@Nonilex@masto.ai cover

#law, #climate, #science, #geopolitics, #politics, #democracy, cool stuff &… #BabySquirrel Recovering lawyer. Spending less time on world news since US voters re-elected a rapist/convicted felon, who tried to end democracy, but who Americans decided to give a mulligan, cuz democracy shlemocracy right? Occasionally I’ll come across something that I feel compelled to share, but… …these days… I've stopped my dreaming …these days I sit on corner stones & count the time in quarter tones to ten

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@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

speaker condemns monitoring of lawmakers’ document review

Attorney General “obtained” Rep. ’s search history of the unredacted & even Trump’s most powerful ally in has a problem with it.


https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/12/politics/doj-monitoring-lawmaker-epstein-files-searches

Nonilex OP ,
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Speaker Thursday said the ’s tracking of lawmakers’ search history was inappropriate, a rare rebuke from the who is usually in lockstep with the admin.

“I think members should obviously have the right to peruse those at their own speed & with their own discretion & I don’t think it’s appropriate for anybody to be tracking that. I will echo that to anybody involved in the DOJ.”

Nonilex OP ,
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Johnson’s comments come after photos of ’s notes during a Wednesday congressional hearing revealed the is tracking which documents lawmakers are reviewing in the unredacted , prompting many on Capitol Hill to sound the alarm.

CNN first reported the apparent from a photo taken of Bondi’s notes during her testimony, which included Jayapal’s “search history” of the documents, with a list of which files the congresswoman had searched.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/pam-bondi-house-hearing-02-11-26?post-id=cmli7mnhx001u3b6ptdafvy1y

Nonilex OP ,
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told CNN she did not know the had surveilled her search until CNN contacted her Wednesday for comment on the matter.

“I think everyone should be concerned about this. It’s a violation of our ,” Jayapal said. “We should be able to look at any document we want & not feel like it’s going to be surveilled or used against us in any way. And this was just so obviously egregious.”

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

This has to be a Easter Egg.

“improperly” [accidentally-on-purpose] disclosed tax data to
The agency only recently discovered the “mistake” & is working with other federal agencies on a response.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/02/11/immigrants-irs-dhs-tax-data/

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

said Saturday that he’s stepping down, ending a troubled tenure 3 days after the said that it was laying off ⅓ of its staff.

Lewis announced his departure in a 2-paragraph email to the newspaper’s staff, saying that after 2 years of transformation, “now is the right time for me to step aside.” The Post’s CFO, Jeff D’Onofrio, was appointed temporary publisher.


https://apnews.com/article/washington-post-will-lewis-stepping-down-layoffs-c8559f5e1d9f4d73f37163e4a708f9da?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=2026-02-07-Breaking+News

Nonilex OP ,
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Neither Lewis nor the newspaper’s owner participated in the meeting with staff members announcing the layoffs Wednesday. While anticipated, the cutbacks were deeper than expected, resulting in the shutdown of the Post’s renowned section, the elimination of its staff & sharp reductions in personnel responsible for coverage of metropolitan Washington & overseas.

Nonilex OP ,
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They came on top of widespread talent defections in recent years at the newspaper, which lost tens of thousands of subscribers following ’ order late in the 2024 presidential campaign pulling a planned endorsement of , & a subsequent reorienting of its section in a more direction.

Nonilex OP ,
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Martin Baron, the Post’s first editor under , condemned his former boss this week for attempting to curry favor with & called what has happened at the “a case study in near-instant, self-inflicted brand destruction.”

The British-born was a former top executive at The Wall Street Journal before taking over at The in Jan 2024.

Nonilex OP ,
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’ tenure has been rocky from the start, marked by layoffs & a failed reorganization plan that led to the departure of former top .

His initial choice to take over for Buzbee, Robert Winnett, withdrew from the job after questions were raised about both he & Lewis’ actions while working in England. They include paying for info that produced major stories, actions that would be considered in US .

