Jonathan Bender
@obliviousdude.bsky.social
DC, recovering lawyer, policy wonk, ANC rep, family guy, guitarist, photographer, diver, deadhead, oblivious dude.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
This is almost word for word what xenophobes in the 1930s and 1940s said about Miller's Jewish ancestors and relatives. He's so hateful he couldn't possibly recognize that of course.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
This is almost word for word what xenophobes in the 1930s and 1940s said about Miller's Jewish ancestors and relatives. He's so hateful he couldn't possibly recognize that of course.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong."
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
November 28, 2025 at 5:38 PM
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong."
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
~George Washington to Francis Adrian van der Kemp, May 28, 1788.
Image: Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, 1804. Public domain.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Straight-up sociopath.
Asked about a Guard member who’s dead because of his bullshit and it takes him 30 seconds to make it all about how great he is.
Asked about a Guard member who’s dead because of his bullshit and it takes him 30 seconds to make it all about how great he is.
Q: Do you plan to attend Sarah's funeral?
TRUMP: I haven't thought about it yet, but it's certainly something I can conceive of. I love West Virginia. You know, I won West Virginia by one of the biggest margins of any president anywhere.
TRUMP: I haven't thought about it yet, but it's certainly something I can conceive of. I love West Virginia. You know, I won West Virginia by one of the biggest margins of any president anywhere.
November 28, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Straight-up sociopath.
Asked about a Guard member who’s dead because of his bullshit and it takes him 30 seconds to make it all about how great he is.
Asked about a Guard member who’s dead because of his bullshit and it takes him 30 seconds to make it all about how great he is.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Could be the result of:
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two National Guard members have been shot in Washington, D.C., and their condition isn't known, AP source says.
November 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Could be the result of:
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
- A politically motivated attack
- A robbery
- A negligent discharge
- An argument between Guard members
The point is: Don't assume anything and wait for details
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
BREAKING
Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington DC, says she will NOT be seeing a fourth term.
Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington DC, says she will NOT be seeing a fourth term.
November 25, 2025 at 7:35 PM
BREAKING
Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington DC, says she will NOT be seeing a fourth term.
Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington DC, says she will NOT be seeing a fourth term.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
I was told recently that the FBI and DC Metro PD take academy cadets to the Holocaust Museum to punctuate the danger of mindlessly following illegal and immoral orders.
Be curious to know what other agencies do this — and if they’re still doing it.
Be curious to know what other agencies do this — and if they’re still doing it.
BLITZER: I want to be precise. Should members of the US military obey clearly illegal orders?
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
McCLAIN: You're asking an enlisted person for their opinion on what they think is legal. That's a pretty slippery slope. Follow your commander in chief. That's the oath that you took
(Not a no!)
November 24, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I was told recently that the FBI and DC Metro PD take academy cadets to the Holocaust Museum to punctuate the danger of mindlessly following illegal and immoral orders.
Be curious to know what other agencies do this — and if they’re still doing it.
Be curious to know what other agencies do this — and if they’re still doing it.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
West Point is committing "a crime of serious proportion" then.
November 23, 2025 at 4:56 PM
West Point is committing "a crime of serious proportion" then.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
State Dept. Spokesperson now refuting GOP and Dem senators’ account of their joint briefing from Rubio - and claiming the 28 point plan IS authored by the US.
Hard to believe several senators would have fundamentally misunderstood what Rubio told them.
Breathtakingly dysfunctional government.
Hard to believe several senators would have fundamentally misunderstood what Rubio told them.
Breathtakingly dysfunctional government.
November 23, 2025 at 1:33 AM
State Dept. Spokesperson now refuting GOP and Dem senators’ account of their joint briefing from Rubio - and claiming the 28 point plan IS authored by the US.
Hard to believe several senators would have fundamentally misunderstood what Rubio told them.
Breathtakingly dysfunctional government.
Hard to believe several senators would have fundamentally misunderstood what Rubio told them.
Breathtakingly dysfunctional government.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
The plan was leaked by the Russians and no one in America’s historically inept administration knew what anyone else was doing so people started getting behind it because they thought it was official policy.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
November 22, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The plan was leaked by the Russians and no one in America’s historically inept administration knew what anyone else was doing so people started getting behind it because they thought it was official policy.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Wow
Republican Senator Mike Rounds said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a call to senators, confirmed the so-called 28-point “peace plan” was actually a Russian wishlist and is “not the administration’s position”. Nor is there any threat to cut off weapons or intelligence to Ukraine.
November 22, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Wow
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Absolutely incredible; after shooting Marimar Martinez 5 times and arresting her on claims that she rammed them and pulled a gun, prosecutors have now moved to dismiss ALL criminal charges against her and her codefendant.
New: the govt has moved to dismiss its assault case against Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, two people accused of "box[ing] in" a Border Patrol vehicle in Chicago on Oct. 4.
One agent shot Martinez, with evidence presented to the court that he later bragged about in text messages.
