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James D'Emilio

@demiliopics2.bsky.social

3.3K followers 1.2K following 2.6K posts

Bronx born Medievalist, Art Historian, Hispanist, Lover of Italy and Antiquity New site: www.jamesdemilio.com Swept up by politics these days, but I do post photos on ancient, medieval, and Christian art. Check @capitalsandmore.bsky.social for art only.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · Apr 21

I've begun a website where I'll share research and photos. For now, I have a biographical piece on how I came to art history and #medieval studies. In these grim times, Europeans may hear soft strains of one grateful American's love song to Europe, Europeans, and your heritage.
www.jamesdemilio.com

James D'Emilio: Medievalist, Art Historian

www.jamesdemilio.com

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

By introducing lawlessness into the argument, Senator Murphy implicitly raises the question of what happens if Democrats win concessions on healthcare. Will Senate Democrats sign on to the spending bills with no rollback of the massive expansion of ICE, even after we've seen what ICE is doing?

Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 7d

Now that Trump has shut down the government, Democrats need to be loud and confident in our argument.

No 75% premium increases. No lawlessness.

That’s what we are fighting for. The people will be with us. But only if we show strength.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

I appreciate the comments of @gallego.senate.gov as a veteran, defending diversity in the military and rules of war. His mockery of the president's spectacle today is on target. I'm less confident, though, that there will be accountability or that guardrails will hold. What actions will ensure that?

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 8d

Sen. Ruben Gallego: "They're trying to condition some of these generals to the idea that they should be using the U.S. military to enforce the political agenda of this president. It's not going to work."

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

The Times of Israel had an extensive profile. Given the political favoritism and corrupt deals (as with Gulf regimes) of this administration and its ties to Israel, speculation about favoritism to an Israeli cyberofficial doesn't seem like just gutter criticism
www.timesofisrael.com/a-nevada-con...

A Nevada conservative running for attorney general leans hard into her Israeliness

Sigal Chattah rose to prominence in the US for her anti-COVID restriction advocacy; now she's promoting Israeli pride - so she and her fellow expats won't have to go back to Israel

www.timesofisrael.com

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

Netanyahu first denied the man had been charged (that proved false). Antisemitic MAGA sectors (MTG and others) spread conspiracies.
Idk maybe it was just "standard procedure", but it was a seamy incident, as many news reports do describe. No one had responsibility🤷‍♂️
www.newsweek.com/tom-alexandr...

Israeli official arrested in child sex sting will fight charge: attorney

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official, will "vigorously defend himself" after being nabbed in a child sex sting, his attorney told Newsweek.

www.newsweek.com

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

You're right, my mistake, thank you for correcting me. I recalled the name, case, mutual blaming, and X remarks. Fed and state authorities worked on the operation, as Chattah said. Feds (State/Justice/Chattah) held CC att'y responsible, denied intervening. CC att'y said it was standard procedure...

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

No, it's not that the GOP is smarter or that Democrats don't have what it takes.
It's that a party, like the GOP, that wants to strip the public sector, cut taxes, privatize services, and eliminate regulations may have an advantage in a government shutdown.

Title of Op Ed in New York Times by Newt Gingrich, "There's Only One Way to Win a Shutdown. Democrats Don't Have What It Takes"
Says it's a four minute read, nah, don't spend that much time.

Reposted by James D'Emilio

Alex @purplechrain.bsky.social · 8d

ICE handcuffed and detained THE EXACT SAME US CITIZEN TWICE, even though he showed them his ID *both* times. Because when a Latino shows them his ID and tells them he’s a US citizen, they just presume that he’s lying and is an undocumented immigrant because they are motivated entirely by racism.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 8d

WOW. Remember this May video of a US citizen wrestled to the ground by ICE agents and detained for an hour despite having a valid REAL ID?

It gets worse. Two weeks later, ICE did it AGAIN — handcuffed him and detained him for 20 minutes despite his REAL ID. Now the Institute for Justice is suing.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

Or the people who've decided they have no reason to vote for anyone. I agree. It's good to hammer away at inflation, but being silent on so many abuses of power is normalizing them. I don't think the GOP thinks they'll ever have to give up power, and Democrats don't see that they're acting that way.

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

I genuinely don't know. Maybe Democrats are using it to publicize the healthcare issue, figuring the GOP will end up passing the budget by gutting the filibuster. By not seeking more, they're legitimizing lots of awful stuff Trump is doing. If they settle for some figleaf agreement, it's even worse.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 7d

Al-Jazeera wrote on her role in releasing an Israeli official accused of soliciting a minor. At the end, it reports her remarks on X (deleted account), calling for wiping Gaza “off the map”, calling Palestinians there "animals" and children “terrorists”.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/...

How was an alleged Israeli ‘child sex predator’ allowed to leave the US?

Release of senior Israeli official facing serious child sex charges in Nevada stirs controversy and raises questions.

www.aljazeera.com

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Reposted by James D'Emilio

Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 8d

Castro also says she believes children were taken. A nearby resident who witnessed the raid, but wished not to be named, corroborated he saw children brought out.

