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Nick Schwellenbach

@schwellenbach.bsky.social

2.2K followers 840 following 500 posts

I'm an investigative journalist at POGO: https://www.pogo.org/about/people/nick-schwellenbach Signal: @schwellenbach.27 Encrypted email: [email protected] Substack: https://districtofcorruption.substack.com/

www.pogo.org

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 13d

"How BI² landed an ICE contract worth as much as $10 million is in part a tale of the Trump administration’s increasing reliance on controversial surveillance and biometric technology in its immigration crackdown"

It's also about a lobbying shop that has tight ties to Trump

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 13d

My newest story, co-authored with @russchoma.bsky.social, is out.

It's a collaboration b/t @pogo.org & @motherjones.com

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Clients of a Trump-connected lobbying firm keep landing no-bid ICE contracts

Ballard Partners is helping companies cash-in on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Robert Mackey @robertmackey.bsky.social · 1d

The Oregon Republican Party tried to help Donald Trump make the case for military intervention in Portland with an image of a fiery protest — but since Portland is calm, they had to fabricate one by merging old photos of police in Ecuador and protesters in Brazil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Republicans post fake image of Oregon protest – using photos of South America

A federal judge had blocked Trump’s request to deploy California national guard to Portland

www.theguardian.com

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Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 1d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 2d

"...every single one of the 50 respondents believe that Trump and his attorney general, Pam Bondi, have used the Justice Department to go after the president’s political and personal enemies and provide favors to his allies."

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/m...

‘Bow to the Emperor’:We Asked 50 Legal Experts About the Trump Presidency

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Michael Derby @michaelsderby.bsky.social · 4d

“An FBI agent was relieved of duty for declining to arrange a ‘perp walk’ of the bureau's former director, James Comey, in front of news media cameras.” Via Reuters

FBI agent relieved of duty over refusing Comey perp walk, four people familiar say

An FBI agent was relieved of duty for declining to arrange a "perp walk" of the bureau's former director, James Comey, in front of news media cameras after Comey was federally charged last month, four people briefed on the matter said on Friday.

www.reuters.com

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Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 5d

America enters a new, dark chapter: "Kavanaugh Raids" on entire buildings and neighborhoods, a chapter surely to be remembered as infamously as we now view the "Palmer Raids" of the first Red Scare. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/welcome-to...

Welcome to the Era of "Kavanaugh Raids"

ICE crosses another big, important line.

www.doomsdayscenario.co

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 5d

Sensing a pattern yet?

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 6d

“Recognize that you are going to be targeted. Recognize that the game has changed.”

@attackerman.bsky.social’s interview w/ @terryalbury.bsky.social

www.forever-wars.com/an-fbi-count...

An FBI Counterterrorism Vet Explains How To Use Trump's New Orders Against The Left

'Recognize that you are going to be targeted'

www.forever-wars.com

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Natalie Alms @almsnatalie.bsky.social · 6d

My count of now unaccessible watchdog websites is now up to 16 after OMB witheld funds from a central watchdog council that operates many OIG websites.

This means the reports housed on these websites aren't accessible, nor are links for whistleblowers.

Natalie Alms @almsnatalie.bsky.social · 7d

NEW: At least 10 watchdog websites are dark after OMB withheld funds from a watchdog council, removing access to thousands of watchdog reports and required whistleblower links.

OMB's move to withhold funds - which has received Republican pushback - is separate from the shutdown.

Government watchdog websites go dark as OMB withholds funds from IG committee

The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is funded largely through a no-year revolving account, rather than the regular appropriations that lapsed Oct. 1.

www.nextgov.com

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Invisible Institute @invisible.institute · Sep 5

Reporters from across newsrooms in Chicago are collaborating to collect visual evidence of federal agents detaining people & using force in Chicago. Send videos to tinyurl.com/chicagojournalists, or get in touch via email [email protected].

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Chris Morran @themorrancave.bsky.social · 7d

NEW: Now that Tom Homan is border czar, his former business associate is continuing to work with companies actively seeking to land a chunk of the $45 billion Congress approved to spend on Trump's mass detention and deportation plans.

