Eric Blair
@protecttruth.bsky.social
Status Quo Politics is holding us back. Who will call for a big fight, and big change? The status quo cannot hold.
SCOTUS delenda est
SCOTUS delenda est
Pinned
Why push for impeachment?
Because politics is an exercise in moving public opinion as much as counting votes in the senate.
The Jan 6 Hearings were not a criminal proceeding against Trump that would end in jail, but they focused public attention.
Performative public investigations matter
Because politics is an exercise in moving public opinion as much as counting votes in the senate.
The Jan 6 Hearings were not a criminal proceeding against Trump that would end in jail, but they focused public attention.
Performative public investigations matter
My position on impeachment is the same as it was six months ago: Impeachment is first about driving public attention to Trump’s crimes and corruption.
Democrats should introduce impeachment articles and force votes to boost their parallel media effort.
Performative public investigations matter.
Democrats should introduce impeachment articles and force votes to boost their parallel media effort.
Performative public investigations matter.
Reposted by Eric Blair
Stand up a revitalized State Defense Force, recruit and train from extant state employees and volunteer observers and put 10k+ bodies between ICE and their targets, with cameras piping directly to a state database for prosecutions.
Someone asked what I would do were I the governor of MN. I would hope I'd be like Lincoln: once coming to the realization that there was going to be no way out but war, with utter honestly as to the stakes, using all his powers of persuasion to communicate that there will be sacrifice....
January 25, 2026 at 3:48 AM
Stand up a revitalized State Defense Force, recruit and train from extant state employees and volunteer observers and put 10k+ bodies between ICE and their targets, with cameras piping directly to a state database for prosecutions.
Reposted by Eric Blair
I do not just throw out praise for Senate Dem leadership, but this is good. It’s what we need now - Dems using their leverage where they’ve got it and refusing to budge. Make GOP own this lawless goon squad. No Dem votes for it. Support Dems who are fighting back now regardless of past beefs.
Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.
January 25, 2026 at 12:32 AM
I do not just throw out praise for Senate Dem leadership, but this is good. It’s what we need now - Dems using their leverage where they’ve got it and refusing to budge. Make GOP own this lawless goon squad. No Dem votes for it. Support Dems who are fighting back now regardless of past beefs.
Reposted by Eric Blair
Tim Cook and Andy Jassy—and the rest—are accommodating an authoritarian who is presiding over a secret police force killing American citizens. The blood of Renee Good and Alex Pretti is on the hands of those who enable Trump. Hope they like the movie.
On tonight’s White House agenda:
Trump and guests will get a private screening of MELANIA, the documentary about the First Lady, @thr.com reports.
Attendees include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Mike Tyson, per the article.
Trump and guests will get a private screening of MELANIA, the documentary about the First Lady, @thr.com reports.
Attendees include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Mike Tyson, per the article.
January 25, 2026 at 2:07 AM
Tim Cook and Andy Jassy—and the rest—are accommodating an authoritarian who is presiding over a secret police force killing American citizens. The blood of Renee Good and Alex Pretti is on the hands of those who enable Trump. Hope they like the movie.
Reposted by Eric Blair
The Eighth Circuit also murdered Pretti by staying the injunction against DHS abusing citizens in Minneapolis.
JUST IN: Lawyers file declaration in federal court from first-hand witness to immigration agents' shooting of a US citizen onlookers today. Minneapolis Mayor Frey said details would be used to bolster case for ousting ICE from city. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
TincherSealedWitnessDec012426.PDF
www.documentcloud.org
January 25, 2026 at 1:11 AM
The Eighth Circuit also murdered Pretti by staying the injunction against DHS abusing citizens in Minneapolis.
Reposted by Eric Blair
look i’m not going to pretend that the industrial titans of ye olde times had civic virtue but at least they pretended like the country was more important than getting a 1.5% tax cut
cook is a sniveling worm
cook is a sniveling worm
On tonight’s White House agenda:
Trump and guests will get a private screening of MELANIA, the documentary about the First Lady, @thr.com reports.
Attendees include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Mike Tyson, per the article.
Trump and guests will get a private screening of MELANIA, the documentary about the First Lady, @thr.com reports.
Attendees include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Mike Tyson, per the article.
January 25, 2026 at 2:17 AM
look i’m not going to pretend that the industrial titans of ye olde times had civic virtue but at least they pretended like the country was more important than getting a 1.5% tax cut
cook is a sniveling worm
cook is a sniveling worm
I have been waiting for more district judges to speak up against the rogue Fed Soc judges at SCOTUS and at many of our other courts.
I wasn’t expecting one of those district judges to be a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.
I wasn’t expecting one of those district judges to be a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.
A magistrate judge found no probable cause to support arrest warrants for 5 people involved in the St. Paul church protest.
DOJ appealed to the 8th Cir.
That appeal led to this remarkable letter from the Chief Judge of the Minnesota district court…
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
DOJ appealed to the 8th Cir.
That appeal led to this remarkable letter from the Chief Judge of the Minnesota district court…
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 25, 2026 at 2:38 AM
I have been waiting for more district judges to speak up against the rogue Fed Soc judges at SCOTUS and at many of our other courts.
