Patty Simonton
@pattysimonton.bsky.social
Conscious capitalist. Ecosystem Builder. Entrepreneurship Development Professional.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
USAID was not dismantled by accident. It was a deliberate hit job by the Christian right, backed and financed by Heritage Foundation. Strip the language of charity away and what remains is ideology, power, and control.
‘Trojan horse moment’: anti-rights groups seize chance to fill void left by US aid cuts
Ultra-conservative Christian organisations look to reshape global health landscape as new aid agreements open door to demands restricting family planning services
www.theguardian.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:24 AM
USAID was not dismantled by accident. It was a deliberate hit job by the Christian right, backed and financed by Heritage Foundation. Strip the language of charity away and what remains is ideology, power, and control.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
"U.S. tourism faces $5.7B US loss as Canadians continue to stay home. Number of Canadians visiting the U.S. has been in steep decline since Trump took office" www.cbc.ca/news/busines...
U.S. tourism faces $5.7B US loss as Canadians continue to stay home | CBC News
Many Canadians continue to boycott travel to the United States, and the U.S. economy is paying the price. A U.S. Travel Association report forecasts a 3.2 per cent decline in international tourism spe...
www.cbc.ca
December 21, 2025 at 1:30 AM
"U.S. tourism faces $5.7B US loss as Canadians continue to stay home. Number of Canadians visiting the U.S. has been in steep decline since Trump took office" www.cbc.ca/news/busines...
Reposted by Patty Simonton
I've been wondering whether this is an instance where the facial recognition tool they're using is overriding paper records for some reason.
This is a terrible, shocking story... they won't believe her but certificate or hospital records evidencing she was born in the US -
ICE Says U.S. Citizen’s Birth Certificate Is Fake After Arresting Her: Attorneys www.huffpost.com/entry/us-cit...
ICE Says U.S. Citizen’s Birth Certificate Is Fake After Arresting Her: Attorneys www.huffpost.com/entry/us-cit...
Trump Administration Says Maryland Woman's Birth Certificate Is Fake In Dystopian Move
Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales was arrested on Sunday. ICE won’t release her despite extensive documentation of her citizenship, her attorneys told HuffPost.
www.huffpost.com
December 21, 2025 at 11:45 AM
I've been wondering whether this is an instance where the facial recognition tool they're using is overriding paper records for some reason.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
🚨 NEWS: Ranking Members @raskin.house.gov and @robertgarcia.house.gov released a joint statement after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Department of Justice will not be releasing the full Epstein files today.
December 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
🚨 NEWS: Ranking Members @raskin.house.gov and @robertgarcia.house.gov released a joint statement after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Department of Justice will not be releasing the full Epstein files today.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Trump has now conducted 28 boat strikes, killing over 100 people.
Remember: no judge or jury has found these boats were trafficking drugs. We're simply taking Trump's word for it.
He’s unilaterally acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
This is a danger to us all.
Remember: no judge or jury has found these boats were trafficking drugs. We're simply taking Trump's word for it.
He’s unilaterally acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
This is a danger to us all.
December 19, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Trump has now conducted 28 boat strikes, killing over 100 people.
Remember: no judge or jury has found these boats were trafficking drugs. We're simply taking Trump's word for it.
He’s unilaterally acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
This is a danger to us all.
Remember: no judge or jury has found these boats were trafficking drugs. We're simply taking Trump's word for it.
He’s unilaterally acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
This is a danger to us all.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Forget about the nonsense stories like the Kennedy Center being renamed or whatever Bari Weiss is doing
At least 3,800 immigrant children were detained in 2025. Now, kids are not supposed to be kept more than 20 days
At least 1,300 of them have been held longer than 20 days-some for over 4 months
At least 3,800 immigrant children were detained in 2025. Now, kids are not supposed to be kept more than 20 days
At least 1,300 of them have been held longer than 20 days-some for over 4 months
December 19, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Forget about the nonsense stories like the Kennedy Center being renamed or whatever Bari Weiss is doing
At least 3,800 immigrant children were detained in 2025. Now, kids are not supposed to be kept more than 20 days
At least 1,300 of them have been held longer than 20 days-some for over 4 months
At least 3,800 immigrant children were detained in 2025. Now, kids are not supposed to be kept more than 20 days
At least 1,300 of them have been held longer than 20 days-some for over 4 months
Reposted by Patty Simonton
The Undocumented Underground is in many ways the most robust and serious resistance movement I have seen in the Trump era. It has legal, political, and protest components. It is gaining steam all over NYC and elsewhere. talkingpointsmemo.com/undocumented...
