Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jenna Norton

@jenna-m-norton.bsky.social

2.6K followers 1.1K following 1.1K posts

Health Equity Scientist, Bethesda Declaration Co-signer, working at NIH but speaking in my personal capacity. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Civil servants stand up! https://linktr.ee/declarationsofdissent

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 6d

I was honored to speak up with my colleagues from across the government to demand Congress fight for the American people.

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 6d

"As a federal worker, I am here to tell you that every awful thing that would happen in a shutdown—shuttering programs that Americans rely on, damaging our economy, firing federal workers—all of this is already happening."

youtu.be/jw93RKKreqY?...

Jenna Norton, PhD - (NIH, Bethesda Declaration organizer, mom) *speaking in her personal capacity

YouTube video by Civil Servants Coalition

youtu.be

5 18 64

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 3h

My quote of the day

If you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started.

John McCain

8 140 540

Reposted by Jenna Norton

David Cassatt, PhD @cassattdr.bsky.social · 2h

I would add that the plan to get approval for three monovalent shots would be a Potemkin trial. A clinical trial would be unethical and not feasible, but would satisfy the Emperor and his court by adding doubt to the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 1d

I wrote a thing about how this split the MMR up into monovalents is bullshit that Andrew Wakefield cooked up. It will be used to strip access to the MMR.

The MAHA movement continues to destroy public health.

open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...

The Monovalent Mirage

A pretend alternative to the MMR exists, just ask Andrew Wakefield

open.substack.com

1 3

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 1h

On how Vought’s threats to withhold backpay from furloughed Feds is illegal:
www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8ABh7EU/

Russel Vought is threatening to withhold back pay. This is a scare tactic. And it’s illegal.

TikTok video by Jenna

www.tiktok.com

1 4

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 1h

On Trump’s imagined voter mandate that he claims justifies his tear down of public services that Americans rely on: www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8ABM69y/

TikTok video by Jenna

www.tiktok.com

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 8h

Many were RIFed at NIH too. It’s been really awful!

1 1

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 10h

This is a legitimately amazing video from @schumer.senate.gov

Please watch.

Thank you, Chuck Schumer!

youtube.com/shorts/Bl01O...

3 19 32

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 8h

Haha pretty much!

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 8h

I’m sorry that happened to you!

1 1

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 23h

More lawlessness from Russell Vought at OMB.

The Project 2025 effort has always been about creating fig leaf — lawless — legal arguments that should be laughed out of court.

True for the RIFs, true for this “reinterpretation” of the law that explicitly requires backpay. 1/

Scoop: White House memo says furloughed federal workers aren't entitled to backpay

A move to deny backpay to up to 750,000 furloughed workers would dramatically escalate Trump's pressure on Democrats to end the shutdown.

www.axios.com

1 8 24

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Voices for Progress @voicesforprogress.org · 16h

@jenna-m-norton.bsky.social “Every awful thing that would happen in a shutdown...is already happening.” This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about stopping the erosion of our public services. It’s time to protect the programs that serve our communities and stand up to authoritarianism. #StopTheScam

Why some federal workers aren't scared by the threat of shutdown layoffs

Some federal workers support the government shutdown, even as President Trump threatens to use this moment to lay off employees and cut funding to programs.

www.npr.org

6 13

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 12h

As of 2019, its in statute. If OMB does not give back pay, it is breaking the law. This admin has proved they are not above that. So they may still try. But we should call it what it is. Lawless.

1 2

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 5d

This is great and we love this energy.

But Russell Vought's Project 2025 conspiracy has already decapitated OSC and therefore Hatch Act enforcement.

How?
Trump lawlessly fired the OSC head, and the corrupt conservative courts (incl Trump judge Justin Walker) lawlessly signed off.
1/

Rainbow Ally @pfarout.bsky.social · 5d

Report the federal government websites that claim the “radical leftist”is responsible for the shutdown here: [email protected]

@muellershewrote.com
@gtconway.bsky.social
@gtconway.bsky.social
@altcdc.altgov.info
@altnih4science.bsky.social
@altnps.bsky.social
@altfws.altgov.info

1 5 12

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 21h

This is a scare tactic.

But most feds I know aren’t scared or traumatized.

We are just that much more passionate and committed to our missions.