I wasn’t expecting one of those district judges to be a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.
I wasn’t expecting one of those district judges to be a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.
Reposted by Eric Blair
Rick speaking like this should be noted. This is not how he posts.
Absolutely reprehensible that AG Bondi is offering ICE stand down in exchange for access to voting rolls. Outrageous and disgusting. It shows ICE is in Minneapolis is not for law enforcement purposes. Instead it’s a way to stir up shit in blue states and extort them.
In the wake of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis.
AG Pam Bondi sends Gov. Walz a letter today making several asks including:
"Allow DOJ Civil Rights division access to state voter rolls"
AG Pam Bondi sends Gov. Walz a letter today making several asks including:
"Allow DOJ Civil Rights division access to state voter rolls"
January 25, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Rick speaking like this should be noted. This is not how he posts.
No law enforcement member should be able to join a union.
Ban unions for cops, and for ICE brownshirts, just like the military has no unions.
Those who carry guns for the state are accountable to democratically-elected civilian authority and that should be it.
Ban unions for cops, and for ICE brownshirts, just like the military has no unions.
Those who carry guns for the state are accountable to democratically-elected civilian authority and that should be it.
My god.
Statement from AFGE: Alex was a member. His killer may have been as well.
Statement from AFGE: Alex was a member. His killer may have been as well.
January 25, 2026 at 2:29 AM
No law enforcement member should be able to join a union.
Ban unions for cops, and for ICE brownshirts, just like the military has no unions.
Those who carry guns for the state are accountable to democratically-elected civilian authority and that should be it.
Ban unions for cops, and for ICE brownshirts, just like the military has no unions.
Those who carry guns for the state are accountable to democratically-elected civilian authority and that should be it.
Reposted by Eric Blair
To summon this level of clarity, in this moment ... astounding.
Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.
"Please get the truth out about our son."
"Please get the truth out about our son."
January 25, 2026 at 12:59 AM
To summon this level of clarity, in this moment ... astounding.
💯
A shutdown in this context is a propaganda war, just like the one they did over ACA subsidies. Except this time instead of saying "We did this because they won't fund health care" you say "We did this because they're killing you in the streets with impunity"
One irony here: a shutdown won't shut down ICE or the Border Patrol, which got massive infusion of money last year in the GOP's 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' and the White House would surely deem these operations 'essential.'
January 25, 2026 at 2:23 AM
💯
Reposted by Eric Blair
Really want the academics and think tanks to start churning out pdfs on what tribunals and truth and reconciliation commissions look like. Political leaders are absolutely not going to come up with this on their own.
Would happily take time to help write and edit any of that, too.
Would happily take time to help write and edit any of that, too.
January 25, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Really want the academics and think tanks to start churning out pdfs on what tribunals and truth and reconciliation commissions look like. Political leaders are absolutely not going to come up with this on their own.
Would happily take time to help write and edit any of that, too.
Would happily take time to help write and edit any of that, too.
Reposted by Eric Blair
There is no chance we will win enough Senate seats to impeach and remove without Republican votes.
Again we should ask: what will be different after a midterm win? What major new power will D’s have? None, nothing major they cannot do now.
bsky.app/profile/isal...
Again we should ask: what will be different after a midterm win? What major new power will D’s have? None, nothing major they cannot do now.
bsky.app/profile/isal...
If we control enough seats in both houses, impeachment & conviction/removal becomes viable as well.
January 24, 2026 at 9:19 PM
There is no chance we will win enough Senate seats to impeach and remove without Republican votes.
Again we should ask: what will be different after a midterm win? What major new power will D’s have? None, nothing major they cannot do now.
bsky.app/profile/isal...
Again we should ask: what will be different after a midterm win? What major new power will D’s have? None, nothing major they cannot do now.
bsky.app/profile/isal...
I was just about to post praising @maxwellfrost.bsky.social @frost.house.gov who said “We must impeach Kristi Noem.”
But he… seems to have deleted that post.
?
But he… seems to have deleted that post.
?
January 25, 2026 at 12:01 AM
I was just about to post praising @maxwellfrost.bsky.social @frost.house.gov who said “We must impeach Kristi Noem.”
But he… seems to have deleted that post.
?
But he… seems to have deleted that post.
?
Reposted by Eric Blair
ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA -- our latest on the murder of Alex Pretti and the actions we should take right now:
January 24, 2026 at 10:06 PM
ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA -- our latest on the murder of Alex Pretti and the actions we should take right now:
Reposted by Eric Blair
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
January 24, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
If this account is not a bot, I’ll eat my hat.
Trying to sow doomerism and futility. Vladimir Putin and Robert Mercer could put it no better
Trying to sow doomerism and futility. Vladimir Putin and Robert Mercer could put it no better
January 24, 2026 at 9:57 PM
If this account is not a bot, I’ll eat my hat.
Trying to sow doomerism and futility. Vladimir Putin and Robert Mercer could put it no better
Trying to sow doomerism and futility. Vladimir Putin and Robert Mercer could put it no better
It exists it’s just become a fundraising body (thanks, John Roberts) and an arm of Fox News.
That tweet from @darinself.com about the party looking like a party but actually being a fundraising machine is rattling around my head. That’s the fruit of Cit U and Leonard Leo’s corruption of the courts
That tweet from @darinself.com about the party looking like a party but actually being a fundraising machine is rattling around my head. That’s the fruit of Cit U and Leonard Leo’s corruption of the courts
It's really too bad the United States Congress no longer exists.
January 24, 2026 at 9:55 PM
It exists it’s just become a fundraising body (thanks, John Roberts) and an arm of Fox News.
That tweet from @darinself.com about the party looking like a party but actually being a fundraising machine is rattling around my head. That’s the fruit of Cit U and Leonard Leo’s corruption of the courts
That tweet from @darinself.com about the party looking like a party but actually being a fundraising machine is rattling around my head. That’s the fruit of Cit U and Leonard Leo’s corruption of the courts
Once Cortez Masto flipped the writing was on the wall. If she votes no on cloture the whole D Senate caucus will vote no on cloture.
Three of the eight whole flipped in November have said they oppose the bill... that's pretty notable
We're getting a shutdown, I think
January 24, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Once Cortez Masto flipped the writing was on the wall. If she votes no on cloture the whole D Senate caucus will vote no on cloture.
The fucking problem with this theory is that if we do not build power now and deliver on massive structural reform, a worse fascist and their party will win midterms in 2030 and the presidency in 2032.
It's also not helping that most (but not all) Democrats seem to have adopted a strategy of doing nothing. They are, correctly, observing that the GOP is going to devour itself and revolt enough voters that the Demcrats should coast to an easy win in the midterms and again in 2028.
January 24, 2026 at 8:33 PM
The fucking problem with this theory is that if we do not build power now and deliver on massive structural reform, a worse fascist and their party will win midterms in 2030 and the presidency in 2032.
Reposted by Eric Blair
What's the plan, Chuck? I run a fake news website. You're the Senate Minority Leader. What's the plan?
ICE out of Minnesota NOW.
Breaking News: Federal law enforcement agents shot and killed a person in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, state and local officials said. Follow live updates.
January 24, 2026 at 7:11 PM
What's the plan, Chuck? I run a fake news website. You're the Senate Minority Leader. What's the plan?
Yes. Arrest Bovino. One state charge now. Superseding indictment later. Dare the federal judge to release him.
@governorwalz.mn.gov this is you.
@governorwalz.mn.gov this is you.
arrest bovino. start there. you know who he is and he's always easy to find
January 24, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Yes. Arrest Bovino. One state charge now. Superseding indictment later. Dare the federal judge to release him.
@governorwalz.mn.gov this is you.
@governorwalz.mn.gov this is you.
Reposted by Eric Blair
The whole of Congress should be descending on Whipple right now.
Why are they sending witnesses to Whipple?
WHY ARE THEY SENDING WITNESSES TO WHIPPLE?
WHY ARE THEY SENDING WITNESSES TO WHIPPLE?
ICE attempted to order local police from the scene of the Minneapolis shooting, but the police chief refused and instructed his officers to preserve the crime scene.
www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...
www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...
January 24, 2026 at 6:04 PM
The whole of Congress should be descending on Whipple right now.
This is the most important decision point today.
The people of Minneapolis are mobilizing. They are fighting. They will eventually win.
However, we will win more quickly if our representatives stand up and fight. So far our leadership is not fighting. Will that change? That is the decision point.
The people of Minneapolis are mobilizing. They are fighting. They will eventually win.
However, we will win more quickly if our representatives stand up and fight. So far our leadership is not fighting. Will that change? That is the decision point.
There has been an increasing sense in Minneapolis that we are on our own, that our elected representatives are unwilling and/or unable to take action to get these murderous Nazi thugs out of our community. I really hope that changes today. The time for pleading TV hits ended weeks ago.
January 24, 2026 at 7:02 PM
This is the most important decision point today.
The people of Minneapolis are mobilizing. They are fighting. They will eventually win.
However, we will win more quickly if our representatives stand up and fight. So far our leadership is not fighting. Will that change? That is the decision point.
The people of Minneapolis are mobilizing. They are fighting. They will eventually win.
However, we will win more quickly if our representatives stand up and fight. So far our leadership is not fighting. Will that change? That is the decision point.
Reposted by Eric Blair
This 1943 U.S. Army film warned about fascism in America
January 19, 2026 at 3:08 PM
This 1943 U.S. Army film warned about fascism in America
Reposted by Eric Blair
If Morganthau does his fucking job and knocks Trump for fraud then we aren't sitting here at all talking about Trump's weird hold on low info voters now
it's easy to blame rubes in flyover country for the nation's current predicament, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of it is down to years and years of elite moral and epistemic derangement, elite cowardice, and elite failure to overcome the collective action problem
it's cool that so many people in positions of power and influence were so negatively polarized by "wokeness" that they convinced themselves that there was an actual debate about who wanted to erase history and the "wokes" were on the wrong side bsky.app/profile/arch...
January 24, 2026 at 12:10 PM
If Morganthau does his fucking job and knocks Trump for fraud then we aren't sitting here at all talking about Trump's weird hold on low info voters now