"They were bringing babies out naked... that's kidnapping," the neighbor said.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 8d

I appreciate the effort to preserve ACA coverage and control costs. But, even if Democrats succeed and hold Trump to a deal for a year, aren't they just saving the GOP from the consequences of their policies in an election year? The big goal is to beat them. Will this help or hinder that?

Tammy Duckworth @duckworth.senate.gov · 8d

If you live in these states, your ACA premiums are about to jump:

SD - Up 235% LA - Up 150% WV - Up 387% WY - Up 382% TN - Up 320% MS - Up 314% AK - Up 346%

Republicans are fighting to make sure this happens to their own constituents.

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 8d

Top brass gathered en masse to hear a crass ass without class.

Reposted by James D'Emilio

David Ryan Miller @davidryanmiller.com · 8d

Today was a bad day, but the naked authoritarianism often belies Trump II's capacity and resolve.

Trump II's authoritarian takeover may be faster and more successful than expected, but these guys are losers who can be defeated if enough of us do our part to hold the line.

bsky.app/profile/davi...

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Reposted by James D'Emilio

The TRiiBE @thetriibe.com · 8d

NEW — An estimated 40 people were taken by federal agents in an overnight raid in South Shore, a predominantly-Black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.

A couple who live nearby said they were shocked to see the enormous militarized raid in their community.

thetriibe.com/2025/09/feds...

Feds detain dozens of immigrants in 'massive' South Shore apartment building raid in Chicago • The TRiiBE

An estimated 40 people were taken by federal agents in the course of the overnight raid in the predominately-Black neighborhood.

thetriibe.com

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 8d

Three years, that would end...in 2028 🤔

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 8d

Pfizer "secured a three-year grace period from President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs on pharmaceuticals" and in return will "sell some drugs at a 50% average discount on a direct-to-consumer website called TrumpRx"

looks like state capitalism to me

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Pfizer Gets Three-Year Reprieve From Trump Pharma Tariffs

Pfizer Inc. Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said the company secured a three-year grace period from President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs on pharmaceuticals in a deal that would lower some o...

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by James D'Emilio

The Assisi Project @assisiproject.com · 8d

“We’ve really lost the plot in terms of how we treat other human beings. We’re allowing all of this brutality by these agents, not one of whom has been held accountable." #PrayForAmerica www.boston.com/news/local-n...

As ICE recruits local police, its crackdown in Mass. continues

ICE is specifically trying to recruit local police who may be upset with policies that limit their involvement in immigration enforcement.

www.boston.com

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Reposted by James D'Emilio

Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 8d

Future trivia question

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

White House Withdraws Nominee to Lead Bureau of Labor Statistics

The agency has been without a leader since August, when Trump fired its chief and nominated E.J. Antoni.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by James D'Emilio

Captain Mark Kelly @captmarkkelly.bsky.social · 8d

Arizonans just elected Adelita Grijalva to represent them in Washington, and there’s no reason to delay seating her. Speaker Johnson should swear her in immediately so she can get to work.

Adelita for Congress @adelitaforcongress.bsky.social · 8d

Day 2 in D.C. and #AZ07 is still left without a vote and voice here in Washington.

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James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 8d

Source for the $1.3 TRILLION: the Bloomberg list.

James D'Emilio @demiliopics2.bsky.social · 8d

Glad @captmarkkelly.bsky.social mentions our #billionaires. The GOP has made "illegal aliens" the villains. Let's remind voters where their money really goes. Musk, Ellison, Zuckerberg and Bezos now have a whopping 1.3 TRILLION dollars, up 235 billion just this year. But we can't afford #healthcare?

Home of the Brave @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social · 8d

Sen. Mark Kelly: "This is a question about how much people have to pay for their healthcare. Trump and Republicans in the House and Senate prioritized billionaires over hardworking people and stuck them with a really bad deal, and their healthcare costs are gonna skyrocket."

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The Onion @theonion.com · 8d

Hungover Hegseth Struggling To Remember How He Ended Up In Room Full Of Generals

QUANTICO, VA—Racking his brain for answers as he gazed out at the high-ranking officers gathered before him, a visibly hungover Pete Hegseth reportedly struggled Tuesday to remember exactly how he end...

theonion.com

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Lex McMenamin (they/them) @leximcmenamin.com · 8d

new @teenvogue.com: @maiamcdonald.me covers the latest w/ Chicago protests. outside an ICE facility that's come under national focus, protesters and journalists have been arrested and teargassed.

@katmabu.bsky.social was shoved to the ground; she says more politicians should be on the frontlines.

Inside Gen Z Candidate Kat Abughazaleh's Viral ICE Rally Tear-Gassing: "Fascism 101"

“If they are willing to do this to a congressional candidate in front of a bunch of press, imagine what they're doing behind boarded-up windows.”

www.teenvogue.com

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Jared Holt @jaredlholt.bsky.social · 8d

Wild stuff — nuking a portion of your website because MAGA got mad at you for it.

jewishinsider.com/2025/09/adl-...

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Home of the Brave @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social · 8d

AOC: "Donald Trump is trying to play this bluffing game of 'Well, maybe what we're going to do is hold the federal workforce hostage and fire everybody.' Donald Trump has been firing everybody. We've seen this with DOGE...We have to stop enabling their abuse of power."

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