Jen Bendery
@jbendery.bsky.social
I report on Congress, the Trump administration and now authoritarianism for HuffPost.
Tips: [email protected] / [email protected]
Signal: jbendery.41
Tips: [email protected] / [email protected]
Signal: jbendery.41
Spotted on Capitol Hill 😂
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Spotted on Capitol Hill 😂
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) says someone showed up to her D.C. office today and made white supremacist threats. Capitol Police had to intervene.
This was hours after Trump said Democrats in Congress should be executed.
"When leaders promote hate, hate shows up."
This was hours after Trump said Democrats in Congress should be executed.
"When leaders promote hate, hate shows up."
November 21, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) says someone showed up to her D.C. office today and made white supremacist threats. Capitol Police had to intervene.
This was hours after Trump said Democrats in Congress should be executed.
"When leaders promote hate, hate shows up."
This was hours after Trump said Democrats in Congress should be executed.
"When leaders promote hate, hate shows up."
Seems like this is winding down. But a pink frog has arrived.
"No pizza for Nazis!"
"No pizza for Nazis!"
November 20, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Seems like this is winding down. But a pink frog has arrived.
"No pizza for Nazis!"
"No pizza for Nazis!"
There's a Handmaid out here blowing a whistle, someone with an Anonymous mask on, at least one veteran, and this hardcore dude. Fuck yeah DC.
November 20, 2025 at 10:22 PM
There's a Handmaid out here blowing a whistle, someone with an Anonymous mask on, at least one veteran, and this hardcore dude. Fuck yeah DC.
This guy is like Henry Rollins out here, screaming about all things dark
November 20, 2025 at 10:19 PM
This guy is like Henry Rollins out here, screaming about all things dark
It's freezing out here. This woman is dancing to the screaming anyway.
November 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
It's freezing out here. This woman is dancing to the screaming anyway.
So this is happening outside of the Heritage Foundation right now
"Fuck ICE! Fuck ICE! Fuck Project 2025! Fuck Alligator Alcatraz!"
"Fuck ICE! Fuck ICE! Fuck Project 2025! Fuck Alligator Alcatraz!"
November 20, 2025 at 10:11 PM
So this is happening outside of the Heritage Foundation right now
"Fuck ICE! Fuck ICE! Fuck Project 2025! Fuck Alligator Alcatraz!"
"Fuck ICE! Fuck ICE! Fuck Project 2025! Fuck Alligator Alcatraz!"
In its section on punishments for service members who are "willfully disobeying superior commissioned officer," the manual also states a clear exception, on page 334:
"...does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime."
"...does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime."
November 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM
In its section on punishments for service members who are "willfully disobeying superior commissioned officer," the manual also states a clear exception, on page 334:
"...does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime."
"...does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime."
Page 28 of the U.S. military’s 2024 manual for courts-martial:
A military order is lawful, “unless it is contrary to the Constitution, the laws of the United States, or lawful superior orders or for some other reason is beyond the authority of the official issuing it.”
A military order is lawful, “unless it is contrary to the Constitution, the laws of the United States, or lawful superior orders or for some other reason is beyond the authority of the official issuing it.”
November 20, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Page 28 of the U.S. military’s 2024 manual for courts-martial:
A military order is lawful, “unless it is contrary to the Constitution, the laws of the United States, or lawful superior orders or for some other reason is beyond the authority of the official issuing it.”
A military order is lawful, “unless it is contrary to the Constitution, the laws of the United States, or lawful superior orders or for some other reason is beyond the authority of the official issuing it.”
And still another message from Trump today, saying "an example MUST BE SET" by apparently arresting and putting on trial these six Democrats in Congress for urging servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
And still another message from Trump today, saying "an example MUST BE SET" by apparently arresting and putting on trial these six Democrats in Congress for urging servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
Here's another of Trump's posts this morning, referring to, again, Democrats in Congress urging U.S. military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
November 20, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Here's another of Trump's posts this morning, referring to, again, Democrats in Congress urging U.S. military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
Here's the "HANG THEM" post Trump boosted this morning.
THEM = the six Democrats in Congress, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, who urged military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
THEM = the six Democrats in Congress, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, who urged military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
November 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Here's the "HANG THEM" post Trump boosted this morning.
THEM = the six Democrats in Congress, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, who urged military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
THEM = the six Democrats in Congress, all with military or intelligence backgrounds, who urged military servicemembers to disobey unlawful orders.
