Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 15h

What is Congress anyways?

George Pearkes @peark.es · 15h

Well that's not how appropriations work at all

*WHITE HOUSE TO TRANSFER TARIFF REVENUE TO FUND WIC: LEAVITT

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 15h

Stephen Miller short circuits after saying Trump has "plenary authority" over sending troops into U.S. cities www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...

Stephen Miller Says Trump Has ‘Plenary Authority,’ Like A King

www.huffpost.com

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Evelyn Douek @evelyndouek.bsky.social · 20h

I wrote about an under-appreciated aspect of AAUP v. Rubio. It is the first case of the Trump Era to explicitly identify and reject the primary and most pernicious form of speech suppression employed by this Administration: Chill.

balkin.blogspot.com/2025/10/aaup...

Balkinization: AAUP v. Rubio and the Big Chill

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 16h

I talked to Osita Nwanevu about his new book The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding. We discussed why the U.S. isn't a democracy and how to finally make it one. www.huffpost.com/entry/us-dem...

Trump’s Authoritarianism Isn’t The Only Problem With Democracy In America

A new book argues that America has never actually been a democracy. That doesn’t mean hope is lost.

www.huffpost.com

Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 16h

This is a really interesting take on Thomas' concurrence. Whether he believes it or not is another question.

Slate @slate.com · 20h

Look closer at Thomas’ opinion in SFFA v. Harvard, and something remarkable happens. slate.trib.al/OeC02d3

Clarence Thomas Accidentally Laid the Groundwork for Reviving Affirmative Action

In trying to shut the door on race-conscious affirmative action, he may have quietly left another affirmative action door wide open.

slate.trib.al

Reposted by Paul Blumenthal

Nick Bednar @nicholasbednar.bsky.social · 6d

Section 2302(b)(3) prohibits federal agencies from coercing employees to engage in political activity---let alone coercing employees to engage in a pretty blatant Hatch Act violation

HuffPost @huffpost.com · 6d

One health department employee said the directions seemed to be "coercing" subordinates into political activity.

Trump Admin Tells Furloughed Workers To Set OOO Message Blaming Democrats For Shutdown

One health department employee said the directions seemed to be "coercing" subordinates into political activity.

www.huffpost.com

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

It turns out that it's a violation of the First Amendment to fire public employees for their private speech www.huffpost.com/entry/charli...

The Republican Witchhunt Over Charlie Kirk Is Running Into A Pretty Big Problem

Large free speech groups are mobilizing to provide legal support to people fired over their social media posts that were critical of Kirk.

www.huffpost.com

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 6d

NEW: In the lead-up to Trump’s second term, a PA businessman hired Tom Homan as a consultant and said he could put together a group of companies wanting to get in line to win contracts for a massive immigration enforcement plan, sources said.

Trading on Tom Homan: Inside the Push to Cash in on the Trump Administration’s Deportation Campaign

A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives said.

www.propublica.org

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John Ganz @lioneltrolling.bsky.social · 6d

I interviewed Dylan Riley about Trump, fascism, and civil society for @dissentmag.bsky.social www.dissentmagazine.org/online_artic...

The Battle Over Civil Society - Dissent Magazine

An interview with Dylan J. Riley on Trump and the state of American democracy.

www.dissentmagazine.org

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

Does he want fewer Black people to take the Holland Tunnel?

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 6d

OMB Director Russell Voight says that US DOT will announce that the federal government is "pausing" funding for both Gateway and the Second Avenue Subway because of "unconstitutional DEI principles" -- x.com/russvought/s...

Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

there is a lot wrong here. only one tribe album and it's not in the top five. no blackstar? the chronic at 64? illmatic isn't number one? okay i appreciate the inclusion of cannibal ox. but the rest is nonsense.

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

I'm guessing this means we get the decision overturning of Humphrey's Executor this year with a fuller explanation about a Fed carve-out to be cited in the Cook case.

George Pearkes @peark.es · 6d

Here's the order, nothing more (i.e. the status quo prevails and she remains on the Board of Governors). The fact they're not letting him remove her in the interim is a huge tell, because in all the other independent agency cases they permitted removal.
www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...

