Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social
Historian, novelist, gardener, cook
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
I hope folks realize that between Trump, Kushner, Hegseth, Witkoff, Noem, RFK, Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard, this country is almost entirely undefended.
Q: Have you heard this audio that Bloomberg has of Witkoff coaching the Russians on how to appeal to you?
TRUMP: That's a standard thing. He's gotta sell this to Ukraine, he's gonna sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what a dealmaker does. I haven't heard it but I heard it was standard negotiation.
TRUMP: That's a standard thing. He's gotta sell this to Ukraine, he's gonna sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what a dealmaker does. I haven't heard it but I heard it was standard negotiation.
November 26, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I hope folks realize that between Trump, Kushner, Hegseth, Witkoff, Noem, RFK, Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard, this country is almost entirely undefended.
Jesus
Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, keeps shooting out of the ground in Oklahoma.
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
With @readfrontier.bsky.social
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
With @readfrontier.bsky.social
Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It.
Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, is spewing from old wells. Experts warn of a pollution crisis spreading underground and threatening Oklahoma’s drin...
www.propublica.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Jesus
High crime. Impeach.
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
BREAKING:
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
November 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
High crime. Impeach.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
BREAKING:
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
November 26, 2025 at 1:45 AM
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
Why?
November 26, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Why?
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
So, ordering enforced disappearance—an international crime.
BREAKING:
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 AM
So, ordering enforced disappearance—an international crime.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
New: Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin maneuverings
open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...
open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...
Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin positions
Leaked phone calls between top Kremlin aides and Trump peace envoy Steve Witkoff suggest the Russians believed they could launder their positions into Witkoff’s draft peace plan without the Kremlin co...
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:55 PM
New: Leaked phone calls throw scrutiny on Witkoff’s pro-Kremlin maneuverings
open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...
open.substack.com/pub/diplomat...
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff isn’t working for the US, or for humanity. He’s working for Vladimir Putin. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 25, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff isn’t working for the US, or for humanity. He’s working for Vladimir Putin. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Good 🧵 about Steve Witkoff, the narrative of him being a “useful idiot” is a dangerous trap to walk in.
Witkoff has spent three decades swimming in russian money, russian mob circles, and russian real-estate pipeline. russia knows how to grow an asset
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19933...
Witkoff has spent three decades swimming in russian money, russian mob circles, and russian real-estate pipeline. russia knows how to grow an asset
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19933...
November 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Good 🧵 about Steve Witkoff, the narrative of him being a “useful idiot” is a dangerous trap to walk in.
Witkoff has spent three decades swimming in russian money, russian mob circles, and russian real-estate pipeline. russia knows how to grow an asset
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19933...
Witkoff has spent three decades swimming in russian money, russian mob circles, and russian real-estate pipeline. russia knows how to grow an asset
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19933...
Extremely illuminating.
@michaeldweiss.bsky.social explains how the Ukraine “peace plan” got laundered into the media: leaks from Trump-world figures trying to force the deal into existence, with JD Vance and Marco Rubio pulling string and vying to be MAGA's 2028 successor.
November 25, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Extremely illuminating.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
There is NO FUCKING EXCUSE for this to be happening.
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
I had a baby die in my arms of pertussis some fifty years ago. It was a HORRIBLE death. But my fellow nurses said to me, "It's almost stamped out now, they're all getting the shots, we won't be seeing this again."
HOW THE FUCK ARE WE HERE. 😡
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
A third Kentucky infant has died from whooping cough (also known as pertussis) this year as the state faces its largest spike in cases since 2012. Cases are only expected to continue to rise, highlighting the importance of widespread immunization. Learn more: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...
November 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
A third Kentucky infant has died from whooping cough (also known as pertussis) this year as the state faces its largest spike in cases since 2012. Cases are only expected to continue to rise, highlighting the importance of widespread immunization. Learn more: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
The numbers vary from study to study but hundreds of thousands of people have died because of Elon Musk and Marco Rubio illegally disbanding USAID — a body count on par with the first eight years of the Syrian civil war — In just seven months. It’s mass death that is simply unfathomable in scale.
USAID shutdown has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The Trump administration’s decision to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths from infectious diseases and malnutrition, accord...
hsph.harvard.edu
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The numbers vary from study to study but hundreds of thousands of people have died because of Elon Musk and Marco Rubio illegally disbanding USAID — a body count on par with the first eight years of the Syrian civil war — In just seven months. It’s mass death that is simply unfathomable in scale.
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
This is exactly what you do
With presidents who coup
With presidents who coup
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro must begin serving his 27-year prison sentence for plotting an attempted coup, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ruled. https://cnn.it/4p1dgDV
November 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
This is exactly what you do
With presidents who coup
With presidents who coup
Whose side is he on?
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Whose side is he on?
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
My readers will not be surprised to hear that DHS and DOJ lied their asses off in an emergency filing to the Supreme Court: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u... (gift link)
November 25, 2025 at 8:31 PM
My readers will not be surprised to hear that DHS and DOJ lied their asses off in an emergency filing to the Supreme Court: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/u... (gift link)
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
Top Ivermectin Prescriber Now in CDC's Second Highest Position www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/faus...
Opinion | Top Ivermectin Prescriber Now in CDC's Second Highest Position
Ralph Lee Abraham, MD, has a questionable public health track record
www.medpagetoday.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Top Ivermectin Prescriber Now in CDC's Second Highest Position www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/faus...
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
My latest for the good folks @newrepublic.com, where I discuss the ongoing LA hearings investigating ICE/CBP led by @robertgarcia.house.gov. Looking forward to seeing how these hearings progress. Shoutouts to @gustavoarellano.bsky.social and @dceiver.bsky.social!
newrepublic.com/article/2020...
newrepublic.com/article/2020...
The Democrats Taking the Fight to ICE
Representative Robert Garcia is taking his oversight show on the road, collaborating with Los Angeles officials in the most wide-ranging examination of the Trump administration’s misdeeds to date.
newrepublic.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:57 PM
My latest for the good folks @newrepublic.com, where I discuss the ongoing LA hearings investigating ICE/CBP led by @robertgarcia.house.gov. Looking forward to seeing how these hearings progress. Shoutouts to @gustavoarellano.bsky.social and @dceiver.bsky.social!
newrepublic.com/article/2020...
newrepublic.com/article/2020...
Please support Mayor Tim Keller!!!
November 25, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Please support Mayor Tim Keller!!!
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
👇
More elections are already around the corner, mere days.
And Democrats have opportunities to build on their November gains by flipping more offices: in Tennessee, in Georgia, in Florida.
And that's just the tip of a busy election month.
My new guide, just out:
And Democrats have opportunities to build on their November gains by flipping more offices: in Tennessee, in Georgia, in Florida.
And that's just the tip of a busy election month.
My new guide, just out:
The 25 Elections to Watch This December - Bolts
On the heels of their sweeping wins in November, Democrats have opportunities to gain further ground in December runoffs and special elections. They’re hoping for upsets in conservative territory, fro...
boltsmag.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:21 PM
👇
Watch this space
Pamela Jo has until December 20th to release the Epstein files. She must include explanations for everything she redacts or withholds.
November 25, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Watch this space
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
After 9/11, the U.S. built a huge surveillance infrastructure for counterterrorism. It was abused to target Muslim Americans, but the broad authorities were also used to go after protestors. Immigration enforcement is the new counterterrorism: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
November 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
After 9/11, the U.S. built a huge surveillance infrastructure for counterterrorism. It was abused to target Muslim Americans, but the broad authorities were also used to go after protestors. Immigration enforcement is the new counterterrorism: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Reposted by Virginia Scharff
November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM