Sean Kevin Campbell
@sean-kev.bsky.social
Investigative reporter and writer. Adjunct @columbiajournalism. Former @propublica, @teamtrace. Work: seankevin.com
Pinned
Sean Kevin Campbell
@sean-kev.bsky.social
· May 29
Guns bought in the US and trafficked to Mexican drug cartels fuel violence in Mexico and the migration crisis
A yearlong investigation shows the depth of the gun trafficking problem and how ATF oversight of gun dealers can reduce trafficking to Mexico – when the agency has resources.
theconversation.com
Want to know more about how gun stores fuel cartel violence in Mexico, fentanyl addiction in the US, and migrations to the border but don't have the time for a 12,000+ word investigation? Here's the TL;DR version w/ @us.theconversation.com.
theconversation.com/guns-bought-...
theconversation.com/guns-bought-...
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
As a writer, I get acutely how high the bar is for convincing people to read the news in an age of video. Which makes this headline all the weirder, because, again, people can see the video for themselves!
December 22, 2025 at 4:22 PM
As a writer, I get acutely how high the bar is for convincing people to read the news in an age of video. Which makes this headline all the weirder, because, again, people can see the video for themselves!
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Over the weekend, JD Vance said: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore.”
That’s a longtime theme of white supremacists in America, as Vance no doubt knows. In this thread, I cite similar racist rhetoric using the “apology” theme. 1/6 🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵
That’s a longtime theme of white supremacists in America, as Vance no doubt knows. In this thread, I cite similar racist rhetoric using the “apology” theme. 1/6 🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵
JD Vance: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore"
December 22, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Over the weekend, JD Vance said: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore.”
That’s a longtime theme of white supremacists in America, as Vance no doubt knows. In this thread, I cite similar racist rhetoric using the “apology” theme. 1/6 🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵
That’s a longtime theme of white supremacists in America, as Vance no doubt knows. In this thread, I cite similar racist rhetoric using the “apology” theme. 1/6 🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
not that the present economic picture is rosy, but i do think that popular culture — and specifically nostalgia bait television — is a big part of the reason that our public memory of the 1970s, 1980s and even 1990s seems to miss the real economic pain that marked each of those decades.
December 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
not that the present economic picture is rosy, but i do think that popular culture — and specifically nostalgia bait television — is a big part of the reason that our public memory of the 1970s, 1980s and even 1990s seems to miss the real economic pain that marked each of those decades.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
a *lynching*? huh.
Possibly the only thing more freakish than Nuzzi's prose is the contortions her defenders twist themselves into. "She's not just hot, but she definitely is hot, while also being a vulnerable smol child. Also, criticizing her is sexist."
December 8, 2025 at 7:41 PM
a *lynching*? huh.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Friends this is what #solidarityisforwhitewomen talked about
Except the women there got six figure book deals , defended by leftists
And the primary targets of the abuse were a Black and Chicana woman
Some version of this repeats as Nassim every 315 business days
Except the women there got six figure book deals , defended by leftists
And the primary targets of the abuse were a Black and Chicana woman
Some version of this repeats as Nassim every 315 business days
Possibly the only thing more freakish than Nuzzi's prose is the contortions her defenders twist themselves into. "She's not just hot, but she definitely is hot, while also being a vulnerable smol child. Also, criticizing her is sexist."
December 8, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Friends this is what #solidarityisforwhitewomen talked about
Except the women there got six figure book deals , defended by leftists
And the primary targets of the abuse were a Black and Chicana woman
Some version of this repeats as Nassim every 315 business days
Except the women there got six figure book deals , defended by leftists
And the primary targets of the abuse were a Black and Chicana woman
Some version of this repeats as Nassim every 315 business days
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Jay Collins is supposed to be my state senator, but he was appointed to be Lt. Gov. Now, he has a nonprofit running ads promoting his campaign for governor, and I cannot believe how bad they are (I can believe, actually, because he is a terrible candidate and politician)
December 7, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Jay Collins is supposed to be my state senator, but he was appointed to be Lt. Gov. Now, he has a nonprofit running ads promoting his campaign for governor, and I cannot believe how bad they are (I can believe, actually, because he is a terrible candidate and politician)
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
It might be easy to find things like this merely petty or superficial, but that would be a mistake. Demeaning, erasing or eliminating celebrations or acknowledgments of Black America is straight from Redemption playbook, and is intended to reinforce the racial hierarchy and signal its reinstatement.
