Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · 20d

As Judge Breyer found, Trump said he wants to create & lead a nat'l police force

That's unlawful & un-American

But that nightmare can become a reality if his use of Nat'l Guard remains unchecked, as our brief explains:

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · 22d

We @democracydefendersfund.org filed an amicus brief on behalf of cities targeted by the Trump Admin incl LA, NYC, Chicago, Baltimore

What's happening in LA is just the beginning of an unprecedented & systematic assault on US values

fb1cd5ab-5a51-475c-87d1-10904a61146d.usrfiles.com/ugd/fb1cd5_e...

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Aug 18

The timeline is based on public records, especially court filings & gov docs

It details how public officials’ neglect, minimization or deliberate manipulation blunted scrutiny, weakened victim protection & enabled continued exploitation and abuse

W/ @rgoodlaw.bsky.social & Siven Watt

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Aug 18

As ppl look for transparency & accountability we’ve put together a comprehensive timeline of the failure of federal law enforcement to address Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes @justsecurity.org

It’s a “tale of national disgrace” spanning 3 decades

www.justsecurity.org/119137/timel...

Timeline of Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell Law Enforcement Failure (1996-2025)

A comprehensive timeline of the failure of federal law enforcement to address Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes.

www.justsecurity.org

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Reposted by Joshua Kolb

Just Security @justsecurity.org · Aug 18

A new public resource:

Comprehensive Timeline of Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell Law Enforcement Failures (1996-2025)

By @rgoodlaw.bsky.social, Siven Watt, @joshuakolb.bsky.social

#Epstein #GhislaineMaxwell #EpsteinFiles

Timeline of Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell Law Enforcement Failure (1996-2025)

A comprehensive timeline of the failure of federal law enforcement to address Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's crimes.

www.justsecurity.org

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Reposted by Joshua Kolb

Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · Jul 30

Good news in VOA case!

Judge just granted our & wonderful cocounsel & clients motion for order to show cause & strongly called out the government's games

He ordered gov to produce a plan for restoring VOA's programming as required under the statute

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jul 30

The Trump Admin wrongfully detained & removed Adrián Rengel from the US, sending him to the brutal CECOT prison in El Salvador

@democracydefendersfund.org we brought a claim under fed law on Rengel's behalf to clear his name

I discussed w/ @katiephang.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/joshuako...

Suing the Trump Administration for its Bad Acts

My conversation with Katie Phang

open.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jul 30

Suing the Trump Administration for its Bad Acts -- Here's my conversation w/ @katiephang.bsky.social about the claim we @democracydefendersfund.org filed on behalf of Adrián Rengel

He was wrongfully detained & removed from the US, & left to languish in CECOT

open.substack.com/pub/joshuako...

Suing the Trump Administration for its Bad Acts

My conversation with Katie Phang

open.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jul 29

Honored to join @katiephang.bsky.social on her Substack today to discuss our claim on behalf of our client, who was wrongfully detained and removed from the U.S. to the brutal CECOT prison in El Salvador

It's the first of its kind & we @democracydefendersfund.org were proud to bring it

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Reposted by Joshua Kolb

Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · Jul 29

I just covered the claim brought by Neiyerver Rengel against the Trump Administration and I wanted to talk with one of the lawyers who’s representing Mr. Rengel.

Join me at 3:00 pm ET for a Substack Live with @joshuakolb.bsky.social from @democracydefendersfund.org !

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Reposted by Joshua Kolb

Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jul 1

This week we have a special Independence Week edition of the Democracy Index w/ @joycewhitevance.bsky.social -- stepping back to take the temperature of the rule of law in the wake of momentous SCOTUS decisions and DOJ developments @contrariannews.org

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-democr...

The Democracy Index

July 1, 2025

contrarian.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jul 1

This week we have a special Independence Week edition of the Democracy Index w/ @joycewhitevance.bsky.social -- stepping back to take the temperature of the rule of law in the wake of momentous SCOTUS decisions and DOJ developments @contrariannews.org

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-democr...

The Democracy Index

July 1, 2025

contrarian.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jun 10

President Trump's deployment of the National Guard is unlawful and unprecedented. Our @democracydefendersfund.org report unpacks the law. W/ @normeisen.bsky.social & Diamond Brown

www.democracydefendersfund.org/_files/ugd/c...

www.democracydefendersfund.org

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Jun 3

We @democracydefendersfund.org just filed an amicus brief w/ former conservative officials opposing Trump's use of the AEA

It's not just unlawful, it's unnecessary. The gov has many legal tools to protect the public, but the AEA isn't one of them

www.democracydefendersfund.org/prs/06.03.25...