One agent shot Martinez, with evidence presented to the court that he later bragged about in text messages.
November 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Absolutely incredible; after shooting Marimar Martinez 5 times and arresting her on claims that she rammed them and pulled a gun, prosecutors have now moved to dismiss ALL criminal charges against her and her codefendant.
Is it bad that the NASDAQ swung 3.5% today based on no news, just the market going from manic "yay, big beat from NVIDIA" to depressive "but the bubble could still pop soon" over a couple of hours?
November 20, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Is it bad that the NASDAQ swung 3.5% today based on no news, just the market going from manic "yay, big beat from NVIDIA" to depressive "but the bubble could still pop soon" over a couple of hours?
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
A federal court has blocked Texas's new congressional map from taking effect since it's a racial gerrymander that violates the Voting Rights Act. How delightfully quaint.
by John Roberts (joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh)
by John Roberts (joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh)
November 20, 2025 at 3:49 AM
A federal court has blocked Texas's new congressional map from taking effect since it's a racial gerrymander that violates the Voting Rights Act. How delightfully quaint.
by John Roberts (joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh)
by John Roberts (joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh)
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Opinion | I believed Hillary Clinton was a sex trafficker because one of her donors owned a pizza restaurant and "cheese pizza" has the same initials as "child pornography." Here's why I don't think Donald Trump's multi-decade best friendship with a sex trafficker connects him to sex trafficking.
November 20, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Opinion | I believed Hillary Clinton was a sex trafficker because one of her donors owned a pizza restaurant and "cheese pizza" has the same initials as "child pornography." Here's why I don't think Donald Trump's multi-decade best friendship with a sex trafficker connects him to sex trafficking.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
If you say "Trump is a threat to democracy" and vote like this, you simply don't believe what you say.
The idea that swing state Dems would "need" to vote for this is also laughable. No one in your district is kept up at night by the idea that a crooked cop in DC won't get hired back.
The idea that swing state Dems would "need" to vote for this is also laughable. No one in your district is kept up at night by the idea that a crooked cop in DC won't get hired back.
November 20, 2025 at 3:06 AM
If you say "Trump is a threat to democracy" and vote like this, you simply don't believe what you say.
The idea that swing state Dems would "need" to vote for this is also laughable. No one in your district is kept up at night by the idea that a crooked cop in DC won't get hired back.
The idea that swing state Dems would "need" to vote for this is also laughable. No one in your district is kept up at night by the idea that a crooked cop in DC won't get hired back.
Et tu @gene4va.bsky.social?
These 20 House Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to fully repeal DC's police reform laws.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
November 20, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Et tu @gene4va.bsky.social?
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
These 20 House Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to fully repeal DC's police reform laws.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
November 20, 2025 at 3:05 AM
These 20 House Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to fully repeal DC's police reform laws.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
Wiping off the books critical laws on use of force, transparency, and preventing violent cops from getting rehired.
They think that they should have more say over DC police than the people of DC.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
This *entire* episode is all of the evidence anyone should ever need, regardless of their politics, for why it's important to have experienced career officials in key government positions (like U.S. Attorney), rather than partisan cronies (unlawfully) appointed solely to do the President's bidding.
The facts are complicated, but here’s a summary of what appears to have happened based on the filings and today’s hearing:
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM
This *entire* episode is all of the evidence anyone should ever need, regardless of their politics, for why it's important to have experienced career officials in key government positions (like U.S. Attorney), rather than partisan cronies (unlawfully) appointed solely to do the President's bidding.
If this is what happened the insurance lawyer should at least be disbarred if not charged with a crime. Your president's right hand woman, Americans.
In other words, the grand jury rejected all 3 counts on the indictment. Period.
So all we have is a fake indictment signed by the foreman but never presented to the GJ, plus some quite spectacularly irrelevant hearsay about what the GJ *would* have done if it had been given only 2 and 3.
So all we have is a fake indictment signed by the foreman but never presented to the GJ, plus some quite spectacularly irrelevant hearsay about what the GJ *would* have done if it had been given only 2 and 3.
November 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
If this is what happened the insurance lawyer should at least be disbarred if not charged with a crime. Your president's right hand woman, Americans.
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
Starting a war to distract his base from the Epstein files
November 13, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Starting a war to distract his base from the Epstein files
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
megyn kelly keeping this one fresh
November 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM
megyn kelly keeping this one fresh
Reposted by Jonathan Bender
All of the times I’ve wondered what Putin had on Trump, and now we find out Jeffrey Epstein was talking to Putin’s ambassador about Trump.
Jeffrey Epstein claimed he gave Russians insight into Trump
Newly released emails show the late convicted sex offender’s extensive network of foreign contacts, whom he corresponded with about Trump’s policy decisions.
www.politico.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Two wonderful men.
Ken Starr signed an email to Jeffery Epstein with "hugs"
November 13, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Two wonderful men.