National parks change prioritizes Trump birthday over days honoring Black people
Free entrance days at national parks no longer include MLK Day and Juneteenth.
www.sfgate.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
It might be easy to find things like this merely petty or superficial, but that would be a mistake. Demeaning, erasing or eliminating celebrations or acknowledgments of Black America is straight from Redemption playbook, and is intended to reinforce the racial hierarchy and signal its reinstatement.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
#3157 A helpful tutorial
November 17, 2025 at 11:40 PM
#3157 A helpful tutorial
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
ben smith’s take from last year when the nuzzi/rfk story first broke aged like cheese on a dashboard
November 18, 2025 at 3:47 AM
ben smith’s take from last year when the nuzzi/rfk story first broke aged like cheese on a dashboard
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
To recap: Jeffrey Epstein offered a NY Times reporter photos taken in Epstein's kitchen of Donald Trump and girls in bikinis *and* implored the NYT reporter to put this information in the public discourse in 2015
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
“would you like photos of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen?” -Jeffrey Epstein
November 12, 2025 at 8:05 PM
To recap: Jeffrey Epstein offered a NY Times reporter photos taken in Epstein's kitchen of Donald Trump and girls in bikinis *and* implored the NYT reporter to put this information in the public discourse in 2015
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
i don’t like him, but, man, turning down $10M in favor of haterdom is an all-time, world-class, heavyweight champion hater move
according to @jessyedwards.bsky.social of @hellgatenyc.com Curtis Sliwa just said on stage that he was offered $10 million to drop out of the race
November 5, 2025 at 3:03 AM
i don’t like him, but, man, turning down $10M in favor of haterdom is an all-time, world-class, heavyweight champion hater move
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
You shouldn’t take any moral stands but instead do whatever is popular. All you need is perfect foresight to know what the popularity of that issue will be when you actually run for office. Like Hillary Clinton knowing Iraq War support would always be viewed positively.
November 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM
You shouldn’t take any moral stands but instead do whatever is popular. All you need is perfect foresight to know what the popularity of that issue will be when you actually run for office. Like Hillary Clinton knowing Iraq War support would always be viewed positively.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Prof journos analyzed AI results from ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, & Perplexity for 22 public service media organizations in 18 countries, in 14 languages:
45% of all AI answers had 1 or more issue
31% had missing, misleading, or incorrect attributions
20% had major accuracy issues
#medialiteracy
45% of all AI answers had 1 or more issue
31% had missing, misleading, or incorrect attributions
20% had major accuracy issues
#medialiteracy
"Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory"
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 23, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Prof journos analyzed AI results from ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, & Perplexity for 22 public service media organizations in 18 countries, in 14 languages:
45% of all AI answers had 1 or more issue
31% had missing, misleading, or incorrect attributions
20% had major accuracy issues
#medialiteracy
45% of all AI answers had 1 or more issue
31% had missing, misleading, or incorrect attributions
20% had major accuracy issues
#medialiteracy
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
When you’ve completely run out of op-ed ideas.
October 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
When you’ve completely run out of op-ed ideas.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
More than that. "The FBI ***recorded*** Tom Homan taking the money "after indicating he could help the agents — who were posing as business executives — win government contracts in a second Trump administration."
Tom Homan was investigated for accepting $50,000 from undercover FBI agents. Trump's DOJ shut it down.
The FBI and Justice officials closed the investigation, which a Justice Department appointee had called a “deep state” probe in early 2025.
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
The FBI and Justice officials closed the investigation, which a Justice Department appointee had called a “deep state” probe in early 2025.
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...
Tom Homan was investigated for accepting $50,000 from undercover FBI agents. Trump's DOJ shut it down.
The FBI and Justice officials closed the investigation, which a Justice Department appointee had called a “deep state” probe in early 2025.
www.msnbc.com
September 20, 2025 at 8:19 PM
More than that. "The FBI ***recorded*** Tom Homan taking the money "after indicating he could help the agents — who were posing as business executives — win government contracts in a second Trump administration."
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
The backlash against the essential 1619 Project was a canary in the coal mine for the censorship of curriculum, books, and Black academics happening with increasing frequency today. Importance weekend listening.
My friend and colleague Wesley Morris and I had a very sobering conversation about America since the 1619 Project published and how it feels to be falling back under the veil that W.E.B. Du Bois so mournfully wrote about. I hope you’ll listen to this episode of Cannonball @nytimes.com
September 20, 2025 at 1:33 PM
The backlash against the essential 1619 Project was a canary in the coal mine for the censorship of curriculum, books, and Black academics happening with increasing frequency today. Importance weekend listening.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
This is an agent of the US federal government, armed for live-fire combat against a modern army, slamming a passive and nonviolent female candidate for the US Congress into asphalt.
Then walking away without checking if she has injuries, with his identity concealed behind a black facemask.
Then walking away without checking if she has injuries, with his identity concealed behind a black facemask.
moments ago, ice agents again came out of the broadview detention/“professing” facility to escort a silver suv out of the lot.
one of the agents picked up and threw congressional candidate kat abughazaleh to the ground.
one of the agents picked up and threw congressional candidate kat abughazaleh to the ground.
September 19, 2025 at 2:41 PM
This is an agent of the US federal government, armed for live-fire combat against a modern army, slamming a passive and nonviolent female candidate for the US Congress into asphalt.
Then walking away without checking if she has injuries, with his identity concealed behind a black facemask.