Nonilex OP ,
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…The Guild, the representing staff members, called ’ exit long overdue.

“His legacy will be the attempted destruction of a great American institution,” the Guild said in a statement. “But it’s not too late to save The Post. must immediately rescind these layoffs or sell the paper to someone willing to invest in its future.”

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

removes lawyer who told judge in case, 'This job sucks'

I’m sure it does in this presidential term.

The U.S. Justice Department has removed a government lawyer from an assignment in Minnesota after she told a federal judge, "This job sucks" & said immigration authorities had failed to comply with , according to a source familiar with the move.


https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-justice-department-removes-lawyer-who-told-judge-immigration-case-this-job-2026-02-04/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

The is laying off ONE-THIRD of its staff in the & other departments, a brutal blow at one of ’s most legendary brands.

The troubled Post began implementing large-scale cutbacks on Wednesday, including eliminating its sports department & shrinking the number of it stations overseas. The changes were announced by executive editor Matt Murray in a Zoom meeting with staff.


https://apnews.com/article/washington-post-staff-reduction-layoffs-cuts-923f87d4bd319c8a64b278165d0a6e27?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=2026-02-04-Breaking+News

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

will win special runoff in , shrinking majority further

Fmr Harris County Attorney Democrat Christian Menefee will win the special election runoff in Texas’ 18th Congressional District ending a long vacancy & narrowing Speaker Mike Johnson’s razor-thin majority in the US House.


https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/politics/texas-18th-special-election-democrats-republicans

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

Judge issues order preventing the arrest of in

A federal judge on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order preventing the admin from arresting resettled refugees in Minnesota while the case challenging the practice continues. The judge also ordered the immediate release of all refugees detained in Minnesota as well as those taken to Texas


https://refugeerights.org/news-resources/court-orders-ice-to-stop-unlawful-arrest-and-detention-of-refugees

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

WTF?

proceeds are going into a private account in that cannot block. This can’t be legal.

Marco Rubio: "The oil proceeds are being deposited into an account that ultimately will become a US Treasury blocked account here in the US. We will say 'this is what this money can be spent on.' They will submit to us a budget request -- 'we want to use the money on these things.!'"

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

State of & admin meet in court today on request to end surge of agents

A federal judge in MN will hold a hearing at 10AM ET (9AM CT) on a lawsuit to end Operation Metro Surge. Judge Katherine Menendez has said she wants to hear from both sides before making a decision on the request.

Nonilex OP ,
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The complaint brought by the state of & cities of & argues the aggressive influx of federal officers into the state “is driven by nothing more than the Administration’s desire to punish political opponents & score partisan points—at the direct expense of Plaintiffs’ residents.”

Nonilex OP ,
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The admin’s response says the lawsuit has “not a shred of legal support,” saying Trump has “broad authority” to “enforce” federal .

The plaintiffs are asking the judge to “reduce the numbers of officers & agents deployed in to the levels that existed … prior to the commencement of Operation Metro Surge.”

Nonilex OP ,
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They also want the judge to place several limits on officers who remain in the state, including prohibiting them from concealing their identities with masks & approaching suspects based only on “race, ethnicity, accented speech, or proximity to predominantly Immigrant-serving businesses or cultural centers.”

Nonilex OP ,
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The office of , the AG, is asking a judge to stop the surge of federal# immigration agents in the state. Later today, officials will argue against a lawsuit brought by the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension [] following the killing of by federal agents.

Nonilex OP ,
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In the federal court hearing, Lindsey Middlecamp, a lawyer for the state of , is asking a judge to stop what she calls an “invasion” of agents. She urges the judge to “issue a temporary restraining order today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.”

In her opening statement, Lindsey Middlecamp notes that “another person has been shot dead in broad daylight.” She also refers to a letter sent to the governor by , the US AG, as “a ransom note.”

