn’t have.

“What about the political questions?” he asked. “Too spicy?”

Then he hung up.

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Sallyoo @sallyoo.bsky.social · 7h

This is one of the best Tech Won't Save Us episodes. Highly recommended.

Tech Won’t Save Us @techwontsave.us · 7h

What radicalized Silicon Valley billionaires to embrace Donald Trump, and how are they wielding their power?

This week @jacobsilverman.com joins @parismarx.com to discuss his new book GILDED RAGE and the distorted worldview of the men who shape our lives.

Full ep: techwontsave.us/episode/297_...

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Matt Wood @mattfieldwood.bsky.social · 7h

Must’ve been time for Trump and his fellow thieves to short some stocks again.

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Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · 7h

When you hear about the frogs

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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 7h

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Tyler King @tyleraking.com · 7h

Not everyone thinks this is a great idea.

Qatari facility to be built in Idaho, Defense Secretary Hegseth says

The Air Force base south of Boise will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s, the defense secretary announced Friday.

www.idahostatesman.com

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 8h

CHICAGO — WGN News editor/producer Debbie Brockman grabbed by Trump’s ICE goons.. who then intentionally ram a bystander’s car as they peel away.

More: www.fox32chicago.com/news/wgn-new...

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Seth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 7h

The amount of money the US government is going to owe the thousands of victims of such unconstitutional lawlessness is going to be staggering. I can imagine someone maybe suggesting we might nationalize Amazon, Meta, and Twitter to cover it.

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 8h

CHICAGO — WGN News editor/producer Debbie Brockman grabbed by Trump’s ICE goons.. who then intentionally ram a bystander’s car as they peel away.

More: www.fox32chicago.com/news/wgn-new...

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Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 7h

Shocking!!!

It's almost as if aging, cankled Trump telegraphed his enemies list publicly!

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/c...

Criminal charges against John Bolton expected as early as next week

Federal prosecutors are considering filing charges against the former Trump national security adviser as either a rushed complaint or an indictment.

www.msnbc.com

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Matt Wood @mattfieldwood.bsky.social · 10h

It “appears to contradict”?!? Is it unclear somehow?

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Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 4d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 4d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 2d

His masked agents already are grabbing people off the street.

Separating children from their parents.

Creating fear.

Taking people for “how they look.”

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Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 2d

"El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who attended the meeting, said Chicago-born Pope Leo was visibly moved after being handed dozens of letters from immigrants describing their fears of arrest and separation under Trump’s enforcement policies..."

www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-ram...

Pope Leo Ramps Up His Trump Feud With Order to American Bishops

The Chicago-born pontiff has sharpened his criticism of the Trump administration and reportedly decided to take action.

www.thedailybeast.com

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Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · 2d

"At the Vatican Wednesday, Pope Leo urged bishops to 'speak strongly' on behalf of immigrants affected by Trump’s deportation drive.

The pope met privately Tuesday with 100 American Catholics involved in migrant ministry, thanking them for their work..."

www.thedailybeast.com/pope-leo-ram...

Pope Leo Ramps Up His Trump Feud With Order to American Bishops

The Chicago-born pontiff has sharpened his criticism of the Trump administration and reportedly decided to take action.

www.thedailybeast.com

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The Associated Press @apnews.com · 1d

Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer. In his first teaching document Thursday, Leo confirms that he is in perfect lockstep with Pope Francis on matters of social injustice.

Pope Leo blasts economy that marginalizes poor while wealthy live in bubble of luxury

Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer.

bit.ly

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Brooke @brooklynmarie.bsky.social · 1d

Go woke, go Pope

Pope Leo says faith and love for migrants are connected

In his first major document as leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo urges nations and believers to care for the poorest in society.

www.npr.org

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Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 1d

New Yorkers know Attorney General James for who she is: a champion for justice who fights relentlessly for the people. Donald Trump knows her only as an obstacle to his corruption.

My full statement:

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Brian Beutler @brianbeutler.bsky.social · 1d

The indictment stipulates that it would have been fraudulent for James to enter any side agreement requiring her to rent the property, then implies that the FACT that she rented it suggests she had such a side deal. It’s the stupidest shit I’ve ever seen.