Press Release | State Democracy Defenders Fund

www.democracydefendersfund.org

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · May 30

Elon Musk has been forced to learn a Bismarckian lesson about the art of politics. We explain the implications of that at The Democracy Index this week @contrariannews.org

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-democr...

The Democracy Index

May 30, 2025

contrarian.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · May 1

The high-profile fights over Abrego Garcia & the other removals to El Salvador reflect the Trump Adm's desperation, & also help obscure the reality that Trump and his top immigration adviser Stephen Miller are falling short of their own promises

We explain @msnbc.com

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | The calamitous influence of Stephen Miller has become impossible to ignore

The removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the natural result of Miller’s attempt to impose his draconian deportation goals.

www.msnbc.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Apr 30

With the pause in discovery in the Garcia case ending today it’s a good time to step back & look at how we got here

As Trump & WH scrambles one figure seems to have more responsibility than anyone else for this mess: Trump adviser Stephen Miller

We explain @msnbc.com

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | The calamitous influence of Stephen Miller has become impossible to ignore

The removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the natural result of Miller’s attempt to impose his draconian deportation goals.

www.msnbc.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Apr 29

It's part of Miller's inescapable influence & desire to steamroll on immigration & the courts

We broke down @msnbc.com how DOJ’s filings became increasingly recalcitrant & misleading after his public comments. And as seen here Trump has adopted Miller's mistaken spin

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Apr 29

This convo bw @gregsargent.bsky.social & @speechboy71.bsky.social gets at the imp dynamic we explained in our @msnbc.com piece, and the prominent role Stephen Miller is playing in this mess

DOJ’s filings after Miller’s comments become more recalcitrant and misleading

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Apr 29

The high-profile fights over Abrego Garcia & the other removals to El Salvador reflect the Trump WH's desperation, & also help obscure the reality that Trump and his top immigration adviser Stephen Miller are falling short of their own promises.

We explain @msnbc.com

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | The calamitous influence of Stephen Miller has become impossible to ignore

The removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the natural result of Miller’s attempt to impose his draconian deportation goals.

www.msnbc.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Apr 28

The calamitous influence of Stephen Miller has become impossible to ignore

We explain @msnbc.com how the removal of Abrego Garcia is the natural result of his attempt to impose his draconian and seemingly unrealistic deportation goals as rapidly as possible

www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | The calamitous influence of Stephen Miller has become impossible to ignore

The removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the natural result of Miller’s attempt to impose his draconian deportation goals

www.msnbc.com

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Reposted by Joshua Kolb

Julie Zebrak @juliezebrak.bsky.social · Apr 26

At @contrariannews.org The Democracy Index, we began the week wondering whether Trump can dissolve our democratic government faster than the courts can stop him.

We ended the week with some bipartisan signs of the judiciary holding. @joycewhitevance.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

The Democracy Index

April 25, 2025

open.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Mar 29

Each week at The Democracy Index, we take a snapshot of the state of our democracy

The cavalier incompetence and dangerousness of Signalgate encapsulates much of the peril we have been tracking

This week's edition explains why @contrariannews.org

open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

The Democracy Index

This week’s Democracy Index comes to you securely over Substack — if you were inadvertently added by the team, please remove yourself from the chat.

contrarian.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Mar 28

The Signalgate scandal reflects broader systemic problems with the Trump Administration’s governance and the state of our democracy

This week's Democracy Index @contrariannews.org explains precisely why this episode was so damaging -- and so revealing

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-democr...

The Democracy Index

This week’s Democracy Index comes to you securely over Substack — if you were inadvertently added by the team, please remove yourself from the chat.

contrarian.substack.com

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Joshua Kolb @joshuakolb.bsky.social · Mar 21

Are we witnessing the dismantling of America? This week's edition of The Democracy Index for The Contrarian grapples with that question, w/ @joycewhitevance.bsky.social & our excellent team @contrariannews.org

contrarian.substack.com/p/the-democr...

The Democracy Index

March 21, 2025

contrarian.substack.com

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