Nonilex OP ,
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Before Monday’s hearing began, AG said he hoped the court would issue an order halting the federal operation promptly. “Judge Menendez is an i-dotter & a t-crosser,” said Ellison, who is attending the hearing. “She’s very, very good at her job & she’s not inclined to take action that is not well supported & deliberate.”

Nonilex OP ,
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Lindsey Middlecamp, the state lawyer, accused officials of “finding any way they can to punish & silence those who speak up against their misconduct.”

Brian Carter, another lawyer for MN, tells the judge that “this situation is unprecedented in the 250-year history of our country.” He claimed the deployment of agents—which he called “essentially an army”—was intended to “stir the pot with conduct that is pervasive & includes widespread illegal violent conduct.”

Nonilex OP ,
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Judge Kate M. Menendez, who is hearing arguments on whether to block the surge in , said that “I think it goes without saying that we are in shockingly unusual times.” But she’s pressing a lawyer for the state on whether their claims of a violation pass legal muster [ defines the concept of , the relationship between & governments.]

https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/tenth_amendment

Nonilex OP ,
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Judge Kate Menendez, a Biden appointee, is continuing to press a lawyer for the state on their request to block the surge. She notes that several more narrow lawsuits have been brought challenging specific actions by agents. “It seems that part of the solution for this set of wrongs that you describe is to bring cases about those wrongs,” she said, “rather than to say all of these things together means the government has to leave the of .”

Nonilex OP ,
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“How do I decide when a law enforcement response crosses the line from a legitimate law enforcement response to a response that violates the ?” Judge Kate M. Menendez asks a lawyer for the state of .

Brian Carter, a lawyer for MN, tells the judge that “at its heart, the issue is that the government is attempting to bend the ’s will to its own. And that is not allowed under the .”

Nonilex OP ,
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Judge Kate Menendez notes that the of “has one set of values” around enforcement, & the admin has another. She tells a lawyer for the state that “we’re at risk of asking me to decide who’s right there.”

Brian Carter, a lawyer for MN, again tells the judge that he believes “it is personal animosity, it is ” that is motivating the Trump admin’s campaign in MN. He cites some of the president’s language about MN as evidence for that claim.

Nonilex OP ,
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The court hearing on ’s effort to expel agents from the state is now on a short break. The federal judge, Kate M. Menendez, is expected to hear from lawyers for the admin soon. In making another pitch for an immediate ruling, Brian Carter, a lawyer for the state, said “the situation on the streets is so dire” that “relief is appropriate now, & it should be granted now.”

Nonilex OP ,
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Court is back in session in , where lawyers for the of & the are seeking a judicial order putting an end to the surge. The judge, Kate M. Menendez, did not act on their request when it was first made after the shooting, & she had pointed questions for a state lawyer this morning. Menendez is now asking questions of Brantley Mayers, a lawyer for the admin.

Nonilex OP ,
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Judge Menendez asked the lawyer for the admin whether the surge in enforcement would end if , Minneapolis & St. Paul changed their policies to the president's liking. The lawyer said he could not commit to that. [Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.] I think she is trying to ascertain whether the operation is in fact retribution & not about policy.

Nonilex OP ,
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Judge Kate Menendez turned to ’s post on Truth Social stating, “GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING.”

“What do I do with that?” she asked.

“I don’t think that would negate the fact that there is legitimate law enforcement activity going on in ,” said attorney Brantley Mayers.

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

Judge blocks admin from searching data seized from reporter
The seizure “chills speech, cripples reporting, & inflicts irreparable harm,” The Post said in statement.

Government officials may not examine electronic devices seized from a Washington Post reporter until litigation stemming from the search of her home is settled, a federal judge in Virginia ruled Wednesday.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/21/washington-post-hannah-natanson-search-court-filing/

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

officials said they have launched “Operation Catch of the Day,” [their names are ridiculous] a targeted effort in .

ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told FauxNews the operation has resulted in about 50 arrests so far. Hyde said the agency is targeting about 1,400 individuals in Maine.