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 sa...

www.propublica.org

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

Meanwhile at the Pentagon, a new memo from Pete Hegseth may chill #whistleblower disclosures of “valuable information in detecting and deterring waste fraud, abuse and corruption within the DOD,” according to former watchdog Rob Storch

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Hegseth to upend troops’ access to watchdog, whistleblower complaints

New Pentagon directives will overhaul the channels that allow troops and defense personnel to file whistleblower complaints, report toxic leadership or point out discrimination.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

In addition, oversight.gov and ignet.gov are down. That means hundreds, if not thousands, of watchdog reports on dozens of agencies are now offline. Some may be archived elsewhere but will generally be harder to find - if they were archived

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees no longer can file whistleblower complaints through these 28 watchdog office's web-based hotlines, nor can any members of the public who have a complaint about those agencies.

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

All of these 28 Office of Inspector General websites are now down -- including at the VA, Justice Department, EPA, IRS, Education Department, USDA, Interior Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and elsewhere.

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 7d

So unexpected that letting people keep their freedom, safety, and not be arbitrarily deported to foreign torture gulags might resonate with voters….

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 7d

A top Mamdani adviser tells me internal data shows taking on Trump's authoritarian abuses resonates. It appeals to working class voters across all demographics, countering the frequent claim that this is a "distraction" from issues working people "really" care about.

newrepublic.com/article/2011...

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

The websites for the offices of inspectors general at the Justice Department, Veterans Affairs, EPA, IRS, and other agencies now say: “Due to a lack of apportionment of funds, this website is currently unavailable.”

Those websites’ whistleblower hotlines are now offline too.

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 7d

"With this new deployment, the administration is sending a clear signal that it intends to treat Trump’s June memo as a standing authorization."

www.pogo.org/analysis/por...

Portland Precedent Risks More Unchecked, Unlawful Deployments

The Pentagon is using the president’s June memo as a blanket authorization to deploy troops to U.S. cities — regardless of the facts or the law.

www.pogo.org

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Colleen Mondor @chasingray.bsky.social · 8d

The Dept of Transportation IG has issued many flight safety reports over the years. I can’t begin to tell you how significant they are.

I cited one in an an article on FAA staffing & aircraft certification delays/safety that is running this week at @leehamnews.com.

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 8d

It's interesting that Trump's OMB is attacking IGs and the Council of IGs, saying some IGs have "lied to the public" in a comment to the Wash Post. Yet Trump appointed & left in place an IG that repeatedly misled Congress, according to a federal investigation: www.pogo.org/investigatio...

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 8d

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 8d

“Absent immediate action, CIGIE and PRAC will need to furlough staff and terminate important functions that help prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the government”-Republican Senators Chuck Grassley (IA) and Susan Collins (MA)
www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/re...

Grassley, Collins Urge OMB to Release Appropriated Inspector General Funds | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chairs of the Senate...

www.judiciary.senate.gov

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 8d

The council of inspectors general says in a letter to Congress about being defunded that it hosts websites for 28 watchdog offices - incl. for the VA, DOJ, and IRS inspectors general. Those websites' #whistleblower hotlines could go dark

www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

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Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 8d

"Sources tell me that NSPM-7 will likely cause the domestic terrorism watchlist, currently at about 5,000 U.S. citizens, to double in the coming months" - @kenklippenstein.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/kenklipp...

Trump’s NSPM-7 Alarms Law Firms While Congress Is Silent

Domestic terror watchlist to double, sources say

open.substack.com

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 11d

Important article citing my @pogo.org colleague Greg Williams on how the shrinking role of the Pentagon weapons testing office could put troops at risk

www.yahoo.com/news/article...

The Pentagon gutted its weapons testing office. The biggest losers could be the troops.

The Pentagon's independent weapons testing office is overseeing almost 100 fewer programs after fresh cuts, raising safety and effectiveness concerns.

www.yahoo.com

Nick Schwellenbach @schwellenbach.bsky.social · 12d

"A defendant is entitled to notice of the charges against them so they can prepare a defense. It’s likely Comey’s lawyers will ask for a bill of particulars, which will force the government to specify the precise statements he is charged with making and the factual basis for the charges"

Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 12d

My assessment of the charges against Jim Comey, what the government will have to prove, what happens next and what we can expect the judge to do, & why this is ultimately about Donald Trump, as much as if not more so, than it is about Comey.

open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

Trump Gets His Indictment

This afternoon, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Nick Schwellenbach

Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 12d

Important thing to know: Grand juries only hear one side of the story. The defense doesn’t cross examine witnesses or present a case. Good prosecutors are committed to the truth & doing justice. They don’t indict cases when the defendant can contradict their case.

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