(ORDER LIST: 606 U.S.)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025
ORDER IN PENDING CASE
25A312 TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF U.S., ET AL. V. COOK, LISA D.
The application for stay presented to The Chief Justice and
by him referred to the Court is deferred pending oral argument in
January 2026. The Clerk is directed to establish a briefing
schedule for amici curiae and any supplemental briefs responding
to amici.

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

Justices have to protect their stock portfolios.

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 6d

Reuters: U.S. SUPREME COURT LEAVES FED GOVERNOR LISA COOK IN PLACE FOR NOW, DEFERS ACTING ON JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REQUEST TO REMOVE HER IMMEDIATELY

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

Wonder what the Opus Dei SCOTUS justices think about this?

Michael McDonald @electproject.bsky.social · 6d

Pope Leo says pro-life people are hypocrites abc7news.com/post/pope-le...

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 6d

This by @jamellebouie.net is all exactly right. Particular emphasis on political parties building associational bonds rather than serving as product advertisers: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/o...

Opinion | Trump Has No Mandate to Destroy America

www.nytimes.com

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Zoe Tillman @zoetillman.bsky.social · 7d

A US citizen alleges he was improperly arrested and detained twice by immigration officers as they targeted Latino workers at Alabama construction sites, claims they initially rebuffed his offers to prove legal status -- new proposed class action in federal court buff.ly/LVwQRIm

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Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · 7d

NEW: I interviewed Leonard Peltier at his new home in North Dakota.

Now 81, he has a LOT to say about his ~50 years in prison, why he thinks Biden bucked the FBI to finally release him, how Indigenous people are "in danger" under Trump, and his next chapter. www.huffpost.com/entry/leonar...

‘We’re In Danger’: Leonard Peltier Has A Warning About Trump

In a sit-down interview, the Indigenous rights activist reflects on his nearly 50 years in prison, why he thinks Biden bucked the FBI to free him, and how tribes are “in danger” under Trump.

www.huffpost.com

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Arthur Delaney @delaneyrules.bsky.social · 8d

Dem senator says there will be “fucking zero” defections on the GOP CR tonight 👀

@jbendery.bsky.social @igorbobic.bsky.social

t.co/X9pkxXfeyk

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/government-shutdown-democrats-trump_n_68da810be4b0a3d9991e334c?47e

t.co

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Noah Rosenblum @narosenblum.bsky.social · 8d

The brilliant Tim Shenk with one of the cleanest reads on the future of Democratic Party politics in today’s @nytimes.com; gift link below:

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/o...

It's a simple recipe, really: a scorching economic message delivered by political outsiders standing up to the powerful.
The villains in this narrative — and it's essential to have villains — are the elites at the top of a broken system. Neither Mr. Mamdani nor Mr. Osborn dwelled on cultural issues; instead, they concentrated on subjects like increasing wages and affording a home. Although their signature positions have strong public backing, their platforms are more than just a grab bag of whatever does best in the polls. They tell a story that reframes the debate, enlisting voters in a battle between the many and the few, with stakes that reach into everyday life.

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David Bier @davidjbier.bsky.social · 10d

The agent admits he treats immigrants like "they're animals" and that he tells his kids that they are animals "all the time"

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 11d

Congress, what is it?

Kelsey Reichmann @kelseyreichmann.bsky.social · 11d

BREAKING: Supreme Court lets Trump unilaterally freeze billions in congressionally appropriated foreign aid money

apparent 6-3 vote with liberals in dissent @courthousenews.bsky.social

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Michelle Goldberg @michellegoldberg.bsky.social · 11d

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/o...

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Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 13d

BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered the University of South Dakota to reinstate a professor who posted criticism of Charlie Kirk on his Facebook page the day of the shooting, finding the action likely violated the First Amendment. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 11d

Gonna get the Bill Calley Medal of Murder soon no doubt

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 11d

Only an administration intent on committing war crimes in the present and future would stoop to calling Wounded Knee a "battle" rather than what it truly was: a massacre of over 250 Lakotas, mainly women, children, and the elderly. 1/

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Paul Blumenthal @paulblumenthal.bsky.social · 11d

Here's the piece we talked about www.huffpost.com/entry/donald...

The 2026 Election Hinges On 1 Case That Could Get In Trump’s Way

Trump’s legal arguments in a case challenging his deployment of troops to U.S. cities could disable laws banning the military from interfering in elections.

www.huffpost.com

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