Hyde also criticized Maine’s law enforcement on with ICE, saying it has hindered ops.


https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/maine-immigration/ice-arrests-portland-maine-operation-catch-of-the-day-dhs/97-4f155dc9-f6ca-4779-ae27-bd63b2f22278

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

So sad!

Despite Drastic Financial Steps, Turns to &

The largest organization in the will lay off workers, cut salaries & reduce its offerings.

It may also sell its that are valued at $55 million.


https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/arts/music/met-opera-budget-cuts.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

‘We’ll Sue’∶ White House’s Warning to Is Sign of a New Status Quo

In previously unreported remarks, the White House press secretary told CBS News that would “sue” the news outlet if it did not air an interview unedited.


https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/business/media/cbs-news-trump-interview.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Nonilex OP ,
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It was an aside, caught on camera, that said a lot about the uneasy business of conducting today.

Moments after finished taping a 13-minute interview on Tuesday with the “CBS Evening News” anchor (not a respected journalist) in Michigan, , the White House press secretary, approached Dokoupil & his colleagues to convey a message from the president.

Nonilex OP ,
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“He said, ‘Make sure you guys don’t cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full,’” Leavitt said in an even tone, according to a recording of the exchange obtained by The NYT.

“Yeah, we’re doing it, yeah,” Dokoupil responded.

Leavitt replied: “He said, ‘If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your ass off.’”

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

My god, this is Getty John Abernathy. He wrote on instagram “I was tackled by agents & surrounded by about 50 . Just for taking photos. I tossed my camera to another Photographer to make sure it wouldn't be confiscated. at the Federal building in .”
Photo by Pierre Lavie.

ALT
Nonilex OP ,
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Follow up on John Abernathy…

He later posted this image of his camera sitting on top of what appears to be a court date notice. The caption is very cryptic, but from the picture I infer his camera survived & he was in fact arrested. No word on whether he had any injuries, though at a minimum I’d expect bruises. An absolutely .

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

🚨🚨🚨🚨

says he may countries with if they don’t back the control of

Trump suggested Friday that he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the US controlling Greenland, a message that came as a Congressional delegation met Danish & Greenlandic lawmakers in Copenhagen & sought to lower tensions.


https://apnews.com/article/denmark-greenland-us-trump-tariffs-c8c17c89cbc4ca9819eb728102d0a2b3?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=2026-01-16-US+and+Greenland

Nonilex OP ,
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for months has insisted that the US should control , a semiautonomous territory of ally , and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland,” he said Friday, without providing details. “We need Greenland for national security.”

Nonilex OP ,
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@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random

Medical examiner believes of man in custody was homicide, recording says

A fellow detainee says he witnessed Geraldo Lunas Campos being choked to death by at an ICE center in Texas on Jan. 3.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/01/15/ice-detention-death-homicide/

@Nonilex@masto.ai avatar Nonilex , to random
Nonilex OP ,
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“I felt like I was going to pass out & die,” said a 16-year-old citizen.

ProPublica showed former & officials videos of incidents. They said agents are out of control. One said it’s “the kind of action which should get you fired.”

There is a federal ban on & similar tactics. But there is no sign of punishment for officers who’ve used them.

Nonilex OP ,
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An agent in TX put a teenage citizen into a , wrapping his arm around the boy’s neck, choking him so hard that his neck had red welts hours later. A black-masked agent in CA pressed his knee into a woman’s neck while she was handcuffed; she then appeared to pass out. An agent in MA jabbed his finger & thumb into the neck & arteries of a young father who refused to be separated from his wife & 1-year-old daughter. The man’s eyes rolled back in his head & he started convulsing.

Nonilex OP ,
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After ’s by a officer 6 years ago in — less than a mile from where an agent shot & killed last week — police departments & federal agencies banned & other moves that can restrict breathing or blood flow.

But those tactics are back, now at the hands of agents conducting ’s mass deportation campaign.