Matthew Stiegler
@matthewstiegler.bsky.social
Appellate lawyer, president of Third Circuit Bar Association, former prosecutor, fellow of American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Boring until fascism.
Views here: just mine.
Views here: just mine.
Pinned
🧵 Authoritarianism, Democratization, and Coalition Politics.
The consensus around here is, more or less, that the United States is currently a consolidating authoritarian regime controlled by a mix of reactionary populists and fascists.
The consensus around here is, more or less, that the United States is currently a consolidating authoritarian regime controlled by a mix of reactionary populists and fascists.
We lose it all if we don’t unite in time.
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
A Trump loyalist, John Sarcone, was appointed on an interim basis. His tenure expired & a judge found other efforts to install him unlawful. The judges are by statute allowed to appoint a US attorney if there’s a vacancy like this. So they did. Now that guy has been fired.
bsky.app/profile/bskw...
bsky.app/profile/bskw...
I'm confused
February 12, 2026 at 3:24 AM
A Trump loyalist, John Sarcone, was appointed on an interim basis. His tenure expired & a judge found other efforts to install him unlawful. The judges are by statute allowed to appoint a US attorney if there’s a vacancy like this. So they did. Now that guy has been fired.
bsky.app/profile/bskw...
bsky.app/profile/bskw...
Imagine being the magistrate judge who signed off on that warrant, reading this.
I called up one of the White House "special government employees" linked to the Fulton County ballot seizure.
I ended up on the phone for nearly two hours.
It got weird. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/meet-th...
I ended up on the phone for nearly two hours.
It got weird. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/meet-th...
Meet the ‘Cabal’-Hating ‘Special Government Employee’ Involved in the Fulton County FBI Raid
Clay Parikh unloaded in a nearly two hour conversation with TPM.
talkingpointsmemo.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Imagine being the magistrate judge who signed off on that warrant, reading this.
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
My god, this thread by a Minnesota lawyer who handling pro bono cases for DHS detainees is horrifying. DOJ's complicity in ignoring court orders shouldn't be shocking anymore yet somehow it still is.
I don’t really know what I expect in posting this, but maybe some people see it and can learn from it.
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
February 11, 2026 at 11:24 PM
My god, this thread by a Minnesota lawyer who handling pro bono cases for DHS detainees is horrifying. DOJ's complicity in ignoring court orders shouldn't be shocking anymore yet somehow it still is.
I just noticed who signer #1 was on the ‘believe us, Bondi is going to be such a dandy AG’ DOJ-alums letter that I’ve been shaking my little fist about
February 11, 2026 at 11:16 PM
I just noticed who signer #1 was on the ‘believe us, Bondi is going to be such a dandy AG’ DOJ-alums letter that I’ve been shaking my little fist about
The braying desperation of today’s performance by Bondi is more reason for optimism.
Pardon a moment of cheery optimism, but this seems like a good sign.
The White House just sent a "Don't Panic" email. That'll do it
February 11, 2026 at 11:04 PM
The braying desperation of today’s performance by Bondi is more reason for optimism.
Here is the opening and conclusion of the Third Circuit’s opinion that RNC seeks cert from.
February 11, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Here is the opening and conclusion of the Third Circuit’s opinion that RNC seeks cert from.
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
🚨BREAKING: The RNC just filed a new cert petition asking the Supreme Court to reverse a 3rd Circuit's decision that struck down a Pennsylvania law that disqualified undated and misdated ballots. www.democracydocket.com/cases/pennsy...
🚨 Eakin v. Adams County Board of Elections
Learn more here.
www.democracydocket.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:50 PM
🚨BREAKING: The RNC just filed a new cert petition asking the Supreme Court to reverse a 3rd Circuit's decision that struck down a Pennsylvania law that disqualified undated and misdated ballots. www.democracydocket.com/cases/pennsy...
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
In today's The Ethicist: Is it wrong to steal a pet dog from a 4-year-old orphan who's devastated by his parent's murder-suicide, and who lost the dog during Hurricane Katrina, and who begs you to give him back his dog?
February 11, 2026 at 9:12 PM
In today's The Ethicist: Is it wrong to steal a pet dog from a 4-year-old orphan who's devastated by his parent's murder-suicide, and who lost the dog during Hurricane Katrina, and who begs you to give him back his dog?
Ethical prosecutors quitting matters.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro tapped a dance photographer with very little experience in federal law enforcement to oversee the investigation of six Democratic law makers. That effort tried - and failed - to secure indictments on Tuesday.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
February 11, 2026 at 8:23 PM
Ethical prosecutors quitting matters.
Imagine the response if Eric Holder gave a single one of those sorts of answers at an oversight hearing.
February 11, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Imagine the response if Eric Holder gave a single one of those sorts of answers at an oversight hearing.
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
NEGUSE: AG Bondi, that man works for you now, right? The man in that video from J6 yelling 'kill them!' at cops. His name is Jared Wise.
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
February 11, 2026 at 6:28 PM
NEGUSE: AG Bondi, that man works for you now, right? The man in that video from J6 yelling 'kill them!' at cops. His name is Jared Wise.
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
Just amazing that this affidavit got a federal magistrate judge to approve an unprecedented federal seizure of ballots in Fulton County.
The time to prep for similar shenanigans from the feds in 2026---before ballots are fully tabulated and any recounts/contests done---is now.