Theresa Kim, PhD, MS @tyk314.net · 22h

@jenna-m-norton.bsky.social is right. You don't just delete laws. And drawing sharpie marks over it doesn't legitimize claims.
#FEDSTRONG

OMB deletes reference to law guaranteeing backpay to furloughed feds from shutdown guidance

An Office of Management and Budget FAQ document now states that only excepted employees forced to work without pay are guaranteed backpay at the conclusion of a lapse in appropriations.

www.govexec.com

5 48 140

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 1d

Silence will not save us!

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

1/14

jeremymberg.github.io

2 1 25

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 1d

Required reading for university administrators and any journalist covering the #Compact

@chronicle.com @insidehighered.com
@statnews.com

Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

1 4

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 1d

When you attack and interrupt science, you end up with fewer findings. In a few years, we will start to see this in fewer treatment breakthroughs.

But this did not need to happen.

And it need not continue.

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 2d

PubMed Update (no pun intended)

Publications with Pub Date

8/1//24 62209
9/1/24 64765
10/1/24 68211

8/1/25 61610
9/1/25 63719

10/1/25 35936 (as of 10/2/25)
10/1/25 38673 (as of 10/6/25, 8:00 AM)

It appears that ~40% of the expected number of publications are missing for 10/1/25

1/2

a man in a black vest says no bueno in front of mountains

ALT: a man in a black vest says no bueno in front of mountains

media.tenor.com

3 11

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 2d

What I didn’t get to say on @msnbc.com part 2

www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8A6KecL/

I went on MSNBC The Weekend Primetime. Here’s what I didn’t get to say, part 2.

TikTok video by jennajmn

www.tiktok.com

5 10

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 2d

Here what I didn’t get to say on MSNBC tonight, part 1: www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8A6kqV7/

I went on MSNBC The Weekend Primetime. Here’s what I didn’t get to say, part 1.

TikTok video by jennajmn

www.tiktok.com

1 6 16

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 2d

Went back on @msnbc.com to talk about how Trump is threatening federal services like NIH research and the workers who provide them. www.msnbc.com/the-weekend-...

'Destruction of our government': Furloughed federal worker slams Trump's shutdown

Roughly 750,000 federal workers have already been furloughed as a result of the ongoing government shutdown. And as both parties show no signs of making a deal, Donald Trump is claiming that firings o...

www.msnbc.com

1 14 33

Reposted by Jenna Norton

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 4d

🚨 Are you an alum from one of the 9 universities Trump is attempting to extort right now?

✍️ Sign this petition to defend your university, free speech, and democracy. I signed.

This is a time for courage, not capitulation.
#JustSayNo #Compact 🧪🧠🧬

(context in thread)

Trump attacks 9 universities: Sign the alumni petition to defend your school now

Are you an alum outraged by Trump's attacks on universities? Defend your school now by signing this alumni petition in support of these 9 universities as well as campus communities across America.

alumni.controlshift.app

4 44 47

Reposted by Jenna Norton

teabelly @teabelly.bsky.social · 3d

They want to rig the system and take our power away but it is blowing up in their face.

Let’s talk about what it really means when leadership refuses to bring the issue back to the House floor. Hint: it’s not confidence — it’s fear.

thehill.com/homenews/hou...

1 2 7

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 3d

We all need a little more laughs in our life these days. And this made me laugh.

Dr. Rabbithole @drrabbithole.bsky.social · 4d

Russell Vought tells Trump we need MORE COWBELL -- with cowbell meaning everything on the Project 2025 agenda! When Vought tells Trump to do something, he delivers. Who is really running the government?

Made with apologies to Saturday Night Live.

#dontfearthereaper

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 3d

This is true, Rs can scrap the filibuster and move forward with a simple majority. But it looks bad because then they have to admit they could have done this the whole time.

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 3d

This open letter, by a talented former NIH colleague, fills my heart with both appreciation for our friends abroad and aching for our country’s future.

The Trump-led destruction of US science is senseless and shortsighted. It is bad for our health and economy.
universityaffairs.ca/opinion/help...

Help scientists ousted by America’s attack on knowledge - University Affairs

An open letter to leaders of higher education in Canada.

universityaffairs.ca

7 22

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 3d

The D version of the CR has much more than ACA extensions. I wish Ds in Congress would acknowledge that more.

For example, the D bill has provisions limiting Trump’s multiyear funding policies that devastated paylines. That issue is just too wonky to get in soundbites. But it is on the table!

2 3