Undocumented Underground
Talking Points Memo (TPM) is an independent news organization that publishes reporting and analysis about American politics, public policy and political culture.
talkingpointsmemo.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:59 AM
The Undocumented Underground is in many ways the most robust and serious resistance movement I have seen in the Trump era. It has legal, political, and protest components. It is gaining steam all over NYC and elsewhere. talkingpointsmemo.com/undocumented...
Reposted by Patty Simonton
"intelligence official said the campaign noticeably calmed in late 2024 and early this year. Their analysis showed Moscow likely paused the campaign to curry favor with U.S. President Donald Trump's new administration. It has since resumed at full pace."
Doesn't bode well for 2026. #hybridwar
Doesn't bode well for 2026. #hybridwar
Fantastic piece of journalism by the AP. A map of the 145 Russian sabotage and disruption incidents across Europe.
These are not random acts. "Russia wants to drain Europe's investigative resources with its sabotage campaign, officials say." apnews.com/projects/rus...
These are not random acts. "Russia wants to drain Europe's investigative resources with its sabotage campaign, officials say." apnews.com/projects/rus...
Russia wants to drain Europe's security resources with sabotage campaign, officials say | AP News
The Associated Press has tracked 145 cases of sabotage and disruption that Western officials blame on Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. They say Moscow wants to drain Europe’s investigative r...
apnews.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:06 AM
"intelligence official said the campaign noticeably calmed in late 2024 and early this year. Their analysis showed Moscow likely paused the campaign to curry favor with U.S. President Donald Trump's new administration. It has since resumed at full pace."
Doesn't bode well for 2026. #hybridwar
Doesn't bode well for 2026. #hybridwar
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Excerpts of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's closed-door statement to House Judiciary Committee just now:
"If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether the President was a Republican or Democrat"
(MORE)
"If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether the President was a Republican or Democrat"
(MORE)
December 17, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Excerpts of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's closed-door statement to House Judiciary Committee just now:
"If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether the President was a Republican or Democrat"
(MORE)
"If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether the President was a Republican or Democrat"
(MORE)
Reposted by Patty Simonton
One reason I'm reposting this (other than it's very good) is the occupation of Memphis, unlike other cities, seems to be undercovered.
I'm a veteran criminal justice reporter. I've never seen anything like ICE-occupied Memphis. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
I'm a veteran criminal justice reporter. I've never seen anything like ICE-occupied Memphis.
“It’s about as sad as you can possibly imagine."
www.motherjones.com
December 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
One reason I'm reposting this (other than it's very good) is the occupation of Memphis, unlike other cities, seems to be undercovered.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
BREAKING: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ discharge petition has reached 218 signatures, clearing the threshold needed to force a vote on a clean, three-year extension of Obamacare premium subsidies.
December 17, 2025 at 3:08 PM
BREAKING: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ discharge petition has reached 218 signatures, clearing the threshold needed to force a vote on a clean, three-year extension of Obamacare premium subsidies.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
"They prosecuted the Capitol rioters. Now the rioters and the DOJ are after them." www.reuters.com/investigatio...
They prosecuted the Capitol rioters. Now the rioters and the DOJ are after them.
After Trump’s mass pardons of the U.S. Capitol rioters, some have gained influence inside the Justice Department. The January 6 prosecutors describe mounting threats, harassment and fear of lasting da...
www.reuters.com
December 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
"They prosecuted the Capitol rioters. Now the rioters and the DOJ are after them." www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Death toll is, per US provided stats, now at 95 if I have it correct. With zero authorization from Congress. With zero evidence presented. 23 strikes.
Hegseth murdered more people today but still refuses to release the second strike video from September.
December 16, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Death toll is, per US provided stats, now at 95 if I have it correct. With zero authorization from Congress. With zero evidence presented. 23 strikes.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to abruptly eliminate as many as 35,000 health care positions this month, according to an internal memo, VA staffers and congressional aides.
https://wapo.st/3KSaAts
https://wapo.st/3KSaAts
December 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to abruptly eliminate as many as 35,000 health care positions this month, according to an internal memo, VA staffers and congressional aides.
https://wapo.st/3KSaAts
https://wapo.st/3KSaAts
Reposted by Patty Simonton
I particularly hope every executive at The Home Depot reads this excellent @gregsargent.bsky.social piece about Stephen Miller's terrifying project to transform the United States. Why Home Depot...? (cont) newrepublic.com/article/2041... /1
Inside Stephen Miller’s Dark Plot to Build a MAGA Terror State
He is descended from Russian Jews—you know, the kind of people who were once denounced as alien and unassimilable. Today, his project is to unleash government persecution of those he deems alien and u...