And we're now looking at a 5th resolution this week aimed at punishing a House lawmaker
November 20, 2025 at 3:31 AM
And we're now looking at a 5th resolution this week aimed at punishing a House lawmaker
Marjorie Taylor Greene mad at what's happened here
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Marjorie Taylor Greene mad at what's happened here
And... the House votes 310-103 to refer Nancy Mace's resolution to censure Cory Mills to the House Ethics Committee, which launched its own Mills probe today.
Translated: Mace's effort to censure Mills is toast and the committee will do its own thing.
Translated: Mace's effort to censure Mills is toast and the committee will do its own thing.
November 20, 2025 at 3:05 AM
And... the House votes 310-103 to refer Nancy Mace's resolution to censure Cory Mills to the House Ethics Committee, which launched its own Mills probe today.
Translated: Mace's effort to censure Mills is toast and the committee will do its own thing.
Translated: Mace's effort to censure Mills is toast and the committee will do its own thing.
Here's one lawmaker over this
November 20, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Here's one lawmaker over this
Nancy Mace is not pleased by the ethics committee's move
November 19, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Nancy Mace is not pleased by the ethics committee's move
"I suspect this vote will be, probably, unanimous," Mike Johnson says ahead of the House voting to pass a bill to force DOJ to release its Epstein files -- a bill Mike Johnson has been fighting to block for months.
November 18, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"I suspect this vote will be, probably, unanimous," Mike Johnson says ahead of the House voting to pass a bill to force DOJ to release its Epstein files -- a bill Mike Johnson has been fighting to block for months.
Here's a snapshot from a memo issued in July by Demand Progress, which has been working on debunking Johnson's/the GOP's false claims about this bill, which is called "the Epstein Files Transparency Act."
November 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Here's a snapshot from a memo issued in July by Demand Progress, which has been working on debunking Johnson's/the GOP's false claims about this bill, which is called "the Epstein Files Transparency Act."
This Epstein bill uses the same definition for child sex abuse material that was used in other bills that Johnson/House Republicans voted for and helped enact into law not so long ago.
Like the “Respect for Child Survivors Act” in 2023:
www.congress.gov/bill/117th-c...
Like the “Respect for Child Survivors Act” in 2023:
www.congress.gov/bill/117th-c...
November 18, 2025 at 4:38 PM
This Epstein bill uses the same definition for child sex abuse material that was used in other bills that Johnson/House Republicans voted for and helped enact into law not so long ago.
Like the “Respect for Child Survivors Act” in 2023:
www.congress.gov/bill/117th-c...
Like the “Respect for Child Survivors Act” in 2023:
www.congress.gov/bill/117th-c...
Johnson went on to argue this bill won't protect victims because it "doesn’t reference the right [federal] code section."
This is also false.
It cites the primary, controlling federal statutes governing and prohibiting child sex abuse materials, 18 U.S.C. 2256 and 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A:
This is also false.
It cites the primary, controlling federal statutes governing and prohibiting child sex abuse materials, 18 U.S.C. 2256 and 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A:
November 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Johnson went on to argue this bill won't protect victims because it "doesn’t reference the right [federal] code section."
This is also false.
It cites the primary, controlling federal statutes governing and prohibiting child sex abuse materials, 18 U.S.C. 2256 and 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A:
This is also false.
It cites the primary, controlling federal statutes governing and prohibiting child sex abuse materials, 18 U.S.C. 2256 and 18 U.S.C. 2252–2252A:
Johnson just repeatedly argued that his main concern is that this bill wouldn't protect Epstein's victims.
That is false.
It specifically allows the AG to redact victims' identifying information:
That is false.
It specifically allows the AG to redact victims' identifying information:
November 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Johnson just repeatedly argued that his main concern is that this bill wouldn't protect Epstein's victims.
That is false.
It specifically allows the AG to redact victims' identifying information:
That is false.
It specifically allows the AG to redact victims' identifying information:
Mike Johnson says House Republicans “did some of the best work of their careers” when they stayed home for the duration of the government shutdown.
November 18, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Mike Johnson says House Republicans “did some of the best work of their careers” when they stayed home for the duration of the government shutdown.
how you know Trump/the White House is def freaking out about the Epstein files
November 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
how you know Trump/the White House is def freaking out about the Epstein files