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 1d

NEW: Here's the two-count indictment against NY AG Letitia James. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

INDICTMENT
October 2025 Term - at Alexandria, Virginia
THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
At all times relevant to this Indictment:
1. Letitia A. James ("JAMES) was a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and the borrower on a
Fannie Mae-backed mortgage loan for the property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia.
2. OVM Financial (also known as Old Virginia Mortgage / AnnieMac) was a mortgage lending business located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, engaged in the business of originating and underwriting residential mortgage loans, including those backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"). OVM Financial qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(10).
3. Fannie Mae was a federally chartered corporation that purchased and guaranteed mortgages,
operating as a government-sponsored enterprise under the oversight of the Federal Housing

Finance Agency ("FHFA").
4. First Savings Bank was a state-chartered, FDIC-insured financial institution (Certificate
#29961), headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which acquired mortgage loans through assignment or acquisition. First Savings Bank qualified as a "financial institution" within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 20(1).
5. On or about August 17, 2020, JAMES, as sole borrower, purchased the three (3) bedroom,
(1) bathroom property located at 3121 Peronne Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia 23509 (the
"Peronne Property"), for approximately $137,000, financed with a mortgage loan of approximately $109,600 (Loan #4430025978) backed by Fannie Mae.
6. The loan was originated by OVM Financial under a signed Second Home Rider, which required JAMES, as the sole borrower to occupy and use the property as her secondary residence, and prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property.
7. Despite these representations, the Peronne Property was not occupied or used by JAMES as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (3).
8. This misrepresentation allowed JAMES to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties, including a note rate of 3.000% (avoiding a 0.815% higher
comparable investment property rate of 3.815%, resulting in approximately $17,837 in rate savings over the life of the loan), a seller credit of approximately $3,288 (exceeding the seller credit for investment properties by approximately $1,096), for total ill-gotten gains of approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.
9. JAMES' Universal Property application for homeowners' insurance indicated "owner-

occupied non-seasonal use," further misrepresenting the intended use of the property.
10. JAMES filed Schedule E tax forms), under penalties of perjury, treating the Perrone Property as rental real estate, reporting fair rental days, zero personal use days, thousand(s)
of dollars in rents received, and claiming deductions for expenses relating to the property, further contradicting the second home classification.
11. The loan was acquired by or assigned to First Savings Bank by March 2021, exposing it to risks associated with the misrepresented loan.
12. The acts described herein occurred within the Eastern District of Virginia.
COUNT ONE
(Bank Fraud - 18 U.S.C. § 1344)
13. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.
14. From on or about August 7, 2020, through at least January 2024, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank,
financial institutions, and to obtain moneys, funds, and credits owned by and under the custody and control of OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
15. The scheme involved falsely representing the Peronne Property as a secondary residence to obtain favorable mortgage terms, while using it as an investment property with no intended
or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344).
COUNT TWO
(False Statements to a Financial Institution - 18 U.S.C. § 1014)
16. The allegations in paragraphs 1 through 12 are re-alleged and incorporated herein.

17. From on or about July 28, 2020, through at least August 31, 2020, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, the Defendant, LETITIA A. JAMES, did knowingly make and cause to be made false statements and reports for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan, in that JAMES represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that
the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as JAMES then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her.
(In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014).
FORFEITURE NOTICE
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) and Title 18, U.S.C. §
982(a)(2)(A), upon conviction of the offenses in Counts One and Two, the Defendant, Letitia
A. James, shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of such violations, including but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of $18,933.
If any of the property described above, as a result of any act or omission of the Defendant: (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty, the United States shall be entitled to a forfeiture of substitute property pursuant to Title 21, U.S.C. § 853(b), as incorporated by Title
18 U.S.C. § 982(b)(1).
(In accordance with Title 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(1); Title 28, U.S.C. § 2461(c); and Title 21 U.S.C. § 853(p).)

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💫⭐️N. Jules⭐️💫 @northjules.bsky.social · 1d

Letitia James speaks after this fake indictment.😏

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Zeteo @zeteo.com · 1d

'This is what tyranny looks like,' say Democrats as the New York AG faces prosecution by Trump-appointed US Attorney.

Letitia James Indicted as Trump Continues Down His Enemies List: zeteo.com/p/letitia-ja...

Letitia James Indicted as Trump Continues Down His Enemies List

'This is what tyranny looks like,' say Democrats as the New York AG faces prosecution by Trump-appointed US Attorney.

zeteo.com

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 1d

By rule of law democracy standards, the Letitia James charges are very bad.

But by fighting against authoritarianism standards, not so much. James doesn’t deserve it, but she’ll be good at defending herself, and tie up regime resources; more limited given who they had to push out to go after James.

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Jack Hopkins-The Original @therealjackhopkins.bsky.social · 1d

Now they’re indicting Letitia James…the woman who finally held Trump’s feet to the fire. You can smell the revenge all the way from Mar-a-Lago. This isn’t justice…it’s payback wrapped in paperwork. And every American with a brain knows it.

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Jonny Morris @jonnymorris.bsky.social · 1d

Is this real or am I in a coma?

Young Conservative with a Doctor Who question mark pullover.

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 1d

Rebecca has 92K followers including Gaetz, Loomer, Massie, D’Souza, Sen Schmitt, Rep. Cloud. Broke with Trump over Epstein.

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