Then walking away without checking if she has injuries, with his identity concealed behind a black facemask.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
THIS is the kind of order judges should be issuing against performative complaints.
OMG - the judge in Florida just sua sponte struck the complaint in the Trump v NYT case for -wait for it - violating Rule 8.
Lawyers, tell the folks at home how hard it is to get the complaint struck outright for something like that in fed eral court.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Lawyers, tell the folks at home how hard it is to get the complaint struck outright for something like that in fed eral court.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
September 19, 2025 at 4:04 PM
THIS is the kind of order judges should be issuing against performative complaints.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
as someone who is a hater, i accept and welcome the fact that i have haters. what is good for the goose, etc. in fact, i think people in this business should be more open about their hating. if we think our words matter, then we should feel some kind of way about people who do bad work.
I have accepted that I have haters, including people annoyed by the water drinking reminders, and I don't have the time or energy to care about them anymore.
this is something you just have to live with if you are even barely well-known online; people make up elaborate stories about you in their heads. it will always happen and you cannot give a shit about it, only stomp on it if they try to spread these weird tales to anybody you actually know.
September 19, 2025 at 3:23 PM
as someone who is a hater, i accept and welcome the fact that i have haters. what is good for the goose, etc. in fact, i think people in this business should be more open about their hating. if we think our words matter, then we should feel some kind of way about people who do bad work.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Can Jimmy Kimmel sue Brendan Carr, or other federal actors, for violating his First Amendment rights by coercing ABC to suspend his show, and maybe eventually to fire him?
To teal deer it, yes, but without an effective remedy.
/1
To teal deer it, yes, but without an effective remedy.
/1
September 18, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Can Jimmy Kimmel sue Brendan Carr, or other federal actors, for violating his First Amendment rights by coercing ABC to suspend his show, and maybe eventually to fire him?
To teal deer it, yes, but without an effective remedy.
/1
To teal deer it, yes, but without an effective remedy.
/1
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
This story is not getting the attention it deserves in fact it should be so shocking that it took over the CK story at this point.
However, you would be hard pressed to find more than a couple people who even know what happened
However, you would be hard pressed to find more than a couple people who even know what happened
The family of Trey Reed is seeking an independent autopsy following the Delta State University student’s death on Monday, when his body was found hanging in a tree on campus.
Trey Reed’s Family Calls for an Independent Autopsy After Tree Hanging Death
Demartravion “Trey” Reed’s family is seeking an independent autopsy after the Delta State University student was found hanging in a tree.
www.mississippifreepress.org
September 17, 2025 at 6:21 PM
This story is not getting the attention it deserves in fact it should be so shocking that it took over the CK story at this point.
However, you would be hard pressed to find more than a couple people who even know what happened
However, you would be hard pressed to find more than a couple people who even know what happened
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
The liberal outfit that goes back to liberal fundamentals will win.
That doesn't mean tacking to the center; it means emphasizing liberty interests against the emerging authoritarian regime, and NOT giving it what it wants.
That doesn't mean tacking to the center; it means emphasizing liberty interests against the emerging authoritarian regime, and NOT giving it what it wants.
The pitch from every single left of center think tank "here's why we need to compromise on our fundamental values to win, surely no one will think we're frauds if we do"
September 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The liberal outfit that goes back to liberal fundamentals will win.
That doesn't mean tacking to the center; it means emphasizing liberty interests against the emerging authoritarian regime, and NOT giving it what it wants.
That doesn't mean tacking to the center; it means emphasizing liberty interests against the emerging authoritarian regime, and NOT giving it what it wants.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
We are point where … Karl Rove and … John “Torture Memo” Yoo feel compelled to loudly and publicly denounce MAGA overreach (louder, honestly, than many Dem leaders).
I don’t know what it means: things are abt to get really bad? Or proof of fatal overreach?
But either way, it’s just wild.
I don’t know what it means: things are abt to get really bad? Or proof of fatal overreach?
But either way, it’s just wild.
ROVE: “.. Using Charlie’s murder to justify retaliation against political rivals is wrong and dangerous. It will further divide and embitter our country. No good thing will come of it.”
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/opinion/they...
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/opinion/they...
September 18, 2025 at 1:14 AM
We are point where … Karl Rove and … John “Torture Memo” Yoo feel compelled to loudly and publicly denounce MAGA overreach (louder, honestly, than many Dem leaders).
I don’t know what it means: things are abt to get really bad? Or proof of fatal overreach?
But either way, it’s just wild.
I don’t know what it means: things are abt to get really bad? Or proof of fatal overreach?
But either way, it’s just wild.
Reposted by Sean Kevin Campbell
Sorry I don’t know the traditions that well, but doesn’t observing the Sabbath make it impossible to tweet in the time period between Friday evening to Saturday evening?
September 12, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Sorry I don’t know the traditions that well, but doesn’t observing the Sabbath make it impossible to tweet in the time period between Friday evening to Saturday evening?