The time to prep for similar shenanigans from the feds in 2026---before ballots are fully tabulated and any recounts/contests done---is now.
Somewhere, there is a federal magistrate who has been dazzled by bullshit.
February 11, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Just amazing that this affidavit got a federal magistrate judge to approve an unprecedented federal seizure of ballots in Fulton County.
The time to prep for similar shenanigans from the feds in 2026---before ballots are fully tabulated and any recounts/contests done---is now.
The time to prep for similar shenanigans from the feds in 2026---before ballots are fully tabulated and any recounts/contests done---is now.
Shoutout to the prominent lawyers who vouched for her confirmation. “We firmly believe the Justice Department and the Nation will benefit from Attorney General Bondi’s leadership,” they said.
What do they say now?
What do they say now?
Bondi crashes out over Epstein: "The Dow is over 50,000 dollars! I don't know why you're laughing. You're a great stock trader as I hear, Raskin. The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7,000, and the Nasdaq smashing records. That's what we should be talking about."
February 11, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Shoutout to the prominent lawyers who vouched for her confirmation. “We firmly believe the Justice Department and the Nation will benefit from Attorney General Bondi’s leadership,” they said.
What do they say now?
What do they say now?
I keep thinking about this lately.
February 11, 2026 at 4:17 PM
I keep thinking about this lately.
It’s poisonous that DOJ attempted this, and the fact that it failed so humiliatingly this time doesn’t change that.
No grand jurors found the Trump DOJ met low probable cause threshold in failed indictment of Democratic lawmakers
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
No grand jurors found the Trump DOJ met low probable cause threshold in failed indictment of Democratic lawmakers
None of the D.C. grand jurors who heard the Trump administration’s pitch on why they should indict Democratic lawmakers over a video urging members of the
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
It’s poisonous that DOJ attempted this, and the fact that it failed so humiliatingly this time doesn’t change that.
👇
“Unfortunately, because Congress is not taking any steps to rein ICE officers in, there really is no option other than states protecting their constituents’ rights," said Joanna Schwartz, a law professor at UCLA.
Local and State Police Can Investigate Federal Agents, But Rarely Do
It doesn’t happen often, but local law enforcement can arrest and charge federal agents. Legal experts say there’s a moral obligation to at least try to hold federal immigration officers accountable w...
www.propublica.org
February 11, 2026 at 3:55 PM
👇
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
Great piece by @jamellebouie.net on the need for ICE hearings. Get it all out there. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/o...
Opinion | We Have to Look Right in the Face of What We Have Become
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Great piece by @jamellebouie.net on the need for ICE hearings. Get it all out there. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/o...
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
A moving essay by my colleague Amna Akbar: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/fe...
Amna A. Akbar | In South Minneapolis
ICE have gone from wearing tactical army gear to Midwestern civilian garb; I have even seen photos of agents in...
www.lrb.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 3:09 PM
A moving essay by my colleague Amna Akbar: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/fe...
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
The En Banc Third Circuit is currently hearing a challenge to New Jersey's sensitive places laws and the gun lobby plaintiffs are entirely committed to arguing only locations with government security like metal detectors.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_oT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_oT...
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February 11, 2026 at 2:54 PM
The En Banc Third Circuit is currently hearing a challenge to New Jersey's sensitive places laws and the gun lobby plaintiffs are entirely committed to arguing only locations with government security like metal detectors.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_oT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_oT...
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
Grand Jury Rebuffs Justice Dept. Attempt to Indict 6 Democrats in Congress
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Watch this. Imagine someone putting on this performance knowing they took their own children to Epstein’s island afterward.
Lutnick last year on his visit to Epstein's house in 2005: "My wife and I decided that I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again." (Lutnick testified under oath today that he visited Epstein's island in 2012.)
February 11, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Watch this. Imagine someone putting on this performance knowing they took their own children to Epstein’s island afterward.
I’m a big lower-federal-courts pom pom waver. Search a little, you’ll see.
What this magistrate judge did? Disgraceful.
What this magistrate judge did? Disgraceful.
Hours later and I still don’t understand how a magistrate judge signed off on this
BREAKING: The supporting affidavit for the warrant to search Fulton County election records has been unsealed.
Read it via @lawfaremedia.org:
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
Read it via @lawfaremedia.org:
www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
February 10, 2026 at 11:36 PM
I’m a big lower-federal-courts pom pom waver. Search a little, you’ll see.
What this magistrate judge did? Disgraceful.
What this magistrate judge did? Disgraceful.
I agree. Disgraceful.
If I was a federal magistrate who fell hook, line, and sinker for election conspiracy theories, I’d hide my head in a paper bag in the city of Atlanta for a few years in my shame.
February 10, 2026 at 11:09 PM
I agree. Disgraceful.
Reposted by Matthew Stiegler
A blue state/red state divide has emerged in legal fights against the Trump administration -- many (not all) court orders restored funds or access to money only in jurisdictions that sued; recall SCOTUS curbed nationwide injunctions last year bit.ly/4rGbuJa
One example of what that's looked like:
One example of what that's looked like:
February 10, 2026 at 9:27 PM
A blue state/red state divide has emerged in legal fights against the Trump administration -- many (not all) court orders restored funds or access to money only in jurisdictions that sued; recall SCOTUS curbed nationwide injunctions last year bit.ly/4rGbuJa
One example of what that's looked like:
One example of what that's looked like: