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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 2h

Squeaker of the House Mike Johnson has only shown up for work 5 days a month lately.
Good grief, he could be my dentist!
I'm sure Johnson heads out to work every day, hears an Epstein files story on the radio, and puts the car back in the garage.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 2h

Key takeaway from last night's gubernatorial debate in Virginia between @abigailspanberger.com and LG Earle-Sears:

When Winsome Earle-Sears can't pose with an assault rifle, she seems to get cranky and doesn't have a cogent message.

Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 10h

The Nobel Peace Prize committee chose between:
- María Corina Machado, opposition leader in Venezuela, leading to build a nonviolent democracy in that country, and
-Trump, who summarily executes people in boats, claiming without evidence they are Venezuelan drug runners.

Seems like an easy call.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 11h

Who do I talk to in Richmond to make sure that when the 2026-2027 State Health Policy Fellows are announced, the Commonwealth of Virginia is on this list? I'm cc:'ing @abigailspanberger.com @senatorhashmi.bsky.social @hopeforvirginia.bsky.social @atoosareaser.bsky.social here
nam.edu/news-and-ins...

NAM Announces 5 State Health Policy Fellows

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) today announced the selection of five fellows for the 2025–26 class of its State Health Policy Fellowship (SHPF)

nam.edu

Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

His next offering from his bitcoin company will be "Nobel medallions."

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

China's autocratic leaders are not tree-huggers or even concerned about the fate of the planet. BUT they know business. They know wind and renewables are the future and that future is now.
No one has done more to ensure China's economic dominance than Trump.
gcaptain.com/trumps-offsh...

Trump’s Offshore Wind Crackdown Sends Shockwaves Through Supplier Industry

The Trump administration’s attack on the offshore wind industry is squeezing a key revenue stream for the subcontractors that help build wind farms, forcing many to put investment plans on ice.

gcaptain.com

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

Seems obvious that Trump is getting a Nobel Peace Prize. Same way he got the Club World Cup trophy that Chelsea won: crash the party and walk out with the medal. Plan B is to raid Obama's house and confiscate his Nobel Peace Prize. SCOTUS will rule that Trump needs a presumption of immunity.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

The fetus does not grow inside the placenta. It grows next to it.
RFK Jr. is a moron. The worm is inside his brain, not next to it.
Time for the dude to shut the front door.

Text from a Google search for what being inside the placenta would mean for a fetus.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

Todd Gilbert, a good lawyer who knows his business, was a good choice for US Attorney, backed by Kaine/Warner.
Trump pushed him out for refusing to allow Trump’s meddling in DOJ.

Todd Gilbert saw the texts when Jay Jones sent them- and not take it as a threat.
www.virginiascope.com/gilbert-resi...

Gilbert resigned from his United States attorney post

Western District of Virginia United States Attorney Todd Gilbert has resigned from his position effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the office. Robert Tracci, who was servin...

www.virginiascope.com

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

Overlooked fact in the Jay Jones case: Todd Gilbert also saw the hate texts when Jones sent them to Coyner.
Gilbert justifiably developed a low opinion of Jones- but took no action. Did not see it as a threat. Did not think it crossed a line. Did not report it.
I condemn the texts. But not a crime.

Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 1d

I support all Virginia politicians condemning political violence. Let’s start with any candidates whose brand is built on the threat of an assault rifle not in a military or law enforcement context. Let’s have those candidates withdraw from their race.
Are we serious about not tolerating violence?

Winsome Earle-Sears with an assault rifle.

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Reposted by Michael A. Shea

WOFAVA @wofava.bsky.social · 2d

Virginia is for Lovers — NOT KINGS! ➡️ www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...

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Reposted by Michael A. Shea

calliesue.bsky.social @calliesue.bsky.social · 2d

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 2d

Join us in Arlington's Jennie Dean Park for a poetry reading to reaffirm our commitment to the Earth, all life on it, all its peoples, and to a science that serves all humanity.