newrepublic.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I particularly hope every executive at The Home Depot reads this excellent @gregsargent.bsky.social piece about Stephen Miller's terrifying project to transform the United States. Why Home Depot...? (cont) newrepublic.com/article/2041... /1
Reposted by Patty Simonton
NEW: My Udemy course 'Propaganda & Disinformation for Beginners' has helped students in 26 countries worldwide strengthen their armour against disinformation since it launched 2 years ago. Techniques Cambridge Analytica used to secretly profile millions have become a vastly profitable industry.. /1
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
NEW: My Udemy course 'Propaganda & Disinformation for Beginners' has helped students in 26 countries worldwide strengthen their armour against disinformation since it launched 2 years ago. Techniques Cambridge Analytica used to secretly profile millions have become a vastly profitable industry.. /1
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Reposted by Patty Simonton
The fuck is happening in this framed photo three feet away from Steve Bannon?
December 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The fuck is happening in this framed photo three feet away from Steve Bannon?
It’s horrific that her team had to even think about this.
When the winner of the Nobel peace prize smuggled herself over the water and out of Venezuela to attend the ceremony in Oslo this week, her allies called the Pentagon to ask them not to arbitrarily murder her. www.wsj.com/world/americ...
December 12, 2025 at 1:58 AM
It’s horrific that her team had to even think about this.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
NEW: The EPA Was Considering a Massive Lead Cleanup in Omaha. Then Trump Shifted Guidance. by @chrisbowling.bsky.social @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social
The EPA Was Considering a Massive Lead Cleanup in Omaha. Then Trump Shifted Guidance.
The Trump administration says it will speed cleanups, but residents of the largest residential lead Superfund site worry fewer properties will be remediated.
www.propublica.org
December 11, 2025 at 3:15 PM
NEW: The EPA Was Considering a Massive Lead Cleanup in Omaha. Then Trump Shifted Guidance. by @chrisbowling.bsky.social @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social
Reposted by Patty Simonton
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
December 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
Reposted by Patty Simonton
For ProPublica filmmaker Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, Yineska and her family represent the many Venezuelans who’ve come to the U.S. seeking safety and opportunity — and, in many ways, his own immigration story.
Watch “Status: Venezuelan,” out now.
Watch “Status: Venezuelan,” out now.
They Came to the U.S. Legally. Then Trump Stripped Their Status Away.
Yineska and her family are trapped between a homeland in ruin and Trump’s mass deportation campaign. “Status: Venezuelan” is a story of them trying to stay together — and stay in the U.S. legally.
www.propublica.org
December 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
For ProPublica filmmaker Mauricio Rodríguez Pons, Yineska and her family represent the many Venezuelans who’ve come to the U.S. seeking safety and opportunity — and, in many ways, his own immigration story.
Watch “Status: Venezuelan,” out now.
Watch “Status: Venezuelan,” out now.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
A huge night for Democrats:
—They flip Miami's mayorship.
—They flip a state House district in Georgia that had voted Trump by 13%.
—They keep Albuquerque's mayorship, while the liberal faction flips city council.
—And they get big overperformances (+18 & +22) in 2 Florida specials.
—They flip Miami's mayorship.
—They flip a state House district in Georgia that had voted Trump by 13%.
—They keep Albuquerque's mayorship, while the liberal faction flips city council.
—And they get big overperformances (+18 & +22) in 2 Florida specials.
December 10, 2025 at 3:26 AM
A huge night for Democrats:
—They flip Miami's mayorship.
—They flip a state House district in Georgia that had voted Trump by 13%.
—They keep Albuquerque's mayorship, while the liberal faction flips city council.
—And they get big overperformances (+18 & +22) in 2 Florida specials.
—They flip Miami's mayorship.
—They flip a state House district in Georgia that had voted Trump by 13%.
—They keep Albuquerque's mayorship, while the liberal faction flips city council.
—And they get big overperformances (+18 & +22) in 2 Florida specials.
Reposted by Patty Simonton
Georgia Democrats won a big victory in a red legislative seat. Readers of The Downballot weren't caught off guard tonight!
December 10, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Georgia Democrats won a big victory in a red legislative seat. Readers of The Downballot weren't caught off guard tonight!
Reposted by Patty Simonton
We tried to tell the people! Seriously, if you want to know about these kinds of special elections well in advance, subscribe --> www.the-downballot.com/subscribe
December 10, 2025 at 3:48 AM
We tried to tell the people! Seriously, if you want to know about these kinds of special elections well in advance, subscribe --> www.the-downballot.com/subscribe