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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 12h

@nytimes.com survey of 50 legal experts: “Every single one of the 50 respondents believe that Trump and his attorney general, Pam Bondi, have used the Justice Department to go after the president’s political and personal enemies and provide favors to his allies.”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 19h

A remarkably contemptuous performance by Pam Bondi in her first oversight hearing. Refused to answer everything, and when pushed responded w/ obviously pre-drafted insulting sound bites. Looking forward to discussing on @cnn with #EricaHill and #BorisSanchez at 3 PM ET.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 20h

@glennthrush.bsky.social: Bondi’s calculated bombast punctuated by her partisan and personal attacks on Democrats, reflects a coordinated effort across the administration to flip potentially damaging moments of public accountability to savage political opponents.

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Update from Glenn Thrush

www.nytimes.com

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

I found his famous Chinese Room argument unpersuasive, but there’s no denying his enormous influence in 20th century philosophy of mind and language.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

John Searle obituary

American philosopher whose Chinese Room thought experiment rebuts the idea that computers can think as humans do

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Harry Litman

Paul Barrett ❌👑 @paulthedogman.bsky.social · 1d

Who torched Judge Diane Goodstein's house in South Carolina, and why? Is this the result of her being targeted by the MAGA horde? We need answers. time.com/7323442/sout...

House of South Carolina Judge Criticized by Trump Administration Burns Down

State law enforcement said Monday that "at this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set."

time.com

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

I’m not any of those either. But I did join Democracy Docket and happily pay the &10/month. For all the great info and analysis, it’s a bargain.

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not a conservative commentator. Billionaires won't pay me $150m. No major network is making me the editor in chief.

But I am a lawyer who fights for democracy. I did build Democracy Docket from scratch. And, for $10 a month you can help it do its vital work. hubs.ly/Q03CbHTt0

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

Trump speech to Navy.

He tells them, “We have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

My discussion with @jimsciutto.bsky.social about whether Trump would be able to get away with invoking the Insurrection Act.

video.snapstream.net/Play/2z4pSnw...

The Brief with Jim Sciutto - Harry Litman joins The Brief

Powered by SnapStream Cloud Sharing

video.snapstream.net

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

Being continually foiled in his efforts to militarize US cities under 10 USC 1206, Trump is now threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act. Can he just get away with it, legally and politically? Looking forward to discussing w/ @jimsciutto.bsky.social on @cnn at 6:35 PM ET.

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Reposted by Harry Litman

Talking Feds with Harry Litman @talkingfeds.bsky.social · 1d

In “Shutdown Smackdown, Chi-Town Showdown”, Harry convenes @realbarbaraboxer.bsky.social, @jonathancapehart.bsky.social & @normornstein.bsky.social to parse the shutdown battle, the Chicago raid that shattered Fourth Amendment norms & Trump’s ominous call to turn U.S. cities into “training grounds.”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

A brand new @talkingfeds.bsky.social is out w/ @realbarbaraboxer.bsky.social, @jonathancapehart.bsky.social & @normornstein.bsky.social. We tackle the shutdown fight, the stunning Chicago raid, and Trump’s chilling speech to military leaders.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 1d

“Deference” implies giving the president the benefit of the doubt. But where there is no doubt, there can be no benefit. Immergut refused to credit assertions with no basis in the record. She didn’t grandstand or sermonize; she simply applied the law to the facts.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

A Federal Judge Shows How the Courts Should Deal with Trump’s Lies

District Court Judge Karin Immergut’s opinion shows that courage in judging doesn’t require rhetoric or defiance—only the quiet insistence that facts still matter.

newrepublic.com

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 2d

In emergency hearing Sunday night, Immergut accuses administration of violating her order. She reinforces and expands. It’s gonna get ugly.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 2d

A shutdown, a shocking federal raid in Chicago, and Trump’s call to use U.S. cities as “training grounds” for troops—Bright & early Mon., @talkingfeds.bsky.social breaks down what it all means and whether we’ve crossed a new authoritarian line.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

Immergut opinion cool-headed and understated but absolute bullseye on most important question, and I mean in multiple settings, of deference to his findings, which Ninth Circuit says must be given. Still must be w/in a "range of honest judgment," and this isn't. Delicate way of saying he's a liar.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

From Immergut opinion: "Pres is certainly entitled “a great level of deference ..But a great level of deference is not equivalent to ignoring the facts on the ground. Must reflect a colorable assement w/in a range of honest judgment. The President’s determination was simply UNTETHERED TO THE FACTS."

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

Really one of the cleanest best most eloquent opinions any district court has delivered since January. And she is a Trump appointee.

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 3d

Judge Immergut quotes James Madison from the
Records of the Federal Convention of 1787: “A standing
military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The
means of defence [against] foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at
home.”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

A really stirring opinion from Judge Karen Immergut (Boalt 87!) blocking Trump’s military assault on Portland, calling it, elegantly, “ untethered to facts.”
“Whether we choose to follow what the Constitution mandates …goes to the heart of what it means to live under the rule of law in the US.”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

bsky.app/profile/govp...

Life during wartime. Chicago is now occupied territory.

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 3d

This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 3d

Ferlinghetti: “Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
and whose bigots haunt the airwaves”

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 4d

20 year DOJ vet lead counsel on critical terrorism case, fired b/c he once worked in career role for Lisa Monaco.They are simply strangling the DOJ. 1/3 of leadership has left. And the cost here has to be reckoned in public safety. Everything gets sacrificed to absurd views of loyalty and revenge.

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 4d

going out of their way to say Trump Admin view of birthright citizenship is inane

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 4d

BREAKING: The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 100-page opinion -- says it is unequivocally, lopsidedly easy to determine that the Trump administration's view of birthright citizenship is wrong.

www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 4d

here is a possible game changer for Abrego. and a very good augury for Jim Comey

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 4d

BREAKING: A federal judge says there is a realistic likelihood that the prosecution of Kilmar Abrego Garcia was driven by vindictive motives — reflected in the public statements of Bondi, Blanche, Noem et al.

He has ordered discovery on the question.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 4d

It’s a rank first amendment violation unless they also fire any trainee who displays any “political signage,”including MAGA messages.

Kash Patel fires FBI agent trainee for displaying gay pride flag

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Harry Litman @harrylitman.bsky.social · 6d

Nauseating.
President Trump hailed the use of military force to police American cities, telling generals and admirals during a Tuesday address that it was important to quell “the enemy within.”

“SF, Chicago, New York, LA, they’re very unsafe places and we’re gonna straighten them out one by one.”

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