Gathering at 9:30 am, Saturday, October 11th.
Speaking and reading starting at 10 am.
poems.travelingstanzas.com/pledge

The green roofed picnic shelter at Jennie Dean Park in Arlington.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 3d

As a right, habeas corpus goes back to 1166. Almost 900 years.
Kristi Noem has not yet gotten around to reading the memo on it.
ICE put Byron Rovidio Marin in custody for 37 days. No charges filed. No removal proceedings initiated.
There is no debate here. That is illegal and an abuse of power.

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 3d

The habeas petition for Byron Rovidio Marin (the guy held w/o charge in a hospital for 37 days after ICE broke his leg) has been unsealed.

@davidjbier.bsky.social @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

48. On August 27, 2025, CBP arrested Petitioner in Carson, California.
During his arrest, Petitioner sustained severe injuries to his leg and CBP transported
him to UCLA-Harbor Medical Center in Carson, California where he was
hospitalized as a “custody” of ICE. Petitioner remains in the custody of ICE at
UCLA-Harbor Medical Center with private contractor guards posted inside his
patient room at all times and controlling and limiting access to Petitioner by
medical personnel, attorneys, and family members.
49. ICE has not placed Petitioner in removal proceedings or charged him
with being in violation of immigration law. Upon information and belief, no
warrant for Petitioner’s arrest has been issued.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 3d

That is what is on the ballot in 2026. Is America ruled by a president who can ignore anything Congress sends in the budget? Or does Congress have THE power of the purse?
THAT is what we are voting on in the 2026 midterms.
If Trump gets 60 Senators, stick a fork in the Constitution.
It's done.

3/3

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 3d

The day of the shutdown vote, Trump illegally cancelled projects in blue states. He does whatever he wants.
Budget "talks" and votes are meaningless.
GOP in Congress is along for the ride. But to govern like Trump does, he needs 60 votes in the Senate.
That's THE issue in 2026.
That is...

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 3d

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but the "shutdown" is not about the shutdown or extending the medical support payments.
There is ZERO reason for any Democrat to vote for the GOP budget because no matter what is agreed in Congress, Trump does WTF he wants.
Trump underlined this point- the day...

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 3d

I stopped by Carl's in Fredericksburg. They've been serving frozen treats since 1947. The building very much looks original.
I paid in cash and their change to me was a quarter from 1976.
I know Williamsburg prides itself on presenting history, but Carl's Frozen Custard in Fxbg might have them beat.

A quarter dollar, from 1976, showing the Bicentennial image of a drummer in the Revolutionary Army.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

If Carrie Coyner is only now, this week, catching up and reading texts sent to her that are more than three years old, we can probably expect all kinds of revelations about people as Coyner catches up and reads more recent texts.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

Even if private texts from Jason Miyares are all kind, thoughtful, and caring comments, it is the public actions of Miyares that make him the far worse choice for Attorney General of Virginia.
That one text sequence from Jay Jones was as appalling as thousands of public utterances from Trump.

3/4

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

I condemn the juvenile texts from Jay Jones to Carrie Coyner but will still vote for Jones. Spare me the criticism that I only "overlook" appalling comments when it's someone I side with politically.
I have only responded to about 0.005% of the offensive things Trump, Vance, and Miller say.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

The Jay Jones texts were a hot mess of appalling, juvenile, crass, and mean. Jones showed extremely bad judgement in those moments.
I will still vote for Jones.
Many Democrats will disagree. But MAGA voters, who easily overlook dozens of sexual assaults committed by Trump, won't attack me.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

The reason why SCOTUS has not correctly interpreted the Second Amendment over the last 75 years is that we have never had a bona fide "originalist" as Justice. We have Justices doing cosplay as "originalists."
2A was always about state militias. From the state perspective in 1787, it was vital.

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Michael A. Shea @michaelashea.bsky.social · 4d

The correct interpretation of the Second Amendment would have blocked Eisenhower from enforcing civil rights in Little Rock, which would have been allowed many other rights to be violated.
But it would also block everything Trump has done to National Guard troops.

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