Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 9h

"America First" turns out to be a priority list for which countries to ruin.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 1d

Hit and run is a crime

Jo @service-worker.bsky.social · 1d

Blatant incompetence all around

The man who was already detained in the van did not identify himself, Thomas said.
Once Brockman was handcuffed and placed in the van, the agents pulled out, clipping the rear bumper off of a stopped car partially blocking their path and speeding away past an approaching elongated CTA bus and through the busy intersection.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 1d

It’s OK. Justice Kavanaugh says she should be able to sue for damages. (Not really lol, he forgot he already ruled against that position in the past)

Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

Follow @heartlandsignal for more.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 1d

I know I said I hate his face and voice and believe me I do but it’s a good face to represent the fascist stuff they’re doing with ICE plus then I get to do more stupid guy memes

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 1d

I think someone should ask Trump gee Mr. President how come we never hear from Tom Homan any more. Then he would get mad and make Tom Homan speak on TV a lot again and people would once again think about the big bag of cash that Homan took. That would be funny

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 1d

One good thing about Tom Homan taking a big bag of cash is you tend not to see his stupid face and hear his stupid voice as much these days. Evidently they figured out that every time people see him they think about the big bag of cash he took

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 2d

Other people seem to be able to read what he retweeted. For me it just says “blocked.”

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 2d

I love that I have no idea what you’re talking about because I already have whoever that is blocked

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 4d

These people are evil. Never stop saying so. Don’t be intimidated into shutting up.

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 4d

Here’s video of the incident

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 8d

The murders continue.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 8d

Pete Hegseth: “Earlier this morning, on President Trump's orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed..”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth # @
CX.com
@SecWar
Earlier this morning, on President Trump's orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed in the strike, and no U.S. forces were harmed in the operation. The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people.
Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route. These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!

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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 9d

Three cheers for the Constitution's right to a jury: a federal jury in Los Angeles "took just over an hour to acquit [Brayan] Ramos-Brito of a misdemeanor assault count" in an ICE-scuffle case hinging heavily on the testimony of border sector chief Gregory Bovino, now doing raids in Chicago.

Mike Fox @foxmike90.bsky.social · 9d

Yet another piece on the role of juries:

www.ocregister.com/2025/10/02/r...

Rejecting injustice: The jury’s role in a politicized justice system

The acquittal of Brayan Ramos-Brito should be seen as a victory for all who believe in the enduring power of the jury as the ultimate safeguard of our liberties.

www.ocregister.com

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 10d

Two weeks

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10d

NEWSMAX: How long does it take for drug prices to start coming down?

DR OZ: Certainly early next year. It's not going to be much longer.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 15d

Mmmm, I think he knew, but it’s something he had known about for months and had discussed publicly before, Graham presented like it was this sudden information and it was confusing.

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Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 17d

Comey's testimony in 2020

On the left:

In hearing, Senator Cruz erroneously claimed McCabe had said Comey "directly authorized" leak to press. Comey denied that.

On the right:

Cruz was wrong. McCabe did not say Comey authorized the leak (source: Inspector General Report, on which Cruz relies)

Let's shift to another topic. On May 3rd, 2017, in this committee, Chairman Grassley asked you point blank, "Have you ever been an anonymous source in news reports about matters relating to the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation?" You responded under oath, "Never." He then asked you, "Have you ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton administration?" You responded again under oath, "No." Now, as you know, Mr. McCabe, who works for you, has publicly and repeatedly stated that he leaked information to the Wall Street Journal and that you were directly aware of it and that you directly authorized it. Now, what Mr. McCabe is saying and what you testified to this committee cannot both be true. One or the other is false. Who's telling the truth? Mr. Comey: (01:52:43) I can only speak to my testimony. I stand by the testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017. Senator Cruz: (01:52:50) So your testimony is you've never authorized anyone to leak? And Mr. McCabe, if he says contrary, is not telling the truth, is that correct? Mr. Comey: (01:52:58) Again, I'm not going to characterize Andy's testimony, but mine is the same today.

According to McCabe’s testimony to the OIG on November 29, 2017, he and Comey discussed the October 30 WSJ article in person on October 31, 2016, when McCabe returned to the office from a trip . McCabe said that he told Comey that he had “authorized AD/OPA and Special Counsel to disclose the account of the August 12th call” and did not say anything to suggest in any way that it was unauthorized. McCabe told us that Comey “did not react negatively, just kind of accepted it.” McCabe also told us Comey thought it was a “good” idea that they presented this information to rebut the inaccurate and one-sided narrative that the FBI was not doing its job and was subject to DOJ political pressure, but the Department and PADAG were likely to be angry that “this information made its way into the paper.” McCabe told us that he did not recall telling Comey prior to publication of the October 30 article that he intended to authorize or had authorized Special Counsel and AD/OPA to recount his August 12 call with PADAG to the WSJ, although he said it was possible he did.

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 15d

If this indictment really is about the McCabe matter, the government's case appears to hinge on the idea that McCabe telling Comey about the disclosure *after the article published* somehow amounts to Comey "authorizing" it himself.

Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 15d

It’s not even a swearing contest.

Both McCabe and Comey agree: They DID NOT discuss the leak before the article published.

McCabe has said *he* authorized it, not Comey.

Their recollections diverge on whether McCabe told Comey that he had authorized the leak AFTER the article published.

did not know who did.
The Justice Department (quite disgracefully) tried to bring a criminal case against McCabe for his statements in the matter. A grand jury in 2019 refused to return an indictment on the subject. It would be quite rich, having sought and failed to charge one party to a memory dispute to turn around and try to charge the other.
The case has another problem: McCabe's own statement to the inspector general acknowledges that he did not discuss the disclosure with Comey in advance of the art le's publication. As the report summarizes: "McCabe told us that he did not recall telling Comey prior to publication of the October 30 article that he intended to authorize or had
authorized Special Counsel and AD/OPA to recount his August 12 call with PADAG to the WSJ, although he said it was possible he did."
In other words: Neither McCabe nor Comey suggests that Comey knew about or authorized the leak prior to the article's publication. Yet that is what Cruz's question to Comey in 2020 was about.
At best, McCabe's account of the Oct. 31 meeting suggests that Comey acquiesced to the disclosure after the fact. But he never "authorized" it, even under the least generous version of the facts.

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Christopher Moltisanti Weighs In On Current Events @moltisantithots.bsky.social · 20d

Tom Homan's envelope is light this week, T.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 21d

I have a piece up today at Quillette, that analyzes the cancel culture frenzy that the right has engaged in since the murder of Charlie Kirk, and the way Trump has used government power to stamp out opposition. Here are some excerpts to whet your appetite. quillette.com/2025/09/20/t...

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 22d

Just call it "murder"

That's what it is

Brian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 22d

This appears to be the 3rd lethal US strike in the Caribbean.

Once again, the specific "terrorist" entity targeted is not identified.

No legal justification is offered for this premeditated killing.

President Trump is asserting a license to kill outside of the law. 1/n

On my Orders, the Secretary of War ordered a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking illicit narcotics, and was transiting along a known narcotrafficking passage enroute to poison Americans. The strike killed 3 male narcoterrorists aboard the vessel, which was in international waters. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. STOP SELLING FENTANYL, NARCOTICS, AND ILLEGAL DRUGS IN AMERICA, AND COMMITTING VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM AGAINST AMERICANS!!!

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 22d

I heard an entire podcast with one of them decrying it today, yes.

Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 22d

Have the Harper's Letter writers spoken up about Kimmel yet? Or does not rise to the level of "some people criticized us online and it made us sad"?

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 22d

It’s easy to find examples of GOP figures who decried cancel culture celebrating it now.

But spare some contempt for those who ran cover for insane 2020 cancellations, telling us that “speech has consequences.”

It can. But when the speaker is well-intentioned, support them.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 25d

The Murderer in Chief is really feeling his Cheerios this morning

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 25d

With this latest boat strike, Trump is now a serial killer.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 26d

You are, in short, a total fraud. And it was always obvious that’s what you were.

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Patterico @patterico.bsky.social · 26d

If you are a Free Speech Warrior angrily demanding the firing of anyone who criticizes both Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the views he expressed, you embody the very “cancel culture” that you pretended to decry—but which you always planned to employ against your own enemies.

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 28d

We’re frogs in the pot about this, I think. We’re so hardened to eliminationist, fascist rhetoric from the right that it hardly makes a dent when a prominent host on a major network suggests exterminating a large group of people. But he did. And nobody on modern Right gives a shit.

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 28d

But don’t call them Nazis.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 28d

Brian Kilmeade endorses euthanizing homeless people: "Involuntary lethal injection, or something. Just kill them."

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